Meet Jerri Reid Of Jerri Reid New York - The Black Designer Conversation

Jerri Reid in Jerri Reid New York SS21

At the rise of Covid-19 many of us first questioned the timeline of fashion week and would we see the regular calendar continue - the question weighed over many of us for months! It was refreshing to see design houses and designers across the globe take advantage of the uncertainty and plow into production mode - thus my interest in Jerri Reid New York - The Black Designer based in Brooklyn New York wow’d instagram with his latest collection paying homage to the Black Is King film which debuted earlier this year in July. I was taken aback at quick of a turn round the young designer produced and released his well crafted designs reflecting some of the films most memorable moments.

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Noah L : Male feminine energy is seen often through androgynous fashion and art, now heterosexual men are being praised for it, what are your thoughts ? 

Jerri Reid: I think it is showing a level of bravery, to be acceptable in their peers' sight. If Quavo from the MIGOS decided to make a nod to Camron wearing all pink, then ALL men would wear it. It sucks that Queer Black Men are truly the tastemakers of fashion and not often credited, but that's a systemic issue of hate within the community. I went to the march in D.C. this past month and not one mention to trans lives happened. We (LGBTQIA+) STILL don't exist in black spaces. 

Noah L: As a black designer - what does it mean for you to receive recognition for your efforts to create original and lasting pieces? 

Jerri Reid: It means EVERYTHING to receive recognition for not just my craftsmanship, but my efforts to thrive. It's really about setting intentions with all you do. If you are only doing things simply because, then what is your purpose? My life and career as an artist is purpose-driven and is also a return to love. Love of self, love of culture, love of life, love of art, love of spirituality, love of family and friends, love of growth, love of opportunity, and love of the Most High. This is what propels me to use my gifts to teach the youth of our community the values of sewing for the past 4 years. 

Noah L: Would you consider COVID an opportunity to have thrived ? 

COVID-19 came about but it didn't stop my resilience to be innovative in a time like this. I didn't want to create a bunch of masks in an oversaturated peak-time market, but I did want to present fashion. The virtual presentation i did on instagram in July really opened the minds of people I wasn’t aware I could reach. People were messaging me with positivity to keep progressing. Most importantly, they were happy with the injection of culture and blackness. When i saw BLACK IS KING, I knew it was an opportunity for the world to see the star that I am, In more ways than one. Days before it dropped, a snippet of the ALREADY video was released. The wednesday prior to its official release (7/29) I RAN to the fabric store to get all I could to interpret the still shots. I shot and edited everything on my own that saturday (8/1) and released it sunday (8/2). I was shocked at myself because the push i gave myself validated that I can do whatever I want and meet deadlines for my growing brand. It was seen by Zerina Akers, Jerome Lamaar, Shatta Wale, and many more who took part in the marking of Black Is King.

 Queen Bey has seen it also. This was validation for myself to keep going and know that validation is within always. 

Noah L: Your recent collection felt like a praise to power and glamor for the black community and almost a push to be seen - would you consider your designs activism?

Jerri Reid: WOW - I didn't think this recent collection embodied a sense of activism. I can see where activism can come into play, it being being pro-black, pro-afro caribbean, pro-afrolatino, and pro-queer. Humbly, I just wanted to be unapologetically myself at all costs. Someone said to me that what I've done is the first of its existence. A designer has not done a virtual presentation of themself in their designed garments EVER. I did get a bit teary-eyed when hearing it. The thing is, we are nothing short of powerful, glamorous, and black. when I hear it, my reaction is "so what else is new?" (laughter)

Thank you so much for this opportunity for telling my truth. I appreciate this platform for providing spaces for black queers. continue to be amazing!

For more from Jerri Reid visit JerriReid.com or Instagram at @JerriReid

Kelvin Osaze - The Model Pushing Past Black Normatives In The Name Of Art

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to chat it up with Kelvin via instagram - It made sense to me to use our line of communication to break from all the maneuvering of this pandemic, and try to simply process and identify hope and opportunity in what has come of 2020 … For most, that notion seems empty or bleak, but I’ve learned since following Kelvin and a few others on instagram, the chance to grow is often found in our position of opposition.

Kelvin Osaze Shot By Christopher Marrs - Agency Chase Model Management

Here’s a snapshot of my conversation with @kelvin.osaze …

Noah: How has life been during COVID?

Kelvin: Life during COVID has been life altering. It at first was shocking and depressing from losing my job and watching New York become this ghost town. But as months past, I started to take more ownership of my life and searched for the silver lining in all the uncertainty. Being creative and having my small team with me is what kept me going and truly saved what could of been a year of loss. Now I’m finding a newness with myself and I am open to growth.

Noah: As a model and creative - paint a picture for our audience, what is life like as a black ,gay, male model?

