NY Times & Industry Recognizes the Plight Of Black Models

RACIAL prejudice in the fashion industry has long persisted because of tokenism and lookism. “We already have our black girl,” says a designer to a fashion-show casting agent, declining to see others. Or: “She doesn’t have the right look.” Laziness, paranoia and pedantry may also have something to do with the failure to hire black models for shows and magazine features in any meaningful number, but, hey, that’s just a guess.
A decade ago the thing to deplore was the stereotyping of black models by dressing them in African-inspired clothes (or the Asian girls in kimonos). This at least gave work to minority models, but it also encouraged a Western view of African culture of the many-bangles-many-beads variety.
O.K., so fashion ain’t deep. It looks into a mirror and sees ... itself. The irony in fashion is that it loves change but it can’t actually change anything. It can only reflect a change in the air. But what changes fashion? What would finally move American designers to include more black models on their runways? That 30 percent of the country is nonwhite? That black women spend $20 billion a year on clothes? That an African-American is the presumptive presidential nominee of the Democratic Party?
The answer is the individual eye.

(Cathy Horyn - NY Times)
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Passing Strange at The Tony Awards

When the BRAG group choose Passing Strange as the play to see for the night out on the town there was not much media buzz surrounding the play. Then the tipping point came. The night BRAG was going to see the play Charles Isherwood of the New York Times gave it a stellar review. Isherwood said it was "wonderful, and a welcome anomaly on Broadway". He also thought Passing Strange gave Broadway "vigorous new artistic blood". The BRAG group saw it that night and we knew Broadway had a hit on its hands.

Hit was an understatement. After receiving 7 Tony Nominations and giving a great performance at the Tony Awards, Stew took home the Tony for Best Book of A Musical.

CONGRATULATIONS!

PASSING STRANGE INFO

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H.I. - HUMAN INTONATION TO LAUNCH IN JULY

Letter to BRAG Members from Verenda White

SAVE THE DATE - 2 JULY 2008!

It is amazing how much time has past and thanks to all of you for the support as I completed my MBA International Business over the last 15 months. I have returned to New York from London and have an exciting
new venture to share with you.

This summer I am pleased to announce the re-launch of my apparel brand under the new name H.I. - HUMAN INTONATION (TM). For those of you who may remember my original Katrina is Still Here: Hands On New Orleans
T-shirt Fundraiser, I am NOW moving forward with an expanded sustainable business using fashion to raise awareness as well as donations for multiple social causes and growing non-profits such as
the Darfur Peace & Development Org (http://www.dpdo.org/).

"The NEW H.I." - HUMAN INTONATION brand launch will take place on JULY 2nd 2008 in Tribeca (New York City) and will include a showcase of the new t-shirts in a high fashion show and a live music performance from the up and coming hip-hop group True2Life Music. A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit non-profit Hands On New Orleans (http://www.handsonneworleans.org/)

Feel free to email me back with any questions or to forward this information, and I hope to see at this FASHIONABLY SOPHISTICATED event!
E-mailmailto:verneda@vernedaadele.com

best,
Verneda White

CNN To Talk about Being Black In America

CNN will be airing a series on Being Black In America.
In this next installment of CNN's Black in America series, Soledad O'Brien examines the successes, struggles and complex issues faced by black men, women and families -- 40 years after the death of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Watch
July 23rd & 24th


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Sean John & Ciroc Partner to Honor BRAG

Prof. Gary Lampley (BRAG President), Marti Moore (VP- Lord & Taylor) & Laticha Brown (Bloomingdales Direct)
Jeff Tweedy of Sean John
Bill Hawthorne - Macy's Inc & B. Oyama

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June (NY) - Sean John and Ciroc Vodka teamed up at the W Hotel on the East Side to celebrate the 2008 BRAG Honorees. The 2008 Dinner Gala is still 4 months away, but the night was a buzz with the excitement surrounding the honorees. It was a night that saw the likes of Audrey Smalls of the Ground Crew and Howard Watts of Fox come out to meet and mingle with the group. The night was definitely a preview of whats to come in October.

GOLD PRICES LEAD TO THEFT AT PENNEYS

In a sign of the times thieves have been going for the gold. Thieves in California have been hitting across state an making off with gold.
The first break-in took place in September 2006, when gold was selling for about $587 an ounce. The thieves lay low until last December before striking again, perhaps enticed by the price of gold hovering around $800 an ounce. As the price of the precious metal continued to zoom to more than $1,000 an ounce, the thieves' activity increased until they had stolen about $2.5 million worth of gold jewelry from 11 JCPenney stores throughout California. 2.5 million dollars!!! WOW!

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The Churn

Melissa Skoog resigns from Prada to launch luxury e-commerce site

Nina Garcia, currently editor-at-large at Elle, has been named fashion director of Marie Claire effective September 2.

Nora Cranley, associate West Coast fashion editor at Flaunt, is now at Contour Image, a division of Getty Images. Keren Eldad, previously fashion advertising director at Surface, is now at the L.A. Times.

Constance Darrow has been named president of creative direction at Vera Wang. She was most recently president of Prada's U.S. division.

Claus-Dietrich Lahrs, currently managing director of Christian Dior Couture, has been named CEO at Hugo Boss, effective August 1.

Robert Gardner , formerly vice president of sales for Maidenform's department store business, has been named general manager of the Donna Karan and DKNY women's intimate apparel license with Maidenform.

Caroline Pieper-Vogt has been promoted to senior vice president of sales and marketing for My Blend by Olivier Courtin, M.D. She was previously senior VP of marketing for the Clarins brand.

Danyelle Boilard-Paul has been named senior vice president of sales and marketing for Clarins Fragrance Group. She was previously senior VP of sales there.

Lindsay Krauss, currently public relations manager at Aeffe USA, Inc. for Moschino, Pollini, and Basso & Brooke, is leaving to become director of public relations and media development at Joan Lunden Productions.

Denise Seegal, president of VF Corporation's Sportswear Coalition, has left the company.

Kate Foster, formerly associate vice president marketing and public relations for Victoria's Secret Beauty, has been named VP of PR and media at Ann Taylor.

Danielle Martinetti, formerly of Nike Communications, has joined Luxottixa Group as Retail Sun public relations manager.

Mary Lawton has been named press and publicity manager at Diesel; she was previously a senior account executive at Factory PR.

Maddy Platt, currently at Finch & Partners, is leaving to join high net worth concierge company representation of Laura Elizabeth Jewelry.