Black in Style: A piece of Michael Jackson’s history is going up for auction
This week in style, Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson team up to revamp Reebok, Ruth E. Carter in the Wright Museum, and more.
Prepare to moonwalk down memory lane as one of Michael Jackson’s iconic looks returns to center stage in an upcoming auction.
On November 10, the black-and-white leather jacket that Jackson donned in the 1984 Pepsi commercial will hit the auction block in London.
For those who may not remember, the piece being sold was seen in the first of a series of commercials the entertainment legend filmed with the soda company. However, this piece is not to be confused with the jacket worn in the memorable moment when Jackson’s hair caught on fire during a filming malfunction. According to the BBC, the star’s 1984 vintage jacket is listed by costume and prop vendor Propstore at a pricepoint between $245,000 and $485,480 (based on approximated conversions from British pounds to U.S. dollars).
“For many of these exclusive lots, it is the first time they have been offered for sale to the public,” Mark Hochman, Director of Music and Posters at Propstore, told BBC while sharing his prediction of “highly competitive” bidding.
NBA legends Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson join the Reebok Team
Reebok is taping back into its sports legacy with the help of two NBA legends. This week, the brand welcomed Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson into the business as president and vice president of basketball, respectively.
“[Allen Iverson] is a founding father of Reebok Basketball and has left a lasting impact on the game and its surrounding culture,” O’Neal told Women’s Wear Daily. “There is no one I’d rather work with to bring in a new generation of ballers to Reebok than him. Shaq and AI back at it — feels good.”
Leading up to his rookie season in the NBA, O’Neal signed his first endorsement deal with Reebok, which led to the creation of the “Shaq Attaq” sneaker. Iverson signed a contract with the brand in 1996. At the time, these two major endorsements paved the way for the brand in the basketball world. However, under the ownership of Adidas, Reebok lost its connection to the sports world. Now, the brand is gearing up to reconnect with professional sports and hopes to reach $10 billion in sales by 2027.
As Reebok’s president of basketball, O’Neal will lead the brand’s new partnerships with athletes at the professional, collegiate and high school levels. As O’Neal scouts rising talent to join the brand, Iverson will assist with recruitment and focus on community-based initiatives.
“Looking back on my career with Reebok and in basketball, this appointment means everything to me,” O’Neal added. “It’s a reminder of where I’ve come from and what I’ve built. I’m just motivated to make an impact and bring the brand back to the place it belongs in basketball.”
‘Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design’ opens at Detroit’s Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
Dresses evoking the 1800s worn in the film “Amistad,” the infamous platform goldfish shoes worn by Fly Guy in “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka,” T’Challa’s helmet from “Black Panther” — all tell a story about Black fashion’s past, present and future.
“Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design,” recently installed at Detroit’s Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, highlights the carefully crafted Afrofuturist fashion continuum created by Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter. In addition to the above-mentioned items, the traveling exhibition includes pieces from several of Carter’s biggest projects, including costume pieces from “Do the Right Thing,” “Selma,” “Dolemite Is My Name,” and more.
“There’s many forms of Afrofuture that I have experienced in my journey as a costume designer that I can say prepared me, for each one of [these projects], to think ahead and to think outside the box,” Carter told the Detroit Free Press about the exhibition.
Pat McGrath reaches new innovative heights with Google
Pat McGrath is teaming up with Google to host a technology-driven pop-up shop. “The Art of Beauty” is a three-day pop-up event that will give attendees a unique opportunity to explore the brand using Google’s augmented reality (AR) technology.
“We felt it was time for something more interactive and to play a little bit more in tech,” said McGrath, per WWD. “I love to connect with my customers and the people who love the brand, but to push technology in beauty is new and exciting for us to do.”
Designed to increase brand awareness and loyalty, the pop-up will also host giveaways, makeup sessions, and opportunities to test various products. According to Google’s senior director of commerce marketing, Stephanie Horton, the collaboration with Pat McGrath “celebrates the integration of innovation” and is part of Google’s effort to simplify online beauty shopping.
“Google’s AR lets people live their makeup fantasy right from their phones,” McGrath added. “It pushes you and introduces you to color in such an easy way, and it helps you to play with color with no fear. You can try on daring colors, and it will help you and introduce you to makeup.”
“The Art of Beauty” pop-up will take place in New York City from Oct. 20 through Oct. 22. Visit the collaboration’s webpage for more details.
Seamlessly sexy in Savage X Fenty
This week, Savage X Fenty introduced its new, next-to-naked seamless collection. Designed for everyday wear, the line boasts all-day comfort and stretch.
According to a press release shared with theGrio, “Rihanna wanted to design an incredibly comfortable Seamless collection that was smooth against the body with a buttery soft feel — all while hugging you in all the right places.”
The collection consists of bralettes, high-waisted underwear, and bodysuits in a range of colors. Like all Savage X Fenty collections, the Seamless capsule’s sizing ranges from XS to 4X.
Shop the collection now in-store and online at www.SavageX.com
The Atlanta Fashion & Polo Classic celebrates a star-studded 6th year
It would seem the place to be last weekend was at the Atlanta Fashion & Polo Classic.
The star-studded, weekend-long event featured a welcome party at the Starling Hotel, multiple polo events, a fashion show, performances by R&B singers Q Parker and Lil G, and a rooftop soiree, according to a news release. The guest list included Young Jeezy, former Real Housewife of Atlanta Cynthia Bailey, TV personalities Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson, actress Demetria McKinney, actor Lamman Rucker, actress Cocoa Brown and Pastor Jamal Bryant.
The event, which benefits the Ride to the Olympics Foundation, was created by menswear designer Miguel Wilson and sponsored by Bentley Atlanta and The Corbett Group.
“This year was the best year we’ve had by far,” Wilson said. “We put a lot of work into this event every year, so to see the turnout, and the response blows me away each and every time. One of the things that I am most proud of with the Atlanta Fashion & Polo Classic is that we work hard to give one of the most unique and luxurious experiences centered around fashion and polo. We also pride ourselves in treating each ticketholder like they’re a VIP.”
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