If you are in New York during New York Fashion Week, be sure to save the date for Harlem Fashion Week’s 6th annual show on Saturday, February 16th! The event goes down from 6:30-10:30pm at the Museum of the City of New York located at 1220 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10029.
Since the days of the Renaissance, Harlem has served as the epicenter of art, literature, music and fashion. As Harlem is being revitalized in the 21st century, Harlem Fashion Week’s goal is to introduce a new era of fashion culture to the Harlem community inspired by its rich cultural heritage. HFW’s continuous goal is to produce an event that will showcase the fashion industry, provide business education for emerging designers, grow Harlem businesses and create a platform for diversity in fashion.
This years event will honor the Season 6 Fashion Cultural Icons: Misa Hylton -Celebrity Stylist and Lifestyle Coach, Harlem Haberdashery – Lifestyle Clothing Boutique in Harlem, Dr. Deborah Jenkins – Community Activist, Zina and Shaleena Cambell -Founders of the Harlem Dress Collective, and me, Claire Sulmers -EIC of Fashion Bomb Daily!
This star-studded event is sponsored by Harlem Chocolate Factory and African Restaurant Week.
Want to come? Get your tickets now here.
We’ll see you there!
Happy Saturday and Happy Groundhog Day! Let’s hope for an early Spring and early end to this cold weather. The celebrities are taking advantage of the cold weather by keeping their looks hot and stylish! Our Top 5 Looks of the Day features Nene Leakes, Rasheeda, Regina Carter in more looking their absolute best! To view all of today’s looks, be sure to check out the Fashion Bomb Daily Instagram feed for the full rundown. But for now, let’s tune into today’s Top 5 Looks Of The Day!
Nene Leakes and Gregg Leakes have now been appointed as American Cancer Society ambassadors! Congrats! Nene was spotted in a $2,371 Dolce and Gabbana sequin and tweed blazer and skirt combo when she made the announcement.
“Ann Lowe was known as society’s best kept secret…You would have thought her clothing was Parisian couture, but she charged much less to create the same thing. They all went to her for their debutante balls and weddings.”–Michael Henry Adams
Next up for Black History Month is Ann Lowe (1898-1981), designer to prominent families such as the du Ponts, Roosevelts, Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, and Bouviers. Lowe is most famous for designing Jackie Kennedy’s wedding dress.
Apparently the dress…
…took 50 yards of silk taffeta and more than 2 months to make. According to an article in the Post-Gazette:
Lowe’s career began with the death of her mother when [she] was 16 years old. At the time of her death, her mom, a seamstress, had been working on four ball gowns for the wife of Alabama’s governor. Lowe finished the work her mother had begun. Afterward, she moved to New York City to attend the S.T. Taylor Design School. Returning to Tampa, Fla., after school, Lowe operated her own dress shop before going back to New York to work in fashion salons. Although her creations did well, the salon owners always got the credit. Finally, Lowe and a partner opened their own shop in New York. It was during this time that a young Jacqueline Bouvier asked Lowe to design all the gowns for her wedding to Sen. John F. Kennedy, a man who later would become president.
Pretty cool. A flute of champagne to the memory of Ann Lowe! Smootches! Have great wknds. * Today is day one of Fashion Week. A ton of shows are going on, including Yigal Azrouel, BCBG, Nicole Miller, and…drumroll…Baby Phat! Yeah, well, I only have one invite for today, to Marc Bouwer. I’m excited to go to the tents, no matter what the show. Guess my invite to Baby Phat got lost in the mail or something…
Today’s Fashion Bombshell of the day is Safiya from LA.
Love each look. Very minimal and street chic. Bomb!
View more looks below!
Learn more about this Bombshell on Instagram @safiyaariel.
What do you think?
Fashion Bombshell of the Day is a feature showcasing the singular style of Fashion Bomb Readers. Send your name, location, a description of your style, and 5-10 clear, unfiltered, head-to-toe pictures of 5-10 different outfits (no collages) to Bombshell@FashionBombDaily.com. Images submitted will be featured on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or any of our social media platforms. Comments can be harsh, so bring your A game! Please be advised: once published, pictures will not be removed or taken down.
“I was fortunate in obtaining work, and in a short time I had acquired something of a reputation as a seamstress and dress-maker. The best ladies in St. Louis were my patrons, and when my reputation was once established I never lacked for orders.”– Elizabeth Keckley, Behind the Scenes
Happy February!
First up for the Fashion Bomb’s Black History Month Designer Series is Elizabeth Keckley (1818-1907), seamstress and dressmaker to many, including Varina Davis, wife of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of President Abraham Lincoln.
Keckley was born into slavery in Virginia. She used her superior skills as a seamstress and dressmaker to buy her freedom in 1855. As a free woman, she lived in Washington, D.C.
She sewed and tailored dresses for the daughters and ladies of the most prominent families. Her reputation mounting, she came to the attention of Mary Todd Lincoln, and soon became her dressmaker.
Mary Todd Lincoln
Dress for Mrs. Lincoln by Elizabeth Keckley
Cape for Mrs. Lincoln by Elizabeth Keckley
Keckley soon became a confidante to Mary Todd. When Mary Todd fell under financial strain after the assassination of her husband, Keckley helped Mary Todd auction off her clothing in New York. In another attempt to generate funds for Todd as well as her, Keckley published her diaries in 1868: Behind the Scenes or Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House (which is a quick read if you’re interested).
