- 23 hours ago
From design and entrepreneurship to community-building and cultural influence, founders EMLINE James, Tvche, and Loyalty Club discuss the responsibility and opportunity that come with creating for the culture while building businesses designed to last.
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00:00All righty, y'all.
00:02So now we are about to bring you guys some fashion.
00:06Are you guys ready?
00:07Y'all ready to have a good time and continue
00:09to keep things on going?
00:12Every stitch tells a story, and this next designer
00:16is here to tell hers.
00:18This is a fashion forward and interactive showcase
00:21featuring Fiskani and the Ivy Showroom.
00:24We're going inside her journey and the inspiration behind
00:27her design approach.
00:29Please welcome moderator Ashley Dunn, along with Fiskani
00:33and John the stylist to the main stage.
01:03Thanks for joining us now.
01:06Thanks so much for joining us.
01:06All right.
01:35We'll see you next time.
01:44Y'all feelin' all right out there?
01:47Woo!
01:49Happy Essex!
01:53Okay, I think they're coming out.
01:56They're coming out.
01:59Okay, woo!
02:01Yes!
02:02Let's give it up.
02:05Fisconi, y'all look, can we get into her look?
02:08First of all, don't sit down. This look is salty.
02:12I love this. I love this.
02:15Y'all look so good.
02:16How y'all doing?
02:18Listen, I'm so excited to be talking to y'all today.
02:22And so I just have to ask you, what was the moment?
02:24As you can hear, it's bustling, it's loud.
02:27New Orleans is lit.
02:28But what was the moment for you that you knew New Orleans was the city to build in?
02:33Just the culture.
02:35Like, I love fashion.
02:37Obviously, I'm in fashion.
02:38And New Orleans just offers so much of it.
02:41Like, I was talking to John and he actually brought me to the beating and everything.
02:47Yes.
02:47Talk about that.
02:48I just found out about that.
02:49I was like, I knew I was supposed to be here.
02:51Yeah, yeah, yeah.
02:51So about this year for Mardi Gras, Fiskani came down and she was a part of the crew of Athena
02:58with Phaedra as one of her members on her float.
03:01And I told Fiskani on her way down, I said, listen, New Orleans need what it is that we do
03:06in Atlanta
03:07and all around the world.
03:08I said, I'm from home.
03:09We don't have it.
03:10You know what I'm saying?
03:10So let's bring it back to the city, but we got to do it the New Orleans way.
03:13Fiskani said, let's do it.
03:14And here we go.
03:15Here we go.
03:16I love that.
03:17Here we are.
03:17Here we are.
03:18Here we are.
03:19Listen, here we are because I need this in my closet.
03:22I said, that's what we do.
03:24Okay.
03:24The Ivy showroom.
03:25We style people.
03:26We don't sell.
03:27We style.
03:27Okay.
03:28I love that.
03:28I love that you style and that you dress with intention.
03:33Talk to us a little bit about your process in creating a luxury fashion line.
03:39Well, luxury for me, sustainability.
03:42Okay.
03:42So it's no longer just like the big name on your chest of a logo.
03:47It's just sustainability.
03:47The, the stitching, the, the fine, the fine fabrics and just things that will last.
03:53The creativity.
03:54Like in this world, it's so much fast fashion.
03:56That luxury now to me means, you know, things that will last.
04:00And that's just what the Ivy showroom is.
04:02Absolutely.
04:02You know, we really believe in sustainability and what we're doing in styling is, you know,
04:07it's a rental house.
04:08If you didn't know, the Ivy showroom is a rental house.
04:10So obviously we rent out items that are of high quality.
04:15So that's the luxury we give.
04:17I love that.
04:18I'm seeing so many of these luxury rentals pop up.
04:21There's one in LA that I love.
04:23I love what you're doing, but what's been the hardest part of your journey so far as an
04:29entrepreneur?
04:32That's a great question.
04:34Okay.
04:35So for me, patience, having patience.
04:38Every week I want to quit.
04:40Okay.
04:40It's like every week as an entrepreneur, you're like, I'm just going to quit, but it's always
04:44something on the horizon.
04:45So just having the patient and going through all the ebbs and flows in business and just,
04:50you know, sticking the race.
04:52Look at us now.
04:53We're here in New Orleans.
04:54Staying the course.
04:54Yes, just staying the course for sure.
04:55You know, just staying the course.
04:56We've been at it for 10 years and now we're expanding.
04:59Wow.
05:00When you think about, John, this is for you.
