Bridal Fashion's Everlasting Life

Wedding dresses are meant to capture the bride’s personality and are a major part of their special day. With this recent pandemic, many Bridal Spring 2021 presentations of their collections were cancelled or pushed back. However, some designers have hosted virtual shows or interviews to showcase their collections.

With most events being cancelled or postponed, we know that means brides all over the world had to cancel their big day as well. Luckily the bridal industry is one of the biggest industries in the fashion world and it is not something that will ever go away.

Viktor & Rolf had a beautiful collection full of soft silhouettes, collars and 3D flowers draping down on several of them. Each and every dress represented complete elegance. Whether it was this strapless A-line gown or a collar full of flowers with a sheer finish with pretty tulle incorporated.

Another bridal spring 2021 collection was Reem Acra, who outdid herself this season. She had a magnificent display with a backdrop of pink and purple flowers. This really helped the gowns stand out and made it all that much more beautiful. These designs of the two A-line gowns are flawless. One being more delicate and vintage with the long sleeves and lace throughout. The other a simple charmer, off the shoulder with charmeuse fabric. There were no embellishments on the gown, but it is still very full of life.

While many brides had their special day taken away from them, it is so important to remain hopeful and positive. Bridal fashion will stay and be around forever as will your love.

Photo Credits: Vogue

Report: Melissa Adragna (@melissa_adragna)

Converse Gets Eco Friendly

If you're trying to find ways to live a more eco friendly life, looking at what you're wearing is a great place to start. Converse is making that more accessible for the public, releasing a new collection of sneakers that displays a line of faded, contrasted designs in Hi and Ox cuts, formulated by a combination of recycled cotton and recycled plastic bottles. Converse takes a more environment friendly approach via applying more resourceful manufacturing strategies. This isn’t unfamiliar to us, as they first released the Renew Tri-Panel Chuck 70 collection to the public last Spring. They decided to follow up with the collection and provide additional colors and styles for consumers to buy.

Converse have been around for decades and we still continue to show them love, they’re durable, laid-back, super comfy, and can match essentially anything. The Chuck 70 took inspiration from Earthy tones, in colors like branded melon, noble grey, prairie sande, and mellow rose. These sneakers are unlike any, giving off a laid-back retro kind of feel, and fabfrivated by dye free yarn.

Buying these shoes will support conserving the Earth while also wearing one of your favorite shoes. Creating a line of recycled shoes is a step in the right path and other companies should follow in their footsteps. Make sure you get your hands on a pair of these sneakers, starting May 15th on converse.com.

Report: Emily Andrews

UNIQLO Billie Eilish x Takashi Murakumi

Billie Eilish signature baggy tees are the star of the UNIQLO Billie Eilish x Takashi Murakumi collaboration. The five time Grammy winner worked with UNIQLO to drop a 18 piece collection, the basics tees are oversized, colorful and graphic.

The tees come in multiple colors, such as blacks, greens, blues and oranges, as well as colorful graphics. Some tees features the Blosch symbol and the iconic smiley pop flower icon.

This isn’t the first time the singer worked with Japanese contemporary artist, Takashi Murakumi. The duo worked together for the creepy crawly “you should see me in a crown” music video. The artist is known for the iconic colorful pop flower.

The collection consists of shirts for men, women, and kids. The brand recently restocked due to high demand. The tees retail for $14.90 each. There is a two shirt set limit and is available on the UNIQLO website.

Photos taken from UNIQLO

Report: Katie Mok

The Re-Opening of Thrift Stores

As many shops and restaurants begin the process of re-opening in light of COVID-19, one corner of the fashion industry facing unique concerns is resale shops. A main anxiety is the overwhelming amount of donations being received as charity shops re-open. Not only have these stores been closed for the past 2-3 months, leading to a surplus in donations, but many people took their extra time being in quarantine as an opportunity to do some deep spring cleaning—leading to even more spring donations than usual.

The nature of donating to thrift shops is also a concern. How does one safely sort through the personal belongings of complete strangers amidst a pandemic? How do shoppers safely browse these selections? Some stores have taken to requesting that those wishing to make donations schedule appointments ahead of time, while others are suspending donations for the time being until merchandise can be cleared or sold from the sales floor.

One other remaining concern is the fact that while supply appears to be surging, demand isn’t necessarily doing the same. Although COVID-19 restrictions are being lifted slowly but surely, people are still hesitant to go out unless absolutely necessary. This leaves many thrift shops with significantly less customers, and therefore significantly less sales. So, while donations are pouring in, merchandise is being sold at a much slower pace.

