Evening Exchange; Men's Fashion Show

Fashion designs from the motherland. All from our friends at the African collection. Coming up next evening exchange. Hello I'm welcome to evening exchange tonight a special treat just for you. An African fashion show for men. I like this idea. Usually when we do a fashion show it's only for women as if we men don't like to dress up. We may not always look great but we like to. I am seeing a phenomenon around the city African fabric all over the place. What started this trend. There was a time in the 60s and 70s when we wore African Frederick and that time seems to have now come again. We are identifying strongly with the motherland here to tell us about African fashions. An old friend Judi Walton of the African collection. Good to have you here with us.

It was nice. What's the reason for this trend. Well as you said earlier Previously we've been focusing on women. Now we'd like to also bring men into the fall and let them know that they have more fashion options before besides just neckties and for most formal suits so this is African as way of doing this and also bringing the motherland and contemporary fashion styles together. OK I will now retire to observer status while we take a look at some of the pressure. The African I collect from here Judy tell us look it's all about both OK. Well first entree into the fashion world of men. We have Raul and Monte modeling Hanscom from Nigeria. It's by a male designing I mean Ralph is where the

red brownish tie dye process. Is a call is a red neck color with a. Puppy. Listen to belong to the host of. A.C.. Look wonderful in it. And one of the more traditional indigo blue pencil pattern. And there's no in many of the patterns we sometimes have meanings but in this particular outfit there are no meanings this is this is a color this isn't. The color and the part of the passes and so if you go with a train and if you notice the differences on each pants leg it adds his unique touch to each one of the outfits. Are going to have to call the police department. Yeah I just have the larcenous thoughts even as we speak.

Those are great outfits for the summer. And that's what's been happening a lot lately Now tell me to what extent and this question of I'm completely left field with one that's been a moment a long time. To what extent do people of other ethnic groups express an interest in African designs and African for epics. Well it's it's quite strange that you would ask asked that question because it's been for the last couple of months we've noticed other nationalities have begun to start coming into the shop and both both cheeks and I might say that we are both located in Georgetown on Wisconsin Avenue in Prince Georges Plaza. And recently we have found Asians have come in looked at some of the outfits because there are some similarities and some of the patterned designs and fabrics and we've had people from. India East India come in and we've also had Europeans to come in so people are now beginning to realize the uniqueness and the colorful expression of fashion. Because I've always said it just isn't right that the only fashions that should be

considered universal are European fashions and all other fashions should be limited to the ethnic or racial group of the people who originated there. I think all fashion should be universal. And so you're saying that is now beginning to happen of the African I that's now beginning to happen. And we are seeing a wonderful response and we're we are enjoying it too because now not only are we bringing all of the different ethnic groups together we also telling the men that they can enjoy. More spontaneity in their clothing so other groups are now beginning to take notice and begin to come in and enjoy the fashions too. One of the things we are indeed doing tonight is telling and showing the men to what extent in your experience do men want to be showed. I can tell you that we want to be short I can tell you that we want nice things to wear but often when we walk into a store such as we pretend like we are you know this is really not for us kind of and we just want to sit back with a beer and watch television a sum to what extent are men really beginning to express an active

interest. Well as a matter of fact again you sort of represent what a lot of men are feeling right now they sort of have come into African looked. And sort of peeked in the window. And so we've noticed that they've been just peaking and we want to now bring them in and they are now coming in they're very open men surprisingly the African-American male has been very open to the fashions coming in because after all color and certain types of expressions have always been a part of our culture and now Africanized offering that opportunity and the window to the African evening exchange so take another look at what the Africa has for you. OK here we have Raul. Who is. Showing her white and turquoise linen. Jacket and this represents a design from God. It's by a designing cofee. It's white into a boy's brocade with him in Florida a

