I start every year with 3 things: Prayer+Fast, Ambitious Goals, and a theme Word.
I start every year with 3 things: Prayer+Fast, Ambitious Goals, and a theme Word.
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Spring has officially sprung and I have to say, my name is Undra and I am ready to go OUTSIDE!
But before I pop-out to enjoy the new season I like to reset and refresh my home. So while we all wait (I work) for this new Summer collection to drop let's get into 5 ways I refresh my space and my mind for the new season.
1. Clean up. The house has to be cleaned from top to bottom. It takes me about 2 days to clean and 3 days to recover. But once it's done, my mood literally changes. I feel lighter, I can think clearer and I'm ready to take on the new season like a beast.
2. Fresh flowers and reed diffusers. My favs are tulips, roses and lilies. Fresh, clean, light smells makes the space relaxing and warm.
3. Fashion coffee table books. I own way too many. I have to spread them around the house because the coffee table is but so big. Bold images and stories will always be a part of my space.
4. Images of Black women. Whether it's pictures of my family, images on magazines or art I created. You'll find them in just about every room in my home.
5. Sunlight! I don't do heavy curtains because I love sunlight and I need as much of it as possible in my space. Vitamin D keeps you happy!
Leave a comment to let me know how you get ready for the new season!
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Born: June 28, 1905, in Chambersburg, PA, and grew up in Charlotte, NC.
Famed For: She created the original Playboy Bunny costume, which was presented at the opening of the first Playboy Club in Chicago, IL on February 29, 1960. It was also the first commercial uniform to be registered by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
The Women’s Life: In 1948, Valdes opened "Zelda Wynn," her design and dressmaking studio, on Broadway (in what is now Washington Heights on Broadway and West 158th Street). Valdes said that her shop was the first black-owned business on Broadway. She sold dresses to movie star Dorothy Dandridge, opera diva Jessye Norman and singer Gladys Knight. Valdes also dressed the entire bridal party for the 1948 wedding of Maria and Nat King Cole.
Additional celebrity clients included Josephine Baker, Mae West, Ella Fitzgerald and Eartha Kitt. Valdes was also noted for creating the sexier image for singe4r Joyce Bryant who LIFE Magazine dubbed “the Black Marilyn Monroe.
In the 1950s, she moved "Chez Zelda" to 151 57th Street in Midtown. She had a staff of nine dressmakers and charged almost $1,000 per couture gown.
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zelda_Wynn_Valdes
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For immediate release
NYC – Feb. 17, 2021
Undra Celeste New York launches 2021 collection, Season Nine: Re-Emerge today at 3 p.m. during New York Fashion Week (NYFW). The collection can be viewed online on CFDA Runway360 and NYFW.com.
The collection derives inspiration from Undra Celeste New York’s previous presentation as women re-emerge from a difficult 2020 with a reflective view on luxury clothes for the working woman.
“Undra Celeste New York’s Season Nine: Re-emerge is personal – whether 2020 was a year of loss or profound change, our customers are learning to take care of themselves and listen to their inner voice,” says Undra Celeste, creative director. “This collection is for those who realize life is too short to shrink, and that luxury is no longer synonymous with forgoing comfort and authenticity.”
Pieces from the collection are inspired from Mali, West Africa and use colors and prints that infuse Bògòlafini mud cloth textures on soft, breathable fabrics. Heavy on tops and dresses in greens, deep sienna and gold to wear during virtual meetings with co-workers, friends and dates.
“This collection is my favorite because it applauds the multi-cultural, professional woman who finds ways to infuse style no matter what’s happening in life,” says Undra. “Many of us spent the year wearing braids and big sweaters so The Braided Cardigan is a wink to the braiding traditions found in West Africa that are also center-stage in virtual meetings across the country.”
Undra Celeste New York: www.undracelesteny.com.
For press inquiries please contact:
Raslyn Wooten
Citàt Public Relations
612.220.5233
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]]>Relieved, hopeful, less anxious - my feelings as I watched the inauguration of the 46th President of the United States, Joe Biden. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t think President-Uncle Joe is a savior, but from where we’ve been, his compassion and dignity is a breath of fresh air.
Next, let’s just take a moment to talk about the powerhouse that is miss Amanda Gorman. The youngest inaurgural poet and the epitome of BLACK GIRL MAGIC! Like most, I watched her deliver her poem in awe. I have been stalking Amanda all over the Internet and watching every interview on every media outlets ever since. She will go far. She makes me proud to have once been a little, skinny black girl that descended from slaves. Bravo, Amanda!
Now, Kamala - excuse me Madam Vice President Kamala Harris hailing from the prestigious, illustrious Howard University (my alma mater) . I congratulate her with all of my heart.
