#ThrowbackThursday: Carmen-Carmia-and Fatima

“To be fashionable is to be uncompromising to the things you love… “
- Sistahs Harlem New York

One thing I have no problem doing is pointing out the ones who had effortless unique style before “unique style” became a trend. As I’ve I said in the past with countless blogs, Instagram, style (hair/beauty/fashion) how-to websites at our fingertips, just within the last few years, a woman can view and transform her hair, makeup, and/or wear overnight…literally. Not a bad thing at all but some were actually BORN THIS WAY!

 Before the days of the easy scroll, right click (or screenshot), save, and possibly do I was obsessed with the designs and stylings of Carmen Webber and Carmia Marshall aka SISTAHS OF HARLEM NYC (est 2001). After spotting Carmen’s work for the first time in 2003 I wanted to move to Harlem and work for her company…I didn’t care if it was sweeping the floor! It was not surprising to see Carmen as the featured stylist on 6 episodes of THE LOOK FOR LESS (a show that aired 2006 to 2009). And not to mention her being on Season 4 of Project Runway…and she and Carmia being authors (DENIM MANIA, CHIC SWEATS, and T-SHIRT MAKEOVERS) with a number of fashion/style TV show appearances in recent years. These two women should be at the forefront of the unique style expression/natural hair movement.






Carmen/Carmia's past work:

"I’ve never lived my life by the expectations society puts on you. When something doesn’t feel right or isn’t going the way it should, I listen to my instincts and change it."
-Fatima Robinson

Another female that should be at the forefront of that particular movement is Fatima Robinson! As we all know the current trend is to thrift and channel the 80s and 90s but this lady has amazed me through out the years by the art of channeling the 20s, 40s, and 50s…and she makes it look sooooo easy. She was choreographer to greats like Michael Jackson and Aaliyah but Fatima could’ve excelled, in the entertainment industry, as a Wardrobe Stylist and/or Interior Design…I am sure of this. Making Entertainment Weekly’s 100 Most Creative People in the Entertainment Industry pretty much says it all!