7EVEN STAR STUDIOS

 Since the beginning of time, fashion has been utilized for more than one purpose not only in culture but for all individuals as well. You hear everyday how people  claim they put that ish on but do they ever dive into why? For many people, clothing serves as a  way of expressing who they are without having to say too much, which keeps all eyes on them with a hint of mystery. OOTDs and fashion trends have a deeper meaning to very unique and creative people such as one of the mil’s most talented fashion designers, Rickey Roach. Roach is the CEO of 7even Star Studios, a clothing brand that has a holistic meaning and prioritizes one putting a stellar touch on everything they come into contact with. 

Now I know what you’re thinking… why the name 7even Star? Why not stop at 5 Star since that is popularly known as being the ultimate rating of the hottest restaurant, song, place or experience. Rickey stated that the number seven represents completion, rest, hard work has been done, and that much progression has been made in one’s individual journey. It all started with just a thought in high school that was never given any time to reach it’s full potential. “I was always the kid in class who had the entire Jordan outfit from head to toe with the matching shoes on. Always fly and put together.” the ambitious designer shared with us. After taking a year to teach himself how to design and showing his inner circle his work without telling them they were his for honest feedback, 7even Star Studios launched the summer of 2023 and has now been a Shoppable clothing brand in the inner city for over a year!

Determined, confident and ready to move with a sense of urgency is the message Rickey says he wants his brand to represent and share with its members. We live in such a hustle culture where many people either prioritize their goals or look good but never accomplish the balance of both. After reading reviews and browsing the website myself, I couldn’t agree more that 7even Star is the perfect combo of looking good while also being locked in on your mission to becoming the best you. Failure, success, and life lessons are inevitable in life but that doesn’t mean you have to look to’ up while going through it. Milwaukee, go get fly and stay consistent on your journey by shopping our guy Rickey Roach’s unisex brand, https://7evenstarstudios.com/. Comment down below on his latest IG post which fit is your favorite https://www.instagram.com/7evenstarstudios/. 

Desriana Gilbert/ Entertainment & Social Journalist for CW

/CW Presents: Bequest | Youth Led Fashion Event

Come join us for our FIRST EVER youth led fashion experience!

Bequest: (noun) a legacy.

CopyWrite Magazine presents this culminating experience at /CW HQ [ 2209 N MLK Dr. Milwaukee, WI 53212] on August 4th of 2023, from 4pm-7pm. You can expect a wonderful display of fashion from Cameron (Cam) Barker of, YEUX DU CIEL, Event Curation by Nahsialis Vang, Marketing & Space design by Frederick (Freddy) Calhoun and Event & Music Management by Jazale Hill, and Vato Vergara [/CW Creative Director] will Host.

You won't want to miss an exclusive surprise by the curators of this unique show!

[Food options & beverages will be available. Registration encouraged. Seats will be limited.]

SnapShot Press Release: Milwaukee Pull Up, It's a "Partyat4" | A Milwaukee 'Ish interview with Partyat4

I believe the phrase “renaissance man” is overused.

Where it is defined as, “a person with many talents or areas of knowledge” that theory of humanism has long been surpassed by the reality we call the 21st century [You know the era of social media, Artificial Intelligence, BBL’s, Catfishing, & fake “real” N*gg*s]. 

But with that critique also comes the opportunity to coin a new phrase for a man who embodies various talents, has an authentic aura, and carries his grace with just enough posturing to appeal to a mass audience of tastemakers and fan like dreamers. Maybe we should call him a “virtuoso of the era” or maybe we can just make the moniker fit the prototype.

Let’s just call him . . . Partyat4.

Now everybody knows that I firmly believe [& I have the receipts] that Milwaukee breeds creative genius [I said, what I said. So fight me!]. However, that creativity is usually mystified by the infantile infrastructure big money has mishandled. So our talent usually sees a need to leave our “little big-city” to make things pop. The problem with that is some never come back and totally disown their 414 roots. So when we were informed that Partyat4 was repping his native land and showing his face around these parts, we were pleasantly surprised [& also curious what part of town he is from, where his grandma stay, and what he rep when “Who You Wit” by Lil John come on LMAO].

