NYFW Designer Pop Up Part 3: Urbana Chappa
On February 13, the Fashion Mingle and DCG Media Group series came to an end.
The final night featured designer Urbana Chappa Lawrence and her Maison de Urbana line that was inspired by women empowerment, a very important message for the designer.
“I wanted women to feel powerful in their own skin and like they didn’t need to show their boobs or their ass. I wanted them to feel comfortable at whatever size and whatever race.” The collection, consisting of houndstooth and checkered prints, was modeled on women of different ethnicities and sizes to show this inclusivity.
Source: Oliver Archer
Urbana made her start in the music industry, although she says that she’s been interested in fashion since she was a little girl. She pursued this path at FIDM after she had children while her husband’s career started moving towards its height.
“Music and dance will always be my first love, but I feel like fashion and music always intertwine, and I feel like it’s such a universal language to speak to the masses just through the craft of that.”
While she was at FIDM, she was able to have a studio at home to work. Therefore, she was then able to be both a mom and a working woman. These experiences are reflected into her clothing.
“I’m a multi-cultural woman, and my body has fluctuated since having four babies. I’m in a place where I love myself right now, and I want other women to feel like that.”
The collection is meant to be diverse; it’s not only for women of all shapes, sizes, and colors, but it’s diverse in that it’s for the multi-faceted women as well. This aspect was inspired by her late mother who claimed that Urbana was a “Renaissance woman” and that she could do whatever she wanted to. Therefore, the clothing directly reflects her multi-faceted career path as well.
“Right now, at this moment, I’m in fashion. I’m getting back into music. I’m getting back into ballet since living [in New York], and I’m also in TV. I’m writing TV shows about beauty and empowering women. I’m a writer, a producer, and I believe you can do whatever you want. And do as much as you can. You know, life’s too short… You know, with the Kobe situation, you really step back and be like, ‘I don’t want to take each day for granted, and I want to do everything.’”
At the end of the day, for Urbana, it’s more about what she stands for and how that reflects into all of her projects. Whether it be through music, dance, production, or fashion, she aims to empower women in all aspects of life.
“I really want to be a voice for women to unite. For all of womanity… I want us to come together, support each other. There’s too much hate out there, and I stand for something so much bigger than that, and I hope that my collection and my voice empower women of today’s generation.”
Source: Oliver Archer
Featuring Urbana simultaneously featured a woman who is a voice of change and hard work. While priding herself on being multi-faceted, she also prides herself on the work it took to get to that place where she can be multi-faceted. Dipping her toes in all these different industries that interest her is inspiring to those who are looking to gain access into their own career industries. As a previous FIDM student, musician, and designer, she understands what it’s like to work within a specific path in life. Her final remarks were advice to students and those who are aiming for their own career paths.
“You gotta work hard every single day. But more than anything, you gotta practice, and you gotta stay passionate. If you’re not passionate about it, if you want to do it because everyone wants to be a designer, it’s never gonna work.”
Urbana Chappa Lawrence is an insanely talented and inspiring woman, and she deserves luck and success in her future endeavors as she continues to strive for greatness. She’s an exemplary independent woman creating and fostering empowerment.
To check out Maison de Urbana, click here.