J.Erhen's Equity Ball: Bringing Black Voices to the Forefront

Written by AJ Fortney

Editor in Chief

02.28.2026 5:10 PM

If you ever go to a J.Erhen fashion show in San Francisco, the first thing you will notice is the vast diversity among the attendees and models. Even his website welcomes you with the words, “Inclusive Slow Fashion,” and it is.

Growing up, designer and founder of J.Erhen, Joey Ehrenberg, was a chastised member of the LGBTQ+ community in South Carolina. He was always the shortest kid in class with a dash of femininity, making him an easy target for bullies; thankfully for him, and for us, he was able to find an escape through fashion as he began sewing at the age of eleven. He knows what it’s like to feel alone, to stand outside the women’s bathroom waiting for your girlfriends to come back out, to be different, but he realized it was exactly that experience that shaped him, inspiring him to build his own community of inclusion, so that nobody has to feel like that again. For this show, however, it wasn’t just about inclusion; it was about equity—highlighting Black women as the artistic vessels of his creations—with a full cast of Black models.

As guests surged into the hole-in-the-wall event space at 447 Minna, greeted by a shirtless doorman named Johnny before slowly moving through an actual hole in the wall. Inside, a small runway with two rows of seating and a DJ revealed themselves. On each seat, a program waited patiently to be read. Upon opening it, there were lists of names—models, photographers, volunteers, stylists, the designer himself, the jewelry designer, and creative directors—followed by a short excerpt on the back side of the pamphlet reading:

“This collection is in honor of Black History Month and is specifically dedicated to our Black trans sisters and brothers who have fought tirelessly in the name of equality. In an effort to bridge the gap between the Black community and the fashion world, we are proud to present a show grounded in Equity.”

When Joey entered the spotlight to deliver his short speech before the show began, a premium version of that short excerpt on the pamphlet was relayed.

“I began this brand [about 3 years ago] with the intention to always do good through it...There is a need for Black representation in the fashion world, and it’s my duty to bring light to that...I’m drawn to models who represent the Black Community because of the fierceness I see in their eyes, their walks, and their aura. The words ‘you have to work twice as hard to get half as much’ played in my head repeatedly. It’s true. And since then, the concept of this event felt more than necessary. Moving through the planning of this event has been somewhat new and, therefore, uncomfortable. Yes, it’s felt amazing to see how happy many got hearing the premise of this event; however, finding the correct language and being extremely thoughtful and intentional has been difficult and uncomfortable. But I realized that being uncomfortable is the whole point.”

It’s uncomfortable to know that people in our beloved fashion industry are still facing a lack of representation, it’s uncomfortable to see your friends be reprimanded for the color of their skin, and it’s uncomfortable to see white people get all the credit for a minority’s work. Kaitlyn, the jewelry designer for the show, reiterated Joey's point in her own speech; in the celebration of Black History Month, this collection pays homage to the Black Queer community paving the way for ballroom culture. Despite being 'tastemakers' of fashion, they are wronfully excluded from these spaces.

I watched as these beautiful models walked the runway with purpose. Their bodies moved like poetry, carrying not only themselves but the weight of the women who bore them. An ancestral past haunted by a nation that once measured their worth in fractions. Fifteen models walked that runway reclaiming what history tried to keep from them — the spotlight.

These women representing Black excellence, wearing sultry, lacy gowns and corsets with deep V-shaped necklines and open backs. Accessorized with jewels, dominating a field never built for them they illuminate a low-lit room with glowing skin, walking a runway designed in their honor during a month devoted to black legacy. This is exactly where they belong.