Black in Style: Angel Reese’s fashionable WNBA Draft announcement

This week in style, Dapper Dan’s new creative director role, Muhammad Ali’s iconic trunks up for auction and more.

In honor of her decision to depart LSU for the WNBA Draft, Angel Reese, also known as the “Bayou Barbie,” posed for Vogue. This week, the budding basketball legend announced the news in an exclusive interview with the magazine, following in the footsteps of other star athletes like Serena Williams, who shared her retirement news through the outlet. While modeling designer pieces from Diesel, Christian Louboutin, Wales Bonner and more, Reese reflected on her basketball journey thus far. 

“Of course, I like to do everything big,” she told Vogue, explaining her choice of venue. “I didn’t want anything to be basic.”

Entering the collegiate basketball scene, Reese quickly made her mark on the court, becoming known for fierce plays and her signature long lashes, flowing tresses and statement nails. As she and the Louisiana State University women’s basketball team collected wins on the court, Reese also gained notoriety off the court, becoming one of the highest-earning student-athletes through NIL (name, image and likeness) deals. While simultaneously signing deals with brands like Mielle Organics, Beats by Dre, Amazon and more, the 21-year-old faced major public scrutiny for her choices on and off the court. 

“To sum it up, it’s been crazy,” she said, reflecting on her journey at LSU. However, the star now says she’s ready “to start at the bottom again.” 

“I want to be a rookie again and build myself back up; I want to be knocked down and learn and grow at the next level,” she added. “I’ll be working with grown women. I’ll be working with women that have kids; women that have a family to feed. I’m going to have to work my butt off every single day and grind. And who wouldn’t want that? I don’t want anything in my life to be easy.”

Lewis Hamilton is considering a fashionable exit from racing 

Lewis Hamilton, the “winningest” driver in Formula 1 history, is always on the move. As he prepares for his final season racing with Mercedes before he takes on a highly anticipated gig driving for Ferrari, he opens up to GQ magazine about his plans for the “afterlife” — that is, life after racing. 

Hamilton, who said his mind is always moving, described having a lot of pent-up creative energy he’s ready to express. In addition to music and film, the racecar driver said he could see himself making moves in fashion in the near future. As he told the outlet, the first fashion show he attended in 2007 left an impression, particularly because the environment was diverse compared to the racing world. 

Since then, Hamilton’s interest has only grown as he has collaborated on multiple lines with legacy brands like Tommy Hilfiger and launched one of his own. The racer said could see a future where he’s not necessarily just designing but funding more of the diverse talent that drew him to the fashion industry in the first place. 

“Honestly, one of my dreams is, I have thought about creating my own diverse LVMH,” he said. 

“Like, I don’t know if we live in a time where that’s really possible. But that’s something that I’m conceptualizing.”

Speaking of LVMH, Hamilton noted that while Pharrell Williams deserved his role as creative director of Louis Vuitton Menswear, he would have also loved seeing a woman of color take the helm.

“I’m thinking about someone like Grace [Wales Bonner]. Or Martine Rose would’ve been cool,” he said. “Put a woman in power in that position because a lot of women aren’t getting those opportunities within the industry. I think that would’ve been a baller move. But—I’m loving what Pharrell is doing.”

Got millions? You can own Muhammad Ali’s boxing shorts from his iconic “Thrilla in Manila” match

When late boxing legend Muhammad Ali got in the ring against Joe Frazier at Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Philippines, on Oct. 1, 1975, the world witnessed “The GOAT” win one of what has become regarded by many as one of the greatest fights in heavyweight boxing history. 

Ali, 33 at the time, won the fight by what’s known as a technical knockout (or TKO) at the end of the 14th round. The sports legend famously described the fight as the “closest to death” he ever felt.

The white boxing shorts Ali was wearing during the historic match are now up for auction by Sotheby’s, currently at a bid of $3,800,000, though Sotheby’s expects the rare piece of memorabilia to ultimately sell anywhere between $4 million and $6 million. Bidding ends on April 12 at 9:31 am, PT.

Dapper Dan celebrates a new “first” as a creative director for Sherwin-Williams 

After decades of creating fashion statements, Dapper Dan is celebrating a new milestone in his career, thanks to Sherwin-Williams. The Harlem couturier’s latest collaboration with the paint company’s “The Loneliest Color” campaign marks his first time being appointed creative director. 

