Author: Black Designer Database

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Fashion Archivist Intern

Black Designer Database (“BDDB”) is a digital fashion house that serves as a tool for designers, costume designers and stylists. Our mission is to support black designers through the amplification of their work.

Assists in assembling, cataloging, preserving and managing valuable fashion collections of historical information. This role will assist the executive team in all digital and physical exhibits.

Responsibilities:
  • Assists the executive team with the basic preservation and processing of assets such as designer interviews and clothing.
  • Supports collaborations with museums and history preservation organizations.
  • Aids in research of the archiving process.
  • Assists with the administrative needs of the archives, including monitoring and ordering archives supplies.
  • Assists with completing inventories, identification and packaging material.
  • Assist with developing promotional and outreach materials related to the project including exhibition preparation, articles, presentations at professional conferences and blog posts; participates in team meetings, provides status updates, and project reports.
Qualifications:
  • Knowledge of fashion, specifically African American fashion history.
  • Strong written and verbal communications, and computer skills.
  • Strong attention to detail with a demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize work.
  • Ability to work independently and effectively as part of a team.
  • Sensitivity in handling fragile archival materials.
  • Actively pursuing degrees in archival preservations, museum studies, library science, art history, visual culture
What could you learn?
  • Putting together an exhibit archive from start to finish
  • Opportunity to work with industry leaders and experts
  • Opportunity to grow into a seasonal position

Must be authorized to work in the U.S. Flexible work schedule with a minimum schedule of 8-10 hours a week. College credit available.

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Fashion PR Intern

Black Designer Database (“BDDB”) is a digital fashion house that serves as a tool for designers, costume designers and stylists. Our mission is to support black designers through the amplification of their work.

We are looking for a Fashion PR intern to help build our community and maintain our public image by assisting in the development and implementation of engaging PR strategies and campaigns.

Responsibilities:
  • Assist the development of innovative PR strategies, campaigns, and plans in collaboration with the community manager
  • Support with the evaluation of PR campaigns and provide reports on their effectiveness
  • Under the direction of the executive team; increase brand’s presence on various media channel including social media platforms
  • Properly coordinate advertising as well as marketing activities
  • Share fashion insights and analysis with team members
Qualifications:
  • Excellent written and verbal communication, project management, and organizational skills
  • Strong interest in fashion history, style, and design
  • Thorough understanding of the fashion industry and trends
  • Ability to use social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
  • Currently pursuing fashion, public relations or similar degree
What could you learn?
  • Opportunity to work with industry leaders and experts
  • Opportunity to grow into a full time position
  • Gain more insight on business and industry trends

This Internship is 100% Remote. Must be authorized to work in the U.S. Flexible work schedule with a minimum schedule of 8-10 hours a week. College credit available.

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Digital Producer Intern

Black Designer Database (“BDDB”) is a digital fashion house that serves as a tool for designers, costume designers and stylists. Our mission is to support black designers through the amplification of their work.

The digital producer intern will assist in creating, updating and editing media content for Black Designer Database, creating and editing web applications, and assisting in other media related projects as necessary.

Responsibilities:
  • Creating digital and social media marketing material
  • Assist with the design and execution of social media campaigns
  • Update and edit website content, posts and pages.
  • Research, identify, and share current industry design and color trends
  • Write custom HTML, JS, and CSS for existing web-applications.
  • Design, recommend and pitch improvements to new and existing features.
Qualifications:
  • Some experience with HTML,CSS and JS
  • Some experience with Adobe Creative Suite: Figma, Photoshop and Illustrator.
  • Some experience with UX/UI and Accessibility
  • Some experience with video editing
  • Highly organized and willing to learn end-to-end process improvement skills
  • Self-motivated, team player, detail oriented
  • Good verbal and written communication skills.
What could you learn?
  • Digital Marketing & Design Best Practices
  • Building applications that solve complex business problems elegantly
  • Opportunity to grow into a full time position

This Internship is 100% Remote. Must be authorized to work in the U.S.   Flexible work schedule with a minimum schedule of 8-10 hours a week. College credit available.

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PRESS

BIPOC FASHION DESIGNERS FIND REPRESENTATION ON NETFLIX

Backed by a woke generation of GenZ-ers and Millennials, more Black-owned designer labels have now raised their proverbial fists, demanding for equal opportunities on the runway and throughout the ongoing television renaissance. Making a compelling case to these independent designers of colour, are streaming sites like Netflix, where TV series are transforming into pseudo-runways. Ready-to-wear and accessories have been propelled to the fore as main protagonists on shows like Gossip Girl, Inventing Anna and Emily in Paris. A heightened level of depth and colour; however, has been delivered to homes and screens via the likes of newer releases such as The Bold Type or Euphoria.

Providing visibility to Black designers and mitigating the challenges of doing so is the Black Designer Database (BDDB). Launched in November 2020 by costume designer Charlese Antoinette, the initiative has its roots in a humble spreadsheet which later expanded into an online portal – creating a legit presence for over 300 BIPOC-owned fashion brands.

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by Aarushi Saxena for Fashion Minority Alliance

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Artisans: Elevating Black Designers

PHOTO: LIZ ALLEN

Seeking to improve cultural diversity in film and TV projects and commercial shoots, “Judas and the Black Messiah” costume designer Charlese Antoinette Jones has established the Black Designer Database.

