The 19th edition of Harlem’s Fashion Row’s Annual Fashion Show and Style Awards embraced the theme “Peace by Piece” — a tribute to Black makers, shakers, designers, and evolving creators building their businesses with a slow, steady, and sometimes rocky cadence. As Black designers continue to fight for visibility, funding, and lasting support, Brandice Daniel — founder and CEO of Harlem’s Fashion Row and ICON360 — is leading efforts to usher in the next generation. By partnering with brands to offer financial backing and launching initiatives like the Runway Ahead Designer Fellowship (presented through ICON360 and created by the PVH Foundation), she provides designers with funding, executive mentorship, and business development support.
The $100,000 grant provides mentorship and funding to help emerging designers of color grow and sustain their brands. This year’s winner was Waina Chancy, founder of Atelier Ndigo. For Daniel, the 19th iteration felt distinctive.
“What made this year especially meaningful was seeing so many generations of creativity represented in one room,” she says. From celebrating icons who have influenced culture to investing in designers building the businesses of tomorrow and giving an 11-year-old designer a platform to share her vision, the evening represented what Harlem’s Fashion Row has always been about — creating opportunities and building something that lasts. As we move toward our 20th year, we are excited to continue creating space for the people and ideas that will shape fashion’s future.”
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That commitment to legacy, innovation, and community resonated throughout the evening, including in this year’s brand partnerships. PATTERN Beauty served as the official hair and body sponsor, while Dior served as the official makeup sponsor.
“We were honored to serve as the official hair and body sponsor of Harlem’s Fashion Row’s 19th Annual Fashion Show & Style Awards, celebrating the Black designers and creatives shaping the future of fashion and culture,” says Tracee Ellis Ross, PATTERN’s co-CEO and founder. “As a brand centered around the celebration of Black beauty and Black joy, it was especially meaningful for PATTERN to stand alongside the designers and creatives whose work reflects the power, beauty, and richness of our culture.”
Both brands contributed expert teams to help realize the designers’ visions on the runway. For Marie Simone, leading the hairstyling team backstage and collaborating with designers was a highlight. “Working with the designers was beautiful because designers are true visionaries,” she tells TZR. “They already have a world living in their minds. My job, as a hair artist and creative, is to step into that world, understand it, and then help translate their vision through hair.”
She says the question guiding her work was: What does the hair need to say within this story? Backstage, stylists crafted sleek, textured buns, braids, and silk-pressed, straight styles, drawing inspiration from the ’90s aesthetic.
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Take Harlem-based Rey Jaiteh, founded by Lamin “Rey” Jaiteh: the designer chose a modern spin on the iconic flipped hair of the ’90s, which paired perfectly with structural denim pieces and sharp jackets on the runway. Simone relished the chance to bring that moment to life.
“Hair in the ’90s had a presence,” she tells TZR. “It could tell its own story without competing with the clothing.” That was an important consideration for crafting each look. “I wanted the hair and fashion to each have their own voice, but when you saw them together, they felt like one complete story. There was structure and texture, but also softness.”
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Alternatively, Atelier Ndigo went with a sleek ponytail with a surprising detail at the length of the ponytail. “From the front, the ponytail is very sleek, clean, and classic,” she explains. “But when the model turns around, you discover this beautiful textured creation.” If you’re wondering if the surprise was intentional, Simone says absolutely.
Dior International Backstage Makeup Artist Ricky Wilson carves out looks with the same level of thoughtfulness. “Harlem’s Fashion Row is important to me because I love everything it stands for,” he tells TZR. “When I started doing makeup years ago, I always had dreams of working backstage, collaborating with designers, and doing photo shoots for major publications. I was a young black makeup artist with no real mentorship, looking to find my way. Fast forward to now, I love inspiring members on my backstage team, giving them the opportunities I had to learn on the fly.
Wilson says the HFR look inspirations this year were all so different, but there was a common thread: being very skin-forward. For this, skin prep was key, using Dior Capture Le Serum and the new Dior Hydrating Invisible UV Fluid Broad Spectrum SPF 50 for a subtle glow. “Because the foundation needed to remain flawless for hours, I chose the Dior Forever Skin Wear Foundation for all designers,” he shares.
Together, Simone and Wilson helped ensure each designer’s vision came to life — flawlessly, from head to toe.
Chuks Collins, a Nigerian designer who fuses African heritage, contemporary design, and sophisticated tailoring, went with a no-makeup look with a sculptural twist. “I used different shades of the Dior Forever Skin Contour Stick to make the models appear fresh yet chiseled.”
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For Rey Jaiteh, Wilson says the look was a nod to one of his favorite shows, Stranger Things. “I created the upside-down smoky eye using a mixture of black Diorshow On Stage Crayon liner in 099 Black and dark smoky shadows, adding much more product to the lower lids.”
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Lastly, for Atelier Ndigo, glass skin with pops of color were the details. “Every model had at least two different Dior Backstage Rosy Glow Blush Sticks and three different Dior Backstage Glassy Glow Sticks to give a beautiful wet look to the skin,” he explains. Then he finished each model’s lips with his “absolute favorite” Dior Addict Lipstick in shade 194 Sparkly Dice.
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Beyond the runway show, the evening celebrated six creatives whose influences span fashion, media, and music. Erykah Badu received the Fashion Icon Award, while Wisdom Kaye earned The Virgil Abloh Award, presented by LVMH. Other honorees included Brandon Blackwood (Designer of the Year), Audrey Smaltz (The Ann Lowe Maverick Award), Jahleel Weaver (Stylist of the Year), and Recho Omondi (Editor of the Year). Together, these awards spotlighted the breadth of Black talent shaping today’s creative landscape.
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