“To be honest with you, this is one of the hallmarks of my career,” Dapper Dan told Complex. “You’ve seen everything that I’ve done with Gucci. Louis Vuitton and all the major brands have been implementing the innovation that I brought. But never once was I offered the position of creative director. That’s what makes this here so important.”

Every year, Sherwin-Williams selects a “Color of the Year.” However, this year the brand is reframing its focus to celebrate the beauty of colors that have previously been overlooked with “The Loneliest Color” initiative. The first iteration of the campaign highlights the golden yellow hues of the color “Kingdom Gold SW 6698.” In addition to promoting a shade most closely associated with the 1970s, The Loneliest Color campaign will launch a collection of eight one-of-a-kind pieces designed by Dapper Dan and Sue Wadden, Sherwin-Williams’ director of color marketing.

“The mission was to take the historical, archival pieces and the Sherwin-Williams colors and bring them all together,” Dapper Dan added.“All of them are pieces of wearable art, reimagining the beauty of the loneliest color with power.”

The wearable art collection features velour jackets, vests, tracksuits, leather jackets, a bucket hat, and two special renditions of Puma sneakers. Available for auction on eBay, the collection’s bidding will run from now through April 14, 2024, with all the proceeds going to Habitat for Humanity and other organizations in Dapper Dan’s hometown Harlem, New York. 

“I’ve always seen the impact that color has in every piece that I’ve designed. To me, color champions our creative potential and radiates joy,”  Dapper Dan said in a statement shared with theGrio. “My hope is that The Loneliest Color will help people find the confidence to show the world their true colors. Be unapologetic about their style and design choices. Embrace Kingdom Gold or any color that is personal, not just popular. The time to celebrate the overlooked and rediscover the beauty of color is now, and I’m excited to be part of this evolution alongside Sherwin-Williams.”

Hanifa brings luxury to housewares

Experience the essence of Hanifa in the comfort of your own home with “Hanifa at Home.” Last week, the luxury womenswear brand launched its first home collection including a scented candle and a dusty pink silky robe ($89). Designed to create a sense of luxury in any space, the candle ($49) features notes of mandarin, orange blossom, caramel, jasmine sambac, vanilla and sandalwood. 

Explore the style and serenity of Hanifa at Home at hanifa.co. 

Bombas celebrates Caribbean culture in a new collection 

Celebrating the creativity, beauty and influence of Caribbean cultures in America, Bombas has launched a limited-edition “Black Hive Collection.” Designed by the sock brand’s Black employees, the collection is filled with island-inspired colors and patterns selected to mirror the vibrancy of Carnival costumes and the islands. In addition to its own employees, Bombas also tapped Caribbean artists, entrepreneurs and chefs like Ria and Kevol Graham, owners of Brooklyn’s Kokomo restaurant, Daymond John from “Shark Tank,” musician Lyrikal and more to help bring the collection to life. 

“We’re welcoming our customers to take a journey with us to the Caribbean, where the food, music, and vibes are always at the forefront,” Kia Jones, senior project manager & member of the Black Hive, said in a statement. “This collection symbolizes our joy of our culture, and we hope everyone feels embraced by the love of the Caribbean”

Click here to shop Bombas’ Black Hive collection. 

Celebrity stylist Jason Bolden teams up with 8 Other Reasons jewelry

Jason Bolden is bringing the world a jewelry collection from down under.

According to WWD, the celebrity stylist who counts Alicia Keys, Storm Reid and Cynthia Erivo among his well-heeled clients is collaborating with Australian accessories label 8 Other Reasons to create a 25-piece jewelry collection.

The collection will include earrings, necklaces, and bracelets in contemporary chunky gold silhouettes, all priced at less than $100. One piece Bolden is particularly excited about is the Bolden Hoops. The earrings have a scalloped silhouette with an inset of cubic zirconia baguettes, giving the classic diamond hoop a modernized take.

“I just went for my quintessential uniform where I like timeless, chic, smart and something with pure personality,” Bolden told the publication. “It was just a perfect collaboration with 8 Other Reasons because it can speak to that, so that was kind of my foundation and fundamental inspiration for the collection.”

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