#Kelly always coming in with the poses and the accessories

[nico-di-genova]

Barbie and her husband, Ken.

[twistedeuphoria]

Like a cool rain in midsummer I need you, need you Even though the world makes it hard for me sometimes, There’s only you for me, only you

When I’m with you, everything feels like a movie No matter what happens, I’ll be by your side forever Without you, I can’t do anything I’m always missing you

Hara / Head: Lelutka voX CEYLON 3.0 Skin: [Glam Affair] Bibi Layer [Lelutka EvoX] Honey (New! @ The Arcade) Tattoo: pecheresse. victoria tattoo Hair: DOUX - Dana Hairstyle Clothing: TETRA - Spicy Bikini Accessories: TETRA - Spicy Chain Accessories Pose: Lyrium. Kelly Static Series

Dong Min / Hair: Dura-B103 Clothing: Gabriel Pose: Ana Poses - Revolt (New! @ TMD)

Scene: Ariskea[Ethan] Monstera Plant Ariskea[Ethan] Bowls Ariskea[Ethan] Fur Pouf hive // flor beach tote hive // flor simple beach towel . pg hive // beach ball

New! @ The Arcade [IK] Summer is coming - Cotton Candy Ice Cream Jar 04 KraftWork Backyard BBQ . Smoking Egg 13 KraftWork Backyard BBQ . Potted Plant Short 12 KraftWork Backyard BBQ . Potted Plant Tall 07 KraftWork Backyard BBQ . Barbecue Chair 19 KraftWork Backyard BBQ . BBQ Meat & Veggies 06 KraftWork Backyard BBQ . Barbecue Table 17 KraftWork Backyard BBQ . BBQ Place Setting 20 KraftWork Backyard BBQ . Lounge Fruits & Wine Clutter 14 KraftWork Backyard BBQ . Wooden Boards Clutter 15 KraftWork Backyard BBQ . Wine Bottles Clutter 21 KraftWork Backyard BBQ . Barbecue Kitchen 02 KraftWork Backyard BBQ . Barbecue Kitchen Gazebo RARE 03 KraftWork Backyard BBQ . Barbecue Gazebo Connection CHEZ MOI Sunnyside Pink Lamp CHEZ MOI Sunnyside Green Lamp CHEZ MOI Sunnyside Wall Flags 1 CHEZ MOI Sunnyside Wall Flags 2 CHEZ MOI Sunnyside Cooper Lamp CHEZ MOI Sunnyside Aqua  Pillow

[r3b3lgrrrrrrrl]

A LunaTic and her Gunn (Part 113 2Xs2) "Things That Real People Do."

@crystalbaby12 @5sosfam1dlover @backoftheroomandnotbelonging @rosefilledhearts-blog *AGAIN... So sorry if I missed you ❤️

Colson and Luna wake up late and discombobulated the next morning. They had fucked a few more times and stayed up way too late talking about their future plans together. Now they're rushing around to grab clothes so they're not late meeting Deanna at the airport.

Luna and Colson are a little more than halfway to LAX when she gets a text from Deanna. It says she just landed to their relief.

---------------------------------------------------

"It's so good to see you!!" Luna hugs Deanna tightly once they find each other.

"UGH. You are soooo lucky I love you." Deanna half teases, half groans.

"All this yours?" Colson asks with wide eyes as he looks at the stacks of luggage behind The Girls.

"Try YOURS." Deanna answers with a laugh as she greets Colson with a warm hug. "Three wedding dresses, two suites and the makings for two flower girl dress... Yeah, that's YOURS. Mine's there." She deadpans pointing to a significantly smaller sized pile.

"Alright... Let's get this show on the road!" Luna claps with excitement.

With substantial help, Colson, Luna and Deanna load all of the luggage and themselves into Colson's Expedition. On the way home the three of them talk about the astetics that Luna's going for. Colson hearing for the first time her two color schemes.

"This shit is gonna be FIRE, Kitten!" He shouts happily as he pulls her head over to kiss it; making Deanna smile as Luna turns a sweet shade of red.

---------------------------------------------------

Music is blaring when they pull into the driveway. The Cleveland House is alive and rocking. Sam and Baze have made their way back over along with Slim and Dub. Mod and Casie are having a water balloon fight in the front yard against Rook and Benny while Pete and Kevin chill on the front step watching.

"Welcome to Cleveland!" Colson laughs at the sight happening in front of his house.

Baze, Colson, Sam, Slim, Dub and Luna help Deanna get her supplies inside. Setting up in the dining room, she spreads out the fabrics and sets up the accessories for Casie's dresses across the large table. Opening Colson's trunk, she reveals his almost finished suits. With some fine tuning, they both should be finished today. Staying closed and locked is the trunk that contains Luna's multiple wedding dresses.

"Colson, can I get you on the box?" Deanna requests once she has her traveling work space fully set up.

"Yeah, no problem. What suit you want me to try on first?" He asks as his fingers run between the two different fabrics.

"Uh... Let's go PinStriped because that's the first one." Deanna decides.

"Hi!" Casie comes up waving. "I'm Casie. Who are you?" She asks inquisitively as she sticks her hand out for a shake.

"Hi!" Deanna laughs at the young girl's candid demeanor. "I'm Deanna, I'll be creating your dresses for your dad and Luna's weddings... It's so nice to finally meet you." She gushes as Casie shakes her hand in an exaggerated fashion.

"Are these for me?" Casie asks with a squeak in her voice as she hops over to the different colors and fabrics laid across the table.

