with Chi Touching on a number of core themes about breaking societal norms and stereotypes about People of Color, one notable way the Showtime series does this is through fashion, specifically streetwear. The show’s creator, Lena Waithe, has taken things a step further by elevating the creative realm of Chi through highlighting young fashion designers.
Instead of featuring luxury brands known for character clothing, Waithe has made it her mission to give others a chance to shine while working with wardrobe designer Mercedes Cook (pictured above). In doing so, the fashion in the show lends itself to a much wider conversation. It’s not just about looking cool and fresh, but about the subtle ways we can empower POC, especially black creators, in our communities through their talents. Hypebae spoke with three designers-slash-entrepreneurs — André Jones, Zhair Nixon and Willeen Capehart — about their experience with their models and brands featured on season 5 of the show and why this type of representation is so important in fashion and media .
Jones, who founded Rabbit 3, a brand with a visually futuristic aesthetic, elaborated on the important role black creatives play in society, which isn’t always appreciated. “It’s about doing what’s right,” he says. “Black culture is the epicenter of pop culture; yet, the Black community is rarely given the recognition it deserves.”
Most importantly, focusing on current talent rather than big names leaves room for inspiration. “Seeing Lena selflessly reaching out to help us gain visibility is hopeful,” adds Jones. “I hope your ‘big break’ is within reach. I hope that however you make it to Hollywood, your people will come back for you. And I hope there are still good people in the world.”
On the other hand, Nixon, the founder of BLVCK SHEEP, uses his plans to tell a story. “As an artist-designer, I pride myself on being creative and original,” he says, adding that he likes to incorporate “meaningful messages and cultural knowledge into my clothes.” For example, one of his designs featured in the show is a bright coat he refers to as “The Sun Will Rise,” which offers warmth in more ways than one. “Be grateful that you wake up every day, we all go through different obstacles and experiences in life,” he explains. “No matter what we go through, ‘The sun will rise.’ Therefore, we should appreciate every moment, create memories with each other, stay healthy and do what makes us happy.”
Capehart, CEO of Phase, serves as an example of what is often missing in fashion: women in streetwear, especially black female designers. As a woman, she brings a unique approach to her designs. “I tend to look at clothing from a gender-neutral perspective as we’re seeing it lose its relevance in both streetwear and luxury,” she says. “We’ve seen brands like Louis Vuitton and Balenciaga put skirts on their male models, and we’ve seen artists like Teyana Taylor often take a more masculine approach to her sense of style. As a female designer of color. that is masculine and designs that style of clothing, opportunities like this are very rare.”
Capehart reiterated the initiatives Waithe is undertaking and how they could pave the way for others. “Lena gave me and a few other black designers a foot in the door for our pieces to reach a bigger platform,” she says. “Some new brands don’t always have the funds for more marketing. Getting more eyes on your brand is one of the hardest things to accomplish as a new brand and this opportunity helped significantly. Not only did the articles appear in the episodes, but the brands were also tagged on several different occasions. This opportunity shows other black and brown designers that you don’t have to be a big luxury brand to give you a chance.”
Check out Jones, Nixon and Capehart’s designs in Season 5 of Chicurrently airing on Showtime, as well as the Instagram posts below.
These interviews have been condensed and edited for clarity.
