Black Dress: Salon

In celebration of Black History Month and New York Fashion Week and building on the success of the 2014 exhibition of the same name, Pratt Institute will host Black Dress: Salon, a festive evening highlighting the contributions made by Black men and women in the fashion industry. This year’s event will feature a conversation with designer Byron Lars (2014 recipient of Pratt Fashion Visionary Award), where for the first time publicly, he will discuss his foray into the fashion industry, as well as the lack of diversity in fashion. Adrienne Jones, Pratt Fashion professor and Black Dress concept developer and curator, will moderate.

Black Dress was envisioned by Jones in 2014 in response to the lack of resources that addressed the rich history and many contributions of Blacks in fashion. This year, together with Pratt alumna Rachelle Etienne-Robinson, Jones seeks to once again illustrate the creativity, the preservation, obstacles, and triumphs of this myriad of artistry.

The evening will include live models, mannequins, video by artist and 2013 MacArthur Foundation Fellow Carrie Mae Weems, and a jazz music performance by Clarissa Sinceno and Aah Fro Blu.

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Funding and support for the programming are provided by the Pratt Fashion Department, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Black Alumni of Pratt, and Pratt Black Lives Matter