Black Creatives In Fashion: 7 Powerful Women To Follow
The world does not progress without Black creativity, and that’s nowhere more apparent than in the fashion industry. Throughout history, Black men and women played pivotal roles in creating and advancing technical aspects within the fashion industry, while simultaneously demonstrating previously unseen innovation. Despite mainstream acceptance or acclaim, there isn’t a sector of this industry that a Black person hasn’t significantly impacted.
From couturier Ann Lowe - who created the wedding gown that Jackie Kennedy wore to marry JFK in 1953 - to global icon André Leon Talley - the first Back male creative director at VOGUE; the past several decades are saturated with intriguing and brilliant Black creatives.
With the first fashion season of the year in full swing, it proved to be the perfect time to highlight the impact of Black creativity in fashion. From editorial to show production to styling, the business of fashion is complex and requires departments to perfectly align in order to deliver an exceptional product.
Keep reading to learn about 7 Black creatives that are making moves in the industry while constantly creating spaces for others to flourish.
Shelby Ivey Christie
For years, Shelby Ivey Christie has been a staple in the social discourse, especially the intersection of fashion and race. As a fashion and costume historian, Shelby was recognized by Forbes' ‘30 Under 30’ and an honoree for the VOGUE Business 100 Innovator. On Twitter and Instagram, one can find Shelby delivering insightful and thoughtful commentary in a hilarious and digestible way.
From incredible deep dives into Black fashion history to hilarious takes on fashion’s breaking news, Shelby delivers insightful and thoughtful commentary in a digestible way, which has helped to solidify her status as a powerful emerging player in the fashion industry.
Ivy Coco
At this point, what can’t Ivy Coco not do? As the founder of the clothing line ‘House of Ivy’ and the newest stylist for her mother Sheryl Lee Ralph, Ivy Coco is an emerging force in the fashion industry. But, she doesn’t just serve looks, she also serves her community. For years, Ivy has been the creative director for WalkGood LA, an organization dedicated to bringing people together from all walks of life to fight for racial equity. Because of her work, Ivy was recently named in the CCNYC’s 2023 Creative Class, which celebrates Black culture-shifters across a variety of disciplines.
Aïssata Diallo
Dubbed the Internet’s “Mother Nature,” Aïssata Diallo is a dynamic content creator and model with close to 1M followers across her social platforms. Aïssata focuses on modest dressing, incorporating extraordinary shapes and textures to achieve style icon status. Aside from showcasing exceptional outfits and looks, Aïssata utilizes her platform to bring awareness to places and issues close to her heart.
Gabby Prescod
A veteran in the fashion industry at this point, Gabby Prescod is a fashion editor with a strong presence across all social media platforms, for both her fearless looks and equally witty commentary. Rising through the ranks of the editorial world, Gabby is currently working as the fashion director at large for Blanc Magazine. And if you still can’t get enough, be sure to watch her debut season on the Bravo hit show Summer House, airing now!
Jessica Cruel
Another veteran in the editorial industry, Jessica Cruel is the current Editor-In-Chief for Allure magazine and had a huge impact in creating diversity and inclusivity at one of the biggest magazines in fashion. When she’s not updating her audience on the latest fashion news, she’s dishing out advice on home ownership and home renovations, aptly named #LandlordLesssons by her following.
Sandrina Charles
With over 14 years of expertise specializing in fashion and lifestyle communications, Sandrine started her own business in 2016, Sandrine Charles Consulting. While building a business that centers on championing emerging brands, Sandrine saw a lack of opportunities for Black creatives in fashion and decided to help. In 2020, she co-founded Black In Fashion Council with Lindsay Peoples, to represent and secure the advancement of Black individuals in the fashion and beauty industry.
