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VIEW: Vicksburg designer takes Hudvenci to New York Fashion Week.
Published Sunday, September 18, 2022 at 4:00 am
Finding a place in the fashion industry requires commitment, dedication and of course, a design vision.
Just ask Vicksburg resident Raymond Banks, who recently returned from the Big Apple where he was one of the fashion designers invited to participate in New York Fashion Week.
Banks said he started designing booties, and then his love for fashion grew.
“I started designing in 2013. I made a botte for our church’s program around Black History Month, and from that botte I got into the fashion industry,” he said.
People started asking who made the bot, if it had banks and where they could find it.
“I was like, ‘I made it,'” he said.
Business took off for the young designer and for the next five years Banks made and designed unique bow ties.
In the year In 2018, he launched his brand Hoodvenchy, which earned him a spot on the runway.
Banks said the Hoodvenchy concept started as a joke, inspired by the name of the luxury brand Givenchy.
“It should never have been a brand,” he said.
But Banks’ spiel on designer labels has been well received.
“A friend of mine at Jackson State asked me to participate in a fashion show with his modeling group, so I was like, ‘I’ll do it,’ but I had to come up with something different than what I normally do,” he said.
So, inspired by the luxury brand scandals plaguing the design world in 2018, Banks said, “You know what, I’m going to do something about it. I’m going to have fun with them, so I’m going to do Hudvenci.
“People love the brand, and they love the name,” he added. And then Hoodvenchy was born.
One of the pieces Banks designed for the Hodvenci brand includes a leather coat with a list of well-known fashion brands emblazoned with their names.
“It started with Gucci and Prada, Louis Vuitton and Fendi. Those names were passed around, but I wrote Hoodvenchy underneath and circled it,” Banks said, adding that the design was meant to convey the message of “dropping and scrapping” internationally recognized top designers and choosing Hoodvenchy instead.
For the New York show, Banks’ collection was titled, “Fall Semester at Hodvenci University,” and the 28-piece collection featured streetwear tracks, hoodies, and puffer jackets.
The whole collection is androgynous, there are banks, and both men and women can wear it.
“This line was all about comfort; nothing was restrictive, and there was no avant-garde look,” Banks said. “Everything was accessible to everyday items.”
The fashion week event was held in 99Th Scott Studio in Brooklyn, New York.
Before New York Fashion Week, Banks participated in Los Angeles Fashion Week in March, he said.
And now he plans to hit the runway in Vicksburg when he returns home.
“I’ve given my time to LA, I’ve given my time to New York. Now is the time to let people in Vicksburg see those works up close. You can watch a video – that’s fine and you can see pictures, but I want to let you see the clothes for yourself.
Banks said he is hoping to have a runway show sometime in October.
About Terry Cowart Frazier
Terry Frazier was born in Cleveland. Soon after, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at the Vicksburg Post and editor of Vicksburg Living magazine, which was awarded first place by the Mississippi Press Association. She was also the recipient of the first place award for “Best Feature Story” in the Editorial Division of the MPA’s Best Newspaper Competition.
Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University with a bachelor’s degree in communications with a concentration in public relations.
Before coming to work at The Post 10 years ago, she did some freelance work at the Jackson Free Press. But she enjoyed being a full-time stay-at-home mom for most of her life.
Terry is a member of Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and the Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.
“From learning about local government affairs to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is important to a community. Throughout my tenure at The Post, I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team and with their and local support, I hope to continue to grow and develop my skills in sharing stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I love most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people’.
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