The fashion of the evening was what I expected inauguration fashion, during a pandemic to be - subdued. The only exception, was Michelle Obama. She looked like a tall glass of fresh cranberry juice with ice on a summer day. She radiated at every turn. How do you pay attention at an inauguration with Michelle Obama in the room? You don’t, you just focus on her and hope you don’t get caught by one of the news cameras. Congrats to my dear friend, Sergio Hudson.
For me, right now is all about Fashion and market week. I’m trying to figure out a way to take you all on the journey with me. Please keep me in your prayers - I’m a bit exhausted but very excited about the next chapter for Undra Celeste New York
Stay Tuned
]]>Here's what really happened in 2020...
1. You're here and I'm here. That should not only be noted, but celebrated. Through the pandemic, increased violence, depression etc., we lost a lot of people in 2020. If you lost someone you love my prayers are with you. But if you're reading this I'm also praising God for you because you SURVIVED.
Throw a Zoom party.
2. Eyes and mouths are wide open! Due to the horrific murder of Mr. George Floyd, the issue of social injustice in American has moved from the back broom closet to the dining room table. The much needed conversations around race in this country has started...again. Civil rights and liberties are not gifts, they're prizes for the fight. The part of the conversation that's most close to my heart is the one about the treatment of black women in the workplace. That's a super tough conversation mostly because the only ones who can speak about it are the ones being attacked. Microaggression in the workplace is a unique experience to black women. But we're speaking up, loudly!
3. We Voted. We voted like a mutha...
4. Undra Celeste New York survived, was awarded 2 grants, released 3 new collections, got a new office, got a new assistant, did a design competition with Chase Bank, donated countless masks to healthcare workers, featured in most of the coveted fashion publications, received an amazing mentorship, had a MAC cosmetics sponsored photoshoot, shot a new commercial for the brand and so much more!
If you take no other lesson from 2020, take this - life is short. LIVE. By all means - LIVE.
Welcome to 2021.
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A lot has happened in 2020, some good (Election 2020) and some really bad (Covid-19) but some things I have learned from it all is to keep going, improve along the way and stay transparent. With those principles in mind, I recorded a video about our new delivery promise! We understand that the holidays are approaching and it's more important now than ever for you to be able to trust that your items will be delivered on-time.
If you don't have time to watch the video, here's the short of it all:
- Every order placed on www.undracelesteny.com will ship in 3 business days or less. The only exception is items from our Runway Collection.
- We've also put together a pretty extensive FAQ page that's sure to answer all of your burning questions.
- If you still have questions, you can always drop us a note at info@undracelesteny.com
Redefining Modern Workwear.
Love,
Undra
Earlier this year the brand had the pleasure of being a part of Cornell University's exhibit titled Black Excellence: Fashion That Prevails. The exhibit included pieces from designers of color from all over the country. Our luxurious made-to-order Chambers Faux Collar Coat was featured. As a part of the digital content, Cornell University came to my home office to interview me. It's a very raw interview and was done back in 2019 when life was different. The interview is long (20 mins) but if you care to know more about my journey please take a look here.
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Last year I had the amazing pleasure of being a part of a design competition to redesign the Chase Bank uniforms. Although I didn't get the gold :( It was a pleasure working with the Chase and Land's End team. I'm so proud of the collection I created. It's totally in-line with the Undra Celeste aesthetic and as I look back over the pieces, I wouldn't change a thing. It's full of color, bold details and speaks to the Undra Celeste New York women. We are aiming to redefine modern workwear and I believe this collection would have been that for the men and women at Chase bank.
I reimagined the classic Chase bank logo into a fun print for the blouse. It was necessary that I add bold details, so I did a billow sleeve and an exaggerated neck bow. To finish off the look I created a narrow leather belt with the Chase logo and a D-ring for functionality.
The women's sweater was my favorite - I took the same reimagined Chase logo and created a intarsia knit. The colors are a beautiful bold contrast on the heathered navy knit of the body. I finished it off with a slight puff shoulder details and contrast color pipping at the hem.
I haven't done men's wear in a real way so I was excited to flex my men's wear muscle. I wanted to keep the details subtle so I created a small window pane plaid with the tiny Chase logo embroidered on the collar. The tie is a scaled down version of the blouse print. The sweater has the same contrast color piping as the women's sweater.
The below images are from the presentation day. Due to COVID we had to do our presentations virtually from our homes. This is in my master bedroom.
Take a look and let me know your thoughts!
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On September 9th, Undra Celeste New York was awarded a $50,000 grant to help grow our business. When I first learned about the grant award, I was in tears and speechless. I've worked so hard these last 5 years to build a brand that not only my customers would love, but one that my peers in the fashion industry would recognize and respect. Although I'm not where I want to be as yet, getting this grant proves that I am on the right track.
