Culture : Blaxploitation Style
Blaxploitation comic
The Blaxploitation is a film genre which appeared in USA in the early 70's. During this time of segregation films didn't targeted Black people.It's was more cliche stories. Blaxploitation impulsed movie revolution. It aimed at giving Black people real identities in films . The Blaxploitation changed the representation of Black people in movies. It created new films in the 70's (Trouble men, Shaft, Cotton comes to Harlem...).
Whereas Hollywood movies represented Black people only as dancers, singers or burglars, Blaxploitation brought new outstanding Black heroes. Black leading roles are born. It ignited a new wave of general creativity. It was a kind of Black "Nouvelle Vague".
What started with movies turned into a real lifestyle.
Indeed, Blaxploitation influenced fashion style: Afro hairs, colors, crazy make-up, over-sized glasses, skinny legs pants, colored jackets... It built a very recognizable style which influenced a lot fashion industry. Different artists contributed to Blaxploitation ( Supremes, Sun Ra, Marvin Gaye, Barry White). It changed scripts , mentalities, fashion and music too. It started with politic and it spread all the different level of art in society.
Understanding the impact of Blaxploitation on a large range of artistic trends is important.
Blaxploitation time is also Disco time and consequently a very creative period for amazing shoes. Today's Haute couture designers shoes, find their artistic roots on this time.
Blaxploitation comicThe Blaxploitation is a film genre which appeared in USA in the early 70's. During this time of segregation films didn't targeted Black people.It's was more cliche stories. Blaxploitation impulsed movie revolution. It aimed at giving Black people real identities in films . The Blaxploitation changed the representation of Black people in movies. It created new films in the 70's (Trouble men, Shaft, Cotton comes to Harlem...).
Whereas Hollywood movies represented Black people only as dancers, singers or burglars, Blaxploitation brought new outstanding Black heroes. Black leading roles are born. It ignited a new wave of general creativity. It was a kind of Black "Nouvelle Vague".
What started with movies turned into a real lifestyle.
Indeed, Blaxploitation influenced fashion style: Afro hairs, colors, crazy make-up, over-sized glasses, skinny legs pants, colored jackets... It built a very recognizable style which influenced a lot fashion industry. Different artists contributed to Blaxploitation ( Supremes, Sun Ra, Marvin Gaye, Barry White). It changed scripts , mentalities, fashion and music too. It started with politic and it spread all the different level of art in society.
Understanding the impact of Blaxploitation on a large range of artistic trends is important.
Blaxploitation time is also Disco time and consequently a very creative period for amazing shoes. Today's Haute couture designers shoes, find their artistic roots on this time.
Blaxploitation films have been inspired by Kung fu. Most of Blaxploitation fight scenes are reproducing Kung fu gestures. Blaxploitation is built in reaction of Black segregation, but it find its roots on extra influences such as Asian Kung Fu.
Blaxploitation inspired fashion
André J
Blaxploitation inspired fashion
André J
Flashy clothes, sequin bags, tight stretch top
Gaultier show 
Autumn-Winter 2009
Autumn-Winter 2009
Afros are weared with flat berets
Grace Jones
Afro Hat 
Naomie Campbell Xuli Bet adopted the funky vibe of this period, t shirt, dresses reveal this period
Blaxploitation inspired cartoon
As you understood Blaxploitation time was the Disco time. Music, dance, clothes were part of the lifestyle, it's not only the case for Black people it's the case for White too. Nevertheless this period was impulsed by a lot of Black artists. Many Black artists ( singers...) organized in a certain way the Establishment of codes which have been subsequently included in daily habits ( fashion).
Blaxploitation music
Model talk : Alec Wek
Alec Wek is one of those models who looks like nobody else. She has her face, she has her skin color, she has very short hairs, and she's Black ! Alec will never be the girl next door, and that's one of the reason of her success. Some people say that she's ugly, others don' t even know her name.
Actually there is a movement which claims that: "Black is beautiful"! Of course it is! Now it is not necessary to precise it, but back in the time it was.
"Black is beautiful" is a cultural movement which aimed at showing that Afro natural features aren't ugly. John Sweat Rock (abolitionist), was the first one to tell the slogan in 1858. He launched a dynamic movement in Afro American culture which encourages Black to keep their natural hair and to stop lightening or bleaching their skin. The "Black is beautiful" movement is responsible of the success of Afro hairstyle.
Alec is the perfect match for "Black is beautiful" state of mind. She has got this romantic side which makes her face unique. She kept her originally beauty and she highlights it with her charisma. Now she's telling us a short story.
