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Black Fashion Designers You Need to Know

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Legendary Harper’s Bazaar editor Diana Vreeland put it best: “Fashion is part of the everyday air, and it changes all the time, with what’s happening. You can even see a revolution coming in clothes. You can see and feel everything in clothes.”

The ten most iconic black fashion designers in history, listed below, would probably agree. These designers created clothes based on people, places, things, and events that meant something to them, infusing their clothes with social justice issues and reflections on black culture. Their designs could have modified based on what they were feeling and experiencing on the time, but their passion for the industry didn’t. In doing so, they built a brand of themselves as black American fashion icons.

Who was the primary famous black clothier?

Ann Lowe is taken into account one among America’s most vital designers and the primary well-known black designer. Despite designing dresses for a few of America’s most distinguished figures and having a formidable resume of accomplishments—two of which were being the primary black American woman to own a store on Madison Avenue and designing the dress Jacqueline Bouvier wore when she married John F. Kennedy in 1953—she rarely received credit for her designs. Lowe’s influence on the style industry was not well known until her death in 1981.

10 Black Fashion Designers Who Are Carrying the Torch for Modern Fashion

Take a better take a look at 10 of essentially the most famous black fashion designers, their work, and the way they made or are making black fashion history.

Virgil Abloh – the clothier behind Pyrex Vision

Fashion designer Virgil Abloh walks the runway through the Off-White show as a part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2018/2019 on March 1, 2018 in Paris, France. (Photo by Francois Durand/Getty Images)

Virgil Abloh was greater than only a black clothier. He was a cross-disciplinary innovator, best known for his work in the style industry, although his work also spanned art, music, and furniture design. In addition to founding a luxury streetwear line called Pyrex Vision and a Milanese brand called Off-White, Abloh served as creative director of Kanye West’s creative agency, Donda, and was the primary black artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear line.

Elegant Dan

Black Beauty List Luncheon - New York Fashion Week - September 2023: Shows, thegrio.com, Black Fashion Designers
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 8: Dapper Dan attends the Black Beauty Roster Luncheon during New York Fashion Week – September 2023: The Shows at Spring Studios on September 8, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows) – Source: Photo Arturo Holmes / Getty Images

Born Daniel R. Day, Dapper Dan is a streetwear pioneer known for reinterpreting luxury brand logos and remodeling them into daring, offbeat designs. Dapper Dan is a black clothier who has gained recognition for bringing hip-hop culture to high fashion, boasting clients like LL Cool J, Jay-Z, and Salt-N-Pepa.

LaQuan Smith

30th Anniversary of the ACE Awards, thegerio.com, Black Fashion Designers
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 7: LaQuan Smith attends the thirtieth Anniversary of the ACE Awards at The Pierre Hotel on May 7, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images) – Source: Photo Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images

Since launching his eponymous label in 2008 and debuting at New York Fashion Week in 2010, LaQuan Smith has amassed a formidable client list, including Khloé Kardashian, Hailey Bieber, Kylie Jenner, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé. His designs are daring and indulgent, with an emphasis on flattering the feminine body with tailored pieces. He’s recently entered the menswear game for the likes of Lenny Kravitz.

Telfar Clemens

Telfar - Presentation - September 2021 - New York Fashion Week: Shows, thegrio.com,
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 12: Designer Telfar Clemens speaks through the Telfar presentation during NYFW: The Shows on September 12, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images) – Source: Photo John Lamparski / Getty Images

Telfar Clemens is understood for its inclusiveness, as evidenced by its unisex clothing line Telfar, probably the most popular clothing brands owned by black people today. His slogan is: “Not for you — for everyone.” The Telfar tote bag, also generally known as the Bushwick Birkin, is his most famous creation and has been worn by everyone from Beyoncé to U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The Liberian-American designer has also won several awards and accolades, including the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s Accessories Designer of the Year Award in 2020.

Willi Smith – the black clothier who invented streetwear

thegrio.com,Model Gail O'Neill poses with designer Willie Smith
Model Gail O’Neill poses with designer Willie Smith in his latest fall collection. (Photo: Thomas Iannaccone/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images)

When he died in 1987, Willi Smith was considered probably the most successful black fashion designers. Smith has been called the inventor of streetwear, and his primary goal was to use his WilliWear Limited brand to make fashion accessible to all. Smith had several notable collaborations, working with names like Spike Lee, Jeanne-Claude, and Christo.

