On Friday, January 31, Pratt Manhattan Gallery will open Black Dress II: Homage, an expansive group exhibition celebrating 10 years of the Black Dress Project. Curated by Adrienne Jones and Rachelle Etienne-Robinson, the show builds on the momentum of the original highly successful Black Dress exhibition (2014) by continuing to explore the contributions of Black designers and other fashion professionals to the industry. Black Dress II: Homage highlights the exhibition’s many exceptional contributors through thematic presentations which include garments, accessories, artifacts, and videos.
“It is an unprecedented endeavor to coalesce a diverse array of creatives that inform and educate the New York fashion community, as well as new audiences, on the commemorative work of Blacks in the field of fashion,” says Jones, who is also a professor at Pratt.
Since its inception, the Black Dress Project has expanded into a multi-faceted fashion resource with a website, a YouTube channel featuring interviews with fashion legends, and “Black Dress Talks,” a series of live discussions with notable fashion creatives. This second edition, Black Dress II: Homage, integrates these elements into a multi-media, interactive experience that showcases the triumphs and accomplishments of Black designers, tailors, dressmakers, models, journalists, hair and makeup artists, and stylists. The exhibition delves into the personal and professional journeys of these practitioners, highlighting how familial, community, socio-economic, and political factors have shaped their creative processes and brand development.
The show not only addresses the underrepresentation of Black professionals in the mainstream fashion industry but also celebrates the diverse range of creative influences shaping the future of fashion. For Jones, “it marks a moment in time where we embark on a new chapter in fashion history, rich with a greater range of creative influences and professional opportunities.”
Black Dress II: Homage is open from January 31 through March 22 at 144 West 14th Street. Pratt Manhattan Gallery is free and open to the public.
To learn more, visit pratt.edu.
Pratt Manhattan Gallery’s program is made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
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