By MIKE CHAIKEN
CTFashionMag
If you’ve been visiting the fashionable people at fashionable events, you’ve probably run into the “Chat It Up” team from Hartford.
“Chat It Up” is a program that is on AccessTV.org, and is hosted by the dapper Jessi-Mar Ewart and his partners in fashion crime— armed with video cameras, lights, and microphones. They often can be seen camped out on the red carpet.
“Chat It Up started with me walking in the streets of Hartford talking with random people about current events that were happening around the world and in Hartford at the time,” explained Jessi. “I was more of an idea of a guy being funny, talking about fashion, arts culture and entertainment in 2016.”
“But,” said Jessi, “the concept of the show started to come to life in early January 2017 and is still growing as the show grows.”
“The (current) team (for Chat It Up) came about when I decided to add my friends to come chat with me,” said Jessi. “Each cast member brings something special to the table. We are all fashionable. We all love the arts, entertainment and the world of fashion. The members bring their own unique sense of style and fashion to the show, which is why they are cast.”
Jessi said the Hartford-area needed a show about fashion. “People always think of New York when they think of fashion. I used to live in New York. I see that we have stylish and creative minds in Connecticut and Hartford and it reminds me somewhat of New York.… I wanted to highlight it more so that we can make (the) Hartford (area) a place to visit when you think of fashion.”
Just as Jessi has spread the word about fashion, he also has learned about fashion as Chat It Up has grown.
“I have learned so much about fashion since the show has been traveling around the nation,” he said. “We have covered multiple red carpets across America, namely: Miss Black USA, New York Summer Fashion Explosion, the movie premier of “Served,” 100 Men of Color, Boston Fashion Week, Timeless Gala, Miss Black Connecticut, Connecticut Fashion Music awards, Hartford Fashion Week, Connecticut Fashion Week — just to name a few—- we have seen all the sense of the word fashion when doing these events, and learn that it’s a craft created for the body.”
Although, Chat It Up’s home is in Connecticut, the show has not been afraid to venture beyond the borders in the name of fashion— as noted above.
Jessi said, “I felt that because the show is an all-round entertainment, fashion, arts, culture show, we needed to cover as much needed content to provide our viewers with great content.”
In terms of long-term goals for Chat It Up, Jessi said, the show wants to continue “to provide great tips on fashion weekly with providing them with all fashion and entertainment event across America. The goal is to cover the red carpet at major award and fashion show. Also (we want to give) other up-and-coming fashionistas a platform to express themselves in the world.”
You can find “Chat It Up” on channel 7 at www.AccessTV.org. They are also on Facebook and Instagram.