Lexi S. Brunson asking Partyat4 where his “grandma stay” Lol. Just Playing, but she did ask where he is from in Milwaukee.

So when your /CW Fam was invited to his Meet & Greet / Listening Session happening at Scene 1 Restaurant & Lounge MKE [5526 W North Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53208] on April 27th, 2023 we accepted [with the caveat that we would like to chat with the man of the hour]. What follows is that very casual, “Let’s just do a Milwaukee a** interview” we had standing on the block in front of a red sprinter van covered in images of Partyat4, with all his people around [What a mutha f’n sight to see LOL].

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CW: “First of all, why are you HERE?”

Partyat4: “It was my son's birthday. My first born, London. Then after that I had the listening session. So I felt it was more conducive to stay the whole week instead of flying back.”

Back to ATL that is. With a buzzing music & creative market, Atlanta has become the base camp for many Milwaukee linked talents [Including K Camp, Lakeyah, and Josie Thompson]. With one of his good friends from high school [S/O B] moving to Atlanta and him feeling Atlanta to have a strong music culture when he made his decision to move three years ago, it just felt right. 

CW: “There is this idea that people don’t make it out of Milwaukee or that there is no talent in Milwaukee. . .”

Partyat4: “It’s a stigma.” He said with a playfully smug look on his face.

CW: “It is a stigma. It’s definitely a thing. But you are a multifaceted talent. Of course, I have interviewed many recording artists before. But I was really intrigued [that, that's not all you do].”

His creative punch card includes, Fashion [yep, he can design & sew], visual arts [like drawing & painting, somebody get this man in the gallery], culinary arts [his PR team informed us he was once upon a time a Hyatt chef], and his music lexicon includes rapping, singing, song writing, and production [get’er done then!]. With those skills fitting several of CopyWrite’s pillars of focus [Art, Music. Fashion, Community, and Culture], we could do a whole magazine issue on him.  

*wink wink, nudge nudge* 

Partyat4: “Yea, I just hate to put myself in a box. I’m all about expression and creativity in general. So I paint, I sew, I am definitely into fashion. I just hate everybody wearing the same sh*t, so to speak. Excuse my belligerence and what not. . .”

Belligerence, Sma-lligerence! I have heard and seen some crazy sh*t in my time covering the creative scene. One of the craziest is that cookie cutter, straight off the mannequin style that these “sheeple” try to pass off as originality. Speak your truth my guy! No apologies needed here.

Partyat4: “I just try to be unique the best way I can. It’s 2023 everybody is doing their own thing. Whether it’s podcasting or selling something or cosmetics. . . I just try to be me to the best of my capacity.”

And that's not that easy to do in an industry that is known for making individuals “more marketable”. But maybe that’s just it. Maybe there is really a space for someone to fit the mold and break it at the same time. 

CW: “How did you figure out that you had all of those different types of talents?”

Partyat4: “Just being bored really. I had a sewing machine a few years ago. But I just got another one [a gift]. . . I was kind of board at 3AM and I had just smoked my last blunt and the weed man was sleep. . .” [That’s what we call a tragedy lol]. “So I just got the f*ckin with the sewing machine. I probably watched a minute and a half video on how to thread my particular model. After that I just got to freakin’ sh*t.”

But hear me out though, ya man's is cold! I checked out a few of his pieces on IG and he takes that DIY steez to a whole different universe. [Those Beatles and Mushroom Booty carpet pants go crazy!]

Partyat4: “I think people, as individuals, we get stuck at the learning curve. We be scared to initiate things. But once you get past that and jump off the porch, if you will, you can be surprised at what you can do. Like ingenuity wise you can do anything.”

Partyat4 & Lexi S. Brunson, editor-in-chief of /CW | /CW image

Now of course I didn’t stray away from the big question of “Why” leave milwaukee when his talents would allow him to probably make it anywhere and he was honest that something just didn’t make this space feel like the catalyst.

Partyat4: “I just felt like in Atlanta the culture was more music oriented. People there are helping each other. They are more intune with what is going on and on an individual level it feels like people want to see each other win. Not to say anything negative or cognizant of Milwaukee culture. But I just feel like something here, whether it's gate keepers or something, it keeps us in a shell.”

