There are many reasons to love this exhibition of style genius known as Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, but it’s rather peculiar to recall that almost 40 years ago, the American fashion scene was not as illustrious as it is today.
From EBONY’s Fashion Fair debut in 1958 to the Battle of Versailles in 1973, American creatives labored hard to be taken seriously. And people like Willi Smith, Stephen Burrows, Patrick Kelly, Pat Cleveland, Tracy Reese, Naomi Campbell, Russell Simmons, Chanel Iman, and Mimi Plange amongst countless others, have been there dominating headlines along the way.
Graciously accepting the title of catwalk curators doing their due diligence to sustain the livelihood of the industry while telling a story of style and perseverance, American designers continue to make and break the mold of what’s hot and what’s not.
So if you’ve questioned the fêting at Fashion Week, the 6-inch heels, and red adorned pouts on your favorite editors or bloggers, while they smize for the cameras, it’s simple: We play hard but work harder and dressing the part is just the name of the game.
Ah, that’s fashion, darlings. Let the season begin!
