Macy's Icons of Style

With five Black designers you need to know about in 2021 and beyond. The collaboration between the department store and these fashion designers debuted March 29 on Macy’s site and in-person at select stores nationwide.
With clothing spanning ready-to-wear, men’s, and shoes, the esteemed designers include by Misa Hylton, Aminah Abdul Jillil and Allen Onyia designing for I.N.C, International Concepts, Zerina Akers for Bar III and Ouigi Theodore for Sun + Stone.
These brands are only found at Macy’s, and so are the exclusive spring designs. The special collaboration landing page with all the designers will be live until May 21 and the collection itself available to shop until it sells out but we highly recommend shopping now, as styles are sure to go fast.
“We are thrilled to celebrate Black excellence and amplify the voices and exceptional talent of five Black creatives,” said Durand Guion, vice president, Macy’s Fashion Office in the press release. “We’re using this moment to tell their stories and provide our fashion-devoted customers with exclusive, one-of-a-kind pieces to help them express their personal style.”
Now to introduce the icons themselves and let their stories and style shine through. See below for a more in-depth look into the collections and the designers making Macy’s history and serious waves in the fashion world.

REEL

Black Americans have made innumerable contributions to this country’s iconic fashion styles and trends. But, due to racism, those same Black Americans have often been denied access to the fashion industry itself. Macy’s wants to change that. And the department story is actually doing something about it, releasing collaborative Icons of Style collections with Black creatives including Zerena Akers, Misa Hylton, Aminah Abdul Jillil, Allen Onyia, and Ouigi Theodore. 
In March, Complex gave you a look at the first drop from Akers, Hylton, and Abdul Jillil, but now, with spring in the air, we’re here to focus on the upcoming Allen Onyia for INC and Ouigi Theodore for Sun + Stone collections releasing on May 28. With an eye to classic American style updated for 2021, the forthcoming collections from Onyia and Theodore feature bold, wearable items like denim overalls, military-style trousers and shorts, and even baseball jerseys and souvenir jackets.
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Full Length Interviews 
Ouigi Theodore, Creative Director, cultural connector & lead curator, has cultivated​ a unique style that has garnered recognition not only among the fashion pundits of New York, but also from streetwise fans as far away as Europe, South Africa, Japan, Korea and the UK. He has become a recognizable figure and has established himself as a trend forecaster for advertising and marketing agencies looking​ to get an edge in the market. He has consulted on campaigns for the likes of Hennessy/LVMH, Sean John Vote or Die, Toyota, Casio G-Shock, American Express, PF Flyers, Liberty Fairs, ENVSN FEST, New Balance, Reebok, Deutsch Advertising, Sennheiser Audio. He's been​ a featured speaker at the PSFK Conference, a trend-forecasting summit in New York, AIGA, The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Public Library and the Apple Store. His 2019 fashion week presentation at the flagship 5th Apple store was the first collaboration of its kind for the technology company.
After graduating from the State University​ at Stony Brook with a degree in history, he went on to study Advertising Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology. As founder of The Brooklyn Circus, one of the most influential retail concepts in the USA, he travels extensively sharing The Brooklyn Circus/BKc perspective as well as the 100 Year plan of Style + Character.
For over twenty-five years, Misa Hylton has been a fashion architect at the forefront of fashion, music, and culture. Acclaimed for reshaping the fundamentals of style within R&B and Hip-Hop culture and transforming them into something entirely new, bold, and how an entire generation dressed. Her skill for capturing an unforgettable moment while setting the stage for what everyone will want to wear next are immortalized in iconic looks of Lil Kim, Mary J Blige, Missy Elliott, Queen Latifah, and many others. She has collaborated with major brands such as Pepsi, Viacom, Amazon, and the NFL.
She continues to revolutionize fashion​ at various levels – collaborating with MCM​ for her own soon-to-launch capsule collection, styling private celebrity clients, featuring as​ a commentary subject in two documentaries on music epochs, and teaching a new generation of stylists at her Misa Hylton Fashion Academy and professional studies courses at the Fashion Institute of Technology.​ Misa continues to transcend categories by constantly defining then re-defining modern style.​
Allen Onyia is a multifaceted style powerhouse with over 15 years of experience in the fashion industry. He’s established a trusted brand as​ a Creative Director, Designer, Style Coach,​ and Co-Founder of popular men’s fashion platform UpscaleHype, which was named the most important menswear Instagram account by GQ Magazine. Under his “Style is a Sport” motto, Allen has developed a unique and respected style perspective. His keen eye​ for style and in-depth, thorough, and informed approach to fashion has led to him working with brands such as Lanvin, Apple, and The NBA.
Allen’s proven track record for organically building fashion brands, identifying emerging trends, and advancing style into new directions, has garnered him a loyal​ and engaged fan base.
Aminah Abdul Jillil is a Luxury Shoe Brand launched in August 2012. Aminah's shoes are known for a bold yet feminine design aesthetic that has led to Global Distribution in over 50 countries including brand partnerships with premier luxury fashion retailers Harvey Nichols and Level Shoes.
Born in Anchorage, Alaska Aminah Abdul-Jillil began as a professional dancer in Los Angeles, performing with some of the biggest names in music including Britney Spears and Janet Jackson. After many years of touring, she joined a Cirque du Soleil production in Las Vegas.
No stranger to fashion, costume designer, Zerina Akers’ career began at W Magazine, interning​ in the fashion closet. While pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising and Marketing from L.I.M., Zerina worked under some of fashion’s most accomplished stylists before venturing off to style personal clients and ad campaigns.
She is currently the costume designer for Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. Her client list also includes Chloe X Halle, and Niecy Nash, to name a few. Some of Zerina's​ notable accomplishments include Beyoncé’s world famous On The Run II Tour, both the “Formation”​ and “Ape Sh*t” music videos, Chloe X Halle’s “The Kids Are Alright” film, and being on The Hollywood Reporter’s ‘Stylists & Stars’ list.​
Always willing to go against the grain, Zerina loves experimenting, drawing inspiration from nature​ or history and mixing larger, well-known designers with emerging brands. She continues to champion Black creatives and supports new talent in various​ ways including her careful selection of looks created by Black designers for Beyoncé’s “Black Is King” film, and launching Black Owned Everything – a comprehensive directory​ of Black-owned businesses spanning fashion, beauty, art, and homeware.
Client:  MACY'S

Director:  Steve Dabal
Director of Photography:  Griffin Yu
Director of Photography Unit B: Brian Beckwith
Producer: Clare Stukel
Line Producer: Harry Baruch
Prop Stylist: Rochelle Bennett
Swing: Vincent Cota
Swing: Jesse Moritz
Audio: Kip Sturm
PA: Hrishi Bardhan