Harlem Fashion Show – NYFW Fall/Winter 2021
Harlem, New York- It’s been a whirlwind of events that has shaken the world, in which Covid 19 was stamped as one of the biggest changes in society.
While we all were dealing with a health crisis, police brutality and the death of unarmed black people, statistics went on a rise that we have never seen before. As members of our global community, Harlem Fashion Week believes that it is our moral obligation to speak up for justice.
Harlem Fashion Show
On September 3rd 2021, HFW embarked on a journey to bring a historical dynamic that the fashion industry has yet to see. The Black Lives Matter Fashion Cultural Exhibition featured a hand selected group of designers that created Avant’ Garde designs inspired by social justice and the BLM Movement. This event had the HWF supporters anticipating the dance, the poetry, the fashion, and the music that will lead us into Celebrating the black culture and paying homage to those that have raised awareness of justice, fashion and creativity.
The Black Lives Matter Exhibition began with the presentation of the avant-garde designs. This living art gallery themed opening night ceremony took place inside the Kente Royal Gallery in Harlem. The designs were judged by experts in the Arts, Fashion and Entertainment: Lydia T. Blanco -Journalist, Glitteratie- Media Influencer, Jelani Bandele- Black Alumni Pratt Institute, Joyous Pierce-Harlem Arts Alliance and Nikoa Evans-Harlem Park to Park. The Founders Yvonne Jewnell and Tandra Birkett were also present to Meet & Greet the Designers, the models and the supporters of Harlem Fashion Week. Whether it was featured in the linings of hoods or parts of the pants and jackets alike, the designers showcased extravagance that mounted on the models’ faces, heads and even in their mouths to lend an other-worldly avant garde pieces to manifest their brands definition of the BLM movement.
The culmination of the BLM Exhibition occurred on Sep 5, 2021with the Runway presentation of the designs and the presentation of the Cultural Icon Awards, with host, celebrity stylist, Jonathan Bodrick and award presenter and media fashion mogul Bevy Smith. The HFW founders surprised Bevy with a Cultural Icon award, it was a magical moment. The ceremony also acknowledged Nikoa Evans, Chivona Newsome, and Dionne Williams who were awarded the Cultural Icon Award. The community of Harlem joined the celebration as neighbors, store owners and shopping pedestrians stopped to watch and understood this was “A Celebration of Black Culture in Fashion. One of the special honorees Chivona Renee Newsome of BLM was well worth the awards as she continues to fight for social justice, equality and reminding folks that Black Lives Matter! The Gucci Man himself caught wind of the show and Dapper Dan made a special appearance as he strolled the event to show his love and support. The winners of the Black Lives Matter Exhibition are designers Rill NICE and House of QUEDELLA; their garments will be on display at The Kente Royal Gallery in Harlem. Inculpating all this wasn’t easy but it all was worth the dedication to the culture by Harlem Fashion Week.
Harlem Fashion Week (Harlem FW), Established in 2016 by the founders with roots in Harlem, powerhouse mother-daughter team of Tandra Birkett and Yvonne Jewnell, owners of the fashion design company Yvonne Jewnell New York LLC. Harlem Fashion Week has created a platform for the rising stars in the Fashion Design Industry for the past nine years and counting.
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With love,
FWO
