imana
photos by alicja zak
Imana Gunawan is a Texas-born Indonesian multidisciplinary creative with experience across fashion, international journalism, tech operations, risk intelligence, data analysis, creative production, and dance. She holds a Master of Professional Studies degree in Global Fashion Management from the Fashion Institute of Technology, with a capstone project focusing on sustainable supply chain solutions. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and dance from the University of Washington. While her fashion studies and experience range from luxury fashion show production to market research to digital product operations, her interests in the industry lie in emerging markets, independent designers, artisanal traditions, and ethical manufacturing.
Imana currently works as a Production Coordinator for Bureau Betak, helping produce fashion shows, galas, and brand activations for luxury clients and major brands including Carolina Herrera, Alaïa, Hermès, COS, and Dior, among others.
As a journalist, Imana specializes in breaking news reporting and digital journalism, but has a soft spot for community-centered journalism and audio production. Before transitioning into the fashion industry, she was a breaking news editor at Factal and managed the platform’s Asia-Pacific coverage. She was previously a manager at Dataminr, working at the intersection of breaking news, AI, data analysis, and risk intelligence. Prior, she was an editor at Breaking News (NBC News Digital) and producer at Humanosphere, where she produced weekly podcasts on community-based solutions to global poverty and inequity. Imana is passionate about facilitating community conversations and has hosted panels for artists of color at events including the Artist of Color Expo and Symposium and the Womxn's Creative Industries Meetup. She was also part of the 2017-18 On the Boards Ambassador Writer’s Corps.
In her art, she creates scenic, surreal dance-based worlds that center the stories of marginalized peoples, their ancestry, and their futures.