♪♪ ♪♪ It's really, really wonderful just to see how buzzing New York is, and it's back.

It's been really interesting to see how dynamic and how different many of the shows have been.

And you can definitely see a huge range of just different faces that we never saw before.

And that's really refreshing.

Apolonio: It's been a long time coming to actually do my own show.

As a young designer, the whole landscape of fashion has been changing.

Thank God I do both menswear and womenswear.

But let's be honest, like, what is menswear and womenswear now?

And a lot of the people who understand that are younger designers, and there's so many platforms for them to showcase their work.

The work ethic in New York is just very infectious.

The energy, as we say.

I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world.

Daniel: I am getting to see a dream realized as we celebrate Harlem's Fashion Row's 15th anniversary.

[ Cheers and applause ] When I found out that designers of color represented less than 1% of designers found in major department stores, however, at the time, that same community spent over $22 billion a year in apparel, I knew I had to do something.

It's such a dying art to actually be a designer that knows how to make clothes and how to actually make your own pattern.

If you have that, then you can bring the beauty back to fashion.

So that's my goal.

I think this is a pivotal event that should hopefully amplify more because Black designers and Black creatives across the world is really looking for more events that celebrates us.

I could not be more proud that Issa is the first recipient of the award that bears Virgil's name.

Through everything she she's already accomplished and through all that she will go on to do in the future, I know that she will carry forward the legacy of this award with honor.

Just knowing what Virgil was able to contribute and what he was able to do in his time for fashion in terms of opening doors and believing in himself.

Like, I see a lot of parallels and I'm just honored to be thought of in the same sentence with him.

As for me, I love being the first, but as long as I'm working, I vow to make sure that I won't be the last.

Thank you all so much.

[ Cheers and applause ] Dapper Dan: What's so very important now is that all these young people will see this.

They need to know that we're opening doors now.

I mean, this is the best example of that.

Mallis: This is incredible.

It's really come to fruition.

Brandice had a great idea way back when she started it, and things just evolved.

This is the kickoff of Fashion Week.

It's going to be fun.

Warwick: ♪ What the world needs now is love ♪ ♪ Sweet love ♪ ♪ No, not just for some ♪ ♪ But for everyone ♪ ♪♪ Integrating the fashion industry, the beauty industry, the lifestyle industry, that touches my own heart.

I'm in awe of what F4D has done so far.

Carson: The most important thing that I can do with my voice, with my platform, with my art, is to give and to give.

by empowering young women, young voices, and using my voice to amplify theirs.

And, so, days like today are always inspiring.

It is brilliant to bring in fashion in your clothes, in your makeup, in your hair so that girls are attracted, first, to the idea that they can be beautiful.

Then, you engage their mind, and then they care about the climate.

Seeing new designs from New York Fashion Week, that really influences us, as young kids, to support sustainable fashion rather than just buy fast fashion that's going in and out of trends.

What do we really need to do?

Partnerships, gender equality, women's empowerment, healthcare, philanthropy.

We need to all come together in all of these aspects.

And using the arts as our tools is the way we're going to reach everybody's heart.

Rosete: The fashion industry has really evolved in the last 10 years.

This platform was really formed around that and about the heart and the art of fashion.

And, so, I love that the fashion industry is evolving a lot.

As you can see on our runway, all inclusive.

We have designers ranging from streetwear to boutique wear to couture to everyday brands, and it's about supporting each other and telling a lot of different stories.

The best part of our lineup is that we have designers from all over the world.

It's my very first time to showcase my collection in New York, and some of the collection, they're ready to wear.

It's very feminine, very impalpable, and it's very driven.

Tadrissi: As an architect, as a designer, really, everything I do, all my design, is around this idea of elevating what's nothing, trying to find that hidden potential in things.

And this is our answer to fast fashion.

We want to do something that is more sustainable.

We want the future to still be good for our children and the next generations.

We're all capable of doing anything that we put our minds to, and this is about supporting as many designers as possible.

It's just such a beautiful thing to be able to see it all evolve.

These people are amazing.

♪♪