Dreams Designs was birthed in the late 1990’s by Joyce Boykin. Joyce a native of Chicago IL, and designer of over 40yrs is a former graduate of Austin High School, and the FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles. Joyce spent  her early career working in the garment industry in LA, before returning to her home town where she started her custom design brand. She has dressed several local Chicago news reporters and officials including Dorothy Tucker of CBS channel 2 news. Her designs are elegant and perfect for various lifestyle and social occasions. Today she co ..read more

CATRINA L. THOMAS KAGEL CEO Black Fashion Week 2022 is excited to showcase Thomkat Fashion &  Art Boutique at the upcoming Black Fashion Week events on Sunday, February 27th, 2022 at the Royal Garden Banquet Halls.  Catrina Kagel was born in Rosedale Mississippi, however grew up in Villa Park, IL since the age of 12. She attended Willowbrook High School and College of DuPage. As a recent graduate of Joseph Business School (JBS) in Forest Park, IL, Catrina is obsessed with leveling the playing field in the fashion industry.  In November 2009, she embarked on an entrepreneuria ..read more

Born on the south side of Chicago but raised in small Greenville, Mississippi,  the desire to pursue fashion as a career for Jonathan Thedford was inspired by a  classmate who asked him to sketch her prom dress. Her inspiration was a form-fitting knee-length black dress worn by Dorothy Dandridge. He took her inspiration and request and immediately sketched her dream dress. When he provided her the sketch she took it to a seamstress to be made. When the garment was complete his classmate showed him the finished product and this sparked the desire within Jonathan to pursue fashion as ..read more

Amara Black is a Chicago based designer eager to branch out to new horizons. Over the course of 10 years, Amara Black has showcased collections throughout Illinois, Indiana, Texas, was a Driehaus Design Initiative finalist in 2017, and a featured designer in NYFW 2018. Amara Black is a ready-to-wear line that creates sleek, sophisticated, and edgy men’s and women’s wear….a brand that will make anyone feel confident and powerful. The post Black Fashion Week 2022 featuring Amara Black on the Runway appeared first on ..read more

Dr. La’tifah Qawishabazz is the CEO of Be’l Bla’k Couture Ltd. in Chicago IL. La’Tifah, bears the title of Head Designer. She performs every facet of the launch process of her designs, from concept and construction involvement to merchandise control. La’Tifah has several degrees such as a Masters in Fashion designs, Fashion Merchandising, along with a Doctorate in Business Management and a PhD. in Business Administration. In 2013, she received the Chicago Urban League Emerging Entrepreneurship award for her participation in their Entrepreneurship program.  One of her passions is communi ..read more

Born to Nigerian parents in London England, fashion was forefront and very influential in Stephane St. Jaymes’s upbringing. He grew up watching his mother and aunties sewing, and from a young age was fascinated by old Hollywood movies. He attended London College of Fashion and from there he went on to work for many well-known British designers and pop stars who influenced both his style and skill set. Upon moving to Chicago he quietly worked his way to starting a label and showcasing his talents which includes non-tailored separates and beautiful evening/after 6 attire. A firm believer in st ..read more

Georgeina  Driver is  the creator of Luv That Scrub! She is a dedicated wife, mother and entrepreneur. She’s been in business for more than 24 years, and Luv that Scrub is her second, newest, and most exciting venture. Georgeina has been using oils and herbs for most of her life. As a child her mother often used home remedies on her skin because it was so dry and dehydrated. As far back as she can remember my family has always used homemade natural products. Recently, She have turned over a new leaf and started incorporating my family’s tradition back in my life . Georgenia was insp ..read more

CATRINA L. THOMAS KAGEL CEO Black Fashion Week 2022 is excited to showcase Thomkat Fashion &  Art Boutique at the upcoming Black Fashion Week events on Sunday, February 27th, 2022 at the Royal Garden Banquet Halls.  Catrina Kagel was born in Rosedale Mississippi, however grew up in Villa Park, IL since the age of 12. She attended Willowbrook High School and College of DuPage. As a recent graduate of Joseph Business School (JBS) in Forest Park, IL, Catrina is obsessed with leveling the playing field in the fashion industry.  In November 2009, she embarked on an entrepreneuria ..read more

Black Fashion Week is proud to have B Fragranced as an official swag/Raffle bag sponsor for our upcoming event on Sunday, February 27th, 2022. Purchase tickets to experience this exciting Black-Owned Fragrance brand during our event. use code BHM to save on your tickets while you Marilyn Jones a Chicago Native, Founder, and Owner of B Fragranced LLC created the Brand [ME] in Late December 2013. She owns 100% of the company and is proud to be WBE certified. Marilyn’s number eleven of twelve children born to a devoted Mother and Father. Unfortunately, her time with her Mother was cut short at t ..read more

Mahisha Dellinger CURLS was founded by Mahisha Dellinger, a former Marketing Manager at a Fortune 500 Company. Disenchanted with the lack of natural hair products with quality ingredients and dependability, Mahisha sought to create a new brand that resonates with women like her. Our CEO collaborated with leading cosmetic and wellness experts to develop CURLS. Our CEO’s desire was to create a remarkable, high-quality, natural hair care line for an overlooked audience. The extensive chemistry background from her team of expert formulators and the niche of catering to natural hair women proved to ..read more

Kristen Childs, Minovet CEO/Lead Designer Minovet is a handmade luxury self-care brand that merges comfort with fashion and care. Maintaining healthy hair, skin, and self is a vital part of self-care. Having quality products that can provide assistance in achieving this is what Minovet provides. Their satin bonnets, nightshades, hair scrunchies, robes, and more not only look and feel great, but they also aid in providing the luxurious care that everyone deserves. Kristen Childs, Minovet’s CEO and lead designer, has been designing and creating custom items for friends and family as a hobby for ..read more