Are y'all listening out there? Hello, is this thing on? *pats imaginary microphone hard*

The narrative is repetitive. We have heard this story and thus, it holds weight. A weight that is quite costly in an era that no longer relies on manual labor but on the contrary Culture [Big C], Community [Bigger C], and Capital [C.R.E.A.M. , Biggest C]. 

Partyat4: “I appreciate [Atlanta] for that. I mean I be low down there. But still.” He laughed humbly. 

There is nothing wrong with being low. It actually allows you to analyze a space, then ebb and flow as you desire. Its strategy and it creates the spark of greatness.

CW: “I think it's okay to be low down there and then somewhere like here [in Milwaukee] you could be a star. I think it's also about cultivating that love at home, and look, you’re here. There are a lot of people from Milwaukee that don’t rep Milwaukee. So the fact that you are even here we fux with that.”

Partyat4: “On the low, not to say no names but there are alot of people from here and they act like they are from where they got poppin at.” [Read between the lines this whole article is a smoke signal].

CW: “Ohhh you noticed that too?”. I said sarcastically. Because, yall funny and we see you!

Partyat4: “Yeaaaaaa!”, he said with the same sarcastic cadence. “That's cute or whatever. But like for me, I moved away but it was more for stimulation of what I had going on. And n*gg*s show love here and I had a great turnout tonight so I’m blessed for that. But it's something about when you can move away and I’m very competitive. . . but it just feels really good to not only come home and get support but be somewhere else, where you're not from, and get that same support where people come out because they believe in what you are doing. It makes you go that much harder.”

Partyat4 performing a live set a Scene 1 Restaurant & Lounge MKE | /CW Video

We believe that Milwaukee definitely has the fandom to pour into its talent but the creative infrastructure is still on the rise. We know big labels have been tip-toeing into our showcases, parlaying with the DJ’s, and sitting in our clubs looking for hungry MKE acts to sit on their rosters before the door burst opens and we are permanently on the map. It’s noted but transparency would probably feed more of us. Just sayin’.

The work Partyat4 is doing is a part of that story. It is a part of a bigger picture that has been shadowed by the decline of the industrial revolution in the midwest, the “I didn’t know Black people lived in Milwaukee” foolery that comes from the ignorance of our rich cultural history, plus the beer and cheese motif that disregards how many of us have more girth to us then that. 

CW: “A part of my job is holding people accountable. So you are HERE. I am HERE. The request was to show up & show out. So I showed up & I’m showing out.”

Partyat4: “And I appreciate that.”

CW: “So I really want our audience base to know who you are and that is our Milwaukee Creatives. That’s who I serve. Since you are this multifaceted talent, you have something to share. That means you have to come home every once and a while for that to happen.”

Partyat4: “My kids are here so I have no choice but to come back. I’m blessed to have other obligations so I am on the road a lot but I’m here fasho. I’m only an hour and half away flight wise.”

CW: “Okay! And we are going to make sure of that!”

Real. Rap. Raw. It’s not a threat but a friendly promise. With a network of community supporting Partyat4 [like our media family at Hyfin and all the CORE DJ’s who showed up that night] and other creatives that blossom from “The Good Land”, we can change the game. Oh and trust, these ways we play to win.

CW: “We want to see you at the radio stations. We want to see you on our stages. So get you a** in there. You have to get acclimated. I think it's really important that when we have talent that is making the waves that you are making, we make a notation and vice versa. So we will be on the lookout. We will be watching for you. We want to see more of you. Bigger venues. Bigger turn outs. Let's make it happen. Let's make it pop.”

Partyat4: “Oh man, I’m trying to turn sh*t up. I’m Party for a reason.”

CW: “Emmm hmmm. Partyat4! Why didn’t this party start at 4? We were ready then!”

We all blurted out in laughter. “Noooo…it ends at 4!”said one of his guys standing nearby, peeping our whole conversation. 

But my “still young enough to take risks, but too old to know better” aged self had to leave around 11:30PM LOL. But not before asking the classic journalistic question of “What can we expect next?”.

Peep the strategic timing of this write up with Partyat4’s remix of “To Da Moon” Ft. Toosii, dropping this Friday, May 12th, 2023, with Its original release honored on Billboard Top 30 hit singles. [Like I said, we are going to make sure that Partyat4 is on our community's radar, so go check that out].

