NYC Fashion Week -- Chrisette Michele

Our first hint that the it would be a bit more than we expected was the giant video screen which served as the show's backdrop, reflected in a shiny, mirrored runway. These things don't come cheap.
Then we glanced at the model lineup, and while we expected to see a few prominent black models, we didn't count on an all-star team including Chanel Iman, Liya Kebede, Sessilee Lopez, Lakshmi Menon and even Lara Stone, the rising Dutch star who just had the most recent issue of French Vogue devoted to her alone. Add to that some popular faces who rarely grace the runways anymore like Alek Wek, Oluchi and '90s cult favorite Stacey McKenzie. Obviously having an all-black show would be just as inappropriate as an all-white one, so the cast was diverse, but naturally leaning towards models of color. Given the persistent state of things, race-wise, we are betting that this will be the only show all season that will have Chanel, Liya, Sessilee, Alek, Jaunel and rising newcomers Georgie, Aminata and Hollis among others less well known, all on the same runway at the same time. Of course including fair skinned Namibian star Behati Prinsloo reminds us that not everyone born in Africa is dark. But there were more surprises in store.
The show included four African labels: Stoned Cherrie, Tiffany Amber, Momo and XULY.Bët whom many will remember as a hot independent label from the early '90s.
XULY.Bët opened using the new Grace Jones video Corporate Cannibal as the backdrop. Ms. McKenzie's's return to the runway garnered a smattering of applause, which grew to loud cheers when Alek appeared alongside Tyson Beckford. Now that the cheering protocol had been busted, the audience leapt to their feet when the loopy Ms. Jones herself appeared for her own turn on the runway at the end of the segment, and as any diva would, she milked the crowd's ovation for all it was worth. Ordinarily, we would have have thought that this was front-loading the show with its most well-known designer and spoecial guest star, but the crowd was already amped up, and as the pumping house music continued, they were clapping and cheering at every possible provocation: for Chanel Iman, just for being there and for Liya and any other favorite model. One girl had to discard her ill fitting shoes. Applause! And it went on through the other three segments, with the audience doing everything that just isn't done at a runway show, and apparently loving every minute.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• NYC
• Mercedez
• Benz
• Fashion
• Week
• 2009
• February
• Chirsette
• Michele
• fashion
• runway
• yt:quality=high

[AleekahTV]

Grace Jones is TOO fierce. She's different and she's comfortable with it.

[Laitalafraise]

I love Chrisette !!

[midnightclever]

and she really took it (the pic) and is really keeping it. lol. you go girl. celebrate hot black men

[ladyl916]

"stole it from the look board"..lol..lmao..lol

[lilisheree]

Aaaw! my Farai is a star!!!! Chrisette is such a dang doll!!!

[StarPowerAlbum]

Nice interview..great post!

[h6d46h]

HYDE 8I9O0P-=I8JK0UHG64RTGVBNJL

[OrangeSodiePop]

Reading the description on the right, that fashion show sounds so exciting! I wish you guy's would have shown the whole thing.