Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY x UK Black Pride
Donation protected
The London-based fashion label Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY is using its platform amidst the London Fashion Week programming to raise funds for UK Black Pride via an evening entitled SOLASTA [adj. luminous, shining - Gaelic]. Founded in 2005, UK Black Pride is a safe space to celebrate diverse sexualities, gender identities, cultures, gender expressions and backgrounds and is Europe’s largest celebration for LGBTQ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Middle Eastern and Latin American descent. The organisation runs an annual celebration during pride month, as well as a variety of activities throughout the year in and around the UK, which also promote and advocate for the spiritual, emotional, and intellectual health and wellbeing of the communities they represent. From 28 June - 5 July 2020, the organisation will activate #PrideInside - a week-long digital pride celebration and collaboration between UK Black Pride, Amnesty International, Stonewall and ParaPride.
Until two weeks ago, the intention for tonight’s virtual happening was to stage a party - in the hedonistic spirit of the LOVERBOY club nights of old; a kind of LOVERBOY 2.0, with 2020 vision. As the vital anti-racism movement erupted around the world, and essential conversations were had by fashion brands everywhere about the role we play in this - naturally, the planned celebration was no longer right. After days of mindful discussion, the decision was taken by Charles not to cancel the live-stream - but to reconfigure it entirely, as an opportunity to book, spotlight, and raise the voices of POC talent. An exercise in passing the mic, the new proposal has seen Jeffrey set an open brief to vital creatives - to do with this time whatever they will. The result is SOLASTA, a talent showcase and fundraiser, live-streamed from Dalston’s VFD (where the LOVERBOY club night, and subsequently the label, was born).
SOLASTA showcases creative expressions from London-based, multi-disciplinary Black creatives: a singer/songwriter, poet and activist, commentator and presenter, and fashion designers (and former students of Charles’ via lecturing at The University of Westminster). Across the line-up these individuals generously lend their talents not only to LOVERBOY but to the London Fashion Week platform.
Audience members are presented with a simple request: that if they learn something, feel something, or take something from this evening - that they donate whatever they are able to LOVERBOY’s fundraising effort for UK Black Pride.
Until two weeks ago, the intention for tonight’s virtual happening was to stage a party - in the hedonistic spirit of the LOVERBOY club nights of old; a kind of LOVERBOY 2.0, with 2020 vision. As the vital anti-racism movement erupted around the world, and essential conversations were had by fashion brands everywhere about the role we play in this - naturally, the planned celebration was no longer right. After days of mindful discussion, the decision was taken by Charles not to cancel the live-stream - but to reconfigure it entirely, as an opportunity to book, spotlight, and raise the voices of POC talent. An exercise in passing the mic, the new proposal has seen Jeffrey set an open brief to vital creatives - to do with this time whatever they will. The result is SOLASTA, a talent showcase and fundraiser, live-streamed from Dalston’s VFD (where the LOVERBOY club night, and subsequently the label, was born).
SOLASTA showcases creative expressions from London-based, multi-disciplinary Black creatives: a singer/songwriter, poet and activist, commentator and presenter, and fashion designers (and former students of Charles’ via lecturing at The University of Westminster). Across the line-up these individuals generously lend their talents not only to LOVERBOY but to the London Fashion Week platform.
Audience members are presented with a simple request: that if they learn something, feel something, or take something from this evening - that they donate whatever they are able to LOVERBOY’s fundraising effort for UK Black Pride.
Organizer
Charles Jeffrey
Organizer
England