Fashion In Manhattan part two

Fashion Is Black : This is my Tribute to Black History Month Its Feb 28th the shortest month of the year; its unique because when you say  30 days in February people think your crazy. This the last day and here's my take of Fashion In Manhattan; back in the 1950s to 1980s  you would go shopping in Harlem; and the black communities of  Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. In Manhattan you would go to The Garment District, The Village(Greenwich Village and East Village NYU town), Soho, Lower East side, and believe t or not the lower east side was the place to shop for good quality clothing at very low price. 

Fashion started from Slavery which led to Freedom here In NYC. The designers you will read about never had a formally designers education; like they do today. A couple of them were slaves and brought their freedom. How did they get money; by designing gowns and suits for their owners; in which they never told who made them; this was back in the 1800s-1900s. 

African Americans basically started the apparel Industry before the Civil War. During that time they were dressmakers of well known members of the Government Society. 

The heritage of African American in the Fashion Industry came from the women slaves because dress making was how they provided clothing for their families; it was a necessity to learn how to sew. They also used the creative talent and made the most of it.

Ms. Elizabeth Keckley was a slave in Virginia, brought son and herself freedom. Then in 1860 she moved to Washington D.C were she worked way into the white house and became First Lady Mary Lincoln personal dressmaker(President Abraham Lincolns wife). While working for the First Lady Ms. Keckley started her our business's dressmaking for the government officials wives like; Verina Davies, Jefferson Davies, Mary Anna Custis Lee(Robert E. Lee wife) Ms. Elizabeth Keckley was not just a dressmaker for the First Lady Lincoln but also a nurse, Hairdresser and confidante. After President was Assassinated Ms. Keckley stop her business and stayed by Mrs. Lincoln side. When president Andrew Johnson vetoed the 1866 Civil Rights that Lincoln was working on. Ms Keckley Stop dressmaking for President Johnson Daughter.. She moved to Ohio to teach the Department of Sewing ans Domestic Science Arts at Wilberforce University. In 1898 she moved back to Washington DC and died in 1907 she was 88

The Black Fashion designer Ms. Ann Lowe designed Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy's Wedding dress.. Another icon out of slavery was Ms. Ann Lowe she was born 1899 and this was after the emancipation proclamation of slavery.  Ms. Lowe's Mother and Grand Mother use to make dresses for the First Ladies of Alabama. When her mom died she came to NYC studied fashion and design at S.T. Taylor Design school. 

Since the 1950s, a larger number of African American designers were or made the fashion Industry innovative and trendy; but were never famous for it. Why? No financial support and racism played a big factor of the African Americans community in the fashion center and New York City & 7th Ave.. Very few African Americans designers were some what successful in the segregated fashion Industry in the Mid 1900s. Again Since the African American designers were self taught everything had to be innovative from the material to the riming and buttons. Only being recognized  first worldwide then locally by getting ;the Coty Awards, Rookie of the year Awards, then finally Seventh Avenues Brightest Young Thing , the National Association for the advancement of Colored Peoples, Great American Designer Awards and membership of the Chamibre Syndıcale. 

Now here's one designer who I know of and many people in the fashion industry know very well; Mr. Willi Smith his inspiration was the fashion in Harlem; he would go to the churches, the Jazz clubs and etc., to see what the people were wearing in Harlem and designed in accordance to what he saw. Willi Smith is a Fashion Walk of Famer. 

There really should be more African Americans on that walk; because Fashion was an necessity in the African American community in order for them to survive and be freed. If you were a good designer who was Black ( African American) it was kept "Top Secret" So if have or can see any of the old Essence magazines look at the Essence Fashion Show section you will see the designs of today. Tell me what do you see?

Enjoy and Welcome to New York City 

I know you must be saying to yourself how do I get to those places? Hop On Hop Off those double decker buses you see all around NYC which  provides you with an Professional license Tour Guide to assist you to those destination and more. You Hop On and Off Uptown, Downtown, Brooklyn and the Bronx. Cruise around miss liberty and Ellis Island all the way up to the United Nations. Remember to: Tip your Tour Guide.