symbol and these symbols happen to represent all gone a symbol meaning guard but. He's showing it with a pair of white linen hands. Right this is a wonderful outfit a very cool summer outfit. Pizza bread. OK here we go again. Just put it in the next years back. Look at photos hacking his self to face the next one is Kevin this is a gold brocade. With a hand woven fabric. It looks like a panty style fabric with a matching the hands of the same type of yellow and black to shine their crossed hands. Another very expressionist outfit that man where it's always a good look with the length of those past all the homeboys away. Yes they are they fit me and you know Cotto you mention that but a lot of our younger

teenaged home boys are really getting into it. They come in and this is a new way to express themselves and when they first started wearing them I thought this pair of weird now they look great. Thanks to the designers home at her and they wanted to reach out to the American audience and this is their way of doing it and they're particularly good for the summertime when people like to be colorful and like to enter. And this is our more traditional outfit. It's a safari suit and Ralph is wearing a brown with black. That's been counseled and. It's too long. With. Four pockets in. Front. Of me type of going out for the afternoon. Or for a day in the park. What is the more it is a more traditional So does it have any particular meaning it is a farce.

No other than the fact that you know we. Used the words of Barak coming out of touch. And so we held on to that. Yes but let somebody else do the driving when you got here. It's a very. Relaxing. You don't have to worry about the tires. More means you mentioned earlier that one of the things we were looking at didn't have any particular meaning which is why I brought that up. We have all read about the case involving the judge in the Superior Court who would not let the attorney wear his kinda cloth do you find that a lot of people expect every African garment to have some hidden meaning. I think so I think a lot of people think that for example he represents all of Africa and we find out that because Africa has such a wide universe it does not. There are some things that are just expressionist of the environment and the culture in that particular case the attorney was wearing it with a specific reason to do with his religion. In his case a lot of people really were because it looks good so colorful they're

not even trying to make a racial or ethnic statement. They just think it looks red. That's correct. To what extent do people come into the store at the African I collection looking for things that have meaning. There are quite a few because it is a way for them I think each person is individual but for a lot it means a way to express their own individual connection with Africa. So many of our clients do come in looking for things that have special meanings and special. For example a woman bought a Buddha last week she's celebrating her 50th anniversary on her 50th birthday and so she's having as a female rites of passage here. So she came and specially looking for a special type of dress that had that type of meaning. Now that poses a challenge for the designers at the African art collection because you have one group of people that want traditional stuff. Yes. Another group of people that want traditional stuff with meaning. Yes. And I third and I suspect the largest group of people who

just want stuff that looks good. Exactly and so the designers then have to to to blend the traditional stuff. With the fashion statements that African-Americans here might want to make sense as the kind of long shorts that we just saw exactly a minute ago tell me how are the designers and the stores connected. Well two of the owners especially one is living in Nigeria and she's sort of voice phone because we listen to what the clients say when they come in and we try to accommodate them. And so recently she is even negotiating trying to set up a factory there so that we can our supply is constantly dwindling out because people do come in and they tell us what they want. The men come in and suggest types of colors types of outfits and then we just send that information over to her. We have two important designers. One is name our farty and you'll see some of his fashions as a matter of fact as a

female I have one of his on but he also does wonderful designs for min. And we'll see those shortly. And he's from the air and we have another designer named Sonny who is from Zimbabwe. And so from Nigeria So what we do is listen to what the clients are telling us both the men and the women because the wives tell us to. And then we feed the information over to you. Mazola who is in Nigeria is that a very complicated process you have to deal a great deal with international telephone lines and you're trying to get across concepts that are not always easy when people can't see exactly what they're talking about exactly. Well that is one way you mention the the difficulty and sometimes that is when we're trying to explain things to her over the telephone. That's certainly one problem that we have that sometimes is alleviated because she travels back and forth so she comes in. She's due in this weekend. So we'll have a big marketing and merchandising meeting with her let her know that the responses that

