Fashion Icon Misa Hylton Named ‘2022 Fashion Innovator Of The Year’ At EMERGE! Fashion Runway Show

Misa Hylton recently added a new award to her legendary career as a fashion architect and designer. Hylton was named 2022 Fashion Innovator of the Year at this year’s EMERGE! Fashion Runway Show spotlighting Black fashion designers. 

The prestigious award recognizes fashion greats for their global influence — and Hylton is hip-hop fashion royalty, renowned for turning for-the-culture fashion into haute couture for the masses. Even if you didn’t know Hylton’s name until today (yes, we’re judging), you have definitely seen her work and may even have one of her designs in your closet. 

Hylton got her start creating style moments and signature looks for such greats as  Lil’ Kim (see that infamous 1999 VMAs pasty,) Missy Elliott, and Mary J. Blige. While she has been serving up fashion fierceness for the past 31 years, she is very much a current fixture in the industry, creating custom looks for the likes of Beyoncé in Apesh*t, Megan Thee Stallion,  City Girls, and more.

She is also helping to raise up the next generation of stylists to master the craft and the business with her nonprofit, Misa Hylton Fashion Academy, and serves as global creative partner fo MCM. She has been honored by just about every hip-hop institution, including BET and Source, as well as by Gucci and Harlem’s Fashion Row.

“Thank you to EMERGE! and [founder] Dionne [Williams] for the Innovator award,” said Hylton while accepting the award. ”It’s a wonderful feeling to be recognized by your community. This is [the] top five of all of my experiences.”

Top fashion heads including Angela Simmons, Fashion Bomb Daily’s Claire Sulmers, fashion designers Teri Stephens and Marco Hall, and her longtime friend, author, and fashion expert Bevy Smith, who presented the award, were in attendance to honor Hylton. 

Hylton also served up her own fashion moment, sparkling in a shimmering gold dress with a plunging neckline and platinum box braids pulled into a high pony.

“Nothing means more to me than to see your beautiful Black and Brown faces,” said Hylton. “We understand each other, we know each other… and we know what it takes to make it in this business… I am overwhelmed with gratitude for this moment.”

Hylton joins a distinguished group of honorees, including the late André Leon Talley, NYFW creator Fern Mallis, celeb stylist Law Roach, former ESSENCE EIC Constance C.R. White, and legendary model Patricia Cleveland.