WWD’s ‘Black In Fashion: 100 Years of Style, Culture and Influence’ Authors Unpack the Importance of Archives
Amid New York Fashion Week and Black History Month, the authors WWD’s new book “Black in Fashion: 100 Years of Style, Influence & Culture” gathered for a discussion around the contributions of Black designers, tailors, models, stylists and journalists in the fashion industry at Pratt Manhattan Gallery.
In conversation with Adrienne Jones, co-curator of Pratt Manhattan Gallery’s “Black Dress II: Homage” exhibition and Pratt Institute Professor, and alumna Rachelle Etienne-Robinson, Tonya Blazio-Licorish and Tara Donaldson unpacked the history that went into their book that tells the stories and celebrates the legacies of the inimitable Black contributors who have shaped the fashion landscape over the past century.
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“WWD’s ‘Black In Fashion: 100 Years of Style, Culture and Influence’ captures across decades of WWD’s coverage with fluidity the fashion movements and moments contributed to and shaped by Black creatives,” Blazio-Licorish, archives editor for WWD, said. “This book is a necessary addition to the conversation on fashion coming from an authority in the industry. By highlighting the voices that have lead and continue to lead fashion’s evolution forward.”
Blazio-Licorish and Donaldson pored over decades of archives while working on the book, which is the first WWD book to be derived from the Fairchild Archives. For Blazio-Licorish, the biggest revelation was the magnitude of WWD’s coverage since 1910. “I’ve always observed fashion as a fluid conversation, observing it as it weaves itself around the zeitgeist to reflect on culture, social, political and economic movements throughout history,” Blazio-Licorish said. “While I was not surprised of the extent of WWD’s coverage, through ongoing research, what stands out is the importance and impact of WWDs coverage over the brand’s 115 years in existence. Fashion does not exist in a vacuum because of its ability to continue innovating and evolving. It is why many come into its conversation. My role as archives editor with WWD allows me inform and to have that experience every day.”
When asked what readers can take away from the book, Blazio-Licorish emphasized that “fashion is for everyone and the conversation continues to be inclusive.” “‘Black in Fashion’,” Blazio-Licorish said, “gathers their remarkable contributions into a beautiful and category-defining retrospective that both book and fashion lovers can pore over and treasure for many years to come.”
“Black In Fashion: 100 Years of Style, Culture and Influence” is available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A Million and Bookshop.org.
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