Celebrating the ground breaking exploration of hip-hop style and the Black fashion revolution by the Museum of the City of New York with its ‘Black Style Now,’ exhibition, Essence Magazine and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs have teamed up to offer a preview of the installation via a VIP Party.

Exploring the history of African-American style and the influence of hip-hop on fashion and design, ‘Black Style Now’ is the first major exhibition about Black fashion. It will feature examples of the attire, accessories, and looks that define contemporary fashion.

Exhibits include a strapless fuchsia, velvet gown worn by Lil' Kim to the 2005 Costume Institute Gala, an original wool-pinstripe suit worn by Sean 'Diddy' Combs to the 2006 CFDA Awards, and a custom-designed white and cranberry leather, monogrammed cap made for LL Cool J in the 1980's, to name a few.

Opening on September 9, 2006, and running through February 19, 2007, the exhibition will present historic photos, video images and stylized vignettes to reveal how today's fashion is shaped by African-American style. Beyoncé, Sean 'Diddy' Combs, Russell Simmons, Sean 'Jay-Z' Carter, LL Cool J, Kanye West, Lil' Kim and Andre 3000 are among the celebrities whose influence will be documented in BLACK STYLE NOW.

The BLACK STYLE NOW Opening Gala chairpersons, ESSENCE editorial director Susan L. Taylor, Sean 'Diddy' Combs and Museum of the City of New York President Susan Henshaw Jones, have assembled an illustrious event host committee, including Iman, John Dempsey, William P. Lauder, Susan Fales-Hill, Thelma Golden, Allison Whipple Rockefeller, and ESSENCE editor-in-chief Angela Burt-Murray, among others.

Black Style Now Gala
Friday, September 8, 2006, from 6:00pm to 11:00pm
Museum of the City of New York
1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street

Below is the updated New York Fashion Calendar.

***Note: This schedule is subject to change.