For Sean John's return to New York Fashion Week to celebrate its 10th anniversary after a five-year absence, Sean Combs wanted to tell the story of a young king who matures into a great ruler. To this end, the chandeliers were raised, a star-studded high profile front row was seated and most importantly the princes' began their reigns on the runway.

Designer and mogul Sean John also cast all male models with a visible African heritage.

The collection Combs sent out was modern and full of reference whether sartorial or street he cleaned his lines, pulled the clothes close to the body and made a modern fashion forward collection.

Sean John is a privately held company created by music icon and producer Sean Combs. Sean John made its fashion debut in 1999.

In 2004, Sean Combs received the Council of Fashion Designers of America's Men's Wear Designer of the Year.

Happy Birthday Sean John and many more!

By Kirk Shannon-Butts, Fashion Correspondent

As the audience tickled in for the Duckie Brown Fall 2008 Collection from designers Steven Cox and Daniel Silver one could barely sit still due to the blasting music. Once editors, stylists, celebrities, buyers and future fashion designers took to their seats and the first model emerged the music was abruptly turned off. This is when the show was turned on taking the audience back to the an haute couture age when models walked in silence and clients focused on the clothes.

Each season Duckie Brown continues to evolve the label into one of the most exciting contemporary menswear lines. The collection was uniformly dark and the fabrics were luxurious. The collection's quiet classicism - pinstripe, herringbone, shearling, Prince of Wales and windowpane checks was nearly transparent due to the duo's design and color palette. Classic menswear themes were reworked into a modern masculine silhouette with just a hint of military influence. Cox and Silver's signature short-over-long proportion appeared time and again in a newly restrained version as a nylon parka over a suit. Evening looks were the essence of masculine chic. They included a lace sweater and sweatshirt in a Prince of Wales check made up of Duckie Brown's signature extravagant beading. The union of formal and casual definitely contemporizes and offers new boundaries for the modern men's outfit whether office or lounge. Sending out just 21 well tuned outfits and a wonderful mix of models Cox and Silver allowed the audience to truly enjoy the lux of silence

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By Kirk Shannon-Butts
Style & Fashion Editor
Images courtesy of Men.Style.com

The temperature is rising and the showers are about to drop but don't fret as Spring/Summer trends are here to brighten your spirits.

Summer Suit

Air it out. Try a light blue, slate, tan or patterned white suit.

 

Bottega Veneta   Jil Sander

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By Kirk Shannon-Butts Fashion Editor

Located in Harlem at 114 West 116th Street N stands unparalleled as the fresh new face of retail. N is the only upscale multi-designer retail store in Harlem carrying a well-edit assortment of luxury men's and women's apparel, accessories and home products.

Main store window at night

N is an abbreviation of "IN" as in N style and N crowd which the trio of owners, Nikoa Evans, Larry Ortiz and Lenn Shebar all knew very well. Ms. Evans is the former Vice-President of Finance for the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, Mr. Ortiz has worked at Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys NewYork, while Mr. Shebar was formerly the Director of Board Relations for Parson School of Design. The trio's goal is to establish the N brand characterized by uncompromising luxury and top quality merged with Harlem's rich lineage and international influence on style, music, art and media.

Men's Floor

The Men's Floor boasts a mixture of masculine simplicity offering a established designers. Guys can per use antique cuff links, watches, footwear, wallets, bags and skin care all in a magnificent interior designed by architect Hank Mitchell.

On the Main Floor shoppers will find lots of fashionable opportunities for the style conscious woman as well as signature home products. In the future look out for N Harlem New York's very own private label, an "urban luxe" product line with fragrances, denim, t-shirts and sportswear as well as e-commerce.

Check it all out at www.nharlemnewyork.com.

By Kirk Shannon-Butts, Fashion Editor

Jamaican "it boy" model Oraine Barrett lands on the cover of the big "Hot List" June/July 2008 double issue of Out Magazine. Feast your eyes on the super gorgeous cover of one of Out¹s biggest issues to date.

This year's "Hot List" features designer Jean Paul Gaultier; Cry-Baby's hot, young, hip-shakin' thespian James Snyder; reunited synth maestros Yaz; a sit-down with Sex and the City creator Michael Patrick King and actress Sarah Jessica Parker; Mamma Mia! star Dominic Cooper; and Black lesbian hip-hop duo KIN. But who is the hottest of them all Oraine!

 

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 By Kirk Shannon-Butts, Fashion Editor

In a monumental fashion move, the July issue of Italian Vogue features only Black models with all the features related to Black women in the arts and entertainment. Considering the displays of tokenism on the runways last season, model Jourdan Dunn at Prada, and in only one look — an entire issue devoted to Black models could be seen as controversy rather than ground-breaking.


 

The July issue of Italian Vogue is the result of the creative forces of legendary photographer Steven Meisel and Franca Sozzani, Editor in Chief, Italian Vogue. In an interview legendary photographer Steven Meisel said, "I thought, it's ridiculous, this discrimination. It's so crazy to live in such a narrow, narrow place. Age, weight, sexuality, race -- every kind of prejudice."

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