KymCouture Bloom" Kollection Runway Presentation at Opulen Studios Los Angeles

                              Proud sponsors  http://www.ScreenShop.com & http://www.fameinacan.com

                                     "Bloom" KymCouture Spring/Summer 2013 Kollection

History of the First Black Female Clothes Designer

The history of black female clothing designers began with the traditions of the indigenous attire of countries and tribes in Africa. Looking back at the early garments of black female designers, there are direct influences from these early African-inspired designs. Even beyond African designs, many of the first black, female clothing designers drew their inspiration from a range of influences, propelling their clothing designs to success, despite the barriers that stood in their way.



On the African Contient

In Africa, clothing described station. Kings, queens, and members of the royal entourage dressed in elaborately colored loose cloth robes adorned with feathers, jewelry and animal skins. Traditionally, village women spun cloth, dyed fabrics and produced garments. Weaving cloth was done by both men and women with gender specific looms.

Southern Plantations


Slaves arrived naked in the holds of ships, and were then sold to southern plantations. Women worked the fields and worked making homespun cloth for clothing. Children were responsible for spinning and carding cotton and wool. Patterns and sewing needles were given to them by their owners and slave women made garments for owners and slaves alike. However, European style clothing became the norm for the newly arrived slaves.




The 18th Century


It became an accepted norm for African-American slave women to design and sew beautiful garments for their owners. Moreover, as more and more slaves obtained their freedom, metropolises became hotbeds for cutting edge designs from talented African-American clothing designers. New Orleans was a fashion mecca and many black-owned businesses designed, made and sold garments. The Civil War made it difficult for these southern businesses, so the industry moved north. Famed seamstresses Eliza Gardener, Grace Bustill Douglas, and Catherine Delany all owned businesses in cities like Boston and Philadelphia

Elizabeth Keckly

Elizabeth Keckly supported herself and her family through her dressmaking and design skills. She bought her freedom moved to Washington D.C. She was famous for the inaugural gown she designed for Mary Todd Lincoln, wife to then president Abraham Lincoln. This dress can be viewed today at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. The wives of Robert E. Lee, Stephen Douglas, and Jefferson Davis were also clients of Elizabeth Keckly. A respected independent business woman, she worked towards the abolition of slavery through her well-connected white clients.



Francis Criss


Born in Virginia Francis, Criss was known in Richmond as a talented seamstress. In 1915, she moved to New York City, where she designed and made garments for Broadway stars as well as actress Gloria Swanson. A flamboyant and free spirited personality, her home in New York was a center for influential African-Americans.

                                                          Gloria Swanson & Edith Head

Ann Lowe


Ann Lowe was born in Alabama in 1899 and moved to New York at the age of 16. She attended design school and opened a shop on Madison Avenue. Her clients included members of the Vanderbilt, Roosevelt, and Rockefeller families. She made more than 1,000 dresses per year for society clients and sold her designs in Henri Bendel, Neiman Marcus and I. Magnin. In 1953, Ann Lowe designed the dresses for the entire bridal party, the mother of the bride and the bridal dress for the wedding of Jacqueline Bouvier to John F. Kennedy.



Interesting Facts


The history of fashion industry is full of important contributions from creative, talented black female clothing designers. They included: Mildred Blount, an African-American milliner who made hats for Hollywood films, Gone With The Wind and the Easter parade; and Zelda Wynn, who designed for Josephine Baker, Gladys Knight, and even designed the first Playboy bunny costume. Moreover, Elizabeth Keckly and Lillian Rogers Parks went on to write successful memoirs detailing their stories as influential female clothing designers

Brigandis Fashions is more than a Modeling agency

Brigandis fashion started in 2000. This Agency is a well balanced program

that offers..self esteem, self worth, a second chance for At-risk youth. they

encourage and uplift. all ages, ethnicity, and sizes, they bring fashion and talent to another

level. Brigandis Fashions pride themselve's on being a community Resource..to help all walks

of life to become positive and productive individuals

 

 

Upcoming Events:

Brazillian Carnival Runway Fashion Show http://www.meetup.com/BrazilianCenterSac-org/

 

Celebrity Charity Photo shoot TBA

 

Past Events:

2011 Cancer Awareness Fashion Show at Vallejo's Empress Theatre

with Host Charleston Pierce and Fashions by Iscah Uzza Fashion House

 

2011 Rock the Runway at the Tsokoplus Library Galleria in Downtown Sacramento

and many more events to name

 

 

 

DELORSE THOMPSON.. Staff Director and Event Planer...

