by Sharon Mullens
The ChocolateWriter
In conjunction with the Juneteenth holiday, Mark Taylor Designz will present the Red and Black on the Green Fashion Show at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham on Saturday, June 17, 2023, featuring the region’s top models, fashion designers, and entertainment.
The Red and Black on the Green Fashion
Show will feature emerging black designers and entrepreneurs as a highlight for
the federally recognized Juneteenth holiday.
The program will feature performances by nationally known artists,
including North Carolina’s Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green and hosted by ABC11
Eyewitness News Meteorologist Kweilyn Murphy.
This inaugural fashion extravaganza and
showcase will begin with a Meet and Greet the Designers and networking
reception at 6pm. The show begins at 7pm. Ticket prices range from $50 to $60
and offer a VIP package. A portion of ticket sales will go to a Triangle-based
organization, SuitedNSuccess, founded by Mark Taylor in 2014 to empower
disadvantaged men seeking employment by providing professional attire.
According to a
Wall Street Journal study of “small metro” areas
across the U.S., the Bull City (Durham) placed 35th for jobs and North
Carolina’s capital city (Raleigh) as 5th for jobs among larger
metros, meaning opportunities exist for all members of the workforce, and our
most vulnerable residents need to be prepared to compete. Providers of free,
quality interview attire are essential. For years prior, such an
organization existed for women, but not for men. SuitedNSuccess sought to fill
that void.
When you look good, you feel good, and
that’s key to confidence,” says founder Mark Taylor, whose passion for helping
people led him to establish SuitedNSuccess and subsequently a clothing design
business. The organization is completely volunteer-led, and collaborates with
workforce agencies and recovery organizations, such as SouthLight Healthcare,
Inc.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, the need
was even more evident. Men were seeking employment but lacked proper interview
attire. It was a great benefit to have access to the SuitedNSuccess suit
closet” says Lavongue “Bongo” Manley, a program development specialist at
SouthLight’s Durham location, where the suit closet is housed.
This first annual fashion show is a
special cultural event that will inspire philanthropy while helping emerging
artists uplift their brands. A portion of the proceeds will help create a new
suit closet in Raleigh and establish a new scholarship to be awarded to an HBCU
fashion merchandising student in 2024.
Learn more about the mission at www.suitednsuccess.org or follow on Facebook. Learn more about
the show and get tickets at https://redandblackonthegreen.eventbrite.com.
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Mark Taylor Designz is a fashion and lifestyle brand based in the Triangle region of North Carolina, providing aspiring models and designers with the opportunities to bring their talents directly into the spotlight. Follow the designer on Instagram @marktaylordesignz.
SuitedNSuccess.org is a charitable initiative that partners with social service agencies and nonprofit organizations in the Triangle to provide professional attire, career education information and workshops, resources, and support to disadvantaged men in transition. More information can be found at suitednsuccess.org.
Founded in 1970, SouthLight Healthcare is one of the area’s largest nonprofit providers of substance use treatment and mental health services. SouthLight partners with individuals and communities to provide innovative treatment solutions delivered with compassion and dignity. With outpatient and community-based programs, SouthLight provides prevention, education, and treatment services in the Triangle and beyond. Call 919-787-6131 for help or more information or visit www.southlight.org
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