LET FASHION WEEK BE BLACK!

Photos //Andre Uncut

Last week, as numerous New Yorkers and Fashion notables gathered their energy for the upcoming week filled with runway shows, presentations, afterparties and PR dinners, a select group convened at the request of the one and only Dez, for an extraordinary evening sponsored by Mostrador.

Hosted at the Walker Hotel in Tribeca, and featuring drinks by Prima Pave, this edition of “Dine with Dez” was aptly titled “Let Fashion Week Be Black”, serving as both a celebration of Black History Month and a kickoff to NYFW. Among the attendees were prominent figures representing Black Excellence, including Shaun Ross, Cleotrapa, Nimay Ndolo, Armiel Chandler, Attis, Brandonn St. Regis, and RillyRil among others. The evening aimed to explore the intersection between black culture and the broader global fashion industry, two worlds notoriously intertwined and yet seemingly at odds with one another.

As guests were seated, a place card laid out the only two rules for the table: 1) Make a new friend tonight, and 2) Uphold Freedom of Speech – no censorship, talk about everything and anything. As dishes arrived and drinks flowed, guests played a spirited game of “20 Questions”, each picking a number and responding to a hand-selected question from Dez himself. These prompts sparked lively and insightful conversations, ranging from the fashion industry’s reliance on cultural appropriation to the different ways to bypass gatekeeping by white counterparts, to the most heated topic of the night – the merit of highwater pants.

Overall, Ladygunn was thrilled to be a part of such a special evening that not only gathered and centered Black/POC voices but uplifted them as well. Thank you Dez for curating another amazing dinner experience, we cannot wait to see what unforgettable moments unfold at the next Dine with Dez.