BLACK IN FASHION

Students at the Southampton Solent University Styling programme get creative and pay tribute to their Black History Month heroes.

“The resulting collections included outfits combining, amongst other things, the looks of Eartha Kitt and Malcolm X, Erykah Badu and Flavor Flav and M.C. Hammer and the Black Panthers.”

The role of the stylist is becoming increasingly acknowledged, both in the fashion industry, for catwalk shows and photography, and in the advertising industry, where the stylist provides creative direction and sources clothing, props and accessories. The Media and Fashion Styling programme at Southampton Solent University has recognised the importance of this role, offering four new degree courses covering specialist subject areas such as make-up and hair design, media styling and fashion styling.

Since the courses were introduced in 2007, the team have been active supporters of Black History Month, working closely with local organisers and community members. Students and staff have, this year, been involved in a series of collaborative projects which will culminate in a photographic exhibition in the university’s Concourse Gallery space, to open during Black History Month.
“Level Two students assisted last year, styling hair and designing make-up looks for a smaller scale fashion show, but it was felt that there was potential to further expand on this,” explains Philip Clarke, programme leader of the Media and Fashion Styling courses.
The theme of this year’s Black History Month is ‘Heroes’. “We asked students to come up with three styled outfits, with appropriate hair and make-up,” says Clarke. “In the same way that Hip-Hop and R ‘n’ B music fuses elements of existing songs to create a new sound, they are taking two existing styles and ‘mixing them up’ to create a new look. The resulting collections included outfits combining, amongst other things, the looks of Eartha Kitt and Malcolm X, Erykah Badu and Flavor Flav and M.C. Hammer and the Black Panthers. We were keen for the list to include an eclectic mix of both contemporary and historical black icons, incorporating musicians, actors and political activists”

For October’s exhibition the Media Styling team have worked with members of Southampton’s black community,photographer Chris Lee, and vintage clothing specialist Catherine Wright, to produce a series of styled images reflecting both the subjects own fashion ideas and the creative vision of the stylist.

“Vogue Italia produced an issue in devoted to black fashion but this type of coverage is the exception rather than the norm,” says Clarke, explaining why the team see the Black History event as an important cause. “Black models are still frequently shown in outfits, or photographed in situations, that reinforce clichéd ideas of ‘blackness’. Despite heightened awareness there is still scope for fashion magazines and designers to work with more black models and consider the interests of black communities.” n

For more information see www.solent.ac.uk

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