theGrio Style Guide: Lori Harvey reunites with PrettyLittleThing, Mielle Organics’ wins big with the WNBA
In this week’s Style Guide, Chanel Iman bumps down the runway, CB2 introduces its Black Design Collective, and more.
Suns out, buns out!
As we reach the peak of the Summer season, Lori Harvey and PrettyLittleThing (PLT) are teaming up to offer up options for your next vacation and/or pool day. To celebrate Harvey’s reunion with the brand and her new role as a brand ambassador, the collaborators released a swimwear edit. Featuring an array of bikinis and sexy one-pieces, Harvey modeled the collection in a photo campaign that left fans wondering if the body was sold separately.
“I’m so excited to be joining the PLT family again! Returning as a collaborator to launch this sexy and fun swimwear edit truly feels like a full-circle moment,” said Harvey, per Women’s Wear Daily. “If you know me, you know self-care, in my opinion, is the highest form of self-love. Whether it’s going for a swim, reflecting in my journal by a pool, or traveling to new parts of the world, this is how I get inspired and gain confidence. Swimsuits represent body positivity. My goal with this edit is for everyone to feel sexy and confident while wearing these pieces.”
The swim collection is only the beginning the brand reportedly has plans to release a co-designed collab with Harvey in the future. In the meantime, the entrepreneur’s swimwear collection comes in a range of sizes (0-12) and is available now on prettylittlething.com.
While news of Harvey rejoining PLT has mostly landed well, Naomi Campbell, who just welcomed her second child, faced backlash from fans on social media over her upcoming collaboration with the brand.
It all started after PLT teased the collaboration in a recent promotional video featuring an empty director’s chair on a photoshoot set with the words: “PrettyLittleThing designed by Naomi Campbell coming soon.”
Fans were quick to call Campbell out and express their disappointment for working with a fast-fashion brand that has been on the hot seat for exploitative practices and poor quality, and perpetuating a business model unsafe for the environment.
“Naomi Campbell let me down big time with her PLT collab,” one user said on Twitter. “[I am] so disappointed that she would think it’s a good idea to work with a company who: 1) doesn’t pay their workers a fair wage; 2) uses harmful [chemicals] in the production of their garments; 3) exploits black talent.”
Mielle Organics makes sports history
This week, Mielle Organics became the first texture-focused hair-care brand to partner with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). The natural hair-care brand will join the league as a marketing partner and an associate WNBA Live partner.
“We’re excited to partner with the WNBA to celebrate the best women’s basketball talent in the world,” Mielle President Omar Goff said in a press release. “Mielle was founded by queen Monique Rodriguez and is committed to ensuring the queens on the court have superior products to confidently embrace their natural hair beauty. Mielle was built on the foundation of providing high-quality, natural products for textured hair. The WNBA partnership enables Mielle to empower players through exceptional hair care.”
As a partner of WNBA Live, the league’s two-day fan festival leading up to the 2023 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game, Mielle will have an on-site activation where fans can try the brand’s latest products and meet some of their favorite WNBA players. Similarly, as a marketing partner, Mielle will participate in cross-promotional marketing that will be featured across the WNBA’s various platforms.
“When it comes to embracing beautiful, naturally textured hair,” Mielle Organics wrote in an Instagram caption. “We don’t play!”
CB2 introduces its Black Design Collective
There’s a new source for Black-designed interior decor and furniture.
This week, the contemporary home-decor brand CB2 announced its newest design collaboration, the Black Design Collective. The collection spans furniture items and home accessories designed by ten different new and up-and-coming Black artists and designers from around the world, the company said in a press release. Items up for grabs include sleek wool sofas, sculptural leather chairs, ebonized oak wood coffee tables, pendant lights and a black clay bust of a Kenyan Freedom Rider, among others.
As part of the program, the cohort of designers received mentorship from another Black designer, Evan Jerry of Studio Anansi in London.
SEPHORiA is BACK!
Returning for its fifth year, Sephora announced the 2023 SEPHORiA: House of Beauty. From September 29th to September 30th, the beauty retailer will host a hybrid rendition of its annual event. The in-person event will feature creative product installations in New York City. Meanwhile, virtual attendees will participate in an immersive 3D gaming-like platform that will allow them to customize an avatar and opportunities to win Beauty Insider points through games.
