DR. COURTNEY A. HAMMONDS, DBA
THE DEAN OF FASHION™

Dr. Courtney A. Hammonds, The Dean of Fashion™, operates where luxury fashion, media, and education intersect. From his early career as a special education teacher to leading global fashion initiatives, he has spent decades elevating brands, developing talent, and shaping industry innovators. By combining creativity, strategic insight, and social impact, Hammonds offers a rare perspective on the forces driving fashion, media, and education worldwide.

By 23, Dr. Hammonds co-launched URUP Design Luxury Boutique in Atlanta, blending strategic precision with creative vision. He went on to serve as Assistant HR Manager at Neiman Marcus Atlanta and Academic Director at the Art Institute of Atlanta, where he launched nationally recognized SACS-accredited BFA and Fashion Marketing programs—honored by the Obama Administration. His collaborations span Project Runway, Project Accessory, and Fashion Uncorked with Easter Seals of North Georgia, and he launched his signature fragrance HERE with Dragon Perfumes.

Dr. Hammonds has partnered with premier global brands and institutions, including Banana Republic, Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, New Orleans Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week, MODA, Chattanooga Fashion Week, and more. He has worked alongside cultural icons such as André Leon Talley, Alek Wek, Clare Waight Keller, Fern Mallis, June Ambrose, Nicolas Ghesquière, Tim Gunn, and Miss Universe 2022 R’Bonney Gabriel, bringing creative vision to international stages.

His academic foundation—a DBA from Argosy University, MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management, and B.S. in Education from Alabama State University—anchors a career defined by rigor, creativity, and measurable impact. Honors include the Stephen Shank Award for Teaching Excellence, Alabama State University’s 50 Under 50, the President’s Humanitarian Award, Men of Style (Modern Luxury), Atelier Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2026, and the 2026 Role Model Academy Award for leadership in fashion.

Today, Dr. Hammonds serves as Senior Fashion Editor at Upscale Magazine, founder of CAH & Co., and professor at Capella University and Georgia Military College. A trusted voice in fashion, education and media, he appears regularly on NBC Atlanta and contributes to ABC, CBS, FOX, NPR, GQ, InStyle, and WWD. As a mentor at Startupbootcamp Milan’s FashionTech program, host of the Miss Universe St. Lucia Pageant, and Global Fashion Ambassador for the St. Lucia Fashion Council, he inspires students, executives, and creatives to transform vision into tangible results—driving innovation, leadership, and excellence across the global fashion, education, and media landscapes.