Davide, Creative Director,
“Fashion at The Fountain”
Valor and Virtue Productions does it again “Fashion at The Fountain” High Fashion Runway Show to be held at Fountain Square on June 18. The show will feature nine local and international Black Designers and will be dedicated to UC graduate, double Academy Award Winner Ruth E. Carter, the first Black woman to ever win two Oscars for her outstanding costume designs in both iterations of the movie Black Panther and Wakanda Forever.
Carter, along with former Halston designer Kevin Hall, TJ Walker, founder of meteoric urban clothing brand Cross Colours, and Angela Dean, designer for iconic celebrities such as Patty Labelle, Queen Latifah, Angela Bassett, and Jada Pinkett-Smith are co-founders of Black Design Collective. This charitable organization is America’s first professional association solely dedicated to the empowerment of Black (and other minority) creatives in the fashion, beauty, design and creative industries.
What brings this significant accomplishment “close to home” – particularly for Cincinnati and the Tri-State area – is the introduction of local (black and female owned) fashion production company, Valor and Virtue Productions governorship of The Black Design Collective’s Midwest Chapter. While the name Valor and Virtue Productions might not yet be readily recognizable, it’s certain that through its iconic 2022 production of Fashion at the Fountain minted its position as a fashion powerhouse throughout the Midwest.
This year, Fashion at The Fountain’s theme is “Fashion Forward.” Ten local designers were selected to feature their collections on 50 professional/semi-professional male and female models on a 50-foot-long runway, jutting forward into the VIP seated section and toward an anticipated open audience of over 1,000 attendees. This high energy production is set against the 20-foot-high fountain “Genius of Water” as its backdrop. Flanking the square will be 20 vendor booths. The Red-Carpet VIP Pre-show Reception will be held in the beautiful Atrium of Fifth Third Bank where the 300 VIP guests will be serenaded by young violinist Trinity Thrasher, while pleasing their palate with tray served hors d’oeuvres and curated cocktails. The highlight of the show is our marque celebrity designer, and co-founder of Black Design Collective Angela Dean presenting her Couture Collection, DEANZIGN
The ten designers selected for the show are ZACH WOODLEY (812 Luxury Socks), CHLOE FRANKLIN (Chloe Elesheva), CYNATA TURNER (Cynata Turner Designs), AYANA AMES (Am-A-Line Collections), WHITNEY STEPHENSON (Lee Jerome), REBECCA SHAKESPEARE ARMSTRONG (RJS Fashions), JOSELYN SMITH (Overdressed By Jo), ALISHIA LEE (Me By Lee), JOI ITAPSON (O’shuvre), MEANS (Black Owned)
“Fashion at The Fountain” is the culmination of more than a year of preparation and dedication to growing the Fashion and Beauty Industries throughout the Tri-State area and launching the Midwest/Cincinnati chapter of the Black Design Collective (BDC). As soon as the red carpet was rolled up in 2022, the lights were turned off and the models returned home, Valor and Virtue Productions and Saige Consulting went straight to work preparing for this year’s highly anticipated production along with free-to-the-public activations including a Business Symposium, a Holiday Pop-up shop targeted at local business owners, and two Fashion Business Seminars.
Valor and Virtue Productions, now bolstered by their alliance with Los Angeles based Black Design Collective, is not only talking the talk, but literally walking the walk The company has maintained its mission to embolden disadvantaged communities in the Tri-State area with the support, knowledge and expertise required to compete in the trillion-dollar fashion, beauty and creative industries.
“It’s not enough to just put on a pretty presentation every year. We are dedicated to and responsible for reaching into the community and supporting the next generation of superstar fashion designers, models, hair and make-up artists and other creatives. Ruth E. Carter is proof that it can be done and done with excellence!
VIP tickets and vendor registration available at www.VandVproductions.com.