“While we’re grateful for the return to an in-person experience, we also recognize the importance of making these events inclusive and broadly accessible to our global beauty community and will do so with free virtual components that are equally enriching,” Jessica Stacey, SVP of External Communications, Event & Experiential Marketing at Sephora, said in a press release.
“We can’t wait to debut our biggest event endeavor yet and deliver on an unforgettable beauty experience in partnership with many of the world’s best brands.”
As one of the retailer’s largest annual events, the SEPHORiA showcases Sephora’s latest trends and products with exclusive content from brands like Danessa Myricks, Pat McGrath Labs, and more. Tickets for the in-person SEPHORiA experience come with a swag bag of full-sized beauty products and are available in two tiers: Silver Key for $99 per session and Gold Key for $349 per session (with an expected price increase on August 4th). Virtual guests can register for free and have the option to purchase a “Virtual Key Swag” for $65 ($300+ value) with a selection of travel-sized products from participating brands.
For more details, visit www.sephoria2023.com .
Puma taps young stars for its second Forever.Classic campaign
This fall, Puma is back with its second Forever.Classic campaign. According to the brand, this collection is “bringing together those who are pushing culture forward by engaging creatives from different walks of life — from actors to content creators to athletes and musicians — to tell their stories of how they found ‘their way.’”
Like the first edition launched in February, the second iteration features Caleb McLaughlin, Zaya Wade, Iris Apatow and Angus Cloud. The Spring 2023 campaign stars reunite throughout the campaign to model classic Puma silhouettes.
“This next season of the Puma Forever.Classic campaign showcases the classics we all love and new styles that are essential for a fall wardrobe refresh,” Wade said, per WWD. “This fall, my back-to-school style will showcase my individuality and confidence, paired with my favorite Puma’s, of course.”
Shop the forever classic shoes at Puma.com.
Converse x GOLF le FLEUR returns with a new collaboration
In need of some new kicks? Converse and Tyler the Creator are returning with an all-new Converse x GOLF le FLEUR collaboration.
The collaboration, which includes four editions of Converse x GOLF le FLEUR Digitial Leopard Chuck 70, draws on Tyler’s passion for exotic prints and whimsical style, according to a release. The shoes come in four different colors — beige, blue, green and pink — and feature a co-branded sock liner. Each frame also features a custom outsole featuring “le FLEUR*” on the left foot and a silhouette of a bellhop on the right foot — a reference to Tyler’s iconic bellboy ensemble.
The GLF Leopard will be available in a limited global release at Converse.com and GOLF le FLEUR* starting Thursday.
Chanel Iman bumps down the runway at Miami Swim Week
You can add Chanel Iman to the list of models to grace the catwalk proudly sporting her baby bump. The model appeared in Cupshe’s presentation at Miami Swim Week, documenting the event on social media.
“Miami Swim Week with my baby girl 🤰🏽👼🏽 🎀,” she captioned a post on Instagram.
Iman, already a mother to two daughters, announced she was pregnant with her first child with New England Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux in May. Since then, the couple has gotten engaged and continues to express their excitement.
“Our family is growing, and we are so excited to meet our new little one 👼🏽,” Iman captioned a post announcing her pregnancy in May.
John Legend’s skincare line Loved01 highlights an overlooked testing trend
John Legend has officially dropped the affordable unisex skincare line Loved01, and it’s receiving rave reviews and shedding light on a little-known racist fact about how cosmetic products are tested.
While promoting the line, Legend appeared on beauty vlogger Jackie Aina’s YouTube channel, where he said, “The FDA doesn’t even make you test on darker skin tones.”
Legend discovered this testing trend has led to a sheer amount of mainstream products that are unhealthy for darker skin tones. Incorporating this research, Legend and his team committed to intentionally creating products with Black and brown skin in mind. Not to mention, the products reportedly actually do what they say they will.
“This launch stands out to me because of its accessibility, affordability, and pledge to give people of color a line of products made with safe and impactful ingredients that aren’t exorbitantly priced, which is a rarity in the world of celebrity product launches,” Bianca Lambert wrote in her review of the six-item collection that includes a face and body wash, an exfoliating cleanser, a face and body oil, toning mist, and shaving cream all under $15.
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