The Way We Wore : Black Style Then

The only book to catalogue, either visually or in words, the origins of a uniquely American style that has swept the globe. Features both important people from black culture along with snapshot artwork showing how the style was once specific to an ethnicity has permeated and inspired high fashion worldwide. Features photographs of Oprah Winfrey, James Baldwin, models Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks, and Tookie Smith; fashion designers Kimora Lee Simmons, Patrick Kelly, and Tracy Reese, singers Bobby Short and James Ingram, agent Bethann Hardison, socialite Portia LaBeija, and Supremes Mary Wilson and Jean Terrell. Appeals to fans of fashion, photography, and contemporary African-American culture and history. Michael McCollom has put together a collection of never-before-seen photographs of the individual. The Way We Wore is not only a historical piece that journeys through the African-American landscape, but also an album celebrating the individual. Michael McCollom has carefully chosen photographs and people that exhibit the historical framework of African-American influence on fashion, design, and culture, taking a unique look back at African-American style moments. Utilising personal photographs, this collection explores the stylish beginnings of a diverse group of African-American tastemakers along with everyday folk, examining a time when some individuals literally pulled it all together or, for others, a time of trial and error. This is an exciting exploration of African-American influence on fashion, design and culture.