A colorful mainstream fashion designer will take his turn to share his passion with Howard University in the “Spirit of Innovation” speaker series from the Office of Student Affairs.
The Obamas, the Wades, The Weeknd, Steph Curry, Anthony Anderson and Regina Hall are only a few of the well-known individuals that the stylistic choices of luxury fashion designer Richfresh (Patrick Henry) have reached thus far. Whether it be geometric tracksuit combos or elegantly colored formal wear, Henry’s distinct style has appeared on runways, red carpets, galas and movie screens alike.
Howard University students and faculty will have the opportunity to meet the mind behind the looks via a speaker series brought forth by the University’s Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr. Cynthia Evers. The series entitled “The Spirit of Innovation” will aim to highlight innovators of various disciplines and will begin on Sept. 29 with Henry. His journey of passion and tenacity to succeed in the industry epitomizes the idea that innovation is not an overnight process.
“I am very excited to welcome RichFresh to campus as we kick off the Division of Student Affairs speaker series, that celebrates innovation, success, and resilience,” Evers said.
“Two stripes” as read in his Instagram bio, is a major aesthetic signifier of the brand. Its founder, Henry, is a Los Angeles-based designer from Memphis, Tennessee, who launched his fashion brand back in 2018, as well as co-founded a mask brand titled Henry Masks, in 2020. His passion for design started at a young age and catapulted him into his current success.
He has since become a mainstream designer to the stars. Followers of media and fashion can note different instances of familiarity with the Richfresh aesthetic like the peach-colored two-piece suit Justin Bieber wore in the “Peaches” video released in 2021, or Steph Curry’s 2022 NBA Finals tunnel looks during games one and five. He made history in April 2022, becoming the first Black designer to dress an entire Las Vegas residency, in this case, he created over 80 looks for Grammy award-winning musician John Legend’s Vegas residency. With plenty of notable achievements under his belt, Fresh will certainly have creative and industry wisdom to share.
“I hope to say something that will work as a catalyst for one of the students or faculty in the audience,” Henry told Howard University Strategic Communications Manager, Shelly Ridgeway. “I will be speaking on self-power and having clear vision. The whole point of speaking at Howard is for the words to resonate beyond my visit.”
The Richfresh vision embodies the spirit of innovation as the attire makes its way across the culture limitlessly. “It’s unexpected to have an impact on mainstream fashion,” Henry told Ridgeway, and the longevity of Richfresh’s relevance and innovation only further demonstrates this.
The event will be held in the Blackburn Digital Auditorium at 6 p.m. Students must be prepared to show their student ID upon entry.
Copy edited by Chanice McClover-Lee [This story has been updated to provide the location and time of the event.]