Anifa Mvuemba

InStyle Awards 2021 at Getty Center, thegrio.com
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 15: (L-R) Christian Louboutin presents the Future of Fashion Award honoring Anifa Mvuemba onstage through the 2021 InStyle Awards at The Getty Center on November 15, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for InStyle) – Source: Photo Emma McIntyre / Getty Images

Self-taught clothier Anifa Mvuemba is best known for her Hanifa line, a womenswear brand worn by the likes of Zendaya and Tracee Ellis Ross. In May 2020, she made headlines when she used 3D models to showcase her latest collection through the pandemic, reaching a large audience and setting a brand new standard for virtual presentations in the style industry.

Stella Jean

Vogue Fashion Dubai Experience - Designer Portraits, thegrio.com
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – OCTOBER 30: Designer Stella Jean poses through the Vogue Fashion Dubai Experience on October 30, 2014 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Vogue & The Dubai Mall) – Source: Photo Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images

Stella Novarino, higher generally known as Stella Jean, blends her Italian and Haitian heritage into her designs, leading to daring patterns and vibrant elements. Under the mentorship of Giorgio Armani, Novarino has gained international attention, expanding the reach of her pieces and her efforts in ethical fashion. She recently designed the uniforms for the Haitian Olympic team for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Tracy Reese

Mary Kay at Tracy Reese F/W '16 – Presentation and Behind the Scenes, thegrio.com
NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 14: Fashion designer Tracy Reese poses backstage on the Mary Kay Tracy Reese F/W ’16 show during New York Fashion Week on the Roxy Hotel on February 14, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Mary Kay) – Source: Photo Craig Barritt / Getty Images

Tracy Reese founded her Tracy Reese label in 1998. Her designs, known for his or her feminine silhouettes, vivid colours, and complex detailing, have attracted the eye of celebrities including former First Lady Michelle Obama. Reese also champions sustainable fashion initiatives, recently launching a brand new brand focused on ethical manufacturing practices called Hope for Flowers.

Romeo Hunt

MET Gala 2021 Celebrates America: Fashion Lexicon - Arrivals, thegrio.com
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 13: Romeo Hunte attends the Met Gala Celebrating In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion 2021 on the Metropolitan Museum of Art on September 13, 2021 in New York City. (Photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images) – Source: Photo Mike Coppola / Getty Images

According to Romeo Hunte’s website bio, the ladies who surrounded him as a toddler in Brooklyn—those that had a “creative approach to fashion”—inspired him from a young age. He was so inspired that he turned down two athletic scholarships to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology as a substitute. The decision paid off: Hunte launched his eponymous brand in 2014. His lifestyle brand has featured a slew of famous faces, including Dwyane Wade, Jennifer Hudson, Zendaya, Beyoncé, and Idris Elba.

Patrick Kelly

Although Patrick Kelly was born and raised in America, it was France that first embraced his designs. Kelly went from nightclub costume designer to respected designer, creating clothes inspired by his Southern Black roots, fashion and art history, and the club scenes of New York and Paris. His work often featured controversial imagery, drawing attention to problems with racial stereotypes. Kelly also holds membership within the Chambre Syndicale du Prêt-à-Porter, the governing body of the French ready-to-wear industry, now called the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. He was the primary American to join the organization.

Thanks to the talented designers on the market—those mentioned above and countless others who eat, sleep, and breathe fashion—there are a variety of interesting, modern things happening in the style industry. Don’t miss any of them. Instead, follow the most recent fashion news to discover what trends are in style all summer long (heavy metals and monochrome are in) and which dresses by black designers are flying off the shelves.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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A new study has found that children exposed to less sugar in infancy are less likely to develop diabetes

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A new study may make you reconsider letting your little ones dig into leftover Halloween candy. Scientists recently found that limiting the quantity of sugar babies get in the primary 1,000 days after conception may help reduce their risk of diabetes and hypertension as they age.

Ironically, posted on Halloween by science.orgthe study reported a 20% reduction in hypertension and a 35% reduction in type 2 diabetes diagnoses when parents reduced children’s sugar intake early.