we've had some time she may send us items we've just been recently sent items in May and June where we sort of test marketed to see just what the clients in the public would respond to. How about do you have any problems because people tend to associate African clothing so much with summer and summer clothing. Do you have a problem with winter clothing when people have to wear jackets and overcoats they're often looking for something that fits comfortably under those jackets and overcoats pose any kind of special problem for. Right now we're trying to work on that. We have expanded some of the designers for example. Fardy has taken notice to what we're talking about without seasonal changes. So he's making his jackets oversized coats that will accommodate some of the winter clothing. As you saw a couple of the other shirts are now moving into linen and cotton so that will help the men move into things that will easily fit underneath their sports jackets or for more formal coats even neckties is another

form and come a bunch that we're now moving into. Well it's good to know that you are thinking of us and when we come back I'm going to take a short break right now. Let me come back we will talk with a fashion consultant who will tell you how to update your wardrobe you and me that is so stay with us we'll be right back. We're back with Judy Walton of the African style. Helen Moody

who will tell us what's hot and what's not in the world of African fashions. Helen good to have you join us in the segment. What's hot. Well I tell you what's going to be hot. And that's what Judy is doing in Africa. You know it takes about five years for a whole fashion trend to begin to happen and to end really. And I would say that probably in about two years you're not going to be able to keep things in your store. I was really interested in for instance and you need to explain to our viewing audience you said it takes about a five year cycle for things to begin to happen. And how does that work. Well first someone goes to the street and they see it especially evolves in the street. And when they first see it they say they did. Did you see that. That was the letter. Fans of the show as I do that all right. That's right. You said that you said the first time that you saw them you thought they were a little strange in that I can't wait to get 12.

Absolutely. OK. Then. Somebody gets a fabric that. Is comfortable for this particular design that is a little bit strange. And then some really important person someone who is regarded as important and decides to wear it to a basketball game and be seeing a celebrity like Arsenio Hall or somebody like that. And then it becomes acceptable and then the next year is big breakout. Everybody everybody everybody has it in all their fashion shows. But it isn't until the following year that people start to really have it in stores and usually by the time it really hits big it's starting the cycle to go out again on the way out with by the time it gets in the stores then all of us poor slobs can get out fans and have some and so you begin to see it everywhere when you begin to see it everywhere.

That means it's beginning to be on the way. Yes but it takes about three years for it to get out so that's OK because those of us who are always like one dance behind whatever dance been doing sometimes tend to be one fashion. So we come in on the tail end of it and think we're really wasn't so sure that that's that that's the way it really is go do that's what they tell you that's passion language. OK that's that's New York fashion designer language. Oh OK. Now Judy when you guys got into the African collection Did you have any idea that what Helen is now saying was likely to happen. As a matter of fact we did not. We're beginning to see that there is that type of system and cycle of things of going in. No we had no idea and now it's even more pronounced with the men. Now Helen should they be making business plans for this thing to happen that is they don't want to get caught short. No. If this happens do they know they don't want to get caught short they want to be making business plans they want to be making business plans for the next step. What would the next step the next step. Well let me

they're the designers I think. Let me. Know because I raise the question with her earlier. Is that step likely to include across ethnic and racial lines when it becomes big if our senior starts doing it or some such force and it becomes big but have become big across the nation and if we're going to become big across across the lines of what's going to happen is you'll take the length of the trials or that you thought was a little strange and you'll see it next year in Limon. You take the safari suit and you'll see it in linen and using it in gabardine. That's how they do it and the the the kente cloth kind of fabrics you'll start seeing Can't take large prints in silk neckties pocket handkerchief that kind of thing. I am ahead of that. Let's go to the. Telephone thank you for your earlier caller Go ahead please. Are you there. I don't go right ahead.

