In Celebration of Couture and Black Society

Courtesy of The Black Socialite

The Haute Couture Collection of Italian designer Sarli features an opulent tunic cocoon lavishly embellished with gradated oyster pearls and silver set rhinestones worn with a silk-satin cummerbund and matching fluted bottom pants.

Carolina Herrera showcases her sequined sprayed tulle net sheath dress artistically embroidered with quarter inch box pleated ribbon in an eye-catching pattern of horizontal and draping lines.

This Vivienne Westwood gown has a waistline defining corset bustier asymmetrically draped with contrasting striped silk satin taffeta and worn atop a floor sweeping trumpet bottom evening skirt.

Italian designer Oppio glams-up a pair of patch pocket jeans and matching denim jacket with an intricate embroidery of golden rickrack and beaded appliqués that accent a stonewashed green tint and a pair of gold wedge heel sandals from Baby Phat.

This Emanuel Ungaro peplum cut zipper front jacket of Crocodile and Mongolian lamb exotically accessorizes a classic pair of pinstripe pants worn with a ruched silk-jersey bustier.



Pale pink and tiger stripes give visual glamour to dressing for the sun or the rain in this water repellent double breasted trench coat and matching maillot swimsuit by French designer Emanuel Ungaro

TV One aired a wonderful documentary on The Ebony Fashion Fair. The annual celebration of style and fashion is celebrating its 50th Year in 2008. The re-broadcast is scheduled to air again (check your local listings).

The documentary really gives a rich historical perspective of how groundbreaking this type of event was/is for the Black community. The documentary's contemporary spin not only dealt in the challenges Mrs. Eunice Johnson (Producer and Director of the Ebony Fashion Fair) faced with staging a production of this magnitude, but also addresses how America has come full circle in terms of excluding Black models from the runway.

I was deeply moved and impressed with how she leveraged her personal, professional, and social networks in order to make the event successful. She also used her own money to purchase the haute couture pieces that appeared in the show in the early years (yes... I was shocked by this as well).

We own her all of the credit for introducing Sistas to Chanel, Fendi, Valentino, YSL, and Gucci.

Mrs. Johnson also successfully launched Fashion Fair Cosmetics which spurred other companies to launch 'ethnic cosmetics' lines.

What was always nice about The Ebony Fashion Fair is that Johnson Publications allows the event to be showcased as a fundraising activity for many of our BSE organizations including the sororities, the fraternities, the Links, Jack & Jill, the Girlfriends, Chums, Moles, and others. The show was traditionally a time for us to gather together in our best outfits and enjoy a spectacular event.

Consider attending the show if it rolls through your town. The clothes are really smashing this year!

Or you can buy some Fashion Fair Cosmetics as a nod to the great legacy The Johnson Family has created for us in this country. They were the first to show all aspects of the Black experience in America and taught many of us that Black is truly beautiful.

Cheers!

Read more at The Black Socialite: Covering the Lifestyles of Black Socialites.
This website was founded by a Super Socialite insider who enjoys having fun and making the world a better place! She lives a fabulous life and encourages others to do the same. This blog includes some of her junkets and musings about Black socialite life. If you are a member of the tribe or aspire to become one, this rich, dishy recipe should delight, entertain, and educate you!

Photography by Nathan Beckner.

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Comments

[Nisha North]

i became captivated with that bejeweled number up top-i was trying really hard to find out who the designer was ever since i seen it in ebony magazine for the fashion fair, nontheless i simply figured that it had to be an italian designer because of all the accents added to it-you are a life saver! not to meantion having all these other photos up that i didn't even see on ebony's homepage. thanks!