Designers of Maison Black via Instagram
Detroit Fashion Week does not have a designated date. It however, is a time of the year when the city’s brands, designers, and creatives come together to display art through clothing.
This year, multiple brands held fashion shows and launch parties to give the public a preview of new pieces and collections for upcoming seasons.
Bottega Veneta, Maison Black, GODNII eyewear, and Deviate Fashion were some of the brands who gave previews of their new pieces and collections through fashion shows and launch parties.
On Oct. 21, Bottega Veneta hosted their first American show, Salon 03, in the Michigan Theatre Building. They debuted their Spring/Summer 2022 collection with attendance from many artists, musicians, and fashion gurus.
Detroit artists such as Moodymann, Carl Craig, ZelooperZ, and Babyface Ray were seen at the show. Other artists in attendance were Mary J. Blige, Lil’ Kim, Burna Boy, 070 Shake, Kehlani, Zazie Beetz, and many more.
The brand displayed pieces including dresses, shoes, tracksuits, bags, jewelry, jackets, pants, and more. Bottega Veneta’s creative director Daniel Lee created groundbreaking pieces made of unique materials in a contemporary way.
The simple, yet effective looks have attracted worldwide attention. From their signature green pieces, metallic textiles, and unique knitwear, Lee has caught everyone’s eyes.
Olu & Company, a Detroit Black-owned public relations and marketing consultancy owned by Amani Olu, teamed up with Bottega Veneta and Lee to bring the life of Detroit into the luxury Italian brand.
The New York City-based company also collaborated in creating the Bottega Firehouse at 1201 Bagley St. This pop-up space consists of the brand’s designs, as well as a reading room by Asmaa Walton’s Black Art Library, a record store by the Underground Music Academy, designs by Chris Schanck and Aratani Fay, printed works by Ruben Cardenas, ceramics by Hamtramck Ceramck, and textiles by Substudio.
Bottega Firehouse is open to the public until Jan. 16, 2022.
To learn more about Salon 03 and Bottega Veneta, visit bottegaveneta.com.
Salon 03 at Michigan Theatre Building | Courtesy of Bottega Veneta
On Oct. 20, designer Tori Nichel presented Manhattan to Motown, a runway show in celebration of Maison Black; an online retail boutique that sells products by Black designers.
The runway show took place at the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant where guests were not only surrounded by Black designers, but some of the first cars created in the world displayed in the plant.
Designers included were APOTTS by Aaron Potts, Kevan Hall, Isaiah Hemmingway, N’Gai by Nicole King, S. McGee Collection by Shawna McGee, and Truth by Sharryl Cross.
These designers are Detroit natives who have made their mark in the fashion industry in New York City. They came back to their hometown to give Detroit a first-look at their newest collections.
Each of the designer’s collections had unique and consistent patterns, textures, and colors. Designs ranged from dresses, colorful suits, vibrant shawls, jumpsuits, and more.
In addition to the runway show, Maison Black hosted a pop-up shop inside of Shinola Detroit on Canfield Street.
From Oct. 21 to Oct. 23, the Maison Black pop-up displayed each of the designer’s collections, in addition to a live DJ, snacks, and Maison Black merch.
The online destination was also featured in Vogue, as they highlighted all of the Black designers.
Visit maisonblack.shop to see more about the designers and events.
On Oct. 14, Ali Omar and Keri Roberts, founders of GODNII eyewear, revealed their newest, already sold-out eyewear and clothing.
The Detroit natives hosted the launch party at the DOSE Collective, a retail collective of various brands.
GODNII’s glasses collection ranges from round, rectangle, and square frames with various colors in tints and frames. Their clothes also have many color options in t-shirts and hoodies that read, “GODNII” and “Out of religion, into God.”
Omar stated the meaning of GODNII is “God’s vision.” He said it is a call out of religion and into God, which is their form of highest expression of love. GODNII can be translated as God-in-I, God-and-I, and most cleverly, God-in-eye.
The launch party brought out the strongest Detroit culture with sounds by DJ A-List, hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and a room full of Detroit artists and creatives.
Most of the glasses are sold out and on backorder from its rapid popularity growth. Omar and Roberts are taking the brand on a 70-city tour to give the rest of the country a preview of Detroit’s newest eyewear brand.
Learn more about GODNII at godnii.com.
On Sep. 24, women-owned Detroit brand Deviate Fashion displayed their Spring/Summer 2022 collection, Impalpable as a Dream.
The show was held at Recycle Here!, an industrial recycling center filled with graffiti, art, and recycling materials.
In an Instagram statement, founders Cassidy and Kelsey said the collection was an attempt to explain a dream. They said it is “to touch the impalpable; to understand an enigmatic energy.”
Some pieces also represented how Detroit’s music scene has influenced artists around the world from techno to Motown.
This unique collection gives a visual representation of Detroit culture. It consisted of workwear functional, yet modern pieces. There were also 3D, puffy textiles as parts of the clothing pieces
“My exact hand shape is cut and sewn onto the sleeve of every jacket, symbolizing personal experiences and the hands of real Detroit artisans creating each piece,” they wrote on Instagram.
The brand was also featured in Vogue to acknowledge Deviate’s genderless clothing.
Check out more about Deviate Fashion and their work at deviatefashion.com
When it comes to the fashion scene, Detroit’s future will be deeply rooted in its past and history.
Whether it’s an Italian luxury brand or a local brand, the city’s culture has inspired artists worldwide. There is no end in-sight for these groundbreaking opportunities in Detroit.
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