A simple scroll on Shelby Ivey Christie’s X account can feel like taking the history class you didn’t know you needed.
One of her posts applauds Beyoncé's recent partnership with Levi’s. But not just because it reflects the singer’s “Cowboy Carter” hit “Levi’s Jeans.” Christie informed her followers about its connections to the singer’s Southern roots, citing how denim textiles for the clothing brand were produced in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Another post likens the style of Afropop star Tyla to that of R&B legend Toni Braxton “with a nod to her SA (South African) roots.” And if you’re looking for her thought’s on costuming in “Gladiator II,” she’s got you covered: “Denzel’s character is wealthy,” she wrote. “See, he has a blue garnet. Indigo dye was expensiveeeee in 200AD.”
Now, Christie is bringing her timely fashion lessons offline. In October, the Atlanta resident’s debut book “Black Fashion Legends” was released under her new publishing house Haute Heritage. It marks the fashion historian’s foray into bringing diverse storytelling to life.
“The work of conserving and archiving these stories and introducing a younger generation to these figures, they will go away in our collective consciousness and memory if we don’t document them,” Christie said.
“Black Fashion Legends” is an ABC-style book that highlights Black fashion legends — from André Leon Talley to Zelda Wynn Valdes. The concept, which also features matching flashcards, was conceived in 2022. At the time, Christie found herself becoming the “fashion auntie” as her friends started having babies. But Christie couldn’t find any fashion-related children’s gifts.
Credit: Conscious Filmz
Credit: Conscious Filmz
“Why isn’t there anything that is for Black fashion figures like (legendary Harlem haberdasher) Dapper Dan or (decorated costume designer and creative director) June Ambrose, just people who I know and that I want my nieces, nephews to see and know and to feel inspired by people who look like them?”
That’s when Christie knew she had to create the book she wanted to see. After all, it’s her life’s work.
Born in New York City, Christie was known as the fashion kid of her family. She remembers scouring magazines like Ebony and Marie Claire for the latest style. She loved Essence so much that she dedicated a middle school project to it. Christie was inspired by her aunts and uncles — New Yorkers whose style reflected the disco scene of the 1970s. She vividly remembers watching her grandma roll her hair every night.
Those childhood images were so potent that they followed her into adolescence and adulthood when her family later moved to Charlotte, North Carolina.
“Once I got to high school, I was super into fashion,” Christie, 33, said. “Me and my group of friends had our own little crew. We would pick days of the week where we would wear a certain color. I was nominated for superlative for dressing in high school, so that was always going to be a thing.”
Christie attended North Carolina A&T University, where she studied history and fashion merchandising. She later moved back to New York, where she worked for Vogue and W magazine. It didn’t take long for her to notice the lack of people of color in the fashion space.
She became annoyed by not seeing the work of designers like LaQuan Smith and Pyer Moss uplifted.
“They’re not being told and revered in the same esteem as these stories of European designers and Saint Laurent and all of these things, so I took it upon myself (to do that). I’m like, Why not? … If not me, then who?”
At the height of the pandemic, she returned home to North Carolina. But, as a marketer for luxury fashion, she knew she needed to be in a bigger metropolitan area. Moving to Atlanta became a no-brainer. The transition reflects her knack for promoting the South’s rich fashion history.
Credit: Conscious Filmz
Credit: Conscious Filmz
It’s part of why she launched Haute Heritage. She wanted to create a platform for people of color in fashion to feel valued.
Although Atlanta and the South don’t have a robust fashion scene compared to Los Angeles and New York, its contributions shouldn’t be overlooked. In fashion, “the South really has something to say,” Christie said. She noted the impact of SCAD and designers like Christopher John Rogers and Kanye West, who was born in Atlanta.
“The South has had a lot of influence and impact on the images and fashion that we see today and the trends that we see in fashion today,” she said. “A lot of streetwear is now informing luxury wear. We see streetwear go down the LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) runways. Streetwear is steeped in a lot of Southern culture because a lot of what streetwear came from was a culture of Black people not having maybe the whole 10 yards of fabric to make the shirt and the jacket and the pants match.”
With Haute Heritage, Christie plans to welcome more stories. But, for now, she plans to get “Black Fashion Legends” in many spaces as possible. She’s working on getting the book in public libraries and partnering with schools. Christie is aware of the importance of children seeing themselves reflected in media, just like Essence and Ebony magazines did for her as a child.
“Accessibility is a huge pillar of this publishing house. For those who are interested in fashion, who live in these small towns in the South and they don’t have fashion programming, I want them to be able to walk in there and access fashion and be able to participate in it through our products and resources.”
Christie’s work has become a learning vessel for many. It’s led to accolades like being named a Forbes 30 under 30 and sitting on the executive board for Black in Fashion Council, an organization that strives to advance Black people in fashion and beauty industries.
But what has she learned about herself throughout this process?
“Partnering with brands, panels and amplifying served their purpose but I think it stunted me in believing that I could do or offer something on my own without a partnership, without another name or a label attached to it. I had a lot of anxiety and self-doubt about that. Launching this project has really affirmed to myself that I don’t always need a partner. I’m enough.”
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