9 black fashion designers to know for Black History Month: from Rihanna’s LVMH Fenty line and Off-White’s late Virgil Abloh to Dapper Dan, LaQuan Smith and Christopher John Rogers
- New York Fashion Week highlighted a record 28 black designers in shows this year, indicating a growing shift in representation in the industry – although there’s still a long way to go
- This spotlight of black talents is in part thanks to veterans like Nike’s Heron Preston, Tia Adeola, and Carly Cushnie, while Tracy Reese is a go-to for Beyoncé, Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey
This year’s New York Fashion Week featured several black creatives – a record 28!
While black fashion designers are no longer a rarity in the industry, there is still a long way to go. In honour of Black History Month, which runs annually throughout February, here are some of the most influential black fashion designers that have changed the industry.
1. Dapper Dan
Daniel Day, 78, better known as the legendary Dapper Dan, started his career as the “king of knock-offs”, as per Trill Mag. He’s now renowned as one of the strongest influences in menswear and streetwear.
According to The Guardian, Day started his career by making clothes for gangs in Harlem, New York. His clothing atelier Dapper Dan’s Boutique was known for reworking logos of several luxury fashion brands like Louis Vuitton and Gucci into his own creations, per Ciafe.
His talents were eventually recognised by the industry, as he went from becoming a pariah of luxury fashion to launching his own line with Gucci in 2018.
2. Carly Cushnie
Cushnie launched her brand initially as Cushnie et Ochs with friend Michelle Ochs, almost immediately after graduating from Parsons School of Design in New York City, per Fashion Elite. Later becoming independent, she went on to run one of the most “prominent black-owned brands in American fashion”, according to The New York Times, paving way for many more women of colour in the industry.