Grace Wales Bonner Stays Cool
We were joined by some familiar faces such as Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, Bling Empire New York's Blake Abbie and Lynn Ban, Quil Lemons, Jay Critch, Wisdom Kaye, Parker Kit Hill and many more notable figures.
"It's a celebration of the different types of artistry and craftsmanship from different places in the world," Wales Bonner says regarding Horizon Blues and the Stay Cool Bar. "We worked with a lot of hand-dying, hand-weaving and studying. There were lots of different elements of hard work to bring these things in relationship with each other. To think about the idea of cultural luxury; it's quite hybrid. I also wanted to present it in the context of the inspiration and the research. It's quite like a multidisciplinary expression."
Wales Bonner, who grew up in South London and graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2014, says she has always emphasized collaborating with Black artists.
"Working with Black creatives is a very natural, inherent part of what I do," she says. "It's very important to have conversations and input from different perspectives, and to not present a singular view...inviting other people into your world and narrative to see how they see."
To add on to her collaboration with Black artists, Wales Bonner brought out fellow London musician Ragz Originale to perform at the Stay Cool Bar cocktail event. "It's always nice to bring London energy to New York," she says. "We collaborated with amazing artists like Nolly Babes, and other writers and curators."
You can shop, lounge and grab a cocktail at Nordstrom's Stay Cool Bar on 225 W. 57th St. 3rd floor until the end of February.
