A new (super-inclusive) fashion line, Billie Eilish’s Vogue cover story, Levi’s thrifting campaign, and more.
01 Tennis champ Naomi Osaka launches a melanin-rich skin care line
The goal? Bring long overdue awareness to the lack of sun protection for people of color. She’s calling it KINLÒ, a name that nods to her Japanese-Haitian background by fusing the word for “gold” in both languages: “kin” in Japanese and “ló” in Haitian Creole. Expected to hit shelves this fall, the entire line comes in at under $20 and includes products such as SPF 40 tinted face lotion and protective lip balm. And get this: select products also protect against blue light from our computer screens and phones.
“I used to tell people that I didn’t need to wear sunscreen,” explains Osaka, “but even if you have melanin, you need to take care of your skin, and I am passionate about that. I hope these products can help a lot of people and potentially save lives because I really feel that we aren’t protecting ourselves as much as we could.”
02 Remember that red headband that Amanda Gorman wore at the inauguration? It’s FLYING off the shelves.
In the weeks following Amanda Gorman’s stunning performance of “The Hill We Climb” at the presidential inauguration (which, TBH, we still have goosebumps from), there was a 560% surge in demand for red headbands like the one Gorman wore alongside her sleek black satin skirt, white collared shirt, and double-breasted yellow coat. In fact, according to Lyst, the exact Prada headband came in at #6 on the list of the hottest products this quarter. Not too shabby.
03 As India battles a devastating second coronavirus wave, its fashion artisans continue facing distress
Known as karigars, these artisans are highly skilled in making handicrafts (embroidery, beading, and appliqué) for luxury brands such as Chanel, Hermès, and Louis Vuitton. However, the pandemic has grounded their work to a halt, shuttering the country’s garment supply chain as migrant laborers flee the city of Mumbai for their home villages.
“For months, all production and commerce flatlined across the spectrum of the Indian fashion sector, including at couture-level ateliers. It was a total catastrophe for our industry,” explains Sunil Sethi, chairman of India’s Fashion Design Council. “The fortunes of manufacturers and exporters took a massive nosedive. Many were forced to shut down or slash their workforces. At the bottom of all that are laborers like the karigars.”
04 Leave it to Lizzo to fight back against digital distortion with an unedited nude
Ahh, social media. We love you for keeping us connected during these crazy times, but we also kinda hate you for fostering comparison culture. Fortunately, we have visionaries like Lizzo, who’s using her 10.2 million-follower platform to shift the conversation around beauty standards. The post, which announced her recent partnership with Dove’s Self-Esteem Project, was captioned…
“I wanna give y’all this unedited selfie…now normally I would fix my belly and smooth my skin but baby I wanted to show u how I do it au natural — I am excited to be partnering with @dove and the #DoveSelfEsteemProject which is helping reverse the negative effects of social media and change the conversation about beauty standards. Let’s get real y’all.”
05 Model, activist, and fashion icon Hunter McGrady launches “All Worthy,” a fashion line designed for women of all shapes and sizes
If you ask McGrady, the fashion industry still has a lot of work to do when it comes to championing inclusivity which, for the former Sports Illustrated cover model, means “including everyone [by] expanding their sizes past an XL (that is not inclusive sizing) and also showcasing more diverse models.” This is what propelled her to launch her own line, All Worthy, in collaboration with QVC. Unlike other brands, All Worthy has an incredibly expansive and inclusive size range (XXS-5X!!), which she calls, quite simply “the wave of the future.”
“As a plus-size woman, I know the need for more options out there,” said McGrady, “and so here I am now with QVC, my first line, and I cannot wait to launch it for all of you guys to see.”
06Billie Eilish stuns in her Vogue cover story, where she talks music, body positivity, and living life on her own terms
Did you see Eilish’s profile in Vogue? TL;DR, the 19-year-old pop star — who recently trumped Taylor Swift as the youngest winner of Grammy of the Year — talked all about how the most important thing is to do what makes YOU feel good. Her only gospel? Confidence.
“My thing is that I can do whatever I want. If you want to get surgery, go get surgery. If you want to wear a dress that somebody thinks that you look too big wearing, f**k it — if you feel like you look good, you look good.”
07Jaden Smith and Emma Chamberlain team up with Levi’s to promote its “Buy Better, Wear Longer” campaign
The iconic denim brand is taking a stand on overconsumption in the fashion industry by committing to sourcing sustainable materials such as cottonized hemp and organic cottons, in addition to adopting a water-saving manufacturing system to produce jeans. Now, with the help of Smith and Chamberlain, they’re asking us — the consumers — to do our part by passing down denim to future generations.
“As a company that has celebrated pioneers and aspired to bring inventive environmental solutions to the market, we saw our voice in these young leaders,” said Brand President Jennifer Sey. “Change will come if we all work together and we’re humbled to partner with them in reducing our collective impact on the planet.”
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