Catou is a name that reaches far and wide and for the first time received the invitation to present at the Secret Fashion Show in Munich, Germany. An honor it was to be selected to debut in Europe, this was an extraordinary feat given that Berny Martin of Catou and the founder of Midwest Fashion Week, had less than six weeks to prepare. Where others prepare a year in advance, Catou made magic happen.
So let’s talk about how the story began that led to the showcase of beauty resulting in Munich, Germany this fall. Berny Martin recently hired Sassy B Worldwide Productions to consult for future fashion show projects in Europe and Australia for the upcoming year 2018. With a background in fashion myself and having contacts worldwide, I went to work quickly to make contact with those in in the business. With shows booked well in advance, it was a beautiful collision of circumstances where my dear friend, Paolo Montagni, of P-Force Entertainment in Munich, Germany, (www.p-force.com) and I spoke about how he had just recently been a part of a major fashion show in Munich. One thing led to another and within a week the opportunity came up for Catou to present in the Secret Fashion Show in Munich. Excited about what had just transpired, reality set in that we would need to be “fashion ready” in six weeks.
The Secret Fashion Show was scheduled for October 10, at the “Alte Kongress Halle” produced by Markus Mensch of Mplus Agenture, and of course we had no idea of what to expect. Having landed in Munich with not a lot of time to prepare, we had a few hours to get ourselves catwalk ready. The air was filled with adrenaline and I cannot tell you the flurry of activity that happened in those moments.
The show started like most of the events; afternoon preparation met with crazy last minute changes. You go through all of the emotions from anxiety to frustration all the while smiling and laughing because you know the show must go on. Flawless execution is what happened that day.
Eleven designers from around Europe had been invited to present their latest fashion designs at the Secret Fashion Show, October 10, 2017 at a sold-out Congress Hall in Munich. Catou was the first American Designer to participate and showcase this new summer line. The show was a success and Catou was met with a standing ovation.
The diversity of fashion was outstanding with designs ranging from modern dirndl’s to sexy street wear. For the sophisticated fashionista, it was a dream-evening to indulge in designs that left you feeling in awe of the creativity of the human spirit. For Catou, it was fantastic to share the stage with such amazing talented designers, especially being in Munich.
Upon reflection, this story would not even be possible without the generous support of Paolo Montagni of P-Force Entertainment, who created this amazing opportunity for Catou to present his summer line. P-Force Entertainment opened a door to a runway that would otherwise not have happened. It’s amazing where a conversation can go…it’s limitless.
I have to give a shout-out to a couple of special ladies who moved heaven and earth to help us with the show. To Alexandra Dolgach (AKA “Lexii”) and Narmin Al-Hamawandi, thank you both for helping us make our debut in Munich a success to remember. Beyond expectations is how I would describe the event that unfolded for Catou in Munich, Germany. With this show being complete it’s now time to prepare with a lot of advance notice for our 2018 attendance at the next European Fashion Show. See you in Europe.
The Afro-Latino fashion designer's chic, sophisticated, and stylish clothing line is taking the industry by storm
Berny Martin grew up under the care and encouragement of his grandmother, Elizabeth Catou Loiseau, sewing his first pair of jeans at age eight. Today, Martin draws from those childhood experiences and his travels to create stylish custom pieces, which he proudly calls Catou.
Martin first launched the now internationally recognized line of men and women’s professional wear in 2002. The clothing line has been well received among celebs like Tony award-winning playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda, Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Champion J.R. Smith, and celebrity chef Ron Duprat.
Catou has been featured on the runway during Paris Fashion Week, New York Emerge Fashion Week, Brooklyn Fashion Week, Chicago Fashion Week, and the African Travel Association Fashion Show. More recently, Martin was showcased during NYFW spring/summer 2017 Men and Women’s Collection show, at Studio 450, with a vibrant, colorful collection of classicly tailored suits.
