World-renowned fashion photographer features women of Fayetteville in exhibit

A slice of New York City will appear at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre this month, and members of the community will have the opportunity to experience it for themselves. 

Fadil Berisha is a fashion photographer known for his work with celebrities such as Zendaya, Martha Stewart, and Nick Jonas, and has been featured in magazines from Vogue to New York Magazine. But Berisha was first introduced to Fayetteville when an unexpected friendship sparked between him and local business owner and Fayetteville City Council Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Keefe Jensen.

“He is one of the kindest human beings you will ever meet,” Jensen told CityView.

On Nov. 19, Berisha, a world-renowned photographer, will travel from New York to Fayetteville to bring a taste of his work through the gallery exhibit, “You Are a Piece of Art.” The exhibit will be held at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre’s location on Hay Street. 

From New York to Fayetteville

Jensen, owner of An Affair to Remember, a prom, pageant, and formalwear shop on Ramsey Street, and creator of the An Affair to Remember Runway Extravaganza, said it was in 2021, in the wake of Covid-19, when she knew her business needed a change. 

“You know, An Affair to Remember is a prom store, and everything shut down for prom. So, I had to pivot my business,” Jensen said. 

Jensen boldly contacted Berisha, asking for his assistance in photographing headshots for the young girls and women of her runway show. Berisha agreed.

Known in the pageant world as the photographer for the Miss Universe beauty pageant and formalwear company Sherri Hill, Berisha drew young women from up and down the East Coast for the opportunity to be photographed by him at An Affair to Remember in 2021. 

Berisha has also shot for Jensen’s Women of Power Society of N.C., the host of the “You Are a Piece of Art” gallery exhibit, along with An Affair to Remember. 

The Women of Power Society of N.C. is a “celebration of women that have demonstrated leadership by contributing to the community through volunteerism, entrepreneurship, or public service,” according to the organization’s website. 

Jensen said it was through her work in the political realm as mayor pro tem and District 1’s representative on city council that she realized how many incredible women were making moves to better the community around them. But there was one issue. 

“Through my political job, I was meeting all these amazing women, but nobody was celebrating them,” Jensen said.

In 2018, Jensen created the Women of Power Society of N.C., showcasing over 30 women who had created positive strides in the community in her annual An Affair to Remember Runway Extravaganza, a runway fashion show for women of all ages. Jensen said it’s been special for her and the women she works with to have these opportunities to be photographed by Berisha. 

“It’s been fun to see all the women that we have taken pictures of and how, as they’ve explained, it has been very empowering for them,” Jensen said. 

Jensen said, after visiting a gallery exhibit earlier this year in New York featuring some of Berisha’s other pieces, it was at that moment she had the idea for “You Are a Piece of Art,” featuring the headshots of the women of the An Affair to Remember Runway Extravaganza, from first-time dress owners to members of the Women of Power Society of N.C.

During the exhibit, photos of Berisha’s will line the lobby and hallway walls of CFRT and attendees will have the opportunity to experience photography through the eyes of one of the most well-known fashion photographers in the country. 

Following the exhibit, guests will be encouraged to join Berisha and Jensen in the theater as Berisha gives a slideshow presentation of his work and talks about his creative process and the unique experiences he’s had in the industry. 

Attendees will also be able to enjoy some complimentary beverages and hors d’oeuvres, courtesy of Healy Wholesale Company Inc., as they delve into the magic of Berisha’s work who Jensen describes as “a talent like no other.”  

The details

The “You Are a Piece of Art” gallery exhibit will take place at Cape Fear Regional Theatre on 1209 Hay St. on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 6 p.m., with the interview with Berisha beginning at 7 p.m. The theater, now undergoing a $22 million expansion, has moved all theatrical performances to its temporary location at 1707 Owen Drive for the next two years. But Mary Kate Burke, artistic director at CFRT, wants to ensure attendees know that the “You Are a Piece of Art” gallery exhibit will be CFRT’s “last hoorah” at the original theater location. 

Tickets for the event can be purchased through the An Affair to Remember website. Tickets will cost $10 with a $2.50 convenience fee. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door, but attendees are encouraged to purchase tickets online before the event. People of all ages are encouraged to attend.