The struggles of resale shops are important to note for the fashion industry. Thrift businesses bring in an estimated $18 billion in revenue each year and contribute in enormous ways to promoting sustainability in an otherwise largely unsustainable industry. The resale of items in thrift stores prevents them from entering landfills and prevents buyers from buying unnecessary new items. Additionally, thrift businesses provide employment to thousands. It’s important now more than ever to support resale businesses and make smart, thoughtful donations in order to help the environment and the economy.

Report: Grace Carlos

Vegas Is Back! Everything You Need To Know About The Reopening Of Sin City

Vegas Baby! Las Vegas is back on the map for all lovers of traveling starting June 4th. The strip is officially back up in lights, and I can’t wait to get there.

Obviously Vegas will always be Vegas, but we can expect some differences this go around. In a post-pandemic world, things won’t necessarily be back to normal, but anything is better than nothing.

Some of the greatest hotels will be reopening their doors this week such as the Wynn Resorts (my personal favorite), the MGM Grand, the Bellagio, and Caesars Palace. Casinos will hold half of their maximum capacity, leaving every other chair empty at the slots. Tables will also hold half their capacity, so if you’re going in to play blackjack, expect 3 players rather than 6. Card dealers will actually offer you a complimentary squirt of hand sanitizer in between rounds, how cute!

Not into gambling? Well, the party scene isn’t that different when it comes to social distancing and maintaining health/safety guidelines. Clubs are not opening as of right now, but that’s not to say they won’t open at all this summer! Social distancing will definitely be enforced. Designated “crowd police” will be on duty to ensure there are no large gatherings. Weird for Vegas, I know, but again, anything is better than nothing! Plexiglass at bars/restaurants, contactless check in, and digital menus will all be offered as well.

All employees will be required to wear a mask, but guests will only be encouraged to. All guests will have their temperature checked upon arrival, and there will even be a COVID-19 testing station with almost immediate results.

Hotel costs are almost cut in half at this point, and airlines are begging for travelers. It’s a win for your social life, and your bank account.

Direct flights are being added weekly, so get online and book yourself a trip!

Photo Credits:

https://noblestudios.com/how-to-build-a-strong-digital-brand/

https://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/you-can-visit-las-vegas-virtually-during-your-coronavirus-quarantine-2000711/

Report: Kaitlin Gallagher

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Green House - The New Fashion House

via Pinterest

Perhaps using the word “Sustainability” has been a kind gesture or nod to the fashion industry for progressive attempts to lessen the damage it causes on the environment - however, if we’re going to be transparent about it, our beloved industry is responsible for nearly 35% of the microplastic flows into the ocean and outweighs the carbon footprint of international flights and shopping combined

42 percent of millennials say they want to know what goes into products and how they are made before they buy, according to The Business of Fashion and McKinsey & Company’s annual State of Fashion report.

But longer-term, the trend raises a central tension for many brands: in an era of growing consciousness and concern about the strain mass consumption is placing on the planet and its resources, can brands really be sustainable and continue to grow at the same time?

By definition - Sustainability : 

the ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level.

"the sustainability of economic growth"

avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance."the pursuit of global environmental sustainability"

According to dictionary.com 

It's the ecological balance of the fashion world that has the new generation of “fashionistas” up in arms about how we consume fashion and how we produce it.

The understanding of sustainable fashion often begins with how materials are sourced, who’s being employed to work in the factories, how are they being compensated, how often we consume products, and how can we lessen the footprint  (pollution) of fashion in the world. 

Let’s break this down into three questions: 

What Is Sustainable Fashion? Who Does It affect? Will It Cost Companies To Change? 

Understanding Sustainable Fashion 

- Consideration and adaptation to environmental and socio-economic standards when 

creating a product. This includes all stages of the product's life, from the creation of the design to the final sale and ultimate use. 

- Environmental factors: conserving natural resources, recycling, and using 

renewable energy sources 

- Socio-economic factors: workers conditions and rights - Intended for long term use - clothes made sustainably from naturally occurring fibers last 

longer than clothes made from cheap synthetic materials. The longer the clothes last, the less clothes that end up in the landfill and the less clothing being produced in the long run. 

Who Does Sustainable Fashion Affect 

- Workforce: impacts the workers throughout the supply chain: Sustainable fashion focuses on minimizing the use of “sweatshops” within the fashion industry. This means improving working conditions and offering fair wages for all workers starting at the bottom on up. 