Blaxploitation had consequences on music industry. New talents nourished this times creativity. Sun Ra was one of them he had his own music, his own style and a real sense of fashion. He launched the trend ! Non conformism and sensible to colors, he is totally included in Blaxploitation trends. This pianist and jazz composer has a very cosmic universe. Totally flirting with stars, his style has no limits.He found it on the moon for being sure that nobody will copy it. He even dressed his orchestra, who has such a nice style!
That's the first vocation of fashion: helping the expression of personalities.Very inspired by Egypt he didn't knew that a couple of top ten designers later, it would be trendy to cloth his way.
Sun Ra
Sun Ra
Vivienne Westwood style : she's definitely less crazy attitude than Sun Ra !!
When you will watch the following video, you will see that Sun Ra had the Galliano style and Vivienne Westwood's one in the same body. He knew that Egypt and crazy make up was trendy!
Dior fashion show inspired by Egypt
Dior fashion show
Final of Galliano Sun Ra isn't the only one being inspired by the moon...
Dior fashion show
Part II
Art is universal.Fashion too, it's bigger than skin colors and nationalities.
Tendances don't have colours. This Black fashion report pretends to make people understand that creativity can be found everywhere.
Fashion isn't a closed box. It's an ocean with a lot of rivers. Each worldwide influence has a reason to be. Putting them together really makes sense. It's a way to transform fashion and to make things bigger and more creative.
Today's fashion industry has to prioritize the exchange of talents in order to renew it. Fashion trends evolution is guaranteed by mixing influences and building something new.
As you understood Blaxploitation time was the Disco time. Music, dance, clothes were part of the lifestyle, it's not only the case for Black people it's the case for White too. Nevertheless this period was impulsed by a lot of Black artists. Many Black artists ( singers...) organized in a certain way the Establishment of codes which have been subsequently included in daily habits ( fashion).
Blaxploitation music
Model talk : Alec Wek
Alec Wek is one of those models who looks like nobody else. She has her face, she has her skin color, she has very short hairs, and she's Black ! Alec will never be the girl next door, and that's one of the reason of her success. Some people say that she's ugly, others don' t even know her name.
Actually there is a movement which claims that: "Black is beautiful"! Of course it is! Now it is not necessary to precise it, but back in the time it was.
"Black is beautiful" is a cultural movement which aimed at showing that Afro natural features aren't ugly. John Sweat Rock (abolitionist), was the first one to tell the slogan in 1858. He launched a dynamic movement in Afro American culture which encourages Black to keep their natural hair and to stop lightening or bleaching their skin. The "Black is beautiful" movement is responsible of the success of Afro hairstyle.
Alec is the perfect match for "Black is beautiful" state of mind. She has got this romantic side which makes her face unique. She kept her originally beauty and she highlights it with her charisma. Now she's telling us a short story.
The iconoclast and visionary Sun Ra ( 1914-1993)
The story of a fashion style
The story of a fashion style
Blaxploitation had consequences on music industry. New talents nourished this times creativity. Sun Ra was one of them he had his own music, his own style and a real sense of fashion. He launched the trend ! Non conformism and sensible to colors, he is totally included in Blaxploitation trends. This pianist and jazz composer has a very cosmic universe. Totally flirting with stars, his style has no limits.He found it on the moon for being sure that nobody will copy it. He even dressed his orchestra, who has such a nice style!
That's the first vocation of fashion: helping the expression of personalities.Very inspired by Egypt he didn't knew that a couple of top ten designers later, it would be trendy to cloth his way.
Sun Ra
Sun Ra 
Vivienne Westwood style : she's definitely less crazy attitude than Sun Ra !!When you will watch the following video, you will see that Sun Ra had the Galliano style and Vivienne Westwood's one in the same body. He knew that Egypt and crazy make up was trendy!
Dior fashion show inspired by Egypt
Dior fashion show 
Final of Galliano Sun Ra isn't the only one being inspired by the moon...
Dior fashion showPart II
Art is universal.Fashion too, it's bigger than skin colors and nationalities.
Tendances don't have colours. This Black fashion report pretends to make people understand that creativity can be found everywhere.
Fashion isn't a closed box. It's an ocean with a lot of rivers. Each worldwide influence has a reason to be. Putting them together really makes sense. It's a way to transform fashion and to make things bigger and more creative.
Today's fashion industry has to prioritize the exchange of talents in order to renew it. Fashion trends evolution is guaranteed by mixing influences and building something new.
