CREATIVE JENIUS REPORT HOSTS THIRD INSTALLATION OF BLACKSTAGE NYFW FW24

CELEBRATING BLACK ICONS IN FASHION INCLUDING ALTON MASON, CARLOS NAZARIO, SIR JOHN & JAWARA WAUCHOPE

Creative Jenius Report - the innovative industry resource, platform and hub for Black behind-the-scenes creative professionals - hosted the third installation of its exclusive NYFW party experience, BLACKSTAGE celebrating the contributions of Black Icons in Fashion last night at the chic DUMBO House in Brooklyn.

This year’s BLACKSTAGE event featured a collective of Black creatives who are pushing boundaries and who have made a significant impact on cultural trends, breaking new ground in fashion including: male supermodel Alton Mason; Harper’s Bazaar Style Director at Large Carlos Nazario; celebrity makeup artist Sir John; and celebrity hairstylist Jawara Wauchope. Additionally, guests partied to the sounds of  international DJs Wemi and Khalil.

Notable Guests included: Queen Latifah, Duckie Confetti, Miss Lawrence, Johnny Wright, Flo Ngala, iCon Billingsley, Derrick Monroe and Terrell Jones.

iCON Billingsley

Founded in 2022, by executive producer CJ South, BLACKSTAGE was created to highlight the work of the creatives behind-the-scenes and on the runways of the industry’s top fashion shows and campaigns, making them an essential part of this $1.7 Trillion fashion industry.

“Black creativity is the driving force of our culture but black creatives are often unseen and uncelebrated. As a backstage producer working in fashion, I see first-hand the unsung contributions from black creatives and I wanted to curate a moment that brings us together to honor and SEE each other,” said CJ South. “BLACKSTAGE is a celebration of our impact, our importance, and our ingenuity.”

In its inaugural year, BLACKSTAGE celebrated several fashion and beauty legends, such as  celebrity nail artist Dawn Sterling, Designer and Creative Director for Theophilio, Edvin Thompson, renowned celebrity hairstylist Jawara Wauchope, and famed makeup artist Raisa Flowers. Also, that same year, BLACKSTAGE was featured in NYLON’s Best Party Photos NYFW list.  The following year, the organization highlighted icons Vogue Magazine Visuals Director David R. Lipford, celebrity makeup artist Jamal Scott, fashion stylist Jan-Michael Quammie and supermodel Alton Mason.  

What is Creative Jenius Report?

Creative Jenius Report is an innovative platform that focuses on behind-the-scenes creative professionals that shape today’s pop culture experiences.  Through original content, unique activations and robust social media properties, the platform amplifies the artistic journeys of disciplines as diverse as art direction, choreography, dance, styling, photography, videography, hair, makeup, and many more.   For more about Creative Jenius Report, visit Essence, where it was featured as a "new content platform that focuses on Black creatives in a fresh way.”