The Funk Boutique: The Season Ushers in a Bevy of Star-Studded Collabs—and Ballet

Here are some words the uniformed might use to describe ballet: “awkward,” “formal,” “slow,” “complex”… you get the gist.

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HBCU Endowments vs. Harvard’s $53.2 billion

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HBCU Endowments vs. Harvard’s $53.2 billion

Now, imagine a ballet full of beautiful silhouettes, iridescent fabrics and magical movement—that’s what the New York City Ballet (NYCB) will be giving us this fall as they’ve slotted Christopher John Rogers and Esteban Cortázar as the costume designers for this season’s ballet.

Rogers— a CFDA Award winner and one of this year’s finalists for the LMVH Prize, creator of a recent Target collab and designer of Vice President Kamala Harris’ inauguration outfit—can now add costume designer to his list of achievements. “I’ve never done it before,” Rogers tells Women’s Wear Daily, adding, “it’s something I’ve been interested in doing for a while.”

Rogers is known for his use of vibrant colors and bold patterns. He plans to keep his signature style in this year’s costumes but also plans to explore a different design aesthetic. Rogers expresses his excitement to work on layering different fabrics to bring about a—no pun intended—layer of iridescence to his work he hasn’t experimented with yet. “I think it’s a really great way that people all the way in the back row or even the front row can see [the] move[ment].”

The NYCB annual fall fashion gala—initially launched by Sarah Jessica Parker in 2012—will take place on September 30 at Lincoln Center and debut the costumes, new designers and choreographer’s work curated over the previous 18 months.

Though it is the first time Rogers and Cortázar have created costumes, their signature flair for billowing silhouettes and color will “usher in a new era” of diversity in fashion in ballet.

Osaka on the Cover

After bidding farewell and executing a very graceful “fuck you” to the haters who tried—and failed—to bring her down after her exit from the French Open and Wimbledon, Naomi Osaka returned to social media to check in on her followers and drop a bombshell of a Vogue Japan cover. Osaka is the magazine’s August cover story and she’s here to stay. “Here I Am,” the cover says. Osaka is dressed in head-to-toe Louis Vuitton (she is a brand ambassador), sporting inches of glossy straight hair. The other photos she released show her in an unconventional vest and bright green blouse, a jewel-toned Nike color-blocked fit and an emerald green knitwear set.

The return to social media after a month-long sabbatical seems like a one-and-done as Osaka has expressed her need to take a break from all press and media to focus on her mental health.

Here you are, girl. We appreciate the bombshell of a cover and your honesty about the importance of mental health.

Louis. Nike. Abloh.

Unsure if our favorite international luxury brands are having some sort of competition to see which fashion house can drop the biggest bombshell, but I am here for it. Up until last week, when you thought of Lous Vuitton, Nike may not have been the first collaboration you had in mind. However, LV is changing the game, teaming up with the sneaker company to create a new spin on the iconic Air Force 1s. Not only are they redefining the shoe, they’re doing it in 21 different color schemes. Virgil Abloh, artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear, expresses “fashion can make you feel like things are impossible,” and has bridged the gap between high fashion and luxury with streetwear elements that appeal to a younger generation.

The Spring 2022 collection is Abloh’s seventh collection with the house and is “taking the leap” to bridge the divide between a newer generation of suits—short, belted jackets paired with flowing pants and a pair of Air Force 1s—and embossed leather airbrushed jackets, all while blurring the lines of traditional gender identity.

All That Glitters Is Goldie the GOAT

Goldie the GOAT was on full display during the US Olympic Trials. Not only did the iconic Simone Biles showcase Goldie, her bedazzled unofficial mascot, on her leotard, but also on a pair of white slides.

And I want them.

On the slides, Goldie is surrounded by bursts of orange rays perfectly bedazzled to match the emblem that graces her leotard. The orange sunbursts and accompanying dots look to be drawn on by the designers at iSlide, the company where Biles acquired her custom sandals. It’s possible—no, probable—we’ll be seeing more of Goldie at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics this summer.

#CactusJackDior

Fashion houses are showcasing collabs on collabs for their Spring 2022 collections. Dior recently announced its collaboration with Travis Scott, marking its first partnership with a musician. Scott isn’t new to the brand, however, having modeled for the Air Dior capsule collection last year. The new menswear collection features a neutral color palette ranging from a pale pink to progressively darker, moving towards light grey all the way to black. The collection found its foothold when Scott opened up to Kim Jones, the creative director for Dior, about Scott’s company, Cactus Jack, and the fashion program initiated at Parsons School of Design.

Z’s a VIP

Zaya Wade, daughter of Dwayne and Gabrielle Union-Wade, has been named one of Gucci’s VIPs—which means she got to wear a gorgeous Gucci ensemble to her latest panel. According to a press release provided to The Root, Wade was decked out in Gucci Epilogue look 72, a dark blue eco-washed GG jacquard short-sleeve top, eco-washed organic GG jacquard pants and silver metallic leather high heels. Oh—and she was one of the rare chosen ones to carry a Gucci Diana bag.

The 14-year-old wore this fit to the Maybelline New York + BraveTogether Pride Panel, which premiered on Tuesday and focused on mental health in the LGBTQ+ community.

French Singer-Songwriter Yseult Is a L’Oréal Paris Ambassador

Yseult, French singer-songwriter, producer and owner of her own record label has just been named a L’Oréal Paris Ambassador. The singer’s biggest hit “Corps” focuses on self-love and pride—something she plans to bring forth in her new role. Yseult is “passionately vocal against discrimination, racism and other forms of injustice, the artist calls for the world to be an ally, and for greater representation in the cultural landscape, while reminding audiences of the legitimacy of Black people’s anger,” L’Oréal Paris told WWD. Yseult feels grateful her voice and experiences can reach a greater platform and open up a new platform within the brand—demonstrating that all women matter; particularly the voices of women who are systemically oppressed and declined a chance to have their voices heard.