In the year since Antoine Gregory launched Black Fashion Fair, he’s created an exclusive collection with Theofilio, shot an editorial with AB+DM, launched an educational fashion program with FIT, and sold out hundreds of products on the initiative’s e-commerce site. But his work is far from done: Today, Gregory launches Black Fashion Fair’s debut publication, Volume 0, an incredible collection of Black stories and talent supported by Warby Parker.
All three covers (Joan Smalls, Quil Lemons, Maria Borges, AB+DM, Aleya Ali) are styled by Gregory, and the 200-page publication covers the past, present, and future of black fashion. Established brands such as Wales Bonner, Mowalola, and Bianca Sanders are featured alongside new generation talents such as House of Armour and Killy. Gregory takes readers behind the scenes of Pyaar Moss’ debut couture show, delves deep into Raul Lopez’s recent success with Lua, and offers a peek behind the scenes of Hanifa’s runway show in Washington DC. In one moving essay, Bethan Hardison reminisces about Willie Smith and Stephen Burrows, and in another, Eric Darnell Pritchard delves into the various facets of black style in America.
Maria Borges graces the cover of Black Fashion Fair Volume 0.
Photo: AB+DM / Courtesy: Black Fashion Fair
Aleya Ali appears on the cover of an article featuring Pear Moss’ couture debut.
Photo: AB+DM / Courtesy: Black Fashion Fair
Those who know Gregory will be excited about this incredible doc. The multi-talented stylist and entrepreneur works closely with the community to champion Black opportunities. In a letter to the editor, he writes, “What is fashion if we don’t tell all stories? What is community if we don’t include everyone? You can’t have a seat at the table if the only chair you bring is your own. There is still so much work to be done to highlight Black designers in fashion as a meaningful part of the historical narrative and context.”
Here, Gregory reflects on his first publication and what’s next for BFF.
Vogue: What have you learned from running the Black Fashion Fair? What are you most proud of?
Antoine Gregory: “I’ve found that the word Black still scares people. I think the industry still sees Black designers and Black image-makers as people who can only create for Black people. I think the industry still sees Blackness as a monolith, and it’s not.”
“I’m proud to have created something that proves we don’t exist as one thought alone. We have a rich and diverse history among each other. I have put my blackness first and elevated what that looks like through the Black Fashion Fair.”
