African Festival of Arts Gala 2016

Hey guys!

I hope all is well. Thanks again for reading! I am coming at you with a late post just as a thank you to Africa International House for allowing me to work their annual gala. It was honestly a great experience getting to help coordinate with the fashion show with Miss Melody Boykin from BFWUSA, chat it up with some beautiful models and gain inspiration from some very successful designers and fashion entrepreneurs.

The entertainment was amazing, the Afro Latino band music was live and hot! The scenery was beautifully decorated with swaying colorful fabrics of every rainbow spectrum and the clever usage of lights and shadows created beautiful contrast throughout the venue.

Some quotes from two of the designers are listed below:

When asked how she feels about her collection, as well as black owned businesses, Ms. Teresa Fefe had this to say:

"I feel that my designs are unique in the sense that every single piece has a part of me. I hand paint everything so that I can be sure to incorporate not only a sense of fashion or trendiness but to add a sense of artistry. Art is the foundation for so many things and it is important to keep that interest in it alive. As far as black owned businesses, I feel that we should take the extra effort to support them because we as a people need to grow in our worth. The talent is already there, it's just all about raising awareness."

When asked the same thing, the founder and head designer of the Un-tie had this to say:

"I think that my business is unique because I specifically design my pieces for the purpose of versatility. You can wear my ties 3 or 4 different ways and look different every time. Because it is so versatile and it is of quality material, one tie can last you an entire work week without getting boring! With black owned businesses, I think the key is to make your product marketable and appealing to the community. Then, people will naturally support you. That is why many of my favorite shops are ran by people of color."

I had a great time at the gala and I look forward to many more events alongside Africa International House. Thank you so much to them, I am forever grateful! Take a look at some of the awesome images that I got from the event. Thanks again guys for reading. All links are left below, be sure to show them some love!