"Yup. I'm gonna finish up with your dad and then we'll start on you." Deanna informs her.

"REALLY?" Casie clasps her hands together in excitement.

"Yeah, come on Dill. Let's go warm up and get changed so you're ready." Luna coaxes her favorite tiny person.

"Okay!!" Casie continues to hop as Luna guides her up stairs after passing Colson.

One Look.

"Oooh! That fits nicely! How does it feel?" Deanna asks once a barefoot Colson is on her box.

"Nice. I can move and bend... " He answers by showcasing how his ninja kicks.

"WHOAH!! NO MARTIAL ARTS TILL AFTER THE CEREMONY!!" Deanna asserts with a laugh as she slides his suit coat onto his shoulders.

"DAMN... I love fly as fuuuuuuuck!" Colson shouts as he admires himself and Deanna's work in the mirror.

"Stand still for a sec, I just wanna check the hem on the pants." The designer instructs as she works her magic; a few small adjustments and the suit is perfect. "Alright, now the orange one." She goes on to direct her model.

"My favorite!" Colson shouts again as he jumps sideways off the box, Luna and Casie coming in just in time to witness it.

"Don't mind my dad, sometimes he can be a nerd." Casie reassures Deanna of her father's antics.

"How's the first?" Luna asks her friend as they wait for Colson.

"Perf..."

"BAM!!" Deanna is cut off by Colson's elaborate entrance. "This jawn is litty, my Kitty!!" Colson shouts again as he pulls Luna close to him by the waist. "Feel this shit... It's so fucking soft but so light." He oozes over the crushed orange material.

"You look great, Buns." Luna laughs as she kisses him. "Now get on the box.... GET ON THE BOX!!" She laughs harder, slightly mimicking Brad Pitt from Seven.

"How's that one feel?" Deanna interupts them, she's on a mission.

"I like that this one is looser. Like, I could wear these pants all day at EstFest and be comfortable." Colson answers as he does a slight jig.

"GREAT!! That means you're done. All I have to do is secure all the hems and you're wedding day ready." Deanna let's out with a light sigh.

"See that Kitten, I'm wedding day ready." Colson states as he pops a pose and sticks his tongue out at her; causing her to collapse into a fit of giggles with Casie and Deanna.

"That's a good look for you there, Mzzz. Kelly." Sam comes in, busting balls and carrying beers.

"Whhhyyyy thank you." Colson laughs as he jumps off of the box one last time, steals a beer from Sam and hollers "THANK YOU, DEANNAAAAA!!" As he sprints away to undress and work on his rap hook.

Fitting Casie is a WHOLE different story. She's never had to stand still long enough for a custom piece. It also doesn't help that The Guys keep floating in and out and messing with her.

"Lemme show you something, Dill! " Luna calls for Casie, pulling her sketch book out, she shows the young girl what their goals are.

"Okay. I'll stand better." Casie asserts with a better understanding of what they're trying to construct.

Deanna works as Casie stands. Luna and Sam busting it up with both of them. Colson pulling Luna away for her opinion on the sound for what they're now calling So Am I. Luna dipping all around the house. From the dining room to the music room, then to the backyard to get stoned real quick. Starting from scratch, Casie's takes the longest leaving the tiny one to step down from the box hungry and exhausted.

"I'm going to watch TV." She declares with a dragging sigh.

Luna sets her up in the living room as Ashleigh arrives with Ashton. Pleasing Casie to no end to have her Buddy with her as the women all head to the dining room for Luna's final fittings.

"We need sheets." Deanna informs Luna. "I don't want anyone walking in on you... You know?" She asks to Ashleigh's nod at the sign of the bad omen before she goes to find them.

A couple of beers, a few sheets later and Luna's on the box in her first dress. It's simple and short with lace details. Deanna checks the hems and asks Luna how it feels. She loves it. It's flattering yet comfortable. Delicate but not too girly for Luna. Gushing over it as she throws her arms around Deanna in gratitude.

"Wait till you see the third... That's my favorite." Sam whispers to Ashleigh as they watch Luna shimmy into her second dress.

This one is long with simple, classic lace patterns. Giving off a soft, hippidelic feel. Perfect for the woods of EstFest. Luna stands still as Deanna adjusts the lace around her body and it falls softly against her skin.

"Is it too tight?" Deanna asks with slight concern.

"I don't think so... What do you think?" Luna asks as she twists and twirls on the box.

"Jump off." Deanna instructs Luna.

With that she takes a long, ballerina leap off of the box, making it shake by her sudden weight shift. Legs wide open and arms extended she glides for a moment before landing and twirling again.

"TaDa!" Luna takes a bow, incredibly pleased with herself.

"Show off." Sam snarks with an unamused eye roll as she swigs her beer.

"You look AMAZING, Loons!!" Ashleigh stands up to admire her and the dress.

"Thank you." Luna let's out an embarrassed smile as she pecks Ashleigh's cheek. "What do you think, D?" Luna asks her designer friend.

"You'll be fine." Deanna's head nod making the other girls crack up.

"Yo!! Kitten! Where you at?" Colson tries to come barging in but gets tangled in the sheets.

"Not with you right now." Sam answers as she grabs him and pushes him to freedom; all praising Sam and the sheets with more gratitude and laughter.

Slipping into the third dress is easy. It's a two piece with a full skirt. Deanna only wanting to check the final fit and hem. Still twirling, Luna let's out a sigh... It's not hard to get caught up in the sweetness of planning a wedding. No matter how obscure.

