Exhibition, photo by Marilyn Kirschner
“Out of Africa” and into the Museum at FIT’s “Africa’s Fashion Diaspora.” This innovative exhibition, running from now until December 29, explores fashion’s role in shaping global Black cultures.
“Tinu,” photo by Marilyn Kirschner
Curator Elizabeth Way, who began this project before the 2020 pandemic, examined what design themes, if any, were consistent in Black fashion design. She identified many recurring themes.
Photo by Marilyn Kirschner
“Reaching for Africa”—a search for legacy, lineage, and family history that were severed in the transatlantic slave trade; “Mothers and Motherlands” – exploring family, lineage, and cultural traditions; “A Black Atlantic” – inspiration drawn among other Black cultures such as French designer Olivier Rousteing with Black American cowboys; “Homegoing”— 2nd generation fashion designers with roots in the continent or the Caribbean;
Photo by Marilyn Kirschner
“Transcendent and Supernatural”—religion, mythology, and folklore; “Monumental Cloth” – textile traditions such as indigo dying and pieced and quilted Kente Cloth; “Tun yuh han mek Fashan” – sustainability and upcycling of second-hand clothing; “Ubuntu”—using fashion to benefit the community and connectedness and as a platform for good.
Photo by Marilyn Kirschner
Among the 60 fashion items presented in the more extensive downstairs gallery and lit very dramatically, if very dimly, was one that would also be on theme for the “Mothers” section. A Madame Willie Posey two-piece set, in zebra and leopard print c. 1970s, is featured in the anteroom.
Av Mark & Mainga Sanderson, photo by Marilyn Kirschner
Posey, a Harlem designer in the ‘40s through ‘70s, was part of a collective of activist designers taking inspiration from Africa. “What I don’t get to address in the exhibition is that she’s the mother of the artist Faith Ringgold,” explained Elizabeth Way in a podcast. “Willie Posey taught Faith Ringgold how to sew and collaborated on the artist’s Story Quilt series.”
Photo by Laurel Marcus
Tuesday night was the opening cocktail party, and I was intrigued to see how attendees, particularly those of other ethnicities, interpreted the theme while skirting that dreaded label—“cultural appropriation.”
Rossnael Norollo, photo by Laurel Marcus
Robert di Mauro arrived wearing his chemise Marocain – a Moroccan tunic gifted by his cousin Najat. “It pays to have Moroccan relatives,” he said adding that he has quite the collection of Moroccan wear courtesy of them. Yes, he is from Sicily but he explained that in Sicily, “everything is Arabic” – a perfect example of cross-cultural fashion.
Photo by Laurel Marcus
Famed fashion model Alva Chinn, a “veteran” of the iconic 1973 Battle of Versailles, graced the event in a floral print Stephen Burrows blouse over a black dress. This was a nod to the five American designers, including Burrows, who made history at the groundbreaking show alongside Bill Blass, Oscar de la Renta, Halston, and Anne Klein.
Marisol Deluna, photo by Marilyn Kirschner
Fashion designer Marisol Deluna wanted to “feel like myself,” so she accompanied her usual mode of dress with a few of her creations while giving a nod to the theme — a handbag embellished with African earrings and fringe as well as her neck creation of several button necklaces made out of ethnic fabric.
Dustin Lujan, Victoria Ade, Victor dE Souza, Diana Bocsha, photo by Marilyn Kirschner
Nicole Fischelis and I bonded over our “fast fashion closet finds”—her geometric black-and-white frock was from her archives, courtesy of the French chain now called Monoprix. At the same time, my fit was a several-year-old Zara original. In all fairness, I believe it was some “special collection,” plus I did hook it up with a Marni necklace, lol.
Photo by Marilyn Kirschner
For the most part as befitting African “peacock” culture, the men turned it out better than the women. Several could have been “sapeurs” – the dandyish men of the Congo who sport colorful designer duds although they live in poverty – often with no running water. It would have been cool to see those dudes featured in this (or another) fashion exhibition.
Paul Hands, Alva Chinn, Teri Agins, Robert Di Mauro, photo by Laurel Marcus
My award for best dressed goes to Mainga Sanderson in the awesome “pimp coat” complete with intricately embellished jeweled lapels and a map of Africa on the back. I stopped him and his companion for a photo as they walked in the door but was so blown away I neglected to ask about the coat’s provenance.
Dr. Valerie Steele, Curator Elizabeth Way, Dr. Joyce Brown, photo by Laurel Marcus
Tinu Naija also doesn’t have to worry about offending anyone—she is the real deal and always presents like a Nigerian princess. When she heard about this event and exhibition, she was so excited that she had her “Crayola”-colored dress featuring what looked like a tic-tac-toe board custom-made by Nigerian designer Cumo, who is based in the UK. Tinu made the matching headwrap herself.
Photo by Laurel Marcus
Other guests, including MFIT deputy director and co-curator Patricia Mears, translated the dress code into animal print, specifically zebra stripes in traditional black and white. Keli Goff wore a zebra coat in Barbie pink and white. Way to encompass two trends in one!
Marilyn Kirschner, photo by Jill Lynne
Fringe was also big – from earrings to bags to the metallic gold “grass” skirt, as seen on Lookonline’s EIC Marilyn Kirschner. Special kudos to her for riding the subway to the event with an ever-packable, super-compact, black nylon Yeohlee coat https://yeohlee.com/products/black-lightweight-rainwear-long-coat (stored in her smallish black fringed bag during the evening) as camouflage.
You can’t get more New York than that!
Latest Comments:
All so individually creative and entertaining! Marilyn, I want your skirt!
Fashion changes with the times, and ways to present it must change creatively too.
Let his name live on for what HE designed so he can rest in peace.
Marilyn! What a wonderful and informative article you have written. I so loved Bendels, although (in my opinion) it was…
Merci beaucoup for the article!
All so individually creative and entertaining! Marilyn, I want your skirt!