Fashion & Fiction

Last week I met with my new seamstress (another one!) who is constructing the designs for my sister, Ashanti, to wear for Full-Figured Fashion Week beginning June 16.  I am not at liberty to reveal any details just yet, but, in true Wilbur fashion, the looks are classic, with bold touches.  Angela (that's my new seamstress' name) seems to be a lovely woman who hails from the island of Jamaica and she seems to be all about business. Time will tell if she can REALLY bring the heat, but I'm placing all my bets on her.

Deborah Gregory surrounded by the actresses
who played "The Cheetah Girls"

On Thursday past, I found myself crossing the threshold of Hue-Man Bookstore in Harlem. Invited by Deborah Gregory,  a longtime colleague and creator of The Cheetah Girls book series, I was there for a reading by the new and dynamic novelist, Darlyne Baugh.  I noticed the air was filled with the scent of celebration as Darlyn greeted me like we were old friends.  And then Deborah, a flurry of coral knit, caramel curls, and bedazzled butterflies, fluttered into the bookstore greeting everyone in her path with the kind of salutations only Wendy Williams or someone very close to the gay community would know about.  After crackers and cheese and champagne and cupcakes, the rapt audience settled in to hear the writers read juicy excerpts from their books.

Darlyne's first book, Black Girl @ The Gay Channel, is a very fictionalized account of her own stint working for Logo TV.  So far,  it is a breezy, smart, and funny  read detailing the drama-filled ups and downs of corporate culture at a cable network.  Black Girl. . . is proving to be quite the page turner, in fact.



Author Darlyne Baugh



After the reading, I purchased the book and had Darlyne write something fabulously intimate on the inside cover.  Seeing this as an opportunity to network, I then made my way around the room introducing myself to people whom I admired but had never met.  There in the audience were Lisa Cortes, the Executive Producer of the Oscar-winning film "Precious" and Lisa Villarosa, the author, journalist, public speaker, and professor who wrote an article for Essence magazine many years ago that has stayed with me since.

Besides the obvious benefits of the evening, I was also inspired by the fact that another writer had taken pen to paper and created characters and a story that captures the mind of its reader.  And I hope I am able to do that through my forthcoming book, too.  Stay Tuned!

Peace & Fashion! 

Point, Click, and Shoot

I haven't been writing much about the photo shoot that's going to take place this Saturday. I've been diligently and quietly working on all the details. Yes me - QUIET. Did I mention we also have someone updating our website to reflect the new direction with the dresses? And we are about to ship a small order of the spring collection to Rhinoceros - a tres chic boutique located in Buckhead, an upscale neighborhood in Atlanta. So please forgive me if I am a little distracted. But I've got nothing but love for you.

We were supposed to conduct a casting this Sunday past, but we really didn't get enough of a response from models, so we cancelled. Thank God for Queens Fashion Week where I was able to meet some lovelies who are enthusiastic about working with us on this shoot. And by the end of the week, I should have all the pieces delivered in pristine condition by my tailor, George. We're still short on cash, but I know the universe is not gonna let me go out like that. And I'm treating our shortage like a non-issue. I gotta have faith that it will all work out. But yesterday, I was singing a different tune as I stressed about where our windfall was going to come from. I even had trouble sleeping. But I am moving on. So many opportunities seem to be coming our way. And I am just going to focus on that. It truly has been a long time coming. And with each one, I will keep you in the loop.

Peace & Fashion!

2010

As a new year approaches, I always make an assessment of my life. Where am I as a human being? As a fashion designer? What happened this past year that I am proud of and what can I do to improve my life and perhaps the lives of others? I thank God that I am still blessed to be able to pursue my goals and for the wonderful people that support me, challenge me, and propel me forward.

2009 was a year of a few firsts for me. I threw caution to the wind and made the decision to design a line of cocktail dresses. I'd wanted to do a line of more tailored and sexy looks for a little while now. But with things being the way that they are and it being difficult to break into a market crowded with well-known names and faces, I had put that part of my dream on hold. I was informed by an industry expert that what I really wanted to do accounted for less than 20% of consumer dollars and made more sense for me to turn my energies toward a line of tops for the young contemporary/junior market. There it would be less difficult to get my big fashion break. But it never took off the way my business partners and I had hoped. I have not yet found anyone willing to invest in my line of deliciously vibrant, rainbow-hued tops or my brilliant business model to sell them online to digitally astute young women between the ages of 15 & 22. After all, this is where they socialize (twitter anyone?) and share (facebook) and learn (wikipedia). I've gotten far more interest with the dresses than I did with the tops. Experts be damned!

I also started writing this online diary, at the urging of Ashanti & Serosh, my two fashion partners in crime. They felt like people would want to hear more from the man behind the seams. "What you have to say is important," is what they tried to convince me of. I always feel like such a small fish in a big pond in the fashion game and that's probably never going to change. But this blog has given me a voice to share the good times and some of the bad. I've been able to release some of the bad just by sharing it with you. And you've read that so many factors come into play with this industry defined by glamour, smoke & mirrors, and ego. By now you've learned that I am an eternal optimist and feel like my proverbial ship will definitely come in. My entire being feels so connected to this journey and I know the universe will provide the answers to all of my questions. I just have to keep doing what I do so that I can get to where I am supposed to be.

With each collection under my belt, I become more and more confident in my creativity. As I look back and see my growth as a designer, I wonder to myself how I got to this place. I've evolved beyond my own expectations and I know I've got more growing and more learning to do. It is my wish for 2010 that all of you accompany me on this odyssey, every small step of the way, and celebrate my evolution and my maturity. Hey, you may even learn something new about yourself in the process. So Happy New Year and Welcome to 2010! It's going to be great!

Peace & Fashion!