 

 

Bridgette Carrradine/// A,K,A (BRANDY) Director & Founder!! Of BRIGANDIS AGENCY..

Juana Blaze/ Asst Director

 

Thank You Brandy for taking the time to give me the background and complex history of your company. It is an honor to know your more than just a modeling agency, there's alway's Movement with Cause.

Kym Stylz

http://www.kymcouture.com/

 

 

Rockin with Bedlam by Kyra Kouture @theRAWaward2011

First of all I wuld like to Highlight beyond Her absolutely Fabulous Accessory Creations Kyra Kouture is Phenominal. The Energy that exudes in her pieces is  overwhelming in her wonderful presence. I was honored to Rock out with Kyra at the 2011 RAW Semi-Finalist Award show in San Francisco AWESOME" (sorry, a sudden burst of emotion). Check out the pics below and stay tuned, because Kyra and I are gonna have lunch and talk about "2 Shoes" for my column "Below the Knee" on http://www.lipserviceink.com/ .

 Designer/Artist Kyra Kouture with her AWESOME Model Christina

 Designer/Artist Kyra Kouture with AWESOME Stylist EsTasha

Yours Trully Kym Stylz with the BOOKMARK http://www.lipserviceink.com/ rockin "Bedlam" by Kyra Kouture glasses, Dress by Me' Urban Ballerina' KymCouture "Rose thru KonCrete" Kollection

For more information on Kyra Kouture please visit http://www.welcome2bedlam.com/

For more infomation on the RAWawards please visit http://www.rawartist.org/

For more information on ME please visit http://www.kymcouture.com/

Real #Divas will love these #Cases by my #FabulousTwitterFollower @SimplyFab1 (Shauntoni Curtis)

Ashanti, Farrah Franklin, Toya Carter, Shaunie O are just a few Divas that just adore these fabulous cases.

 These unique cases have extremely reasonable prices, for such an outstanding one-of-a-kind trinket. They are available in all case sizes, the site is neat and lets you specify at checkout!!!

I love my Twitter followers/friends, highlighting their Awesomeness is only fitting. Thank you Shauntoni for allowing me a blog post on you! Please visit  http://www.simplyfabshop.com/ and follow Shauntoni onTwitter to keep up with New Cases @SimplyFab1 and for booking please contact her Publicist @Fashion101ed http://www.ericadias.com/

UpCycled Romance by #KymStylz & #LisaLesa #KymCouture #PhotoShoot

Just around the corner in every woman's mind is a lovely dress, suit or entire costume which will make an enchanting new creature of her...

This clutch, upcycled by Lisa  is very special, for it belonged to Lisa's late Mother, therefore it holds profound setimental value. That is yet another connection Lisa and I have, I believe the spirit of my mother lives in every thread of my garments.

 I hand picked these elegant heels as a compliment to my "Rose thru Koncrete" Kollection. Designer and UpCycing Artist Lisa Wiebe completed the look for me with her "Cement Brocade" and below is the final result.

Thanks http://www.lisalesa.com/ for the Cool "Shoeshine". The look is now Enchanted with an Edge.

"Rose Thru Koncrete" Kollection
Photography by: Juan Ramon Hernandez
http://www.kymcouture.com/

#LipServiceInk & #KymStylz #California #PhotoShoot

My Publisher and Long-Time Friend Thais Mills (a.k.a AnnieMae) recently visited me here inNorthern California to walk in my Fashion Show at Mercedes Benz of Oakland showroom. It was so exciting  to have her here to spport me after years of always having her support from a distance. Im honored to have her Rep the KymCouture "Kurvetry" Kollection coming soon to http://www.kymcouture.com/ For more info on Thais Mills please visit her online magazine http://www.lipserviceink.com/ where you can also find my Shoe column "Below the Knee". Stay tuned for the exciting New Project she and I are launching in 2012.

   Photography by: Juan Ramon Hernandez