This week, new fashion collaborations and a new platform facilitating shopping for Black-owned brands just in time for holiday shopping.
‘Tis the season of giving and Lizzo may have just given writer Aurielle Marie the best gift yet. After the “Georgia Author of the Year” was invited to the Out100 Gala, which each year celebrates impactful and influential LGBTQ+ people, she began her search for the perfect dress. However, Marie struggled to find a gown she describes as “big b—h and red carpet ready.”
(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for dcp)
“I [wanted] to look and feel like how Lizzo did walking up to accept her Emmy at the 2022 Emmys in that voluptuous, sexy, amazing masterpiece of a dress,” Marie said in an interview with People magazine.
So Marie decided to shoot her shot and ask the source directly. In a now-viral TikTok post, the writer asked Lizzo if she could borrow her 2022 Emmys dress. The Grammy award-winning artist did her one better: she sent Marie the cranberry tulle gown she wore to the 2019 American Music Awards — and it fit Marie like a glove.
“I didn’t think she would even see it, let alone see it and care, let alone see it, care, and say yes. She did, and I am now — I can confidently say — the most fabulously dressed person at the Out100, thanks to Lizzo,” said Marie.
With writers reaching out to borrow one-of-a-kind pieces from her wardrobe, it’s little wonder why another of Lizzo’s dresses will also be included in an upcoming British Royal fashion exhibit titled “Crown to Couture.” According to People, the Thom Browne-designed black and gold corset gown and opera coat that she wore to the 2022 Met Gala will be showcased alongside other big names in music such as Lady Gaga in Princess Diana’s former home, Kensington Palace, as part of an exhibition celebrating the intersection of royal fashion and pop culture.
Patta and Tommy Hilfiger drop a music video in anticipation of their upcoming capsule collection
Black-owned streetwear brand Patta and fashion powerhouse Tommy Hilfiger are teaming up for another collaborative collection. This time, they called on producer The Alchemist and rappers MIKE and Wiki to create music for the capsule’s campaign. On November 25, the musical trio released a three-song EP entitled “One More” and a music video in conjunction with PattaXTommy. Directed by Nicholas Stafford Briggs, the music video serves as a sneak peek into the collection set to drop next month. In addition to the PattaXTommy T-shirts, rugby polos, pullover hoodies, crewneck sweatshirts, and a statement varsity jacket featured in the video, consumers will also be able to shop a limited edition “One More” vinyl.
The 18-piece collection will be available on PattaXTommy.com on December 2 and at select stores on December 9th.
Harlem’s Fashion Row and ICON 360 create an online shopping directory for Black and Latino designers
Harlem’s Fashion Row (HFR) and ICON 360 CEO Brandice Daniel is making it easier to find and shop for Black and Latino designers. On November 21, Daniel launched an online shopping directory to create equity for underrepresented designers. HFR&CO allows shoppers to find and shop Black and Latino-owned brands on partnering retailers’ websites like Bloomingdale’s, Shopbop, Macy’s, and others. Users can shop for products for men, women, and children through the platform without scouring the internet for minority-owned companies.
Foot Locker drops a ‘Black Panther’ collection
Johannesburg-based artist Dali Gaga and Studio 189, the fashion and lifestyle brand co-founded by actress Rosario Dawson and Abrima Erwiah, have teamed up to deliver a new “Black Panther”-inspired line of apparel.
According to a release to theGrio, the collection of hoodies and t-shirts, currently available exclusively at Foot Locker, features motifs from the “Black Panther” comic combined with classic Afrocentric prints and designs.
“This collection is inspired by traditional patterns, symbols, and techniques interwoven into cloth that communicates our values, history, and message to future generations. Each symbol, pattern and color tell distinct stories that highlight cultural values such as the power of collaboration, legacy, heritage, and inheritance,” said Erwiah in the release.
The collection ranges in price from $24.95 to $49.95.
The Fifteen Percent Pledge launches holiday pop-up
This holiday season the Fifteen Percent Pledge is encouraging everyone to commit 15 percent of their holiday shopping to Black businesses and making it extremely convenient to do so.
According to a release to theGrio, Friday, the Fifteen Percent Pledge launched its holiday campaign featuring a pop-up shop in SoHo, New York dubbed the “Gifteen Holiday Shop” and a curated online gift guide. Both the pop-up shop and the gift guide are a first for the company.
“As a Black business owner, I know firsthand how critical holiday shopping can be for brands to grow and expand their reach. For too long, lack of access to capital has made it difficult for Black-owned brands to compete for customers’ attention during the holiday season,” said Aurora James, founder of the Fifteen Percent Pledge and creative director of Brother Vellies.
The holiday campaign runs through the end of January 2023.
Nike to honor Virgil Abloh at Art Basel 2022
The late Virgil Abloh will be honored at this year’s Art Basel by Nike through a four-day experience that promises to help unlock Abloh’s “codes” for attendees. According to Complex magazine, “Virgil Abloh: The Codes c/o Architecture,” will feature discussions, exhibitions, and workshops around Abloh’s work.
The event is also being held in collaboration with VA Securities, the creative corporation run by his wife, Shannon Abloh.
In a press release, Shannon said Abloh and Nike “thrived together” because Abloh understood the brand’s role as a cornerstone of culture while Nike understood the value in working with creatives.
“This beautiful four-day experience at Miami Art Week will honor their legacy together and champion both Virgil’s open-source methods and his genuine commitment to collaborating with and inspiring others,” she said.
The experience is slated to run from December 1 through December 4 at the Rubell Museum in Miami.
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