Telfar Clemens
Telfar Clemens (Photo: JP Yim/Getty Images)

After a contentious summer reawakened interest in Black-owned businesses, Telfar Clemens — the  founder of the eponymous genderless fashion label — quickly became a Black household name and his vegan leather “Bushwick Birkins” have become fixtures of the zeitgeist. To celebrate his upcoming collaboration with Ugg, the Liberian-American designer is returning to his stomping grounds of Maryland and he’s joined by none other than the The Real Housewives of Potomac in his most recent promotional shoot. 

In his latest interview with InStyle, the shoot with the cast of Potomac’s elite was a grand affair included morning exercises, pole-dancing lessons, a fashion show and pajama party to show off the forthcoming collection. Although his mononymous label largely known for its coveted bags (*insert the restock day frenzy*), the shoot allowed Clemens to explore another craftsmanship that he hadn’t dabbled in before. “I wasn’t a gown designer before, but I guess I am now,” he said to InStyle. “I made seven couture gowns in sequins, because that is the fabric of the Real Housewives reunion episodes. I designed them to be dress-down gowns so you can wear them with T-shirts and jeans. It’s a gown for doing laundry and breastfeeding. They’re designed to add just a little bit of shimmer to your daily domestic life.”

Aside from his concepts blooming to life, Clemens also said the extravaganza gave him “seven new girlfriends.” RHOP newcomer Wendy Osefo agreed saying, “Telfar has the highest energy I have ever seen. He makes you feel so welcome, and it really translates to his brand.” She continued, “Everything that he is in person, he puts that into his clothing. It’s vibrant, it’s energetic, and it’s completely authentic. He’s everything Potomac stands for: fun, energy, a little bit of shade. He represents, and I love it.” Could Clemens be possibly joining to Bravo franchise in the near future? Who knows! But for now, Clemens says the fans of the brand and the show can watch all the behind the scenes of the shoot in an episode coming to our screens in September.