I'm really proud to cover. How do we go about making sure it doesn't cover that the very capitalized on that tape years down the road we can never do it again. You have to stay on the line for one minute. Why don't you want to become a fad. You want all the people who design it and sell it to remain poor for the rest of their lives. I just don't want to see our community whereas this year the next year we don't see it again. OK thank you very much Judy. Well I can understand his concern but I think now that it is something that his reaching out to the community and people want to touch him be in contact with their culture that African AIA seeking to make sure that it's a continual type of thing that it is not faddishness not just for the summer and it's not just for a season. So we are very concerned and very conscious of promoting products that can express on a continual basis. Well we would like to see that happen but we do live in a capitalist you know and

people do like change is there any way of avoiding. This is becoming a fad and fading away but I've noticed that even when fads fade away they leave something I have I'd like to say to my brother. I understand exactly what he's with he's saying but I'd like him not to get caught up in again the fashion world to say what we're doing here hopefully is incorporating. And one thing that fashion and style really is is finding the thing that works for you and sticking with it. There's no reason why if if if it's not the fad which again is that that horrible fashionable word next year if you find it that's a farce. I mean for the rest of your life brother you can wear a give one to your father to your brother and give one to your son and you can probably find it in stores for the rest of your life. That's a telephone call you're on the air go ahead please. You know I don't want to know how much you. The African clothes be OK.

Here's Judy. Well I can't talk too much about D.C. I can tell you about Africa and I and we range in prices and I must say that African eye is really known for its female fashions. And we really pay attention to the professional woman who's working and the prices range from very reasonable to very expensive. For example the one of the men's Bermuda outfits is ranging around $60 which is very reasonable and very average for the average male outfits. So depending on what business concern you go to depends on the price range. OK but where are you located. I think the young caller wants to know OK we're located. We have two locations one is in the upper part of Georgetown 21 34 Wisconsin Avenue. And then we've just recently located there Prince Georges plaza across from wooden Lothrop back to the telephone caller you're on the air go ahead please.

Everyone on I don't want to work. I don't I can make an observation I want to now we're going to have me. Function of us Africa Conference things are abstract and I noted that the ethnic people that were there are Europeans. And the African-American is coming out with her ethnic outfit that of course it but right here right here fact is that it's because the ethnic groups are finding United. They're there to direct the Iman. Well I think a part of that is that if you have been dealing with African diplomats and people who have business here they're going to fashion consultants in Africa who are saying that if you want to do business in the United States you dress in the business of the United States so when they come that's what they bring they may leave quite a few of the traditional things that hold only wear them to African specific functions but when in Rome you're right do as the Romans do. But those people who are here and who live here have a much looser

sense of where they can wear what. So they buy fabrics from the African I and other places and outfits and they wear them to FW to formal functions and cocktails etc. when our African guests may not have thought of that. And like I said wait for a couple of years go to a conference three years from now when they have picked up what we've seen what we're starting to really introduce into and definitely incorporate and they'll be doing it because that's what everybody feels like. Telephone caller you're on the air go ahead please. Yeah I might just die as are you. If ever we really do you think if we got that far. Thank you guys right. We need eight. Somehow we need a lot of really need a lot of young entrepreneurs Maybe such as yourself to take the risk and that's what it is of getting into this business. We are also we African does not want to stop it just Wisconsin Avenue and Prince Georges Plaza in their future dreams and

goals they would like to go to major cities throughout the United States. And I'd like to just piggyback on what you and Helen were saying about clothes of the future. African I is using Western designs with African fabrics so that then that warranted just special dinner party functions women and men can wear things to the office and be just as professional while expressing their culture at the same time so this is not just for dinner parties or special occasions this is for daytime work cocktail hour and casual type of hell and does that mean we're going to be seeing a wider and wider variety of both designs and fashions and African type questions in order to accommodate precisely that these are the people might want to wear things to work. Yes because we still have in America it does remain the traditional business uniform. Uniformity I think. That women have have had to learn that doesn't mean that

it has to be ugly or that has to be dull. But there are some basic reasons why we have the designs that we have for instance the traditional business uniform is a suit. I'm think of a man's jacket that comes down to a V and he has a necktie that goes up to his face. Yes if you're speaking and projecting that's where it's coming from. OK the woman her pearls for all practical purposes serve the same purpose. Yes and it's it's based on what you have to say and how you are projecting it. People tend to respond to what they see. That's why she's a fashion consultant and I'm not. Back to the telephone caller you're on the air go ahead please. Oh yes good evening. I wanted to ask you. Yes I love your show too. Can one have an outfit made. I'm almost 6 foot tall so I could not go with the bike thing anywhere and I have an outfit made for