05:02When you think about black culture's influence on global fashion, what does it mean to you personally
05:08to define modern luxury in this day and age?
05:12Well, being from New Orleans, it's important to me to preserve our culture.
05:17New Orleans is a very culturally rich place.
05:19The way that we be, the way that we love, the way that we cook, the way that we operate.
05:24You know what I mean?
05:24So I've gone around the world and experienced all of these things and all these different
05:29places with all of these amazing people.
05:31And in doing so, every time I think about it, I just keep saying, New Orleans need this.
05:35New Orleans need it.
05:36So to me, what New Orleans is, when we talk about fashion and black, I feel like quintessential
05:42we are fashion, just our culture in general.
05:46Absolutely.
05:46Absolutely.
05:47Before we bring out all of these, listen, y'all get ready for a treat.
05:51We brought y'all something to see.
05:53Listen, y'all are about to be floored, okay?
05:55But before we get into that, one last question for y'all.
05:58What's one piece of advice you would give to an inspiring designer or stylist or even just
06:04entrepreneur about starting out in the game?
06:08I think just start.
06:10You know, just that simple.
06:13Start.
06:13Start the journey.
06:14I think a lot of times people look at the vision and it's like, it's just, they're too
06:20intimidated to start.
06:21Right.
06:22Because they're so worried about the finish line.
06:23And you just have to start.
06:25Just start.
06:25And you know, get on the dance floor to start dancing.
06:28And people will meet you on the dance floor, just start dancing.
06:32Yes.
06:32You just have to start.
06:33I love that.
06:33What about you?
06:34For me, it's the power of proximity.
06:37And when preparation meets opportunity, you have exactly what's sitting right here.
06:42Like literally.
06:43Yeah, that's what happened here.
06:43I met this guy 10 years ago, walked in the showroom.
06:45Wow.
06:46We've been doing business ever since.
06:48And to have this conversation for years and to be sitting here is literally a full circle
06:52moment.
06:53And we did it for New Orleans.
06:54We talked about a couple cities and I was like, we got to do New Orleans first.
06:58Listen.
06:58So we here.
06:58We brought some stuff for y'all to see.
07:00We here in New Orleans for Essence Fest, y'all.
07:03We here.
07:03So they brought it to the booth.
07:04So let's do it.
07:05Let's go.
07:05Let's bring out this collection.
07:07We have a fashion segment.
07:09We're going to start our fashion segment.
07:10Yes.
07:11We just wanted to give you a little.
07:13A little sneak peek.
07:13A little sneak peek of what we do.
07:14We have a grand opening tomorrow.
07:16Oh, yes.
07:16That as well.
07:16Let's tell you about that before we forget.
07:18We do have a grand opening here tomorrow in New Orleans.
07:21And the address is?
07:241029 Aretha Casaheli.
07:25We'll have it on there.
07:25We're literally five minutes from here.
07:27So anything you guys see that come down the runway, if you want it, you can wear it tonight.
07:32Yes, we have it.
07:32You can wear it tonight to the concert if it is.
07:34If you're going on stage, you can get it tonight.
07:35I need to come get me something for tonight.
07:37Come on.
07:37We got you.
07:37Come on.
07:38So yeah.
07:39Now we're going to start with a fashion segment.
07:40Okay.
07:41So model number one, let's line it up.
07:43Let's line it up.
07:44Y'all get ready.
07:45All right.
07:46So this is our first model.
07:47Woo.
07:48So this is what the Ivy Showroom gives.
07:50Yay.
07:50Okay.
07:51She looks absolutely stunning.
07:53This is Brianna.
07:54Bombshell.
07:55And yes, a bombshell.
07:57You are a bombshell.
07:57That's exactly what she is.
07:58So these are the kind of fashions we offer.
08:01So this is not pedestrian fashion, honey.
08:04This is runway.
08:05This is getting ready for-
08:06This is drama.
08:07Yes, drama.
08:07Literally.
08:08There you go.
08:08This is drama.
08:09Like Nene said, straight off the runway.
08:11This is tea.
08:13Oh my God.
08:13So couture.
08:14So we do a lot of couture, but we have it available for all.
08:18And dude, what about sizing?
08:20Oh, we have all sizes.
08:22Okay.
08:22And we do alterations on set.
08:24So this is just what we do.
08:26This is that.
08:26She looks absolutely fabulous.
08:28Thank you, Brianna.
08:29We love a one-stop shop.
08:30Alterations too.
08:31Alterations is one-stop.