Did you Click on the above link that says;  Enjoy and Welcome to New York City.

If not do it now, right now or before you book you next trip or trip to New York City, this will save you  money or must I say, you will have more money to shop. So Click Here

For Private Guided Tours email me tammaymorton@lvunewyork.com

Fashion In Manhattan New York City

Why is New York City Called The Fashion Mecca Of the World? Because of the New Yorkers Love Of Art, Fashion,the newest Trends and the NY is the State Of Opportunity. NYC Garment District and other areas of the New York City is where you can purchase Designer garments at a very low price then you would pay in other countries and/or States except for New Jersey; because there is no tax when you shop in New Jersey. If you want to know where to shop in New Jersey don't hesitate to send me a message in the comment box or call me. Now when I write about low prices in the Garment District. Let say you saw a Donna Karan Dress in Vogue Magazine and it cost 1,200 bucks you can get that dress in the garment District for 50 or 60 bucks. Its just that something would be a little different on the garment then the garment you in the magazine.

Heres a name of some of the Fashion Walk of Famers:
Anne Klein, Calvin Klein, Diane vonFurstenberg, Donna Karan, Liz Clairborne, Osar De La Renta, Ralph Lauren and more. So when you come to NYC or visit the Garment District walk the Fashion Walk of Fame it from 40th street to 35th street, east side of  Fashion Ave(7th ave.)

The Garment District moved from the East village and the (at that time they called The East Village west of Broadway all the way to the Hudson River ) American Ward. Even the large department stores started heading up north into midtown; like Macy's, Lord & Taylor, Saks, Alexanders, Woolworth's and others. Because Bloomingdale's started building a Mega store on 59th St. Lexington Ave., on the upper east side in 1927. Designers, Cutters, Button makers,seamstress and Designer Showrooms are located from 27th st. To 41st street from 6th ave to 9th avewhich is The Garment District. Since labor cost of the manufacturing garments went sky high here in NYC; so much of the work is sent overseas and/or to sweatshops in the outer boroughs here in NYC for low factory cost. Today, the garment district mainly house Designer Showrooms and Fabric/textiles companies showrooms as well.

Stop by the district Kiosk on 40th and 7th Ave. (Fashion Ave.) it Green and White with and button with and needle inside the button hole. They have all information you need about the garment district and the shops.Also walk along the Fashion Walk of Fame right after you get your information because it right huge round circle with designer names on the sidewalk.Then take a picture of the Garment man on the sewing machine. Enjoy.

The Fur Industry is located from 27th street to 30th st., from 6th Ave. To Eighth Ave. Now we know where Joe Namath got his Fur from that he wore at the Super Bowl this year. In the Fur District in New York City.

I like to be real,  when I started out writing this blog on Fashion In Manhattan. I did not know where to start. NYC is the Art of Fashion and Museums. My first post I wrote was awesome; guess I deleted by mistake. So I had to start all over and this is part one. It made me realize how important the Fashion Industry is here in New York.Black History Month is coming to an end soon. March is Women's Month, and what do women like fashion. So, this was my first post for Fashion In Manhattan. My next post which will be Feb 28th 2014 will be part 2 of Fashion In Manhattan. 

I got into fashion in 1981 mainly because of one woman Mrs. Lois Alexander Lane people in the Fashion Industry know her as Mrs. Alexander. She founded the Black Fashion Museum In Harlem, if wasn't for her I would have not Met her Executive Director Cedric J.Washington who then because of her love of fashion and to enhance people  who wanted to get into the fashion Industry for free. Cedric created a modeling company called City's Dreams Production Inc inwhich; he enhanced models who wanted to get into the fashion industry mainly for free as well. So February 28th, look out for my next post. As Ms. Alexander always  said  and she changed that myth  to "Black designers were always labeled as New - Found talent" not anymore. In reality and from my research; Fashion was the slaves way of surving and buying their freedom. Basically it was an necessity.

