It wasn’t all a luxury affair when fashion chose to meet its modern forces. In reality, this meant simple, fairly traditional clothes, done well. Any collection American-related would be missing a trick if it wasn’t a little focused on athleisurewear. Fortunately, NICCE wouldn’t make such a mistake – the brand’s Spring/Summer 2020 collection pays homage to the laid-back ease of Los Angeles in the 90’s. Best of all, a super-tactile, utility number with a functional texture is the kind of thing you would want to wear every day. Silhouettes are slouchy and unfussy, with baggy shorts and soft-shouldered jumpers playing key roles. There was a kind of understated beauty to low-key bucket hats in intelligently chosen fabrics and classic jackets that were tweaked just a touch and cropped. This season imbues hints of the utility trend, showcased through gradient tones. Colours mirror iconic NICCE jersey staples, offering newness across wardrobe essentials for upcoming months. Creating the perfect base for festival season, the Kurt-Cobain-esque stripe tees serve-up in nostalgia. This was a collection low on concept and all the better for it; there’s a great deal to love here, which certainly isn’t something you can say at every street brand.
The collaborative collection, designed by West and the YEEZY team (helmed by Design Director Mowalola Ogunlesi), will include womenswear, menswear and children’s clothes at accessible price points.
The controversial rapper has long expressed desire to work with Gap.
In a 2013 radio interview with 99.7 NOW!, West said he approached the brand but “couldn’t get past the politics.” Then in 2015, he told Style.com (now Vogue.com) that he would “like to be the Steve Jobs of the Gap” and take “full Hedi Slimane creative control” of it.
“We are excited to welcome Kanye back to the Gap family as a creative visionary, building on the aesthetic and success of his YEEZY brand and together defining a next-level retail partnership,” Gap Brand Global Head Mark Breitbard said in a statement.Kanye West’s YEEZY x Gap collection will release in 2021 at the Gap website and Gap stores.
After announcing the program over the past year, Adobe has finally released the Photoshop Camera app. The application allows one to apply a plethora of filters for free.
Photoshop Camera is available for iOS and Android users; it encompasses AI-powered features to improve photos. You can take advantage of quick fixes like auto-tone and portrait control with a single tap or finger-swipe. Filters and effects are just as easy, and you can choose from more than 80 custom filters, saving your favourites to use them regularly. After snapping a picture, Photoshop Camera will suggest effects to apply to ensure the most visually catching result. Then, you can export photos to your computer in the .PSD file format, allowing you to edit in the full version of Photoshop.
Luxury conglomerate Kering has just added three new members to its board of directors, announcing thatactress Emma Watson, businessman Tidjane Thiam and entrepreneur Jean Liu have joined the French Company. “The collective intelligence that comes from diverse points of view and the richness of different experiences are crucial to the future of our organization. I am proud to add such impressive talents to the team,” said Kering CEO and chairman François-Henri Pinault in a statement.
Emma Watson will serve as Chair of the Sustainability Committee, following years of advocacy on environmental and social justice issues. The actress has been a UN WOMEN Global Goodwill Ambassador since 2014 and has previously been featured in Vogue Australia as a sustainability guest editor.
Tidjane Thiam has been appointed as Chair of the Audit Committee, coming from his previous position as CEO of the Credit Suisse Group AG. Thiam also serves as the African Union Special Evoy on COVID-19, and is a member of the International Olympic Committee.
Jean Liu is the president of Beijing-based transportation company Didi Chuxing and has been at the forefront of empowering women in tech through her DiDi Women’s Network. Additionally, she is a founding member of the advisory board of the Bloomberg New Economy Forum, and also serves as a member of the Asia Society’s Board of Trustees.
Kering has been donating around $1 million USD to combat the spread of coronavirus and has reported a 15.4% decrease in revenue in Q1 due to the widespread pandemic.
Update – June 2020 Back in March, Coachella Festival announced that it would postpone its festival until October of this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, after much deliberation, Coachella has formally been cancelled.
