theGrio Style Guide: Reflecting on hip hop’s 50th, London Fashion Week, and a vice presidential redesign
In this week’s Style Guide: a lens on hip hop’s health and legacy, Shonda Rhimes models for St. John, and Kamala Harris taps Sheila Bridges for a D.C. residence refresh.
Since the emergence of hip hop a half-century ago, the genre’s widespread influence can be tracked throughout culture in almost every arena, including music, language (remember when “bling” was officially added to the dictionary?), and style — and now, even health.
To commemorate the genre’s 50th anniversary, Men’s Health magazine has released a comprehensive digital first deep-dive into its legacy. The special issue tracks how hip hop has shaped men’s perceptions of health through the decades across a few key areas, including addiction, sex, gun violence, aging and more.
Pioneers of the genre, including Doug E. Fresh, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Freeway, and more are featured in interviews, while older stories, like Diddy’s run in the New York City marathon are revisited.
It’s an informative, creative look at hip hop, demonstrating just one of the many ways the genre has left its mark on culture. In this week’s Style Guide, we also look at hip hop’s impact on style through a new commemorative book by Timberland and a Women’s Wear Daily profile on street style pioneer Karl Kani. We also see Shonda Rhimes becoming the face of St. John’s newest campaign, journey overseas for London Fashion Week, highlight Sephora’s collaborative event with AFROPUNK, and more.
Timberland debuts the ‘Hip Hop Royalty Boot’
This year, Timberland and hip hop are celebrating 50 years in the game. So it should come as no surprise that the legacy footwear brand released the ‘Hip Hop Royalty Boot,’ a remix of its classic work boot. Designed by Chris Dixon, senior footwear designer of advanced concepts and energy at Timberland, the boot includes details intended to reflect the four elements of hip hop: MCing, DJing, break dance, and graffiti. The purple suede and gold accents mirror royalty and power. The green label on the tongue reading “Sedgwick Ave.” is an ode to the New York street where hip hop was born, along with other details.
“The Hip Hop Royalty Boot project is Timberland’s way of giving hip-hop its flowers and showing appreciation for what they have done for the brand,” said Dixon.
WWD profiles prolific streetwear pioneer Karl Kani
In honor of both hip hop’s 50th year and its influence in fashion and culture, streetwear pioneer Karl Kani was recently honored with a lifetime achievement award by the industry trade show MAGIC. Considered the “Godfather of urban streetwear,” Kani chatted with Women’s Wear Daily about the honor and the history of hip hop, from the first album by Grandmaster Flash and the Sugarhill Gang through how he devised the oversized and baggy style that became synonymous with the genre.
“Without hip hop, what would this world be? It has united people worldwide. There are no color boundaries with hip hop. If you meet somebody, and they listen to hip hop, you say, ‘Okay, he’s cool. He’s cool,’”says Kani.
Recapping London Fashion Week
London Fashion Week wrapped this week, but not before treating the world to a handful of shows from Black designers such as Maximilian Davis, who presented his moody “Drayton” collection; Priya Ahluwalia, who drew on inspiration from the hair and beauty of singers Sade and Lauryn Hill for her show; and Feben Vemmenby of “Black is King” fame, who showed slinky silky feminine formal wear. Our feeds have also been flooded with British street style, ripe with a ton of personality-packed looks; see some of our favorite looks in the gallery below.
Model Caren Kogo is seen at David Komo, during London Fashion Week February 2023 on February 18, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gonzales/Getty Images)
Jourdan Dunn wears black coat, cut out dress, straps outside Nensi Dojaka during London Fashion Week February 2023 on February 19, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Christian Vierig/Getty Images)
A guest wears red dress, brown leather jacket, white socks, silver pointed heels outside Yuzefi during London Fashion Week February 2023 on February 20, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Christian Vierig/Getty Images)
A guest wears yellow square sunglasses, a gold necklace, a red bra underwear, a navy blue striped print pattern cropped blazer jacket, a neon green long coat, a khaki large handbag from JW Anderson, black striped print pattern large suit pants, white shiny leather pointed pumps heels shoes , outside Erdem, during London Fashion Week February 2023 on February 19, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)
A guest wears black sunglasses, gold earrings, gold necklaces, a white tank-top, a pale yellow shiny leather with large fluffy collar / belted coat, outside 16Arlington, during London Fashion Week February 2023 on February 18, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)
Joyce Cisse wearing SS Daley outside the S.S.Daley show during London Fashion Week February 2023 at on February 19, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Sama Kai/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Ellie Delphine seen wearing a red and white polka dotted dress and a mini Fendi peekaboo bag before the PAUL and JOE show during London Fashion Week on February 20, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images)
Ncuti Gatwa seen wearing a yellow and black patterned scarf, an oversized white and black shirt, black pants, brown leather boots and a pink mini bag before the JW Anderson show during London Fashion Week on February 19, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images)
A guest wears a black wool beret cap, a camel jacket, a black jacket, a red shiny leather with yellow and green flower print pattern crossbody bag from Kenzo, a white long dress, black denim wide legs pants, black shiny leather shoes , outside Emilia Wickstead, during London Fashion Week February 2023 on February 20, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)
Beka Prance seen wearing a blue coat, a blue blouse and a matching blue skirt before the PAUL and JOE show during London Fashion Week on February 20, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images)
A model wears gold necklaces, a black zipper neck jacket, a black and white shiny leather bicolored long coat, black suit pants, black shiny leather shoes, silver rings , outside Emilia Wickstead, during London Fashion Week February 2023 on February 20, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)
A fashion week guest seen wearing a fluffy white long coat, black pants, black boots, black shades and a black leather bag before the Emilia Wickstead show during London Fashion Week on February 20, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images)
A model wears gold earrings, a green felt wool with yellow and white embroidered pattern zipper teddy coat, black denim cargo pants, black shiny leather pointed ankle shoes , outside Emilia Wickstead, during London Fashion Week February 2023 on February 20, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)
A model wears beige sunglasses, a black turtleneck wool pullover, a black shiny leather checkered print pattern coat, a blue / yellow / white print pattern silk scarf, black shiny leather large pants, black shiny leather loafers, a purple with pink leaves print pattern shopping bag , outside Emilia Wickstead, during London Fashion Week February 2023 on February 20, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)
A guest wears black sunglasses from Loewe, gold pendant earrings, a black silk V-neck shiny leather asymmetric blazer jacket with embroidered purple flower, a royal blue long wool coat, a royal blue shiny leather Puzzle handbag from Loewe, a black long midi skirt, black shiny leather strappy / red flower heels mules from Loewe, outside Emilia Wickstead, during London Fashion Week February 2023 on February 20, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)
Dreaming Abdel wears Dior white shirt, silver belted pants, faux fur hooded jacket, fur boots outside Christopher Kane during London Fashion Week February 2023 on February 19, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Christian Vierig/Getty Images)
A fashion week guest seen wearing a blue knit sweater, a blue skirt, a light blue blouse, black cowboy boots and a brown bag before the SUSAN FANG show during London Fashion Week on February 20, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images)
Naomi Elizée seen wearing a black, white and brown patterned coat, black pants, a black bag, dark shades and flat black shoes before the Emilia Wickstead show during London Fashion Week February 2023 on February 20, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images)
Arlo Parks wearing SS Daley outside the S.S.Daley show during London Fashion Week February 2023 at on February 19, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Sama Kai/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Hassani Agoya is seen wearing a vintage tan leather jacket with vintage denim set outside the Molly Goddard show during London Fashion Week February 2023 on February 18, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gonzales/Getty Images)
A guest wears black sunglasses, gold earrings, a black turtleneck wool pullover, a pale yellow oversized fluffy belted long coat, a silver shiny leather handbag, black shiny leather heels ankle boots , outside Erdem, during London Fashion Week February 2023 on February 19, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)
Sophia Brown poses wearing a pink dress, white jumper, striped trench coat, black bag and white shoes & socks outside the S.S.Daley show during London Fashion Week February 2023 at on February 19, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Sama Kai/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Arlo Parks seen wearing an orange and white sweater, shorts, white socks and black boots before the JW Anderson show during London Fashion Week on February 19, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images)
A Model is seen wearing a Pink Silk Floral Shirt. At Ahluwalia during London Fashion Week February 2023 on February 18, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gonzales/Getty Images)
A guest wearing a long pink black, and white dress with pink roses outside Christopher Kane during London Fashion Week February 2023 on February 19, 2023, in London, England. (Photo by Raimonda Kulikauskiene/Getty Images)
Jourdan Riane wears transparent laced overall jumpsuit outside Julien Macdonald during London Fashion Week February 2023 on February 19, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Christian Vierig/Getty Images)
A guest wears black sunglasses, gold necklaces, a black tulle long sleeves t-shirt, a beige shoulder-off / large jumpsuit, a yellow and gray houndstooth print pattern wool long coat, a red suede fringed handbag, black shiny leather pointed heels shoes , outside Erdem, during London Fashion Week February 2023 on February 19, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)
Coi Leray seen wearing a blue shirt with a dolphin print, grey shades, a grey mini pleated skirt, white socks and white sneakers before the JW Anderson show during London Fashion Week on February 19, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images)
The LFW event we especially have FOMO over is Moncler’s “The Art of Genius” live show. The Italian luxury brand gathered titans of culture under one roof, including Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, Alicia Keys, and fellow brands Mercedes-Benz and Adidas Originals, to present their bold ideas. The event attracted an eclectic mix of famous faces, including Serena Williams, musical couple Tobe and Fat Nwigwe, FKA Twigs, Lewis Hamilton, and many more.
Designer Sheila Bridges reimagines Kamala Harris’ official residence
Black women have an undeniable je ne sais quoi. So, it’s no surprise that the first Black female vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris, tapped Sheila Bridges to design her official residence. Bridges is a renowned interior designer known for her colorful, multi-layered design eye informed by architectural and historical references, as well as her now-famous “Harlem Toile” pattern. Her portfolio includes designs for Bill Clinton’s Harlem office, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, and now, Vice President Harris.
“It’s an incredible honor. The house is an architectural landmark. I love old homes and figuring out how to use them for a family with a modern lifestyle. That is what we did,” Bridges told the Washington Post.
Although we haven’t seen full photos of the home’s interior, Bridges teased that the home reflects Harris’ Californian roots.
“The house needed to reflect her California sensibilities and a more modern aesthetic. Some of the colors come from the landscape; the house has incredible gardens. I wanted it to have a modern feel and lots of interesting details reflecting the vice president’s cultural heritage from India and Africa,” the designer shared.
Shonda Rhimes owns her power with St. John
When Shonda Rhimes posed for her Time magazine cover last year, she wore turtleneck by the luxury brand St. John. In fact, she wore that black sculpted turtleneck so well the brand asked if she would star in its “Own Your Power” campaign, which dropped this week, reports Women’s Wear Daily. Rhimes tells the fashion publication she was happy to accept the offer because she’d been a fan of the brand for years.
“I love that they’re an American company. That they were female founded… And I also love the fact that they are size inclusive. I’ve worn these clothes when I was an 18, and I’ve worn these clothes when I was a 10.”
Puma X LaQuan Smith is here
Luxury fashion designer LaQuan Smith and Puma have at last released the first collection of their partnership, a collaboration initially teased in 2021 during Smith’s New York Fashion Week presentation. A mix of fashion and sports, the luxury athleisure collection features leggings, corsets, dresses, and more. It also features Smith’s reinterpretations of classic Puma shoe silhouettes like the ‘Kosmo Rider’ and ‘RS-X.’ The collection is now available exclusively on footlocker.com and ranges from $60-$120.
Sephora celebrating Black beauty with AFROPUNK
Sephora joins AFROPUNK + Lincoln Center Black HERSTORY Live on Feb 24-25. The makeup conglomerate will participate in the two-day event celebrating “the Black woman’s journey to find her voice” through various mediums. The New York City event includes free virtual panels hosted through Open Fair. On Saturday, February 25th, Sephora founders will contribute to a conversation on turning passion into purpose. Click here for more details.
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