MOANA LUU
Chief Content and Creative Officer
Twitter: @MoanaLuu
Instagram: @MoanaLuu
E-mail: [email protected]when she launched her independently owned,
self- titled clothing line, she made it her mission to
create styles that flatter women of all shapes and
sizes and promote body positivity. It’s a bold and
necessary move, one that speaks to Serena’s role
as a leader, on and off the tennis court. And yes,
we cosign her hashtag, #BeSeenBeHeard.
Though it’s been nearly two months since
our 25th Essence Festival, in many ways,
we’re still in celebration mode. After preview-
ing our inaugural Fashion House in New Orleans
over the July Fourth weekend, we can’t wait
to bring that three-day experience to life
once again, this time during New York Fashion
Week. We’ll be stepping into the luxury world
as we gather fashion leaders from around the
globe to host fashion shows, panel discus-
sions and pop-up shops.
It goes without saying that fashion is a feel-
ing, as well as a way of life. Beauty is too. As
Black women, we are a presence. Our style
and our culture are not trends. Our influence
defies geography and imprints the larger cul-
ture. This we know, and we’re proud to illustrate
it throughout this issue with models, designers
and photographers from the U.S., South
America, the Caribbean, Europe and Africa, the
latter where we turned our lens to showcase
why Nairobi’s Kibera slums are among the
most vibrant epicenters of fashion.
Along with featuring the informative “Cool
Girl’s Guide to Paris,” we shine the spotlight on
model Kadija Diawara, who is of Egyptian– Malian
descent and a vision in her hijab, and model and
actress Leyna Bloom, the first transgender
woman of color to star in a film premiering at the
Cannes Film Festival. When I saw Leyna
on-screen in Port Authority, I just knew she’d
be perfect for this issue too.We’re still reveling in the success of our annual festival of music, entertainment
and culture. This year more than 500,000 of our friends joined us in New Orleans.ESSENCE is not only a global brand but a
powerful movement. We’re as proud to continue
making waves as we are to be making strides
throughout the world. It is our honor to be tak-
ing this journey with you.
In love, always...I was happy to share some of
the colorful looks I wore from
Gucci, Hanifa, Hermès and
Thom Browne (right) during
Essence Fest, and enjoyed your
comments. With New York
Fashion Week and ESSENCE’s
Fashion House on the horizon,
be on the lookout for more.#MOANADAILY
Follow my hashtag
to check out what
I’m wearng today.As Black
women, we are
a presence.
Our style and
our culture are
not trends.
Our influence
defies
geography.”additionalLOOK FOR THESE ICONS FOR DIGITAL CONTENT
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ESSENCE.COM I 16 I SEPTEMBER 2019