This year, the Harlem Fashion Week fashion cultural icon award, will be presented to Harlem’s very own Princess Jenkins at the Opening Night Gala on February 10th at the Hamilton Landmark Gallery.
The vision of Harlem Fashion Week is to create an explosion of culture that will bridge the Downtown fashion hub to the Uptown vibe for a rich community experience. This year’s honoree Princess Jenkins represents the essence of this vision. Princess is a trailblazer, almost 20 years ago Princess started The Brownstone boutique in Harlem, “I had lived in Harlem many years however I couldn’t find stores, boutiques or special places where I could shop. I suddenly realized that Harlem would be an incredible place to start a Lifestyle Boutique,” says Princess.
And ever since that time Princess has maintained a thriving boutique in Harlem. She is the President of The Brownstone, which has been featured on Good Day New York, Good Morning America, Living It Up With Patti LaBelle and a host of other TV and Cable shows.
Ms. Jenkins is an award winning business owner and is the recipient of many accolades including; Small Business Administrators Champion of the Year, Elliot Spitzer Small Business Award, the Crain’s Magazine 8th Annual Small Business of the Year Award, the Harlem Chamber Small Business Award and the Stern School of Business-Business Plan Writing Award. She is the only African-American featured in a permanent exhibit on entrepreneurship at the Museum of American Finance on Wall Street.
Just recently a gown from The Brownstone was worn by Mrs. Meeks, the wife of Congressman Gregory Meeks at a dinner with President Obama and Michelle Obama at the White House. The Brownstone has been featured in O Magazine, Essence, Black Elegance, New York Magazine, Crain’s, The New York Times as well as NBC and Metro Television.
Princess is truly an entrepreneur and a pillar in the Harlem community. Her list of accolades could go on and on but what truly stands out, is that for many of the Harlem business owners, Princess Jenkins has been a Mentor.
Princess Jenkins will be honored at the Harlem Fashion Week opening night celebration on Friday, February 10th at the Hamilton Landmark Galleries in the village of Harlem at 7:00 pm. In recognition of African Heritage Month the theme is African Royalty. In addition HFW will feature a collection from the Brownstone Boutique at the runway show on Sunday February 12th at the Museum of the city of New York at the 8:30 show!