"You okay?" Sam asks as she passes Luna a beer.

"Yeah." Luna smiles dreamily. "Just excited." Her hopeful demeanor seeping slightly into Sam before they click their beers wih the other two ladies.

--------------------------------------------------

The fittings took all day. Leading them right up until about 530Pish. Only having time for a huge burn circle for the adults before most of them who aren't dressed have to run off to be ready for their 7P reservation at Morton's Steakhouse.

Finally seated with an array of drinks and appetizers, it's a ton of them as always. Colson, Casie and Luna. Deanna. Then Pete and Kevin; because no one could convince Pete to leave Kevin at home alone during nightfall and Luna knows when to pick her battles. Baze, Sam, Ashleigh and Ashton are there. Along with Rook, Slim, Benny, Mod and a pop up AJ. Fifteen to be exact. The Fabulous Fifteen if you will. Dub making his way home after the circle. Luna orders a ribeye while Colson wants crab legs. Everyone one else places their order before Luna builds Casie a bowl of Chicken Alfredo by getting technical with the server. She doesn't like to be a dick but Casie's an asshole when it comes to food and Luna would rather push a little limit than be pushed to the limits. All the while Colson appreciating Luna's instincts when it comes to his daughter.

Dinner is filling and boozed soaked. Casie successfully getting her coveted dish while Ashton enjoyed plain noodles. They talk mostly about getting back to The House and trying to work out Luna's new song before Ashleigh asks how TownHall went.

"The COURTHOUSE went well." Luna laughs to Colson's smirk as they slightly explain the logistics of their yesterday.

Conversation continues to flow along with more alcohol. Deanna and Sam's thick NY accents drawling out Luna's Brooklyn one as well as Pete's Staten Island slang as they recant war stories and bust each other's balls. It's a different light to see the four old friends in.

Eventually Ashton has his fill, Ashleigh taking him home in her own car. Benny driving Colson, Luna, Casie and Deanna while Baze, Sam, Pete and Kevin follow behind Slim, Rook and Mod. AJ being the lone wolf as always.

---------------------------------------------------

Back at The House, Colson has Casie get in the shower while he packs up a few of her things that will head back to Emma's tomorrow. Meanwhile, Luna begins to pack for their overnight stay and upcoming performance in NYC on Thursday. The Guys and Sam are still downstairs tinkering with the idea Luna has in mind while Deanna works on Casie's dresses nearby.

Heading downstairs with a clean Casie, Luna and Colson join them in the music room. Beers are passed along with ideas and thoughts. Luna sits behind the drumkit, making herself comfortable.

"Let's try this, Sammy..." Luna offers as she takes the sticks in her hand and pounds out a quick bop.

"Lemme give it try." Sam agrees as they switch place and she begins to practice to Luna's approving nod.

Grabbing her electric that she'd kept with her since SNL; Luna tunes it up, making the chords howl. Stopping Sam, she looks over at Baze and nods for him to follow her chord pattern. A huge smile lighting up Luna's face as their two instruments align together.

"Now, gimme that strong, quick drum, Sammy!" Luna shouts out over her shoulder. "Colson, follow her lead." Luna continues to instruct as she begins to sing the original lyrics a bit faster with more spunk instead of tease.

Casie sits watching in awe. She's seen her dad create and record a million songs but there's something empowering to her in the way Luna commands the direction of her peers and their instruments. The young artist continues to absorb the creative jam session as it begins to birth an actual song.

"I think here... " Luna points to her and Colson's conjoined lyric lined papers, showing him where she think his part fits.

"So, what... After... " Colson asks as he flips through a few chords on his own electric.

"Yes... Exactly. Wanna try it?" Luna asks as she feels the piece lock into both of their brains.

Colson nods as Luna calls it From The Top. Her lead guitar whining for a couple chords before Baze's bass pops in to even her out. Followed by the unique beat pick up by Sam's thunderous drums and Colson's quick paced rhythm. Luna steps up to the mic, her vocals dancing through the lyrics as Colson slides in to reiterate everything she's claiming.

"FUUUUUCK YES!!" Luna shouts after they slam it out. "Quick break and then another couple run thrus?" She asks to everyone's agreement as she bounces around like she's on Meth; she's not, it's just her creative process.

---------------------------------------------------

A quick break means a quick fuck to Luna. Down the hall, in the tiny bathroom. With her senses on overdrive, she's all over Colson. Dropping to her knees to slurp his dick, bringing him close to the edge before releasing him and letting his cock throb as it drags against her outstretched throat.

Bouncing up again with a twinkling gleam, she kisses Colson hard on the mouth. Letting their tongues wrestle playfully with one another before pulling back. Giving him THAT One Look before she hoists herself up onto the sink. With his pants already off, Colson eases himself into Luna's juicy pussy. Making her moan and shudder from his girth. With his hands cradling her face, Colson kisses Luna deeply while her nails grip his ass and she fucks him maniacaly.

"Ooohh FUCK, Bunny! GO!" Luna cries out as her whole body tightens before that beautiful wave of euphoria washes over her.

"God Damn, Loons." Colson pants into her collarbone as she goes limp against his body.