Partyat4: “Y’all can expect my kids to grow. . .”, [Now everybody knows /CW loves a proud parent #CWLovesDaKids]. “Y’all can expect a project coming soon. I’m ready to rap y'all mutha F*ckin heads off. . .”

CW: “You got bars. I ain't even going to lie.”

Partyat4: “I appreciate that. Y’all can also expect some singles and I’m trying to get the song “Touch Down” dropped. I should have played that tonight. But I’ma get back to it. There's a lot of stuff coming down the pipeline for me. My mind is like a stock exchange board. It just ticks all day. . .I’m also going to put out a capsule of clothes that you can buy. . . we got all that coming. I’m just trying to captivate and entice the audience. No offense to anybody but sometimes music gets on dry spells and it has high notes but we are trying to be all falsettos. A whole lot of high notes.”  

Ohhhhh dude said that! LOL 

And we rock with it. Whether it's Rap, R&B, Country, Rock, or whatever he can do to hit y’all eardrums he is game for it. 

Partyat4: “So respectfully, and again excuse my belligerence, we are here to stay!”

Now somebody gotta shake my hand folks because I got the commitment of a lifetime on the strength of me loving my city. . .

CW: “I have to put you on the spot now. Would you consider collaborating with some Milwaukee artist? And not just music, but art, fashion, all that?

Partyat4: “Indubitably. Yes. Absolutely. . . I mean I be talkin’ sh*t too. So we can get a stand up set and crack some jokes”. 

Word? Well let’s do the damn thang! Because if you stay ready, you aint gotta get ready.

& Milwaukee, well . . . we been ready.

Love & All Things Urban,

Lexi S. Brunson | Editor-in-Chief /CW

SS23 | Street Smartz [Promo Video] | Tickets on Sale Now!

On April 7th, 2023 from 5:00PM-9:00PM, The Vatofied Experience will be collaborating with the Designers of Marcellus Brand, Platinum Boy Gang Clothing, Views Clothing, and The Set Apart Ones [Yahad Kadash] to offer a dynamic show that presents Black Men in fashion, a more than trendy display on Urban wear, and the ever morphing nuances of modern fashion culture. Each designer has their own following, aesthetic, and “ear to the streets” so that they can continually redefine what fashion looks like. 

With authentic community and collaboration as key investments to any CopyWrite collaborative event, SS23 is proud announce Media Sponsorship from Hyfin, Community Sponsorship with Ex Fabula, Jazale's Art Studio & other production sponsor including Shot By Basi, Shot By Stearns, Wolf Studios, and Paul Mitchell The School, Milwaukee. 

Tickets are available now. General Admission tickets are $40 and VIP tickets are $60.  All proceeds will support these freelance creative collaborators and local black & brown owned small businesses. Click the link or scan the QR Code to share or purchase tickets. 

SPONSORS WANTED | Are you ready for the SS23 Fashion Experience?

Did somebody say SS23???

That's right! 

On Behalf of CopyWrite Magazine & Vatofied Experience, we’d like to invite you to join us as a sponsor for our upcoming fashion experience, SS23 [Street Smartz 2023], a streetwear showcase focusing on Black Men in Fashion and creative collaboration.

Last year's experience [SS22] was the catalyst for major movement in Milwaukee's fashion scene. The collaboration, homage to Urban aesthetic, and cultural ornamentation still has attendees talking!

Check out the recap video here:

Do we need you to keep reading? Yes. Will it be worth your while? Absolutely! 

If you click the button below you will find information on how your contribution as a sponsor may impact this amazing event, plus the perks that come with this form of engagement. 

Please reach out with any questions or concerns. Your support is vital to the continuous cultivation of community and the legacy that follows.

Love & All Things Urban,

Lexi S. Brunson
Editor-in-Chief /CW
via
Vato Vergara
Creative Director /CW

Fashion Fest MKE meets The Yard at Bayshore | A CopyWrite Sponsored Event

What a show! We hope you had the chance to stop by Fashion Fest MKE at The Yard located in the center of Bayshore Mall. They had it all—including the heat! Countless vendors, a full DJ booth, food trucks, live performances, interactive art and so much more. CopyWrite even partnered up with Fashion Fest MKE, hosting a “Best Dressed” contest to see who was really going to bring that personal fire. Hopefully the odds were in your favor!

