A Slim Aarons-inspired photoshoot had us swooning over Zendaya, John David Washington and reimagined 1950s glamour this week. The bold colors, the smizing, the effortlessly sexy ways in which these two actors work together? You can’t tear your eyes away.
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This is clearly what Zendaya wanted when she came up with the idea for a W Magazine cover shoot alongside Law Roach, her longtime friend and stylist. According to W, Zendaya expressed serious interest in having a shoot that reimagined a Slim Aarons shoot but with current styles and designs. To accomplish this goal, Roach and Zendaya scouted houses with large circular driveways, fountains and large marble columns.
“The visuals matter,” Roach said. “The way change happens is when people can see wealth and grandeur in a way that they are not used to seeing it.” Not only were they looking for places that would exude the imagery they were looking for, but they wanted to reimagine what 1950s glamour would look like if it was shot through the lens of a Black photographer using Black subjects. Nadine Ijewere, who is now the first Black woman to shoot a cover for American Vogue, was the photographer on this shoot as well, expertly capturing the vision that Zendaya and Roach had in mind.
It was made apparent pretty quickly that Zendaya was running the show. When John David arrived on set, she explained, “if [I] have on a lime green scarf, [you’ll] wear a polo shirt in the same shade.”
Decked out in all designer everything from Dior to Miu Miu to Bulgari, Gucci and Chanel, Zendaya and John David gave off an easygoing vibe and continued the magnetic chemistry from their Netflix original film, Malcolm and Marie––released January 29.
And okay, we need to talk about Z’s wig in these photos because it is not only iconic but a statement to those who criticize Black hair (Editor’s note: which should be whatever we want it to be). This specific wig was inspired by a photo of C.Z. Guest, a very tan, very blonde socialite who became an icon because of an image by Slim Aarons, and a personification of status, privilege and wealth.
The color-coordinated outfits, the backdrop that would catch the attention of anyone scrolling and redefining what wealth, status and privilege looks like—not to mention the chemistry—give us literally everything we need and more.
(Didn’t) Sneeze on the Beat
Well, actually she didn’t, because even though Queen Bey confirmed with People on Saturday that she wouldn’t be attending the 2021 Grammys, she did, in fact, attend. And while she did break a record for the most number of Grammys to ever be awarded to an artist, she broke another record, too.
Her mask was defying gravity.
Held up by what seemed to be some anti-fog cat-eye glasses and nothing else, Beyoncé managed to not only keep her mask on for the entire night—except for when she was speaking—and have it just… not move? At first glance, I thought her black KN-95 was being held up by her massive Schiaparelli earrings, but then I realized no, that wasn’t the case. She either had the bridge of the mask pinched so tight on her nose that it wasn’t moving, or she’s a wizard.
Either way, Jay, his dreads and his sweatshirt are clearly over it.
An American (Vogue) Dream
Nadine Ijewere made history on March 9 as Vogue revealed the cover for the April issue featuring Selena Gomez, making Ijewere the first Black woman to photograph a cover for American Vogue. While this may be Ijewere’s first time shooting for American Vogue, it was not her first time shooting for the magazine globally. In 2018, The 2020 Glow Up 50 honoree photographed artist Dua Lipa for the January issue of British Vogue, making her also the first Black woman photographer to shoot for the enterprise in its 127-year history.
Ijewere worked alongside style maven Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, who was the fashion editor on the story. Karefa-Johnson also made fashion history earlier this year when she styled the January 2021 issue and became the first Black woman to style a Vogue cover; one of many she has styled in the year since.
As previously mentioned, Ijewere also photographed Zendaya and John David Washington for W magazine on March 15.
4Ever Not Ashy
March 2021 marks the four-year anniversary of Hanahana Beauty, a brand dedicated to uplifting and supporting people of color with great feeling and smelling sustainable ingredients. The most popular products are its line of body butters but Hanahana also makes a full range of body products. Founder Abena Boamah-Acheampong was on her first trip to Ghana as an adult when she realized it would be possible to create a responsible and sustainable company that could simultaneously support the community. On her trip to Ghana all those years ago, Boamah-Acheampong set out to meet with women, hear their stories and find the best way to tell them. From there, she found a collective of women she now works with to create all of the products.
Hanahana Beauty not only supplies transparent products to the consumer, but every person involved in the company––from its founder to the person harvesting natural materials––is paid and provided benefits, healthcare and livable wages.
#CurlCrush
I am of the mind that if anything needs to have its own holiday, it’s hair. Carol’s Daughter 100 percent agrees and has declared March 16 to be the first-ever National Curl Crush Day, celebrating by adding two new additions to its Coco Créme Curl Collection. The celebrations have already kicked off on Instagram, where Carol’s Daughter is encouraging women to post photos of their natural hair and hype each other up in the comments, also reposting images they are tagged in on the official Carol’s Daughter page.
The two new products launched today are the “Curl Perfecting Water Coco Mist” and the “Curl Shaping Cream Gel,” both designed to enhance your wash-and-go looks.
LV’s Sumer 2021 (Savage)
21 Savage is the newest muse of Virgil Abloh, artistic director of menswear for Louis Vuitton. The spring capsule collection is inspired by California’s skate culture, graffiti and beach aesthetics, giving off a very “Venice Beach” vibe. There are many watercolor-esque prints spread across the collection, giving it an artistic and easygoing feel. The collection is comprised of pants, sneakers, men’s accessories, hoodies, outerwear, suits and more.
“…21 Savage’s casual energy [is] a reference to West Coast skaters and artists,” according to a press release provided to The Root. “Spring gives way to a colorful, lively season.”
Louis Vuitton has pledged to be 100 percent eco-friendly and sustainable by 2025, and some of the pieces in the spring collection have environmentally-conscious designs, because what is spring without a little sustainability, joy and liveliness?
Coming 2 “My-T-Sharp Barbershop” Near You
Coming to America (1988) saw Prince Akeem at My-T-Sharp barbershop explaining his habitual natural hair routine to Sweets (Clint Smith) as he sat in the chair. The iconic scene inspired Jamyla Bennu of Oyin Handmade to name a collection after it, the Juices & Berries Hydrating Herbal Leave-In.
Celebrity hairstylist Carla Farmer (Sylvie’s Love, The United States vs. Billie Holiday, Get On Up, Cinderella) was similarly inspired by the ever-growing culture and community behind AfroPunk for Kiki Layne’s gorgeous goddess locks in Coming 2 America. Boho Locs, the brand behind Layne’s look, is now offering the same bundles used on their site so we can all play dress-up and be Meeka for a little while.
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