me here. Thank you so much. Thank you. We do have designers that we can really recommend to you that will take in your size your height and your proportions. Yes and you can give us a call out telephone number is area code 2 2 6 2 5 2 5 5 2. And a special suggestions for the taller woman. Well I'm just delighted to know that that is Judy says. She said We have some design is that there's more than than just one person. Okay back to the telephone caller on the air go ahead please. Good evening Kojo and if your guest just a brief comment about the car burned about the clothing becoming a fiat but this is something that has just been growing and mushroom quietly in the dark so to speak for 40 years you know it goes back to the 40s when people here first started getting interested in their heritage. People like not only didn't look to the advance of the realm of the bubble but you have a village

and there they are a growing number of people there every day building distress is an African traditional almost. Yes that's true. Thanks a lot for making that point. It goes back to the point that was mentioned earlier on that these things usually start on the street right Helen. That's right. Because around the fringes they have always been people who have been wearing African fashions and you have a prerequisite in your necktie. Thank you very much. Back to the title. Of course you know let me go ahead please. It was an African I am wearing dresses and a lot of African American women are getting in there and if not are you going to get in there you know it is Sunday and as a matter of fact we highlighted a couple of African designed wedding dresses in May. In fact they showcased our window at the Plaza for this month and we

also head bridegrooms in attendance in display. So to answer your question this is the first year that we ventured in this and we will follow it up because we have gotten a very positive response. And again we do have people we can recommend to you that you can go and have certain African styled wedding gowns and groomsmen outfits. OK next caller. Oh go ahead Helen. That's something that's been going on for a very very long time and we've been doing we've been doing wedding dresses. You know and and that kind of thing for a number of years and that that's probably the number one lead in to where we're going right now. Do you do fashion consulting for a number of very well-known people in this town. To what extent do celebrities want to be individually appearing. Or or to what extent do they want to be on the cutting edge of whatever's happening right now one of them. Well the way that that I work with my clients and the people who I

choose as clients because I choose my clients they don't use a lot choosing the people who I choose are people who want to be appropriately dressed. That's what my bottom line is it has to be appropriate. Now if it's brand new and fabulous and it works for you great. If it's brand new and fabulous and it doesn't work for you that's too bad it will just have to wear what we had last year because remember I said that the most important thing is to find what works for you and be confident enough to stick with it forever if need be. Back to the telephone caller you're on the air go ahead please. 1 I just want to. Actually you do you have any thing anything for our church. And yet you also run shoes off. You're talking about regular Western you know. I guess you say OK no no as a matter of fact we have not ventured into that yet. What the future will open to us is another issue because we do have male

designers from Africa who do do a complete male fashion design. OK back to the telephone caller you're on the air go ahead please. I'd like to know if you will every feature clothing from East Africa. I'm particularly interested in Ethiopian clothing but none of the African stories seem to have them. Thank you from time to time we had as a matter of fact from the female perspective not from the male. We do have clothes from East Africa Uganda in particular. We have clothing so we are looking at the continent of Africa not just the West Coast. We have not ventured that in with ventured into that with the male clothing but with females yes we have done that so often we tend to think of Africa as a country is if you can go from coast to coast just by. Hopping a plane and be there in a few minutes what becomes the difficulty when people want things from one end of the continent as opposed to the other. Well just the sheer connection and making contacts with people

and having them shipped over in a timely manner. Of course the West Coast is more accessible to us. And so it's easier for us to order and ask for certain designs to what extent does the fact that the that the fashion industry has existed for so long in Europe and the United States make it easier to get things quickly as opposed to in the Third World where it's just beginning to develop as a as a commercial industry. Well it's very simple we get what we want. It's very very thin but we would we definitely get where we want it. It's easy to get here if we want it here and it isn't easy if we don't want it here. So once there's a demand for it there will be ways found to get it here and there will definitely be a demand. And hopefully the demand within within our own community. Because one thing about men. Now she's telling me about men. Go ahead go ahead I'm going to this is what I mean I mean I love the size about ourselves. Excited because Judy is sitting on such a gold mine here. If you get what they need or what they tell you that they want in the store listen

