Inside Usher’s Big Night at Harlem’s Fashion Row Honors

“This room is light,” Brandice Daniel, founder and CEO of Harlem’s Fashion Row, welcomed a stylish crowd at Cipriani Wall Street, gathered to celebrate the organization’s 18th annual Style Awards and runway show. “The beauty that is in this room tonight, the power that is in this room tonight, the joy that is in this room tonight, the culture that is in this room tonight. What we built here is radiant, and what we built here is rooted in love. And if the outside world feels chaotic, heavy, and uncertain, this room is the opposite because of what we’ve built here.”

For Daniel, it’s important to impress upon her guests—some of fashion, music, film, and culture’s most talented, from Dapper Dan and Slick Rick to Keri Hilson and Sherri Shepherd—not to wait for others in the industry to open doors for them. “We’re building the whole house,” she said, nodding to the evening’s theme. “This is the table, the one you want to be at—the one where culture is currency and collaboration is the foundation.”

To wit, the evening honored a handful of tastemakers known for their trailblazing achievements. Before that, a moving surprise opening featured three Alvin Ailey dancers performing a snippet from the company’s acclaimed Revelations. With the energy high, it was time to move into the awards. First up was Jason Bolden, who won Stylist of the Year for his work with the likes of Nicole Kidman, Cynthia Erivo, and Michael B. Jordan—each of whom shared quick video congratulations.

Marie Claire editor-in-chief Nikki Ogunnaike was next to the stage, accepting her Editor of the Year award, presented by her sister, Lola. “Standing here tonight I’m filled with immeasurable gratitude,” she said in her speech. “It is a title that is weighed with responsibility, and as I see it, also hope”—of continued spaces for Black and brown women to express their voices. “My joy comes from making room for underrepresented voices, for critical conversations that don’t shy away from complexity, and for fashion to be used as a language of empowerment.”

The Impact Award was then presented to Christiane Pendarvis, co-CEO of Pattern Beauty, for her leadership and advocacy; just after, the Ann Lowe Maverick Award—presented by Lowe’s granddaughter, Linda Dixon—was given to Ruth Carter for her award-winning costume design and cinematic storytelling.

The last award of the evening went to none other than Usher Raymond, who took home the Virgil Abloh Award presented by LVMH. “None of us are foreign to that idea of having ambition and then having a glass ceiling, but every time I look at the moon, I say ‘You can’t tell me sky is the limit if there’s footprints on the moon,’” Raymond said, thanking his family for supporting his tenacity. “They taught me the dream and run wild. I’m happy that the Lord has given me this opportunity to do what I do.” We’ve all certainly seen his career—and star power—evolve; Raymond’s longevity in this industry could be studied. For him, this is a testament in part to Abloh. “It’s a philosophy that believe it or not, I don’t know that I meant to adopt it, but Virgil had this idea, you guys know about the 3% rule,” he continued. “This idea that innovation really starts by altering something that is familiar by 3%. That became kind of a model for how I would view what I was introducing.”

Raymond’s closing statements made way for the evening’s finale—a runway showcasing three designers of Haitian descent. LaTouché, Atelier Ndigo, and Daveed Baptise debuted bold structures, high energy, and experimental collections that brought the crowd to its feet. Before guests left their seats to mix and mingle, Daniel left them with one reminder: “Say it with me: I am the village.”