New York Fashion Week officially kicked off with style, substance, and celebration as Harlem’s Fashion Row hosted its 18th Annual Fashion Show & Style Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on September 9.
Known for amplifying Black voices and trailblazers in fashion, the black-tie event honored a range of innovators, including Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter and celebrity stylist Jason Bolden. But one of the evening’s most powerful moments came when Usher Raymond was presented with the Virgil Abloh Award.
The distinction, named in honor of the late visionary designer, recognizes cultural leaders whose creativity and influence transcend music, art, and fashion. For Usher, who has spent nearly three decades shaping both sound and style, the recognition felt deeply personal.
During his acceptance speech, the eight-time Grammy winner reflected on the lessons he learned from his upbringing. He spoke candidly about growing up with an absent father and how that absence pushed him to dream and create through fashion.
“It taught me to dream and run wild and use my imagination in fashion,” he shared, highlighting how style became a part of his search for identity. Though he inherited his father’s name, he said he had to define for himself what that name would mean—and how he would make it matter.
Usher also honored Virgil Abloh’s legacy, specifically the designer’s philosophy on innovation. He cited the “3% rule,” which says creativity begins by altering something familiar by just 3%. “That became a model for how I reintroduce my art or my style,” Usher explained. “Small changes, incremental innovations, yet constantly pushing upward.”
He went on to quote one of Abloh’s mantras: “The world produces waves: You surf, you drown, you decide. Everything that you do is for that 17-year-old version of yourself.”
Usher admitted that the 17-year-old version of himself still drives him to be bold and fearless, reminding him of the risk-taking that has fueled his career.
Congratulations to Usher on receiving the Virgil Abloh Award—and to Harlem’s Fashion Row for once again proving why its stage is one of the most important in fashion.
Photo Credit: Instagram – Usher
