Black in Style: Latto donates $500,000 worth of holiday gifts
This week in style, Rihanna unpacks her viral Super Bowl pregnancy reveal and other 2023 viral fashion moments.
Rapper Latto spread some holiday cheer in her native Georgia this year. For her third annual “Christmas in Clayco” event, the Grammy-nominated star returned to her hometown, Clayton County (which she often refers to as “Clayco”), to donate over $500,000 worth of gifts.
“We are ecstatic to bring back Christmas in Clayton for the third time,” District 1 Commissioner Dr. Alieka Anderson said in a press release. “This event allows us to give back to Clayton County residents and children, just in time for the holidays. Words cannot express how amazing it is to have Latto return to Clayton County to help spread some holiday cheer throughout our community. Her generosity is sincerely appreciated for our children and our community.”
Hosted through her “Win Some Give Some” foundation, Latto collaborated with brands like UGG, Savage x Fenty, Apple, Liquid Death, Wingstop, Wrap Snacks, Halls and Camille Rose among others to give back to the county’s children and families this holiday season. Last year, while handing out gifts during the “Christmas in Clayton” event, Stacey Adams presented Latto with a key to the city.
“I feel like I owe my success to Clayco, so this means so much to me,” Latto told People magazine at the time. “I’m committed to using my platform to create opportunities for the next generation of Clayton County youth.”
The real story behind Rihanna’s Super Bowl pregnancy reveal
Remember when Rihanna shocked the world with both a comeback performance and a pregnancy announcement at the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show? Well, it turns out the bump reveal was the result of a last-minute wardrobe malfunction.
“Here’s the thing, I did what I had to do,” Rihanna recently told Access Hollywood. “My jumper couldn’t zip up. No one knew I was pregnant. I just told my stylist, ‘Make sure it’s stretchy.’”
Designed by Jonathan Anderson of Loewe, Rihanna’s striking red ensemble consisted of three parts: a silk jersey catsuit, a sculpted leather corset, and a cotton canvas flight suit that reportedly could not contain her growing baby bump.
“So the undergarment was stretchy and [the jumpsuit] was baggy, but you know, the zip, it just stopped right there,” she added. “So it had to be what it had to be.”
Though she did not anticipate sharing her pregnancy news that night while performing 60 feet in the air, Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime performance earned her five Emmy nominations.
“It was like an out-of-body experience,” she said, reflecting on the moment. “I’ve heard that before, [but] I felt it for the first time at the Super Bowl. Every rehearsal felt like the Super Bowl, and then the [actual] Super Bowl was like, ‘What is happening?’”
Lil Nas X’s post-holiday Coach collection
Lil Nas X’s upcoming collaboration with Coach is for at least two kinds of people: cat lovers and Rams.
In addition to a Y2K aesthetic, the vibrantly colored and cozy collaboration, dropping December 26, features bags with images of the rapper’s pet cats and a varsity jacket featuring the ram symbol of his zodiac sign, Aries. The collection will also contain some classic Coach bag silhouettes reimagined in Y2K colors and fabrics like fuzzy pink and electric blue, along with ready-to-wear items and shoes.
Via Hypebeast, Coach Creative Director Stuart Vevers explained: “To create the collection, we twisted the Coach archives and were also inspired by Lil Nas X’s connection to music and nightlife. We evolved heritage styles introduced on the runway last season by amplifying color, texture and graphics to create pieces that celebrate our love for individuality and authentic self-expression that we share.”
Kanye West’s interesting real estate plans
Kanye West, also known as Ye, has put one of his many properties on the market. The Wall Street Journal reports the rapper is seeking $53 million for his Malibu mansion. Ye’s listing is unique because the luxury home appeared to have been gutted. In 2021, Ye spent $57.25 million on a beachfront property designed by acclaimed architect Tadao Ando — who also designed Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s Malibu estate. Since then, the rapper reportedly started but never finished renovation in the space, leaving it completely bare. As a result, the home was stripped and left without windows, doors, electrical systems, plumbing and other interior finishes.
According to realtor and “Selling Sunset” star Jason Oppenheim, “It will take several million dollars for the house to be finished.”
Built in 2013, the home’s structure is made out of 1,200 tons of Ando’s signature smooth concrete, 200 tons of steel and 12 pylons driven more than 60 feet into the sand. Although many are shocked by how the home was presented on the listing and Ye’s removal of Ando’s creative vision, Oppenheim says the home’s original finishes would likely have been seen as “dated” by now.
From Lil Durk to Doja Cat to Ciara and more, 2023’s viral fashion moments
Fashion Bomb Daily recently reminded its followers of the time Lil Durk was spotted sporting a pair of crystal-encrusted Louis Vuitton overalls with a matching bucket hat that reportedly set him back a mere $40,000. Funny enough, that’s not the wildest (or even the most expensive) thing to happen this year in fashion.
Viral fashion moments this year kicked off with Doja Cat stealing the show during Couture Fashion Week. She spent over five hours getting bedazzled in more than 30,000 Swarovski crystals by makeup artist Pat McGrath for a head-to-toe Schiaparelli look, then she was bald save for a pair of eyebrows, and later she carried literal grapes as an accessory.
As awards season ramped up, Rihanna made headlines when she arrived fashionably late to the Oscars and proceeded to have two wardrobe changes, each more glorious than the next.
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Ciara arrived at the Vanity Fair after-party in a sheer gown over a thong, which she later had to defend on Instagram. The next morning, Law Roach sent the fashion industry into a tizzy when he announced he was quitting styling.
Rihanna continued her theme of arriving fashionably late at this year’s Met Gala. After Doja Cat dressed as a cat for her Gala debut, the then-pregnant Bad Gal arrived with A$AP Rocky in a decadent, blossom-embellished white gown and hoodie that were well worth the wait.
Over in the land of TikTok, the Tabi shoe thief took over the timeline. For the less aware (or anyone over 25), after buying a pair of highly coveted Tabi shoes, a young Black woman living in New York was the victim of a shoe thief while on a date. Thankfully, after the internet got a hold of the story, she received the shoes back!
The Tabi thief wasn’t the only fashion crime to take center stage. More than 50 styles from Olivier Rousteing’s Balmain Spring/Summer 2024 collection were stolen en route to the show during Paris Fashion Week. He rebounded as his atelier recreated the garments lost and the show went on.
Naomi Campbell also had quite the year in the spotlight, which included a controversial debut with Pretty Little Thing. Another buzzy and viral debut that occurred this year was Pharrell’s successful first outing as creative director of Louis Vuitton menswear.
The fall was rounded out with Usher who had a stylish romp around Paris during fashion week, which included him pulling off a kilt look.
Of his time in Paris, Usher told Women’s Wear Daily, “It’s been a lot of fun. I’ve celebrated, danced, sang, eaten — maybe not got a lot of sleep — but I’ve definitely seen some amazing shows and put on some amazing shows.”
But perhaps the biggest fashion moments of the year came from Beyoncé, who was parading around the world spreading the joy of her “Renaissance” tour. From the custom looks on stage to the silver styles sported by the BeyHive in attendance, the “Renaissance” tour was “the visual!”
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