Yes, we are now in the month of March, where spring begins its wary walk into our lives with temperatures that make you have more energy along with the sunlight. It is a snap reminder to breathe with intention, after February and Black History Month. March is also Women’s History Month in the United States, with International Women’s Day being on the 8th. So it makes this quick essay all the more poignant.
As we entered last month, I had the good opportunity to be invited to the advance viewing of Black Dress II: Homage. The exhibition, hosted at Pratt Institute’s Manhattan Gallery, honors the vast creative contributions of Black creatives to the fashion industry and builds upon the original exhibition that took place a decade before. Black Dress II: Homage is the curated offering of Pratt Institute Fashion Professor Adrienne Jones and Pratt alumna Rachelle Etienne-Robinson (also the founder of ChezChelle Designs).
The magnitude of the exhibition wasn’t lost on me the moment I walked in and was greeted by Pratt Institute President Frances Bronet. I came face to face with an installation, “Black Soil”. The tableau of a basket overflowing with cotton next to an old-fashioned washboard and basin alongside an ironing board, all positioned before a black-and-white image of a cotton field had me shaken, staring at it and understanding the gravity of how the success of these Black creatives in fashion was fueled by the rise of Black people in this country from enslavement to freedom. The flow of the exhibit is stimulating, but not in a way that it overpowers. A mock newsstand display featuring the vast array of Black fashion creatives leads you to another gallery section where your eyes are graced with several stunning outfits. Colors pop, percolate, and compel you to pause and appreciate the intricacies of each design. One moving part of the installation is a tribute section, complete with a black bench and a box of tissues. That last item is necessary, once the video plays and you take stock of how many dynamic personalities in the industry are no longer with us.
Other highlights include a collection of vintage beauty and hair care products (and yes, there’s a throwback tin of Dax hair cream) and a photo collage of Black designers, stylists, and photographers with their star clients. Being at the Black Dress II: Homage exhibit was a powerful way to enter Black History Month, and it is a stunning place to be for this Women’s History Month as well. If you’re in New York City, please make some time to check the exhibit out.
Black Dress II: Homage is on view until March 22.