By Keith L. Forrest
In celebration of Black Business Month and in honor of the 28th anniversary of its Brooklyn flagship store, global fashion designer Moshood once again brought its legendary New Roots to Culture Fashion Showcase to Bedford-Stuyvesant Village.
Hosted by Laurie Cumbo, Commissioner of Cultural Affairs for the City of New York, and director Joseph Grant, the explosive fashion extravaganza took place at Restoration Plaza, 1360 Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY, and featured live musical performances and Moshood’s signature African- inspired fashion creations. Other notable civic leaders in attendance included U.S. Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, New York State Senator Kevin Parker, Bed-Stuy Gateway BID Executive Director Dale Charles and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who came out to supported his mother who models every year for the show.
The high-spirited event kicked off with a live performance by the Kunle Might Sunrise Band featuring lead singer Moses “Kunle Mighty” Ayankunle, a renowned multi-instrumentalist born into a family of talking drummers. Dressed in traditional West African clothing, the band’s percussive beats left the audience with hypnotic, syncopated licks straight from the homeland. The high-energy 10-piece band, which is steeped in the percussive sounds of JuJu, highlife and Afropop, was formed at Sunrise Spiritual Church. It is managed by Kunle Ade who is the son of legendary Nigerian singer JuJu and multi-disciplinary musician, King Sunny Ade.
In addition to live music, the festive celebration included authentic, fashion-forward designs from a variety of emerging black designers. Daryl Gordon, a Brooklyn-based accessory and hat designer, was the first designer to take the stage to present the latest creations from his Brooklyn-inspired Daryl G Designs collection. Arise and Shine, a global design company based in Brooklyn, followed with their African-inspired Nigerian text. Next up was artist, designer and cancer survivor Lisa Fashion’s one-of-a-kind clothing art. Mo Glover, who debuted her cross-generational, African-inspired designs during Moshood’s 27th anniversary showcase, is back with her latest collection paying homage to the Kings and Queens of Brooklyn. Designer Wolete Mariam, aka Empress Wendy, wowed the runway with bold, Afrocentric designs from her Rasta Royal Elegance collection.
The festive outdoor festival, which took place on the eve of Black Business Month, aims to drive traffic to the Bedford Stuyvesant business district. Like most small businesses, the Nigerian-born designer’s business was affected by COVID-19. However, thanks to its growing e-commerce platform and help from the Bed-Stuy Gateway BID, Moshood has been able to keep its doors open. In gratitude to the village that helped him, Moshood hopes the fashion show will encourage spectators who attend from near and far to support other local businesses within the corridor.
The name MOSHOOD/African spirit has become synonymous with a style that personifies the “spirit” of African pride. Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, Moshood arrived to make his mark in New York in the early 1980s. After years of hard work and dedication, he opened his boutique in Brooklyn, New York. His timeless pieces bring together the traditional beauty of African tailoring and a taste of Western flair. His fluid and elegant designs have been embraced from Harlem to Soweto, Lagos to Bahia, London to Tokyo and New York to Kingston.
Moshood teaches us through his fashion to love and respect ourselves and the traditions, our traditions, from which we come. Remember: When you wear Moshood, wear yourself!