Kelvin: As a black gay model, life for me is “life for me” if that makes sense. Life is what I make it. I moved to New York at the age of 18, so I had to grow up pretty quick. I found myself around various creatives who happen to be apart of the LGBT community. Being surrounded by so many vibrant and bold people allowed me to become a more confident version of myself. It always surprises me when people are taken back by how I choose to express myself in my art. Some may say its too risqué , too flamboyant , and outlandish. I just see it as me being my authentic self. Being a black gay creative for me feels liberating but at the same time there’s pressure. Pressure in needing to express yourself to a white society, that you are enough; what feels like having to explain my existence. having to explain why who I am and the art I produce is more than a hyper sexual view, but just what it is, art - expression, my expression. There’s pressure in having to break down toxic masculinity in the black heterosexual community. And pressure in lifting other black queers to being more loving and accepting of one another. This pressure is not a burden it’s just more so a responsibility that I have taken as a model. So it’s not only visuals that I am concerned with , I am also concerned with the social construct around intersectionality and cultural barriers that often limit those who look like me, talk like me, walk like me, or who simply identify differently.

Noah: How would you define androgynous fashion?

Kelvin: Androgynous fashion is breaking gender norms and roles. Understanding that you can’t have masculine energy without feminine energy. Being unafraid to rock opposites, rocking a long skirt with a full beard. Or having soft feminine features and rocking a suit . Its simple - this particular ask, for me, is the infusion of what simply feels good. I could wear grow a full beard, and I love it - but still love the feeling of a silk blouse or form feel of a good leather boot. Androgyny is the power of choice, the liberation from conformity

Noah: There’s been a increase in celebration of men embracing feminine fashion, What are your thoughts on this?

Kelvin: I love it! However I think we still have work to do, especially in the black heterosexual community . We shouldn’t wait for celebrities to give us permission in embracing feminine fashion. That’s part of the issue, many people have not invested enough time in asking themselves what feels good to them. And how do they want to express themselves.

Noah: How is it working with heterosexual men who has a more dated outlook toward gay men?

Kelvin: It’s laughable and sad at the same time. Google is a click way, and people are nearby. I just say do your research and also use people as a resource. Having these dated ideas of a sexuality is lame. Sexuality does not determine someone’s personality.

Noah: How are you impacting or contributing to the industry of fashion and its influence on evrey day lives?

Kelvin: I feel that I am impacting the industry by being my authentic self. It’s so weird because I see myself as a model but really I see myself as an artist. With being an artist I have been able to show more sides of me, I think people feel that in my work or at least can see that. I also think that I am impacting the industry as someone who has been called an “underdog”. Good people love to see an underdog win, and I think that encourages others to never give up and to seek more of themselves and to reach places that they may have never thought they could reach .

Noah: Through your lenses, what does the fashion industry look like post COVID?

Kelvin: Less involvement with agencies, and models will have to be more in control of their careers. I do feel that the models who stayed active and inspired during COVID will be stronger in there approach to the art . I hope COVID births more models who exercise more creative direction in their work. It’s amazing to tell someone else’s story ,but it’s even more amazing to tell your own. What does fashion do for history and culture? Fashion has and will continue to shape culture. I don’t care what anyone says about that. A lot of fashion from the past is coming back today with a bit of a twist. Fashion shows our evolution in the world. Fashion is that powerful!

For more from Kelvin Osaze, you can find him on instagram at @kelvin.osaze

Art Meets Fashion

Dior’s Summer 2021 Men’s Collection is a harmonious fusion of art and fashion, brought to fruition by brand creative director Kim Jones and Ghanian artist Amoako Boafo. What began in 2019 as both creatives meeting at the Rubell Museum in Miami and admiring each other’s work culminated in a collaboration that is, as described on Dior’s website, “a celebration of identity, of the power of creativity, of art’s ability to transport.”

Amoako Boafo’s paintings are an inspired basis for the Dior menswear collection, with pieces radiating in colors, patterns, and embroideries reminiscent of the artwork. The most noteworthy of these creations is a jacquard adorned with brushstrokes in emulation of the canvases in Boafo’s own studio. Dior proudly displayed their new collaborative collection in the form of a video exploring Boafo’s Ghanian studio and premiering the fashions themselves. The promotional videos were directed by Jackie Nickerson, with Chris Cunningham having edited and soundtracked the project.

Boafo’s alliance with Dior is quite the milestone in a career filled with accolades such as the 2017 Walter Koschatzky Art Prize. In fact, the Rubell Museum was one of several that housed his masterpieces. Boafo’s art consistently and brilliantly tackles the subject of toxic masculinity, so his translation of this concept to high fashion is both aesthetically pleasing and thought-provoking.

Photo credits:

https://www.dior.com/en_us/mens-fashion/shows/summer-2021-mens-collection

Report: Nia Hunt

Jacquemus Debuts His Latest Collection, “L’Amour”

Since the outbreak of Coronavirus, many fashion brands had to consider how to proceed operations when runway shows were temporarily put on hold. This led to industry-wide investigation into brands’ sustainability efforts and activism platforms, of which quite a few were criticized for. Although some fashion weeks have been cancelled and designers announce their own plans for collection calendars, there are a select few that are able and continue to do shows in person. One of the brands happens to be Jacquemus, who on July 16 debuted the collection, “L’Amour.”

