Starting next month, the California African American Museum in Los Angeles will host Cross Colours: Black Fashion in the 20th Century, a new exhibition showcasing the seminal brand. Cross Colours is a label that quickly rose to fame on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which I’m sure all of us have at least some familiarity with. Both the brand and Will Smith‘s careers blew up during this show, with the vibrant clothing being worn by Smith countlessly over the years.
The streetwear brand, founded by Carl Jones and TJ Walker, dedicates itself to conveying a positive social message, their tagline being “Clothing Without Prejudice.” The brand had a surge of fame in the 90s being worn by Snoop Dogg, Stevie Wonder, Muhammad Ali, and Dr. Dre, and then again in 2018 seen on Bruno Mars and Cardi B at their Grammys performance. All of these highlights along with other memorable pop culture moments will be displayed at the exhibition.
Cross Colours: Black Fashion in the 20th Century will open on September 25th and run until March 1st, 2020.
As part of the ongoing ‘Tommy Now’ traveling showcase, Tommy Hilfiger debuted a new collaborative collection with British Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton during Shanghai’s fall fashion week. The line is a sequel to the designer’s last successful collaboration, Tommy X Gigi (of Hadid fame) which launched back in February. Hamilton grew up seeing Hilfiger worn by music icons like Snoop Dogg and Aaliyah, so the new line features a balance between the classic Hilfiger pieces and the sporty style of Hamilton, resulting in an on-trend mix of athleisure. Check out some of the collection below.
The Lewis X Tommy collection is available online now.
On the day of our interview, Lakeith Stanfield (whose Twitter name simply read “nobody”) tweeted to his 138,000 strong and responsive following. “If i was being myself in interviews i wouldn’t say one word,” he wrote, before quickly deleting it. (He’s a frequent post purger across all social platforms.) When I bring it up, hoping to get at least one word from the enigmatic man of the hour, and star of the summer breakout hit Sorry to Bother You, he laughs.
“You can’t really get a scope of a person through an interview, nor can you get it through Twitter or Instagram. You can get what people give out and what they wanna show, but you can’t really get down to the nuances of what makes a human being what they are on these platforms,” he explains, in between sips of wine from a plastic cup. “It’s insane that sometimes we think that’s the case, particularly with celebrity, we think ‘interview equals insight,’ and I don’t necessarily think that that’s the case. An interview is still a role I’m playing. I’m still giving you what I want you to see.”
Stanfield remains in control with a firm grasp on what we want to see. He’s not a completely private person—he once tweeted out his phone number so followers could call him just to chat— but seems generally uninterested in flirting with the nature of his growing celebrity, or oversharing. He occasionally posts videos of himself portraying different characters on Instagram—one instance, a freestyle rap video, received backlash for including homophobic and misogynistic language, forcing him to post a follow-up video apologizing for the incident. Both were deleted shortly after. He navigates the line between being approachable while still maintaining distance from people trying to figure him out, which is near-impossible and ultimately besides the point.
The 27-year-old actor was born and raised in San Bernardino, California, a suburb an hour outside of Los Angeles, where he’s currently based. He prefers the quiet calm of the West Coast. “City life tends to be a little more imbalanced than I like, and I prefer more balance in my life,” he figures. “I guess I prefer to be a little more on the outskirts.”
Regardless of his penchant for life on the fringe, Stanfield’s increasing profile continues to pierce through the Hollywood mainstream. His films are often met with general acclaim and award recognition. In 2014, he played civil rights activist Jimmie Lee Jackson in the historical film Selma, which was later nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. In 2015, he portrayed Snoop Dogg in Straight Outta Compton, a biopic about the rise of hip hop pioneers N.W.A., which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay. He co-starred in last year’s widely lauded political horror Get Out, written and directed by Jordan Peele in his feature-length debut. It was nominated for Best Picture and won the Academy Award for Best Screenplay.
He currently stars in the praised FX series Atlanta, after a chance meeting at a club with the show’s creator and co-star Donald Glover essentially found him cast on the spot. Stanfield plays the fan favorite Darius, a zen visionary who loves guns. He often chooses roles that are more idiosyncratic, making him one of the most intriguing character actors of the moment.
“I think that naturally, I’m more attracted to roles that kind of go in line with the reality that I know, and the reality that I know simply doesn’t, most times, fit into stereotypes,” he tells me, about how he approaches each project. “I think that it’s naturally my course to do things that speak to me and that tends to be things outside the scope of someone’s imagination.”
His latest, Sorry to Bother You, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival, goes far beyond the scope of imagination and then some. It’s a stylishly searing social satire by rapper/ producer turned filmmaker Boots Riley (in his film debut) that grabs you by the collar and rattles you to the core. Stanfield plays young telemarketer Cassius Green, who rises through the ranks of his corporation after learning how to utilize his ‘white voice’ before becoming caught up in a conspiracy that threatens his morals and humanity. Cast alongside an impressive roster including Tessa Thompson, Danny Glover, and Armie Hammer, Stanfield’s steadfast performance carries the film through all its explosive glory.
