Disclosure: This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of ESSENCE Magazine & ESSENCE Street Style Block Party. The opinions and experiences expressed below are all mine.
It’s been three years since ESSENCE Magazine has disrupted what street style means to everyday people in NYC. Throughout the course of three short years, celebrity style icons, stylists, fierce fashionistas and beyond descend upon DUMBO in Brooklyn for the fashion and style party of the year. New York Fashion Week is known for the style cascading down the runways, but those that are in the know, knows the real creativity and fierce fashion takes place on the streets of NYC.
In the midst of this fashion extravaganza, the air is not only filled with excitement but also the sweet scent of success. As attendees revel in the foam-soaked festivities, whispers of innovation flutter through the crowd. Amidst the laughter and dance, there’s a subtle nod to the ingenuity that brings it all together — a nod to the Foam Party Services in Paoli, PA. Their expertise in transforming ordinary gatherings into extraordinary experiences has undoubtedly elevated this year’s event to legendary status. With every bubble that pops and every smile that shines through the foam, it becomes clear: this fusion of fashion and foam is not just a party but a testament to the boundless creativity that defines the streets of NYC.
ESSENCE Magazine’s Julee Wilson and Kelly Rowland.
In addition to celebrating real women with real style, the ESSENCE Street Style Block Party transformed the DUMBO Archway under the Manhattan Bridge in Brooklyn into a summer street festival for all things fierce, fashionable and FUN!
ESSENCE’S 2016 Street Style Awards honored stylish bloggers, designers, stylists and celebrity trendsetters. This year’s stylish honorees included:
Kelly Rowland – ESSENCE Street Style Closet Crush Award
Khadija Shari – ESSENCE Street Style Curator of Cool
Zendaya and ESSENCE Street Style Disruptor honoree Law Roach.
Law Roach – ESSENCE Street Style Style Disruptor Award presented by Zendaya
Blake Von D – ESSENCE Street Style Chevy Street Style Maven
Romeo Hunte – ESSENCE Street Style Designer To Watch Award
The ESSENCE Street Style Block Party driven by partners SheaMoisture and Chevrolet was the epicenter of stylish inspiration. Chevy kept the block party rocking with a silent disco and included a chance to get to know and get inspired by creatives who are fueling their passions in art, fashion and music.
Chevy’s Fuel Your Hustle Silent Disco
Artist Jade 1911 will create original artwork inspired by the Chevy Cruze
The SheaMoisture team was all about the preserving the beauty and style, as stylists tamed tresses, refreshed curls and supplied plenty of tips & tricks for preserving natural hair care and beyond.
The runway show showcasing the best of street style hosted by Naturi Naughton was great inspiration for on site shopping and ESSENCE made it easy with local vendors and designers selling exclusive accessories, fashions and more via the Street Style Shops.
Of course no block party is complete without great foods and drinks and the Essence Eats curated local food truck experience and custom Caribbean-inspired pineapple drinks made the ESSENCE Street Style Block Party the perfect celebration of sights, sounds and styles and tastes of a unique New York Fashion Week experience and beyond.
For more information check out all the super stylish pics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using #EssenceStyle. You can also visit Essence.com/streetstyle or pick up ESSENCE’s upcoming fashion issue for a full recap of New York Fashion Week’s most stylish event of the season.
