During the New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2016 show at Harlem Stage, designer and philanthropist B Michael and CEO Mark-Anthony Edwards presented the b michael AMERICA designer collection in honor of the SonEdna Foundation and the memory of E'dena Hines for their efforts to promote the literary arts including writers of all genres and backgrounds in the Delta, in Mississippi, and throughout the world.

The collection included a blend of uptown glamour and downtown whimsy, with silhouettes that meet at the intersection of ballet and hip-hop, reflective of the bon vivant culture of Harlem. The color palette of the collection evokes urban flower boxes, where impressionism converges with urban graffiti.

The American couturier and ready-to-wear designer is known for his glamorous and timeless designs made exclusively in America and worn by many of the world's most stylish women (such as Cicely Tyson, Valerie Simpson, Phylicia Rashad and Susan Fales-Hill). 

As the hallmark of the brand's "Advanced American Style" heritage, b michael remains committed to designing and manufacturing his collections in America, creating jobs for garment workers in New York City and supporting the heart of the U.S. fashion industry since 1999. 

In 2014, the duo was also named one of New York’s “New Abolitionists” against human trafficking by the Sanctuary for Families and the New York State Anti-Trafficking Coalition. Mr. Michael has presented collections worldwide, and is a dedicated philanthropist and supporter of organizations that educate and empower young people, thereby shaping the leaders of tomorrow. Organizations he supports include the YAGP, the Cicely L. Tyson School of the Performing and Fine Arts and the Dream Yard Project, to name a few. To learn more about the latest collection, go to: bmichaelamerica.com

Photographs by Marsin (courtesy of b michael AMERICA)