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!

Just Fine

Last week we signed on our new sales professional. Marla Freeman, a lovely, mild mannered mother of two, will be taking the reins and dazzling store buyers with her quiet charisma. They won't know what hit them! And the dresses will be hanging on the racks of some of the poshest stores here in the U.S. At least that is what we are planning for. But you know adding a new addition to your family is a little daunting. I can honestly say that Serosh, Ashanti, and I are truly a family. We respect each other and have developed our own language over the last few years. But we welcome Marla with open arms and we are looking forward to merging her talents with the language of Sorta Kinda Enterprises.

I just saw the movie "Julie & Julia" starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. Amy Adams plays Julie Powell, a woman who writes a blog about cooking the recipes from Julia Child's (played by Meryl Streep) cookbook Mastering The Art of French Cooking over a 1 year period. As a result of her project, she finds purpose, lands a book deal, and gains confidence. The story really resonated for me. Before I started pursuing fashion, I often wondered if I would die before knowing my place in the universe. Some days I still ask myself if I am living my life to its fullest potential. And writing about my fashion odyssey certainly gives me a reference point. I sure would love it if hundreds of people read my blog and were touched by some of my stories. And I sure wouldn't mind if a book deal came my way. That would be cool. But right now, this blog does what it is supposed to. It gives me an outlet to express myself and learn from my triumphs as well as my disappointments. And that's just fine.

Peace & Fashion!

WANTED: A Model Citizen

I thought I'd have photos to share of the fruitful and wonderful casting I was conducting today. I thought you would be able to see the other model who, along with Valencia, will be posing and cavorting in front of the camera on June 20. Not. This time craigslist let me down. None of the candidates worked. They were either not camera ready or did not match Valencia's measurements. And since all the pieces were made to fit Valencia's body, that's just not going to work. But there was one glimmer of hope. Her photos were playful, yet sophisticated. Sexy, yet appropriate. She is lovely to look at possessing a beauty that is accessible. And best yet, her measurements matched Valencia's. I knew, looking at her images online, that I'd found my other goddess. So this morning I packed up all the denim pieces and shoes and jewelry and trudged into Manhattan. That bag was heavy. By mid morning I received word from my sister that our goddess was filming a movie starring Alec Baldwin and Meryl Streep. She was not available, but wished us luck. That stinks. But the show must go on, so we have rescheduled the casting for this Monday. These photos have got to be magical and my dresses have got to POP. And we're hoping that we find that model citizen who has all the snap and crackle to do just that.

Peace & Fashion!