Unsung Heroes: Fashion

For Black History Month, Ink Staff members created the Unsung Heroes to highlight black pioneers and trailblazers who have paved the way for new generations of people of color. Unsung Heroes: Fashion highlights five trailblazers who are the blueprint and appreciated throughout the fashion industry.

Androgyny as a Form of Liberation

In October of 2021, actor Billy Porter shared his thoughts on Harry Styles’ appearance in Vogue: “I had to fight my entire life to get to the place where I could wear a dress to the Oscars and not be gunned down. All he has to do is be white and straight.” Porter later issued a public apology after much criticism- but why? 

Hanifa ‘Dream’ Show Review

On a cold winter day in November, people flocked to the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC to witness something spectacular and special, the Hanifa’s Inaugural Fashion Show called Dream. The brand Hanifa is created by Anifa Mvuemba, a fashion designer  based in Maryland. During the 2020 lockdown, she became well known throughout the fashion industry with a 3D digital fashion show called the Pink Label Capsule that gained worldwide recognition.

Artist Spotlight: Time Warp Drag

It was the first live show I’d been to all year. Everyone was spaced out for safety, wearing masks, sitting outside the dining hall and yet I barely noticed all that. For the first time in months the restrictions of the pandemic weren’t weighing down on my experience. All I could think about was clapping louder, and how fabulous the queens performing before me were. Did I mention it was a drag show?

The Reemergence of Vivienne Westwood, and Punk Fashion’s Relevancy in 2020

Vivienne Westwood was known as a style icon, specifically having heavily influenced punk fashion in the ‘70s. She was adored by the youths of the time, those who wanted to rebel against the prim and proper “squareness” associated with rule followers and government supporters and find styles that opposed the wide lapels and flared denim they so ferociously despised.

Weekly Roundup

What our staff has been looking at, reading, and thinking about.

Bold, Beautiful, & Black: Black Designers at NYFW 2020

Lovers of fashion flock to New York every February and September to see the upcoming season’s latest collections. Each year NYFW becomes more of a spectacle, but seemingly overlooks the realm of Black designers and creative directors. In honor of fashion week coinciding with Black History Month, here are four Black designers whose designs are a must-see.

Suspended

These inspiring young creatives are climbing to the top of the creative ladder. Witness the suspenseful, electric endeavor of throwing yourself towards your goals. 

Anna Van Gheem

Van Gheem’s work comments on the mundanities of everyday life from a tongue-in-cheek approach. Her roots in studying textiles informs both her color and surface design. 

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