The NCAA estimates that the retail market for collegiate-licensed merchandise is about $4.6 billion, annually. While plenty of institutions are seeing dollar signs, Clark University is using their platform to help local creatives get a piece of the action.
CLARKxCOLLAB is an innovative concept spearheaded by Worcester native Joseph Corazzini, vice president for government and community affairs at Clark University. For the second year in a row, Corazzini is pushing the university to use its apparel platform to showcase and elevate the talent of Worcester’s artists. This year’s designer is Doherty Memorial High School graduate, Curtis Kariuki.
Corazzini recalls hiring Kariuki to film his daughter’s quinceañera many years ago, back when the artist was still a teenager. Impressed by a young Kariuki’s professionalism and artistic flair, Corazzini planted the seeds for a collaboration that would come to fruition years later.
Kariuki’s subsequent journey took him around the globe as a hip-hop videographer, collaborating with renowned artists like Lil Yachty, Trippie Redd, and Post Malone. Now, he has returned to his roots, focusing on his streetwear line Denied Approval and opening his first brick-and-mortar shop in downtown Worcester.
Denied Approval’s CLARKxCOLLAB drop at Family and Friends Weekend in October was a triumph. The collection sold out. Kariuki’s designs feature a skateboarder set against the city skyline, flags representing global communities in Worcester and at Clark, and the University logo adorned with the Denied Approval insignia.
For Clark University, the initiative transcends profits; it is about community engagement, cultural connection, and fostering authentic relationships. Corazzini explained, “We upfront a zero-interest loan to the artist, so they don’t have to pay out of pocket for the cost of the apparel. A hundred percent of the profit goes to the artist.”
Clark’s marketing team provides minimal guidance, specifying little more than colorways. This flexibility allows for a dynamic and evolving collection that reflects the vibrancy of Worcester and the diverse experiences of its residents. Corazzini hopes CLARKxCOLLAB will become an annual endeavor.
A second run of Denied Approval’s CLARKxCOLLAB is in the works. Follow @deniedapproval on Instagram for updates, and visit Kariuki’s new store in downtown Worcester at 17 Mechanic St.
Sarah Connell Sanders is an educator, and regular columnist for Worcester Magazine. She welcomes follows on Instagram, sarah_connell.
