Stephen Burrows, Tracy Reese and B. Michael have defined our times and weathered the storm that is the fashion industry (these days, everyone is a critic, aren’t they?) Here, I chatted with all three of these fashion visionaries.

STEPHEN BURROWS
When I arrived in New York in 1975, there were few African American designers and certainly none who had achieved any kind of stature–with, of course, the exception being Stephen Burrows!

TRACY REESE
Tracy Reese ranks as one of the fashion industry’s most successful African-American women whose realm is not only relegated to the runway.  In a business where few designer labels seem to make it past their fifth anniversary, Reese has two clothing lines, Tracy Reese and Plenty.

B. MICHAEL
This fantastic designer launched his first couture collection in 1999 and, similar to his approach to millinery, his design exudes a glamourous, clean aesthetic.  He heightens his couture vision by infusing emotions such as joy, adding a discern-able feeling and festive mood to his creations.

CONTINUED AT ESSENCE.COM

I am very proud to call her a friend and this month she has several projects that I would like to pass on to you… one being her CD “The Element of Freedom” and the other being this jewelry collection “The Barber’s Daughter.”  The beautiful jewelry is engraved with poetry, prose and prayer and is gorgeous as well as inspiring.  It is designed by Gisele Theriault.

Alicia says, “I love Gisele’s work. I feel like I’m wearing art. I love how each piece is so individual, beautiful, handcrafted and one of a kind. But, by far my favorite part is the words that are written. They remind me of the things I want to hold onto every day. It feels, in a way, like a shield.”

And true to Alicia’s commitment, this year she has collaborated with her designer Gisele and created a special necklace for the Black Ball Charity event in New York; it was auctioned off raising $25,000 for Keep a Child Alive which helped the evening raise $2.4 million.

I sat down with Alicia and Gisele and asked them to enlighten us about this new venture.

1. How did you two meet?
Gisele:  “Alicia and I met through a friend, Dave Watson, Alicia’s sax player for her world tour 2008 when they came to Toronto.  Ashunta (Alicia’s make-up artist) asked Dave if I could bring my jewelry line to the hotel. She and I had a crazy, strong connection and she thought Alicia would appreciate the work and arranged for a meet at the next day’s concert.” 

2. Alicia, what made you decide this was to be your first non music venture?
I love these pieces on a very deep level. I love the way they are so individual and created with so much divine energy put into them. They are beautiful and speak to the song writer in me by having such meaningful words engraved on them. I believe the world is looking for meaning everywhere they can, and they absolutely can in these barbers daughters pieces!

3. Gisele…. I believe everything happens for a reason….the birth of your son and the death of your father share same day and now this wonderful project?
This line of inscribing words in jewelry to remind us where beauty really lives and how rich we are if we’d open our eyes is the result of persistent dreams.  A dream that was waking up with a voice in my head that was telling me that if I want to reach more people through the healing arts, I should go back to creating jewelry that I knew so well and start engraving poetry, prose and prayer and help people ground into their deeper self through the tough times.  I neglected this dream, sure that I was eating too late at night, until I started waking up in a sweat.  When I gave in and pursued the idea, of course answers came almost as fast as the questions were formulated.

After 1 1/2 years of it and a line gaining momentum, Alicia and I met. Within our communications I offered to create a piece for the Black Ball 2008.  While I was engraving late one night, exhausted, realizing that I’ve grown to hire 2 more people and went from working 12 hr days to 18 hour days, I did the simple math and threw the question up to the Universe/guardians/.. “If I am supposed to reach more people with this work, how? If I hire one more person, I think I’ll be dead.”  Two days later, the day after the Black Ball necklace we created together sold for 25K, we had lunch and Alicia said, “I sooo believe in this work and want to partner with you and help you take it to a global reach.”

Direct answer to my question! Coincidence?

4. Alicia, why Keep a Child Alive… share why this particular organization moved you to action?
Keep a Child Alive speaks to me because I directly saw the effect of the AIDS pandemic in Africa when I went and I believe so much in my co-founder Leigh Blake! I know the people we serve and that they get what they deserve. This movement gives me a more supreme purpose and it’s something I believe in. 

