black designers
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All Black Everything: Zendaya Leverages the Power of Black Creatives for InStyle's September Cover
Don’t just talk about it; be about it. That’s the subtext of Zendaya’s stunning September 2020 cover story for InStyle, creative-directed by Zendaya’s longtime stylist Law Roach (a 2019 Root 100 honoree) and photographed by Ahmad Barber and Donte Maurice of AB+DM Studio, who also joined forces with Roach to capture Kerry Washington in a…
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Honor Code: 11 Honoré Design Director Danielle Williams Eke on Building the Brand's 1st In-House Collection
Luxury has long seemed an elusive concept when outfitting what is commonly referred to as the “plus-size” market. Despite nearly 70 percent of American women being a size 14 and above, most brands still struggle with fit and quality—and elegance rarely, if ever, comes into play. So when fashion and tech veteran Patrick Herning launched…
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From 'Fifty' to 'Milly': Virgil Abloh Announces $1 Million Scholarship Fund for Black Creatives
Virgil Abloh heard y’all callin’ him “Fifty”—and he’s not having it. The groundbreaking yet increasingly controversial artistic director of Off-White and Louis Vuitton Menswear is seemingly willing to put his money where his (sometimes misspoken) mouth is, announcing a new $1 million scholarship fund “for students of academic promise of Black, African-American, or of African…
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The Row Must Go On: Nike & Harlem's Fashion Row Make Their Designer Retreat Virtual With Support From the CFDA
The outbreak and ongoing threat of COVID-19 have taken much from us these past few months—and the future still holds much uncertainty. But as we move forward in our still-evolving new normal, some are rising to meet the moment better than others. Take, for instance, our friends at Harlem’s Fashion Row: in May, founder and…
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Yeezy's Collaboration With Gap Grabbed Headlines—but Its Other Black Designer Collab Has Sadly Been Shelved
When Kanye West’s clandestine 10-year deal with Gap for an ongoing Yeezy collaboration (which was reportedly years in the making) was announced last week, it seemed like a match made in overpriced basics heaven. The fact that Nigerian-British female designer Mowalola Ogunlesi is onboard as design director of the upcoming Yeezy Gap line (due out…
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As Fashion and Beauty Leaders Scramble on Race Issues, Black Insiders Organize to Demand an Industry Makeover
“Image architect” Law Roach is one of the most successful talents working behind the scenes of the fashion and entertainment industries—crafting the memorable red carpet looks of stars like Zendaya and Celine Dion when he’s not throwing out biting one-liners as a judge on shows like America’s Next Top Model and HBO Max’s Legendary. Now,…
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Fashioning the Future: Gucci Celebrates Its 1st Class of Changemaker Scholars
If the past few weeks have taught us anything, it’s the difference between promises and platitudes, and actions and accountability. Words of support are empty without effort and quantifiable results, and while multitudes of people are becoming more comfortable with phrases like “Black Lives Matter” all we’ve ever been asking is that they act like…
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Cover Stories: The #VogueChallenge Is a Black Beauty Revolution for the Fashion World
In a world currently consumed with black trauma (and copious amount of white guilt, in response), black beauty may feel like a luxury we can’t currently afford as the moment demands we keep our eye on what feels like an ever-moving goalpost. Nevertheless, beauty is not only necessary to black life, but it is a…
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Thanks to Congolese Designer Hanifa, We've Glimpsed the Post-COVID Future of Fashion
“If you’re African, then you know about African seamstresses and how detail is so important, and color is so important, and prints are so important. So, I really wanted to make sure that I used that in this collection, just to give tribute to all the African seamstresses out there,” said Congo, Africa-born designer Anifa…
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Quarantine, but in Cushnie: Target Makes One of Our Favorite Designers More Accessible—and Affordable
America may be arguing over whether or not we’re ready to go back outside, but Target is making it look pretty tempting, as it just announced that its upcoming Designer Dress Collection features collaborations with three female designers, including one of our personal favorites, Cushnie. Formerly known as design duo Cushnie et Ochs and reborn…