In May of 2007, there I was in a Brooklyn Restaurant in Dumbo at a fashion show. I have no idea who invited me or how me and my friend got there, but it was there that I felt compelled to do the same thing in Harlem, my new home. My friend Kamilah Turner and I left the fashion show super excited about this idea for a fashion show in Harlem. We talked about it from Brooklyn to the Upper West Side. Without thinking, I started planning. I invited 5 boutiques to be a apart of it and after much convincing (sometimes visiting the store 9 – 10 times) 4 of the boutiques said yes. Next up, was finding the venue which turned out to be the RiverRoom. A really beautiful restaurant overlooking the George Washington Bridge.
I thought, whew it’s all done. Boy, was I wrong. Having no idea what it actually took to put a show on, I just called people. I would share my vision for this show, ask people to help, and they would come on board. I couldn’t pay them, but I could list them on this or that. During the planning process, I knew that this would become bigger. I had never loved anything the way I loved planning Harlem’s Fashion Row. That year, we had about 15 people come on board the HFR team and we made it happen. Three months after the initial idea a fashion show was in the works. It happened! I look back on that night and laugh at so many things I did wrong, but I can’t forget the feeling in the room that night. It was as if something had lifted me and I was floating. The photo to the left says it all. This was me after the show. It was a huge success.
In 2008, I worked with the GroundCrew on several fashion shows including Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, L’wren Scott, and during the summer of 2009 I worked production for Carribean Fashion Week. In 2009, with a year of fashion show production under my belt we started planning the 2nd Harlem’s Fashion Row presentation with PR Noir as our publicist and Randal Jacobs as the creative director. This year, I wanted to focus on designers and we had to almost beg designers to be apart of this show! We also honored Stephen Burrows that year and let me tell you that was one of my biggest dreams come true. Mr. Burrows was a celebrity in my eyes, so for me to meet and speak with him was one of my greatest joys. During this year, I began to talk to designers and hear their challenges. With no money, no connections to the industry, and no investors it’s tough to make it as a designer of color. The vision began to grow and this year we were able to secure meeting with each of the designers and 2 major retailers.
In 2010, we started our first designer relations department. The team and I knew that there must be something else we could do besides provide a fashion show. I mean a show is great, but is it really helping the designer? We wanted to do more. This department was really supposed to help the designers connect with boutiques, create a cohesive collection, and make the most out of showing with Harlem’s Fashion Row. This year, we changed the format to a fashion art exhibition and presented at the Studio Museum of New York.
In 2011, we went all in. Ideas that have been brewing for years finally came to life in 2011 including a fashion luncheon, a conversations series, and the designer incubator program. When looking for a venue for the 2011 show, it was a challenge. I couldn’t find one venue in Harlem that had the space we needed on the date we needed it. It was so frustrating and finally I thought about looking in different areas of the city. Like before, I visited Jazz at Lincoln Center and knew that it would be the place. However, what I didn’t know was how we would pull off such a feat. This venue was huge, expensive, and out of our reach. It would require major faith and support. Thankfully, we have both and on September 16, 2011 we showed the collections of four designers of color. Target was our major sponsor for the pre-event where we honored Tyson Beckford, Donna Williams, and June Ambrose. It’s truly amazing what can happen with a dream, passion, and unwavering faith. It was a miracle. It was spectacular! See one of the photos from the show to the right. 
We are looking forward to expanding to more cities, continuing our conversations series, growing our designer incubator program, and providing you with cool fashion content that will inspire, encourage, and inform you. This platform is a digital extension of our brand and we want to hear from you. Please comment on the articles, email us, send us a tweet, or talk with us on facebook. We anticipate the future, but for now we are enjoying the journey!
Brandice N. Henderson
CEO/Founder
Harlem’s Fashion Row
Drop a line: info@harlemsfashionrow.com
