Black in Style: Diana Ross is the Saint Laurent muse we’ve been waiting for
This week in style, Calvin Klein’s campaign controversy, Tiger Woods and Nike part ways and Joy Sunday's new role.
This week, Diana Ross reminded the world of the true meaning of timeless beauty — and that Black don’t crack. Just months ahead of her 80th birthday, news broke of the queen of Motown’s collaboration with Saint Laurent. This week, the fashion house announced Ross as the face of its upcoming Spring 2024 campaign via Instagram.
A series of posts captures the original diva in black and white wearing a simple, form-fitting black dress. With her signature curls serving as the main accessory, the photo mirrors the glamour and elegance of the singer and the luxury label. Earning praise from fans and stars like Naomi Campbell, Ross joins a long list of Black celebrities to face Saint Laurent campaigns, including Zoë and Lenny Kravitz, Steve Lacy and more.
Tracee Ellis Ross was especially proud of her mother’s Saint Laurent debut. The actress sang her mother’s praises on Instagram, where she wrote, “My mama is fire! Hoping to mature in this direction.”
Tiger Woods and Nike call it quits
After 27 years of working together, Tiger Woods and Nike have gone their separate ways. On Monday, the gold legend announced the end of his partnership with the brand on Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Over 27 years ago, I was fortunate enough to start a partnership with one of the most iconic brands in the world,” he wrote in the statement. “The days since have been filled with so many amazing moments and memories; if I started naming them, I could go on forever.”
Similarly, Nike bid farewell to the long-time partnership with an Instagram post that reads, “It was a hell of a round Tiger.” Following the news, fans began to speculate what brand or brands the golf star might work with next. Though rumors of Woods joining brands like Skechers, Greyson Clothiers and Malbon Golf have emerged, Marc Maurer, CEO of the sneaker brand On Running, shut down the speculations.
“We hope he finds a great new partner,” Maurer said, per CNN. “It’s not going to be us.”
Knowing his followers would ask Woods ended his statement confirming there is more to come.
“People will ask if there is another chapter,” he added at the end of the statement. “Yes, there will certainly be another chapter.”
Joy Sunday is Lancome’s newest global ambassador
Nigerian-American actress Joy Sunday has been named Lancôme’s newest global ambassador.
According to WWD, the breakout star of Netflix’s “Wednesday” will kick off her duties representing makeup and skincare for the L’Oréal-owned brand during her appearance at the Emmys on Monday. Then, Sunday will star in a worldwide campaign launching at the beginning of February.
Sunday told WWD that her initial talks with Lancôme executives were “warm and comfortable.” She recalled appreciating their ethos around building a family, “Because my family is so close to me,” she said.
Sunday said she is also excited about this opportunity because of its potential impact.
“Beauty is something that I’ve always not necessarily had a contentious relationship with, but I had to find. I had to journey towards it, which is something that Lancôme speaks about,” she explained.
She continued, “As a brand ambassador, I want for people’s journey to beauty to be smoother. The key to me finding my beauty was understanding that it came from the inside and that my beauty is not what people see on my face; it’s what they see of my heart. So that’s something that I would love to spread as a global ambassador.”
FKA Twigs speaks out against “double standards” after Calvin Klein ad ban
While a Calvin Klein underwear campaign featuring actor Jeremy Allen White in various states of undress is going viral, another ad by the brand is facing a ban by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The star of the banned ad, British entertainer FKA Twigs, is calling the ASA out for what she sees as “double standards” because the organization stated her ad potentially “presented her as a stereotypical sexual object.”
According to the BBC, the ad features FKA Twigs nude with a denim shirt partially obscuring her body, revealing the side of her breast and thigh with the text, “Calvins or nothing.”
In an Instagram post that includes the banned photo, FKA wrote, “I do not see the ‘stereotypical sexual object’ that they have [labeled] me.”
The singer, who has previously spoken out about surviving intimate partner violence, added, “I see a beautiful, strong woman of [color] whose incredible body has overcome more pain than you can imagine.”
Seemingly referencing Allen’s campaign and Calvin Klein’s legacy of racy campaigns, she continued, “In light of reviewing other campaigns past and current of this nature, I can’t help but feel there are some double standards here.”
She went on to note that she is proud of her body and “hold the art I create with my vessel to the standards of women like Josephine Baker, Eartha Kitt, and Grace Jones, who broke down barriers of what it looks like to be empowered and harness a unique embodied sensuality.”
She closed by thanking the brand and its collaborators on the campaign for the opportunity and declaring, “I will not have my narrative changed.”
In response to the ban, Calvin Klein still stands behind the ad and referenced previous campaigns it ran in the UK.
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“The Color Purple” costume designer Francine Jamison-Tanchuck to receive Costume Designers Guild Career Achievement Award
As the latest onscreen iteration of “The Color Purple” continues to dazzle audiences, the Costume Designers Guild will honor the film’s costume designer, Francine Jamison-Tanchuck. The 26th annual CDGA awards ceremony will be Wednesday, February 21, at NeueHouse in Hollywood, California.