According to Billboard, the festival’s allied company, Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), has been financially struggling amid the health crisis. It has had to lay off 15 percent of its employees and has furloughed an additional 100. In addition to that, it has had to issue pay cuts between 20 and 50 percent. “Every employee worldwide will be impacted in one form or another. It is an agonizing decision, but sadly, a necessary one,” AEG’s CEO Dan Beckerman stated in an internal employee memo.
Coachella hopes to return next April; however, AEG predicts the festival might have to be delayed until October 2021 if it aims to have a full-capacity event. For those who have purchased tickets for this year’s event, refunds are currently being placed on hold until AEG confirms the details of next year’s gathering.
Sportswear giant Adidas has recently issued a statement following last week’s protest due to the organisation’s complacency on racism. Along with the message, the sportswear brand has vowed to immediately implement three steps of action, including a $20 million investment in Black communities, university scholarship for black employees, and focusing on a “more inclusive” hiring.
Adidas’ investment in BAME communities includes a $20 million pledge in the United States over four years. The money will go to in the adidas School for Experiential Education in Design; and Honouring Black Excellence, a program honouring and supporting the Black community through sport initiatives such as Adidas Legacy, a basketball platform for underserved communities; the adidas School for Experiential Education in Design; and Honouring Black Excellence, a program honouring and supporting the Black community through sport.
Over a five-year, Adidas will finance 50 scholarships each year for Black students at partner schools. The company has also pledged to increase the number of Black employees. According to the memo, 30 percent of new positions at Adidas and Reebok in the US will be filled with Black and Latinx individuals.
“The events of the past two weeks have caused all of us to reflect on what we can do to confront the cultural and systemic forces that sustain racism. We have had to look inward to ourselves as individuals and our organization and reflect on systems that disadvantage and silence Black individuals and communities”, said adidas CEO Kasper Rorsted. “While we have talked about the importance of inclusion, we must do more to create an environment in which all of our employees feel safe, heard and have equal opportunity to advance their careers. As adidas, we will create a lasting change and we will do it now.”
“We recognize the immense contribution of the Black community to our success and that of others. We promise to improve our company culture to ensure equity, diversity and opportunity. We understand that the fight against racism is one that must be fought continually and actively. We must and will do better” the company concluded.
After Apple’s Chief Executive Officer announcement in April, the Apple Card is now set to add interest-free instalment payments for more of its products. Ever since last year, holders for the credit card created by Apple and issued by Goldman Sachs have been able to purchase iPhone models with 24 months of no interest.
Apple is now allowing customers to buy Macs, iPads and more through monthly instalments via the Apple Card. The tech company has allegedly announced it will offer 12-month interest-free payment for Macs, iPads, iPad keyboards and display monitors, alongside with similar six-month plans for AirPods, Apple TV and HomePods.
Payments can be made via the Apple Card section in the iPhone wallet app with payments added to monthly Apple Card bills. It is also important to note payment plans are compatible with Apple’s education discounts. Aside from boosting sales of Apple products, the plan will also help promote the enrolment for the Apple Card.
Back in April, London Fashion Week announced it would become a virtual event in light of the global pandemic. The British Fashion Council has released more details about what to expect when it launches this weekend.
From Friday, the London Fashion Week website will relaunch as a ‘digital platform’, aimed at both industry figures and consumers. The BFC have invited designers, brands, media companies, retailers, and other creatives to submit content for inclusion on the platform, which will be free for members of the public to access.
Over the last three months, designers have had their ability to produce collections severely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, which has forced most factories into temporary closure and abruptly halted the fashion industry’s supply chain. As a result, in lieu of traditional shows to unveil new seasonal collections, brands will showcase a variety of digital content formats.
Designers including Marques’Almeida and Robyn Lynch are showcasing smaller capsule collections, while others are opting out of showing clothes entirely: Bianca Saunders will be hosting a panel discussion with SHOWSTUDIO, while designers including RAEBURN and Daniel W. Fletcher are contributing ‘conversations’ instead of presenting collections. The platform will also host podcasts and playlists created by a host of creatives and brands: ART SCHOOL, Ahluwalia, and the retailer Browns are among those who have contributed.
