This week I attended Harlem Fashion Row’s sixth annual Fall/Winter Fashion Show at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. Well, it was quite the event with everyone from Nana Meriweather, Tatijiana Shoan, editor-in-chief of As If Magazine, Bevy Smith, Tyson Beckford and more in attendance. Above looks from designers Chantell Walters and Kimberly Goldson, finalist from Project Runway.
For those that don’t knowHarlem Fashion Row is a company that supports emerging African-American designers and perhaps me sometime soon. This was their very first Fall/Winter show and I applaud Brandice Henderson and the designers for their hard work.
Espion Atelier by Deidre Jefferies
My favorite collection is kind of a toss between the first and the last. The first collection by Deidre Jefferies featured great ready to wear in mostly black, grey or bright yellow. It was funny to see because that’s exactly what I was wearing; a bright yellow dress, black blazer and grey coat. Even though black is New York’s most chic color, I am definitely not afraid of color in the winter.
The last collection by Kimberly Goldson featured some amazing, unique and beautiful pieces. She is a former Project Runway star and said she was inspired by Michelle Obama. Wanted for all of us to “see ourselves in the clothes.” Well, I did Kimberly, and I am leaning towards being most excited about your collection.
The show also featured a menswear line by Sandro Romans with very interesting headwear. One of the models told me that they actually wore a scarf around their head with a hat pinned to the top. Creative, I thought.
So, last week I attended AS by DF Fashion Presentation featuring some new Fall 2013 designs from Denise Focil who is doing a relaunch. She’s done work for J. Lo and others and is mostly based out of Los Angeles but is trying to get her stuff out here to New York. Leather is her thing and I liked some of the leather pieces that she had.
Denise wore a dress from her new collection with some great leather striped detail featuring see through fabric. I’ve noticed this seems to definitely be a trend this year.
Her ASTARS Line, a lower price point collection, evidently might be at Intermix stores this Fall. There was a dress that I absolutely adored with very soft fabric and stretchy vegan leather sleeves that will be retailing for about $90. I was impressed.
Tyson Beckford and Melyssa Ford came by to view the collection as well. Good stuff Denise, looking forward to seeing your stuff in New York.
This week I attended Porsche Design’s new women’s Handbag Line Event. District Manager Jorge Vegaumana told me that their women’s handbag line is to officially launching in March in 130 stores worldwide (Miami, Boca Raton, Berlin, France, etc). I generally go for a funkier or more colorful bag line like Proenza Schouler’sbut for a conservative day bag, they get my vote. They are sleek, sexy and fun just like the Porsche car line, and their handles adjust so you can wear it on your shoulder or just carry in-hand. Check out some more of the photos below. Everyone was asking about my dress. I’m wearing a vintage Signette dress made by a local New York designer named Aysha Saeed that I got from one of her sample sales.
This Wednesday night I attended Harlem’s Fashion Row (HFR) Conversations with June Ambrose event at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem. HFR is a company founded by HFR’s CEO Brandice N. Henderson interviewed June Ambrose on stage and chatted about everything from June’s first styling gig, childhood and how to be professional in an unprofessional environment. I thoroughly enjoyed it and have included a few highlights and tidbits below.
On June’s first styling job…
Hype (Williams) was like why are you here? She was the director of marketing for Cross Colors. Did product placement and creating marketing plans. She started working on R Kelly’s Down Low music video before MTV was playing black music. I was going to bring a costume design aesthetic to black music. It was about a cinema… that’s where June Ambrose was born
On working with Jay-Z….
I worked with Jazy-Z from inception he is to date my “best friend” if he took a job it was ‘June is doing the job or I’m not doing it.’ It’s different now… what I do has become publicized… there’s so many more of “me” and a lot of “you’re an artist your sister likes fashion your mother likes fashion… you’re going to keep the money in-house”
On clients leaving her…
I don’t even worry about it I just keep on. You know your self-worth you don’t worry about things going away.
On her first job ever at Kentucky Fried Chicken…
I had this job for 2 days… thought I would work at the register and the manager said I need you to go back and clean chicken. He called my mom saying ‘oh she’s spoiled.’ That is just not what I needed to do.
On using social media for branding…
Your social media is an extension of your résumé. You’re cussin. It becomes this reality ratchet moment. You don’t know where you are going to be 5 years from now. I treat my company like a corporate company. I’m taking you around high-profile people. Corporate America did that to me. And I’ve spent a lot of time being wall papered… and I’m the only sober person in the room. Social media is your editorial platform. I am the Anna Wintour of my own… (social media).
