Queens Fashion Week

Queens gets a bad rap. Sometimes I even do my part to borough bash. I've complained to friends and frenemies alike that Queens is provincial & unsophisticated. But Queens is where I grew up and where I returned once I left Brooklyn. So it's definitely home to me. My fellow fashion designer friend, Delali, was so tired of Manhattan and Brooklyn getting all the glory, that this year she founded Queens Fashion Week. "Wilbur, there is plenty of talent right here and we need to provide a platform for people to see that," she declared. So she asked me if I would stand together with her. How could I say no? So Queens Fashion Week will take place from February 11 to February 13 in tandem with the much publicized Mercedes Benz sponsored New York Fashion Week. And I will have models storming the runway when I open the show on Saturday February 13 at the historic Standard Motor Lofts on Northern Blvd in Long Island City. For those of you who have been completely shackled to Manhattan, that's only a hop and a skip away from Times Square. The event is to begin promptly at 7 p.m. And everybody is welcome to attend, as our event is not an exclusive invitation-only spectacle. So for everyone who secretly has a bit of "Devil Wears Prada" attitude and cannot wait to unleash their version of Miranda Priestly, this is the moment you've been waiting for. But make sure you get your tickets soon because you'll want to be front and center. Today I was even interviewed by phone for an article in one of the local Queens newspapers, The Chronicle. The reporter asked, "What makes Queens so special for fashion?" And I quickly answered that this presentation is going to showcase the individual talents of many home grown designers who may not have the funds to show across the bridge but are just as legitimate as a Carolina Herrera or a Narciso Rodriguez. We've all got to start somewhere. And I am proud to say that Queens is my beginning.

Peace & Fashion!

How Precious

Late last year I wrote about how I wanted to dress Gabourey Sidibe, the lead actress from the film "Precious" (http://iamfabulous-ablackfashiondudesodyssey.blogspot.com/2009/12/hold-up-santa.html), for the upcoming awards season. With her full figure, she may seem like an unlikely celebrity for me to have a fervent desire to clothe, but her spirit, confidence, and talent are an intoxicating persuasion. Besides, I embrace the curvy girl because of the beautifully robust women who populate my family and my circle of friends. So after I called the film's distributor, Lionsgate, in California and was able to procure her manager's contact info, Ashanti, my company's marketing & communications director, immediately drafted an email that included sketches and photos of my work. About a week or so passed and we heard nothing, so Ashanti began to call. When Gabourey's manager did respond, she wrote in an email that she had forwarded the images to the star's stylist. Fortunately, she included the stylist's name. Unfortunately, she did not include the stylist's contact info. After several Google searches failed to yield that information, I turned to my diva friend Josette who is a fabulous public relations pro. But even with her access to industry-specific search engines, she could not track down the stylist. But she did find an online resource that charged a nominal fee that might produce the missing morsel of information we so desperately needed. Armed with my debit card, I dutifully registered as a user of the site. As soon as I was allowed access, I typed in the stylist's name and up popped her email and her phone number. BINGO! Even her list of celebrity clients, which, of course, included Gabourey, was revealed. So Ashanti crafted another email and away it went. A week passed and we still heard nothing. Silence really is quite common, but after almost 12 years in the industry I still find it unnerving. While we waited for the stylist, Linda M., to respond to us, I discovered that Gabourey and the film's director, Lee Daniels, were to give a discussion at The New York Times event space. How serendipitous! I immediately bought 2 tickets online. I began to visualize how Gabourey and I would meet and become fast friends and how she would trust me the way my sister does to create glamorous frocks for her. And she would wear my gowns exclusively the way Renee Zellweger wears Carolina Herrera. Talk about an active imagination! But there was work to be done. Ashanti and I collectively decided that she would wear the denim gown I designed for her last year since we were proposing gown designs for Gabourey. Never mind the talk was to take place at 12 in the afternoon. It would certainly make a statement! We really didn't know if we would be given the opportunity to approach her, but we were stepping out on faith. Caught up in a crazy schedule, I forgot to actually put a package together to give her. So late Friday, the night before the discussion, I culled together sketches and fabric swatches and made plans to race and have color copies of 6 of my most elegant designs made and place them in matte boards so that they would resemble works of art. I ran to Staples and to the art supply store and hailed a cab to get back to Staples to pick up the copies. I made it to The New York Times auditorium in record time. Ashanti was already sitting in the front row resplendent in my gown. We tied the 6 works of art together in a scarlet grosgrain ribbon and anxiously awaited the arrival of Lee and Gabourey. They received a standing ovation before the lively and informative discussion began. Gabourey was every bit of the down-to-earth starlet I had watched on Oprah, Jay Leno, and Live with Regis & Kelly. And I found Lee's outlook on things similar to mine. When the discussion was opened up for questions from the audience, I quickly walked to the mic. Although I was last to speak, I feel like I brought a distinct quality to what I had to say. "Good Afternoon," I started. "My name is Wilbur. I am a fashion designer and I want to dress YOU, Gabourey." She answered with a good-natured confidence, "Yeah, you do." After I directed my question to Lee, I made my way back to my seat as his eyes followed me to my front row perch. The talk was over and after a few light bulbs flashed with star, director, and moderator being snapped in front of the New York Times signage, audience members clamored to the stage to get closer glimpses and autographs. I handed the package to Gabourey who remembered my name and thanked me. And out to a cordoned-off area she disappeared.

I am not sure what the outcome will be. I've tried every possible avenue I can think of. But if Gabourey does decide to wear something I've designed, it will be one of my life's most "precious" moments.

Peace & Fashion!

Fashion's Next BIG Thing?

I am tired. This latest endeavor to launch a line of denim cocktail dresses has been emotionally draining. And I'm not even out the gate! Roadblocks to fashion nirvana have been reported by me ad nauseam. I am so ready for the style council to smile upon me and grant me entree to the VIP area behind the red velvet rope so I can hang out with Ralph Lauren and Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera. When my great Aunt Edie wrote in my 8th Grade autograph book, "The elevator to success is broken - Take the stairs," I had no idea how right she was. So after 11 years of climbing stairs, I am beginning to wonder if the elevator will ever be repaired. As my tailors near completion on the remainder of the looks, I have been hunting for accessories, including shoes, jewelry, and handbags for the photo shoot scheduled on June 20. I called in a favor from my sister-in-law, Rebecca Rodriguez, who is a positively talented photographer to take up the lens after I realized I had no budget to pay my long-standing photographer, Eric. I will be casting the other model for the shoot in a couple of days, but could not work with Ford Models after I was informed that their models do not work for anything less than $1,250 a booking. Ouch! That is just way beyond my company's budget. But after all the dust settles, I know that my journey is very similar to many others who have preceded me. In my heart of hearts I understand that Ralph, Oscar, and Carolina did not get to their perches in the VIP area without struggles. I just wish the elevator was working. . .

Peace & Fashion!