APPAREL ISM                    January 28, 2006

http://www.apparelism.org

 

SOME History and Background Info originally released April 8, 2002!
Apparel Ism, a fusion of art, fashion, and politics is the brainchild created by new design label KING COQUI. Founder and Chief Couture Apparelist, Qn Everlena Brown has combined her fine art and apparel design background in pursuit of social consciousness. The mission of KING COQUI APPAREL ISM, INC. is to encourage open dialogue on social issues and education of culture. Apparel Ism, a new artform 1) is an afrikan-centered design process based on manipulating five elements: form, line, color, texture, and personality and 2) evolves from fashion to art. It can be produced at full scale to be worned, photographed/framed to be placed on a wall, or created at half scale to set aside like stationary art.

 

In the eigth year of her life, Qn Everlena began designing after watching the movie "The Muppets take Manhattan". As the dauther of an artist, Everlena, by age ten was more than ready to develop her talents in visual art of the Miami Magnet Program. She went on to attend another magnet program at Design and Architecture Senior High, where she majored in fashion design. Based presently in Tallahassee, Florida, Everlena attended Florida State University for two years before focusing her complete attention to KING COQUI APPAREL ISM, INC. She has been the featured spot on local televison shows and has presented both fashion and style presentations to the local community. She also has been a holistic image consultant to local collegiate officials as well as the FSU and Tallahassee community at large. Now at age 23, she is currently working on the premier issue for Apparel Ism Magazine(designed to educate the consumer on the products and issues presented by KING COQUI) and seeking sponsors for the premier Apparel Ism Gala. KING COQUI plans to debut in Miami, Florida on September 9, 2002. For more information you can email Everlena : kingcoqui@yahoo.com

 

 

Attachment Descriptions

 

1)ever 1-3: The collection is entitled "I too Am America", inspired by Langston Hughes poem bearing the same name. This collection is the first constructed Apparel Ism collection all done by Everlena in highschool.

 

agenda~civil rights

context~political

form~american ethnic groups

line~casual sportswear

color~american flag emulation w/ bl + wh stripes representing the "I have dream" speech line-bl+wh together holding hands. american flag w/ happy face alluding to the "declaration of independence" document line-life(an anhk, not shown), liberty(the flag), happiness(smiley face)

texture~cotton and denim(classic of the american dress code)

personality~american history

 

2) fashion: photographed taken at the Urban Fashion 2000 show featuring young black designers in Tallahassee.

 

3) beatrice: inspired by Everlena's love of italian food.

 

agenda~self

context~artistic

form~afrikan

lines~feminine, simple

color~tomato sauce w/ chopped onions and pepper(mostly red)

texture~tomato sauce(smooth) emulation, cotton, ans satin

personality~geisha girl

 

4) maria: inspired by Filipino culture

 

agenda~self

context~artistic

form~afrikan

lines~fliud, feminine, curvy

color~multi-colored flower print, blue(water)

texture~cotton and organza(to imitate the pineapple fiber fabric found in the phillipines)

personality~spicy latin

 

5)shipwrecked: inspired by Disney cartoon "The Little Mermaid", where Ariel washes up to the shore after receiving her legs.

 

agenda~wonders of the sea

context~artistic

form~afrikan

lines~simple, feminine, Ariel emulation

color~white w/ embroidered pecan rope

texture~cotton knit, ripply

personality~posh

 

6)seaweed~swimsuit: inspired by Everlena's zodiac sign, Pisces. The swimsuit is handbeaded and constructed w/o dress form.

 

agenda: wonders of the sea

context: artistic

form~afrikan

lines~grassroots, africentric

color~seaweed emulation( green)

texture~smooth, vinyl and cotton knit

personality~posh

 

7)oshun: designed for the Tallahasee Oshun Festival. The dress is made of five pieces(oshun's number) accented with strings of five beads.

 

agenda:~yoruba goddess

context~artistic

form~afrikan

lines~sexy, eroctic, feminine

color~yellow(oshun's color)

texture~cotton, lace

personality~oshun(goddess of love, eroctism, femininty.....)

 

8)haitian cultural club dress:designed for Bobby E. Leach Ball 2000 in honor of the black collegiate organization. This was one of eleven formal dresses presented in the fashion show.

 

agenda~black organizations

context~artistic

form~haitian

lines~simple, elegant

color~ represent past and present haitian flag

texture~ similar to the haitian coconut purses, fuzzy wuzzy, and sequin dot material

personality~stately, grassroots elegance

 

9)o: Apparel Ism designs inspired and sent to Everlena's role model, Oprah Winfrey.

 

10)visible-umar:selected  examples of photographed Apparel Ism

 

11)t@n: cover draft for the first issue of Apparel Ism Magazine.