“Sorry to Bother You is in that vein, where we use absurd, crazy things to give a different perspective to things that happen in real life,” he says. “I think that life is absurd, so naturally I would be drawn to stories that are a little more absurd. I don’t shy away from things.”
Stanfield’s performance is staggering in its unflinching honesty, in which he’s able to command a scene while simultaneously portraying sincere vulnerability. It’s moments like these that feel most authentic and give the audience the closest look at the true artist.
There’s a covert wisdom that occasionally gets eclipsed by Stanfield’s own eccentricities, which extend beyond the screen into his public persona. His aloofness is frequently commented upon, as he likes to toy with anyone who attempts to figure him out. Yet he demonstrates a clear element of restraint—with every weird remark he shares, he gives you just enough to think about without revealing too much. He keeps you on your toes. He gives you what he wants you to see.
This fall, he’ll portray an NSA expert in The Girl in the Spider’s Web, the sequel to the sleek and brooding The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011). It’s his first taste of a true action film, but it’s “not a typical action film,” he clarifies. He’s also working on some music. He was featured on a song with Riley’s group The Coup for the Sorry to Bother You soundtrack and has plans to release his own stuff. Right now, he’s listening to Marvin Gaye. “Such a brilliant artist, all the way around. For me, him as a singer is how I envisioned acting, being able to take on different roles and personas, and I think he did that.”
“I think the things I wanna do will be revealed to me,” he says, regarding his plans for the future. “As I grow, I’m beginning to get a little bit of a clearer idea of the things that I wanna be a part of. But because I’m constantly growing, I don’t know yet.”
Opposite a caged Snoop Dogg, Philipp Plein‘s combatively urban Autumn/Winter 2015 collection took athletic cues from the perils of mixed martial arts and boxing to offer energy-charged battle gear that included embellished jerseys, graphic leather, and armor-like details; all swinging chain-link-fence-tough punches at past battle-ring contenders in the vein of Alexander Wang, Givenchy, and more.
Wiz Khalifa appears to be having the best summer ever. The heavily-tatted Atlantic Records rapper is bringing in record numbers as the headliner in the third installment of his ‘Under the Influence of Music’ tour, his name continues to be mentioned in conversations of personal style and hip-hop, and each week seems to bring on a new leaked track from the five-time Grammy nominee’s highly-anticipated album Blacc Hollywood—which officially drops today. “I wouldn’t say that the album is different [from previous releases] because I always like to make consistent music,” Khalifa explains over the phone from his tour’s kick-off city of Scranton, Pennsylvania. “It’s just this time I expanded my mind and capabilities by working with different writers such as Rico Love and Detail.”
Photo: Miko Lim.
And the musician is no stranger to having to expand his mind, having grown up only miles away in the rough inner-city neighborhoods of Pittsburg. “[It] was a rough place. There weren’t too many opportunities,” he says. “We didn’t have many celebrities that we could look up to… all my inspiration musically and creatively came from outside the city.” It was across-the-country influencers like West coast rapper Snoop Dogg, as well as Ohio-based hip-hop group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony that Khalifa credits for helping to shape his childhood and desire to rap. Now with his fifth studio album finally available today, Khalifa is not only conquering the music world and leading the ever-expanding Pittsburgh rap movement, but he has also become quite a key-player in fashion. Collaborations ranging from a capsule collection from his own entertainment label, Taylor Gang, with the lifestyle clothing brand Neff, a customized footwear collection for Converse, and—most recently—a venture with edgy-French-label Eleven Paris have successfully married the worlds of hip-hop and couture.
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I’m inspired by people who are free, who have fun and do new things.
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“The Eleven Paris collaboration was a really cool thing to be a part of because of how cool the brand is,” Khalifa explains. “They have done collabs with Lil Wayne and Obama, and said mine was the most popular. So when it came to the new line, they got me and Kate Moss and shot it with Terry Richardson in Paris and it came out to be dope,” the rapper continues. “I see people wearing the clothes all the time and it’s really a good look for me.” Perhaps it’s Khalifa’s trend-setting style and gravitation towards fashion forward labels like KTZ and Brian Lichtenberg that has caused the fashion world to come knocking. “I’m inspired by people who are free, who have fun and do new things,” Khalifa says. “Whether it’s someone from the past—like Marvin Gaye or rock and roll icons like Kurt Cobain—I take little pieces of personalities that are similar to me and express them through my clothes, movements, and visuals.”
Photo: Miko Lim.
