New York Fashion Week (NYFW) 2023 brought out creators, designers, stylists, fashion enthusiasts, and more to the city’s events on Thursday, Sept. 6. Black brands were mindful of fashion’s sustainable cost and shared supportive environment spaces during NYFW Fall 2023. Labels such as Vontélle and Áwet New York made their rounds at events for Fashinnovation and RAISEfashion near Chelsea Piers. Tracy Vontélle Green and Áwet Woldegebriel represented their Black brands in welcoming fashion-sustainable spaces.
Fashion sustainability is essential to Vontélle and Áwet New York. During a panel discussion at Fashinnovation, Woldegebrie discussed his perception of designers in the fashion community. “I’m inspired, but also there’s an understanding from all of us that we all know that there is enough sun for us to shine,” he said.
Woldegebriel emphasized his brand’s daily work to maintain sustainability in all products. One major way of allowing his customers to participate in environmentally friendly practices is by bringing in unwanted clothing from any brand to rehouse, avoiding wasted material. This helps create new clothes from recycled material. “It’s about community, it’s about bringing people together,” said Woldegebrie.
Green spoke about the importance of her brand reusing and recycling. “Reusing, repurposing, saying, ‘Let me go back in my closet’—something you can dig up and reuse again…and make it fresh,” she said. Green believes Vontélle’s new frames look better when made from reused materials. “It makes each piece look different.”
Brenika Banks photos
Woldegebriel recognized the world may not need another clothing brand, especially if it isn’t environmentally friendly. He is mindful that sustainability isn’t going to be 100% included in every brand, but he wants to play his role in recycling, and not wasting materials and resources. “That’s where we are. We’re a new brand that is trying to implement single-minded ideas that also don’t [financially] hurt the business,” he said.
“Everyone wants to be sustainable; everyone realizes we have to do better for the planet,” said Green. She started Vontélle with her friend Nancey Harris after losing a pair of glasses and realizing the frame’s fit had not been ideal. After the duo attended Paris Fashion week pre-pandemic, Vontélle launched in 2020. “That was my ‘ah-ha’ moment.”
Green wanted to correct the problem of not seeing any Black owners making and manufacturing eyewear. “That’s the reason glasses don’t fit our faces, because there’s no one making glasses for faces like [ours],” she said.
Vontélle originally started designing for African American and Latino people, until Green met others who had issues with fitting regular glasses. “Now we just say we make glasses for diverse faces,” said Green. “We’re here to help you look fabulous.” She encourages customers to stay very aware of the brands they support so their purchases also support viable living. “I don’t think it’s a niche, this is it!”
Green concluded in her panel remarks that sustainability is laborious.
Another fashion stop for Green and Woldegebriel was RAISEfashion at the Standard Hotel. RAISEfashion is a nonprofit advisory network working toward advancing racial equity in the fashion industry—a matrix providing pro bono consulting to Black-owned brands and individuals. Items included casual to very dressy clothing, bags, shoes, and jewelry that were Black-owned.
Expense is usually an issue for finding fashion spaces, especially during NYFW. “It’s a huge barrier for designers of color to find space during such a special moment and busy time of the year,” said Felita Harris.
Harris, one of seven founders of RAISEfashion, helps with supporting 250 fashion designers as a part of this nonprofit. RAISEfashion was founded in 2020, shortly after the murder of George Floyd. The nonprofit’s multicultural identity allows for designers to have the necessities in business without mistreatment.
During the Thursday afternoon gathering, all designers were in great spirits and happy to speak with customers as well as each other. “The energy that we feel is camaraderie, community, and support,” said Harris. “We love to see it.”
Woldegebriel was thrilled knowing the time he spent with other designers at RAISEfashion did not involve any competition or negative feelings. “We know we’re creative and we know we’re going to be successful,” he said. “We are working to try to be better instead of trying to be better than each other.”
Woldegebriel appreciates the “incredible group of professionals” RAISEfashion represents who are challenging work and assuring the next generation of BIPOC brands is uplifted. “I’ve never been a part of a community that has been this invested in us in the way that they have been,” said Woldegebriel.
Harris was grateful for meeting and forming a relationship with Amber Asher, the global CEO of the Standard Hotel International. After the two connected on a special panel, Asher offered Harris a space to provide opportunities for BIPOC designers during NYFW. “[Amber] understood this is not only just a space but the place to activate New York Fashion Week and ensure that we’re doing it with the community focus, and ensuring we’re bringing retailers, influencers, editors, models, fashion enthusiasts to come and see the work that was put in,” said Harris.
Harris’s goal, along with RAISEfashion, is to break barriers that prevent Black designers from being seen and represented, and selling their products. She and the entire nonprofit encourage the designers to build close relationships with one another for beneficial purposes. The partnership between Harris and Asher works well because they are aligned in their missions.
For more information, visit www.raisefashionnow.org, www.vontelle.com, and www.awetnyc.com.