Coming Out in the Wash

Cynde Watson at NY Fashion Week

Last night I was fortunate enough to have been invited to the launch event for a new cosmetics line called RICH STUDIO.  Conceived and created by master celebrity makeup artist and former executive director of global makeup artistry/education for Bobbi Brown, Cynde Watson has developed a line that truly is rich in color and texture. I caught up with Cynde for a brief moment as she was busy overseeing the festivities.  She divulged that the new line is a personal and professional triumph that was a year and a half in the making.  And it shows!  Women of different hues had flocked to Honey Salon in Harlem to be beautified by the skilled makeup artists on hand.  Each woman was camera ready fabulous after her turn in the make up chair.

While sipping on delicious watermelon martinis, Ashanti and I met a bevvy of lovely people who are movers and shakers.  Some I'd met previously and others who I've wanted to come face-to-face with.  Audrey Smaltz, the founder of The Ground Crew, was in attendance.  Although she never remembers me, I always love seeing her.  She has a long, rich history in fashion from the early days of the Ebony Fashion Showcase that traveled all over the U.S. to the fantasy fashion show she presented on The Oprah Winfrey Show many years ago. Audrey is an authority on the industry.  And she gives it to you straight - no chaser.  So when she advised me to forego my line of accessible luxury pieces for the curvy woman and, instead, focus on cheaper fashions, it made me take pause.  She said,  "Wilbur, the client you dream of dressing is always trying to lose weight and she is not going to spend the money on the kind of quality you are offering.  Go CHEAP!"  That was difficult to hear, but it is something that I am definitely going to ponder.

There were others, too, like Bevy Smith, Leonard Bridges, Lamarr Nanton, Lloyd Boston, and Deborah Gregory, of course.  Way too many stories to bore you with at this time.  But if you keep up with me, I am sure they'll eventually come out.  After all, doesn't it always come out in the wash.

Peace & Fashion!