"Mmmm... I FUCKING LoveLOOOOVE Yooou." Luna coos gently in his ear as they rest upon each other

---------------------------------------------------

Luna comes bouncing right out of the bathroom and back to practice without missing a beat. Talking over different chords with Baze, rhythms with Sam, along lyrics and feelings with Rook. Colson gazes at her with love and adoration as he watches her create. It's when he sees how intently Casie's watching Luna too, does it turn into appreciation. Heart bursting with pride that he chose a strong woman to be his wife and a role model to His Peanut.

"It's her... It's always been her." Colson smiles to himself as he allows his mind to drift back to the night at The Gramercy and the mysterious Girl in the Cheetah Print Coat before joining in on their band practice for a song She wrote about Him.

---------------------------------------------------

Word Limit 2 of 2

To be continued....

[ladystylestores]

Moving the Conversation on Black Designers Forward – WWD

https://pmcwwd.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/black-designers-2020-011.jpg?w=640&h=415&crop=1

The killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers reexposed much that had been ignored in the U.S. and in the fashion industry. While much of the world is on pause due to the coronavirus, attention to police brutality, inequality and the mistreatment of citizens in the U.S. and abroad has come to the forefront. Many fashion companies, brands, publications and individuals in the industry have stepped forward to say “Black Lives Matter,” showing support for the movement. Numerous fashion news sites shared stories highlighting Black fashion designers and business owners with the intent to right the ship in its path to progress.

But in doing so, these stories exposed that this moment is history repeating itself.

The demand for equality, fair treatment and more hiring of Black talent in the fashion world dates back more than 50 years. While some aspects of this time are new, thanks to social media and call-out culture, much of this movement has been seen before.

Now, as then, it is Black creatives, models and industry professionals who have led the way, spearheading efforts to make the industry more inclusive and reflective of the public it should be serving. In the past, efforts emerged organically where there were opportunities, but today, new initiatives, grants and organizations are being launched with the intention of creating and maintaining opportunities for the underrepresented.

For instance, Harlem’s Fashion Row, a nonprofit founded in 2007 by industry veteran Brandice Daniel, is meant to support designers of color. According to Daniel, designers of African American and Latino descent account for less than 1 percent of department store offerings’ representation, a number that hasn’t changed in the 13 years since the founding of Harlem’s Fashion Row. The group in June received a donation of $1 million from the CFDA and Vogue’s The Common Thread initiative to support its Icon 360 program that provides help to designers of color during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For Daniel, a former buyer and manager of production at an intimate apparel company, starting Harlem’s Fashion Row was a project “tugging at my heart” as she saw fewer designers of color in the industry. With the organization’s initiatives, emerging designer Fe Noel received an opportunity to sell at Bloomingdale’s in 2019.

But in order to build greater representation throughout the industry, many Black talents feel a key is to change how they are perceived.

“I think what I’ve been mindful of in all this is how we are seen and how this extends to some people and publications trying to pit us against each other,” said Henrietta Gallina who, alongside Kibwe Chase-Marshall and Jason Campbell, this year started the Kelly Initiative, named after the designer Patrick Kelly. “We are not a monolith, and the challenges we face are complex, so there is no one direct solution. It’s also not the job of Black people to do all of the work. We cannot remove the responsibility of the current leadership and power structures.”

From left: Designer Patrick Kelly’s made-to-order collection at the Martha Inc. boutique in New York. Kelly poses with models in contemporary wedding ensembles from his spring 1986 collection.  Michel Maurou/WWD

“I look at this as a point of continued progress,” said model and activist Bethann Hardison. “Yes, you get to one plateau on the mountain and you can clear it. Then you see another one you have to climb over.”

Sharifa Murdock, Envsn founder and Project and Liberty Fairs cofounder, said, “It’s so unfortunate that we are now being recognized for our talents and our skills, when we’ve always had these talents and skills. Time is just repeating itself, but what’s sad is no one’s speaking on the history. It’s a different generation growing up. Just because we’ve seen it, [it] isn’t how they’re seeing it.”

As companies scramble to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement and do right by Black consumers and talents in the industry, the key question remains: what happened before, and why has it taken so long for the industry — from the boardroom to the design studio — to address the problems?

Gucci and Prada established diversity panels and hired Diversity and Inclusion executives after they received backlash for products bearing racist imagery, but that was only last year. Virgil Abloh’s appointment as artistic director of men’s at Louis Vuitton was a watershed moment, marking the designer as the first Black American to head a collection at one of the largest fashion houses in the world. Yet that came only two years ago.

The CFDA in June took some steps to support Black talents in the industry after the global protests following Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis, but the initiative for mentorship, internships and diversity training programs was not entirely well received because it was seen as hasty efforts that do not go far enough to bring change and progress. In addition to donating $1 million to Harlem’s Fashion Row, they later made donations to the NAACP and Campaign Zero, and through Common Thread donated just over $1 million to 36 companies, including fashion and accessories brands, retailers, factories and organizations. Despite the lukewarm response, the organization is doing something.

June also saw the launches of organizations and initiatives like designer Aurora James’ 15 Percent Pledge; the Black in Fashion Council, led by Lindsay Peoples-Wagner and Sandrine Charles; beResonant, a grant program for Black fashion creatives started by tech company Resonance, and the Kelly Initiative led by Gallina, Chase-Marshall and Campbell who, along with 250 Black professionals, petitioned the CFDA to increase its anti-racism efforts.

The collective effort is unified in seeking to create and maintain sustainable, active and progressive roads for the advancement and equality of Black people in the industry. What is key is to realize that the industry has been here before, starting with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, but that progress stalled.