While the line-up is dominated by emerging brands, notably absent from the schedule are most of London’s internationally recognisable names. Burberry, which typically shows its collections in London during February and September, has not participated. Other absentees include Britain’s most successful independent designers: Martine Rose, Wales Bonner, and A-COLD-WALL* are currently opting out, as is Craig Green, who moved his runway shows to Paris in January this year.
The virtual event runs from June 12-14 at London Fashion Week’s website, where the full schedule will be available soon.
Streetwear Giant Palace joins the burgeoning list of brands and institutions donating o the black community, announcing a $1 million pledge to Black Lives Matter and the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust. The streetwear brand made the announcement on June 8, while sharing an anti-racism video on its Instagram page.
News of the pledge comes as fellow brands Nike and Jordan, for instance, recently unfolded donations of $40 million and $100 million, respectively, following the atrocious killing of Minnesota-hailed George Floyd.
“Palace stand firmly with all protesters seeking justice against police brutality and racism,” the company said in a statement. “Looking at a long-term commitment, we pledge to donate 1 million dollars in 2020, starting with the Black Lives Matter and Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust.”
Palace added on Instagram, “this ain’t some band wagon shit btw. It just took a hot minute to figure out. if I could drum up a mill by the end of the year. and work out what we’re going to do long-term.”
To all who have expressed outrage, disgust, anxiety, empathy, or bewilderment at how this crisis in social justice can be our reality in 2020, I ask you to take some time and call a friend, colleague, a mixed race relative—someone who is black or looks black—and have a real conversation with them.
During this conversation, ask them what it is like for them day to day as a citizen in American society, what their experiences have been as it pertains to racism.
This is not likely to be a five-minute conversation. But if you really care to understand, if you really want to fix this problem, if you really want the protests to bring sweeping change, if you really want to make a change in society for the better, you need to start with an understanding of what it is like to be black in America.
Racism in America permeates all aspects of life: from the first time your teacher embarrasses you in front of your entire school class, the shop owner that follows you in a magazine store and tells you that you need to leave the store when, momentarily, you have been separated from your parents, to the joyous experience of receiving your first driver’s license that is quickly being intruded on by “the conversation”.
This is when your parents sit you down to discuss what you must and must not do if you are ever pulled over by the police. This is our reality as young people, as adults and as parents.
Resources (mappingpoliceviolence.org, killedbypolice.net, fatalencounters.org and the U.S. Police Shootings Database) suggests that since 2015, unarmed black people in America have been killed by police at a rate of between a low of 1 every 3.5 days to a high of 3 a day.
The risks and disadvantage continue throughout life, regardless of education or economic status: in corporate America, in the jobs you were overlooked for or never promoted to, despite being overqualified and performing at a level that is multiples above your counterparts’ performance. That’s another conversation black parents have with their children, in order to compete, you have to be at least twice as good.
That is the requirement when you are black in America.
Many of you reading this will ask why black professionals in any field have a difficult time showcasing these racism issues, and the reason is not because we have not pointed them out, it is because white people are looking for a plausible answer such as “there must have been something wrong with the business model.”
The problem is exacerbated when agencies and corporations look to remove individuals who have been uncovered as racially biased and have become an embarrassment and liability to the company, but the lack the courage or will to fire them for fear of being brought into a wrongful termination suit. Instead, racist elements are “failed up” the corporate/municipal ladder because it is easier to promote someone up and out of the way than to terminate them. So, the racists win by garnering additional power to stop progress on other transactions, and potentially becoming a hindrance in the same transaction again at some point in the future.