5. Alicia, what would you like to accomplish with the jewelry line?
I would like the WORLD to be effected by the pieces; for people to have an emotional connection with their pieces in such a way that it gives u something positive to hold on to (literally and figuratively!) 

6. The Barber’s shop seems to be an extension of what you both have been doing for a long time…. please explain?
Alicia “‘The Barber Shop’ is traditionally a place you can be yourself, find friends and emerge looking even better than when u came in… I feel the same about the barbers daughters pieces.”

Gisele “‘The Barber Shop’ is the greatest repository of stories. Stories define who we are. When we are willing to drop our story lines that hinder our growth, we can recreate the lives we want to live.”

7. Alicia, during this Christmas 2009… what would like to impart to the universe?
A sense of inspiration, hope, joy, faith and limitlessness.

8. Alicia, do you have a favorite piece?
My favorite piece is somewhere between the barbers daughters dog tags that say “the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others,” that we created specifically for the Keep a Child Alive Black Ball fundraiser this year, and this large beautiful silver cuff that says “I am A superwoman!”

www.thebarbersdaughters.com
www.keepachildalive.org

Alicia Keys and designer Gisele Theriault

The Fashion Group International is the pre-eminent authority on the business of fashion and design and this year’s Star Honorees not only included my dear Michael Kors but also Frida Gianini of Gucci, Milliner Stephen Jones and Victoire de Castellane  of Dior Fine Jewelry.

The event was held at Cipriani Wall Street and packed with celebrities from Gwen Stefani, Eva Mendes, Jon Bon Jovi, Michael Stipes, Mary J. Blige, Evan Rachel Wood, Emmy Rossum  and James Franco and fashion’s biggest talents from Michael Kors (of course!), Oscar de la Renta, Vera Wang, Tommy Hilfigher  and Kenneth Cole.  

When I was just about to get up to present the award to Michael, I realized that I hadn’t  printed my speech in a bigger font….you see I need reading glasses so usually when there are no teleprompters I print my speech in humongous letters, but I didn’t check tonight as my assistant print it out for me!

I realized there is no way I could read this so I started asking around the tables for a pair of reading glasses.  After several tries and nothing, thankfully, a gentleman gave me his glasses that were a perfect match and I thought, “now I have to work the glasses in the speech!”  So I did…. and guess what?  WWD wrote:

“Iman could have easily picked up “crowd favorite” for her speech introducing fashion award winner Michael Kors.  She said ‘Thank you, Vera Wang, Tommy Hilfigher, Oscar de la Renta, and all the other designers who told me that I look more beautiful and younger than ever.  But ladies, don’t fret – getting older is a b–ch!’”

That is when I put the reading glasses on!  It pays sometimes to think fast on your feet and make mistakes or misfortunes work for you.

I said in my speech this (among other things,) “For 28 years, Michael was consistently stood for a relaxed kind of luxury which is the hallmark of American Style. His sporty glamour has traveled the fashion globe from Bond Street in London, to the Via Sant Andrea in Milan, to seven years at the helm of Celine in Paris. He has seen his American point of view become an increasingly international point of view. Watching his shows is like a 13 min escape from everyday life. He takes us away from Aspen to Gstad to Capri and Palm Beach and back to urban Manhattan.”

Congrats, Michael! Mwah!

Iman in custom made Michael Kors gown and Fred Leighton jewelry

 The First Lady applauded ABT for reaching thousands of students  in some of the most underserved schools and communities across the nation with its award winning education program. Both as mothers, Veronica and I share belief that even a child’s first encounter with the arts can be a life-changing experience.

I chose to wear a Donna Karan burgundy cashmere long dress which I saw in the window of her Madison Boutique and that stopped me in my tracks! The color is just breathtaking on dark skin and it fit like a glove.  I then proceeded 2 doors down to Fred Leighton to borrow some spectacular jewelry.

For my makeup I ventured into darker burgundy lips and as you all know, I usually go with a nude lip, but I loved it.

What say you about the dark lips with dark eyes?

Please, post your comments.

Iman in a Donna Karan dress and Fred Leighton jewelry

Iman with honorary co-chair Veronica Webb

Alicia Keys, Padma Lakshmi and I co-hosted our yearly fundraiser for Keep a Child Alive (www.keepachildalive.org) at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York city…. and what a night it was!

