Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / March 24, 1988, edition 1 / Page 4
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Page 4A - THE CHARLOTTE POST - Thursday. March 24, 1988 Are Blacks Getting A Fair Share In Fashion Designing Business? Flipping through the fashion tabloid In The Charlotte Post last week, 1 was Impressed by the number of black models. Then The Question popped Into my mind. Where are the black designers? Ask anyone to name a fashion designer. They'll probably say Liz Claiborne, Ralph Lauren--or maybe Alex ander Julian. All white. Where are the black designers? Why is nobody naming their names? The fashion tabloid 1 was looking through was a fine piece of work. One of the best-looking tabs the Post has ever turned out. Aside from the models, three of my professional col leagues played key roles In put ting it together. Editor Jalyne Strong, Chief Photographer Cal vin Ferguson and Lifestyles Edi tor Lora Vanderhall worked above and beyond to get the lovely booklet Into print. This column Is partly to sing Lora's praises a little bit. It was she who did much of the legwork of coordinating with the Vogue/ Ivey's/American Heart Associa tion folks on the tab's center- spread. And she wrote the cen ter feature story to go along with It. The story is a fine piece of fashion reporting and commen tary. Not the usual fluff expected In these things. Lora did all this extra work on the tab in addition to ramrod- ding her Lifestyles department. Actually, every Post staffer who worked on the tab did the same- Main Street by Jimmy Brock J -doing the tab with the left hand while keeping up a regular re sponsibility with the right. As old people say, Satan never sleeps--it's always something cropping up. So, a tip of my Main Street hat to Lora. As Ink- stalned wretches go, she's lop- fllght.and a nice person to work with. The same to all of the others who worked Into the night and behind the scenes. These folks work hard week after week to produce a fine newspaper. And I'm right proud to be associated with tJie likes of them. But what about the black de signers? And who cares about fashion besides the women who wear those flossy clothes? Well, fashion Is a Big Bucks Industry In America. And It's big busi ness in Charlotte. It was not too long back that the Carollnas- Vlrginla Fashion Exhibitors drove City Council to its knees by threatening to leave town. The politicians caved In and agreed to help CVFE build a new complex costing millions. Fash ion has heap plenty clout in this country. Problem Is, blacks are left out of the mix. Except for the retail ers who sell clothes. At the top, the game is dominated by whites. This is because blacks were not in key economic px)Si- tlons when Edna Woolman Chase, then Editor of Vogue, be gan the trend toward New York becoming the Mecca of world fashion during World War 1. Combine that with ordinary nine-to-five racial bias and It's easy to see blacks were frozen out of the top end. But the same was true in al most all industries--auto sales, banking, corporate et al—until blacks began to demand their fair share. It's past time to de mand a fair share of the rich fashion pie. Kevin Patterson, Omar Leatherman, Gerald John- son--are you listening? How about Jean Webber, Paula New- some and Phyllis Lynch? You folks are among the black lead ership. You wanted to be the leaders. You, and others like you, want us to look up to you as our role models and mentors. O.K.— but leadership works from the top down. We're waiting. We'll follow good leadership. Black Merchandise Showcase At Javits Convention Center New York, NY - An array of merchandise produced, manu factured and detailed by Black entrepreneurs will come alive on stage when Black Visions Foun dation presents a 2 hour contin ual advertisement at the Jacob Javits Center on Sunday, May 8, fhjm 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m, in Man hattan. In an effort to assist Blacks with merchandise, gain a prod uct entrance into retail, estab lishments, Black Visions Foun dation, a not-for-profit organization will feature mer chandise by Blacks from Main Street U.S.A. to Hollywood, and from Paris to the Caribbean. Among the many products produced by Black manufac tures and designers to be fea tured in this showcase are: clothes, cosmetics, perfumes, toys, luggage, gourmet speciali ties, flowers, inventions, health aids, etc,. Many celebrities and sports personalities have been invited to represent their own product lines. The primary purpose of this activity is to promote business for Blacks. This promotional benefit has the support and in volvement of chain store buyers, bank executives, government authorities, manufacturers, wholesalers, Emmy Award win ners as well as Tony award win ners. Thousands of store buy ers, wholesalers, manufacturers and consumers have been invit ed. All participants in the Show case will be listed in a national directory. The directory will be distributed throughout the country to major retail mass merchandisers, major retail de partment stores, retail grocery stores, drug stores, etc. Persons who design and mar ket any products for release are invited to enter their merchan dise. You need not be present to participate. Registration forms may be obtained by writing to: Black Visions Foundation, 116 Lawrence Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201, or by calling (718) 797- 0295. In addition, all registra tion forms are required to be submitted by March 31 with a participating fee check of $100. Participants are requested to at tach color swatches to all appa rel submitted and three different snapshots of the product. All merchandise must be submitted by April 12, 1988 to Black Vi sions Foundation. We Err’d In a story printod last week, Mildred Mosley was omitted from the list of candidates run ning for one of five seats on the Mecklenburg County School Board. BOB WHITE maKosit easier. With down-to-earth talk about insurance and low rates to match. /lllstate' AlUuu ln«u/anc« Company Outlet Square Office Gallery Suite 603, S. Independence Blvd., Charlotte, N.C. 28204 ^0^ WHITE Bus. (704) 376-3479,376-3484 Res. (704) 596-2273 -PRESENT THIS COUPON AT TIME OF ORDER- and receive 10% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER! Full Service Printing 2622 Statesville Avenue • Charlotte, NC 28206 (704) 333-0607 -WE SPECIALIZE IN- Quick Printing Jobs-Biisiness Cards- Flyers-Tickets-Stationery-Envelopes -Church Programs Second Public Hearing Scheduled On Community Development Program The Community Development Depart ment will hold the second public hearing on Charlotte's Community Development Program. This hearing is a follow up of one held on March 14. The second public hearing will inform citizens of the pro jected use of Community Development Block Grant funds for FY89 and a review of program performance during FY88. All residents and agencies concerned with the Community Development Program are encouraged to attend. If you wish to speak at the hearing, notify the Office of the City Clerk, City Hall, telephone 336-2247, by noon the day of the hearing. Put your comments in writing so that they will be carefully considered. If you cannot make the hear- ■ ing, send your comments to the Director. Community Development Department. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center, 600 E. Fourth Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202-2859. HEARING DATE: TIME: PLACE: Wednesday, April 20 7:30 P.M. City Council Chambers City Hall 600 E. Fourth Street A copy of the Preliminary Proposed Statement of Community Development Objectives and Projected Use of Funds is available for review at the following loca tions^ Community Development Department Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center 600 East Fourth Street Office of the City Clerk City Hall 600 East Trade Street Department of Public Service and Information City Hail 600 East Trade Street to higher interest Knowledgeable investors are taking advantages of the higher values being paid by bonds and other fixed income investments. Dean Witter invites you to evaluate opportunities offered by corporate, municipal and U.S. government securities. Find out how to select the best buy for your particular needs. Call today. 1987 Dean Witter Kcynoklsi Inc. Member SIPC. 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The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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March 24, 1988, edition 1
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