carefully guys they will buy it. Think about yourself. If you go into a store you go into a store and you decide that you want to see where you go in the store. I go straight to the menswear section. If you decide that you want to necktie Where do you go in the store. I go straight to that section of the store if you want shoes with the same section. If we want a blouse in the store that has eight floors. They're blouses on six different boards. Oh that's true because we will go to six different followers. Oh if you go into any men's department in any specialty store that has more than one floor or even more than one section of the store. Everything for men is in the same place because I never noticed that because if I go in and they say one things here on something's way I might only buy the one thing you know. Thank you that usually located fairly close to the parking lot elevator because you're not going to go to 14 different sections.

That's true unless we're following our women and if that isn't a matter of fact it's about how the men shop when they come to Africa and I'd like to also say when we were talking about accessibility these designers that African guys promoting and marketing are already well known in their country and even have salons throughout Europe and Asia there to avow designers have both in Paris France and Australia so they're all they've already made their impression in the image now they have. We are inviting them to the United States. It is interesting that you mention that difference because as I reflect on it when I was young going to stores will be closed and I don't know my mother and her friends would take me and my son and my brothers and sisters out window shopping in stores for hours at a time women shop men buy Let's go to the telephone call or you're on the air go ahead please. Yes I want to make and no one gets her to come on our show and it's got a powerful message don't it is the BNP should

call the black What price for black. What are comply to you know want to comply. We're compelled to give the scenario from the bacteria still with one solution the solution is to try your best to be whatever but that is just a nuisance and this is all going to be on one T-shirt. We don't want to search seven columns. Well I'm going to have to compete with these other zillion teachers that are coming out at the summit is one of the black part I look for thanks a lot. Let's get back to the telephone call you on the air go ahead please go Joe a beauty I want to know if you design anything to children. Nobody ever talked about what kids where you know our kids are in the market because they were Yeah for them and the second question I want to know Are you had many white buy from you right now so I can hear OK the first question. Occasionally we have children's clothes especially around Christmas time. We are again listening to our clients and we hear the same message about children's

clothes so we do have some things a couple of pieces we've gotten in as a matter of fact from East Africa from Uganda. So we will continue and we will look more into providing clothes for children rather than just doing it around seasonal time so obviously the sportswear industry has been thinking about young people for a while but how about the fashion industry the upscale fashion industry in particular the upscale fashion industry definitely thinks about children particularly Europeans. If you go to Venice I mean there's a fabulous men's store. There's a fabulous woman store. There's a fabulous children's store. We don't do that very often here in this country. I don't know what it is that we that we that we think or don't think about our children but they are not considered people in fashion periodic Lee some European designer will come out with a collection and they'll hit hot. It will last one season and then it'll go. Then there will be nothing. Then somebody else will come back another season it's like every other.

There's no consistency and I think again sitting on a gold mine and I think that that hit African-American women are concerned about what their children are wearing as are the fathers if they're going to be people in the refrigerator they might as well be people in fashion. Children that is. More unique fabrics when we come back. And I'm told that we will have a surprise model so stay with us we'll be right. Back. Welcome back our discussion this evening sometimes around African fashions for men

for the vote. Give us a call and tell us what you think we're joined of by Judy Walton of the African I am fashion consultant Helen moody and we were taking your telephone calls but I think this time we'll get a chance once again to look at some of the things that you'll be interested in so let's do that immediately. Here. This is the more casual look of the 90s. This is real not Manado and Kevin they're both wearing two vests. Both from Nigeria and the fabric is called Kinney. Is a type of woven material it's chocolate brown with a two tone green. Let's lime and pea green with blue threading. And it's a type of gold threading called the Red Sea. That type of threading is used just to add more detail and more distinction to it to dress it up in essence. And you notice the two ways that we're