Incorporating both menswear and womenswear, the show was held in a field of wheat just outside Paris in Us with the walkway winding through the fields. Invited to this exclusive event included close friends, family, and even editors, who all abided by the universal six-feet apart rule. The collection itself features the staple neutral palette Jacquemus has become known for, adorned with the strappy details that have been seen in past collections. It also showcased summer staples such as crop tops and midi skirts. The menswear of the show had similar hues and prints, reflective of their motive to be more sustainable. In doing this, Jacquemus has been able to slow down the process of making both menswear and womenswear for their team and reduce shows overall. The majority of the in-person fashion events were held in Milan, as the only other Parisian designer to hold a live show was Olivier Rousteing for Balmain.

The location for “L’Amour” has drawn similarities from Jacquemus’ Spring/Summer 2020 collection “Coup de Soleil.” This collection was also in a field, but full of lavenders, a touch that has defined a part of what makes Jacquemus the way it is. With simple, but universal designs in a mostly neutral palette and the occasional color, the brand’s designs have become popular among celebrities, influencers, and fashion lovers alike. Not only are their designs popular, but Jacquemus’ efforts when it comes to activism are also praised. Vocal during the recent Black Lives Matter events, Jacquemus has put themselves up there as a brand that is willing to fight for the cause and will continue to do so. A living aesthetic in itself, combined with its focus on being conscious about the world has helped Jacquemus become the brand it is today, and will continue to rise as the years go on.

Photo Credit: Hood Couture Mag, Galerie Magazine.

Report: Charlene Piccio

Masculine While Feminine

French womenswear designer Simon Porte Jacquemus has ventured outside of his comfort zone by branching out to men's fashion. Not only will he be designing clothing for a different gender, but he will also be diverting from the more extravagant styles that defined his female garments. Jacquemus understands that menswear prioritizes utility above fashionability, as exemplified by his own wardrobe. Dating back to his humble beginnings as a farm boy in southeastern France, his own everyday wear has since often consisted of casual articles of clothing like ragged hoodies, unbuttoned shirts, and baggy shorts. Now, he has translated his personal style into a menswear line dominated by rolled-up shirts and cozy hoodies.

Jacquemus added one more personalized touch to his new male fashion: his own gayness. Despite the emphasis on durability, he has been rather liberal with his use of floral patterns and bright colors for his clothes. These design choices are simultaneously reflective Jacquemus’s own tastes while, intentional or not, defiant of toxic masculinity. This new line has the potential to set a trend, as it is respondent to men’s typical shopping habits while tacitly encouraging consumers to embrace their femininity. Better yet, Jacquemus’s menswear may prove that masculinity can be colorful and flowery.

Photo credit:

https://hypebeast.com/2020/7/jacquemus-menswear-collection-masculinity-design

Report: Nia Hunt

Grace Wales Bonner, the Trailblazing Menswear Designer

In recent years, more women have started to become prominent menswear designers as gender norms are broken and a larger space has been introduced for many to take part in whatever design aspect they choose. A select few women have created a remarkable path in menswear that give it new meaning, with one woman in particular being Grace Wales Bonner.

Originally in womenswear at Central Saint Martins, Grace’s focus eventually directed towards menswear. Entitled AFRIQUE, her graduate collection consisted of embroidered velvet jackets and crystal skull caps, leading her to win the L’Oreal Professional Talent Award in 2014. Grace presented EBONICS in 2015, her first collection under the name Wales Bonner at Fashion East and earned the title Emerging Menswear Designer at the British Fashion Awards. 2016 saw her first solo collection, Ezekiel, and went on to receive the LVMH Young Designer Prize. Grace released her first womenswear collection in 2018, as well as received the the British Land London Emerging Medal. Her recent accomplishments include the winner of the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund and a Dior collaboration for their Resort 2020 collection.

Heavily influenced by the British Afro-Caribbean music scene, Wales Bonner can be found at such places as Net-A-Porter, Barney’s, and Galeries Lafayette. It has also built up a celebrity fan base that includes Meghan Markle, who chose to wear the brand for her first official portrait with Prince Harry and her son. Having an eye on representing gentle, black male figures, Grace sought to connect history and beauty through their identities. She wanted to create a space for the unrepresented, to show that they are as complex and beautiful as others portrayed in the media. History has always been interwoven into her collections with the presence of black poetry, music, culture, and films, and expanded into creating a space for black artists and creators alike to share their art as well. Artist Lynette Yiadom-Boakye created poetry for a 2017 Wales Bonner show, and Solange Knowles was one of the performers at Grace’s event Devotional Sound.

A female gaze on men and their complexities have helped Grace Wales Bonner to define what has made her brand today. She credits the people around her and the culture she consumes as to what drives her inspiration; to create a platform for those not represented.

Photo Credit: GQ, Dazed, Celebrity Style Guide

Report: Charlene Piccio