What’s Up Miss Lil: Harlem/Fashion Week’s 2024 Summer Soiree Sizzled

By Lil Nickelson

Harlem/Fashion Week (“HFW”) held an outdoor street all-white summer soiree on Saturday, July 6th, 2024 at the Aloft Harlem Hotel, Harlem, NY.

The hotel is located at 2296 Frederick Douglass Blvd from 12 noon until 6 pm with two show times, 12:45 pm and 4:45 pm.

NYC was in the midst of a heatwave that Saturday; the low temperature was 81 degrees, the high was 91 degrees, and the feel-like temperature was over 100 degrees. The event was sponsored by the Marriott Hotel and Aloft Hotel in Harlem, NY.

The HFW team was so prepared for the day’s events; they handed out paper parasol umbrellas to cover our faces from the sun and water to quench our thirst for all audience members. Besides, we were also celebrating co-founder Yvonne Jewnell’s birthday.

HFW founders Tandra Birkett and her designer daughter Yvonne Jewnell cover so much more than New York Fashion Week (“NYFW”). NYFW is held twice a year, in February and September at event spaces in Manhattan spanning from seven to nine days when international fashion collections are shown to buyers, the press, and the public. Ever since the days of the Harlem Renaissance, America discovered that Harlem has served as the epicenter of art, literature, music, and fashion. In the 21st century, HFW seeks to introduce a new era of fashion culture to the Harlem community inspired by its rich cultural heritage.

HFW featured nine up-and-coming designers to highlight their clothing designers for children, women, and men. They were Bella Bebe, Monday Blue Studio, Inc., Heavy Hitting Diva, Politically Urban, EJ designer of Popping Panties, Beyond Beauty Boutique, I Fly Universe, Up Group, and Earthly Edge.

Fashions ran the gamut for kid fashionistas, coffee couture (made of coffee burlap material), see through clothes, leisure wear, skintight wear, plus size with stiletto shoes, upscale male leisure wear, and clothes selected by one group that selected designs with bold colors.

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The show also gave young female children who have taken lessons on walking like a model from HFW and let me tell you the young ladies took the lessons profoundly serious. They were sashaying and strutting their stuff on the sidewalk outside of the Aloft Hotel. I know there must be a future Naomi Campbell or Tyra Banks in the group. The kids went over so well last month HFW held another free show on Saturday, August 17th titled Kids Rip The Runway at the free community event “DaDish Love Day” on 117th Street in between Lenox and 5^th Avenues. HFW’s after school program is accepting applications for fall 2024 by emailing them at info@harlemfw.com.

Last fall I attended a free Sip & Sew class that HFW collaborated on with Save A Thon Store located in East Harlem one Sunday afternoon. There were fashion designers attending the classes who wanted to learn how to sew a garment. I learned how to sew when I was twelve; back when public schools still offered classes to students. I was able to check out new sewing machines and purchase some sewing notions (accessories) and fabric; I had fun in the session I attended. HFW has events like the semiannual fashion shows that cost money, but they give back so much more to the community in their collective time and talents. It is refreshing to report on their events within the Harlem community because they benefit so any females, males, young and the seasoned.

Lil Nickelson

Lil Nickelson is a Senior Consultant with an MBA degree focused on Finance and Financial Management Services from New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business. Skilled in sales, management, business development, marketing strategy, and social media, with a history of working in the food and beverages industry. Her column “Dining with Miss Lil” has been featured in Harlem newspapers and with Harlem World Magazine for numerous years.

Photo Credits: 1) All other photos by Lisa Melville Jones. 2) Selfie portrait of Yvonne Jewnell & Lil Nickelson.