It’s Khalifa’s gritty and electrifying form of self-expression—undoubtedly fueled by his love for a particular mood altering substance—that keeps his fans jamming out to his stoner-life infused music. Although the rapper has gained popularity for being candid about his marijuana use (he has his own strain and sponsorship), more importantly, it is his ability to make music you can’t help but nod your head to that will surely keep Khalifa in constant playlist rotation.
Hip-hop elder statesman Snoop Dogg (or whatever animalistic rebirth of a name the rapper has taken today) is teaming up with Swedish sock-makers and masters of the print, Happy Socks, for a collection entitled “The Art of Inspiration.” Having repped streetwear giant HUF last year, the celebrated rapper is no stranger to the world of this-how-you-should-be-dressing-if-you-want-to-be-a-star, and the new campaign provides yet another outlet for him to expand his influence. That, plus Happy Socks’ mission to turn an often-overlooked wardrobe staple into a colorful accessory, equates in a great platform for us everyday people to view the world through Snoop’s eyes. And since his humor is always on point—as most recently exemplified by his video with Psy last month—what better way to express that than through a pair of eye-popping socks? The collaboration will be unveiled globally on November 1, 2014, but until then you can watch a trailer for the mash-up and shop the brand’s current collections online, which the iconic rapper has already incorporated into his wardrobe.
File this under unexpected-things-we-wouldn’t-mind-seeing-more-of. Everyone’s favorite Dogg — the one of the Snoop variety — attended a party hosted by the Obama Administration at the White House to honor the 2013 Kennedy Center Honorees. John Kerry, in attendance with his Teresa Heinz, took a much-necessary moment to find his way over to the sunglass-clad Dogg. The video (below) is mostly unintelligible minus “that’s why it only makes sense,” and maybe, “you give me good advice” (Kerry’s words to Snoop!). The real treat comes at the end of the short video when the two fist bump. #Democracy
Snoop Dogg’s prodigious year of accomplishments (a new album, a documentary, a cameo in Scary Movie 5) shows no signs of weakening. Snoop’s rumored but never quite confirmed collaboration with Japanese clothier A Bathing Ape has materialized and is set to hit BAPE flagship stores in London, New York, Japan tomorrow (7/27). BAPE has been celebrating its twentieth anniversary with a slew of artists including Kanye West + Pharrell. So what’s taken so long? “It’s been overdue realistically, we’ve both been doing our thing, to finally come together in such a big project, in something that means so much to me; it’s special,” Snoop said. The limited collection consists of three t-shirts, all Rastafarian inspired, with a strong emphasis on Snoop’s signature penchant for puffing the green. Take a look at the promo video below:
Disney has been pumping out future stars since the early days of The Mickey Mouse Club (think: Annette, not Britney). And while the mega-conglomerate has kick-started the careers of a number of today’s biggest names (now think: Spears, and say, Timberlake, Gosling, Efron), not one among them has had as headline-grabbing a transition from the Mouse House to beyond as rebranding wiz (not) kid (anymore) Miley Cyrus.
At first easily dismissible for her fame-by-association status as the daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley quickly quashed that notion with her 2006 series Hannah Montana. The show would last four seasons, accrue four Emmy nominations, and spawn two successful film spin-offs.
In January 2011, Hannah Montana aired its series finale. Now released from her furry Disney shackles, the real breakout could commence. Cyrus began her evolution guest hosting SNL, starring in a straight-to-DVD film with Demi Moore (playing… her mother), recording a cover of Bob Dylan’s “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go,” getting caught taking a bong hit of salvia, and getting engaged to Hunger Games hunk Liam Hemsworth.
Lots of rumors; lots of hearsay ushered Cyrus into 2013, as media outlets seemed desperate to chronicle her demise. No luck so far.
January: Cyrus signs to RCA Records, where a new album is promised for 2013.
March: Cyrus hires Britney Spears’ famed manager Larry Rudolph.
April: Snoop Dogg releases Ashtrays & Heartbreaks, a collaboration with Cyrus that serves as the lead single off of his new album, Reincarnated.
May: Cyrus turns heads at the Met Ball in fishnet Marc Jacobs and a new spiky do.
June 3, 2013: Cyrus officially releases the first single off of her still untitled, still without release date, new album. The track, We Can’t Stop, features distorted vocal samples via Mill WiLL Made.
Critics were quick to weigh in. Vibe: “It thoroughly completes Miley’s bad-girl-next-door evolution.” MTV Buzzworthy: “‘We Can’t Stop’ hails the entrance of Miley’s totally growed-up new sound, and also the end of any teeeeny tiny trace of Disney in her whatsoever! Idolator: “A perfect encapsulation of the last few years of artistic and personal development for Miley.”
Cyrus — not complacent dominating just one social media sphere — took to her facebook page telling her fans she wants them to be a part of her fanmade music video. “Send me your best twerk videos to [“We Can’t Stop”] and I will put a video together of all my favorites.”
So will this be a summer 2013 anthem? And what’s next for Cyrus?
