N O M I N E E S :
EMERGING DESIGNER
OF THE YEAR
Fashion Brand on the Rise
Selam Fessahaye,
Christopher John
Rogers & Rich Mnisi
Swedish-Eritrean talent Selam
Fessahaye debuted her
gender-bending collection
during Stockholm Fashion
Week in August 2018. Armed
with a background in fashion
styling, the young visionary
experiments with utilitarian
shapes, exaggerated silhou-
ettes and texture play. Ba-
ton Rouge, Louisiana–bred
designer Christopher John
Rogers’s artful creations
feature feminine flourishes
and whimsical details. The
CFDA-Vogue Fashion Fund–
nominated talent got his
start interning for New York
labels Tanya Taylor and Rosie
Assouline before launching
his eponymous line in 2017.
South African designer Rich
Mnisi founded his namesake
brand in 2015. Featuring a
contemporary take on clas-
sic silhouettes, the 2014
Africa Fashion International
Young Designer of the Year
infuses his vibrant sensibility
into timeless looks. Pulling
from traditional cultural influ-
ences, the young creative
reimagines classic silhou-
ettes in colorful prints and
unexpected pairings for a
look that is equal parts cut-
ting edge and timeless.HONOREE: DISRUPTOR AWARD
Powerhouse Challenging the Status QuoRihanna
With the launch of her LVMH-backed Fenty Maison,
RiRi took her style game to next-level status. Making
history as the first woman of color to lead a house
under the luxury brand, her unique, limited edition
seasonal drops challenge the typical retail models with
a fresher consumer-facing strategy. »FASHIONBEST IN
BLACKJU
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ESSENCE.COM I 125 I SEPTEMBER 2019