Launched last year, the database is a resource for costume designers, stylists, and publicists, but Jones began compiling it in 2009 as a tool to reference for her own work. Directors even turned to her for the names of Black creatives. “Since I started, I would organize larger brands and their PR contacts, but I kept a separate tab for Black designers,” she says, “and when I was on projects, I would try to work them into anything I was doing for representation’s sake.”

Jones recently held a pop-up mixer as part of New York Fashion Week. “We had six Black designers come into that space and invited people from Estée Lauder and other brands who wanted to use those designers in their upcoming campaigns,” she says. “The connections being made were amazing.”

View print article.

by Jazz Tangcay for Variety Magazine

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NYFW Pop-Up & Mixer

PHOTO: LIZ ALLEN

On February 11th, Black Designer Database hosted a unique Pop-Up & Mixer during NYFW at Dumbo House in Brooklyn.  We received an overwhelming amount of support and will continue to host events that will enrich our designer community.

DJ Tara provided the perfect soundtrack, please enjoy!

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THE EXPENSIVE FASHION IN NEW YORK CITY MEDIA-SET SHOWS IS MORE REALISTIC THAN YOU THINK

The costume designers behind “The Bold Type,” “Run the World” and “Younger” all weigh in on all that aspirational Gucci, Balmain and Chanel.

In recent episodes, these character portrayals through costumes also continue the ongoing discussion — and, hopefully, action — within the fashion and publishing industries to support and amplify Black-owned brands. 

Line, for instance, consulted with colleague Charlese Antoinette Jones and the Black Designer Database (which the “Judas and the Black Messiah” costume designer launched earlier this year) to feature the work of Black designers on “The Bold Type.” Former Scarlet social media guru Kat (Aisha Dee, who spoke out for more diversity behind-the-camera on the show), for example, wears two pieces from Keresse Dorcely’s Six/20: a statement varsity sweatshirt and a short-sleeved yellow baseball jacket with matching wide-leg pants, which pay homage to the Philadelphia Dolly Vardens, two late 19th century all-women and all-African American baseball teams (above). 

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The Meaning Behind The Bold Type’s Season 5 Fashion

Kat Edison’s Wardrobe Courtesy of Freeform

After five seasons in the fashion closet of the fictional Scarlet magazine, The Bold Type is coming to an end. Since 2017, audiences have tuned in to keep up with the glamorous — if not slightly exaggerated — lives of Jane Sloan (Katie Stevens), Sutton Brady (Meghann Fahy), and Kat Edison (Aisha Dee), all of whom are rising stars at the beloved magazine.

The chemistry between the three women is a big part of the show’s appeal, and a key part of capturing that dynamic is getting their respective styles just right, down to the very last detail.

As for social media director turned activist Kat, her wardrobe becomes more of a reflection of her personal values and passion for social causes. Line turned to the Black Designer Database, created by her friend Charlese Antoinette, to connect with Black designers who would be a good fit for Kat’s style.

“My approach was, who is Kat today?” Line says. “Kat is a strong Black woman still figuring out what she doesn’t want. She has this voice and I was like, ‘what am I going to bring to this? I need to bring heart and soul.’”

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The Bold Type Is Getting a Fashion Makeover for Its Final Season

CREDIT: FREEFORM

InStyle spoke to costume designer Mandi Line about putting her touch on the Freeform series’ final episodes.

In addition to having images of Lovecraft Country star Jurnee Smollett’s style “all over” her vision boards for Kat, Line turned to the Black Designer Database started by her friend, Judah and the Black Messiah’s costume designer Charlese Antoinette Jones. “I wanted to bring Kat’s strong Black voice to her wardrobe,” she says. “I created a book full of BIPOC designers to go to first, so we could put money back into the community before going to retail stores. It was a little tougher because we were filming in Montreal and nothing was open because of the pandemic. But we really wanted to go for it, and we did. At one point, Kat wears a shirt that says ‘Support Black Designers,’ and later in the season you’ll see her in a two-piece yellow outfit and on the jacket, it has the name of the first Black women’s baseball team from the early 1900s, which is a really cool story.”

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Costume Designers Share Spring Fashion Favorites From Denim Jumpsuits to Go-To Birkenstocks

Hollywood costume designers set the sartorial scene for film and television shows, but their fashion influence reaches far beyond the big and small screens. Some have moved from behind the scenes to the commercial fashion world (see Janie Bryant and her menswear line, Taylor Draper), and creatives behind oft-imitated looks have amassed social media followings for their own personal style.

In addition to revealing their skincare secrets, the awards-nominated costume designers behind Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar, Birds of Prey, Da 5 Bloods, Emma, Euphoria, I May Destroy You, Mulan, Judas and the Black Messiah, and Snowpiercer share with The Hollywood Reporter their favorite fashion must-haves when they’re off and on the set. From the best red carpet-ready heels to a favorite pair of jeans and the best shoes for “working long days”, check out the top picks from these talents, all nominees at the 2021 Costume Designers Guild Awards, which will be held virtually on April 13 — and read on below.

4. Amina Muaddi Plexi Begum Slingback Sandals

“Currently, because of the pandemic, it’s sweatpants and cozy sweater sets. In real life, I’m obsessed with a great shoe,” says Judas and the Black Messiah costume designer and Black Designer Database creator Charlese Antoinette Jones. “I have a lot of sneakers I love and heels for days. A good shoe can elevate anything you’re wearing in my opinion. I’m obsessed with this purple glass slipper from Amina Muaddi.”