The Civil Rights Act prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex and religion, while affirmative action programs sought to increase the number of Black professionals in the workforce. After its passage, former Manhattan Borough president Percy Sutton supported programs in New York to educate Black professionals for managerial roles in retail. Several national colleges participated in summer programs to get Black students experience in retail, while the Fashion Institute of Technology developed a “task force” to enroll more Black students.

“Black and Right,” a 1973 article from the WWD archives.  Tonya Blazio-Licorish

At the same time, protests and picketing continued in Washington, D.C., and at the headquarters of various retailers and publications who still engaged in discrimination in their hiring practices. This set the tone for organizations like AIM, The Association for the Integration of Management, and the nonprofit Black Retail Action Group, or BRAG, established in 1970 to increase the participation of Black and minority talent in the retail and fashion industry by promoting career advancement, professional development and networking.

“BRAG’s mission was, and still is, to increase the diverse talent pipeline, something that is more relevant today than ever,” said Nicole Cokley-Dunlap, copresident of BRAG. “The diverse consumer needs to be reflected throughout the decision-making process.” The organization’s other copresident is Shawn Outler, who is also chief diversity officer at Macy’s Inc.

The year that BRAG was established, WWD reported that Black workers accounted for 12 percent of total store employment, 7 percent of white-collar jobs and 2 percent of management, technical or professional positions. Charles R. Perry, a professor at Wharton University who conducted the study, was quoted as saying, “Pure racial discrimination in the form that it was known before the 1960s is not in evidence, inverse discrimination in the form of entry qualifications is predominant.”

Black participation in the fashion industry in the Sixties and Seventies could be credited to Ebony Fashion Fair, said designer Stephen Burrows. Johnson Publishing Co. cofounder Eunice Johnson created Ebony Fashion Fair in 1958 to raise money for Black charities. Johnson not only celebrated her passion for well-known designer fashion from Europe and America on a cabine of Black models like Pat Cleveland and Iman, but she made it a mission to celebrate and expose the world to Black designers. Audrey Smaltz, former model and commentator for the showcase and founder of the Ground Crew in 1977, stated that Ebony Fashion Fair was a game changer for the times. The fair ended in 2009.

Though Johnson urged European designers like Yves Saint Laurent and Valentino to participate in the fair, her insistence on promoting Black American creatives boosted acceptance by the industry for salable, exceptional design contributions from talents like Burrows, Wesley Tann, Jon Haggins, Willi Smith, Scott Barrie, Fabrice Simon, Arthur McGee, and Patrick Kelly, amongst many others.

Support from fashion directors, buyers and retailers brought Black talents into department stores like Bloomingdale’s, I. Magnin, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman, which also showcased Black designers in a 1968 fashion show. Burrows’ “Stephen Burrows World,” a partnership with Henri Bendel, set a course for his business in America. A bigger break came for him with the participation in the now-iconic Battle of Versailles in 1973.

Burrows — like Halston, Givenchy, Saint Laurent and the other designers who participated at Versailles — had many opportunities in licensing and collaborations, including designer fur, denim and fragrances. His Stephen B Good fragrance held promise but, according to a WWD article in 1976, it did not garner the same success as his counterparts due to a lack of marketing support.

From left: Model Armina Warsuma in Stephen Burrows’ 1971 collection for “Stephen Burrows World” boutique at Henri Bendel. Model Aria in a dress from John Haggins’ summer 1981 collection.  Tony Palmieri and Harry Morrison/WWD

Haggins, who established his first fashion label in 1966 after graduating from FIT, left the industry in 1973 despite his success and returned to a changed landscape in 1982. “I went in very naïve. I didn’t really see obstacles, because I was enjoying the moment,” he told WWD recently.

He said getting his collection in a department store was not difficult if it was salable. “I made beautiful clothes. That was my business,” he said. “I didn’t look at my race, but if others did, that was not my obstacle, it was theirs.”

Haggins, whose looks sold at major department stores and were worn by celebrities like Diana Ross and Raquel Welch, left the industry again and is now an author, host and producer of Globetrotter TV.

Black models would also see a different level of exposure than their white counterparts. Ophelia DeVore was the first Black model in the U.S. and cofounder of the Grace del Marco Agency. DeVore led a number of protests, including one at Time Inc., according to Jet Magazine, which reported in 1971 that Time asked the New York Supreme Court to drop the “racist journalism” case against them by DeVore’s Charm School.

But as the Seventies wore on — and throughout the Eighties — strides were being taken by retailers and publications to shine a spotlight on Black design talent.

In 1977, Revlon and Bloomingdale’s Marvin Traub, with then-Manhattan Borough president Sutton, hosted “The Black Expression — a Statement of Style,” an in-store fashion showcase and party. In 1979 and 1981, Harvey’s Bristol Crème sponsored a celebrity-attended tribute and fashion show to Black design talent in women’s and men’s fashion at FIT.

From left: Manhattan Borough President Percy Sutton attends “The Black Expression — a Statement of Style” event at Bloomingdale’s in New York.<br />Musician Lionel Hampton and fashion coordinator Audrey Smaltz in Fabrice appear onstage during the event.  Michel Maurou and John Bright/WWD

Smaltz, the model who was the fashion coordinator of the event, noted that by 1981 more than 100 black designers were successfully working in the fashion industry.

Hardison, who considers herself more of an “advocate” than an “activist,” founded Bethann Management in 1984 and later the Black Girls Coalition in 1988 to celebrate Black models. Because she was so impressed that “they were all working,” she said, “We now had the opportunity to have Black models on the cover of Elle, a mainstream magazine,” which pushed Condé Nast and Hearst to do the same.