08:33That's really good.
08:33Everything you can think of.
08:34That's really good.
08:34Model number two.
08:37This is Oni.
08:38Woo.
08:39She's a lifestyle content creator.
08:41Yes.
08:41Chocolate Barbie.
08:42Yes.
08:43And she needed something for a rooftop cocktail party.
08:46Pretty in pink.
08:46So she's-
08:47So good.
08:47A lady going to a party.
08:50Ready to party.
08:51You better start.
08:53Yes, we see people stopping.
08:54You better see these good fashions.
08:56Come on in.
08:57Love.
08:57So good.
08:58Oni Shiasi looks amazing.
09:01Drop that.
09:01Pretty in pink.
09:02You look gorgeous, darling.
09:04I love that dress.
09:04Absolutely amazing.
09:05That dress is so good under there.
09:06Yes.
09:07I think you can fit that.
09:08You think?
09:09Maybe tonight.
09:10Maybe tonight.
09:11I mean.
09:11Well, we have more where that came from, honey.
09:13Tons more.
09:15All right.
09:15Number three.
09:18Okay.
09:19Ooh.
09:19So Tessa.
09:21Yes.
09:21Tessa, Tessa.
09:22So Tessa is the mother of all things beauty.
09:24Tessa is gorgeous.
09:26Yes.
09:26And she is Miss New Orleans herself.
09:28Yes.
09:29And so, isn't this just amazing?
09:31Look at all the beading on this.
09:33Oh my God.
09:33Yes.
09:33Each one of these beads are beaded by hand.
09:36None of this is material that's pre-made.
09:38Wow.
09:38This is all hand beaded.
09:40One by one by one by one.
09:42I mean, this took about 12 hours to make.
09:44Come on, Tessa.
09:45Yes, Tessa.
09:47And I love your hair with this.
09:48How long does it take to bead these?
09:51So this particular item, which is extremely heavy, by the way.
09:54Uh-huh.
09:55I believe that took like four days with seven women beading that.
09:59Wow.
10:00Yes.
10:00A little bit more.
10:02Yes.
10:02A little bit more.
10:03Seven women had to bead that.
10:04It is very heavy.
10:05I think that's important to note.
10:07John said that it's hand beaded.
10:09Yeah.
10:09So it's not just strand by strand, bead by bead.
10:12That's really nice.
10:13Absolutely stunning.
10:13And I mean, if you know anything about New Orleans, beading is our thing.
10:17Right.
10:17So when I see beading done right outside of home, because the Mask Indians here, they bead,
10:23bead, bead all year long.
10:24That's a respect for the culture.
10:25They're my tribe.
10:26I love beading.
10:27So this is where I need to be.
10:29Thank you, Tessa.
10:30Thank you, Tessa.
10:30Yes, Tessa.
10:32All right.
10:33Thank you, Tessa.
10:34Yes.
10:35Okay.
10:35Model number four.
10:37Ooh.
10:37Okay.
10:38This is Britney.
10:39I love this.
10:40Yes, Leg.
10:41You better strut.
10:43She's a fitness coach.
10:44You better.
10:44Yeah.
10:45So Britney is Miss Fit.
10:46Everything is fit.
10:47Fit, fit.
10:48Everything is fit.
10:48Okay.
10:49Everything fits.
10:50She looks amazing.
10:51Beautiful.
10:52A train fit by Brit.
10:54So, you know.
10:55Yes.
10:56This is a mother or two stepping out for a night on the town.
10:59Yes, yes, yes.
10:59Baby, she's ready.
11:00Okay.
11:01Yes.
11:01And I'm ready to join her for a cocktail.
11:03Okay.
11:04She looks fabulous.
11:05Thank you, Brit.
11:06Yes, yes, yes.
11:07You look amazing.
11:08Thank you, Brittany.
11:09Very simple.
11:10Elegant.
11:11But, you know, it steals the show in any room.
11:13Definitely steals the show.
11:15Now, tell people if they're afraid of rental.
11:17So, it's for everybody, right?
11:18It's for everyone.
11:19Yeah.
11:19This is why we're here.
11:21This is why we're also New Orleans.
11:22This is for everyone.
11:23Absolutely.
11:23You actually can look like this.
11:24I tell people, it's like, you go get your hair done or people cut your hair.
11:28It's the same.
11:29You have to experience styling.
11:31Absolutely.
11:31Of course, you can cut your own hair and wash your own hair.
11:34But, if someone does it for you, it feels better.
