BRANDON MAXWELL

Home is where the heart is for Brandon Maxwell and it showed in his use of purple, his mother’s favorite color, throughout his New York Fashion Week spring/summer collection.

The big-box retailer hired Maxwell, a fashion designer who has dressed celebrities, as creative director for two of its elevated fashion brands.

Brandon Maxwell ended his Fashion Week runway show with silence — to pay emotional homage to his grandmother, who has Alzheimer's, and her influence on his life.

For what was billed as a “mini Met Gala,” Monday's fundraiser at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art brought out big names and bold fashion.

Platinum-selling performers of part-Asian descent, including R&B singer Jhené Aiko and rapper Saweetie, will perform on a TV special produced by The Asian American Foundation, the newly formed organization launched to improve AAPI advocacy.

Maxwell will oversee the discounter's elevated brands, Scoop and Free Assembly, as creative director. The retailer has acquired established apparel brands, such as menswear retailer Bonobos, and launched its own. Denise Incandela, executive vice president of apparel and private brands for Walmart, said that is changing. Free Assembly will be in 500 stores, Scoop will be in 250 stores and Elloquii Elements will be 100 stores. Walmart has 13 general merchandise private brands that have generated $1 billion or more in annual sales.