X-Factor

Season 6 Project Runway, Up CLose. * Epperson

A Fashion Designers, Designer. 

 

Eppreson is known, as a designer’s designer

because each one of his garments is a piece of Art.

Fashion designers are artists, as with all affecting

Art it is subjective. A Painting can be many things,

a snap shot of another time done with varied linear

stroke. Some artists have moody period and take

us with them on a journey through their innermost

minds and circular movements. The masters once

in a while did self-portraits and allow us to form

our own conclusions on who they were and why

they created their works. I love all art forms but I

am moved most by fashion designers, they reflect

current states. As I evolve in my political

persuasion and my life’s needs change so does my

wardrobe. My fashion style often mirrors my

emotions and reflects innermost sensibility, those

who watch can interpret where I am. For fashion

lovers the famed Seventh Avenue, in the heart New

York City is similar to strolling the halls of the

Lourve or the Henan museums this is ground zero

for style.I spent an afternoon with Epperson in his new the

38^th street Studio and I was once again moved

 

deeply by his talent. We had a lunch appointment

and I made my way bobbing and weaving the street

filled with folks in a New York rush. Everyone multi

tasking, carrying bags and talking on their

blackberries and impatiently waiting for the traffic

light to change so that they can continue their

quick step to their next stop. During to day the

streets are just mobbed with an excliche mix fixed

on rushing to and fro with blinders on. These

streets and no place for tourist mid week from

8:30 am until 7:30pm because you will get mashed

without a mission. The trucks are mixed in with

the passage buses and expensive luxury cars all

trying to get their 45minute long destination in

15minutes so you got to be quick and alert.

Construction in this city is every where and today

is a clear and warm picture prefect spring day and

the hard hats have a little fever and heckle every

female not carrying a cane just because. They do

the same thing all over the world just Big boys with

jobs. I enter this breathtaking mosaic tile lobby in

what was an old sewing factory in the 80’s. I am

greeted by a very handsome uniformed doorman /

security guard to be announced. I walk in to a huge

elevator used to hold rolling racks of clothes but

now it is filled with funky artist type from every

genre. I was going to the tenth floor and my short

ride was what I image the tower of babble to be

like. Every single one of the maybe 15 passages

was on cellular telephones discussing varied

business topics. On my far left was a hip music

executive instructing some one to press more

copies tomorrow, on my right was a fashion

designer upset that her garment were going to be

late for delivery, it was just overwhelming space of

varied degrees of “do it Now”. This is a typical ride

in the heart of every industry during work hours. I

have been riding in elevator chatty on seventh

Avenue since 1982.I have over heard conversation

from Tom Ford at his peek with Gucci, the late

great Gianni Versace order his car service and

Famed Japanese designer Yohji Yamomoto cancel

flight arrangement. Points begin in these building

up and down the New York garment district the

fashion world gathers every day. My goal is to give

you a little more than just a replay from the

runways but useable insider information and

conversation with tastemaker from around the

global. The newsstand and the Internet are filled

with hot lists that can be very confusing. Before

you even get to wear your new purchase it is most

time out of fashion. Together we will reach more

toward the makers and gatekeepers of well made

thing and long lasting Style. The women who read

these pages have lived a little and seen a few

things along their paths and flashes in the pan no

longer excite. My column will bring to you

cultivated folks from around the world who’s

passion and dedication is to how grown up women

are dressed. Floor number 10 was mine and I

bristled out and paused before knocking at his

studio door to reposition and center myself to

interview this virtuoso.

I crossed the Epperson studio doorway and

stepped into an oasis. I was embraced with a warm

hug and the wisp of scented candle burning. Huge

floor to ceiling windows framed the ciaos out

doors the sound of soft Gospels singing tickled my

ears almost like a whisper. Body forms dressed in

different stage of work edged the space. Remnants

of three seasons were sprinkled around vintage

work tables. One had the last of summer fabrics

another was spring 2008 beginnings and the

longest was fall special orders. We sat and caught

one another up on personal things like the

Epperson’s family move back to Harlem from

Brooklyn and some of the transforming techniques

he used to recreate his new studio space. I shared

with him my debut post as Style editor with Black

Intellect Cafe. We ordered “in” some Tea from a

local shop and I hit the start button on my tape

recorder.

VSG: What was your inspiration for Fall Collection?

EPS: The global women who survived the clone Era.

My ladies is powerful, vibrant and she appreciate

the complex done with simplicity. I know she is

special so I specialize in made to order, it’s a fresh

idea for this woman chooses carefully. Her closet

is lading with the like of Gucci, Helmut Lang,

Comme Des Garcons and Issey Miyake. In this

company I can never complete a season until it’s

done so that is why I am still creating for Fall. My

collection is named “Luxurious edgy survivor”; Fall

is my favorite season because I love layers, hand

tailored de-constructed jackets, skirts and

dresses. Each piece is designed and made with the

most innovative, luscious fabric’s of deep texture

and rich tactile. Visceral hues in Navy Blue, Smoke

Grey, Dark chocolate brown dominant, which calls

for long, trips away.

VSG: Where do you see fashion going in the few seasons?

EPS: I feel that everyone is ready for something

that they can claim! People are tried of begin

dictated too. As crowded as the retail stores are

there isn’t very much new and exciting. It all kind

of looks the same. Yet we all feel different about

shared experiences. On a 70-degree day some will

be warm and others cool so why should we look

the same? I see the move away from disposable

things and toward more value and knowing when

to own a special piece.

VSG: What is your favorite body part of your muse’s

EPS: Shoulders, It holds up the beautiful Face.

VSG: How do you describe the Epperson Studio

collection?

EPS: My collection is Trans cultural, it is an organic

blend of Yen and Yang with a sophisticated

sensibility for well-lived and traveled clients.

VSG: What is the one thing that would like the

reader to be left with from the interview?

EPS: I am a god-fearing family man, I have two

handsome and very grounded Sons’. My truly

beautiful wife, Lisha is my partner in life, which

includes my business. Epperson is a craftsman

who is an artist and chooses to make clothes as

my medium.

This creative business and relationship are

superficial most times. I believe that like energies

pull to one another and every time I have ever

been in Epperson Company I leave lifted. Touched,

some how changed and always bearing a gift. This

time I exited with a beautiful book on Black

fashion models ” skin Deep by Barbara Summers

that I was just admiring. After more than twenty

years in the business it’s hard not to be jaded. My

admiration for his masteries is welcomed in this

everything go’s fashion world.

For more fashion 411, real fashion stuff that

matters come and blog with me to you go to

 

 

 

www.vsg-verystylishgirl.com anytime Now follow

VSG on Twitter VSGVerystylishG@twitter.com

** really special Farewell To the first Black Cover Girl The New York Times reports that model Naomi

Sims died on Saturday at age 61. The cause of

death was cancer.Sims was considered the “first

black supermodel” for appearing on the cover of

Ladies Home Journal in November 1968, a time

when African-American models were few and far

between. She subsequently modeled for designers

like Halston, Fernando Sánchez, Teal Traina, and

Giorgio di Sant’Angelo. She also appeared on many

other magazine covers, and two images– a 1969

cover of LIFE and a 1967 New York Times fashion

magazine over–are on display in the Metropolitan

Museum’s “The Model As Muse” exhibit.

After five years, Sims retired from modeling and

started a multimillion-dollar wig-making business

that specialized in designs for black women. Sims

also penned at least five books on beauty and

modeling