Today we’d like to introduce you to Rick Davy. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Rick Davy is the Founder and Director of BKSF and the Creative Director and Producer of Fashion Week Brooklyn (FWBK). Rick is originally from Trinidad and spent years traveling between New York and Montreal while training to be a professional dancer. Rick eventually became a full-time assistant manager at NYU Tisch School of the Arts film department and subsequently studied photography and film production. This led him to serve as a production manager on music videos, including some by hip hop legends Jay-Z and Big Daddy Kane.
Rick met Wendy Fitzwilliam, a fellow Trinidadian and Miss Universe, for whom he became a stylist. This led him to serve as a stylist for other Miss Universe—as well as other beauty pageant winners—too. His work in the pageantry industry enabled him to travel to Greece, Paris, London, Barcelona, Switzerland and Germany and several Caribbean Islands. During this time, Rick also served as the Creative Director and Fashion Consultant for numerous clothing brands. Later, he turned his attention to publishing and worked as a director for numerous national and international magazines and curating fashion shows. These experiences give him the opportunity to work with his friends at CBS as a wardrobe stylist for their talk show “Forgive and Forget” starring Mother Love. From there, Rick landed a job as a stylist for the Black Entertainment Television (BET) show “106th and Park” where he was responsible for dressing hosts AJ Calloway and Free for many years.
Rick Davy’s incredible success in both the fashion and entertainment industries gave him the opportunity to launch the BK Style Foundation in May 2006. At that time, the first Fashion Week Brooklyn show was held in DUMBO at the Tobacco Warehouse to astounding revues and a full-page spread in the NY Times–which was a first-of-its-kind for a Fashion Week Event in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Magazine even named Rick Davy as one of the top 100 influencers of Brooklyn. Now in its fifteenth year, Fashion Week Brooklyn is hailed as a top-five show in the fashion world (among shows that are not sponsored by Mercedes Benz).
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Our main challenges in the business of BK Style and Fashion Week Brooklyn is connecting and securing sponsorships and partners to support with finances, to have the level of production we envision for our designers and creatives. Another challenge is securing the majors’ media outlet to recognize us aa major destination for fashion week, we assume it not the message but the messengers (as we are a black own organization)
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Rick is very education-focused and believes in creating opportunities for youths–especially low-income youths–to be exposed to the arts and fashion. He frequently works with middle school, high school, and college students (some of whom reside in homeless shelters) through sustainable workshops offered by BK Style Foundation. During the Covid pandemic, these classes were conducted online–and more is planned for the future. In addition to promoting the awareness of sustainable environmental practices, another long-term goal is to increase the representation of historically underrepresented Black (HBCU), Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) in the fashion industry.
“Designers need to network, and they need exposure,” Rick Davy said in a recent interview and noted that sustainability is a big component of his brand. Rick is now a board member of Materials for the Arts (MFTA), he is part of the committee that created the designers in residency program at MTFA providing a space for creatives/makers to design and have access to materials to support their designing.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
One of the most important lessons and takeaways from starting a non-profit and fashion business is that you have to be passionate about the work and be prepared for several challenges and roadblocks, but you must stay focused and consistent.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fashionweekbrooklyn.com/
- Instagram: @fashionweekbrooklyn – @bkstylefoundation – @rickdavyfwbk
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bkstylefoundation/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkstyle/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/FashionWeekBK
Image Credits
@shawnpunch