“Exposure to a relatively low-sugar environment in utero and early childhood significantly reduces the risk of diabetes and hypertension decades later and also delays their onset,” said Tadeja Gračner, co-author of the study. Guardian.

Their study also found that “uterine sugar rationing alone accounts for approximately one-third of the risk reduction.” Implementing a low-sugar food regimen in children can delay the onset of diabetes by 4 years and hypertension by two years.

“This is compelling new evidence that further supports that reducing unborn and newborn sugar exposure has lasting benefits that include reducing the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure in later adulthood,” University of Southampton professor Keith Godfrey said in the publication. concerning the study.

According to National Institutes of Healthtype 2 diabetes is more likely amongst young African American populations than in non-Hispanic white youth communities. Similarly, 2021 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the variety of children and teenagers, especially Black children and teenagers, with type 2 diabetes has increased by almost 95%.

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“The rise of type 2 diabetes in young people is sobering,” said Elizabeth Selvin, a professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, per USA today. “Type 2 diabetes was once thought to be an adult disease. And now we are seeing a significant increase in the number of children. This is a disease they will likely suffer from for the rest of their lives.”

These latest findings mirror existing guidelines suggested by organizations reminiscent of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics. According to the CDC, children under two years of age mustn’t eat added sugar in any respect. Similarly, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parents feed their children over two with less than 25 grams of added sugar per day.

Ultimately, researchers in the study hope that these new results may also spark changes in the way in which baby formula and food is produced.

“Added sugar is everywhere, even in food for babies and toddlers, and children are bombarded with television advertisements for sweet snacks,” Gračner explained. “While it is crucial to improve the nutritional knowledge of parents and caregivers, we should also hold companies accountable for reformulating children’s foods with healthier options and regulating the marketing and pricing of sugary foods for children.”

The co-author added: “We all want to improve our health and give our children the best possible start in life, and reducing added sugar early is a powerful step in that direction. But it’s not easy… With better information, the environment and the right incentives, parents can more easily reduce their children’s and themselves’s exposure to sugar.”

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Tina Knowles will tell her story in her memoir “Matriarch,” scheduled for release next year

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NEW YORK (AP) — Tina Knowles will release a memoir next spring with a title that will not surprise her many admirers.

Fashion designer and Beyoncé’s motherSolange Knowles and “bonus daughter” Kelly Rowland have signed a take care of Random House Publishing Group to publish “Matriarch,” which the publisher calls in part the story of a “determined, self-possessed, self-aware and wise woman” who raised and inspired a number of the great artists of our time.

The book’s premiere is scheduled for April 22.

“I have always been a storyteller and I learned that from my mother,” Tina Knowles said in a press release Tuesday. “When I had my own family, I believed that my daughters needed to know where they came from to know where they were going.”

“I call this book ‘The Matriarch’ because I am inspired by the wisdom that women pass on to each other from generation to generation – and the inner wisdom that we long to discover within ourselves. Even at 70, I’m still learning valuable lessons that I would have learned in my 40s or even 20s. So I decided to tell my story because I know what it means for me, my daughters and future generations of women.”

Tina Knowles was recently honored as Glamor magazine’s Woman of the Year, and Beyoncé was amongst those in attendance on the ceremony in New York. “Matriarch” will be published by Random House’s One World imprint, which also includes Ta-Nehisi Coates, Trevor Noah and Cathy Park Hong.

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This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Johns Hopkins begins work on a building in honor of Henrietta Lacks

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In her short life, Henrietta Lacks inadvertently modified the face of medicine. Now the girl whose donated cells proceed to tell and advance medical research can even change the face of Johns Hopkins, because the institution begins work on a building named after her. On Monday, several of Lacks’ descendants joined representatives from Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Medicine at a groundbreaking ceremony on the corner of Ashland and Rutland Avenues in Baltimore.

“Today we make a concrete commitment to ensure that Henrietta Lacks’ name is as immortal as her cells,” said Ron Daniels, president of Johns Hopkins University, based on the report from the institution. “When the Henrietta Lacks Building is built, it will be a vibrant, multidisciplinary place of learning, discovery and dialogue that will facilitate community-oriented medical research and support the next wave of progress in research and the promotion of research ethics. We look forward to a building that does justice to the transformative legacy of Henrietta Lacks, and we sincerely thank the members of the Lacks family for their generosity in lending this building her name.”

