With 32-years of being a trailblazer, pioneer, and trendsetter in the Fashion industry, Misa Hylton was presented with a HOMAGE Award by Bevy Smith Thursday evening inside of the Everdene rooftop in New York city.
“Founded by Peter Paul and Nilson Martinez, alongside Deneen Scott and Soni WithanEYE, HOMAGE is a platform that was created so that industry professionals from the culture can celebrate and honor legends who have made an impact within the community,” expressed Martinez.
This year marks Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary, and since Misa Hylton landed on the scene 18-years after Hip-Hop’s inception, the event felt ceremonial to the evolution of Hip-hop through fashion, media and culture.
Who better to celebrate during such a pivotal time than Global Fashion Designer, Misa Hylton who is the mastermind behind some of the most iconic looks that we’ve seen in music videos and on red carpets.
Hylton, who started at the age of 17 while dating Rapper Diddy, who at the time was the ‘A&R’ for Uptown Records, begin her fashion career styling celebrities like Jodeci, and Mary J.Blige. After music executives like Andre Harrell and Russell Simmons took note of her talent and masterwork consisting of fabulous looks, the rest was ‘HERstory.’
“Misa has played a huge role in hip-hop fashion, with countless credits in her career,” stated Martinez. “I feel that her biggest impact has been the way in which she has bridged the gap between hip-hop and luxury fashion,” he added.
From Lil Kim’s infamous purple pastie jumpsuit that she wore to the 1999 MTV awards, to Beyoncé’s cutting edge MCM logo ensemble in her video “APESHIT,” Hylton has built her legacy by takings risks, thinking outside of the box, and changing the trajectory of fashion through new lens.
As Hylton approached the stage to accept her award, she brimmed with joy the shined brighter than stars in a midnight sky. She embodied an urban flare symbolic to Hip-Hop fashion in a black Helmut Lang sports bra that was layer with a crop white shirt, and paired with black double waistband shorts.
She accessorized with gold jewelry including gold diamond shaped earrings that she coordinated with a gold heart shaped diamond encrusted necklace. Her style felt very sporty chic and was brilliantly executed for the special occasion.
“It’s been 32-years, and one of the most pivotal moments for me has been founding the Misa Hylton Fashion Academy in 2012,” said Hylton in an interview with Fashion Bomb daily.
“My focus has been to give back through education and mentorship while empowering our people so that we can infiltrate the fashion industry, and elevate it by bringing more people of color in positions of power,” she further expressed.
Following the acceptance of her Homage award, Misa’s youngest son Niko Brim recited a heartfelt poem to his mother followed by a live performance that captivated and enchanted attendees with his rhythm and flow.
“As a friend, as a supporter, and a member of the culture, it’s great for us celebrate a hero and an architect in the fashion industry,” expressed Rapper Rapsody.
Misa Hylton has undoubtedly contributed to fashion and the hip-hop community through her meticulous designs, and she deserves all her flowers for being an outstanding embodiment of what black excellence looks like.
Ahead, see some of the attendees who came out to celebrate Misa Hylton’s notable moment.
Written by: Rashidah Young
