Suzanne Lerner_ Woman-Led Fashion and Apparel Retail by Entrepreneurial Activist at Michael Stars

1. Suzanne Lerner: Woman-Led Fashion and Apparel Retail by Entrepreneurial Activist at Michael Stars Did you know that the fashion and apparel retail industry is worth 1.3 trillion dollars on an annual basis? That is indeed a lot of money. But naturally, this comes with the increasing fast fashion trends in the market and overpopulation in the world. However, it has come to light that fast fashion trends make up about 10% of the world’s carbon emissions and pollution in the air, water, and land. To address this growing global environmental and socioeconomic problem, the fashion retail industry has adopted sustainability initiatives and practices that cut down on carbon footprints and CO2 emissions and replaced these challenges with increased recyclable materials and clothes manufactured, regulated supply chain management, adopting renewable energy practices, reducing use of water, encouraging and promoting a circular economy practice, and much more. These strategies can help the Earth to rejuvenate and heal itself from the many years of terrible destruction. Therefore in this article, we will be uncovering and sharing deep insights into how Co- Founder and CEO Suzanne Lerner - an entrepreneurial activist and philanthropist established Michael Stars as a contemporary fashion and lifestyle brand, in 1986, in Los Angeles, USA. Locally sourced, manufactured, and retailed, the company cuts its supply chain management as a sustainable fashion strategy towards being socially and environmentally responsible. Creating “timeless and comfortable fashion for all and meant to go with people wherever they want in life”, the clothes at Michael Stars are “crafted with quality and made to last”. Suzanne Lerner - Entrepreneur, Activist, Philanthropist, and an Inspiration to the Masses: The Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Michael Stars is Suzanne Lerner. She co- founded the retail fashion and apparel company with her husband - Michael Cohen in the year 1986. An entrepreneur, activist, passionate philanthropist, and a great inspiration and face to the masses - Suzanne “creates effortless fashion that is timeless and comfortable” at Michael Stars. Suzanne studied Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and French language and Literature at the Northeastern Illinois University. After her education, the co-founder and CEO founded and established Lerner et Cie - a women’s contemporary clothing showroom in 1983. She went on to become a Board Member at Women Thrice Alliance, an Advisory Board Member at Children Mending Hearts and Prosperity Catalyst, and a Board Member again at ACLU of Southern California, ERA

2. Coalition, The Fund for Women’s Equality, and Ms. Foundation for Women. In the year 1986, Suzanne Lerner and her husband Michael Cohen together co-founded Michael Stars. “I’m grateful to be in a position where I can help women look and feel their best while continuing to pursue the activism and philanthropy that has defined my life - and keeping Michael’s memory alive in the process.” - Suzanne Lerner, CEO of Michael Stars. Suzanne has received “The Woman of Vision” award from the Ms. Foundation of Women, was recognized as one of the “21 Leaders for the 21st Century”by Women’s eNews, and by Angeleno Magazine as one of the “25 Most Influential Angelenos”. About Michael Stars: Inspired by her loving husband who unfortunately passed in 2015, Suzanne is not alone. Standing strong and fighting for women everywhere, the CEO is an inspiration to the newer generations of social impact entrepreneurs, a frequent contributor, speaker, advisor, investor, and a multi-business-owned woman. Michael Stars was established in the year 1986 and is located in Los Angeles, USA. The retail fashion and apparel company was founded to “make people happy”. Michael Stars manufactures, produces, and retails a 70% majority of its clothes in the LA city region, cutting down on supply management and thereby reducing its carbon footprint, offering its employees a fair wage, economic growth, and employment opportunities. Single-handedly led by CEO Suzanne Lerner after the unfortunate passing of her husband Michael Cohen in 2015, Michael Stars is a woman-led fashion retailer that was established nearly 38 years ago and was a company that initially sold its iconic one-sized graphic tees. It is now a retail fashion and apparel that sells a diverse selection of high-quality, comfortable, and timeless apparel essentials that have been effortlessly crafted to last the next generation. Michael Stars sees an 80% women workforce employed at the retail fashion and apparel company. The materials used are also sourced from a high-quality fabric like SUPIMA cotton for crafting clothes that are durable and strong enough to last till the next generation. As its Circular Economy and sustainability initiative and practice, Michael Stars is partners with ThredUp - a large online resale platform that offers Resale-as-a-Service (RaaS). Adopting an eco-friendly strategy to recycle and resell previously owned clothes, customers are offered a Michael Stars x thredUP Clean Out Kit to exchange gently used clothing from previous owners. This initiative by the company encourages customers to ditch the fast- fashion trend which advocates for a lot of environmental concerns on a global basis. Therefore, 95% of clothes are recycled or reused and 100% of the proceeds go towards the Michael Stars Foundation - which supports women's empowerment, gender equality, voting

3. rights, direct emergency services, mentorship, education, and environmental justice. Some of Michael Stars’ partners in the industry are Black Voters Matter, Black Women Lead, Ms. Foundation for Women, Center for Human Rights in Iran, Don’t Ban Equality, the ACLU, The Tender Foundation, ERA Coalition, Children Mending Hearts, and more.