NEW YORK, NY — SEPTEMBER 10, 2023
Since his celebrated win on Season 20 of Project Runway Allstars, designer Bishme Cromartie has been in a near constant state of grief. His recent past has been marred with personal loss on many levels. As do many designers, when they are confronted with discomfort, Bishme turned to his craft to work through his distress and loss. What came of this process, which he refers to as “releasing the burden of grief”, was one of his most aesthetically striking collections to date. Cromartie pushed the envelope on many levels, applying his couture level command of detailing to every stitch utilized to confect this collection, paying homage to his personal journey on every piece.
There were plays on silhouette, plays on proportion, plays on function, and even some thoughtful takes on what it means to be a fashion garment for today’s consumer. Through this collection, you could literally see the designer’s journey through shock, denial, confusion, disillusion, grief, sadness, reconstruction, and eventually reemerging triumphant, and whole once again – finding comfort in the beauty of his creation, albeit forever changed by his own personal experience.
Bishme Cromartie’s mark on style, one he has coined “Street Garde”, has only begun to be realized on the landscape of American fashion. For Spring 2025, he has taken his refinement of his style one giant leap forward yet stayed whole to his aesthetic in every sense. Cromartie says, “I wanted this collection to feel effortlessly sexy, masculine, and feminine all at the same time.” He continues, “This collection showcases the Bishme Cromartie woman who is ready for change, constantly on the go and loves to stand out, no matter where she is. This season I am releasing the burden of carrying grief.”
ABOUT BISHME CROMARTIE:
Since winning the latest season of Bravo’s Project Runway Allstars Season 20 and quickly thereafter debuting his collection at NYFW 2023 to rave reviews; Bishme Cromartie is currently creating a name for himself and his brand from the West Coast, his current base. The Baltimore native continues to carve out a new lane in the fashion industry that merges Avant-garde designs with street style influences providing an eclectic demographic at his fingertips. Bishme’s loyal fan base is not only built from two seasons on Project Runway or through the various TV interviews and magazine publications (ELLE, Essence, Forbes, Vogue, etc.), but also on associations he has been built with the celebrity clientele he has been consistently growing. Ciara , Lizzo, Victoria Monet, Taraji P. Henson, Chloe Bailey, Jennifer Hudson, Michelle Williams, Andra Day, Niecy Nash, Fantasia and Karrueche Tran are but a few of the ever growing list of celebrities that have been spotted in Cromartie’s beautiful designs. The creativity that he exudes is unparalleled and goes beyond the design room. The recent 2024 FGI Rising Star nominee is on the rise to becoming even more of a household name. Since being a fan favorite from his original season of Bravo’s Project Runway, his contribution to help uplift and inspire young aspiring fashion designers has been important to him. By speaking to the junior and senior classes as well as donating fabric at The Baltimore Design school, Cromartie has continually given back to help his communityand those young designers, like himself only a few years ago,who dream to be in the fashion industry. Cromartie’s mission as a Black designer is to continue to advocate for proper representation within the fashion industry.