Detroit's Young Black Men Got Their Shine During Maison Black's NYFW Showcase

There's still a need for New York Fashion Week to become more diverse and inclusive. Not only do we need to see more "color" in the shows but we also need to see the young designers of this generation get the opportunity to show and express their creativity. Fortunately, Black-owned brands like Maison Black are taking matters into their own hands and spearheading this necessary movement.

Last week, Maison Black, an online retailer and destination for discovery for Black designers, kicked off NYFW with its inaugural Maison Black fashion show. But this wasn't your typical NYFW show where the focus is only clothes, this showcase highlighted fashion and the creative young Black male designers from Detroit behind it.

The Maison Black fashion show is the result of the Maison Black’s Men in Fashion Mentorship program, a collaboration between Maison Black and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (BGCSM) Fashion Industry Club that pairs five accomplished Black male designers based in New York with five Black male rising stars from Detroit.

“What I love about this experience with BGCSM is that the youth have a life-changing opportunity to see themselves in the industry, to know that their north-star is within reach, and to produce a show in one of the fashion capitals of the world,” says Tori Nichel, founder of Maison Black. “The designer mentors are veterans in the industry and have been dressing celebrities for decades, so I appreciate them being dedicated to the youth’s journey in this way. I am grateful that the mentors, mentees, and the team at BGCSM trusted my vision, and look to continue to support the next generation of fashion designers. It’s going to be incredible to witness the faces and reactions of the youth when their looks share the runway of our featured designers.”

This year's young mentees/designers were Trent Garcon (19), Armán Robart (17), Langston Howard (13), Carlos Pearson (17), and Shawn Woodward (18). The designers/mentors who worked with them were Isaiah Hemmingway, Dreu Beckemberg and Omar Jermaine. The NYFW runway show, at LVMH, featured one look by each mentee designer and was inspired by the Detroit techno documentary, God Said Give 'Em Drum Machines. Hemmingway, Beckemberg and Jermaine also presented their Fall 2023 capsule collections during the show.

Guests included Bernard James, Devine Blacksher, Albert Ayal aka Up Next Designer, Britt Theodora, Ah-Niyah Gold, Taylor Lashley, Beverly, Davidson Frere, Jeff Tweedy and LVMH’s head of DEI Corey Smith.

Check out more photos from the event below.

Photo Credit: Deonté Lee/BFA