While fashion is far from lacking in the area of collaborations, Harlem's Fashion Row just created a new standard through its partnership with Nordstrom. The company, which champions diversity by bridging the gap between brands and Black designers, has worked with everyone from Nike and LeBron James to Banana Republic. Partnering with a retail behemoth like Nordstrom, however, hits differently. In fact, HFR founder & CEO Brandice Daniel calls it "a celebration of Black consumers' cultural and economic power." Daniel has dedicated her career to amplifying Black voices in fashion, so it was only fitting that she highlighted three monumental Black-owned brands with this Nordstrom collaboration: House of Aama, Harbison, and Megan Renee.
The Nordstrom by Harlem's Fashion Row collab arrives just in time for the summer-to-fall transition and features pieces that speak to the longstanding impact of Black culture in fashion. House of Aama's signature feminine aesthetic is elevated by unique tailoring inspired by African Diaspora Dandy culture. Highlights include jewelry adorned with etching-type motifs you would normally see in antiquity pottery. Meanwhile, Harbison's designs serve as an ode to his mother, who he says navigated society with unmatched poise as a working-class, utilitarian woman. He was also inspired by Simon Maris's "Portrait of a Young Black Woman" (1890), where the woman's eyes reflect innocence and curiosity, communicated in the abstract color-blocking and inviting florals of his designs.
Image Source: Nordstrom
While House of Aama and Harbison leaned into the visceral power of our culture, Megan Renee stuck to the undeniable elan of being a woman. The brand's eponymous founder Megan Smith is all about celebrating bold, strong womanhood, and her collection exudes just that. Wearable staples with exaggerated shapes and innovative proportions like silky button-ups, faux leather tiered skirts, and the quintessential suit all depict the image of the modern-day phenomenal woman Maya Angelou described.
Smith's choice to collaborate with HFR and Nordstrom was a no-brainer, given she showcased her designs at the agency's annual Fashion Show and Style Awards in 2023. "Retail placement has been at the forefront of initiatives for my brand, and I knew this opportunity would open so many doors," she says. "Working with Harlem's Fashion Row is always seamless, and since connecting and working together, I've started to feel like they are family now."
I built my brand around my love of strong suits and blazers and I feel like the piece really captures not only who I am but the woman I am dressing.
When the time came to design the collection, Renee found inspiration from an unlikely source: a quote that motivated her to keep going when she found herself at a crossroads and uncertain about the brand's future. "I was at a point with my brand where I wasn't sure what direction I wanted to take but I knew I still had more I needed to say to the world," she says. "I came across this quote by Erin Hanson, 'What if I fall, but oh my darling what if you fly?' and that became my inspiration. Once I heard that, it made me think of birds flying so the feathers became the direction for the jewelry and print. I wanted the collection to feel very aspirational and forward. It really helped me envision where the Megan Renee brand should be headed."
As for her favorite piece in the collection, Renee immediately names the structured blazer and wide-leg pantsuit. "I built my brand around my love of strong suits and blazers and I feel like the piece really captures not only who I am but the woman I am dressing," she says. "It's bold, strong, but still feminine. I played with the fit and proportions that really speak to a woman's body and it feels very fresh and chic." Image Source: Nordstrom
Megan Renee's full collection is now available to shop, along with pieces from House of Aama and Harbison. With an impressive size range of XXS to 2XL - sizes 00 to 18 for women and S to 2XL for men - and prices as low as $45, there's truly something for everyone. You can shop directly on the Nordstrom website as well as in 20 stores across the country, including New York's flagship location. Keep scrolling to shop our favorite pieces from the Nordstrom x Harlem's Fashion Row collection.