Premiere: Farao Graces Us With The Lavish, Space Age "Warriors"
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Space Jam 2
RT @Parletoo: @KingJames do you love space Jam ?(I love that movie. Wish I could do Space Jam 2!)
-- LeBron James (@KingJames) August 26, 2012
It was the first time I had watched the movie in a couple of years, the hangover from a massive binge my freshman year of college (which is part of the long story), and all of a sudden I could see all of the aesthetic flaws instead of just taking comfort in the fact that I could recite the whole thing from memory. The only parts that really held up even a little bit were the moments Bill Murray was on screen. I realized: This movie is absurd, and I only like it because of its relationship to my childhood, and how silly it is conceptually. Its very existence is enough to get me excited about it, which is how Hollywood wants me to feel about its sewage pipe of reboots
So, fans of Michael Jordan's secret stuff, Swackhammer, and that ridiculous scene where Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck go to Michael's house to get his basketball gear, rejoice -- Space Jam 2 is nothing to be afraid of. There's nothing they can do to hurt you. Everybody get up, it's time to slam now.
Premiere: Tove Styrke Covers "...Baby One More Time"
Opting for a funky, synth-heavy interpretation of everyone's beloved late-90s karaoke classic, an Adidas tracksuit-clad Tove grooves beneath a sea of strobe lights. Her loneliness may be killing her, but she seems perfectly content bumping Brit in a dark, empty room. While that three-note piano riff will remain legendary, this track goes from a pigtailed bubblegum sing-a-long to a Bjork-ified banger REAL quick.
Watch the video below, then read our very important piece on the history of Britney Spears wearing short-sleeved turtlenecks. Girl loves her SSTs!
James Franco Is Writing a Book About Lana Del Rey (Because Of Course He Is)
Converse Unveils Its Game-Changing New Chuck II
With the exception of denim or say, the cotton t-shirt, the Converse Chuck Taylor is perhaps the most inveterate staple of American fashion. Invented in 1917, the shoe got its start as a basketball sneaker (named after basketball star and shoe spokesman Charles "Chuck" Taylor) and its style has remained relatively unchanged since its invention nearly a century ago. A shoe that's been ripped off and re-produced by competitors to death, the real deal is still a symbol of youth, creativity and counter culture fashion as much as classic Americana and simplicity -- not to mention the fact that a pair of Chucks are bought once every two seconds for a total of 1 billion pairs sold. So who can blame Converse for adopting an "if it ain't broke" attitude towards its design, which is famously flat, and lacking in arch support or bells-and-whistles cushioning?
Stay tuned for more details from Converse bout the Chuck II next week.
Caitlyn Jenner Talks About the Pressures of Being a Role Model In a New I Am Cait Clip
She says:
"I feel bad that these [people] -- especially young people -- are going through such a difficult time in their life. We don't want people dying over this. We don't want people murdered over this stuff. What a responsibility I have towards this community. Am I going to do everything right? Am I going to say the right things? Do I project the right image? My mind's just spinning with thoughts. I just hope I get it right. I hope I get it right.For someone who's entire transition and coming out has seemed to be choreographed to the T, the clip is a refreshing glimpse into the understandable doubts and vulnerabilities Caitlyn is feeling during this time. You can see more of Caitlyn's journey when the series premieres this Sunday, July 26th.
The First Trans-Exclusive Modeling Agency Launches in LA
15 Newly-Graduated Young Designers to Watch
Needless to say, there's plenty of talent to be found on these runways -- or, rather, backstage of them -- so we've taken on the difficult task of paring it all down to just a few looks. Below, check out work from 15 student designers that left us hoping Barneys would pull another Proenza Schouler and buy all these collections out already.
Jon Max Goh, Parsons The New School for Design
Goh flouted the conventions of menswear and impressed audience members and judges alike at the Parsons end-of-year show with his abstract floral prints and androgynous forms. Drawing inspiration from his upbringing in post-colonial Singapore, Goh's collection -- which earned him his alma mater's Menswear Designer of the Year award alongside Sungho Kim -- fluidly melds East and West in a reflection of his personal identity.
