The Funk Boutique: Powerful Pairs and Poses

Yeah. Billy Porter really fucking did that.

What’s that, you ask? Mr. Porter has placed his love of heels and iconic sense of fashion and packaged them together to deliver an inclusive shoe collection. We’ve all sighed in awe of Porter’s looks over the years and now we get to have a small slice of that magic. Porter has partnered with Jimmy Choo to build out a collection inspired by the love of heels he’s had since childhood.

“I wanted it to run the gamut,” Porter tells Vogue, “from masculine to non-binary to completely feminine. We should be able to express ourselves in any way that we want.” With that in mind, stiletto pumps, platform boots, flat loafers and even a few other accessories are available for purchase.

The release of the collection during Pride month was very intentional and as Porter explains to Vogue, the shoes and accessories are inspired by the flag. “The pride flag is beautiful and I love the new version with the transgender colors… I wanted to take the colors of the flag and reinterpret them to feel a little bit more luxurious.”

It’s deeply saddening that Pose has officially wrapped, but we won’t be seeing the end of Porter any time soon. He’ll be directing a new project from Orion Pictures called What If, releasing a single at the end of the summer, releasing a memoir in the fall and hopefully gracing the red carpet very soon.

Oh. And y’all ready for this? Porter will be our Fairy-fucking-God-muva in the new Cinderella coming out in September. We should probably stand by for some glass slippers if he drops another collection.

It’s clear the collection comes straight from Porter’s heart, and while Pose has come to an end, it’s almost as if he’s giving us a piece of himself to hold onto forever.

Until Steven Canals and Ryan Murphy brought on trans talents Janet Mock, Mj Rodriguez and Indya Moore and Dominique Jackson, FX’s Pose hadn’t found its foothold and heart. But after they found their home on Pose, each woman was able to bond over their shared experiences with homelessness, sex work and coping with rejection. The love and feel of family is clear on the show, but it’s also very clear offscreen as Mock, Moore and Rodriguez are featured on the June cover of Harper’s Bazaar. The trio is hugging and smiling, and their joy across the page is so infectious that it is impossible not to smile along with them.

It wouldn’t be a Pose cover without incredible styling and fashion. Moore is wearing a Chanel skirt…but as a dress and a pair of Moschino Couture earrings that are almost as luminous as her bold, red lip. Mock is wearing a Vera Wang bodysuit while Rodriguez graces the cover in a Carolina Herrera gown. The other editorial looks embody the phrase, “all that glitters is gold,” but with a twist: “all that glitters is gold and bold.”

From Harper’s Bazaar: “Whether on Zoom, on set, or miles apart, the women are always connected. On the eve of Pose’s series finale after three remarkable seasons, the women reflect on its happy beginnings and its bittersweet ending.”

Bad gal Riri is featured on the cover of Vogue Italia’s “Do It Yourself” issue this month, and not only is she stuntin’ on all of us, but she acted as stylist and creative director for the shoot. She covers the issue in a sheer Valentino gown, high heels and of course, a full face of Fenty Beauty. Those heels… lace-up thigh-highs that accentuate her bomb-ass legs and bomb-ass… ass. And if that wasn’t enough, she raises all of the fashion bars in the story with a red lace mini dress and pixie cut that is absolutely to die for.

We may not have a ninth album, but this cover story—which is now available in print and online—reminds us that “creative director” is also on Rih’s long list of accolades and expert talents.

Well, she’s rocking out. This new and absolutely powerful version of Willow Smith is everything Black rock ’n’ roll needs to begin its revival. This month, Smith graces the digital cover of V magazine in Valentino’s new collection, some dazzling Cartier pieces that can only be described as “punk meets the girl’s best friend” and eye-catching—pun intended—eye makeup and a bold red lip. The beaded, mesh and semi-sheer top give a hard-core 1920s meets early ‘80s vibe… which is definitely what this year has been giving.

Already a trailblazer, Willow’s new look, vibe and music are paving the way for other Black girls and women who want to get into the genre and now have a role model to look up to.

Or near your computer. Get out your wallets, people! The Jungalow—the swoon-worthy, brightly-colored, home decor and lifestyle brand—is coming to Target. The collection will drop on June 26 and features everything you’d ever want and more from a drop. Justina Blakeney, founder of Jungalow, offers “four tips for creating your team bedroom” and different ideas for how to style your living room. The collection has everything, from queen-sized headboards to small jewelry holders and all sorts of treats in between. Some of this furniture is absolutely to die for, and the collab with The Jungalow x Target x Opalhouse means you can get your favorite jungle-inspired pieces at super-affordable prices.

If 2021 has blessed us with anything, it’s Queen Bey’s semi-regular life updates via social media. On June 5, the Brooklyn Nets played the Milwaukee Bucks and none other than our favorite music mogul power couple sat cozy and courtside. Jay, of course, was not wearing a mask but was decked out in a pair of shades (inside, Jay, really?) and thick gold chain. But he isn’t who we care about. Ms. Knowles was wearing a leather corset dress by David Koma and a—wait for it—bejeweled leather shirt, also by Koma, that she wore draped a a jacket. She also had on a diamond choker, bedazzled shades and a pair of classic Louboutin pumps.

Needless to say, whether it’s a gala or a fold-out chair on the side of a basketball court, Beyoncé is never caught slippin’.

Solange Knowles’ creative agency, Saint Heron, celebrated its six finalists for the Woolmark Prize with the release of a short film, Passage. The film features Dionne Warwick, Pose actor Dominque Jackson and Atlanta music SahBabii, Dungeon Family artist Joi and singer KeiyA. Each of the subjects have been decked out in clothing by designers Bethany Williams, Casablanca, Kenneth Ize, Matty Bovan, Lecavalier and These Magugu. A demonstration of fashion, Black excellence and the raw talent of Black designers and creators is on display in this modern, theatrical production that fits perfectly with Knowles’s aesthetic—as well as the choreography by Jackson and Warwick.

In a statement about the project, Knowles said, “To reflect on and honor the creative process with the 2021 International Woolmark Prize finalists, Passage aligns with Saint Heron’s mission to reverence creation as life, from abstraction to being.”