Fairchild’s 1989 event “The Soul of 7th Ave.,” produced by Monique Greenwood, a former editor, and the National Association of Black Journalists, or NABJ, honored models Beverly Johnson, Naomi Campbell, Iman and Karen Alexander, and designers Kevan Hall, Fabrice Simon, Jeffrey Banks, Isaia, Alvin Bell, James McQuay and Kelly, among others. (Kelly was unable to attend and died shortly after due to complications from AIDS. He began his design career in Atlanta, before heading to Paris at the suggestion of model Pat Cleveland. He was the first Black American to be admitted to the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture Parisienne in 1988.)

Despite these successes in America, journalist and best-selling author Teri Agins said Black American designers did not receive the opportunity to lead major European fashion houses. The Nineties saw two appointments of American design talents — with Marc Jacobs signing on at Louis Vuitton and Michael Kors at Celine, both in 1997.

“Tracy Reese and Byron Lars came up at the same time as Jacobs. They were college- and fashion-industry-educated, but they weren’t recruited for those jobs. These are opportunities that they missed out on,” Agins said.

She continued, “There were many talented, developed Black designers at the time who should have been interviewed and considered for such posts. For example, the very talented Edward Wilkerson, who was appointed to be the creative director and designer at Lafayette 148. Edward put that brand on the map!”

Black designers at the time ran the industry spectrum from couture to ready-to-wear and mass-market retail. Among them were Patrick Robinson, who designed at Armani before heading Stateside to lead Anne Klein and later Gap; Hall, who was named creative director to revive Halston in the Nineties and was carried at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue; Maurice Malone, and Andre Walker.

Others experienced challenges through the lens of success. Gordon Henderson, the first Black designer to win the CFDA’s Perry Ellis Award for Young Designers in 1989 and to secure an exclusive contract with Saks Fifth Avenue, worked with both Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren before launching his own business. He understood as early as his first year at Parsons School of Design that fashion is a tough business.

Designer Gordon Henderson and Melanie Landestoy in his “But Gordon” by Gordon Henderson sportswear collection debut and designer Isaia Rankin with a model in his fall 1982 sportswear collection advance.  Robert Mitra and Dustin Pittman/WWD

“When starting your own business, you are everything — the designer, salesperson and production person,” said Henderson. This is something he says many students are not educated about before entering the business. Education and financial support are both needed and mentorship for new designers through the process is necessary.

Hall said he noticed a shift happening in American design talent around 1995, when New York and Los Angeles-based companies began hiring designers from Central Saint Martins in London.

He said, “Certainly when those positions [to lead major American brands] became available, African Americans didn’t get them. There was a shift in the industry and unfortunately African American designers who helped build the brands to multimillion-dollar status never had the opportunity to launch their own brands.”

Campbell of the Kelly Initiative said, “In the Nineties, amongst my peer group, we were all ascending. As Black representation grew, we realized this is very sectional and very clubby. Our Black peers started to be sidelined, because Black was seen as a trend and an aesthetic of the moment.”

“There was a tendency [for the industry to think] that Black designers only design for Black people,” said Agins. “They see themselves simply as designers who create for everybody.”

Faith Lucas, who designed for Gap and later Tommy Hilfiger, said she fought to be considered simply as a designer. Lucas, who brought success to Gap with her version of the brand’s popular khaki pants, states again, “White designers weren’t called ‘white designers,’ and I felt conflicted about it. Talent does not have that racial demarcation line and we shouldn’t have to think that.”

Henderson agreed with Lucas, as well as Burrows and Haggins, in that each is proud of being a Black designer, but that should not be a buzzword for the industry. “No one says, ‘I am a white designer.’ That’s a given,” said Henderson.

But even as there remained a lack of opportunity for Black designers in many segments of the industry, in the early Nineties, a category of apparel sprouted on the streets of America that created new such opportunities for Black talents: urbanwear.

Spike Lee’s 40 Acres and a Mule garnered much attention for its connection to the director’s Brooklyn roots. Daymond John, cofounder of FUBU, is an early success, securing orders with Macy’s in the early Nineties. Mecca, cofounded by Tony Shellman, Evan Davis and Londo Felix, hit $25 million in sales within 18 months, according to Shellman, allowing for similar success with his second venture, Enyce. “It had a 27 percent operating margin based off of $175 million in sales,” he said. “Before Enyce, Mecca, Karl Kani, there was Major Damage — those brands were already in play, but again, no one knew about them,” said Shellman.

Director Spike Lee poses with a model in his spring 1993 collection and Cross Colours hip-hop sportswear collection advance, fall 1992.  Michel Maurou/WWD

The new music landscape and the call from young Black kids to buy clothes from Black designers gave urban fashion unprecedented power at retail and throughout the industry as even established designers moved to tap into that market. The category provided a starting point for many Black talents with opportunities in fashion, beauty and media.

“Hip-hop was truly a game changer for Black talent in fashion,” said journalist and author Constance C.R. White, who covered the urban apparel boom at its inception.

“There were opportunities at every level,” she said. ”You didn’t come in knowing everything, you didn’t have to. The movement of this category was unlike the ready-to-wear business. As merchants begin to realize they need that Black aesthetic, hip-hop helps to open the door on many levels for Black people in fashion.”