(Fun fact: Goh also sings.)
Jenisa Sukanjanapong, Parsons The New School for Design
Unlike Goh, whose vivid looks won him features in outlets like Style.com and The Impression, fellow Parsons grad Sukanjanapong seems in large part to have flown under the media radar -- which is unfortunate, because we adore her minimalist aesthetic. Her designs fall somewhere on the spectrum between Helmut Lang and The Row, but they're somehow softer -- less workplace-chic, more gauzy snow princess with an edge.
Tamara Krantzberg, Parsons The New School for Design
Given a clothing market already oversaturated with fast fashion, we thought there'd be little room for any variation on the boho look (because if you couldn't make it to Coachella, at least you can dress like you did) -- but it looks like Krantzberg proved us wrong. With some help from artisans in her native Mexico, the Parsons grad veered in an unexpected direction for her senior collection by combining a neutral color palette in mostly solids with classic festival silhouettes. Boho minimalism, anyone?
Claire McKinney, Pratt Institute
McKinney took home top honors at Pratt's end-of-year show for her denim-heavy, vintage workwear-inspired collection, which featured items like loose khakis and a bona fide apron -- artfully draped, of course. With $25,000 in entrepreneurial and design funding her pocket from the Liz Claiborne Award for Concept to Product, we're sure we'll be seeing more of this young designer and her work in the future.
Kit Woo, Pratt Institute
Woo's designs immediately remind us of some of the looks that came off the runway at Seoul Fashion Week this past spring, and we mean that in a very good way. The onetime CFDA Scholarship winner paired tried-and-true design elements à la Alexander Wang (leather draping, neoprene -- Woo calls his particular take on it "suitprene") with streetwear styles (cropped pants over long socks) to neo-goth, "black is a color" effect.
Lauren Nahigian, Pratt Institute
Nothing could be further from the neutral, silhouette-driven looks we've seen so far than Nahigian's bold colors, rich fabrics, and in-your-face designs. We're particularly enamored of the purple-furred cape she sent down the runway -- it's Rihanna-in-Guo Pei before Rihanna ever wore Guo Pei (Pratt held its end-of-year show three days after Rihanna donned the Chinese couturière's dress, but Pratt seniors submit their collections well before that date). On the side, Nahigian is also an incredibly talented artist, because of course she is.
Samantha MacDonald, Savannah College of Art and Design
Something about MacDonald's designs just screams "Southern belle with an edge" to us. Is it the lovely draped silks? The vague air of Ming vase chinoiserie? Maybe it's just the fact that the collection debuted at SCAD. Whatever it is, we want more of it -- and with MacDonald set to begin training as an assistant fashion designer at Macy's this fall, we're banking on the slim possibility that some of her aesthetic filters through the hierarchy into the department store's styles.
Alexander D'Orlando, Savannah College of Art and Design
We're not sure how D'Orlando managed to integrate fully functional fiber optic cables into one of his coats, but we definitely appreciate the ambition. Blue lighting aside, the SCAD grad's vampy, menswear-inspired designs are much more Balmain than Hot Topic and promise to take women's formalwear to a new, shoulder-padded place.
Molly Sayers and Kristen Hughes, Savannah College of Art and Design
From her collaboration with fibers major Hughes, you wouldn't know that Sayers cites Iris van Herpen as one of her fashion influences. Instead, drawing on the time Sayers spent as a child in Qatar, the two took the salwar kameez for a spin, juxtaposing flowing fabric against geometric detailing made from laser-cut wood triangles. The result -- despite the wood -- is one of the most comfortable-looking collections of the season, and one we wouldn't hesitate to throw on for our next Netflix binge.
