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It was a beautiful and historic night yesterday evening! For Kamala Harris’s debut as the Vice President Elect and Jill Biden as the next First Lady, their outfits were a nod to American fashion. In her first address to the country, Kamala chose a white suit by Carolina Herrera. Making history as the first woman to hold the highest title in office, the first woman Vice President and first Black and South Asian to hold this title, the color white is symbolic in many ways. Fashion historian Shelby Ivey Christie noted on [Twitter] that “monochromatic dressing is the mark of celebration in the Black community.” The color white was also in reference to the U.S. women’s suffrage movement and the 19th Amendment.
Jill Biden may not have given a speech last night, but there is plenty of time for that as she assumes the role of First Lady for the next four years. Complimentary to Carolina Herrera, Jill selected another well known American fashion brand in Oscar de la Renta. Embellished with florals, the short-sleeved black dress matched her black mask and pair well with her heels. Today is just the beginning and what I hope will be a fresh start. I also cannot wait for the fashion looks to come out of these two women for the next four years.
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Another fashion brand exiting because of COVID is not what we want to hear right now. Since 2008, I have long admired both Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs. Monochrome pieces combined with simple silhouettes with the occasional cutout seemed like a dream for me even 12 years ago. While it wasn’t something I could even think of affording *ahem* upon graduating high school, I always thought I’d have another chance. More recently, that opportunity seemed realistic when I learned that Cushnie was collaborating with Target. Unfortunately, they didn’t have enough pieces or the pieces I wanted to try on in store.
With the recent collaboration, I didn’t catch wind that anything was wrong. I had forgotten that brands can shutter even when things seem positive because especially now, we’re all faking it until we make it. Cushnie and Ochs were part of an iconic label. Even when Ochs departed from the brand in 2018, Carly Cushnie continued to carry it on. However, in this climate, no one is safe from the pandemic and the fashion industry has taken a beating. While Cushnie is closing for now, Carly promises in her last statement that she “will always continue to create.” We look forward to whatever is next for her.
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In San Francisco, Allbirds are considered a part of a local’s tech uniform. Nearly everyone owns a pair and swears by them. I may not own a pair myself, but I promise you, I’ve never heard a bad thing about them. Known for their comfortable and sustainable sneakers, the brand is ready to take things to another level. And what goes well sneakers better than a set of clothing to go along with it?
This past Tuesday, the brand announced Allbirds Apparel with a collection that includes a tee, two wool sweaters, and a puffer jacket. It may seem small and limited at first, but they have to feel out the environment after all! If all goes well, we can expect that there will be more.
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With the pandemic ongoing, buying news bags is likely the last thing on my shopping list. After all, I’m not spending a significant amount of time out. I’m also not putting together elaborate outfits like I may have been used to. On the occasional outing, I often find myself bringing whatever I can carry in my hands. Sometimes it’s just a wallet or sometimes it is reduced to one card. However, that doesn’t stop us from appreciating the items we long for. In my life, I have always purchased staple bags. I needed things that were functional – a larger, sleek bag for work, one for every day, and one for going out. One glance at [Mehry Mu’s] bags though have made me wonder if I’ve been doing this wrong the entire time.
[Luna Box] – $496 – $249
[Agatha Wristlet Bag] – $363
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Since the pandemic started, I’ve had to reconsider many factors in my life. One of those things is where I choose to spend my money. Through the Black Lives Matter movement, retailers such as Reformation and Everlane were being outed for not being as ethical in the treatment of their employees. Former employees began speaking out against hypocritical statements being made by brands on social. If brands were able to make a commitment like this, why couldn’t they do the same for their own team members, people asked.
During my visit to Nordstrom, I spotted this beautiful yellow dress by Reformation. Aside from it being full-price, I felt like I couldn’t make the purchase because of the heat that was on them from earlier this summer. Their CEO, Yael Aflalo, had been accused of a number of racist incidents by former employees. In June, the accusations, which prompted an apology were still not enough and led to her stepping down as CEO. Brands speak louder than ever and in a way, so does our loyalty to them.
When I brought the dress in question up to my saleswoman, she suggested, “You could cut the label off?” True, but I would always know deep down where this dress came from. Reformation dresses aren’t that hard to spot either. When you’re a teenager, these things don’t matter as much. However, as adults, we make a deliberate choice. I didn’t feel good buying something from a brand that I felt was tarnished. I felt unhappy about buying from a brand that does not believe in ethical practices. Thus, I have decided that as a responsible consumer and a human being I would not buy from brands that may lack Ethical certification to prove that they treat their employees fairly and don’t resort to harmful methods of production.
Yes, I know this decision can throw me many challenges–I might have limited options. But that is alright! Though I don’t know how far I’m willing to take this quite yet, I can admit that things don’t feel the same and I am willing to make a small change. Anyway, to add fuel to the fire, Glossier, is now under fire.
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As we inch closer to fall and what is usually the most anticipated month for magazine covers, the acknowledgment that the world we live in today is nothing like we’ve seen before. Known for being a celebration of fashion, the largest issues, and the turning of a new season, the September issue is taking on a new tone this year. We need to recognize the environment around us and how this relates to fashion because though we don’t always talk about that intersection, it exists. While we are looking forward to hundreds of pages filled with beautiful pieces and editorials, our focus is on the stories that will be told.
Rihanna is on the cover of all 26 editions of Harper’s globally for the September issue.
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When I woke up to this news yesterday, I initially thought it was a joke. Doesn’t it seem like the kind of April Fools we’d expect? The doubt was merely just because of the very off-centered logo. Gap has been hurting for some time as a brand, but is Kanye West the answer here? Can his 10-year deal with the retailer save the company?
“We are excited to welcome Kanye back to the Gap family as a creative visionary, building on the aesthetic and success of his Yeezy brand and together defining a next-level retail partnership,” Mark Breitbard, Global Head of Gap Brand, said in a release.
For now, we can just expect clothing out of this collaboration, but may see more in the future. I’ve always viewed Gap to be a classic brand and while I’m not a regular, I love them for basic staples ie) loungerwear, pants, denim, etc. We’ll definitely keep an eye on what’s coming out, but not making any promises!
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