Kenneth Cole and Selena Gomez were honored at the 2026 Social Impact Summit x NYC at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) on March 30.

The Social Impact Fund and the FIT Foundation honored Cole with the Excellence in Fashion Philanthropy Award for his commitment to mental health awareness through his Mental Health Coalition.

Gomez received the Excellence in Beauty Philanthropy Award for her fundraising work for mental health services with Rare Beauty and the Rare Impact Fund.

At the event, which was held at the Fred P. Pomerantz Art and Design Center, Cole said, “We built the Mental Health Coalition with the goal of changing the dialogue, changing culture, and giving people the tools to be vulnerable and empathetic. We want to show them how to be the best versions of themselves and to show up for each other.

“Social impact isn’t only what we do, but what we are,” he added.

The event was attended by more than 700 industry executives and designers as well as FIT students and alumni.

“FIT cultivates the incredible changemakers who will shape the future of the industry,” FIT President Jason S. Schupbach said. “By convening industry icons and leaders who are tackling some of our most pressing challenges, we’re bridging classroom learning with real-world impact and showing students firsthand how their own creativity can be a force for good.”

Gomez was unable to attend the event but shared a message through Elyse Cohen, Chief Impact Officer of Rare Beauty and President of the Rare Impact Fund: “Real ownership looks like knowing your why. Why do you create? Why does this matter to you? Because when things get hard, that’s the only thing that keeps you going—not followers and not external validation.”

Rebecca Messner and Valentina Messner are co-hosts and executive producers of The Blush Podcast, Fashion Institute of Technology’s student-run podcast. Both students are Advertising and Marketing Communications majors.