This grant award means so many new and exciting things for the brand. New products, new branding, and elevated marketing, and even a new design studio. Getting a new space has literally been a dream since I started the brand. We also have tons of things we're implementing to make our customer experience better. One of the truly important things is improving our shipping process to get all orders out in 5 days or less. I'm the most excited about this because I know during COVID shipping with USPS has been nothing short of a disaster. Customers have been so patient and we want to be purposeful about improving that experience.
There is so much more that we're dreaming up.
So please do stand by, we are here, we are growing and we are excited to take you along for the ride.
Love,
Undra
]]>If you follow me on social media (if you don't, do so here) you should know that I've been quite busy trying to make some magic happen. New York Fashion Week, albeit in its abbreviated state was still fun and eventful. I had the pleasure of being a part of the Black In Fashion Council first-ever discovery showroom. I was able to meet so many great stylists and editors; people I've been clamoring to meet my entire career. I made some beautiful connections that I feel I will have for the life of my brand.
I also had the pleasure of being interviewed by the BIFC + NYFW, we talked about my journey, life as a designer of color, and the urgent need for organizations like the Black In Fashion Council.
Take a look and tell me what you think!
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As we approach Election Day, exactly 32 days away, it's important that every American does their part to make sure we get to the polls (or mail) as possible. A voting plan is essential. Mine is simple; I plan to get out as early as possible, stand in line for as many hours as necessary, and VOTE. I have my magazines, a book, my phone (+ spare charger) and I'm preparing mentally and physically for a long day.
I also want to help you get an election day plan together, so I've comprised a list of 5 Things You Need to Know 32 Day Away from Election Day.
1. Are you registered? Not sure. Check HERE. Not registered, do it HERE NOW! This week is the deadline for many states.
2. Do you know your state's absentee ballot deadline. Check it HERE! Then get the ballot HERE!
3. Get all the day-of details. Early voting, COVID-19 info, voter ID laws, poll locations and times...Get all the deets HERE!
4. Get your game day plan together. Get together with your neighbors and of age family members and come up with a voting plan. Figure out the best way to get to the polls (if you're going) or to the mail (or drop off location) together. Make it fun!
5. Most Americans focus on the Presidential election yet forget that we have elected officials all around us. There is no better time than now to get in contact with the men and women we elect and PAY to run our states, cities, and districts. So after you've gone through step 1-4 call, write, email or even show up at the office of your local government and find out what they're doing to make your community a better place. You can find all their information HERE!
One last bit of important info, during election week we will be running an awesome promo powered by the vote. It's easy, tag us in your "I Voted" picture on Instagram or Facebook using hashtag #LoveUCNYvote and we'll send you a code for 50% off any single item from our new collection + a free gift!
Don't worry, we'll remind you as it gets closer!
See you at the polls!
Redefining Modern Workwear.
Love,
Undra
While under stay at home orders I spend most of my time trying to figure out how to keep this business alive. Honestly, it can get overwhelming because I had so many amazing projects, collections and experiences planned for you all this year. Now, I'm here just figuring out how to stay in the game. These last few weeks have been tough, but this week I decided to add to my never-ending to-do list: Create for creativity.
I had mixed feeling about it too. You would think a designer would be excited to carve out time just to design, cut and sew. But a part of my felt like I didn't have the time. I should be figuring out strategies and pivoting marketing plans... But this week I decided to close the computer, planner and notebooks to just create.
To be honest, I felt so much better when I was done. Of course, the next thought was - should I sell them, do I post them, what do I do with them? I’m a mess…lol, but I’m glad I spent some time doing this. It reminds me of why I started. It also reminds me how bad I need my assistant and factory back!
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As I hope many of you know, Undra Celeste New York is a modern workwear brand. The more I get into the nuances of the brand and what modern workwear is all about, the more I think back to my time in the corporate fashion industry. I spent twelve years doing product development for various corporation fashion brands. I know that my experience as a black woman working in corporate fashion was, well…different. I can go on for pages and pages about how things are different, but I have an awesome friend who's working on an insightful book about this very topic, so you’ll just have to wait to read that. But one thing I know for sure is that during some of the most difficult times in my career CLOTHES WERE MY ARMOR:
the helmet of prayer, the gauntlet of a designer purse and the body armor of a dope outfit.
