WRITTEN BY SHARRA GREENE
Like many young girls born in the 90’s, my very first introduction to the legendary Andre Leon Talley was on America’s Next Top Model, when he served as a judge. His energy was vivacious, confident, and dramatic. He game extensive knowledge on the history of the fashion industry. Little did I know at the time, how much of an impeccable revolutionary he was.
As a black journalist from the south, turned Vogue Editor at Large, and all around fashion culture expert, this man has trecked through the “Chiffon trenches” and fought battles regarding color, class, and everything in between, so that young black women like me, pursuing work in fashion, could have even a small window of opportunity.
I can also recall my very first encounter with the legendary fashion designer Thierry Mugler. I was 12 years old, listening to my fav Bey album to date, “I Am Sasha Fierce”, (this was back when we bought physical copies). As I flipped through the CD booklet, an image of my idol in an amazing sculpted top, fashioned as a motorcycle caught my eye. I remember thinking “Who would even think of something like this?” I was completely in awe, and forever inspired. I remember tearing my booklet to shreds to tape the image on my wall.
This is when I learned what innovation was.
The recent passing of these two irreplaceable forces has deeply and permanently affected the fashion community and culture.. and it has had me thinking about what it takes to truly be an innovator. By definition, an innovator is a person who introduces new methods, ideas, or products. Emphasis on the NEW. If there’s anything that the passing of legends is teaching me, it’s to follow my instincts.
To let knowledge and passion lead the way when you’re faced with ignorance and shut doors in your face, like Andre Leon Talley…
Or to follow your instinct and execute “odd, futuristic” designs that will be called '“timeless” years down the road, like Manfred Thierry Mugler did.
The legacy of these two trailblazers has inspired me to worry less about what the world says is “acceptable, standard, the right way”, etc. because all of our world’s leaders have directly defied all of that.
I recently shared my thoughts on this on my story, stating that “so many of our legends and innovators are passing one right behind the other. I feel like the only way we’re going to have as many innovators in the next generation is if we learn to tune out the noise of trends and what everyone is doing, and start listening to our inner voice more, and sharing our “crazy” ideas that we think no one will care about, with the world.”
What ways to you want to innovate? Let me know in the comments!