Toronto Shay
If there’s one person who understands the importance of representation in fashion, it’s content creator-turned-entrepreneur, Shannae Ingleton-Smith - better known as @TorontoShay to her loyal followers. After building a community of engaged fashion enthusiasts and dominating the industry for years, Shannae saw a huge gap in the marketing world for Black and brown creatives. This is the idea that led to the creation of Kensington Grey Agency, a boutique influencer agency rooted in diversity.
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Feature image by Robin L Marshall/Getty Images for Allure
Courtney is a contributing writer, based in Puerto Rico by way of Tennessee. Interested in the intersection of fashion and culture, she has an affinity for fashion, empowerment, and really good tacos. Keep up with her on Instagram (@hautecourtxo).
This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
Feature image courtesy
Blair Underwood Initially Turned Down 'Sex And The City' Because 'It Was About How Samantha Was Fascinated By Dating A Black Man’
Actor and heartthrob Blair Underwood is opening up about why he turned down Sex and the City the first time he was offered a role. Many fans of the HBO series may recall Blair's time on the show in which his character was dating Miranda (Cynthia Nixon). However, he was previously offered another role where his character would date Samantha (Kim Cattrall).
During his interview with AV Club, the Set It Off star revealed that he was uncomfortable with the initial offer due to the character's fascination with him being a Black man.
“I actually did say ‘no’ the first time,” he said. “The first time they had offered the role, to be honest with you, it was about how Samantha was fascinated by dating a Black man and wanted to know if, uh, all of the rumors were true about our anatomy! And I said, ‘Listen, I’m honored, thank you, but I just don’t want to play a character based on race, on curiosity about a Black man.'”
But that didn't stop them from reaching out again. This time he was offered to play Dr. Robert Leeds, the love interest to Miranda and he decided to go for it. "So they were nice enough to call about a year later, and I said, 'Well, is it gonna be about race?' And they said, 'No, no, no, we’re not even gonna mention race!' And I think it really did only come up maybe once," he recalled.
"It did five episodes, and I think Samantha mentioned it once, saying something about 'a Black doctor' that Miranda was dating. And that’s really been a consistent thing in my career: not wanting to be boxed as 'the Black guy.'
"I’ve had that conversation with many producers along the way, and they were so great. They said, 'No, he’s just a doctor who Miranda meets in the elevator, and they have a nice little fling.' And it was amazing."
Blair has had a wide-ranging career playing everything from a lawyer on L.A. Law to playing Madame CJ Walker's husband on Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madame CJ Walker. And during his interview, he revealed another role that he initially turned down, Set It Off. The movie, which is considered a classic in Black culture, stars Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox, and Kimberly Elise. Blair's character, Keith, played a banker and love interest to Jada's character, Stony.
He explained why he said no at first and eventually accepted the offer. "I had initially said “no” to that. Because I was playing this historic, iconic African-American historical figure in Jackie Robinson, and the time, y’know, there was Boyz N The Hood, and Menace II Society was out there, and I’d finished playing this noble Negro… [Laughs]," he said.
"And I’m reading the script, and there’s a scene where Jada Pinkett’s character—Jada Pinkett-Smith now—was going to sell her body so she could make some money to send her brother to college. And I remember, honestly, I threw the script across the room. I was, like, “I don’t want to do this. I want to do something uplifting for the Black culture and Black characters, and I don’t know if I want to see this.”
After a conversation with the movie's director F. Gary Gray and the actor's manager encouraging him to finish reading the script, Blair had a change of heart. What he first thought about the movie turned out to be totally different.
"So I finished the script, and I saw that the character they were asking me to play was really the love story in the midst of all of this turmoil of all of these characters, the four ladies: Queen Latifah, Vivica Fox, Kimberly Elise, and Jada," he explained.
"It was so well-written, it was such a great platform for them. And to be able to play the love story and the storyline that gave Jada’s character a leg up and a way out of this world, something to hope for, to wish for, someone to love her… I said, 'You know what? I’d like to be a part of that.'
"And I’m so glad I did, because that film resonates to this day. People all the time come up to me and say that they love that movie. So I’m glad that I did it."