Columbia Fashion Student Shamya Banks Named 2026 NRF Next Generation Finalist

Columbia College Chicago Fashion student Shamya Banks, a finalist for the 2025 NRF Foundation Next Generation Scholarship.Columbia College Chicago Fashion student Shamya Banks, a finalist for the 2025 NRF Foundation Next Generation Scholarship.
Columbia Fashion student Shamya Banks was named a 2026 NRF Next Generation Scholarship finalist for her sustainable, Gen Z–inspired Crate & Barrel concept.


Columbia College Chicago School of Fashion student Shamya Banks, a senior Fashion Studies Product Development major and Craft minor, has been named a finalist for the 2025 National Retail Federation Foundation’s Next Generation Scholarship, one of the nation’s most prestigious honors for students preparing for careers in retail and fashion. The competition recognizes outstanding creativity, leadership, and industry insight from top retail programs across the country.

Banks is one of five finalists selected nationwide. Each finalist receives a $10,000 tuition scholarship, while the top recipient earns $25,000 and recognition as an emerging leader in retail. The finalists will participate in in-person interviews with the NRF Foundation Board of Directors before the winner is announced on January 11, 2026, at the NRF Foundation Honors in New York City.

For her case study, Banks developed a concept collection for the Chicago-based global home decor and furniture retailer Crate & Barrel that merges Gen Z’s shopping habits, environmental awareness, and love of “sweet treats.” Her project, “The Little Things,” celebrates the fleeting yet meaningful moments of college life while promoting sustainable design practices. By incorporating ESG-certified materials and a “buy-for-life” ethos, Banks aimed to create pieces that could live beyond the dorm room.

“I wanted to create a concept that was equally whimsy and meaningful,” Banks says. “It’s a remembrance of a unique yet fleeting time of life—one in which college students learn to celebrate the little things.”

Banks credits courses such as Trendspotting with Jacob Victorine and Design Solutions with Reyes Witt for shaping her ability to identify trends and connect design to customer experience. She also points to her advisor Dana Conell for helping her think strategically about retail innovation and ethical leadership.

While developing her project, Banks explored design technologies such as ChatGPT and Midjourney to assist with rendering. Even while using AI tools to streamline her process, she remains committed to traditional craftsmanship.

“I don’t think the negative impact of AI on the environment is worth the perceived creativity or efficiency it offers,” she says. “I will always value craftsmanship over cookie-cutter results.”

Looking ahead, Banks plans to expand her personal brand, SB Myndful, and use her platform to advocate for first-generation students and sustainable design.

“My motto is, ‘I create an authentic space wherever I go. I am being beautiful in beautiful places,” she says. “That declaration of radical self-love and acceptance is what I seek to fortify through design.”

Banks encourages other Columbia students to pursue national competitions like the NRF Foundation’s, noting how much the process expands creative thinking and professional growth.

“Any national scholarship competition is intense,” she says. “If you crave that kind of challenge, embrace your resilience and go for it—you never know what opportunities or insights it might bring.”

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