Style Writer Joce Blake Shares Her Fabulous NYFW Diary

Source: Courtesy of Joce Blake / Joce Blake

It’s me again – living out my Black Sarah Jessica Parker dreams during another New York Fashion Week. This time, I’m officially feeling like a New Yorker as I moved to Brooklyn in July and have been experiencing what the concrete jungle is made of. Last season, I was outside, attending all of the events and networking with everyone. While it was amazing, it also left me drained. This season I wanted to operate more intentionally to achieve my goals and take care of myself. Come with me as I detail the five fashionable days of fall/winter New York Fashion Week. 

1. Day 1, the L’AGENCE Presentation

First up on the agenda was the L’AGENCE Presentation at The Bowery Hotel, where all the fashion girlies came out to play. The room was full of moody florals as models donned various pieces from the Fall 2023 collection. Each piece effortlessly captured the distinct seductive glamour of the L’AGENCE woman aligning with the Rock N Sexy motif. 

2. Day 1, "You Will Do Great Things"

I left the presentation to celebrate Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and book club founder Amerie’s latest endeavor – her children’s book, “You Will Do Great Things.” According to MacMillan, it is a lyrical, magical picture book about the great possibilities that lie ahead for our little ones, featuring illustrations by Raissa Figueroa. The intimate dinner featured good drinks, good food, and good vibes, as the “1 Thing” singer shared some precious moments with us.

3. Day 2, Black in Fashion Council Breakfast

Day two started with the Black in Fashion Council Breakfast at Christie’s, where we got a private viewing of Andre Leon Talley’s massive and iconic collection. To say I was moved to tears is an understatement. ALT is a Black superhero, and it felt unreal to be surrounded by his belongings. I could feel him in every nook of the space due to the intentionality of the curation. From his personalized Birkin bags to his Louis Vuitton collection to his unforgettable caftans, the arsenal was made up of over 60 items that meant something to this legend which meant the world to me. The Black in Fashion Council continues to be a force in fashion as they empower us to take up all the space and follow in ALT’s footsteps.

4. Day 2, Kate Spade's NYFW show

The eponymous American fashion house Kate Spade switched it up this season and took their presentation to the Whitney Museum of Art. The lookbook is described as an art and fashion collision. The collection features vibrant modernist pieces comprised of exhibition-worthy brights, graphic prints, and chic sequined numbers in this show-stopping seasonal lineup. It was definitely an explosion of colors and textures in the best ways.

5. Day 2, Black Girls in Color NYFW event

The next event filled up my whole soul. I started following Black Girls in Color on Instagram a year ago, and I’ve been obsessed ever since. Their little corner of the internet is a space curated for black girls to highlight their creativity through fashion and lifestyle. When I got the invitation for their NYFW event with FASHIONPHILE, I knew I had to slide through and indulge in all the Black Girl Magic. And I did just that. We danced the night away as luxury designer bags encircled us. It was a night to remember with women I’ll never forget.

6. Day 3, the Son Jung Wan show

On the third day, I interviewed Son Jung Wan, one of my favorite designers. The backstage area was just as lively as the glamorous futuristic garments. 

7. Day 3, the Son Jung Wan show

Wan told us that she planned to transport us to the 90s as the minimalism of the era immensely inspired her. To keep with her classic palette, she looked to Provence blues, dreamy orange light grays, and effervescent black and white. The collection spanned styles of voluminous dresses, bold outerwear, and innovative coordinate sets.

8. Day 3, the Black in Fashion Council Showroom & Happy Hour

To close the night, I stopped by the Black in Fashion Council Showroom & Happy Hour, which also took place at Spring Studios. For the past three years, BIFC has dedicated a space at the fashion campus to showcase brilliant Black designers. This year’s lineup included Jefroi, Torlowei, Ellaé Lisqué, Mademette, Made By Ciriaco, Oak And Acorn, SIncerely Ria, Diotima, and cult-favorite CISE Store because “Protect Black Women” is always the motto. The showroom was wall-to-wall with fashion lovers like style influencer Jenee Naylor aka @highlowluxxe, model Jourdan Dunn, and designer Christopher John Rogers. Black excellence showed up and showed out, thanks to Lindsay Peoples and Sandrine Charles, the founders of the Black in Fashion Council.

9. Day 4, theGlobal Fashion Collective

Global Fashion Collective took us on a worldwide tour with designers from Japan, Indonesia, Mozambique, Mexico, China, France, and Korea. The showcase I attended included three designers: AMBERGLEAM, JASIVE, and Maison De Hoe. Each brand had a unique concept as they took on different perspectives of fashion. AMBERGLEAM weaves together men’s and women’s essence. They have been proactive about the sustainability of this industry by engaging in the UPCYCLE Project, which seeks out discarded fabrics and dead stock and breathes life into new clothing. JASIVE is similar in its sustainability efforts as it is known for developing ethical and sustainable fashion with an international presence. The collection was chock full of femininity, strength, presence, and empowerment. Maison De Hoe intersected art and self-expression as seen through the designer’s intentional clash between her sense of New York and the aspects of China that she felt were true.

I wrapped the night at Dumbo House, celebrating the goddess Rihanna. What perfect timing as her look was a beautiful homage to the late Andre Leon Talley, wearing a vibrant Alaïa puffer coat over a red Loewe jumpsuit.

10. Day 5, the Indonesia Now show

I was excited for my last and final day of NYFW and even more excited to start it with Indonesia Now, a collective of seven groundbreaking modest designers such as Kami for HGLModest, AM by Anggiasari, Nada Puspita, Buttonscarves, Zeta Privé, Lenny Hartono, and Basundar x Batik Tusmi. Clearly, each designer poured their heart and heritage into the collections that walked the runway because every look told its unique story.

11. Day 5, the BruceGlen show

Next was the dynamic designer duo, BruceGlen, and while it wasn’t Sunday, they took us to church with their energetic runway show. The collection and show, titled “The Sermon,” reflected the siblings’ admiration for their mother and their church upbringing. They opened the show with Maverick City Music’s Naomi Raine serenading the crowd and brought extra heat with actress Shoniqua Shandai from the hit series “Harlem” lighting up the runway. Not to mention, the garments were bursting with color and personality as the designs took all different shapes and construction. I saw at least five pieces I wanted to add to the cart immediately!

12. Day 5, Asia Fashion Collection

Last but not least was the Asia Fashion Collection featuring désir by Jun Nakamura, ASATO by Asato Kitamura, FromWhere by Lee Young Eun, CHIAHUNG SU by Chia Hung Su, and SAIKA by Saika Sekita. This incubation project was created to discover and nurture young Asian designers. Showing both menswear and womenswear, the designers delivered an assortment of silhouettes, patterns, and edgy accessories.