The Funk Boutique: Let the Fashionable Black Pride Collaborations Begin

On the first day of Pride Month, Rihanna gave to me...a Pride-themed drop from Savage x Fenty! This month, Savage x Fenty has launched its first-ever Pride collection—Savage x Pride—which includes a wide range of very savage items that are bright, brilliant and bound to have you opening your wallet. One of the dominating trends right now is coordinated, sexy-yet-wearable-anywhere sets—but in true Rih style, she’s not about conforming to anything. Savage x Pride features mesh and lacy bras, neon smoking jackets, crotchless panties (a Savage staple), and a few new pieces such as branded jockstraps and a rainbow whip.

Anywho.

The bright colors and rainbow-embroidered emblems bring so much light and joy into the collection, something we could all use a bit more of this year. Rih tapped photographer and 2021 TGU 50 honoree Quil Lemons to shoot the collection and hired 13 LGBTQ+ models from all different backgrounds, exercising the brand’s ethos of size and gender inclusivity. Rather than capitalizing outright on Savage x Pride, proceeds from the collection will go towards five organizations: GLAAD, the Audre Lorde Project, The Caribbean Equality Project, INC., Trans Latin@ Coalition, and the Trans Wellness Center.

Rihanna gave an exclusive quote to Elle about the collection, saying: “Pride is all about appreciating your authentic self. I am very excited about this collection and showing love and support to the LGBTQIA+ community, which includes so many of our customers, team members and fans.”

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Family Portrait II

Theophilio, one of this year’s winners for the CFDA Fashion Fund Grant, and Black Fashion Fair (BFF) collaborate for the second time this year on their collection, “Family Portrait II” which centers around the importance of Black family and community while “unlink[ing] anti-Black trauma from the fashion narrative, and invite in a different method of storytelling through design and community,” reports W magazine. The joint capsule will allow buyers to submit a photo of their own family that will be printed on a custom black or brown Theophilio T-shirt. Though the brand doesn’t specialize in creating T-shirts, graphic tees are a large part of the Black fashion community. It’s so important for fashion to be accessible to Black consumers and designers, and the idea that high fashion is unattainable is a concept that both brands are very understanding of.

“If a customer doesn’t see themselves in pieces from my collection like corset tops or the grommet pants, but they can see themselves in a graphic tee and they want to support, that’s important,” Theophilio designer Edvin Thompson told W.

In addition to the release of the tees, BFF and Theophilio will be hosting an event, “Family Reunion” on Juneteenth to celebrate family and the importance of the holiday.

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Legendary Queen Tings with Coach Collaboration

“I’m a Black trans woman, and I’m proud to be me,” Stasha Sanchez, house mother and face queen of HBO Max’s Legendary told the Cut. This month, Sanchez honors the Black trans women who fought for her rights, saved and supported her. Not only is Sanchez a beauty and pageant queen on Legendary, but she bathes in the spotlight as one of the faces of Coach’s Pride Month collection, “Pride is Where You Find It.” Sanchez states that this campaign is so important to her because it shows her younger self that she is able to accomplish such great things and be a true star, even when she was told otherwise for so long. A rainbow overlay of Coach’s signature pattern adorns footwear, t-shirts and handbags in this collection with proceeds going towards the Point Foundation, CenterLink and Albert Kennedy Trust.

In addition to casting LGBTQ+ models and stars from the Hetrick-Martin Institute, an organization that focuses on providing LGBTQ+ youth support, Coach also tapped directors from the agency Thursday’s Child to film and shoot parts of the collection.

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Todrick Hall Is Living With Love

Some corporations take advantage of collaborations and collections during Pride Month, but Morphe is using its influence to express inclusivity that is lively and living with love. The brand’s Pride collection, themed Live With Love collaborated with actor, singer and influencer Todrick Hall to create a limited edition artistry palette derived from its bestselling 2019 Pride palette. From deep royal purples to joyous yellows and specially designed synthetic brushes created to achieve the perfect blend, Live With Love is the perfect way to celebrate and get into the mood of the month.

Not only is the collection beautiful and bright, but Morphe is contributing 100 percent of the proceeds to the Trevor Project. The organization focuses on creating hotlines and resources to help LGBTQ+ youth who are more likely to suffer from suicidal ideation and give them the assistance they need.

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BLK-Owned Businesses Featured on BLK-Oceans

A new Black-owned business directory has just hit the internet, and it’s giving all the Black excellence vibes. BLK Oceans features a Black-owned business directory and editorial pages focusing on lifestyle, beauty, fashion and kids. Founder Leah Freeman-Haskin has created a space that makes finding Black-owned brands easy, open and accessible for businesses to be added and “celebrate Black creatives and founders during a crucial time in our history,” according to a press release provided to The Root. Brands are able to register for the business directory on the BLK-Oceans website as well as shop from their editorial works.

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Living the Goodee Life

Your most tasteful and bougie friend would shop at Goodee, the perfect aesthetic lifestyle and home goods marketplace founded by brothers Byron and Dexter Peart. The brand was founded in 2019 and focuses on stocking its inventory with products from only the chicest and most sustainable artisan brands that focus on creating a positive environmental and social impact. As this year marks the two-year anniversary of the brand, Goodee partnered with Nordstrom in February to create the launch of Goodee 100.

Slowing down and appreciating all of the little things are important to the Pearts. Additionally, they spend a great deal of time ensuring their inventory includes diverse and Black-owned businesses. Right now they are focusing on creating an open and inviting space for people to shop and feel like they can slow down and take a breath while we navigate and adapt to this tumultuous way of living.

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Kri-ating Sustainable Skincare

Hyperpigmentation, acne and deep acne scars have been one of actor and CR8 Agency Publicist Kri Peck’s longstanding insecurities. Taking a step back from building his clients’ brands, Peck has launched his own, Kri Skin, that targets the issues he has suffered from in the past. Derived from some of the ingredients he swears by, Kri Skin features four luxury products—the Gentle Daily Cleanser, a hydrating facial cream, Luminating Light and Bright Serum and the Detoxifying Pink Clay Mask. The skincare line is FDA approved and “dedicated to eradicating acne, dark marks and hyperpigmentation,” according to a press release provided to The Root.

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