 - Consumer: naturally the consumer receives a higher grade quality of product, however, that same consumer will also pay a higher price to obtain a more “earth friendly” product. 

What is the Cost of Producing Sustainable Fashion 

- Sustainable fashion faces higher costs in almost every aspect of the supply chain as 

opposed to their non-economically conscious competitors. 

- Fabrics made from natural resources cost more than those made of synthetic materials. 

They have to be farmed sustainably - and that means fair wages and environmentally friendly methods. 

- Paying all workers fair wages significantly raises the cost of production. Also, because 

the clothes are made to last, more time is put into making each garment and less products are made per payable hour. 

- Sustainable fashion brands often buy in small quantities to avoid waste and because of 

their smaller customer base. This is more expensive than buying in bulk in two ways: (1) manufacturers often give discounts to companies buying in bulk and (2) shipping costs are higher when multiple small orders are made instead of just one large one. 

With the current COVID -19 crisis management cycles in motion for various industry - the one topic on everyone's “List Of Do’s” is to create a plan of execution to bounce back - and that begins with the message of “Conscientious Business” -  companies are aware that they not only have to speak to what's happening, but they have to speak to the future - and that can be difficult when the future is clouded by financial lost and potential increase in debt with no real cash flow currently. 

Despite Sustainability being an actual concern and legitimate focus, companies will and have simply “lip serviced” this necessary shift in toward more conscious fashion.

Companies speaking about the change and promising change can be seen as a marketing tool - or PR move to maintain their consumer, and intently grasp new patrons.  Either way, the cause is acknowledged, but so much more has to be done, and the hope is, it will be done. 

As we slowly maneuver toward a NEW NORM, it's our hope that we will see a lot of the changes promised by the fashion world. 

The Iconic Victoria’s Secret Will Shutter 250 of its Stores

The coronavirus pandemic has forced countless businesses to file for bankruptcy. Many are struggling to make ends meet and keep up with finances, resulting in drops in sales, leaving them hopeless with nowhere to turn.

The iconic Victoria’s Secret is closing down 250 stores in shopping centers and other locations in the U.S. and Canada.

Victoria’s Secret is prestigious for its women’s lingerie, fragrance, body care, accessories and athletic and loungewear. The brand is also notorious for its celebrated Angels and fashion events. Victoria Secret’s products are sold in more than 1,600 stores worldwide and online at VictoriaSecret.com

The store has continuously seen a drop in sales amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Along with its stores closures, the brand’s parent company, L Brands, will eliminate 22% of the company’s 1,091 stores along with 1.26 million square feet of real estate, according to ABC News.

Victoria Secret’s CEO Stuart Burgdoefer has indicated that there will be additional store closures in the future saying: “We would expect to have a meaningful number of additional store closures beyond the 250 that we’re pursuing this year, meaning there will be more in 2021 and probably a bit more in 2022.”

Bath & Body Works, another brand under the mass retailer is also expected to close 50 stores nationwide and one in Canada.

Although Bath & Body Works climbed 20% in soap and sanitizer sales, L Brands dropped 37% in sales across its brands during its first quarter of business amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to ABC News.

Victoria Secret shoppers expressed their concerns and frustrations on Twitter with one user saying: “#VictoriaSecret I was rooting for you, we were ALL rooting for you.”

While another person tweeted: “that’s what I’m saying they want us to buy that shit where???? Walmart? #dobetter @vsactu @VSPINK @bathbodyworks like ok u want us roaming around smelling like that bootleg perfume from urban planet? Mhmh ok.

As you can see loyal customers are not too happy about the stores closures and their clearly not having it.

With the stores closures in effect, definitely expect to see MAJOR sales. STAY TUNED!!!

Report: Juana Norales Instagram: @juana.n_

When Enough Is Enough.

“The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth- African proverb”, tweeted @CharlesMBlow. Following the premeditated murder of George Floyd, citizens of Minniapolis and many other cities took to the streets to seek justice. This is not the first time an unarmed African American has been killed for no reason other than the color of their skin. In fact, the black community has also recently mourned the losses of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Sean Reed in Indianapolis, and Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, all victims of hate crimes. “Coincidently”, none of these murders have seen justice and sadly, I doubt that they will. These protests are happening because black people are tired of begging for their lives to be considered valuable. For centuries, black lives have been disregarded; enough is enough. Racial injustice can no longer be swept under the rug.