Elizabeth Hilfiger, Rhode Island School of Design
We know you're all thinking it, so let's get it out of the way first: Yes, that's Hilfiger as in Tommy. And while we can see hints of the designer's signature preppy aesthetic in his middle daughter's work, this collection is a reworking of those all-American classics, not a regurgitation. Elizabeth adds a cool, downtown-girl touch -- geometrically inspired, she says -- to Tommy staples like the varsity jacket for a look that's all her own.
Julia Han, Rhode Island School of Design
The fashion world has already taken notice of Han: Less than a year out of school, she'll be presenting capsule collections at the upcoming New York and Paris Fashion Weeks. It's an impressive feat, but looking at her Patti Smith-inspired senior thesis -- she juxtaposes wildly different textures and materials while sticking to a single color palette -- we can't say we're at all surprised.
Patamon Khoman, Rhode Island School of Design
We know our bank accounts would be empty if Khoman's senior collection hit the market, with fast fashion staples like crop tops and chunky mules turned ultra-luxe -- and ultra-expensive -- with lush fur trim. Fortunately for our financial security, the Thai designer's favorite fabric is apparently the much less costly organza.
Pierre Campo, Central Saint Martins
CSM is known for its over-the-top approach to fashion -- design elements at this year's show included space-themed antenna headgear, a wearable ball pit, a poufy poncho that bears an unsettling resemblance to a blanket my Chinese grandmother owns, and... this -- but Campo proved that less can be more by taking home a runner-up award for his pared-down menswear designs that made use of quality fabrics in elegant, not-quite-conventional cuts.
Camilla Holmes, Central Saint Martins
Holmes' might have taken a subtler approach in her designs than most of her fellow CSM grads, but the pièce de résistance of her collection -- a UK flagemblazoned with the slogan "Respect our existence or expect our resistance" -- captured the sentiment around 1 Granary as students not selected for the official end-of-year show held their own presentation, Salon des Refusés-style, outside the venue. Even without the political sentiment, the designs hold their own as an across-the-pond take on the streetwear aesthetic so ubiquitous here in the States: London workwear with a haute twist.
Han Kim, Central Saint Martins
The Korean-born designer used his Savile Row experience to great effect in his triple award-winning senior collection: if you can get past the massive 3D-printed structures, the tailoring is attentive and the embroidery incredibly detailed on these colorful, whimsical garments. Keep your eyes peeled -- with a little bit of RTW adaptation, there could be a surprising amount of wearability in these out-there designs.
There are Vagina Yarmulkes Now
Seller Zoe Jordan describes the kippot as:
"Ideal for Bat Mitzvahs, Lesbian Weddings, Lady Rabbis, Feminists of the chosen variety, Midwives, Doulas and Renewalists. Also great for any-gendered and any-affiliated folks who appreciate a cheeky traditional-non-traditional way to acknowledge and REMEMBER WHERE YOU CAME FROM :) It's kind of like a high-five and a wink at your creator."This could go well (or maybe the opposite of well) with other recently conceived Jewish sexual products, which target a more observant audience. What religious object will next become irrevocably intertwined with genitalia? Will there be penis-shaped Tefillin? Yads? Or... oh no...
Good Shabbos, everyone! (And it's not even Friday.)
Check Out Proenza Schouler's Dreamy New Campaign
Baby Phart: Anti-Flatulence Jeans Are a Thing
Pop Some Seeds: New York Has a Bagel Statue
Maybe Jon Stewart Leaving The Daily Show Isn't Such a Bad Thing After All
Somehow, by a trick of the culture and the particular political climate during the Bush administration, Jon Stewart -- a comedian and the host of a fake news show -- became one of the major consensus moral centers of America. That's kind of insane. It's also unsustainable. Staying in that position for so long without moving leads, by necessity, to a kind of stasis. And holding the moral high ground for over a decade can make you an asshole.
Nowhere is that more evidenced than in a story former Daily Show writer and correspondent Wyatt Cenac told Marc Maron on a recent episode of the WTF podcast. If you don't have time to listen to the podcast, read Vulture's summary, and if you don't have time to read that, here are the bare-bone details:
- During the 2012 election, Stewart was using a voice to make fun of Herman Cain that Cenac considered insensitive, coming from a place of racial ignorance.
