Fashion Designer Therez Fleetwood Pays Tribute To The Harlem Renaissance

Black fashion phenomenon Therez Fleetwood, who gained great notoriety with her world couture bridal and ready-to-wear collections, designing custom fashions for celebrities such as Queen Latifah, Angela Bassett Yolanda Adams, En Vogue, is poised to unveil her museum-inspired fashion-art collection, a tribute to the impactful artists of the Harlem Renaissance This global fashion event is scheduled to take place on February 24, 2024, via an online fashion presentation.

With her new fashion-art collection, “Harlem Renaissance Reveire: A Couture Canvas of Artistic Homage and Cultural Celebration,” Therez has pushed the limits of fashion, skillfully merging creativity with her deep respect for African American culture. Making a triumphant comeback after a ten-year hiatus, she has been inspired by the vibrant tapestry of the Harlem Renaissance, an era that celebrated African American life through diverse artistic expressions. This spectacular collection of coats pays homage to the cultural vibrancy and artistic ingenuity of eight luminaries from the Renaissance period: William H. Johnson, Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, Lois Mailou Jones, Elizabeth Catlett, Aaron Douglas, Archibald Motley, and Palmer Hayden. 

In “Harlem Renaissance Reveire,” Therez elevates the artistry of these visionaries to unprecedented heights, turning fashion into a canvas for visual storytelling. She weaves together traditional folk art craftsmanship with contemporary flair, narrating compelling stories through each meticulously crafted garment. Silk, wool, cotton, and jute serve as her canvases, with traditional paint replaced by meticulously crafted felt fabric appliques, patchwork, and quilting techniques, transforming each garment into a storytelling masterpiece. It’s a celebration of African American life and a bold statement that challenges the norms of the fashion industry.

According to Therez, “The Harlem Renaissance was a pivotal period in American history that witnessed the rise of extraordinary artists delving deep into themes of Black life, identity, and the pursuit of freedom of expression. These influential artists addressed pressing political, historical, cultural, and social issues that continue to resonate in our society today. Therez’s goal in presenting her new outerwear collection, Harlem Renaissance Reveire: A Couture Canvas of Artistic Homage and Cultural Celebration, is to redefine the boundaries of fashion by referencing the visionaries’ artwork in a fresh aesthetic and displaying traditional craftsmanship through contemporary fashion while narrating compelling stories throughout each garment.

RSVP for the February 24, 2024, online global fashion event at [email protected]

This story was first reported by blacknews.com

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