The event featured three different fashion shows with diverse fashion styles. It also gave people of color and of all diasporas a space to flourish authentically with fashion as a common thread. Without making it a marketing tactic, they showed a type of inclusivity we all should be thriving for when planning public events.

The way the  otherwise very normal green space was transformed into a festival grounds was nothing less than amazing. We even had the chance to catch up with one of the many talented designers, Maria Olsson, whose fashion collection ‘Mishka’ made its unique and one-of-a-kind appearance down the runway. 

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mishka by Maria Olsson (@m1shkka_)

What can you tell us about your collection?

My collection is an elevated streetwear collection that uses PVC vinyl and a lot of leather work to portray the complex emotions that we all feel when we’re feeling empty inside. So I wanted to use a lot of different silhouettes and play with nude illusions to kind of capture that concept. 

For your next collection, what do you think you’ll change or keep in comparison to this selection we’ve just experienced?

I definitely want to keep using interesting textiles. That’s probably my favorite thing about design is taking anything I can find and turning it into something amazing. But I think I want to lean a little more into metal working instead of leather working and keep learning and experimenting as I go. 

What inspired you to start using those different kinds of textures?

I’ve always been inspired to just push myself and try new things because I think that’s the best way you can get better—always being in competition with yourself. In school, I was always drawn to these textiles so I'm very grateful to have teachers that were willing to work with me and further my learning. The vinyl,  specifically, I found when I was doing my internship in New York last summer and I fell in love with it, oh my god. It’s the craziest fabric I've ever used, it’s so different, it stretches like crazy—which isn’t the best thing but I've learned a lot by using it. 

How does it feel to be a part of this type of showcase? I know the purpose of this event was to really bring people together in spaces we don’t normally take up or as creatives, see ourselves in. 

I think it’s amazing. I think it’s so great meeting so many new designers in Milwaukee that I’ve never met before, interacting with so many different models in the industry, just all of it. I’m so excited to keep doing shows like this and bringing more attention to Milwaukee. 

So whether you’re a fashionista, a shopaholic, or a music head, the next Fashion Fest MKE event is where you need to be. So make sure you’re strutting your way to their next event and we will see you there!

/Imani for CW

CopyWrite Presents: SS22 - A Streetwear Showcase | PROMO VIDEO + TICKETS

SS22

CopyWrite Magazine present:

Street Smartz: A Streetwear Showcase

On May 22nd from 6pm-9pm, The Vatofied Experience will be collaborating with the Designers of Brick Layers Club and Planet Marcellus to offer a dynamic show that presents Black Men in fashion, a more than trendy display on Urban wear, and the ever morphing nuances of modern fashion culture.

Check out this promo video to get a glimpse of how we will be rocking SS22.

Get your tickets here:

General Admission

VIP Experience

2022? We will be here, doing all the things we do!

No speech this year. You see the world. We see the world. Shit. . . Anything could happen. But one thing for certain, we will be here doing what we do! 2022 we will be staying focused on our mission with humanity in mind every step of the way.

/CW

Rent /CW HQ!

https://copywritemag.com/rentals

The Color Block | CW Fashion Feature

Alexa Play “Hey, Mr. DJ by Zhane.”

The song that highlights the energy we represent in The Color Blocking. 

 2021 has brought back a trend straight out of the 70’s. Color blocking started during the age of disco by a black man named Stephen Burrows. Burrows was able to spread this trend throughout Europe and the US. This trend has now been brought to life by designers throughout the world. 

 Color blocking in its simplest form is taking two to three contrasting colors and placing them in the same outfit. Wearing so many colors at once can seem overwhelming and can look messy but Stylist Kyndal J. and Vato Vergara make it look easy in our Color Pop spread.

 CopyWrite Magazine invited Funk 2 Fashion created by Kyndal J.  to bring her knowledge of style and accessories to collaborate for this “Color Pop” spread. Her jewelry is all made by hand and inspired by her creative lifestyle. Vato and Kyndal approach the trend with intention, giving these colorful ensembles structure flow. 

Photographer: ShotbyBasi

/CW