Also, RIP Michele Savoia your right where you wanted and loved to be and I am not sad. So many people suffer for years, but you enjoyed yours, even up to that point that deaf arosed upon you. My Condolsnce to the Family. And Michele Story is a Story of the American Dream which started during the time of Ellis Island.

Enjoy and Welcome to New York City 

I know you must be saying to yourself how do I get to the Garment District? Hop On Hop Off those double decker buses you see all around NYC which  provides you with an Professional license Tour Guide to assist you to those destination and more. You Hop On and Off Uptown, Downtown, Brooklyn and the Bronx. Cruise around miss liberty and Ellis Island all the way up to the United Nations. Remember to: Tip your Tour Guide.

Did you Click on the above link that says;  Enjoy and Welcome to New York City.

If not do it now, right now or before you book you next trip or trip to New York City, this will save you  money or must I say, you will have more money to shop. So Click Here

For Private Guided Tours email me tammaymorton@lvunewyork.com

Harlem "Heaven"

Harlem settled in 1654 and was called Haarelm Of The Netherlands name after a Dutch Village in Holland. In the 1700s the wealthy people had their getaway homes or country homes in Harlem . George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and many more had their country homes in Harlem. Harlem was the Jewish and German community before it became the African American community. It was the Irish and Italian community; as well. East Harlem was called Italian Harlem in the 1920s until the 1950s.Now its called SpaHa( Spanish Harlem) .

In late 1800s David H. King (who was the most prominent building contactor in NYC; worked on the Washington Arch and the Pedestal of the Statue of Liberty) started building High end townhouses and apartment buildings for the wealthy in Harlem; because a plan for a new elevated railroad was in the making. During that time Harlem was still considered the countryside and the wealthy people did not want to move there. Kings model houses in 1891 - 1893 now called Strivers Row was one of the communities built by Mckim Mead & White in west Harlem on 138th st and 139th st. between Adam Clayton Powell Jr Boulevard and Fredrick Douglas Boulevard. In the 1900s NYC offered the African American Community the option of moving uptown in Harlem even though the rent would cost more, The African American Community agreed, not only here in New York City but African American Communities all over the United States started flocking to Harlem(in which was called Heaven). That's what they called Harlem; Heaven or The Black Mecca. Harelm is actually the center of Manhattan ; the center of anything has the power of everything.

In the 1700 -1800s the African American communities in NYC were; Staten Island, Tribeca, Hells Kitchen(Clinton section of midtown)and Cornelia st. in Greenwich Village. Later in the 1800s, the Upper East Side.

In 1900s Harlem became a place where the African Americans could be free to just; BE. The Black Renaissance started artist and civil rights leaders were building and realizing  creativity within themselves by expressing their blessings through music, dance, visual art, poetry and/or political Justice. Mac Beth, the Black Opera House, Langston Hughes, jazz etc., started here in Harlem (Heaven). During the depression things started getting bad in Harlem. So, many of the man went into the military during WWI, WWII and Vietnam , their families were losing their homes and/or had to shack up as if they did during the tenements living in downtown and midtown in the1700 - 1800s. Once the economy retrieved its worth in Harlem; that's when Black Power begin in Harlem what it is, can you dick it, and etc. From the 1950s-1990s Drugs took a hold on Harlem; mainly because most of the man coming home from Vietnam were hooked on heroin and/or Alcholics from overseas and the Mob took hold of Harlem; I mean the mob was big in Harlem. The people in the community became chemical dependent. But not all, still African Americans owned their own homes(brownstones) and businesses. Alot of celebrities are Harlemites; like P.Diddy, Denzel Washington, Keith Sweat , Kurtis Blow , Alicia Keyes, Tony Reily, Al Pacino and many many more. 

