The Church of God in Christ Auxiliaries in Ministry convention, in town this week at the Charlotte Convention Center, has been the place to be for those intrigued by fashion.

I didn’t realize how big the Convention Center was until I had to walk half a mile looking for this and that. Somehow, I ended up downstairs with the vendors, and I tell the truth, when church folks get together, there’s no telling what kind of ensembles and accessories one will run across.

In the vendors area I saw guys selling extravagant suits and ties, ladies selling church dresses -- you know, the bright ones you see on special Sundays. And then there was Ziva Hadar, who was selling African attire.

Hadar wasn’t the only vendor with African apparel, but because of her personality and style, she is the one I plan to bring my wife back to see.

Ziva is representing YBI African Apparel and Fashions, which is located on Park Heights Avenue in Baltimore. The clothing she sells is made to fit comfortably for full-figured women as well as smaller sizes.

“I’m a designer, and being a designer, it’s important to look for things that are unique and different, cause every woman looks for something that is unique and different,” she said. “The textures of fabric that are used are cotton, linen and silk, which are best for the body. So everything that you will see will be exclusively made for you.”

By the way, the company couldn’t have sent a better model for its apparel. Man, did she show it off.

 “This particular style that I’m wearing today is an African print blouse and a jean skirt,” she said. “What I did with the jean skirt, they were jean pants, and I opened it up into a skirt, so therefore there’s a matching blouse with African print in the skirt.”
***
Just around the corner from Hadar, I ran into Ethel Walker of the Hat Boutiques out of Albany, N.Y., with a collection that made me stop and stare.

I had to ask her about herself and her bad Sunday hats.

“I’m a vendor who travels around the country to various events,” she said. “We particularly come here to the Church of God in Christ AIM event because the ladies like hats. So I’m here with my hats and my accessories. I’m here to sell them and hopefully to be prosperous.”

I asked her what the big deal was with women and hats.

“A nice hat is crucial to a Sunday outfit,” she explained. “A lady doesn’t feel like she’s dressed if she doesn’t have proper headwear on, a proper crown. The Bible even reminds her that in her worship services she should have a head covering.”

She talked about her custom designs

“These are my own custom hats, I embellish them all. So basically we add rhinestones and crystals to them to give them a little bling, as the young people say, to give them a little flare, so they also match the outfits we have that have that same rhinestone look on them.”

Most convention events end Friday, but Hadar and some of the other vendors will be at the conventions center until Saturday.
***
Michael Gentry is a reporter covering local churches and the faith community. Email: churches@qcitymetro.com
 

Sign up for our Weekly Email Newsletter Email: For Email Marketing you can trust

Other Ways to Share Twitter Del.icio.us MySpace

Discussions and Submission Agreement