But despite the category’s early success, White said the beginning of the urbanwear boom was treated like a “novelty” and not as a serious cultural moment or significant business proposition.

“You’d be hard put to find coverage of these collections, whether it was the clothing featured or profiles of the designers,” she said. “But as Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel and Isaac Mizrahi show hip-hop-influenced collections they are front-page coverage. In the moment, there was no motivation for it becoming general fashion coverage in the mainstream fashion press and trade organizations.”

Even as urbanwear continued to make strides and more Black designers were featured at retail, the initiatives like those in the Seventies began to fade. “I do believe there is a point where some of us became complacent,” said White. “When we did Fashion Outreach, there weren’t any uprisings, but there was plausibility for unequal treatment. There was kind of this falling away. I think people were quieter about it. People always had this concern of, ‘how might this affect my career.’ People are now more open and louder given what’s going on. It is complacency coupled with a real understandable fear.”

Hardison said she began to see fewer Black models on the runway, which happened after the Black Girls Coalition went dormant in the early Nineties and she closed her representation of models in 1996.

In 1992, she held a press conference calling for greater Black representation in advertising — and 15 years later held a series of town halls focused on the lack of representation for Black models and prejudiced casting directives. She added, “At one point we [at the Black Girls Coalition] had to call out the ad agencies for not reflecting the Black consumer. You’re sort of a watch dog, even if you don’t want to be.”

She said she was told that by the late Nineties, top fashion houses stopped working with glamour models because they distracted from the clothes and model scouts were heading to Eastern Europe for new talent. Casting directors would say “No Blacks, no ethnics” in casting calls. She added, “That’s part of our business. It’s descriptive, it’s like saying no blondes or redheads, but after a while it was beginning to compromise our industry. Then we had to educate them that you couldn’t do that anymore, because it’s inappropriate.”

“When I left, the model representation really fell back. I went right back in and had no problem asking a designer, ‘where’s the representation?’”

This speaks to the fact that the consumer by now is a global one. Hardison never minced words at making the facts known. “I never believed that it couldn’t be flipped.”

From left: MTV’s “Fashionably Loud” event with women’s Enyce urban sportswear for spring 2003. Sean John men’s for fall 2000.  Michel Maurou/WWD

By the Aughts, fashion and its alignment with celebrities gave a new face to the industry. Sean “Diddy” Combs became the first Black designer to win the CFDA Award for Men’s Wear in 2004. From Givenchy to Gap, celebrity prevailed. New cultural and social shifts pushed urban brands to try to reach a broader market. As this category changed, sales growth slowed and the opportunities for Black professionals in the industry further withered in America.

But in Europe, Black talents were appointed at storied design houses. Ozwald Boateng headed to Givenchy as creative director of men’s wear in 2003. He paved the way for designers of color to lead other fashion houses — albeit almost a decade later — like Olivier Rousteing at Balmain in 2011, Haider Ackermann at Berluti in 2016 and Abloh at Louis Vuitton in 2018. Rihanna launched Fenty with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton in 2019, marking the first time LVMH began a fashion brand from scratch since it set up a couture house for Christian Lacroix in 1987.

Franca Sozzani and Steven Meisel showed support for Black models with the Vogue Black issue, then created Vogueblack.it, a channel under Vogue.it that featured emerging Black models and conversations reflecting the global Black communities.

“But in 2011, the model representation started to fall back a little again,” said Hardison.

On the trade show front, Murdock cofounded Project with Sam Ben-Avraham. After Project was acquired, the two started Liberty Fairs to provide a show platform for emerging and midmarket brands and provide hands-on internship opportunities for young professionals of color. The show launched with 67 brands, of which 10 percent were Black or minority-owned. The show has since grown to 20 percent Black or minority-owned participating brands.

Even as fashion awards and prizes recognize more designers of color, in the end awards and recognition won’t spur the bigger systemic change that has long been demanded and is being called for again with more fervor. While the industry has been put on notice for its explicit misrepresentation of Black culture in design and lack of representation in the talent pool, it finds itself as a familiar place where Black designers recognized for their talent continue to face an uphill battle in terms of financial support and mentorship. And beyond the design studio, there remains a lack of Black representation in the senior executive suite of major fashion and beauty companies worldwide.

Most industry professionals agree that consistent initiatives surrounding education, business management and design collaborations are needed to sustain viability in the  industry.

Gallina said, “Seeing that disparity behind the scenes is extra shocking to me. Nothing has changed in the number of Black people I interact with on the corporate level, but the language has changed.”

Chase-Marshall added, “The resistance to transparency from the companies is telling. For me now what is challenging is that the fashion nepotistic and optics rubric has become a casting system and networking game.”

From left: Kevan Hall couture spring 1987 and fall 1988.  Lisa Romerian and Art Streiber/WWD

“One of the things I’ve charged our members to do,” Hall said of the Black Design Collective, a nonprofit he founded with designer Angela Dean, TJ Walker of Cross Colours and Academy Award-winning costume designer Ruth Carter, “as the young people come in the ranks, help get those talents on the movie sets, TV shows and in the studios and really start to lift the young people up. I think it’s important to offer education. We’ve noticed in our workshops that the young people are hungry for knowledge and in knowing the inside-out of the business.”

The collective educates the next generation of design talent entering the industry by providing mentorship and workshops on financing, retail and how to get government funding.

This is the vital support many believe the industry must provide at all levels. As Smaltz said, in regard to the young fashion designer, “You can’t be the creator and the businessperson. You can’t do this by yourself.”