We honored President Bill Clinton, Sir Richard Branson and African musician Youssou Ndour. The evening celebrated the work of the world’s most influential humanitarians, prominent entrepreneurs, entertainers and politicians who continue to attend and lend their support each year.

The Hammerstein Ballroom was transformed into a glamorous African tent where we gathered to talk, entertain, celebrate and highlight the work of Keep a Child Alive.  Our emcee Queen Latifah was funny and engaging and gathered everybody to raise the funds during the auction.  At one point she was trying to outbid Tyler Perry…. Go Queen (but she lost it to him – all for a good cause!) The auction kicked ass!

The celebrity quota was very high this year from Halle Berry, Kerry Washington, Mary J Blige, Estelle, Usher, Tyler Perry, Tonya Lewis and Spike Lee, Tommy Hilfiger, Jeffrey Wright, Adrian Grenier, Erica Reid and L A Reid, Nick Cannon, Paula Patton and Robin Thicke, Samuel Jackson, Al Rocker and many more (sorry, if I missed your name!) My highlight was seeing the lovely Halle Berry… she is beautiful in pictures but my God she is breathtaking in real life and motherhood suits her gloriously!

Iman and Halle Berry at Keep a Child Alive Black Ball

I have made a new friend in Kerry Washington who invited me to the opening of her broadway debut Race… can’t wait.  But my new BFF is CNN’s Christiane Amanpour who was a guest at my table, also including Cindy Leive, Editor in Chief of Glamour, Sir Richard Branson and his wife, my dearest friend Bethann Hardison, Tyson Beckford and of course my husband David Bowie.

With fearless performances by Alicia Keys and her band, Chris Martin of Coldplay, John Mayer, and Youssou Ndour, as well as the African Children’s Choir….. the kids which ranged from 7-10 years old got the most applause!  Chris Martin (who bought one of the auction pieces which was Alicia Keys piano with a lesson from her!) was so sweet and engaging on stage and I was floored by John Mayer and Alicia’s rendition of “Ain’t no Sunshine.”  A standing ovation from the whole house!  We ended with Alicia and Chris Martin duet of Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida.”  Everybody was on their feet dancing.

Iman at The Black Ball wearing a Thakoon dress and Fred Leighton jewelry

It was an evening to inform, inspire and have fun and what fun we had.

One of the reason I joined this organization was NO bureaucracy, no bullshit. It remains small and bureaucracy-free, so the speed of response is never hammered.  

Keep a Child Alive is fearless, rebellious, irreverent, cutting edge and not afraid to push limits…. We are the punk rock of charities!  There is no hierarchy, only shared passion for moving our agenda forward which is to save as many lives as possible.  100% of the public’s donation to KCA go directly to support essential treatment and support services for children and families living with HIV/AIDS. 

You want to help? It is as simple but monumental as:

– Make an immediate $5 donation to KCA by texting “ALIVE” to 90999

– visit www.keepachildalive.org to learn more ways to Get Involved

With Queen Rania of Jordan

These are the models who are involved in this issue:

Naomi Campbell as the Global Ambassador for the White Ribbon Alliance through Fashion Relief that she spearheaded has attracted new supporters as well as needed funds to ensure mothers and new born babies survive childbirth.

With Naomi Campbell

Christy Turlington Burns as a maternal health advocate works with CARE in effort to gather support for safe motherhood in Congress.

Liya Kebede who wrote that ” There is a saying in Africa that to find out you are pregnant is to have one foot in the grave. In my native Ethiopia, children are treasured yet dying in childbirth is a fact of life.” Did you know that every minute of every day, a woman dies of pregnancy complications, totaling more than one half million women each year? How do you do your part?

Learn more at www.whiteribbonalliance.org.

Fashion's Night Out - photo: courtesy of wireimage.com

I started first doing homework with my daughter and then preparing dinner for her and then it was time for mommy to get ready for a shopping night out. My friend and makeup artist Sam Fine met me at home and hooked me up with a good face and I put on an Alexander McQueen jacket with leggings and over-the-knee boots! I found in my storage a 1980’s Thierry Mugler over the knee boots… very S&M! That is why I never give away my accessories because they never go out of fashion or at least the trends keep on coming back. Accessories are those extras that keep on giving.