What is needed at this time is white American to stop running from this issue, and stop running from your privilege because it what we need from our allies and counterparts that will help us deal with racism. White America’s incredulous, and historic knee-jerk response has become cliché among African Americans: “How do you know it is racism?” “Come on, there has to be a reason besides that.” “There has to be a fundamental underwriting issue.” Actually, there are no problems with our projects, our deals pencil out with great returns so your credit committee needs to be questioned, we solve problems when other falter, we must not fail because we are not given a second chance, so how do we know it is racism. It is racism because our white counterparts that have the same issues are able to finance their transactions, are held in the highest esteem, and revered as hero’s while we are not treated the same. Racism hides inherently in the shadows of this very line of questioning and is exactly what those in deep denial would want you to embark on, a line of questioning because there is no definitive answer that will satisfy them, and this is how the racists win their position: They make it incumbent upon logical people to question the experience, and to look for logical responses within illogical patterns of facts that do not constitute an answer as it pertains to a particular situation. Again, the reason for this is right in front of you. It always has been. It’s racism.
If we are serious about our intentions and truly want social change for the better, know that it will only come when our white counterparts resolve to stand beside us, fighting to root out racism across the spectrum. The change will not be complete or permanent or totally secure if we only address this cancer in isolated sectors while allowing it to incubate and spread from others. The net positive effect of real change will be the overturning of hundreds of year of the norm in our society and supplanted by a new, inclusive societal norm that works toward the betterment of all.
It is frustrating to hear intelligent people say to me, “You didn’t experience racism,” or “You have been successful,” with judgment in the unstated but implied question, why haven’t others? Success and money do not thwart the experience driven by the racists. But it is not obvious to those on the outside that success for black Americans is achieved despite and in the face of racism; it comes by having successfully jumped every hurdle put in your path and the ability to still kept pace with your white counterparts who have no such hurdles because of a skin color. Our successes have come with unnecessary interference, additional tests and obstructions that limit, delay which diminish those successes. However the silver lining is these successes also come from assistance from the white allies that have been quiet fans of our work, our insight and tenacity that together we have pushed to make our projects work.
Racism is increasingly blatantly obvious and on public display in the killings George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Oscar Grant, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, far too many to name more than a few; in the sodomizing and dehumanization of Abner Louima with a policeman’s nightstick; in the railroading and incarceration of The Central Park 5; in the tens if not hundreds of thousands killed before cell phones were available to tell a story. But it also resides in voter suppression redlining, housing discrimination, healthcare disparities, job-application codes, property tax-based education, food deserts, predatory lending, corporate diversity, access to capital, the judicial system, government hoops that only black people have to jump through—every aspect and facet of life in which black people’s existence is challenge, where the same existence for white people is not. The effect of financially killing black business leaves not just families impoverished, but whole communities exiled from opportunity, initiative, with hope diminished, examples of community success exterminated and dreams and prayers left as a vague reminder of what used to be generations ago. Ultimately leaving those individuals trapped in those communities with little chance to financially excel or ability to grow within the communities. The black people you now see marching, protesting, venting their collective frustration, crying out for a little room to breathe in nation that is suffocating us all with its unrelenting racism are not just asking you to stop killing us physically in the street, they are also looking for relief from the choking off of access and opportunity across all platforms within the corporate and finance markets.
Economic opportunity and access are as important and necessary to life as freedom from threat of physical harm. Stop it. Stop killing us quickly with bullets and chokeholds and stop choking us slowly with systemic biases baring us from full participation on an equal footing. This is the fix society must strive for. This is my answer to all those who out of ignorance ask why back Americas aren’t more successful, why aren’t we producing more? Get you knee off our necks—physically, financially and metaphorically in every way. Make the playing field level and you would see a thriving and exciting segment of society that looks nothing like the derivations of poverty in the images popularly circulated to illustrate a particular narrative.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my world, the world of 40 million black people in the United States and hundreds of millions more over the last 400 years now gone. Enough is enough. The time has come, is long overdue in fact, for a real conversation and an overhaul. Pick up the phone and ask us about our experience, what the world of tens of millions of us is like, what it is like to be in our shoes. This is a unique time in American history, affording an opportunity and maybe even a desire to finally fix what has been plaguing our society since its founding. The fix will require us to work together to create a protocol across industry, (Policing, Banking, Industrial, etc) that removes racism from our day to day lives.
To those young people in the streets, thank you for standing up. I am one with you in this pain. I am proud and inspired by your courage and your example. For the allies we have built and understand our call to you for a real partner in the repositioning and changing of the status quo of racism within society, thank you for your courage and disgust with the norms so that we can collectively make this a society we are all proud to be a part of. Let’s fix this together once and for all.