My last corporate job was for a very corporate sleepwear company. When I was in full swing at this position, I was also starting my side-hustle - this little clothing brand where I designed clothes for myself and friends on the weekend. My boss, who was known in the office and industry for being the ‘Anna Wintour of sleepwear’, was actually cool for the most part. She loved that I dressed well and that I was confident and not afraid to speak up. She would send me to licensing meetings to represent her, she promoted me twice and even on occasion called me her daughter. It was all good until it wasn’t. One faithful market week I got into a disagreement with one of our regional saleswomen. She took her side of the story back to my boss and from that point forward EVERYTHING changed. Meetings that I was leading, I now wasn’t even invited to. Projects I was working on got moved to someone else. Trips that I was essential for got canceled. This mental demotion devastated me. I was just waiting to be fired. The stress and anxiety were destroying me. I tried to have conversations with my boss about what was happening but her replies were just aloof; it appeared that even the conversation, I was not worth. I got very depressed and unsure of everything, even in my personal life. I cried often, not because I was afraid of being fired. I would have preferred it to this emotional slavery. I went from being the right-hand to the HBIC, to no one. She wanted me to live and sulk in that feeling of being dropped into no-one-ness. She didn’t want me gone, just put back in my place. It was a terrible feeling.
One evening while at home wallowing in my sorrows my mom called, this was probably the 100th time I cried to her over the phone about this situation. She listened and then said something simple and profound, “dress up for work tomorrow, you’ll feel better. And don’t let these people get you down”. As I stared into my closet, I thought, “I have really nice clothes”. Most I bought, some I made. The next day I decided to get dressed. No, not just put on clothes, I got DRESSED honey! I wore my single sacred pair of Christian Louboutins, beat my face and walked into work like I was born again from the fashion gawds! From that day forward, despite all that was still going on around me, I felt better about me. I showed up every day as Undra, worked on my brand at night and weekends and 13-months from the initial incident I quit my job to focus on Undra Celeste full-time. Six days after my last day I traveled to South Africa (first time visiting Africa), I needed to see my people lol.
Because of my personal experience Undra Celeste NY cannot just be another brand, it has to be something that empowers women who look like me and have gone through similar experiences. The woman who just needs that special something to pull their confidence up when it’s deliberately being beaten down. As shallow as it may appear, a new hairstyle, a beat face and/or a killer outfit has that power.
As my mother said to me, I say to you, “dress up for work tomorrow, you’ll feel better. And don’t let these people get you down”.
Love, Undra
Every image below was taken at the office during this time
Please comment if you’ve been/going through the fire!
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So it’s one of my best girlfriend’s 40th birthday and she decided she wants to go to Puerto Rico. We’re all down to go - so we go. The ONLY issue is that her birthday is March 13th - during the aggressive onset of Covid-19. Most of the party cancels but three of us decide to still go for it. I got all the PPE. I basically sprayed and wiped down the entire plane, get comfortable in my seat with my glove and mask and make it to Puerto Rico without incident.
We arrive at our beautiful resort, Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve, settle in and get ready for dinner. Despite the restaurant staff rushing us because of a newly enforce curfew dinner was great. We celebrated Sabriyah’s birthday with cake, drinks and plenty of laughs. Once we head back to our suite there is a note at the door. I hand
Monique the note because she does all the technical reading while we’re on vacation. This is when it hit the fan - the resort was basically shutting down. All restaurants, bars, pools and THE BEACH were shut down. Guests were only allowed to stay in their rooms and order room service. Huh?
We immediately change our flights to head back to the mainland the next day. The next morning we order breakfast, spent hours on the beach (it was literally 2 steps outside of our room) and headed back home.
Although it was only for 24-hrs I’m glad that’s how I started my quarantine. In the coming weeks, I would be caring for my sick husband and like many of you isolated from family and friends.
People talk a lot about how we all will be different after this. I’m not sure how the world will look but I’m sure going to appreciate more the simple things in this lifelike getting celebrating a friend’s birthday and laying on the beach. Life and its details are precious.
Please continue to stay safe + be well.
Love,
Undra
]]>We're officially in week three of the quarantine. Although I totally get why we're here it's still been difficult. I think about all the lives affected, whether it be families torn apart, economic uncertainty, our the well being of our healthcare workers; so many need help but where do we start?
I figured I'd start with this email - see below.
Be well, stay safe and show love where needed.
Love,
Undra
Last week I had a very important Zoom call which I needed to pull myself together for. Although brushed hair and a glossed lip would have sufficed, I felt the need to do more. So I did. I put on a full face, jewelry and my UCNY Sp 2020 linen suit with mesh turtleneck and immediately I felt uplifted and empowered. I nailed my presentation, twirled around my house, took some pictures and felt like Undra for the first time in a long time.
It's funny how getting dressed almost instantly makes you feel better about yourself. I know I am not alone. So I admonish you, swap the leggings for some jeans and a cute top. Put on a full face for that next #ClubQuarantine party - it doesn't matter who's around (or not around) do if for YOU. As a nation we are dealing with so much, it's necessary that you take some time out to get back to you.
Stay safe + Be blessed.
Love,
Undra