The dress code for the NAACP 2017 Image Awards Nominees Luncheon may have called for “Business Casual,” but these big talents brought inspired looks to match an inspiring afternoon with true changemakers. We teamed up with Wear Your Voice, an intersectional feminist publication, to celebrate the voices and visions of diversity you see below.
Photo: Rob Eves
LIL REL HOWERY: actor, The Carmichael Show
Nominated for: Outstanding Comedy Series
Wearing:
Shirt, pants, jacket: ZARA
Glasses: Lenscrafters sunglass frames with daytime lenses
Chain: own
“This kind of like my Saturday outfit anyway, this is my brunch outfit for Saturdays, it’s like I’m just wearing it for a luncheon. People who understand basics, you can do a lot of fly stuff just with a nice jacket, a nice sweater, a chain.”
How do you Wear Your Voice?
“You know what’s funny? I wear my voice cool – I like to sound smooth. Everything I say, it has to have a smooth tone to it, it has to be soothing. When I was a kid, I pictured myself looking like myself and sounding like I sound now. This is the best of me, this is how I wanted to look and everything.”
What does it take to become that person?
Confidence. If you think about it, I’m still me, but I always pictured myself as a doper, grown version. You know, the nerd became cool.”
Photo: Rob Eves
CATFISH JEAN: actor, Survivor’s Remorse
Nominated for: Outstanding Comedy Series
Wearing:
Suit brand: unknown
Shirt: Banana Republic
Pants: Joe’s
Hat: designer from downtown LA – Abu from Sudan
What excites you about being here today?
“This is crazy. Two years ago, I was actually helping the NAACP Image Awards, and now the show that I’m on is nominated. It’s a very good feeling. Look at me then and look at me know, it’s very euphoric.”
How do you Wear Your Voice?
“Anything I can do in my power to make people laugh – that’s what I do with my voice. And also, speak for the people who don’t have the platform.”
Photo: Rob Eves
CARL SEATON: Director, Bad Dad Rehab
Nominated for: Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Television)
Wearing:
Suit: Nino Ferretti
Tell us a little bit about your film.
“The film is called Bad Dad Rehab. It’s about four fathers who go through a rehab program to become better fathers. In the film, we reveal why they are the way they are, and how they become better. It’s a universal story because we all have parents and we all aren’t perfect. It’s about learning from our mistakes, and it’s about growing from our mistakes.”
How do you Wear Your Voice?
“I write – I’m a director, but I write, as well. And you know, karaoke. 80s music and hip hop!”
Photo: Rob Eves
MAJOR: recording artist
Nominated for: Outstanding New Artist
Wearing: ZARA
Wear Your Voice is an intersectional feminist publication. What do women mean to you?
EVERYTHING. I have a love song that is reminding women of the love that belongs to them, that they are called to be. If it’s not reciprocity, it’s not love.
How do you Wear Your Voice?
I express myself by being true to heart first. You start with heart, it ends with heart, and it’s beautiful all along the way.
Photo: Rob Eves
TREVANTE RHODES: Actor, Moonlight
Wearing: unknown
What did you learn from your role in Moonlight?
“I learned most importantly, just love yourself always and believe in yourself, and let that drive you. Listen to the heart, listen to your mind, but make good decisions based on that. As a society, we try so hard to put up a facade because we want to be what people think is good, as opposed to just being yourself. There’s so much value in being yourself. That’s what I took from the film, above all things.”
How do you Wear Your Voice?
“Whatever that moment is feeling, what is on my mind, I do it. Whatever is in my heart, I follow that. I’m not very stylish at all, I have a wonderful stylist thankfully, because I would be up here with jeans and a t-shirt. But, I guess poetry – poetry and food.”
Photos by Rob Eves
