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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 12 sepTember 2019

Naeem Khan launches his

fashion collection at home

This Aug. 27, 2019 photo shows portrait shows R&B singer Johnny
Gill posing for a portrait in Los Angeles to promote his eighth
studio album “Game Changer II.”
Associated Press
A new album and fresh hits for
‘Game Changer’ Johnny Gill

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr.
Associated Press
Designer Naeem Khan takes a bow after his collection was modeled during Fashion Week, LOS ANGELES (AP) — Johnny Gill might be considered an
Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019, in New York. old-school crooner these days, but age has only been a
Associated Press number for the R&B veteran who is still making his pres-

By BROOKE LEFFERTS letto heels entered into A metallic gold three- ence felt.
Associated Press the building’s courtyard, tiered backless dress Gill’s “Soul of a Woman” topped Billboard’s adult R&B
NEW YORK (AP) — with the evening breeze shimmered, capturing songs chart in June and “Perfect” featuring New Edition
Naeem Khan brought helping to increase the the evening light as the bandmate Ralph Tresvant recently reached No. 22. The
it home with his new dramatic effect of the sun set. Khan has been songs are lead singles for his eighth studio album “Game
spring-summer 2020 col- loose, flowing designs. in the fashion industry for Changer II,” which arrives Friday.
lection, launching his Most wore slicked back 30 years and has dressed “Sometimes being an O.G., you don’t get celebrated.
runway show in the chic updo’s with intricate fish- many A-list celebrities. You get penalized,” he said. “Some are like ‘He’s too old.’
lobby and courtyard of tail buns, accentuated He said glamour has So to find yourself still having a place in this game, where
his New York City apart- by huge gold hoop ear- changed and young you can still compete and make great music, it’s an indi-
ment building. rings with bejeweled par- people want to look cation to allow people to know that it’s being played all
The longtime designer rots and seahorses. beautiful but less “stuffy” over the world. It’s being accepted by our peers. It’s a
set up shop Tuesday on The first several looks so he is changing with blessing.”
the ground floor of the were animal print pa- the time. Gill found fame with the five-member New Edition group
ultramodern Zaha Hadid jama pantsuits, dress- Celebrities seated in the after Bobby Brown’s departure in the late 1980s, record-
Building on Manhattan’s es and jumpsuits with front row included Ryan ing three studio albums with them. He also teamed with
west side. matching thin billow- Seacrest, reality star Kai- Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat to form R&B super group
Lucite chairs lined the ing jackets. While some tlynn Carter and Miss LSG who had the 1997 hit “My Body.”
entryway and outside prints were in the fabric, Universe Catriona Gray. As a solo artist, Gill proved he could thrive on his own with
space of the building — many were embellished Seacrest said he always the upbeat 90s dance track “Rub You the Right Way”
a modern metallic and with sequins, creating tries to make time for and the smooth ballad “My, My, My.”
glass structure with ser- glittering texture. Khan’s shows and he Despite his achievements, Gill said he didn’t enjoy big ca-
pentine lines and round- Vibrant colors were also may have had extra in- reer milestones as much as he should. The singer said he
ed balconies towering part of the collection centive to attend. learned over time to relish in his accomplishments better.
over a courtyard. and seen in silk pajamas “Amazing, stunning, glitz, “I never really took it all in,” he said “What I’ve learned
Hadid, who was a close with giant flowers. glamour...I’m really in now over the years of doing this is to be in the moment,
friend of Khan’s, de- One knockout look was a awe of what he did. stay in the moment and embrace it. You can walk from
signed the building be- bright, fuchsia satin hal- And one of the models that recognizing and realizing that you have something
fore her death in 2016. ter sheath that poured especially was incred- you can cherish, hold on and take with you.”
Khan said the space down to the floor, with ible, my dear friend,” With his new project, Gill said he wants to offer different
Hadid created inspired a stream of fabric down Seacrest said with a melodies other than his traditional R&B flavor. The 11-track
the collection, calling it the back. Several de- smile, referring to mod- album includes slow ballads and up-tempo tracks, reg-
salon-like and intimate. signs honored Khan’s In- el Shayna Taylor, who gae tunes along with some Latin energy from Carlos San-
“Lots of separates, lots of dian heritage, including walked in the show and tana and Sheila E.
coats, jackets, of course a pink Sari-inspired dress whom he has dated in The album is a sequel to Gill’s 2014 offering, “Game
glamour, because I’m with a dramatic train of the past. Gray said the Changer,” which included “This One’s For Me and You,”
known for that, but it’s ombre’ effects of pink Hadid building added to an adult R&B chart-topper in 2016 with New Edition.
like fluid, it’s light, it’s airy. and orange chiffon, and the mood. Tresvant credits Gill for pushing through with another
The pajamas are so chic. a long green tunic dress “I loved the drama of “strong project.” He said that was evident when Gill met
It’s like, tunics mixed with with a decorative panel this venue and paired the deadline to turn in “Perfect.”
pants. of beading. with the music, it was op- It was a song Gill initially wanted an “all-star” lineup on
Really glamour at its most There were glitzy wide- eratic and there was a that would have included Charlie Wilson, Keith Sweat and
relaxed form,” Khan told legged pants with tribal feeling there also... Tresvant. But Gill was unable to get Wilson and Sweat’s
The Associated Press at matching tunics cov- there were sequins, there verses in on time, so he submitted the track with just him
the show. ered in monochromatic was chiffon, it was very and Tresvant.
A parade of models strut- sequins of black, bright feminine and romantic,” In hindsight, it worked out.
ting in impossibly high sti- yellow and aquamarine. Gray said.q Tresvant said it’s another example of Gill taking authority
of his career.q