British Fashion Council (BFC) has announced the launch of ‘Great British Designer Face Coverings: Reusable, for People and Planet’, a joint campaign with Bags of Ethics, to manufacture and retail internationally, sustainable and reusable non-medical face coverings to use alongside existing social distancing measures. Designed in London by six British designers such as Halpern, Julien MacDonald, Liam Hodges =, Mulberry, RAEBURN and Rixo, the project aims to raise £1 million with 100% of sale profit going to charity and split between NHS Charities Together Covid-19 Urgent Appeal, BFC Foundation Fashion Fund and Wings of Hope Children’s Charity.
The non-medical face coverings are manufactured at Bags of Ethics 100% owned partner factories and provide a reusable and sustainable option for the environment with no single-use plastic. The non-medical face coverings will not deplete healthcare system. The product will be retailed at £15 for three reusable, washable, fabric face coverings with two protective pouches. These non-medical face coverings will be available to buy online through britishfashioncouncil.com and through partner retailers soon including ASOS, Boots, John Lewis & Partners and Sainsbury’s (in Tu Clothing sections in selected superstores, convenience stores and online at Tu.co.uk and Argos.co.uk)
Caroline Rush, Chief Executive BFC commented: “Fashion is a unifying force and now, more than ever, it is essential that we collaborate and come together to support each other through difficult times. Our ambition is to contribute to the fight against COVID-19, while protecting vital PPE supplies reserved for the NHS. Through this project, we will not only celebrate British designers but also champion sustainability in a time of crisis.”
Dr R Sri Ram, Chairman, Bags of Ethics: “We have always been at the forefront of supporting the public through mass behavioural changes in positive and useful ways. Since the early 2000s we helped supermarkets, and retailers reduce their single-use plastic bag consumption by 5+ billion units through sustainable and reusable bags. A new challenge arises with the Coronavirus pandemic. Our aim is to manufacture high quality reusable non-medical face coverings for the public which reduces stigma through great British design, in line with advice from our scientific community, whilst having a positive effect on both people and planet.”
Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries said: “Wearing of non-medical face coverings when you can’t socially distance is important to help stop the spread of COVID-19. It is great to see such leadership from our fashion industry – this partnership will help slow the spread of COVID-19 and raise money for important causes.”
The project is part of BFC’s wider initiatives to support creative fashion businesses and individuals to survive the pandemic. It aims to instil public confidence and unite the country through creativity, prevent further depletion of medical mask supplies, champion British designers and maximize fundraising opportunities in a time of crisis.
Most recently, the Government issued guidance for the public to wear face coverings in enclosed spaces where social distancing is not always possible. The reason why a non-medical facial covering is important is not that it keeps you safe, but because it stops you from inadvertently giving someone else the virus if you are pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic.
Now and forever, we stand against any sort of racial injustice. Sharing and promoting content left and right isn’t enough. The resonance of the present calamities should serve as a tool of empowerment to abolish systematic racism and a systematic dictatorship, demanding action and urging a change in collective reasoning. Unity as equality, if we must really define it.
Below, we’ve collated an exhaustive agenda for you to take part in this time of crisis, advocating for a better impact and change.
The petition currently stands as the largest U.S. petition of all time according to Change.org. It aims to raise awareness of police violence and killings of unarmed African Americans. The end goal is to reach the attention of Minnesota Mayor Jacob Frey and DA Mike Freeman to prosecute all four of the officers involved.
Minnesota Freedom Fund
The Minnesota Freedom Fund is a local non-profit group that pays for criminal bails and immigration bonds. The organization has vowed to help free protesters incarcerated by police.
Campaign Zero
Campaign Zero takes a data-driven approach in the search to end police violence in America. The organization aims to limit police interventions through improving community interactions and ensuring accountability.