In 2016, Colin Kaepernick decided he would kneel during the national anthem of every NFL game in protest against police brutality. Kaepernick was peaceful, but people still refused to listen to him. People misconstrued his protest, thinking he was disrespecting the military and the flag, even after he made his intentions clear. This same police brutality that Kaepernick protested against continues to happen and continues to be overlooked by the leader of our nation and some of our fellow citizens. Unfortunately, some people do not want to acknowledge the truth because living in a country built on lies benefits them. Some people think that there is a more peaceful way to get justice, but being peaceful has not been proven to work. What do you do when the people that are supposed to protect and serve are killing you instead?

America has never been united or equal. Racism is so deeply embedded into this country that some people would rather protest a pandemic than protest the lack of justice for the innocent killings of African Americans. These protests all around the country are passageways to creating better lives for future generations. Just as my ancestors fought for me, it would be inconsiderate if I did not do the same for my successors. BLACK LIVES MATTER every second of everyday, not because we make you money, but because we are people who deserve to be treated as such. We are tired people, who deserve much more than this country has given us. We are protesting because we want justice and change. We want to feel safe in our blackness; we deserve to be safe.

Photo credits:

Building on fire: @slate_mk.2

Kaepernick/King photo: @thatlaundry

Trump Tower photo: @mark.c

Report: Brionna Thompson

A Taste of Summer

Temperatures are rising which calls for a delicate, refreshing, and savory recipes.

This 7 step recipe calls for only a few ingredients, but leaves an unforgettable taste in your palette ranging from Greek yogurt to olive oil and back around with orange blossom water. Did I mention it’s also beautiful? - adorned with rose petals, this makes a great treat to bring to the party or simply to decorate the kitchen counter!

For the ingredients we’ll need :

* 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

* 2 eggs at room temp

* Zest of one lemon

* 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice

* 1 cup plain greek yoghurt at room temp (leave it out for 10 min or so). I used 2% fat

* 1 cup super fine sugar

* 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

* 3 teaspoons baking powder, sifted GLAZE:

* 1 cup icing sugar

* 1 tablespoon lemon juice

* 1/4 teaspoon orange blossom water .

The preparation is as follows :

“1 Preheat the oven at 325F. Grease and flour your pan and set aside.

1. In a large bowl mix the olive oil, eggs, lemon zest and juice, yoghurt, and sugar and lightly whisk until all ingredients are combined.

2. In a smaller bowl, sift the flour and baking powder and combine them with your fingers, then add the flour in parts to the olive oil mix (don't dump it all at once or you'll get lumps). Don't over-mix! Just gently fold the ingredients until they are combined.

3. Place the batter in the greased pan and bake for about 45-50 min, until the top is golden brown and no batter comes out when you test it with a skewer.

4. Once the cake is done, take it out, set aside, and let it rest for at least 10 minutes (if you flip it too soon it'll break). Once it has cooled down, flip it on a plate to cool fully.

GLAZE

1. Combine the icing sugar, orange blossom water, and lemon juice and mix until there are no sugar lumps (a minute or so). If it's too thick and doesn't drizzle, add a mini splash of water (just a teeny!).

2. Pour glaze over the cake and decorate with rose petals (or orange blossoms if you have any!).”

In particular, this recipe is especially interesting as it introduces orange blossom water - which can be very new to most taste buds.In fact, orange blossom water has been originally used in the Middle East particularly for sweets, and was later used across the Mediterranean. It is made made solely from the orange blossoms on trees. How’s that for a taste of summer ?

This cake should feel and taste light, offering you an incredible start to the summer season- in quarantine or not 😉.

Report: Lara Olsson

Astrology Lessons: What Else Can We Expect From 2020?

Astrologers have long warned humanity that 2020 will be a year of global change due to the unique position of the planets - on January 12, Saturn and Pluto met in the sign of Capricorn. Astrologers have long warned that this year will have historical significance and we will need a lot of strength to survive all the challenges.

It turns out that this fateful locale of the planets more than once served as a kind of prediction of important events - two world wars, the economic crisis of the 1980s, and now the coronavirus pandemic. Although this year, Saturn and Pluto have a few more surprises for us that are better to know about, even if you do not believe in astrology.

Neptune will greatly influence us, which will make us think a lot about relationships with each other. We will finally understand that all people are connected, and the concept of “each for himself "will lose its relevance.

The combination of Pluto and Saturn will affect another important component of modern life - the empowerment of women. 2020 is the end of the era of patriarchy and the beginning of matriarchy, not only because of the aforementioned duo, but also the Moon in Cancer.

Experts conclude, that overall humanity will have a chance to upgrade, become more efficient, and finally begin to value the planet we live on.

Report: Olha Dzharyha

Resources to Support Black Bodies in America

On May 25, George Floyd was murdered by police officer Derek Chauvin. Since the incident, protests and riots have broken out in a clear and loud attempt to combat police brutality. Many arrests have been made, and the Minnesota Freedom Fund has been working hard to aid those in jail. Following the massive wave of financial support they’ve received, they’ve requested that donors shift their focus to helping other organizations and independent creators. The following is a list of donation funds, bail funds, and black owned businesses that people can support. 

Business Relief

• Helping Hands - Access PR Black Owned Small Business Relief

  • https://www.gofundme.com/f/helping-hand-access-pr

• We Love Lake Street

  • https://www.welovelakestreet.com/

• Northside Funders Group

  • https://giving.onecause.com/public/02ad4737-2285-4ad2-91c6-95cd66b423bf/fundraisers/c60e5030-69ce-4853-8b11-4727da5054ad/donate

• Atlanta Black Owned Business Relief

  • https://www.gofundme.com/f/atlanta-black-owned-business-relief?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet

• Guns and Roses Boutique

  • https://www.gofundme.com/f/fv47qs-protect-our-community?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet

• Dallas Black Owned Business Relief

  • https://www.gofundme.com/f/20s2wgvfhc?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet

Black Creators

• Uncle Funky’s Daughter (haircare)

  • https://unclefunkysdaughter.com/

• Coloured Raine (makeup)

  • https://colouredraine.com/

• Silhouette Stylez (clothing)

  • https://www.silhouettestylez.com/

• Nubian Skin (clothing)

  • https://us.nubianskin.com/

• The Berry Shop (accessories)

  • https://www.welcometoberryshop.com/

• Auctober Lover (jewelry) 

  • https://www.auctoberlove.com/

• So Beadiful (Jewelry)

  • https://www.bebeadifuljewelry.com/

• BLK & BOLD (coffee)

  • https://blkandbold.com/

• Caribreoso Flavour Boutique (spices)

  • https://caribreoso.us/

Justice Resources

• Black Lives Matter

  • https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_blm_homepage_2019

• Black Visions Collective

  • https://secure.everyaction.com/4omQDAR0oUiUagTu0EG-Ig2

• Reclaim the Block

  • https://secure.everyaction.com/zae4prEeKESHBy0MKXTIcQ2

• MOODI Cultural Resource Center

  • https://www.givemn.org/story/Mxmjeg

• List of Community Bail Funds by State

  • https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GsfJnX62CLaYtZ3Ewd0VVgh7J-W6vIdUBC0x4qsvA8c/mobilebasic

Further Resources, Links, and Information

• https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1-0KC83vYfVQ-2freQveH43PWxuab2uWDEGolzrNoIks/mobilebasic#h.ryupozvasqin

• https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ra1crnSHFzgznux5BBPuFkd-7vCo7YAPCeIWZr3Ryjg/mobilebasic

This is not a complete list by any means. It is meant to be a start to the process– it is important to support as many roads as possible that aid the fight for justice. By funding those who are oppressed by the system, change becomes possible.

Report: Nicolette Schneiderman

Spirited Away to a New Realm of Beauty

Now, more than ever, makeup artists and beauty lovers alike are in places where they need to take inspiration from the comfort of their homes. One source of inspiration, streaming services, provides a platform in which artists of all kinds can take away ideas from a wide range of movies and tv shows. Dropped on Netflix and HBO Max in recent times, Studio Ghibli films have become the latest trend in creating beautiful looks that are both awe-inspiring and serve as a reminder of the times currently experienced. A world-renowned movie studio, Studio Ghibli has ultimately one goal: to dive into the human soul and to show audiences the intricacies transcribed through their imaginative stories.

Studio Ghibli was formed in the early 1980’s when Japanese animators Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki decided to create a work that would serve as a film that not only contained animations, but also kept the narration quality. The term Ghibli was coined by Miyazaki, taking inspiration from the World War II aircraft Caproni Ca. 309 Ghibli and hot Sahara desert air, exemplified through the air blown about in the studio’s animations. Once they realized they could be successful, they set up a studio in Tokyo along with publishing company Tokuma Shoten’s help.

