Last evening during New York Fashion Week (NYFW), Harlem Row celebrated it’s 13th Annual Fashion Awards and Fashion Events. This show however was a lot different from past years as they were no Red Carpets, Flashing lights, or smartly-dressed guests as it was solely produced from home!
The show was hosted by Audrey Smaltz along with HFR’s founder Brandice Daniel. In the opening of the video, Daniel began with “Black is the New Black” which is 100% fitting with the times and the disparity between accepted Black Designers and other ethnicities. She and others who spoke via Zoom and iPhone cameras referred to the annual event as “a Black family reunion,” and the community aspect was palpable, even viewed through a laptop screen. A few noted Fashion Pioneers made an appearance which includes: Designer Dapper Dan and Misa Hylton, Celebrity Stylist Jason Rembert. Daniels was honored by Hylton for more than a decade with HFR brand and her contributions to the Fashion Industry in Harlem!
“special to have a Black woman leading this movement.” Indeed, as Daniels pointed out, the organization is “more than an organization, it’s a movement.”
Last but not at all least came to the annual HFR fashion show featuring the work of designers Kimberly Goldson, Richfresh, and Kristian Lorén. Each designer showcased their fall 2020 collection, which is available to buy on their websites now, via individual pre-produced runway scenarios, all filmed in L.A. over the last two months. While Goldson’s collection paid homage to the beauty of Black women’s hair, Kristian Lorén Lopez showed a lineup of ’70s-inspired dresses and suits that honored Black female film icons of that era like Tamara Dobson and Pam Grier. And Patrick Henry, the designer behind the brand Richfresh, riffed on his celebrity-beloved bespoke suiting with sharp tracksuits and kimono-style silk robes.
Harlem’s Fashion Row’s Digital NYFW Event | It’s a Revolution
Each of the three designers has also created their own childrenswear capsules for HFR partner Janie and Jack. At the start of an unprecedented fashion month, the digital HFR event was a reminder of how powerful disruption and change can be.
Black creativity across the board, but especially in fashion, has always been here, even if it’s been brushed aside or ignored by the industry in the past. She and others who spoke via Zoom and iPhone cameras referred to the annual event as “a Black family reunion,” and the community aspect was palpable, even viewed through a laptop screen.
#Harlem’s Fashion Row’s Digital NYFW Event | It’s a Revolution
#Harlem’s Fashion Row’s Digital NYFW Event | It’s a Revolution
#Harlem’s Fashion Row’s Digital NYFW Event | It’s a Revolution
#Harlem’s Fashion Row’s Digital NYFW Event | It’s a Revolution
#Harlem’s Fashion Row’s Digital NYFW Event | It’s a Revolution
#Harlem’s Fashion Row’s Digital NYFW Event | It’s a Revolution