Futurism Fashion Experience 2022

For FFE 2022, I created the event in response to the lack of Black History Month programming and the need to build new rituals for our community in San Francisco.

As the Black community continues to face decline and displacement, many of the people who once held these traditions have also been displaced. In the past, there were more choir performances, dance recitals, gatherings, and spaces for joy. I wanted to create a new kind of event for our community and for our future in San Francisco. That is why FFE was born, and why it will continue.

FFE 2022 was hyper-local: Black San Francisco artists, by Black San Francisco, for Black San Francisco. The event included artwork on the walls, which I curated, along with a panel discussion featuring the artists whose work was shown. We interviewed them about their practices, their histories, and their relationship to the city.

The work I presented combined metal and textile. This event also became the foundation for Fale Afatasi, my SF Regalia series. Many of the garments and design elements from that year continue to appear throughout my garment work. Some of these pieces are now displayed in the Women of Afrofuturism exhibition at the San Francisco Airport.

The event ended with a runway show, with models walking through and around the audience. See the video of the event below.

Also see the amazing video made by the Golden State Warriors media team: