theGrio Style Guide: Savannah James holds court, Dior’s new face, and how to bag a Basquiat
In this week’s Style Guide, Elaine Welteroth empowers mothers to say “no,” Thirteen Lune opens a flagship, and Pharrell Williams’ Humanrace wins environmental cred.
Savannah James isn’t a regular mom; she’s a “cool mom.”
In a rare interview, the wife of LeBron James, with whom she shares three children, opened up about wifehood, motherhood, and womanhood in conversation with Sylvia Obell for The Cut.
In the profile, James gets candid about rejecting celebrity, prioritizing a strong family unit, and what life has been like as the high school sweetheart-turned-wife of one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA. She also shares a sense of pride in being considered a cool mom by her children.
The conversation coincides with the Jameses’ 10th wedding anniversary. Savannah reflects on celebrating the milestone, the couple’s 22 years together, and her hopes for the next decade.
“I hope I’m still supporting my kids to the highest level of whatever it is that they’re doing,” she said. “Chilling, being an amazing wife, traveling with my husband. Hopefully, he’s retired by then. Enjoying the world and places and things that I haven’t experienced yet. I hope for myself that my businesses are booming and bringing light and use to people who find it interesting to them or of service to them. And still aging like wine.”
Mothers are on our minds this week in Black style. In this week’s Style Guide, we explore how writer and fashion editor Elaine Welteroth is empowering moms to say “no,” celebrate May’s Black magazine covers, check out the newest Basquiat-inspired bag collection, and more.
Elaine Welteroth and Pure Leaf want moms to just say “no”
It’s no secret mothers are superheroes. But this year, NY Times bestselling author, journalist, and mother Elaine Welteroth and Pure Leaf iced tea are urging mothers to reject the pressure of “doing it all” and prioritize what matters most. With the $400,000 “no” grant program, Welteroth hopes to empower mothers who feel like they can’t afford to say “no.”
“Society puts so much pressure on moms to do it all, while not providing enough information or access to support them through the crazy journey of motherhood,” said Welteroth in a press release. “I’m grateful to partner with [Pure Leaf] to give moms actual, tangible resources to help support them with the ‘No’ Grants Program, because we recognize you can’t just tell moms to do less or to say no to doing it all. I hope this program will help more moms show up for themselves by giving them an opportunity to get extra financial resources and determine how to free up their time in a way that makes sense for them.”
Since launching in 2022, the initiative has doubled its commitment and added Welteroth to shed light on the unrealistic expectations placed on mothers. Interested applicants can apply at www.pureleaf.com/NoGrants. Additionally, applicants will receive access to a self-guided resource and online community called “No is Beautiful,” which celebrates mothers prioritizing themselves and their well-being.
Thirteen Lune opens a brick-and-mortar location in Los Angeles
(Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for TheRetaility.com)
Beauty entrepreneur Nyakio Grieco and 11 Honoré CEO Patrick Herning founded Thirteen Lune to amplify Black and brown-owned beauty brands. Now, their mission is en route to be maximized with the opening of the brand’s first brick-and-mortar location in Los Angeles, Calif. on Friday.
While there are technically 600 shop-within-a-shop locations for Thirteen Lune in JCPenney stores across the country, according to Fashionista.com, the new standalone location will enable Grieco to bring even more Black and brown brands to the in-store experience.
“I really feel like we manifested it,” Grieco told the outlet. “This is a brand born [in L.A.’s Larchmont Village neighborhood], and the support of this community has been a part of the process of developing a brand.”
Pharrell Williams’ Humanrace skincare is verified safe for the environment
Pharrell Williams’ skincare brand Humanrace is good for the skin and our environment.
According to a release to theGrio, Humanrace has just been given the seal of approval from the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Williams’ brand is now officially considered EWG Verified, meaning, after passing rigorous testing, Humanrace has been found “free from chemicals of concern and meet the strictest standards for transparency.”
“We’re humbled for Humanrace to be recognized by EWG Verified as we continue the work to leave any category that we enter better than we found it,” Williams said in the release.
Basquiat has a brand new bag
Ever wished you could carry a Basquiat on your arm?
Homage Year has launched a new limited-edition collection of bags in collaboration with the estate of late artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. The collection, available now, includes three different sizes of bags featuring imagery by Basquiat, ranging in price from $200 to $350.
According to Complex, the collection continues an ongoing partnership between Black Fashion Fair and the estate established in 2022, which has, to date, enabled ten Black designers “unprecedented access” to the artist’s “King Pleasure” exhibition.
Homage Year founder Antoine Manning said the collaboration continues the brand’s mission of “immortalizing those who have come before us.”
Victoria’s Secret is reimagining its annual fashion show
The once-annual Victoria’s Secret show has been in our rearview for the past several years — as have the elaborately costumed supermodels and viral performances by big names in music that once made for must-see TV.
Per Vogue, the legendary (and, at times, controversial) intimate apparel brand is now opting to take consumers behind the scenes of the production of its upcoming collection. A documentary titled “Victoria’s Secret World Tour” will follow a cast of international creators working in four different cities across the globe — and yes, reportedly, there may still be wings.
“There’s no need to explain ourselves anymore,” Raul Martinez, EVP and head creative director of Victoria’s Secret, told Vogue. “We’ve evolved, and we’ve moved on, but it’s not that we’re leaving anything behind.”
Moët & Chandon partners with streetwear designer Just Don for a collaborative project
Moët & Chandon has partnered with streetwear designer Don C, also known as “Just Don,” to harness the heritage of the legacy brand and the energy and culture of the NBA, for which Moët & Chandon is the official champagne. Don C, the former manager of Kanye West turned creative strategy and design adviser to the NBA, previously partnered with Moët & Chandon for its Nectar of Culture Campaign in 2019. He also contributed to the 2021 NBA Greatness Under Pressure campaign, making him a cultural connector in his own right.
“Collaborations like this are what will keep this intersection of cultures at the forefront of people’s minds, and I am excited to bring together two worlds that mean so much to me personally,” said Don C, per WWD.
The Moët & Chandon and NBA collection by Just Don features a revamped version of the Impérial Brut and Nectar Impérial Rosé bottles, along with a hoodie. Drawing inspiration from basketball by infusing a contemporary, basketball-focused twist into the designs, the creative collaborator says the collection is “driven by the underlying story behind the design.”
Learn more about the collection here.
Dior Beauty has a new face
Dior Beauty has announced “Stranger Things” star Caleb McLaughlin as its newest U.S. ambassador for the La Collection Privée fragrance collection. As reported by WWD, McLaughlin will “partner with the brand, celebrating the iconic heritage of Dior and supporting Dior Beauty in the fragrance category.”
Dior’s choice of ambassador reflects the brand’s strategy to appeal to younger consumers. Alongside his acting talent, Dior also highlights McLaughlin’s dedication to philanthropy as a factor in their selection. At 21, he has already “developed his own nonprofit foundation, Toa Foundation Inc. (meaning ‘evolve’ in Swahili) that supports personal and mental development globally via performing arts and financial literacy. He is also an active member of the Jr. NBA Leadership Council, the official youth basketball participation program of the NBA, which works to support and improve the youth basketball experience for young players across the country.”
As we await the final season of “Stranger Things,” currently delayed by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike, fans of the show can expect to see McLaughlin in upcoming Dior campaigns.
Black Girl Sunscreen joins Disney’s launch of “The Little Mermaid”
Black Girl Sunscreen continues to make waves in the skincare industry with an exciting and historic collaboration. In honor of the upcoming release of Disney’s live adaption of “The Little Mermaid,” starring Halle Bailey, the inclusive suncare brand has joined forces with Disney for a limited-edition collection.
Made with a splash of magic, the special collection includes two renditions of the brand’s signature SPF 30 sunscreen and its “Make it Matte” SPF 45, with whimsical packaging inspired by the film. As the first Black-owned suncare brand to collaborate with Disney, the partnership is exceptional; it not only honors the first Black “Little Mermaid” but furthers the much-needed conversation of diversity and inclusion within the suncare category.
This summer, have fun under the sea with these products exclusively available at Ulta Beauty!
Black magazine covers heat up spring
May isn’t even half over, but a wave of early summer magazine covers featuring Black beauty are already sizzling.
Quinta Brunson covers InStyle’s Next and New issue, where she gets candid about her style evolution as a petite woman with curves. In the interview, Brunson shares her difficulties working with stylists before meeting her current style maker, Bryon Javar. The biggest challenge? Many other stylists tried to dress her younger than she wanted to look.
“Not only am I 4-foot-11, [but] I’m 4-foot-11 with breasts and a butt,” said Brunson. “And that’s just the cardinal sin: to be short and have the nerve to have any type of curve.”
Elsewhere, Venus Williams is on the cover of Paper magazine, discussing her efforts to preserve Nina Simone’s childhood home with artist Adam Pendleton, Halle Bailey continues an epic month by covering Vogue Arabia, and Ice Spice is sitting pretty for Billboard. Take a look at each in the gallery below.
(Photo credit: Rosaline Shahnavaz for InStyle)
(Photo credit: Kenny Germé for Paper)
(Photo credit: The Morelli Brothers for Vogue Arabia)
(Photo credit: Christian Cody for Billboard)
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