Recognizing “an individual whose career in costume design has left an indelible mark on film and television,” according to a press release, Jamison-Tanchuck will join previous honorees Ruth E. Carter, Sharen Davis and more. With a career spanning 50 years and more than 60 films — including the Oscar-winning epic “Glory,” “Boomerang,” “White Men Can’t Jump,” “Detroit,” “Birth of a Nation,” “Emancipation” and more recently, the Oscar-nominated “One Night in Miami,” “They Cloned Tyrone,” the upcoming film adaptation of “The Piano Lesson,” as well as beloved HBO series “The Wire,” Jamison-Tanchuck’s craft has been enjoyed by audiences worldwide and even sparked fashion trends.
Speaking on the ethos that has fueled her decades-long career, Jamison-Tanchuck said, “Try not to allow someone’s negative thoughts or comments keep you from moving forward creatively. You can be nervous, but don’t be afraid to risk taking the first steps even if you can’t completely see the staircase!”
Iconic moments in Black style get a nod in the CFDA and Sotheby’s “Defining American Style” auction
What defines American style? That’s the question posed by the Council of Fashion Designers (CFDA) as it partners with Sotheby’s on a multifaceted event and auction titled “Visions of America,” with designer and CFDA Chairman Thom Browne as curatorial partner. Adding a fashion component to the multimedia exhibition, the online sale, “CFDA: Defining American Style,” will feature 37 looks, several created or worn by some of fashion’s greatest Black designers and trendsetters, and span more than five decades.
“We wanted to make sure to cover a range of American fashion, not just the contemporary or not just the movie or celebrity; we wanted to represent different designers, both current and past,” Cynthia Houlton, SVP, Global Head of fashion and accessories at Sotheby’s, told Vogue.
In addition to designers Carly Cushnie, the late Patrick Kelly, Public School and Stephen Burrows are looks worn by Erykah Badu, H.E.R., and Winnie Harlow, giving a distinct star quality to the January 23 auction, from which all proceeds will benefit the CFDA Foundation. As explained by Houlton, the selected pieces are “part of fashion culture … When you think of those moments that people really remember, those are often the periods where people really have an association with the piece.”
Caleb McLaughlin shows he’s all grown up for Cosmo
Caleb McLaughlin may have been 14 years old when Netflix’s breakout hit series “Stranger Things” premiered, but as it reaches its final season, he wants the world to know he is all grown up now.
The 22-year-old actor is opening up about maturing, taking on his first adult role in the upcoming film “The Book of Clarence” and his evolving love life as Cosmopolitan magazine’s latest centerfold.
When it comes to love, McLaughlin, who admits he’s never had a girlfriend before, said he’s looking for adventure.
“I’m more of an adventurous type of person,” he explained. “If it’s like 2:00 in the morning, I’m the type of person to be like, ‘Hey, you want to go in the woods and jump in the lake?’ I’ll do stuff like that, you know.”
He also conceded that dating can be a challenge with his demanding schedule. Trying to balance being attentive to someone else and also staying on top of his responsibilities and obligations, he said, “It’s a lot.”
He continued, “I think if the right person sparks my interest, I would find the time.”
Expressing his excitement about Cosmo tapping him to be a centerfold, he said, “It’s great that Cosmo is on the same page and understands that, ‘No, he’s not a kid anymore. He’s an adult.’”
Bebe x Ciara coming in Fall 2024
Though the year just started, Bebe is giving shoppers something to look forward to in the fall. This week, the brand announced a collaboration with Ciara, scheduled to launch in time for the 2024 fall/holiday season. The Bebe x Ciara capsule collection will reportedly feature dresses, denim, jumpsuits, activewear and more that combine the singer’s tomboy-chic style and the brand’s sexy, glamorous aesthetic.
“Growing up, the Bebe brand was iconic,” said Ciara in a press release. “My vision as creative director is to mix my own personal style elements of girl-next-door with tomboy, glam and edge with a nod to the ’90s. I want this collection to allow women to style it their way and feel confident on their terms.”
Details are not finalized, but WWD reports the collection’s prices are expected to range between $89 and $250.
NYFW drops a preliminary schedule for Fall-Winter 2024
As many of us hunker down in the thick of winter, the Fall-Winter 2024 collections are preparing to strut the runways of New York Fashion Week Feb. 9 – 14. This week, the CFDA released a preliminary schedule of the labels presenting this season with the following Black designers on its slate. In order of appearance:
February 11: Agbobly, Theophilio
February 12: Diotima, Sergio Hudson, LaQuan Smith
February 13: anOnlyChild, Bishme Cromartie (by appointment), Kevan Hall, House of Aama
February 14: Frederick Anderson
The NYFW Fall-Winter 2024 itinerary is still in development; follow updates on the official CFDA Fashion Calendar.
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