Dreamy, detailed worlds and heartwarming stories embody what makes Studio Ghibli the animation company it is today. Their films contain beautiful, colorful visuals that evoke a wide range of emotions and animations that relate to the human psyche. Some of the most famous Studio Ghibli films have inspired many, including the beauty realm, to show the chromatic, introspective world that the studio has created. Studio Ghibli’s "My Neighbor Totoro" provided the unofficial face of the company: Totoro, a tree spirit taking the form of a rabbit. In this film the spirit shows nature and humanity working together, a message that can be taken in real life and presented through art. "Only Yesterday", another well-known work of theirs, explains the life of a young Japanese woman as she comes across the countryside, visualized through idealistic landscapes and yellow flowers adorning the land. "Spirited Away", the Oscar winner and the most acclaimed of all the studio’s repertoire, provides astounding visuals as the main character travels through the spirit world and encounters many fantasies one can only dream of. No matter what the Studio Ghibli film may be, there won’t be trouble in finding one shot that can provide artistic awakening.

Another Studio Ghibli project is currently in the works and is set to be released in 2021. Based on Genzaburo Yoshino’s novel, How Do You Live? will be the next film that will add to the extraordinary range of films created by the company.

Photo Credits: Carla Lopez, Film School Rejects, Aysha Nicole.

Report: Charlene Piccio

Green Looks Better Than White

One thing about me I love trying new skincare products. Specially moisturizers over the summer my skin is always oily because of the heat and dehydration. But I have found a moisturizer brand that works really well called Belif. Normally I switch between the gel and cream during the summer and winter because of my oily and dry skin type. This new product will make you want all moisturizer to have a secret ingredient that I am willing to share! Belif was established by Duncan Napier. He had suffered from an incessant hack. In his way , he decided to make a cure out of herbs. With this herb studies for many years he was also able to create natural formulas for the skin. Belif is 100% safe with dermatologically tested. The key ingredient in this moisturizer is Aloe Vera which is known as the "desert lily" for its capacity to endure flaky and dry atmospheres. This new lightweight moisturizer is made of Aloe Vera for a cooling gel that alleviates dry and sensitive skin. Aloe Vera has been utilized for a considerable length of time for its properties. Fun fact of Aloe Vera is known as the “plant of immortality”. This will become your new go-to moisturizer this summer.

Photo Credits: Belif

Report: Tykaia Rose

Gucci Calls the Fashion Schedule "Worn Out" and Decides on Seasonless Shows Twice a Year

It's no secret that the coronavirus is the push the fashion industry needed to clean up its act. Now that everything from garment supply chains to performative fashion shows are in desperate need of restructuring, who will be the voices of fashion's future? Gucci's Alessandro Michele is one person leading that conversation and thinks the annual seven-season fashion show schedule is "worn out" — we couldn't agree more.

Following Gucci's virtual press conference on May 24, creative director Alessandro Michele took to Instagram to elaborate on how the brand is embracing a more sustainable fashion show schedule. "I will abandon the worn out rituals of seasonalities and show to regain a new cadence, closer to my expressive call," Michele muses in a poetic Instagram carousel captioned Diario. "We will meet just twice a year, to share the chapters of a new story. Irregular, joyful and absolutely free chapters, which will be written blending rules and genres, feeding on new spaces, linguistic codes, and communication platforms. And beyond. I would like to leave behind the paraphernalia of leitmotifs that colonized our prior world: cruise, pre-fall, spring-summer, fall-winter. I think these are stale and underfed words. Labels of an impersonal discourse that lost its meaning."

Report: Amanda T Lou

Meet the Designer Behind Vashtie's Wedding Veil

Like many people, Vashtie had plans for a big, extravagant wedding. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that plan was out the window. She and her husband, Emil Boye, secretly married at City Hall. They didn't wear the traditional wedding attire, however. "To honor tradition I wore all white, but to be true to myself I donned an ensemble consisting of a white Supreme Hanes T-shirt, white Dickies, white Air Force 1 Lows, and a custom Durag Veil by Evita Loca," Vashtie told Complex. "My now-husband stayed true to his Danish style wearing a minimal look of all black and Retro Mid Jordan 1s." Vashtie has always been known for her streetwear and style. She has worn high end designer pieces of clothing with sneakers and graphic t-shirts. She was also the first woman to design a Jordan sneaker.

Evita Loca was excited to design the drag, but she had no idea it was for Vashtie's wedding. Loca was asked to design the piece for a photoshoot, and ended up finding out with the general public. Loca has been designing durags since 2017, after friends invited her to go to the Durag Festival. "The night before I kind of rummaged through my little stockpile of fabric and I wanted to make a piece that stood out, because by nature I’m a shy person. I wanted the piece to speak for me. I came across sequined fabric and thought, ‘What if this durag has like a Met Gala-esque vibe to it?' It was a black sequin and it came down to maybe the back of my ankles. I went to this festival and people were taking pictures and stuff like that. It had a good response," she says.