As the industry examines itself from all angles, it is recognizing it needs to change to reflect the currents in society. And while in many cases it has been here before, what executives and brands appear to realize this time is that sustaining these changes is vital to its future.

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Childrens Boutique And Educational Toys For Kids Learning

By Betty Kelly

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[ouroroshi]

Childrens Boutique And Educational Toys For Kids Learning

By Betty Kelly

Children are happy whenever they receive a toy from their parents. This may come in different colors, shapes, and functionality. Usually, parents use these items to keep their child from crying as they busy themselves with chores. Thousands of these are manufactured per day to improve the imagination of an offspring. With kids or toddlers being perceptive to whatever they sense, this makes it easier for them to learn. Parents found the Childrens boutique and educational toys as an opportunity for them to acquire the knowledge about basic things they should know. Counting digits, creating melodies, or sketching shapes, these are things which bring out the creative side of your offspring. Involving them with these materials related to education gives them an advantage over the others who are not. Being a part of the syllabus during nursery, kids are encouraged to play with it. When mothers and fathers hand it to them before they start school, this will fuel their brain power. Also, materials as such will not pose any threat to them. Early childhood, kids are more activated with their imaginations. Thus, parents pick this option of learning over others. It constantly challenges their children during this early stages in life. This type of channel will help develop the rationality of kids to be stable. They are the humans who are very motivated to rise up to any challenge and have the determination to pursue their goals. Add on reasons why youngsters must be given knowledge are as follows. Playful. It is innate in children to be playful. Thus they always look at anything vivid that captures their eyes as fun things. A reason why they normally play with instructional items because they are usually polychromatic. That is why handing them puzzles and toy musical instruments at an early age is something that will help them learn while enjoying the experience. Sensory development.The essential tools for acquiring knowledge. These products help stimulate the development of the brain of an individual whether a toddler or adult. By admiring their surroundings and deciphering shapes, their first taste of milk, feeling the calm at the smell of their parents and dwelling with the comfort of cribs as they sleep the whole day. Improve brain development. Whenever an individual learns, their brain also improves. That is why children who are very observant and perceptive tend to increase their IQ. Making them smarter than children who have not acquired any knowledge through playing instructional goods. Cause and effect basis. There are toys where buttons are involved to produce a sound. That is already a simple cause and effect situation there. It gives them the notion that if they decide on acting on something, there will be a reaction following it. Having kids play toys that will make them develop their learning skills are beneficial to both them and their parents in the long run. A passionate individual or an academically advanced one will be the outcome of this kind of practice in the future. Thus, making this a good training start for every parent out there.

About the Author:

Discover the best childrens boutique and educational toys by visiting our web pages right now. To access our online catalog of specialty gifts and hair accessories, click the links at http://ift.tt/2ud1sqJ today.

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[ouroroshi]

Childrens Boutique And Educational Toys For Kids Learning

By Betty Kelly

Children are happy whenever they receive a toy from their parents. This may come in different colors, shapes, and functionality. Usually, parents use these items to keep their child from crying as they busy themselves with chores. Thousands of these are manufactured per day to improve the imagination of an offspring. With kids or toddlers being perceptive to whatever they sense, this makes it easier for them to learn. Parents found the Childrens boutique and educational toys as an opportunity for them to acquire the knowledge about basic things they should know. Counting digits, creating melodies, or sketching shapes, these are things which bring out the creative side of your offspring. Involving them with these materials related to education gives them an advantage over the others who are not. Being a part of the syllabus during nursery, kids are encouraged to play with it. When mothers and fathers hand it to them before they start school, this will fuel their brain power. Also, materials as such will not pose any threat to them. Early childhood, kids are more activated with their imaginations. Thus, parents pick this option of learning over others. It constantly challenges their children during this early stages in life. This type of channel will help develop the rationality of kids to be stable. They are the humans who are very motivated to rise up to any challenge and have the determination to pursue their goals. Add on reasons why youngsters must be given knowledge are as follows. Playful. It is innate in children to be playful. Thus they always look at anything vivid that captures their eyes as fun things. A reason why they normally play with instructional items because they are usually polychromatic. That is why handing them puzzles and toy musical instruments at an early age is something that will help them learn while enjoying the experience. Sensory development.The essential tools for acquiring knowledge. These products help stimulate the development of the brain of an individual whether a toddler or adult. By admiring their surroundings and deciphering shapes, their first taste of milk, feeling the calm at the smell of their parents and dwelling with the comfort of cribs as they sleep the whole day. Improve brain development. Whenever an individual learns, their brain also improves. That is why children who are very observant and perceptive tend to increase their IQ. Making them smarter than children who have not acquired any knowledge through playing instructional goods. Cause and effect basis. There are toys where buttons are involved to produce a sound. That is already a simple cause and effect situation there. It gives them the notion that if they decide on acting on something, there will be a reaction following it. Having kids play toys that will make them develop their learning skills are beneficial to both them and their parents in the long run. A passionate individual or an academically advanced one will be the outcome of this kind of practice in the future. Thus, making this a good training start for every parent out there.

About the Author:

Discover the best childrens boutique and educational toys by visiting our web pages right now. To access our online catalog of specialty gifts and hair accessories, click the links at http://ift.tt/2ud1sqJ today.

Childrens Boutique And Educational Toys For Kids Learning from pdfbooks2015http://www.healthyfoods2014.tk/2017/09/childrens-boutique-and-educational-toys.html via IFTTT