Harlem’s Fashion Row and Style Awards Kick Off NYFW with a Bang – Essence

Though not on the official New York Fashion Week calendar, Harlem Fashion Row’s Show and Style Awards is a fixture. Now in its 17th year, it’s arguably the most authentic New York fashion show every September. Founder Brandice Daniel was joined by her family, fashion titans including Misa Hylton, Dapper Dan, other creatives, and more of the people who surround her tribe last night at the intersection of Riverside Drive and 122nd Street in Harlem.

Radical representations of realism were a common thread among all the honorees that night. When Tracee Ellis Ross took the stage to pay tribute to her best friend Samira Nasr, editor-in-chief Harper’s Bazaarshe was admired when she spoke of her kinship with the talented Nasr, winner of the Editor of the Year award. Many admire the work of the esteemed editor and former fashion director, so it is worth noting that Ross considers her a sister.

Ross alluded to how the duo grew up side by side – even mentioning that she couldn’t be herself without Nasr. “Lady Nasr broadened the perspective of what should be on the cover and pages of a glossy magazine, and whose stories are worth telling.” She went on to state that under her leadership Harper’s Bazaar “it’s a combination of great fashion and culture with high journalistic standards.”

Nasr contextualized her award-winning moment in the idea that the role of magazines and fashion journals remains the same. She expressed that she had considered the following roles for the magazine under her watch. “To delight and surprise our readers. To deliver the best of fashion and the culture that shapes it,” she said. “The most important thing is that it be a record of our times—when I began my role four years ago, the question I kept coming back to, and the question that helped me define my purpose in this role: Who can be part of this record?” she said.

As the evening progressed, Lena Waithe expressed her love and admiration for costume designer and stylist Shiona Turini, who was named “Stylist of the Year.” “Your confidence is not empty—it’s earned over and over again,” she shared. Waithe mentioned that director Melina Matsoukas introduced the duo, who collaborated on the much-talked-about film, Queen and Slim in which Turini was responsible for costume design.

Turnini’s moment of acceptance was equally memorable. On stage, she said she knew she was standing on the backs of icons who had come before her, including June Ambrose, Misa Hylton and others. Those few names, she says, lit a fire inside her when she was a young girl in Bermuda watching TV.

“While it’s an honor, it’s an even bigger honor to be celebrated by someone else,” she said. Turini added, “I know what it’s like to do this work in an industry that often marginalizes us or doesn’t acknowledge the role that Black creators play in sustaining and revitalizing the fashion industry.”

Corey Smith, North America Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at LVMH, introduced singer, creative director and artist Teyana Taylor. Taylor was honored with the Virgil Abloh Award from LVMH.

Upon receiving the honor, she expressed her deep affection for Harlem and how it was an important part of her upbringing, allowing her creativity to flourish. She also mentioned that her mother continues to be a constant source of inspiration to her.

Elsewhere in the evening, supermodel Naomi Campbell, the “Icon of the Year,” detailed how Harlem has embraced and inspired her over the years, showing her “a whole new world of style.” Andre Leon Talley and the late pastor Calvin Butts, two key New York figures, were mentioned.

A signature element of the annual HFR celebrations is the designer showcase. This year, LaTouche, Nicole Benefield and Aaron Potts took the stage to present their latest collections.

During a recent conversation, Potts, a New York-based designer, detailed how HFR is a creative ecosystem he’s proud to be a part of. He suggested that his collection would combine creativity with practicality, anchored by the theme of “Urban Oceania”—and it did. His flashy clothes featured splashes of blue and shiny metals. “The second thing I injected was this sense of iridescence that happens underwater (with the fish).”

Brooklyn-born designer Benefield of Nicole Benfeild Portfolio, who combined fall and spring offerings in her latest line, leaned heavily into hues like lime green. She shared that she built her collection around ambitious editorial moments. During a video call, the designer expressed that she decided to bring in more color than she’s typically seen in the past — celebrating fabrics and creating pieces that felt playful. The runway featured button-downs inspired by practicality and wide-leg palazzo pants in bold hues.

LaTouche, who lives in New Jersey, described his collection as a masterpiece of the moment. “(My collection) comes from (my) Haitian roots. Spending years in Haiti taught me to use the bare minimum but to give it opulence.” A long floral coat and a gray plaid suit were paired separately in two different looks.

Each collection was drastically different, but also very expressive. The diverse shades and silhouettes presented spoke to the myriad of inspirations the designers drew from. I thought about Potts’ statement that HFR provides an ecosystem, and another significant idea he mentioned came to mind. “This season for my brand, but also for the brand in general, is about combining my sense of creativity with the practicality of real life,” Potts said over Zoom. His creations, among others that were presented, meet these requirements while also being provocative and soulful.

One particular sentiment stuck with me throughout the evening. Campbell aptly expressed words that pay tribute to Brandice Daniel and her influence, stating, “Brandice Daniel and your entire team, thank you for your commitment to elevating diverse voices in fashion.” She added that HFR, under Daniels’ leadership, doesn’t just showcase talent; it nurtures and promotes it, driving talent forward. That sentiment resonated loudly and provided the clearest insight into the essence of the evening and the significance of HFR.