As documented in the best-selling book “The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks“Lacks’ history with Johns Hopkins is controversial. After starting treatment at this institution, a 31-year-old mother of five children was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Despite treatment, she died in October 1951. However, a sample of cells taken during Lacks’ biopsy proved resistant, and never only survived but additionally multiplied, a previously unseen phenomenon. Intrigued by the rarity of Lacks’ genetic material, biologist and cancer researcher George Gey, who was collecting and studying cells from cancer patients in the hospital on the time, made the samples freely available to other global researchers.

Lacks’ cells, because the cells named “HeLa” (representing the primary two letters of her name) would prove to be the idea for future medical research and innovation. In the years because the tissue was collected, its cells have been used in research on the human genome, in the treatment of cancer and HIV/AIDS, and even in currently available vaccines against polio and Covid-19, Johns Hopkins reports. Yet for all their value in the medical world, for a long time Lacks received no recognition or any compensation for her surviving family; that’s, until researcher and writer Rebecca Skloot uncovered Lacks’ story and investigated, with John Hopkins’ input, the bioethical issues surrounding the unauthorized harvesting of her precious cells.

“At several points over these decades, we discovered that Johns Hopkins could have – and should have – done more to inform and engage with the family members of Henrietta Lacks out of respect for them, their privacy and their personal interests,” he added. the institution finally relentedcommitting to cement Lacks’ legacy along with her family. In 2013, Johns Hopkins partnered with the Lacks family and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to create contract based on consent for the use of Lack’s genetic material in NIH-funded research. Two members of the Lacks family currently serve on the committee, one of whom is Henrietta Lacks’ granddaughter, Jeri Lacks Whye, who attended Monday’s groundbreaking.

“While this building will bear her name, it will also provide a space for further research, learning and inspiration for future generations,” Lacks Whye said in a statement. “We appreciate more than the scientific contributions her cells have made possible. We also acknowledge the story of a Black woman who didn’t live to see the world her cells helped create – a story that has been hidden for too long. We hope this building will continue to shine a light on her legacy.”

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At Monday’s groundbreaking ceremony, Theodore DeWeese, dean of the college of medicine and CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to just do that, stating: “Today just isn’t about these immortal cells, necessary as they’re. Today it’s about immortalizing the name of the girl from whom these cells come. The idea is that her name and unconscious role will all the time be remembered by all students, all residents, all other interns, management and staff entering the building that shall be built on this plot.

“(Henrietta Lacks) is undoubtedly one of the most important figures in science and medicine, and we truly hope that this building will be an important reflection on the importance of her life to this world,” DeWeese added.

Designed by Black architect Victor Vines The future building bearing Lacks’ name, situated on the Johns Hopkins campus in East Baltimore, shall be a 34,000-square-foot facility adjoining to the university’s Deering Hall, the longtime home of the Berman Institute of Bioethics. According to Johns Hopkins, the brand new building “will support multiple programs of the Berman Institute, Johns Hopkins University and the School of Medicine, and will house flexible programs and teaching space for educational, research and community use.”

“With the new building, the scope and depth of our work will expand,” said Jeffrey Kahn, director of the Berman Institute, adding, “and the dedication to Henrietta Lacks serves as an important reminder of the need for ethics, equity, responsible science, and community-engaged research.”

As for the inspiration behind the design, architect Vines described the concept as “veil-like (and) delicate, (yet) strong, bold and beautiful, which we thought this person was.” The building’s evocative features include “a grand staircase leading up through the building towards the sky, where I believe Henrietta Lacks is today,” added Vines, who collaborated with each Johns Hopkins and the Lacks family on the design concept.

For JaBrea Rodgers, Lacks’ great-granddaughter, this architectural tribute continues to disclose the complete significance of Lacks’ long-overlooked legacy. “Today we recognize not only her cells, but her humanity,” she said of the laying of the cornerstone. “My great-grandmother was a mother, wife and friend. While we cannot change the injustices of the past, we can make its legacy known and celebrated. As we look to the future of this building, may it be a symbol not only of scientific progress, but also of the continuing journey towards recognizing the humanity behind every discovery.”

Construction on the Henrietta Lacks Building at Johns Hopkins is anticipated to be accomplished in 2026.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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