253 west 125th Street; is the One and Only Apollo Theatre opened in 1934 and was called Music Hall for the African Americans Performers. If any African American and/or Latino wanted to make it Big in the entertainment business they had to perform at the Apollo on Amateur Night.The Apollo Theater was known as  Where stars are born and legends are made.

The Apollo at first was called Hurtig & Seaman's New Burlesque Theatre and was not intented for African Americans when it was built in 1913-1914. During the despair and low attendance of audience Sidney Cohen reopened it in 1934 as a venue for African American Performers. The Apollo Theatre now has a Legend Hall Of Fame its right in front of the Theatre enterance sidewalk its brass square plates with names of Legends like; Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, Little Richard, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Smokey robinson, Bill Eckstine, Gladys Knight, The Pips, Michael Jackson, Quincey Jones, Chaka Khan and Pattie Labelle.

Harlems 125th street is the place to shop , from the west side to the TriBoro Bridge  on the east side; which will take you to the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens(BBQ). In the 1980s when NYC widened 125th street; that was the clue that Harlem was about to Change into what it is today.The world is not about black and white; its about Love. That's what Harlem is about; Love.  If you ever get a chance to visit NYC please go to Harlem; walk 5 blocks east, west, south and north.Because the people in Harlem want to show you, Love. Every thing Martin Luther King and Malcolm X had wriiten and spoken about is happening now, in Harlem.

My two aunts(Zale and Pearl may they RIP) from Palestine,TX moved to Harlem in the late 1930s. My Grandmother moved to Harlem in 1960s, settling on 138th st. and later moved to Glen Cove New York were my Parents met, married and had Me. Lv U New York!!

I know you must be saying to yourself how do I get to Harlem? Hop On Hop Off the double decker buses which also provides you with an Professional license Tour Guide to assist you to those destination and more. You Hop On and Off Uptown, Downtown, Brooklyn and the Bronx. Cruise around miss liberty and Ellis Island all the way up to the United Nations. Remember to: Tip your Tour Guide.

                                               Enjoy and Welcome to New York City 

Did you Click on the above link that says;  Enjoy and Welcome to New York City.

If not do it now, right now or before you book you next trip or trip to New York City, this will save you  money or must I say, you will have more money to shop. So Click Here

For Private Guided Tours email me tammaymorton@lvunewyork.com

4 things you must do when visiting NYC

1. The Statue Of Liberty See Ms Liberty

The statue of liberty was a gift to America from France in 1886 ; reminding the World of the shared democratic values of the two longtime allies during that time . In bronze and added to the interior of the statue pedestal is an poem written by Emma Lazarus from greenwich village nyc, called "The New Colossus", in which The poem, songs, and souvenirs raised money for Miss Liberty to be erected and officially unveiled by President Grover Cleveland October 28th, 1886. Since men were only invited, the New York State Wome Suffage Association chartered a steambo7at and crashed the party. When you see Miss Liberty feel free to dream and take advantage of any and all opportunities presented to you to accomplish your goals and dreams in America.

