Harlem Fashion Row NYFW: Harlem’s Fashion Row Show started NY Fashion Week with a bang. Kelly Rowland and A$AP Rocky were honored for their fashion talents. On Tuesday, a star-studded event happened at the Apollo Theater. It was the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.
Tim Witherspoon, married to Rowland, awarded her the Fashion Icon Award. Rowland was in Destiny’s Child. The award, named after Virgil Abloh, went to A$AP Rocky. Witherspoon praised Rowland for her lasting impact, not just in fashion but in other areas of life, too. She shared a story of Rowland giving her shoes to an intern who admired them. A$AP Rocky didn’t use his written message as he wanted to discuss Virgil Abloh’s impact on him and ASAP Mob.
Fashion legends Dapper Dan and June Ambrose were present that night. TV host Tamron Hall named Stella Jean Designer of the Year, and Doug E. Fresh celebrated hip-hop’s 50th anniversary with a special performance, including a duet with Lil Vicious on “Freaks.” Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, a Vogue contributing editor, was named Editor of the Year. Wayman and Micah, celebrity stylists, were named Stylists of the Year, and photographer Johnny Nuez was named a hip-hop innovator. The catwalk shows by designers Nicole Benefield Portfolio, Megan Renee, and A. Potts were interesting.
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Kelly Rowland received a heartfelt surprise from her husband at the event. He said, “You’d give anyone the shirt off your back and, clearly, the shoes off your feet.” In her speech, Rowland mentioned the trouble she and Destiny’s Child faced with designers who refused to work with them. This led to Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, taking over styling. “Fashion should thank us,” Rowland told the Black crowd.
A$AP Rocky mentioned meeting Virgil Abloh, who designed his first record cover while discussing his past. Rocky said, “He was hanging out downtown in Soho, and we weren’t old enough for Le Bain club.” Virgil checked on us. A year later, I became famous, and Virgil designed my first record cover and tour. The ceremony wasn’t just an awards show; it also highlighted the need for diversity in fashion. Stella Jean, Designer of the Year, protested Milan Fashion Week for lacking diverse styles. Tamron Hall praised Jean’s “strong spirit.” Editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson urged people to “break barriers,” stylists Wayman and Micah discussed the power of creation and their collaboration after making a vision board.
Doug E. Fresh and Lil Vicious performed “Freaks” at a hip-hop anniversary party. They did this to honor the Caribbean’s influence on the genre. The night featured runway shows with vibrant colors, masculine shapes, and impeccable structures. The event celebrated fashion and hip-hop. It set the stage for future talks on diversity, inclusion, and the power of style to create change.
