Get ready to see the future of fashion take the runway by storm. A group of talented youth designers from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan are set to showcase their designs at New York Fashion Week in February.
Shawn Woodward and Robert Robinson, two of the youth designers, as well Alise Dixon, from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan and Chief Program Officer , provided a behind-the-scenes look at their journey and their designs.
Dixon said that the Maison Black and Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan Black Men in Fashion Mentorship Program are part of their fashion industry club, and they have worked with Maison Black, which focuses on uplifting Black designers. She explained that it made sense to collaborate with and elevate this industry club, as well as to give a mentoring opportunity for the designers, who are already enrolled in their fashion program and learning design.
According to Woodward, the main thing that distinguishes his brand SKULLXER from other brands and designers is that he began as an artist and migrated into the fashion world by expressing his creative talent on clothes.
Robinson said that his business, A’rman Couture, was not inspired by anything, but he loves clothes on women and how an outfit can make them look strong, bold, and more confident in themselves. He also said that he enjoys wearing high-fashion luxury clothing. He also stated that being a part of the mentorship program has helped him gain confidence in his brand, make relationships within the business, and provide advice.
To ensure these young people have a memorable time at New York Fashion Week, Alise encouraged people to follow the Maison Black and BGCSM mentorship program on social media and donate to their GoFundMe page.
The complete interview and some of the their designs may be seen in the video above.