Claire’s Life: Inside Day 1 ...

Day 1 at Essence Fest felt like a reunion—the place you reconnect with acquainted faces and the cultural icons who formed your world. I began the weekend at a brunch hosted by Bevy Smith and H&M, with friends like Tisha Campbell and Dwelling Single stars Erika Alexander and Kim Coles, who simply launched a brand new podcast, Re-Dwelling Single. It was a full-circle second that jogged my memory why that present nonetheless resonates: it’s good, humorous, and forward of its time.

Exhibits like Dwelling Single weren’t simply entertaining—they confirmed what was doable. Watching assured, career-driven Black ladies on display screen helped form my imaginative and prescient and, in some ways, impressed my transfer to New York and the creation of Trend Bomb Each day. That form of visibility issues. It crops seeds and opens doorways.

After the brunch, I ended by the Conference Heart to discover the cubicles and take within the model. One standout was Camille Rose Naturals. Their setup was lovely, and the product line was simply as spectacular—wealthy textures, clear substances, and a robust sense of identification. Make sure to cease by at this time totally free samples and $10 merchandise all weekend lengthy!

It was an incredible instance of what makes Essence Fest distinctive: it’s an area the place tradition and commerce meet on our phrases.

I’ll be out and about in New Orleans once more at this time—for those who see me in my new BWT Good Hair wig, be at liberty to say hello. Essence Fest is simply getting began, and the power is unmatched.

Look: Stella Yedia

Hair: Becky with the Good Hair

Sneakers: Femme LA

Pictures: Chastity Morgan