2. Walk The Great Bridge - The Brooklyn Bridge "Walk that Bridge"

John and Washington Roebling were experts in designing suspension bridges in the 1800's. However the Brooklyn Bridge was not the first steel suspension bridge they built. One in particular is; the Roebling bridge which connects Ohio and Kentucky at Cincinnati. So, what is so special about the Brooklyn Bridge? Well, it connected the largest city in the United States (New York) to the third largest city (Brooklyn in the 1800's) which became history. During that time, we only had commerical steamboats which was created by Robert Fulton that went back and forth;people pushed, shoved, fraught and eventually killed each other to get on and off. So when the Roeblings came. Up with the idea; it was on. Every suspension bridge in the world has the Brooklyn Bridge in its DNA. That's why its call "The Great Bridge". Unfortunately the Roeblings did not live to see the construction begin . In 1869, during the paration John Roebling was looking for the perfect location for the Brooklyn Bridge tower, his foot got caught on the dock and was crushed by an incoming ferryboat. Since it was not a life threatening. He believed in a 1800 pseudo medicine called hydropathy (water therapy) and insisted his wounds to be treated only with water. Within three weeks he had tetanus and died. Therefore, Washington Roebling ( John Roeblings son ) and partner was left to build the Brooklyn Bridge. He and his team of workers dove below the east river looking for bedrock on the Manhattan side; in which they never found.They dig in air filled chambers far below the water surface. They did not know about the bend; they ended up incapacitated by nitrogen that expanded in their blood because they surfaced too fast. Washington ended up crippled (paralyzed)by the bends in 1879. All he could do was send notes By tapping that machine that print out codes to his wife Emily who learned how to read it she was the foreman of the job. She completed the job May 24th 1883 and they opened it up to the public May 25th 1883.

3. The High Line "You gotta walk The High Line"

What is The High Line? The high line was an New York Central Railroad that use to run on the street down eleventh and south along tenth avenues in the mid 1800's. The streets was packed with traffic, trains that stay dirty and the track were very dangerous. It was so dangerous they had to hire The West side Cowboys to wave flags so the people would know the trains were coming. Still accidents accrued and people were being killed every day. They called eleventh Ave; Death Avenue. In the 1930's The High Line became a  13 mile viaduct for freight trains and was built over and mid block over the avenues between buildings and/or right through them. It was great the freight cars shunted into the elevated loading bays of the warehouse than rolled out and then up New York Central tracks to Albany and beyond. In the 1950's the trucking  business star

started booming and the last train with frozen turkeys journeyed to Gansevoort street in 1980. Since then no one wanted or cared to pay the demolition costs; therefore The High Line just rusted away, weeds sprouted all over the rail bed and it looked beautiful just like the beauty of a Prawns Ruin. In 1990's the local community fought the proposal for demolition and now it is one of the must beautiful Parks in the world. From 14th street to 30th street with luxury buildings designed by some of the most famous architects in the world along the route which beautifies the humble Chelsea skylin

4. Central Park "You gotta have your own Central

Photo By  Zi Wong Li

In the 1800's New York Evening Post editor William Cullen Bryant and Landscape Gardner Andrew Jackson Downing started and led the public parks movement; which included the creation of"The New Central Park". They appointed Journalist Fredrick Law Olmsted (who just came back from England in 1850 and loved Birkenhead Park in Liverpool) and London Architect Calvert Vaux (who moved to America to work at the Downing Firm).When Bryant and Downing died in the tragic Steamboat accident; Vauxc and Olmsted teamed up and won the 1858 competition for the New Central Park. They called it Greensward Plan. Central Park was redesigned because New York City needed a place for people to get away from the hustle and bustle, crowded Tenment living, a place to relax and be worried free enjoying the out door atmosphere. So when you walk through Central Park a story unfolds right in front of you; it doesn't matter where you enter before every area is different. No one area is the same, that was what won the competition. Vaux and Olmsted accomplished that by importing 15million tons of bedrock into Central Park; you can go hiking in Central Park. Central Park is 843 acres of land, starts at 59th st and goes all the way up to 110th street, in Harlem.

I know you must be saying to yourself; how do I get to these places? Hop On Hop Off you will also have an Professional license Tour Guide to guide you to those destination and more. You Hop On and Off Uptown, Downtown, Brooklyn and the Bronx. Cruise around Miss liberty and Ellis Island all the way up to the United Unions. 

Enjoy and Welcome to New York City 

Did you Click on the above link that says;  Enjoy and Welcome to New York City.

If not do it now, right now or before you book you next trip or trip to New York City, this will save you  money or must I say you will have more money to shop. So Click Here

For Private Guided Tours email me tammaymorton@lvunewyork.com