Fashion pays homage to Africa

At the moment, the fashion industry is in love with Africa again.

You can see its influence in Dries van Noten’s heels with tribal roots at By George’s flagship store and in the printed frocks at nearby Anthropologie on North Lamar Boulevard. You see the inspiration in Austinite and jewelry designer Brian Crumley’s new GUAM (Global United Artisan Movement) jewelry line, which is sold nationwide at Urban Outfitter stores.

Africa is the subject of a cover story on global fashion and e-commerce, as well as a style photo shoot including Crumley’s work, in a Time magazine print supplement for April.

“Africa is so rich in its history,” New York-based fashion designer Bryon Lars told me via phone. (Lars’ line, Byron Lars Beauty Mark, is carried in Austin boutiques such as By George and the Garden Room.) “It seems like it would be tapped on a pretty regular basis,” he said.

With black culture and fashion on my mind, I caught up with Crumley, who was fresh from a 12-day visit to Nairobi, Kenya, and a stint in New York. A profile about Crumley, who was then living in New York, appeared in these pages last year. He now maintains a studio in East Austin.

So what did he learn about the fashion industry and how it’s relating to Africa?

“There’s been a shift in interest and awareness, and I don’t think it will go away,” he told me after showing me photos of his trip.

His new line, which is made from sustainable materials, is a collaboration with MADE Fair Trade Jewelry and artisans in Kenya.

All eyes might be focused on Africa for inspiration, but we can’t forget the achievements of black American designers and fashion types.

One way to see their work (and the work of others) is to go to the 51st annual Ebony Fashion Fair tour of models and clothing. The show, which comes to Austin on Saturday, includes the work of several black designers such as Kevan Hall, whose frocks are often seen on red carpets, and Stevie Wonder’s wife, Kai Milla, who has outfitted first lady Michelle Obama and Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry. (See box for more details on the Ebony show.)

The number of traditional black American fashion designers is a small pool, and historically this group hasn’t received the same exposure non-black designers have.

“We’ve always had to work three times as hard for half as much,” Lars said.

There have been black designers who reached a high level of success in fashion. Three – Willi Smith, Patrick Kelly and Stephen Burrows – were influential in the 1970s and ’80s and laid the groundwork for black designers today.

“What they achieved was unprecedented,” Lars said.

In doing research for this column, I came across BET’s Top 10 list of black celebrity fashion designers and labels, and I was a bit surprised that it didn’t include more traditional designers.

On the list were Sean John by mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs; House of Der?on by Houston native Beyonc? and her mom, Tina Knowles; Pastry by Angela and Vanessa Simmons (daughters of Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons); Rocawear (which Jay-Z founded and later sold); Phat Fashions by Kimora Lee Simmons (ex-wife of Phat Farm founder and Def Jam Recordings co-founder Russell Simmons); Todd Smith by rapper L.L. Cool J; Apple Bottoms (which has ties to rapper Nelly); Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream (which was co-founded by Pharrell Williams); and Benjamin Bixby by Andr? 3000 of music duo OutKast.

The only designer on the list without a direct connection to celebrity was fashion superstar Tracy Reese, the Detroit native who designs her namesake label as well as Plenty by Tracy Reese and frock! by Tracy Reese. (Her lines have been carried at Austin boutiques such as By George, Valentines Too and Physical Fit.)

The list also should have included other notable designers: Patrick Robinson, who designs Gap’s adult lines; the brilliant Lars, who’s planning to extend his line to include sizes for larger women; Edward Wilkerson, who designs women’s wear for Lafayette 148 New York; and Milla and Hall.

With the swelling interest in black culture in general, I say it’s time more emerging talent, whether here or in Africa, as well as designers who aren’t household names yet, are given strong financial backing, support among fashionistas and an opportunity to show off their sartorial skills without the need of a reality show.

“It’s an industry founded on change,” Lars told me. “There’s always a chance for anybody to be a rising star regardless of color.”

I predict big changes are coming to fashion, even if they appear to be slow and the style world an unpredictable place.

After all, I penned a column and blog entry last spring about the lack of black models in print and on the runway. The public discussion continued when Italian Vogue produced what is now a classic issue featuring all black models. In September, there were more brown faces and various ethnic groups represented on the runways at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, and that change has carried over to this year’s shows.

In the global fashion world, Dr. John S. Rock’s phrase “Black is beautiful” now seems less like a declarative statement of empowerment and more like the way things simply will be. At least I hope that’s the case.

And here’s a sign of the changing times: Who would have thought fashion bible American Vogue, which has only had a handful of black people on its cover since model Beverly Johnson in 1974, would have Michelle Obama on its cover in March followed by Beyonce in April? I just hope it’s a starting point, and that black designers are able to claim a bigger stake in the fashion industry.

By MARQUES G. HARPER: STYLE & SUBSTANCE
Thursday, March 26, 2009
mharper@statesman.com; 445-3974