Ariana Grande super fans were given a special treat during the last weekend of September in the form of a colorful and Instagram ready interactive exhibit based on the pop superstar’s latest album, Sweetener.
Towering over Midtown Manhattan with awe-dropping views of clothes and the Empire State Building, streetwear clothing brand Manhattan Knights shows off their new collection for the upcoming season.
The rules?
Plastic, transparency, honesty.
In a move to accept a wider range of fashion-minded individuals, Manhattan Knights’ collection features non-gender conforming clothing with a unique twist on fashion throughout the centuries. Different materials come into play, just as our generation’s typical cynically is featured right on our chests.
Chainmail and plastic provide an excellent material for our mood—the transparency of plastic forces people to get to know us, to know our personalities with the sleeves on our shoulders, or in this case, the plastic front of our 
shirts. Chainmail, on the other hand, shows our hard exterior, bounded together with meticulous care, telling people we care about our appearance on the outside just as much as the inside. That we’re hard to know but working through that will provide the greatest of relationships with that inside person.
Material takes over Manhattan Knights’ show, held on a penthouse floor of a building directly aligned with the Empire State Building a block over. And with its location comes its delivery. Sticking with streetwear’s rejection of normality, Manhattan Knights decided to disrupt the cliché catwalk for a more casual—and more enjoyable—living look. Models sat on couches, danced to live music, and just hung out while acting like any streetwear-wearing person would. In that living arrangement, not only did they show off their clothing brand as a new approach to an already new fashion, but they showed their personality through their atmosphere.
Amazing window views of midtown surrounding the models, with already chic clothing featuring an upside-down Nike logo with the words “Just Don’t,” Manhattan Knights forces consumers to question what they’re buying, and onlookers to ask how those got to confident.
Like Manhattan Knights describes themselves as being “inspired by a deep love for New York, its culture, its people, and its humor,” Manhattan Knights’ new collection depicted just that. New Yorkers’ cynicality came out just as our uniqueness was shown. Our hard exterior followed by remarkably cute interior shows how we view ourselves, just how those who don Manhattan Knights’ clothing.
The Manhattan vintage show; the ultimate event for discovering clothing styles from the last century.
It is rare a rare opportunity today to have meaningful dialogues about death in ways that feel both real and artful.
Many say magic does not exist, but I like to think they’re wrong. With the technological advances, we have been able to create unthinkable things, magical things; virtual reality is definitely one of them. The best of technology has met the beauty of art and you can experience it first hand at Jump Into The Light located in Bowery St., New York.
White girl is a fast-paced, party of a film that in an effort to tackle real and systemic racial issues, becomes apart of the problem itself.
A celebration of personal identity and freedom of expression, the Afro-Latino Festival receives our precious city with open-arms.
The initial reception is welcoming, homely. People dance, sung, ate, took pictures. The single room was filled with people. Joyous faces. But the real excitement took place in the auditorium. Blessed with awards for very important members of the Afrolatino community and soulful music to compliment the gathering.
A genuine sense of pure enjoyment filled the air here. An event that simply celebrated being human. It was necessary; as merely days after a dual-tragedy shook the very foundation of black culture in the United States, that people come together with positivity in times of mourning. The weekend of July 8-10 was suitable for just such an occasion.
Friday’s version of the Afro-Latino 2016 festival was hosted by the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, in Harlem. However, within it’s barriers transpired a celebration of which knew no bounds. People were able to be themselves, and pay tribute to their heritage unbarred. Many adorned festive clothing catered specifically for the Afro-Latino union. It was lovely, weird and stylish. After an hour of casual meeting, we made our way to the theatre. There, we were met with hospitality and music. Suddenly, with rapid movement, the beneficiaries of the evening’s celebration arrived on-stage. The Awardees of the evening were: Danilo Parez, Moises Medrano, Aysha Schomburg and Dr. Arianna Curtis. All four recipients have made significant contributions to their respective communities, and were represented as such.
This issue of the Afro-Latino Festival also featured performances from a plethora of artists and musicians. After the award observance, we were treated to a live recital composed of: Afrodisiaco and Proyección Folclorico, among others.
On Friday evening, there were two more venues taken for more Afro-Latino excitement. This part of the festivities, located in other parts of the city, had their own pleasurable affairs. These events included several musical numbers from Colombian-based band El Caribefunk and Brazilian Carioca Bass / Baile Funk performer Zuzuka Poderosa – both of whom premiered at the Afro-Latino festival after-parties in Manhattan’s SOB’s and Brooklyn’s C’mon Everybody venues respectfully.
The weekend editions of the festival took place at the Restoration Bedford Stuyvesant Plaza, in Brooklyn. With people exercising their customs and cultural traditions; of which involved Henna stands, vendors, African & Latino clothing lines on full display for watchful onlookers, potential buyers – and more. It was a mesh of the colorful, the exciting, the eventful. With participants exercising their rights to freedom of expression. The park’s center-stage was composed fully of dozens – following the beat of the DJ while the African dancers on-stage moved with grace to their hearts content.
One of Manhattan’s old glamorous gems, the Diamond Horseshoe has now added most in-demand venue to its resume.
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