Black Fashion Designers

A new organization called the Model Alliance has formed to fight for the rights of a group that is young, largely female and non-unionized: models.

What  a difference seven years makes then  again... NOT REALLY!

What progress or changes... my  feelings are mixed... in teh  image is a picture of Brenda Brunsen Bey design from the group show from the event... the individual events attracted over 2000 people and all designers sold... it was less work than the group show where no designer sold... it was the event that  changed how I approached show and sell opportunities and  showed me the power of the web and working together!

Today I celebrate 7 years actively Blogging! I suspect I was one of the first Fashion Blogs definitely one of the first Black if not the first Black Black Fashion Blogger and one of the first designers who Blogged! It was definitely before the September 2005 date that of the earliest Blogger highlighted by this Refinery 29 post http://www.refinery29.com/fashion-bloggers-first-posts

A-liners an Independent Designer's Fashion Blog!: What Is an A-liner http://a-liners.blogspot.com/2005/02/what-is-a-liner.html

I spent the day reflecting, planning and recommitting... today a glass of wine ... tomorrow there will be more!

Another day, another journalist puts their foot in their mouth...

Bt can  we Blame them when  even  Black  journalist  cannot  acurately define teh scope of teh Black  fashion  sector... especially  sitting  behind cushy  desk! The fact is as a designer myself it  should be easy to get  every other designer to contribute to a  full study  of "Black Dress"  Simly  by  contributing their info  and referring their friends! But their are serious cultural taboos and fears to overcome!

As for our consumers  from Stars to  first  ladies of churches ... Your personnal designer is a secret No  one share and teh  designer code of ethics will not  share who  she dresses! Do NOt  depend on stylists... who  get  paid for  frontin  work they  did not  pull together!

Yes I said it!

So  Black  designers where are You!

Http://Bd2012.bkfff.com

From chart-topping singles to taking care of his newborn daughter Blue Ivy, Jay-Z has definitely "made it."...

Maverick  designer who defied Race Barriers Sister Bucks

iin 2008  this Brandcelebrated 30 years- Sister Bucks had already captured the world audiences when South Africa began to actively participate in the global economy post apartheid. She is known for having ventured into the unchartered terrain of the Pan African aesthetic – by fusing African fashion elements into contemporary couture.

Black dress 2012 Explores current black fashion sectors across the globe

join the explorartion http://bd2012.bkfff.com

In the true spirit of love, peace and soul a tribute to the late
Don Cornelius is being planned in the Big Apple in probably the
best way possible.

Urban Fashion Network is or rather was  a social network for fashion industry related professionals. Touting All UrbanFashion.net, Urbanwear, Inner-City, Black, African-American, Fashion-Designers, Runway, Fashion-Shows, black-designer, streetwear, harlem, couture,Black-Style-Now! - The following  message has been  left " Urban Fashion Network has been discontinued due to many of the fashion designers disinterest in e-commerce and publicity service solutions. We at UFN find this to be a perplexing phenomenon, particularly coming from emerging African-American fashion designers. Too many designers are disengaged from the media relation’s process —yet expect communications professionals along with publishing institutions to finance the publicity of their fashions. The industry gatekeepers are to be unrewarded, and the business of communications is to be denounced; yet embraced when performed only as a favor. Sadly, the fashion designers are not the big winners of their own showcases. It's the event producers and the venue owners who are financially rewarded by these celebrations. Commonly, the results for publicity of the fashions are often doomed because neither the event producer nor the venue owners have contacts or relationships with the fashion industry press. Advertising value of the presenting brands is frequently minimized because proper protocol for media relations often results as being an after-thought.
Ya don't know... Ya better ask somebody!"

So how much  is truth or how much is this a case of NOT  understanding  your constituent!  Many  seem to  believe that  the Balck  urban designer needs "PRESS" or "PROMOTIONAL EVENTS"! The fact is that  solid designers with line that sell are in great demand and few Buyers will refuse to  see them... the  challenge is that these designers have serious issues to contend with before they  seek press chief among them capable  PRODUCTION and to a greater extent  funding  to  facilitate  production!  This was a case of a company that  did NOT understand the very  community tehy served! Urbannetwork will not be missed since sadly few can  say  what role they played in shaping the success or creating  a platfor that would infact  support ther existence!

Was it just Timing  or will we be seeing more of this will there be a trend! Many  jumped n  board believing they had the solution... often wthout  investigatng the  problems!

Build the Platform then we all will prosper! The Urban  Fashion sector  needs solutions to the  problems that  keep them from  delivering, at the end of the day we sell Apparrel not  Image!

-- The labels used to describe Americans of African descent mark the movement of a people from the slave house to the White House.

Ok  one of the articles I'm prepping  looks at  designers who  do not want to be defined as "BLACK" as well as the myriad aesthetics that make up Black  Dress!

So Black designers where are You!

Http://Bd2012.bkfff.com

Rihanna has signed up to make her first television show. The concept: burgeoning fashion talents compete to dress the star.

From New Orleans' French Quarter to New York Fashion Week,
Negris LeBrum will launch their Le Noir est Joli (Black is
Beautiful) ready-to-wear collection during the upcoming
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center.

Black dress 2012 Explores current  black fashion sectors across the globe

join the explorartion http://bd2012.bkfff.com

Covering Everything Fabulously Unique In Fashion.

One of the  joys of social media is discovering new reads in  Fashion! As Black history Month Approaches I'm on the  look out for differing takes on teh black Fashion sector!  this Beautifully  laid out  magazine is  worth the read!