African American Designers: Therez Fleetwood

Therez Fleetwood’s bridal collection combines the exotic and romantic with the modern and structured. Inspired by color, shape and texture, Therez creates a unique collection of gowns that combine stylish silhouettes, gorgeous fabrics, exquisite details and creative design patterns made from beads, trinkets, embroidery, shells and lace. "Our society is a melting pot of various cultures", says Fleetwood, "we are choosing to express ourselves and our individuality in all aspects of our lives including our wedding attire. For a long time, brides wore traditional wedding dresses that did not represent their diversity".

                      

Brides like her because her designs are unique, sexy and fun, allowing them to make a personal statement on their wedding day. Therez moves against the trends and expresses her fashion sensibilities while breaking the modern wedding mold. As a custom designer, her wedding dresses have received rave reviews from brides all over the world, Brides from as far away as Germany, Egypt, Italy, Tanzania, and Australia have embraced her designs and donned her dresses.

 

 

Therez's bridal designs have been on display in the "New York Gets Married" and "Black Style Now" exhibits at the Museum of the City, the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, where she designed an original wedding gown to support the fund raising efforts for "‘The Lost Boys of the Sudan" and at the Fashion Institute of Technology, (the college in which she
attended), in honor of the Black Fashion Museum. She was also a featured designer highlighted in Macy’s “Catch the Designers” which provided a ‘behind the runway’ look at the diverse designers impacting fashion today.

 

 

Her fashions appear in Fairchild Publication's text book entitled Survey of Historic Costume, as well as the pages of InStyle Weddings, Brides Noir, Wedding Dresses and the Knot. Therez has been a guest on several television shows including the Today Show, Good Day New York and BET Nightly News, showcasing several of her unique wedding gowns. The popularity of her bridal collection caught the eye of executives at American Express and she was asked to appear in the nationally syndicated television commercial entitled "Portraits".

 

It was her desire to travel that brought her to several countries throughout the world. And It t was her love of Africa, its
culture and arts that prompted her to write, The AfroCentric Bride – A Style Guide, Amber Books, which provides clear, concise and helpful information for couples who choose to infuse cultural elements into their wedding.

 

 

 

Ms. Fleetwood’s entrepreneurial spirit and achievements earned her the Allstate Insurance Company’s "From Whence We Came, African-American Women of Triumph" Award. She also designed the only Afrocentric costumes to be worn by Mickey and Minnie Mouse at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, which have now become part of their themed costume collection.