- After trying to broach the subject as the only black writer in the room, Cenac found himself the subject of a massive outburst from Stewart, who was enraged at the suggestion that he was maybe being racist or racially insensitive and allegedly kept screaming "fuck off, I'm done with you."
- The ensuing fight, which Cenac describes as an "explosion" went on until it was literally stopped by some worked-up office dogs, leaving Cenac to go to a nearby baseball diamond and break down.
"Yikes" doesn't even begin to cover it.
It's not surprising that to hear that Jon Stewart might be kind of a dick -- you have to be in his line of work, and it obviously helps to be overly sure of yourself if your job is to go on television every day and spew opinions and judgments about people (this likely applies to many writers, too). What's not acceptable is the refusal to listen to literally the only black employee in the writers' room about a matter that explicitly and exclusively pertained to the show's representation of black Americans. That's just being an awful, no-good, rotten ally.
On the most charitable reading of the story, it sounds like Stewart can barely even consider entertaining the possibility that he and the show could be offending the groups he purports to care about -- he refuses to admit he might be fallible, even though his job is to wade into uncertain waters night after night. For even the most sensitive people, a run at his job would entail at least one flub, because that's just how people are -- ignorant and frequently insensitive and oblivious, even when they mean well.
What matters is how you respond when you get called out for those flaws, and the suggestion that Stewart was so trapped in his role that he couldn't escape his own head -- like the mummy presiding over a beautiful pyramid that's also a tomb -- is a more than sufficient argument that, yes, it was time for him to go. All indications are that Stewart is going to spend at least part of his retirement chilling on a farm. Let's hope that the time is well spent, and that he has some space to consider the limits of his own perspective -- and that we all have the strength to do the same.
Chloe Sevigny Is Crowdfunding Her New Movie
Watch Nicki Minaj Perform on GMA, Discuss Taylor Swift
In a bit of fortuitous scheduling that likely brought glistening, Nielsen-shaped tears of gratitude to the eyes of Good Morning America's producers, Nicki Minaj performed on the show this morning -- an appearance that's been on the books for weeks and just so happened to coincide with her involvement in one of the most fascinating, and necessary, celebrity "feuds" in recent memory.
In an interview before her performance, Minaj said she had spoken on the phone Thursday to Taylor Swift, who also Tweeted an apology to her yesterday: "She was super, super sweet. She apologized and said, 'Look, I didn't understand the big picture of what you were saying, but now I get it.' So we're all good."
Minaj went on to say this about her initial tweets, which Swift misinterpreted to be a direct attack on herself and a not a bigger comment on the way black female pop stars are rarely celebrated or rewarded by the entertainment industry like their white counterparts are:
"Anaconda" had such a huge cultural impact, and on top of that, we broke the Vevo record. So this is actually my third time breaking the Vevo record, and "Anaconda" therefore should have been nominated. I do think that if it was one of the pop girls, they would have had many nominations for it. I think I got two nominations for "Anaconda" -- for female and for hip-hop, but it should've been for the year. [...] I think that we have to have both images for girls. We can't just have one type of body being glorified in the media because it just makes girls even more insecure than we already are."
Watch Minaj perform "Feeling Myself" and "The Night Is Still Young" below. Interview above.
Feeling Myself
The Night Is Still Young
Donald Trump and Iggy Azalea Are Ruining Everything For Geminis on Tumblr
But, uh, why? The site Meme Documentation, says it's actually a phenomenon that's been going on since last year, a meme descended from a post on the popular astrology Tumblr gothstrology that has since been deleted.
And meme-teens, just a word of advice. I love Bernie too, but every time you validate a xenophobe as a legitimate competitor, Berns cries a little.
Congrats Kylie Jenner, You're a High School Graduate!