Report: Anna Bechtel

Betty's Skater-Inspired Costume Design

HBO’s newest eight-episode miniseries Betty is an exemplar of immersive storytelling through costume design. The show’s wardrobe has indeed resonated with its audience, its chic casualness creating an authentic modern setting while enticing viewers to emulate the obtainably stylish fashions. Costume designer Camille Garmendia’s familiarity with urban skateboarding culture inspired these coveted looks, and her deep analysis of Betty’s characters helped to further bring them to life.

Betty tells the story of a group of women skateboarders living in New York City, the personalities of whom served as the basis for Garmendia’s costume designs. Adding to the genuineness of the clothing was the characters’ actresses incorporating their own style into the outfits. Nina Moran relates to her character Kirt’s eccentricities, and as such she selected bright, colorful clothing that reflects her happy-go-lucky attitude. Ardelia Lovelace’s true admiration for former president Barack Obama led to her character Janay wearing an Obama Supreme shirt, claiming that it represented personal growth. The boldest example of this blend between characterization and real-life personality is the character Honeybear, a visual artist who wears such outlandish adornments as a necklace made of bike chains and pasties instead of a shirt. Most interestingly, her actress Kabrina Adams confirmed that there was very little difference between her own wardrobe and that of Honeybear.

Betty has most accurately brought New York’s indie fashion to television screens, enthralling viewers regardless of their proximity to skater culture.

Photo credits: https://www.nylon.com/fashion/hbo-betty-costumes-spotlight-new-york-city-skater-style

https://www.popsugar.com/fashion/photo-gallery/47505305/image/47505405/Tank-Tops-Shorts

Report: Nia Hunt

Five Anti Racist Books You Should Know About

George Floyd. Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor are just a hand full of people that were murdered by the police. How does that vicious cycle go again? Trauma>invisibilization>normalization, repeat? Whenever a new shooting happens involving a black person, we automatically go through this cycle and go on with our lives until it happens again. But before you move on, let this time be a little different. Its time to educate ourselves about their history and the many paths they’ve walked. The best way to show our commitment to the black community is by being engaged and learning more about their experiences, and that starts with books.

James Baldwin once said, "It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, who had ever been alive." Below is a list of five books written by the greatest black authors, thinkers, and leaders.

· "Recitatif" by Toni Morrison. This short story, written in racial writing, was described by Morrison as “the removal of all racial codes from a narrative about two characters of different races for whom racial identity is crucial.”

· Possessive Investment In Whiteness by George Lipsitz. This story discusses white privilege, and takes an extensive look at white privilege in social, political, and economic areas.

· Divided Sisters by Midge Wilson & Kathy Russell. This story is for all of the white women working to be allies who don’t fully comprehend their relationships with black women. Since black women carry a lot of pain from former generations, in order to bridge these gaps, you must first understand a black woman’s experience.

· The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon. Fannon discusses the reason why we haven’t eradicated racism (since most people underestimate it) and discusses the blueprint to have us all come together, unified.

· For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf by Ntozake Shange. This series of poetic monologues reads like a play and talks about seven Black women and their experiences with society sexism, and racism, as well as their experience with oppression from Black men.

Report: Woo Jong Kim

Hanifa Used 3D Models to Launch Its Latest Collection on Instagram Live

The coronavirus pandemic is changing so many industries worldwide. One such change that is already taking place is the move to make fashion shows more accessible by using 3D digital models to launch new collections online.

In an interview with Teen Vogue, Hanifa's designer, Anifa Mvuemba, revealed that she already planned to launch her new collection, Pink Label Congo, online, but wondered if it was still the right move when the coronavirus pandemic changed everything. Mvuemba explained, "The news came out about how serious things were and I started to feel a bit anxious about everything going on. I started feeling like maybe it would be insensitive to create and share a new collection online while people were facing very difficult realities."

With her designs, Mvuemba wants to celebrate the beauty of Congo, while drawing attention to the issues faced by people in the locale such as illegal mining. Using 3D models is a natural next step for Mvuemba, who told Teen Vogue, "designing content using 3D models and now an entire collection has been a complete game changer for me." Making the launch entirely digital has only been positive for the brand, as the designer revealed, "My decision to keep going could impact our customers for the better in ways I never imagined. That’s when I knew it was time."