On her down moments and biggest challenges in life…
I was raised in the Bronx in a one bedroom apartment. Moved from St. Croix. Older sister is a nurse. My first name is Junemarie. Mom’s thing was get an education get a job. When you see your mom cry for the first time cause you couldn’t pay the rent it makes you say ok get out. I don’t have childhood friends what happened was I decided I was gonna get out and kind of didnt’ look back. My mom would take us downtown… (and I)… fell in love with Manhattan at a very young age.
On if she will return to VH1 for a second season…
June says she felt she had so much more to offer than creating this “drama content” that they needed to produce. Getting into a fight etc. She was afraid of that and basically, will not be returning to VH1 for a second season. “VH1 is not a network known for doing fashion…I just don’t have a space on the network and the content, it’s just not the place for me.” June said, however, that she will be returning to television later in the year for the launch of her footwear line on HSN. Check out the video of June speaking about this below.
I truly admire June for her hard work, ethic (i.e. 7:30 AM is sleeping in), and that she is in my opinion, a respectable black woman in fashion. I applaud you June for not doing another season with VH1 or falling in line with their needed “drama content.” You said that one of your biggest fears was not being relevant. Well, June, I think it’s safe to say that if you keep it up, that will never happen.
I remember when I first laid eyes on Diane’s collection, poking around the Fifth Floor at Bergdorf Goodman. I thought to myself, these prints are so cute, they kind of remind me of the 1970s. I ended up buying a blue dress that fit me like a glove and it is hard to fit my body perfectly.
My mother and grandmother were delighted to see it and asked who made it? I told them a new designer Diane von Furstenberg and received a chuckle from my mother. She explained that Diane was in no way a new designer; that she had been quite popular in the past with her iconic wrap dress.
Fast forward to today and I am still an avid DVF Fan. The clothes are so versatile; a number of pieces can go to work, a luncheon or a party. And after reading Diane’s new fairy tale book, The Empress’s New Clothes, I see that this feeling has been shared among many people from the 1970s to today.
The book is based on the incredible life (and LOVE) of Diane von Furstenberg. It is written by a London-based fashion writer, Camilla Morton, and illustrated by The DVF Studio. I especially love this illustrated page of the Empress and her new clothes below.
I won’t spoil the book but I will say that it is no wonder that Diane is a global fashion icon, business mogul, president of CFDA, and an inspiration to women everywhere. She has a slew of awards and achievements, and has revolutionized the fashion world by making clothes ‘easy’ with her wrap dress still sold and worn today. I told Diane at her book signing event this week at Bergdorf’s that I wanted to have a brand like hers. She responded with cool confidence that I can “be the woman that I want to be.”
I am deeply moved and in awe of Diane von Furstenberg. This fairytale story based on Diane’s life is not just a fairytale. It is an inspirational piece for little girls and women alike, a tale of a princess with an entrepreneurial spirit and a few sample dresses in her suitcase. Congratulations Camilla and Diane, this is a book that I hope to pass down to future daughters in my family.
Last night I attended the unveiling of the Furla and Saks Fifth AvenueFemme Fairytales Handbag Collection hosted by Kelly Rutherford of Gossip Girls!
The candy bags were very whimsical and fabulous. Rebecca Moses was commissioned to illustrate and create stories of five special women (Femme Fairytales). They represent the story and lives of the women and each one was quite unique- jewels, studs and even blue ostrich feathers! The bags are actually not that expensive, to my surprise. Most seem to selling for at least under $1000.
I chatted with Vera Wang (love her work) and showed off one of my favorite bags with Fabio Fusi, Furla’s Creative Director. The president of Furla, Giovanni Furlanetto, was also in attendance representing the company. It was a lovely evening!
I had an amazing evening at Crier PR’s beauty event inside the Penthouse of the Royalton Hotel.
I met Manna Kadar, creator of Manna Kadar Cosmetics who made my eyes glow and lips shimmer.
I loved the penthouse balcony and the goody bag filled with so many products. I can’t wait to try them all!
Love the way the New York skyline is the perfect backdrop for my Lipsy London dress and Giuseppe Zanotti blue pumps. And speaking of backdrop, for a panty-free line in a fitted dress, make sure you slip into some thong underwear. One of my favorites is by Hanky Panky, available at Bloomingdale’s.
