A unique part of New York Fashion Week was `The Talks’ space where fashion insiders got a chance to sit and talk about some major issues going on behind the scenes in the fashion industry. It was quite significant to listen to some high-powered trailblazers talk about their beginnings, growth, and experience in this industry that seem so attractive to onlookers. Women’s issues, racism, sexism, and empowerment were some of the issues that were dealt with during seven different panel discussions held in the private lounges of the Spring Studio on Varick Street, downtown Manhattan. This is the original home of  Robert DeNiro’s Tribeca Film Festival. It’s the second season that New York Fashion Week has used this building as their `main’ show venue.

WOMEN

`Female Founders in Fashion’ was the subject of the first `Talks.’ This panel moderated by the dynamic Fashion Influencer, BOZOMA ST JOHN, Chief Marketing Officer of Endeavor, an entertainment conglomerate with a growing global network of companies under their umbrella including IMG, WME, Miss Universe, VFC, PBR, and Frieza. This panel unveiled a new coalition with some of the fashion industries most dynamic leaders – REBECCA MINKOFF Co-Founder and Creative Director of the Brand that bears her name; BROOKE WALL, founder of The Wall Group; JOAN SMALLS, Supermodel and Design Collaborator of `Smart & Sexy’ an exciting new swimwear line that was just launched and STEPHANIE MARR, Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of the fashion website Coveteur. These ladies, all at the top of their game spoke on being bosses in a male-dominated industry, and their personal journey to being in charge of their own businesses. Joan Smalls shared, “Being in this business has taught me to be focused on what I am passionate about and what I see being done as far as changes in the industry. I want to create a positive message, where girls across the world who may not have a platform or may not see a familiar face in the industry. I want to put that message out, that there is a space, and room for growth once you’re dedicated.” Bozoma rounded it out perfectly by stating, “There is room for diversity, in diversity.” The topic of competing against other women was raised and Joan put that notion into perspective – “I am branding myself, it’s all about pushing yourself and challenging yourself to do better. It is not about competing with another female, because there is enough for all of us when we help each other out, we all rise at the same time.”

ONE ON ONE

ELAINE WELTEROTH the first Black editor-in-chief of a Conde Nast Magazine (Teen Vogue) did a remarkable interview with TYLER MITCHELL, the 23-year-old photographer who was the first Black photographer to shoot a Vogue cover in the 125 years of Vogue’s history. Elaine spared none as she openly talked about racism in the industry, honoring several women of color who paved the way for her. She touched on having a seat at the table and being inclusive. “It’s time I had a seat at the table. I am more interested in talking about building our own tables.” This interview was billed as `The Untold Stories and the Pivotal moments of Navigating the Unpaved road to Success.’ TYLER MITCHELL, who had previously photographed sister, SOLANGE KNOWLES talked about the Beyonce experience and how nervous it was to shoot the biggest star in the world for the biggest magazine in the world as a 23-year-old young man. But, how Beyonce made it extremely easy to do, because of her own beauty and reverence on set. Tyler is also a lover of skateboarding, culture, and film. He studied at NYU, after moving to New York from Atlanta, and even lived in Cuba for a few months, absorbing the culture. Tyler said that seeing President Obama in the White House when he was 13 years old, really opened his eyes that he can achieve anything. His interest in art and community shone throughout the `Talk.’ “I think when we talk about representation, what I’ve really been considering at least in what we do in fashion and art and film and TV, and everything else is thinking not only about who’s in front of the camera but who’s behind. I really like this artist, Arthur Jafa’s quote, which he talks about the idea of Black cinema. Like not in that, Black cinema is using the art form of cinema to tell a Black story…How can we culturally tell interesting stories and it’s not just a black person in front of the cameras. You know what I mean? Because I think there is a difference between Black cinema and Blacksploitation movies, which were just like, you know. Actors in front of the camera, but just telling novel stories in the way of the 70s. I think that’s an interesting thing to think about.”

THE BEGINNINGS

IVAN BART President IMG Models & IMG Fashion Properties hosted `A Fashion Week Journey: How it all Began – From the Tents to Today’ panel with CFDAs former leaders FERN MALLIS, former Executive Director and STAN HERMAN, former President, in The Sunken Living Room. Stan and Fern had the great opportunity to talk about how Fashion Week got started. They even went back to when they first met, both tracing their careers in the fashion industry. Stan as a designer who was at the height of his career back in the day, and, Fern whose father was a `garmento’ in the industry and worked as a publicist among other industry jobs before becoming the Executive Director of the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) and spearheading the whole concept of having all of the designers showing in one venue. Fern explained how the sponsorship came about to obtain Bryant Park venue. “We were the first fashion week in the world to get corporate sponsorship.” – hence the start of what we now know as New York Fashion Week. Stan also recalled some of the events that happened when designers held shows in empty `loft’ spaces downtown, and, in their own crowded showrooms. Both legends recalled 9/11 which happened at the beginning of Fashion Week when they had to close down all of the shows in Bryant Park.

MODEL SQUAD

The cast of E! Television’s hit reality model show `Model Squad’ – DEVON WINDSOR, DANIELA BRAGA, SHANNA SHAIK, ASHLEY MOORE, CAROLINE LOWE, NADINE LEOPOLD, PING HUE and HANNAH FERGUSON all gathered for a chat about their lives and experiences in an industry that looks like all glamor from the outside. These young beauties came clean and honest about the rejection in the industry, being married in the dazzling fashion world and basic human traits like insecurities and friendships. They all offered avenues they used, to navigate their way through the formalities of being just plain human, in a high powered world of travel and constantly having to look your best…at all times.

POSITIVE CHANGE

They were other `Talks’ on the `Anatomy of a Collaboration’ – the creative forces and original stories behind the most in-demand collections, with DAPPER DAN and JOHN MCPHETERS, moderated by MISS INFO. `Activism In Fashion’ was moderated by MEENA HARRIS, Founder, Phenomenal Woman Action Campaign and featured panelists: HALIMA ADEAN, IMG Model & UNICEF Ambassador; UMNA AL-ARASHI, photographer and filmmaker and TASCHA RUDDER, Executive Director Endeavor Foundation. All of these in-depth conversations with industry leaders, artist and icons were designed to cultivate positive change in the fashion and culture arena which would hopefully spread to a wider demographic….Fashion is more than just clothes – much more. Stay tuned.