not going to heaven on wearing this. Hope a little one is open and the shirt underneath us by another Nigerian name Chris which is 100 percent linen and has hand painted fabric design on the pocket. He's win it with a pair of greening linen shorts with the shirt outside in the vest essentially waiting. This is another way to handle the very casual look and still be contemporary with the fashion. Helen This looks like what a lot of the home boys would like to look a lot of young African-Americans look like they'd like to. Be the ones coming out just now know what it was perhaps the little boys were Absolutely. OK let's go. And next this is an this is an outfit by one of the more outstanding designers elf body he is from their hit list trademarks of course as you can tell by the embroidery that's done on the end of the

panel and then of course his brass hammy. But that a very you know this is a multi colored jacket very casual orange red top khaki khaki the hands matching pants to go with A. Single breasted with heavy intricate embroidery on the lapel and across the jacket front. And as you can tell our father is very concerned with. Keeping with the African vibrant colors. At the same time bringing in the Western style. On the Hill. I think. This is another outfit by. The prof this time. And. It's done in the Maltese. Yellow.

And green lights work with its natural fabrics and if you notice the way that leather. Is that not only is cotton and other materials natural but also. This is another type of outfit. This now coming into the market and the young men. Are responding. He says and he says this as he says it is very close to it looks like he might never want to take it off at all. And again another alpha body outfit. If you notice our fart is very stylish designs and colors. This is a basic and rust color with green. Top. And the same broadly that details the color and the pockets also detail with hands cut.

This is another type of valve body and again this trademark. Besides the embroidery is the hand made dress. But. It. Also has a factory with lawyers 50 people in their own casual with a white T-shirt. That will take you to any party or any boat party that you would like to go to the pool party. We're all right. Now this is also called you may see these He's called a long shirt and the trousers and they're also called the ups and Dale. And this is done by Ralph who is wearing a black with the red embroidery. This kid. You take your evening party very casual party that makes a beautiful statement as to the impression of the African culture and if you notice he's wearing a pair of black patent leather shoes

that extension weights the outfit at the same time. Very handsome statement that African-American males can make. As they're bringing into their culture. Any comments on. Red and black. Michael Jordan. I'm going to. Look at this wonderful area on the afternoon hot summer afternoon too as we're talking about the hot summers of Washington D.C.. That and that he needed to look like Michael Jordan. It is all in the attitude that's true. That's an easy thing to get a man into and this is by design an angel card from Nigeria. Another up and down outfit very cash flow is worn by Ralph is black with a deep tan and black trimming and if you notice the front part is that much more detail and much more intricately designed. And this can also go for an evening party.

Evening even for a public meeting in the evening right after work in the 70s and 60s this is the kind of about her that you saw. Yes African males and usually this I guess is more familiar to us than any of the other stuff. It is but it's risen time to a new level of sophistication and I see very very very very happy and you know it's just trying to say that I can't wear my old actually because the sun and get away with it I'll go right. Back in the closet bagel. I'll come for the stuff. And finally in the end this is a nice outfit it makes a wonderful statement look at Colby and all the men have been wearing the whole feel I might say yes to is enjoying his outfit. It's a black and yellow. He's enjoying it. It's white all of the outfits are 100 percent cut. This is especially nice because this. Can go also out to dinner. It's all of them are but this is summertime and we do look for White is a pooling outfit to take care of

the sun. It's highlighted by black red embroidery. And pockets. And what makes it also good is that a lot of the pants that the men wear with these outfits are drawstring so that they are expandable could fit in different sizes and as we grow. Yes. Whole thing is exaggerated it which is black and white told you to go with him. And I think Helen said it has a lot to mention Michael Jordan and a lot has to do with the attitude of the where and how they going in the outfit to make a statement. So we have is where and in particular you have a lot of control over how people respond to you. These threads look like they can improve your social life they all have no place to go and you get some like this you want to go selflessly. Is that one of the reasons that people like this kind of stuff that it just makes you feel good by just so if you want to go places and show it off.

