In celebration of  New York Fashion Week 2018, EBONY will explore our favorite Black designers, models and trailblazers of the rag trade.

Pyer Moss debuted its spring/summer 2019 collection during New York Fashion Week, utilizing the art of style to share politically charged and poignant messages that are sure to resonate long after the last model steps off the runway.

Designer Kerby Jean-Raymond spoke to The New York Times about the collection, which he presented in  Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood at the Weeksville Heritage Center, a historic site commemorating one of the first free African-American communities of the 19th century.

“I had 20 people last season, but this I time I saved a bit and stepped it up,” Smith shared. A 40-person gospel choir scored the style-driven evening.

Jean-Raymond’s previous collection was inspired by his perception of America from a Haitian immigrant’s point of view. The designer continues his examination of Black American life in latest collection, American, Also: Lesson 2, addressing the “present-day moment of people calling the cops on black men having a barbecue” by exploring what “black American leisure looks like.”

Smith also presented his collaborative collection with FUBU (For Us By Us), telling Hypebeast the streetwear label never received it’s just due during the height of their success in the 1990s.

“These companies grossed hundreds of millions in their prime, but weren’t recognized in the same way that brands like Donna Karan were because they were considered urban, not fashion.”

Check out more from Pyer Moss’ spring/summer 2019 collection below.

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Pyer Moss SS19 Reviews — “In choosing Weeksville as the setting for his Spring/Summer 2019 collection, “American Also, Lesson Two,” Jean-Raymond isn’t just reminding us of history, he’s reminding us that black people haven’t just thrived, but flourished for decades—and it’s a reality that the majority of people just haven’t chosen to pay attention to. He pokes fun with the notion of visibility with graphics that say “See Us Now?” on his clothing. A choir sang several songs taking the audience through decades of black music, from James Ruffin’s 1966 hit “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted?” and eventually segueing into the Fast Life Yungstaz’ “Swag Surfin’.” Here, it’s not about everything that’s still wrong—it’s standing in solidarity with everything that’s all right, an inward look at how far the culture has come. It’s a universal late-pass issuance to those who are just starting to come around to the labels, figures, and artists that have inspired generations of black creatives. There are even cheeky graphic T-shirts with the phrase “If You Are Just Learning About Pyer Moss, We Forgive You” emblazoned on the back.” -Jian Deleon, Highsnobiety

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Dream Team? @ibkamara @ericjmcneal

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