Client Case Studies

Fort Mose 1738 was founded by Maurice Gattis, Ph.D., as a fashion brand rooted in the history of the first free, legally sanctioned Black community in America. Designed to merge historical significance with contemporary aesthetics, the line blends West African textile traditions — including handwoven Kente cloth — with modern tailoring.

As a digitally based, made-to-measure brand produced by artisans in Accra, Ghana, Fort Mose 1738 required strategic positioning to translate its cultural foundation into commercial relevance within the U.S. fashion market.

LSZ Communications developed a positioning framework that balanced heritage and modernity, introducing the brand to fashion, lifestyle, and cultural media through selective visibility.

The strategy included:

• Framing the collection within the emerging “loud luxury” conversation in fashion
• Aligning the brand with runway moments in Richmond, Washington D.C., Miami, and adjacent fashion markets
• Securing editorial features that emphasized craftsmanship and cultural authenticity
• Developing a comprehensive brand book to support retail-facing sales conversations through platforms such as The Folklore

Experiential placements with DJs, performance artists, and media personalities helped translate the collection’s bold aesthetic into visible cultural momentum.

The campaign generated early-stage brand recognition across fashion, lifestyle, and cultural outlets in the U.S. and internationally, including coverage in The Source, regional business press, and syndicated news platforms.

Runway activations and strategic media exposure strengthened Fort Mose 1738’s positioning within contemporary multicultural fashion conversations and advanced its trajectory toward New York Fashion Week presentation.

Through clear positioning around commerce, culture, and craftsmanship, the brand moved from concept to recognized emerging fashion platform with expanding cross-market visibility.