After Hours at the Sean John Showroom NYC

As part of Creative Week NYC The X-Stylez Blog  was invited to After Hours II, an annual festival that celebrates creativity in advertising, design, digital media and draws roughly 3,000 top creative professionals from around the world -- three unique organizations combined to host this special evening at the Bad Boy Records Headquarters in Midtown Manhattan. Those organizations included Passport Project, Madisons Browne Fellowship, and  Marcus Graham Project.


Here's a little information about the hosts: 

Passport Project is an organization with a mission to inspire young people, starting with Americans, to get passports, travel and create culture. Passport Project believes the youth are the key to the future of every country; starting this movement was designed to embrace the duality of an age where hip-hop and Givenchy are bedmates and teenagers grow up with dreams of creating culture rather than simply consuming it. The goal, in addition to increasing passport ownership, is to inspire and empower young people to consider their existence in relation to the rest of the world as opposed to their immediate reality.

Lincoln Stevens from the Marcus Graham Project spoke on behalf of the Passport Project saying, 

"The Passport Project is focused on getting the youth in inner cities their passports to travel the world and become global citizens. Please for those of you who have passports already, encourage your friends that don't to look up and support this project."

Madisons Browne Fellowship is a non-profit organization with the goal of connecting professionals in the advertising, and other intersecting industries, through various monthly events, including intimate conversations with top-level executives, casual networking events, exhibitions showcasing our member’s work and informational workshops.

Madison's spoke person said, 

"The idea of the agency is to get more multi-cultural events that YOU the participant wants. What's different about our agency is that we actually listen by letting the participants drive the contact. We just celebrated our first anniversary and are excited about whats to come. 

Marcus Graham Project is a national network of diverse professionals that have purposed themselves in developing the next generation of thought leadership within the advertising, media and marketing industry.

During a very compelling speech, Larry Yarrell of the Marcus Graham Project said,

" The Marcus Graham Project is about feeding into whatever you are passionate about. The project really has to do with identifying people of color in the industry and focusing on what it is they are passionate about. Who are they? What do they  like? What are they interested in? Especially in the spirit of election season, we are really focused on promoting change. Especially with it being an industry and economy that looks at how WE are portrayed" 

The Event 

After Hours II  was an invite only event for some of the most creative, innovative and driven individuals in the area who know what it's like to balance a full time job and a passion project. Like many of us who have dreams, we go to a full time job and when departing for the day it's on to the next full time job that we have after hours; our passions aka The Hustle. That job has us staying up to the wee hours of the morning barely leaving us any time for things like eating, sleeping, and socializing. However, somewhere we all find the drive to get it all done. 

The event was great not only for socializing but for networking for all individuals to share in their passions. Oh yeah, there was also an open bar sponsored by Ciroc so the socializing and commentary was definitely intensified (lol), in a professional manner of course.

Check out some event photos below

The Ciroc 
What's 2 things you want to hear when you go to an exclusive event? Great music and OPEN BAR.

Featured "After Hours" artists
Specially chosen artists and entrepreneurs were also invited and set up pop up shops around the Sean John Show room to help give a visual of their product and what it is they do. Check out some of the featured artists below that specialize in the male fashion movement.

Meet Sherifa Gayle of BU (Be You) Clothing. 

The X-Stylez sat down with her to get more insight on the mission of her business. Sherifa says, "The name of my brand basically is about taking a negative statement---Black is Ugly  and making it have a positive meaning. God made us all beautifully so BE YOU, that's all you can be." 


Well stated. Take a look at some of her collection below. 

Product Images from iPad

Indeed it is 

Be sure to check out past blog post: [Trend Report]: How to wear mixed assorted bracelets.

Find more of her line on the BU website at: www.BlacknUgly.com 

Travis photo'd with brother and business partner Richard Johnson.

Meet Travis Sylvester of Kingston 21. Readers you may remember that Travis has been featured on the blog before. Be sure to check out his past post that goes more in detail about his inspirations and company here: Travis Sylvester: On the Cutting Edge of Art and Fashion

The X-Stylez caught up with him again to talk about new additions to his creative bow tie designs and asked what type of advice he has to other hustles on the grind. He Says, 
"From being born and raised in NYC I've realized you need 3 jobs
(1) BENEFITS The job you need for insurance to cover you for gong to the doctor and dentist. 
(2) FAST CASH The job that "legally" gets you your money off the books and lastly
(3) THE DREAM It's currently not the best paying job at the moment, but when it is, you can quit jobs 1 and 2.

Smart guy. I mean he is a NUPE. Shout out to Kappa Alpha Psi. Check out his collection below:

Kingston 21 can be found and purchased on: www.KingstonTwentyOne.com

Meet lifestyle brand AtSlopes

The X-Stylez Blog got a chance talk with art director Andrew T. He expressed that AtSlopes is the first true lifestyle brand that  unifies sports and pop culture with fashion sensibility. 

The company creates one of a kind tees and posters with very creative and artistic graphic designs. The brand is not only limited to the US, it also sells over seas. With a quality product and features on top shopping sites like Karma Loop, I can definitely see how that could happen. Andrew shared that this became his passion when seeking employment as an art director for other companies. 

Its funny how that works, huh? Rejection can turn on switches you already had to unleash things that were already there. It pushes you even harder to produce your best. I was very impressed with the story of AtSlopes as with the product.

This is just a taste of what they offer, check out their full collection online at:
www.atslpoes.bigcartel.com  IT'S INSANE!  

 A7NYC is a camera accessories company. They believe that a camera should be just as fly as the stylish person standing behind it [cool concept]. Why settle for the accessories that come with your camera starter kit like the logo'd strap? A7NYC constructs stylish lens cases, camera bags, straps and various other accessories from good quality leather all made here in the U.S.A.


I appreciate innovative companies like this because they think like consumers. I definitely agree that your camera should also express your personality. It's very possible that a camera with personality can transcend onto what you are capturing.  

See more of their stock at www.A7NYC.com



The Fashion 


Now you know coming to anything with the Bad Boy attached "You Gots to Come Correct" Take a look at some of the flyest peeps NYC has to offer as well as some great street style. Take Notes because........ 

I thought this was a very creative was to keep up with your umbrella. 

I'm feeling the python. 

Loubs lookin' like Dirty Money #WeApprove 

The X-Stylez Blog creator, Harrison T. Crite
Website: www.HarrisonT.Crite.com
Twitter and instagram: IamHDiddy (Hey what can I say.... I'm a fan (take that, take that)

Special thanks to Megan Sutcliffe and Tiffany Hardin.


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