At CultureCon, Black Creatives Go to Camp 

In early October, CultureCon, a convention held annually by the Creative Collective to celebrate and bring together black creatives and entrepreneurs, commenced in Brooklyn, NYC.  The convention itself featured workshops with speakers like Law Roach and Cynthia Erivo, as well as a job fair full of black-owned businesses and supporting businesses alike, all surrounding the topics of connecting black creatives and building lasting connections. As creatives, it is easy to fall into a competitive mindset, especially for creatives living in NYC; thus, it feels significantly important that an event is orchestrated around the idea of sharing love and space with those who have similar ideas and careers to cement the ideals of breaking that competitiveness down. 

However, what set this year's convention apart was the use of a theme, this year being camp. Taylor Anderson writes that, as professionals, people are expected to tuck away their inner child and put forth the energy of someone to be taken seriously, so having a theme rooted in fun and whimsical self-expression felt like a weight off the shoulders of those in attendance. While the event's theme encouraged a more lighthearted energy to the function, the convention also had a set of ‘guidelines’ for those who attended to follow, including; making a friend, spreading love, and being brave, all of which allowed for the community built around the pre-existing community of black creatives to feel that much more welcoming and uplifting. The street style captured by photographer Kya expressed these ideals significantly, showcasing the diversity and art that can be found when people are allowed to be themselves unapologetically. With looks from Rennaisance style prints, 20s-inspired fringe, and beautifully patterned shaylas, each attendee was able to exhale the severity and seriousness of everyday life and enjoy the fun and love of individuality in a room full of people doing the same thing. 

As someone with their familial roots in NYC, the gentrification of Brooklyn is something I care a great deal about. Much of the fashion that gets highlighted seems to focus either on the high-end designer level, or the business and manufacturing level, but the streetwear trends, many of which come from what black people were and are wearing - especially as trends continue to emphasize the 90s, especially in places like Brooklyn - often get overlooked. Spaces like this that take the time to celebrate and encourage such shared art and culture, two things that are so deeply embedded in black communities, feel incredibly relevant to focus on. Considering the recent unveiling of the 2025 Met Gala theme, rooted in dandyism and the diaspora of black people that led to such a strong emphasis on community in places like Brooklyn, I can't help but feel excited about the existence and evolution of conventions like CultureCon with such important fashion figures like Law Roach being highlighted.

References:

Taylor Anderson,  (2024, October 7). At CultureCon, Black Creatives go to Camp. Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/culturecon-2024 

Culturecon ’24. The Creative Collective NYC. (2024). https://theccnyc.com/culturecon 

Vogue. (2024, October 9). Everything you need to know about the 2025 Met Gala. https://www.vogue.com/article/everything-to-know-met-gala