Instagram is also the great leveler when it comes to fashion, as Mvuemba explained, "We know that some people may never experience a fashion week or Hanifa showcase, so we wanted to show up for our audience where they show up for us on a daily basis. That’s when Instagram became the obvious choice."

Report: Amanda T Lou

Brands Built off Black Culture are Really Quiet Right Now

It has been an insane week. Unforgettable and heartbreaking. We are living in the times when black people are being killed just for being black. Over the past couple of days we have seen thousands, millions around the country marching and protesting in the name of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and the countless names killed at the hands of the police. Now is when it is so important for our voices to be heard.

On social media you can’t help but see videos and photos of the last few days. You see people speaking out, sharing petitions, links to donate and where to organize for the next protest. What you also see or don’t are the brands getting behind the #BlackLivesMatter movement. It was the brands that did not speak out that got some attention, and it was because their brand has been built off of black people.

Brands like PrettyLittleThing (PLT) and Fashion Nova rely on their black followers and influencers to boost their products. You would think that they would be the first to speak up, right? PLT has been very active in the comment sections of every #VERZUZ battle on Instagram, but it was only on Saturday that they chose to share their thoughts on what has been happening. A now deleted tweet depicting a hand in hand drawing with “Stand together,” written underneath. See the deleted tweet below. Fashion Nova, has one post of George Floyd lost in the mix of all of their posts of a sale and products. I would think that a fashion brand that embedded themselves in black culture would have a bit more to say.

In a video posted from the protest in Atlanta, there were protesters looting in Gucci. The Italian fashion brand did not comment on the event, but on their instagram they shared a poem about racism. Cute, but not enough. First, it wasn’t even something with thought into it, I have seen that same photo of a poem everywhere on instagram. Second, the caption was just a mention of the poet. You can see the post down below. Lasty, Gucci is Gucci because of black people. The brand has been worn by countless black celebrities. And it can easily be said that it is because of black pop culture why Gucci is so popular. Can’t forget to mention the racist sweater Gucci tried to sell the world last year. Or how they blatantly copied Dapper Dan in 2017 and said it was “homage.” A brand whose rise to popularity in America by Black Americans needs to use their platform to speak up.

Brands with their lack of acknowledgement of the last week has taught me who and who not to buy from. There are more brands who had a lack of things to say or post, share them with us @accessreport and tell us your thoughts on this issue.

Report: Bria Ward

"Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj" Doesn't Miss a Step in new Quarantine Set Up

Many late night talk shows have made the transition to filming from the host’s home as a result of the coronavirus. While it is a valiant effort on the part of the shows the absence of an audience, which is such a large aspect of talk shows, is hard to ignore. “Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj” is one such show that has recently resumed airing episodes without an audience. However, Patriot Act has remained consistently good during the pandemic and the timely topics discussed by Minhaj are more important than ever.

Perhaps the show doesn’t miss a step without an audience since it wasn’t filmed live in the first place. Patriot Act premiered in the fall of 2018 on Netflix with episodes also being uploaded to YouTube. The sixth season was set to begin airing on March 29 but had to be pushed back due to the coronavirus.

The most recent episode discusses the legal marijuana industry and how it is disenfranchising people of color, in terms of using marijuana and selling it. The fact that people of color are arrested at a higher rate for drug possession than their white counterparts is not a new issue, but a small group of rich, white businessmen running the majority of the legal marijuana industry is. Legal marijuana is already turning into a monopoly and not giving a fair chance to smaller growers, many of whom are people of color. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic only makes matters worse for these smaller growers; since marijuana is not legalized at the federal level they are unable to qualify for federal loans needed to keep their businesses open.

It is a very serious topic that Minhaj is qualified to talk about. Minhaj is a 34-year-old Muslim whose family originates from India, and the topics he discusses have an undeniable ‘stay woke’ tone to them. He earned a degree in political science from University of California, Davis before beginning his career as a comedian. His comedy consists of a lot of comparisons and references that will be best understood by Millennials close in age to Minhaj, but it also has a bit of edginess that will appeal to younger generations. But Minhaj still keeps things unusually light hearted while tackling serious issues. For example, towards the end of his latest episode he discusses a group of Cincinnati celebrities who have financial stakes in the legal marijuana industry, including former President William Howard Taft’s great great grand nephew Dudley Taft. He comments that Taft “looks like a guy who plays guitar in a band named after himself,” before showing that he does in fact play guitar as a member of the Dudley Taft band.

New episodes of “Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj” are uploaded to Netflix every Sunday and to YouTube every subsequent Monday.

Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Report: Michael Rosen