We started with Barneys as the idea was we will hit one mega department store and we chose this… it was a complete mayhem but in a good way…. people were actually shopping! I saw boys actually buying girls jackets… talk about androgynous! Then we were off to Dolce and Gabbana to pay a visit to my friend Megan who is the pr but then realized when we got to the store that she was at D&G in Soho so we ran back in the car and we were off to Dior and on our way there we passed Bergdorf Goodman and there were lines outside… my goodness, you would think they were giving clothes away and the streets looked like a fashion show. Fashion turn to the right… Fashion turn to the left… Fa Fa Fa Fa Fashion…… everyone was dressed to the hilt… killers!

Dior was a little bit civilized but every hip hop artists and wanabees were in there and I am sure paying full retail. My friend the photographer Arthur Elgort set up a make shift studio and we took pictures together… let me give you a bit of history here… Arthur was the first photographer who shot me for a magazine and it was for Vogue on my third day in New York way back in 1975! We laughed about that! Dorothy, we are not in 1975 anymore.

Sam insisted we stop by Prada on our way to Soho and so we did and we just missed the book signing of Grace Coddington, Creative Director of Vogue … don’t miss her great “acting” performance in The September Issue documentary that is in theaters now.

I was getting pooped and, girl, my bunions were killing me but we had one more stop at my dear friend Rachel Roy’s pop up store you definitely have to check out her new line Rachel Rachel Roy (very affordable and very downtown chic) exclusively at Macy’s.

Well, Spring Street in New York is a mess even on a good day and tonight it was a lot of a mess. It took us forever to get there but it was worth it as she was shocked to see me that I made the effort and said that she owes me till eternity… You are my witness in case she forgets that promise! It was worth it but was way overcrowded. Lots of beautiful black girls including Estelle ( she is collaborating with Rachel on a jewelry line) who was ensconced in a corner but I never made it to her as I was famished so we were off to Indochine where we met up with Tyson Beckford and his beautiful Australian girlfriend, my closest friend Bethann Hardison, Eric Sartore of Betsey Johnson and a sleuth of rotating friends. Tonight was a huge success and I only wished that they had made the whole week Fashion’s Week Out and allocated one day to Madison Avenue stores, next to 5th Avenue stores day because I felt we lost a lot of time in traffic traveling from one end to the other.

Came home very late, barely got out of my clothes and committed a beauty sin that I haven’t done since my Studio 54 days…I went to bed without taking my makeup off! Bad, bad very bad girl. I am sure to regret this! Pray for me!

Lexi, my daughter, started 4th grade this morning and she was a little scared and anxious but so was I. I was asked by Vogue to be part of Fashion’s Night Out Initiative shoot with Patrick Demachelier and they were shooting  100 models at the steps of Bryant Park…. to those of you who are clueless to where this is Bryant Park is where Fashion Week (fashion shows) are held in New York… it is kind of a Mecca for fashionistas and wanabees.

From A listers and beyond D listers gather not necessarily to look at what the designers have been agonizing to create for months but to actually have their photos taken! It has become another photo op for “celebrities” and who isn’t one these days! but I regress …. So I got to Bryant Park late, as all mothers know first day of school is not about dropping off your child but you meet the new teachers and mingle with parents you haven’t seen all summer…. as the clock was ticking I was thinking I have to get to Bryant Park or Vogue will never forgive me!

Vogue Fashion’s Night Out Initiative shoot w/ Patrick Demachelier- photo: courtesy of models.com

I rushed into the car and barked at the poor driver to step on it and proceeded to change from mommy clothes to high fashion gear….. this required all my forgotten skills of modeling ( modeling does require skills!) and pushed out of my “boyfriend” jeans, which I lived in them all summer,  to the skinny ones (fashionista’s uniform) and from flip flops to vertigo inducing Sergio Rossi heels ….. I missed the 100 model photo op but I barely made to the smaller “in” group and I felt scared and anxious (just like Lexi) as I posed with models in their late teens and early twenties outside of a studio ( meaning daylight! yikes) but was very welcomed by all these pretty young things as they cheered welcome ICON!

Welcome…. indeed!