In Conversation with Karen Binns at The Curtain Hotel

By Tamara Cincik, Founder and CEO of Fashion Roundtable

I have known Karen Binns, our Fashion Director at Fashion Roundtable for almost 20 years: our first proper meeting was over supper in Paris, with the designer Andre Walker who Karen worked with, and photographer Sophie Delaporte, who I used to work with on editorial shoots, and we quickly became firm friends.

What is funny about friendship is that of course you know each other, but you kind of don't: I never discussed Karen's deep friendship with Jean-Michel Basquiat until we were asked to host a talk at Port Eliot this summer. Her life in New York as his muse was so fascinating, that I felt it was important to bring this conversation to our audience in London and last week we hosted an In Conversation with Karen at The Curtain Hotel.

Karen's life reads like a who's who of popular culture: from having her conversations with Basquiat painted by him, to launching the first illegal raves in NYC, hanging out with the legendary Andy Warhol and Pulitzer prize winner Hilton Als; right through to curating collaborations between music, art and fashion on a global level. From working with the iconic Tori Amos for over 25 years as creative director, her decision to move to London, working as fashion director at the first UK magazines for POC, right up to organising that Nile Rodgers and Chic play at the French Vogue party for the couture shows in 2018.

Our event last week was packed with an audience of all ages, backgrounds and voices. Karen covered her work and of course these famous friendships, but what for me was perhaps most moving, especially as it aligns with our work on Representation and Inclusion, was when Karen covered what cultural appropriation in fashion looks like in her own inimitable way. Most of the audience learned the word "ratchet": when it is derogatory to women of colour and when it is done right "Naomi come through, this is how it is done."

Diversity in culture is the key conversation of our era: from all the decolonisation of our museums and educational institutions, through to more representation across our media including greater inclusion in our fashion sector—which we hope to highlight with our policy work. There are many ways that a curation of BAME culture in fashion could be done, but it is my view that if someone is working on an exhibition along these lines, the first person they need to consult is Karen— for both an overarching viewpoint, as well as a joined up voice across popular culture for the past 40 years and beyond. Relevant, erudite, representative and considered. Karen is a true cultural ambassador.