Mary Todd hated on her portrayal in the book, to the point where her oldest son had it removed from publication. Because of the controversy, Keckley was ostracized and her business declined. According to the African American registry, “From 1892 to 1893, she left Washington to teach domestic science at Wilberforce University in Ohio. She returned soon after to spend the rest of her days at the Home for Destitute Women and Children in Washington, which she had helped to establish. She died there from a stroke May 26, 1907.”
Stay tuned tomorrow for the Fashion Bomb’s next Black History Month installment.
Smootches!
By Limsan Boulter (@limo_x) for Fashion Bomb Daily
Paris Haute Couture week is well and truly over, but what a week it was. Designers really bought their A-game with notable shows including Elie Saab glittering down the runway, Dior’s circus inspired collection and Viktor & Rolf with their slogan adorning dresses.
For me, Balmain was undoubtedly one of the more captivating. Olivier Rousteing’s designs were futuristic and head turning, using both curved and bold shapes. It was for sure one of the most talked about catwalks of the week but has all the talk been for the right reasons?
This show was Olivier Rousteing’s first couture show as Creative Director of Balmain. Interestingly, for the show he decided to have some of the model’s make up to include body paint. Some models were painted over in white, while others has their skins darkened. And it hasn’t gone down too well with both critics and fans are calling out Balmain for using blackface.
Image Credit: Courtesy of BalmainImage Credit: Courtesy of BalmainImage Credit: Courtesy of Balmain
Models such as Italian-Congolese born Cindy Bruna were almost unrecognisable with her face and body covered in a dark shade of makeup.
The question now is, was it to prove a point about diversity or was it to be artistic? Either way, why didn’t they just hire models that are already the beautiful, rich ebony that they wanted?
This wouldn’t be the first time that Rousteing has made a statement about the lack of diversity in the fashion industry. During the Cannes film festival, he dressed 16 actresses for a press call and called the project ‘Noire N’est Pas Mon Metier’ meaning ‘Black is not my profession’. Having these actresses speak out about how they have been stereotyped in the industry really showed the discrimination issue that the fashion industries (and other media related industries) has.
Image Credit: Andreas Rentz
Rousteing – who is of mixed ethnicity – has famously said in the past he is ‘just human’ and doesn’t specifically identify with either his black or white background, has previously been praised for his racially diverse #BalmainArmy. In an 2016 interviewhe says ‘‘I think the fashion industry talks a lot, but they don’t act a lot’ continuing to say “ We have the chance to represent the world and how we want that world to be’.
Unfortunately, a lack of black models on the catwalk is an issue that has been raised over and over again. However, I do think that it has started to change (shoutout to Valentino during their couture show)
No official comment has come from Balmain or Olivier Rousteing as of yet.
What do you think? Has Balmain gone too far or is it just a big misunderstanding? Let us know in the comments below.
We have a sharp Fashion Bomber of the Week today, who’s known as Israel from New Orleans.
He writes, “I believe my style comes from my grandfather, simplicity is the highest form of sophistication. I take pride in carrying myself as a traditional gentleman.”
View more looks below!
Classy style!
Learn more about this Bomber on Instagram @izzievsizzy..
What do you think?
Fashion Bombshell of the Day is a feature showcasing the singular style of Fashion Bomb Readers. Send your name, location, a description of your style, and 5-10 clear, unfiltered, head-to-toe pictures of 5-10 different outfits (no collages) to Bombshell@FashionBombDaily.com. Images submitted will be featured on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or any of our social media platforms. Comments can be harsh, so bring your A game! Please be advised: once published, pictures will not be removed or taken down.
Happy Thursday, Bombers and Bombshells! It may be freezing outside, but the looks from our Instagram feed today have been HOT! The celebrities are not letting the cold weather stop them from looking bomb. Fashion Bomb Daily always covers the best celebrity looks, so be sure to tune in to the Instagram feed for all of today’s looks! On the other hand, let’s take a look at today’s Top 5 Looks Of The Day which features Tracee Ellis Ross, Cardi B, Jackie Aina, and more!
I completed with Gucci oversized frames from Eyechic Philly–it just so happens my Calpak carry on matched my coat, so I got an unassuming man in the middle of a meal and movie in the terminal to snap the above pic and voila.
Because I own a fashion brand, and have run into readers and past/future business partners alike in the airport, I always try to dress the part. In the past, I have worn heels, boots, and all sorts of nonsense, but my feet swell, so I decided that it will always be about sneakers and just something easy.
Of course, we’ve all seen a range of outfit options at the airport, from those who go for super comfort (think pajamas, blankets, bonnets, and pillows):
To stylish…
To looks that strike a nice balance:
Where do you fall when it comes to your airport look? Style? Comfort? Or a little bit of both?
Today’s Fashion Bombshell of the day is Regan from NYC.
She writes, “I would describe my style as Casual chic with a hint of Tomboy sexy if you will. I like to let women know it doesn’t have to be tight to be sexy. Don’t get me wrong, I love form fitting clothes as well but I like to change it up.”
View more chic looks below!
Love the classy and minimal looks. We see you!
Learn more about this Bombshell on Instagram @mckenzierose11.
What do you think?
Fashion Bombshell of the Day is a feature showcasing the singular style of Fashion Bomb Readers. Send your name, location, a description of your style, and 5-10 clear, unfiltered, head-to-toe pictures of 5-10 different outfits (no collages) to Bombshell@FashionBombDaily.com. Images submitted will be featured on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or any of our social media platforms. Comments can be harsh, so bring your A game! Please be advised: once published, pictures will not be removed or taken down.
