Showing Out Installation Images

Showing Out: Fashion in Harlem spotlights HIF’s fashion shows through archival images, papers, and video; costumes; and a specially commissioned new media work. Thereby, celebrating the organization’s efforts to amplify the contributions of Black people in fashion and to democratize the industry. The exhibition arrives when the topic of equity for Black people in fashion has received increased attention during the Black Lives Matter movement. Presenty, there are numerous calls-to-action to foster a more inclusive industry and support Black creatives in the fashion world. While some progress is being made, there is still a long catwalk ahead of us. By foregrounding the legacy of HIF, the exhibition honors the underrepresented trailblazers who were “showing out” decades ago--both on and off the runway--in the ongoing fight to advance social justice in fashion.