LOS ANGELES (April 1998) -- Industry experts will share strategies and secrets for success in the fashion and beauty industries during the first annual West Coast Fashion Summit May 2 & 3 during the Los Angeles Black Business Expo & Trade Show.

The Fashion Summit was launched as part of this year’s Expo to educate and empower professionals, students and those aspiring to careers in the fashion industry about the business of fashion and beauty. It is being hosted by Ahneva Ahneva, Myra Wallace, Karimu, Michael Maddox and Nadine LeBlanc, and is coordinated by Salimisha Logan.

Seminars include "The Business of Fashion", with host/designer Ahneva Ahneva, Davide Stennett, Groove Co. and other key industry professionals; "Going Mainstream: Getting Your Designs Into Major Stores," with designer Anthony Mark Hankins, author of Fabric of Dreams: Designing My Own Success," Drop Dead designer Ron Finley, and Nordstrom buyer Eula Smith; "From Concept to Design: Product Development, Manufacturing, and Distribution" will feature Karimu of Harambee Manufacturing, Clotee McAfee of Uniformity and Myra Wallace of MKO Man in a discussion of small-end manufacturing and mass production. Also included is a discussion by designers Angela Dean and Dion Lattimore on how to open and operate your own boutique and showroom.

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The Fashion Summit seminars and workshops run from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 2 and from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 3.

The fashion extravaganza "From Africa II America" closes the Fashion Summit at 5:00 p.m., Sunday, May 3. Produced by Michael Maddox, (Madd-X Productions), this event will be a high-energy display of both men’s and women’s fashions. This spectacular fashion show features nationally and internationally known and up-and-coming African American clothiers including: Ahneva Ahneva, Myra Wallace (MKO Man), Karl Kani, International Male, Ron Finley (Drop Dead), Dion Lattimore (Dion Scott); Anthony Mark Hankins, Angela Dean (DeanZign), Jonathan Logan, Skechers shoes, Karimu, Perry White, Russell Simmons’ Phat Farm and the Groove clothing line from Boyz II Men and Brad Beckerman and Shaquille O’Neal’s TWISM. The fashion show will also feature a tribute to the late designer Furman Little.

Sponsors of "From Africa II America" include Southwest Airlines, Columbia Records and UPS. For more information on the Fashion Summit, or to participate, please contact Salimisha Logan at (213) 420-2285.

The Los Angeles Black Business Expo is presented by UHP Healthcare; the title sponsor is Family Savings Bank; the premiere sponsors are Shell, the Toyota Dealers of Southern California, the Los Angeles Times, the Crenshaw Christian Center, United Parcel Service, Mike Plummer of Prudential Securities and Edison. Promotional partners are Lawry's, Bank of America, the United States Postal Service, Pacific Bell, Home Savings, the Small Business Administration, and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. Media sponsors are the L.A. Sentinel, the L.A. Watts Times, Wave Newspapers, KJLH, KACE, Inglewood Today and Turning Point Magazine.

General information on the Los Angeles Black Business Expo & Trade Show is available by calling the Expo’s 24-Hour Hotline at (310) 967-5153.

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Contact: (Media Inquiries Only)

Mark Cheatham

Cheatham & Associates Public Relations

(310) 788-0825

Sat. May 2, 1998

8:30 a.m. Registration

9:30 a.m. Summit Welcome and Designer Roundtable: Ahneva Ahneva, Karimu, Myra Wallace, Michael Maddox and Nadine LeBlanc.

9:50 a.m. Business of Fashion: Marketing, advertising, product placement, public relations, accessing financing, Q&A. Panelists include: USC Apparel Fastrac Program; Davide Stennett, Groove Company; Clifton Jones, P. 2000; and Karen Dick, MKO Man

10:55 a.m. From Concept to Design: Product Development, Manufacturing & Distribution Panelists include Karimu of Harambee Manufacturing, Clotee McAfee, Deljah Simone Manufacturing, Myra Wallace of MKO Man; Dion Lattimore, of Dion Scott and Angela Dean of DeanZign. Topic: Small end manufacturing and mass production.

11:55 a.m. No host lunch break

12:55 p.m. Going Mainstream: Getting your designs in Major Stores Featuring Anthony Mark Hankins, author of Fabric of Dreams: Designing My Own Success.

2:00 p.m. So You Want to Be a Model? Steps to Runway Success Moderator: Michael Maddox. Panelists: Nadine LeBlanc, Penthouse Salon; Models: Maxine Carter, Byron Andrews, Eric Winter, and modeling agent Rosie Niku. Topic: Find out what it takes to be a model and what modeling agencies are looking for.

3:05 p.m. Closing Session/Giveaways

Sunday, May 3, 1998

Precision Models with Madd-X Productions showcasing the latest fashions by nationally renowned and upcoming designers feature these international and national known designers.

LSO Designs, Linda Stokes This designer for "Moesha" and "Comic View" will showcase women’s after five wear.

Dion Lattimore, Dion Scott specializes in men and women’s suits for major celebrities, athletes and more.

MKO Man, Myra Wallace will feature specialty suits designed for big and tall men.

Anthony Mark Hankins, JC Penny This Texan designs a popular ready to wear line for women. He will autograph his new book: Fabric of Dreams: Designing My Own Success.

Ahneva Ahneva, Ahneva Ahneva Design International has designed attire for President Bill Clinton. Her African flavored designs have been featured all over America, Africa and in Europe. The Summit will salute her for 10 years in her Leimert Park fashion business.

Furman Little, Eugene Designs will be remembered for his after five and casual fashions wear and wedding ensembles. Little passed away in December 1997.

International Male, Beverly Hills features sports wear and casual after five wear.

Karimu An accomplished manufacturer, Karimu features Africentric wear

Jonathan Logan crafts leather coats and handbags for celebrities

Shaka King, from New York, designs Africentric wear

Leslie Coomb This native New Yorker features bridal wear

Ray Price dresses us for winter in elegant furs.

Karl Kani, presents his new line of Italian Mens Wear as featured in Fox Hills Mall.

Groove, Paula Abdul, Boys to Men and Brad Ekerman features athletic and casual streetwear.

The West Coast Fashion Summit is a main event of the Los Angeles Black Business Expo and Trade Show celebrating its 10th year of operation. For more information stop by the web site at www.blackbusinessexpo.com. For more information about the Fashion Show, contact Michael Maddox: (310) 842-7512.

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