Black Fashion Matters Presents their Awards Ceremony during NYFW

On Tuesday, February 14th the organization Black Fashion Matters hosted awards ceremony honoring trailblazers in the industry who are of color and who are paving the way in fashion at an art gallery on West43rd street.

The creator of the event is Anissa Rochester, a fashion savvy businesswoman who also produces an Entertainment and Lifestyle program called Beauty Within TV(BWTV). Currently in its 8th season, BWTV has transformed into a high-quality Entertainment and Lifestyle program. Check out our exclusive interviews with the honorees themselves: Atiba Newsome, wardrobe stylist to the celebrities and Edwin D’Angelo, Colombian-born New York fashion designer.

Q: How do you feel about receiving this award?

Atiba Newsome: I don’t know what to say, if you believe in miracles. I honestly didn’t know what I was going to do with my life. I could never keep a job-I worked for the post office, I worked for MTA- I could never keep a job but by the grace of God I was introduced to a group of friends who showed me that I could have more than a job- I could have a career. And I could paid for dressing people and looking fly, something I would never never thought would happen. Eric Archibald right here introduced me to style and I had no idea what a stylist was. I was like “a hair stylist?” I got my first job dressing somebody out of my closet-$750 and I said “Boom! This is what I’m going to do for the rest of my life. He introduced me to June Ambrose, she made me who I am today. So I have to give props to June Ambrose. Sean P. Diddy Combs who really made me. He introduced me to Mary J. Blige who therefore introduced me to Kelis and Prince and CeeLo- it all started with Puff. Thank you Black Fashion Matters.

Edwin D’Angelo: This is the first New York award I ever received and I’ll cherish it. I’m thankful that someone took the time to put this together for me. I feel personally that as a community we do need this- we do need to encourage ourselves. It cannot be with the glitz and glam of the bigger shows-bigger budgets but I think this allows us to push a little harder and if it’s not us and it’s not now, when? I appreciate Anissa for Black Fashion Matters doing this and sharing this moment with me today for Fashion Week. And I thank you all for coming out and continuing supporting each other- Thank you!