History has shown that passiveness does not lend itself to progress when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion. We might have to be the change we want to see.
The Black in Fashion Council has been at the forefront of bringing Black fashion professionals to the attention of the public. Lindsay Peoples, the editor-in-chief of The Cut, and Sandrine Charles, a public relations expert, founded the BIFC. In September 2020, the collective opened its first Discovery showrooms.
The sixth floor of Spring Studios was occupied by the Black in Fashion Council during New York Fashion Week. The featured brands this season were Ajovang, Madame Adassa, Muehleder, Sammy B Designs, and Vavounne.
The week began with a breakfast and partnership with Mailchimp, the first ever sponsor of the Discovery Showrooms, on a limited edition capsule collection and pop-up shop.
Lindsay Peoples and Sandrine Charles, co-founders of Black in Fashion Council, said that they are always looking for new opportunities to further their excellence.
Izayla designer Isha Dunston wants to be a part of the Black in Fashion Council Discovery showrooms. She met William Taswell after attending an emerging Black designers event in Los Angeles. He took her into the fold. She brings her flair with her as she makes her mark on the East Coast.
Izayla is modern women’s wear. The three pillars of the brand are women’s empowerment, integrity and representation. I would like to grow with the woman. A journey is what it is. We’re always changing. A year ago, we were the same woman.
Dunston founded Izayla five years ago with a clear vision. Izayla is for every woman on the go, it’s a transition collection and it’s tailored for the working woman.
A similar approach to femininity can be found in Harbison Studio.
His mother’s style as well as his affinity for nighttime gardens inspired Harbison’s collection. His use of baubles, jewels and texture throughout the collection is a testament to his craftsmanship.
My mother was kind of typified by modern femininity when I was a child. He said that he called it commodious femininity. I was thinking about clothing that works well at night, colors and details that are perfect for the night. We are looking at things that are nature-inspired.
Chicago-based designer Adreain Guillory and Jamaica-born designer Marsha Vacirca were inspired by stories.
Guillory’s collection was an homage to magic and romance. The collection uses brown, blush, black and blue tones to reference the 1976 production of “The Slipper and the Rose.” A recent graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago is unaware that this is only Guillory’s second collection.
Madame Adassa is a line of ready-to-wear for women. The clothing that speaks to the “rooted yet adaptive” woman is made in Los Angeles. The spring-summer 2023 collection features golden yellow tones, botanicals, and floral elements, as well as crinkle taffeta and Italian silk.
The woman king is based on the historical female warrior Queen Dahomey.
Vacirca said that the collection was about women’s endurance and their ability to overcome everything that’s thrown at them. The introduction to the collection was chosen by me. There is a hand-painted canvas gown with bead at the side. There is a collaboration with a Los Angeles artist.
Every piece he makes is infused with his heritage and sharp tailoring. The 35-year-old designer lives in Los Angeles and is focused on both practicality and creativity in his clothes. Adusei is mixing gender fluid clothing with West Coast style and his international vision.
The person I am referring to is the person who is on the verge of making it. You are on the come up. They want to be seen and represented, but they also want to be sexy. He said that when it is time to run you have to be prepared.
With a Los Angeles storefront, items from his line, such as his leather biker jacket with ruched sleeves, have already been noticed. He wants to continue to grow and expand thanks to the strong presence of BIFC.
Adusei’s vision for his eponymous line is greater than he is currently leaning into.
The idea of a good fit is something I want to bring back. It says as a big brand on it, so don’t buy it. Adusei said to buy clothes because they want to know how they fit on them. The fabrication is appreciated. We like a story, but we should buy the clothing because it makes us feel good.