11:37So, this is a styling service that I think everyone needs to experience.
11:40It's very modern day.
11:42I love what y'all are doing with.
11:44Thank you, thank you.
11:44Okay.
11:45Model number five.
11:47Number five.
11:47Model number five.
11:48Jayna.
11:49Jayna's a realtor.
11:51Okay.
11:52Okay.
11:52Baby doll, night on the town.
11:54This is when you're feeling sexy, flirty.
11:56Get him, Jayna.
11:56Okay.
11:59So, actually, John made this outfit.
12:03That's so good.
12:03Yeah, this is actually a Hamilton original.
12:06Wow.
12:07It's ready for the red carpet.
12:09Called a platinum knight.
12:09Mm-hmm.
12:10This is so good.
12:11Hot girl.
12:12She feeling good.
12:13She looking good.
12:14Can I feel it?
12:16Yes.
12:17I feel it.
12:17Oh, wow.
12:18It's beautiful.
12:18You look, girl, you better.
12:20She feeling herself.
12:21Get it.
12:21That's how, that's what clothes should make you feel like.
12:24You should feel good.
12:251029 Aretha Castle-Haley.
12:26When you have clothes on.
12:27It should feel amazing.
12:28I love it.
12:29It's beautiful.
12:30All right.
12:30We have model number six.
12:33All right.
12:33Now, this is a John special.
12:36We in New Orleans, we can't do anything without Mardi Gras.
12:40I love it.
12:40Janika is the reigning province princess for Zulu.
12:43This was the custom gown that we made for her last year.
12:46Woo.
12:47This fabric is imported from Africa.
12:49All of the ostrich feathers and crystals are all adorned one by one by one.
12:54Oh, my God.
12:54So this is New Orleans.
12:56This is New Orleans.
12:57I'm also learning, you know.
12:59I'm like, okay, they, I mean, this is a culture here.
13:01I love it.
13:02I love the feathers.
13:03I love the detail of the applicant.
13:05Like, everything is just done perfectly.
13:08The fit, it's beautiful.
13:10Yes.
13:10Yes.
13:11That's our culture, man.
13:12It's Indians.
13:13That's how we do it.
13:14So this is, that is New Orleans.
13:15I am learning.
13:16And I love it here, okay?
13:17I love it.
13:18Mardi Gras, Zulu, this, that.
13:20I'm like, I'm here.
13:21This guy named my Africa Connect.
13:23So all the way from Africa, she's stuck here in New Orleans now.
13:26Yes, I am.
13:27So our final model is special.
13:30She is actually Queen Ivy.
13:34Okay.
13:35Queen Ivy.
13:35Queen Ivy, New Orleans.
13:36Queen Ivy, New Orleans.
13:38Yes.
13:38So we have to do a New Orleans style.
13:40So here we go.
13:42Oh, wow.
13:42Look at this, y'all.
13:44My God.
13:45This is my beautiful 62-year-old mother.
13:48Wait, what?
13:48Second line.
13:49Yes.
13:50Oh, my God.
13:51How do you do that?
13:53Beautiful.
13:53This coat that she's wearing is 122 pounds.
13:58What?
13:59Yes.
13:59This coat is one of a kind.
14:02It's couture, and it's all the way from across the world.
14:05John, is this your design?
14:07The, the hair piece and the dress, I did.
14:10The coat is...
14:12The Ivy showroom special.
14:13Yes.
14:13Straight out of Vietnam.
14:14Pull up again.
14:15Wow.
14:16We have a surprise.
14:17You can stay there, Miss Paula.
14:18You know, because it's New Orleans.
14:20We have to do a second line.
14:21Oh.
14:23We have to.
14:24Pull up in New Orleans.
14:24You can't leave without doing it right.
14:26Oh.
14:26Let's go.
14:27Oh.
14:28Straight second line.
14:30Let's go.
14:49Hey.
14:50Okay.
14:51John.
14:51Hey.
14:52Hey.
14:53Hey.
14:55Hey.
14:55Hey.
14:57Okay.
14:59Let's get him, John.
15:03Come on, John.
15:06Do it, John.
15:08Do your dance.
15:10Oh.
15:11Hey.
15:12Hey.
15:15Hey.
15:17Hey.
15:17Bubbles.
15:29Hey.
15:37Hey.
15:38Hey.
15:39Hey.
15:40Hey.
15:41Hey.
15:42Hey.
15:50If you do that, I'm going to trip out.
16:24You can't run up...
16:27Run up, run up, run up...
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