Know Your Rights Camp
Know Your Rights is a campaign founded by former NFL quarterback and current activist Colin Kaepernick. The goal is to raise awareness on higher education, give people of colour the tools for self-empowerment and teach valuable instructions on how to properly interact with law enforcement in any scenario.
This fund aims to raise awareness of the murder of the unarmed 46-year-old African American Minnesota resident, and to help cover the family’s funeral and legal expenses as they seek justice for George Floyd.
Fair Fight aims to end systemic voter suppression from illegal voting roll purges and gerrymandering efforts to the closing of poll centers that directly affects minority citizens.
Committee to Protect Journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent, non-profit organization promoting press freedoms throughout the world. The organization defends journalistic rights to “report the news safely and without fear of reprisal.”
Amnesty International
Amnesty International has been fighting global human abuses since 1961. The operation has over 8 million supporters worldwide and has brought torturers to justice, stood up for the oppressed and championed individual and collective freedoms including gun control, climate change and discrimination.
The Trevor Project
Founded in 1998, the Trevor Project has been providing suicide prevention and crisis intervention services to the LGBTQ community with a focus on those who are under 25 years old. The organization also hosts workshops, ally training, and TrevorSpace — a social networking community for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning youth to connect with friends and allies.
National Center for Transgender Equality
The National Center for Transgender Equality helps to increase understanding and acceptance of transgender people. They advocate changes in policies to prevent discrimination, violence and injustice so that the transgender community can not only survive in the present but thrive through acceptance with recently implemented projects like their Racial and Economic Justice Initiative.
Pride Fund to End Gun Violence
The Pride Fund to End Gun Violence was created as a Political Action Committee after the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history targeted the LGBTQ community at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. They support government candidates who approach firearm reform in a sensible way, mobilizing the community and raising awareness in an effort to stop senseless gun tragedies.
Many citizens are currently going hungry. The Food Bank of New York City does more than just aim to eliminate hunger throughout the five boroughs. It champions programs for children (currently one out of every six kids goes hungry in the city) and is undertaking elevated programs to expand its reach during the COVID-19 crisis.
Venture House is a New York City non-profit community-based mental health agency and a member of Clubhouse International. The organization helps empower adults who are living with mental illness achieve recovery through access to employment, education, affordable housing and an environment driven by meaningful and engaged relationships.
London, June 1st – In England, thousands of people gathered in Trafalgar Square and chanted “No Justice! No Peace!” prior to marching to the American embassy.
Society is on a jaunt with no end. The present atrocities depicted on a socio-political, socio-economic scale are diminishing and agonising, too. As people around the world are demarcating collective efforts and solidarity with the U.S., protests have risen in response to the death of George Floyd, the 46-year-old man whose breath was unfairly eradicated last week.
With a video that did the world-tour, (literally), and further social disruptions, justice has gained a serious reprisal from the people. Massive protests have rocketed the British Nation, lashing out against police violence and fueling a resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement. And supporters in neighbouring Canada, and across the globe such as The United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and New Zealand have stood-up for the U.S. (and its grievous atrocities) over the weekend. Media propaganda had it bold.
Demonstrators supporting Black Lives Matter marched through Toronto on Saturday, while thousands of protesters gathered in Vancouver on Sunday.
Thousands more people gathered in London’s Trafalgar Square on Sunday morning – disobeying Great Britain’s lockdown rules which prohibited large gatherings. Crowds chanted “No Justice! No Peace!” before marching to the American embassy. In Milan, a flash mob of kneeling protesters gathered before the U.S consulate.
Three rallies were reportedly planned for Australian cities including Sydney on Tuesday and Melbourne on Saturday. However, an organiser cancelled Tuesday’s protest after some people threatened to cause havoc and protest against the event.
The American protests have overwhelmed cities like Minneapolis and Atlanta over the past few days as the civil unrest has led to rioting and loathing places, as well as boosting violence with the police authorities. Curfews have been put in places in several cities, such as Minneapolis, San Francisco, Birmingham and Indianapolis, and the National Guard has been sent to cities including Philadelphia, Louisville and Milwaukee.
There is also a growing concern that protests will lead to a peak in coronavirus cases.
