Recently Black Fashion Week had the honor of capturing the latest runway presentation from legendary designer Barbara Bates of Chicago
photos courtesy of Dewwond Mapp of
http://kentylaartsdesigns.com/ FB@Kentylartdesigns
About Barbara Bates
A self-taught fashion designer, Bates was born and raised in Chicago. She went through Chicago’s public school system and graduated from Marshall High School in 1972. She worked a variety of jobs after graduation, frequently wearing her very own designs. In 1984, she began selling her clothes during her lunch breaks while working as a secretary for the First National Bank of Chicago.
Two years later, an investment of $5,000 from a generous client allowed Bates to ditch her daytime gig, and she went into the fashion business full time. Initially, she began with a small staff, consisting of a husband-and-wife sewing team, who churned out her designs just as quickly as she could dream them. In 1988, she opened a 700-square foot showroom. These days, Bates oversees a diverse staff in a sprawling design studio in Chicago’s South Loop.
Bio Courtesy of Barbara Bates Designs.
Follow the Designer @.http://barbarabatesdesigns.com/index.html
FB: https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraBatesFoundation/
This event was sponsored in part by Khamryn B Shoes. The shoe savvy and trend clothing store is conveniently located at 8301 S Ashland Ave., Chicago, IL 60620