Well when you have something on this conflict Google that allows you to do whatever the activity is I mean you don't go to a dance the word type than that on the telephone call it's your turn you're on the air go ahead please. Good thing I'm not everything you just you know my question is I have been here I 38 he weighed 370. What do you have for him. Actor Richard you stare at me and do you. Haven't had a lot of cottage cheese. Let's be serious. No we don't have a catalog and we're also looking at that too because we have many people who do who sometimes prefer to shop and then sometimes people who come in town with conventions and things and they come in and they want to know. So we are looking into that. As to size we do get varying sizes in. We are expecting another shipment of items men's items and we are expressing the fact that they do come in different sizes because after all African men do come in various

sizes within the next couple of weeks we should expect a new shipment of clothing to come in. So please give us a call or come by and stay in contact you have to call regularly and stop by because many times things come in and they go immediately. May I ask a question. Do you have things that only come from Africa or do you have some. Do you have designers who make things here locally. OK. 90 percent of everything we get is from the continent Africa. The other 10 percent we do have some designers who have moved from the continent and are now based here. So if this person was maybe to bring her husband then would there be some way that you could perhaps get something made for this particular person this question. All of our jewelry design as a matter of fact we have started that we have a designer name Elaine Crusoe who does our female jewelry. She's now doing designing full of men's Jory So we'd like to

let our listening audience and viewing audience know that there is a new line of men's jewelry coming out by a ling crew so back to the telephone callers or turn your on the air go ahead please. I told you I didn't participate even exchange is a really good name because I mean you're exchanging information with them. But my question and the information for me tonight. OK but my question is for Judy and the second one is for you Helen is as far as your line is concerned. I know you think that a man's shorts outfit would cost $60 for someone that can afford to buy something like a 50 dollar man's outfit. Do you have any like the sale of something I didn't fail the previous year. And Helen my question to you is how do you feel about the white industry. White person industry moving into the can't take off into the different African clothes I mean J.C. Penney's didn't think that they would move and now they're about to reorder for the time. How do you feel about that. OK. Helen first I have a problem with that because imitation is a by this form of

flattery as far as I'm concerned since I believe we started everything anyway. Well I mean what would they do without us. Let's just say. As to the question about well let's say we have sales. So I'd like to say that and we always very conscious of the different types of clientele we also have layaway we. We try to accommodate the different types of economic backgrounds so we invite you to come in and we do have things that have a wide range of pricing and of course as their business expands and their volume grows that will allow them to have lower prices and we'll hopefully hoping that your business expands and your volume grows. We do have to take a short break right now but don't go away because we will be right back with the alleged surprise model so stay with us. OK.

But. OK we promised you a surprise model and here he is our all call Joe. Where handsome. In his one of the ups and downs that we call him Sarge easy it's a beautiful gray linen with silver and gray embroidery very intricate panels embroidery front paneling. He looks very handsome of course he's adopted it looks like he may walk out with it this afternoon. He says yes makes a very handsome statement. Maybe we should have more shows we're called.

Maybe I should be allowed to have all of these out all for his official. Thank you very much the African collection Judy Walton and all of the wonderful models that we've had here tonight. Gentlemen you have done a superb job. And of course fashion consultant Helen Moody thank you for joining us next Wednesday evening on MTV and the National Coalition on Black voter participation will conduct a town meeting called Voices of the electorate in this presidential election year. It is important that African-American voices be heard. So it's 8:00 p.m. We will open the discussion on crime and drugs housing health jobs and education. Between you and a panel of experts join us at Israel Baptist Church in northeast Washington. The meeting is free but you must make your reservation by calling area 6 5 9 4 9 2 9 2 0 2 6 5 9 4 9 2 9. That's our town meeting next Wednesday at Israel Baptist Church in northeast Washington. The program is that the doors will close at 7:30

p.m.. And from all of us all of you have a great fashion. And. Even exchange depends on your contributions. Please send your donation to

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