Last night, Kylie Jenner, the world's oldest 17-year-old, finally hit the final (legal) milestone before becoming a sort-of adult: Having a big Kardashian party to celebrate graduating from high school, a party that also included Kendall (who had already graduated) for no apparent reason.
Graduating class of 2014 & 2015! 🎓 Congrats @kendalljenner& @kyliejenner for graduating high school! pic.twitter.com/EgHTAnaGA3
-- Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) July 24, 2015
I know you graduated last year but so proud of you!!!! Class of 2014 🎓 #SurpriseGraduationPartypic.twitter.com/I9nfP5wXPk
-- Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) July 24, 2015
So, congrats Kylie (mostly)!We know a lot about the party itself (Tyga was there, it was hosted at Kris Jenner's house, Ryan Seacrest hosted which okay), but, of course, we know very little about the circumstances under which Kylie graduated, or how she was doing in school. We also don't know how Kylie was actually in school at all, considering that she's one of the most famous people on the planet, owns her own home, and spends a lot of time thinking about chemtrails. She's basically the youngest 35-year-old, ever.
Which means that it's possible to dream of a situation where, in the interest of someday taking over the Kardashian empire, Kylie had to undergo a Billy Madison-type situation in which she had to complete all 12 grades in two weeks, while looking fabulous and taking fire selfies during the academic decathlon. Just imagine -- did Kylie have to go... back to school? [via Complex]
Mumford and Sons' Banjo Player Is Making Techno as "The Floppy Disc Jockey"
Belle & Sebastian's "Perfect Couples" Music Video Is a Super-Cute Dance Party
Belle & Sebastian have shared the new music video for "Perfect Couples", off their latest LP Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance.
Groups of couples dance and float around a suburban living room with a Wes Anderson-approved color palette.Though the video is teetering on the 9-minute mark, you gotta stick around for the group dance sequence.
It's dizzying, tedious, and adorable -- but isn't that what love is anyway?
Check out the video above.
Unmasking Beauty with FOMOFUKU
Makeup by Michael Anthony,
Photo Assistant: Jeff Rose
Models: Dianara at Muse, Mari at Muse, Bojana at Muse, Besa at New York Models, Anna at Soul, Jason Santore, James White, Philip K at Soul and Jake Brodsky
Tell us about Fomofuku. Where do you see its role in the realm fashion vs. function?
Face masks are ubiquitous in some Asian cultures and it is becoming more popular there to wear them as a fashion accessory. On a recent trip to Vietnam, we picked up a few of these "fashion" masks and my friends went crazy over them. When you stop and think about it, we have accessories to style every other part of our body so why not masks? Like sunglasses and hats, masks can offer utility but for FOMOFUKU, a means to express personality and more importantly, have fun with it. Personally, when we think of when and where we would wear a mask... festivals, raves, skiing... we think of having a good time. And they definitely make for a good instagram photo. In the end its all about having fun and keeping it simple.
How do you think masks relate to self expression and identity?
Historically, masks have been used to hide or protect a person's identity. We think it can do the opposite and can be utilized to accentuate identity, make a statement and/or redirect focus. You see a lot of musicians wearing masks and other facewear for these reasons. Like hair and makeup, a mask is a canvas to self express. In addition to our prints, FOMOFUKU will be offering white masks in our signature contour shape to allow people to customize their own.
Can anonymity be beautiful?
Yes... even more so in this digital age.
Its great to have a tease or only partially show something and it can be a beautiful thing when done well. Everyone is about exposure and showing face but isn't there always something special when its not fully revealing in an image? Its almost like placing bait or a constant draw for someone to return and look back.
What are your opinions on diversity in fashion beauty?
It's boring, really.There is no risk or anything that inspires people. It's more like, 'buy this or that because this person or celebrity uses it.' Fine, yes, it makes money... but who's gonna break that and make amazing beauty stories? We feel like if a person looks at a beauty story they should be able to walk away inspired and make there own path of beauty for themselves. Yes, they can also walk away with some product guidelines, but its so about product placement nowadays. Where are the Serge Lutens and inspiring, raw, real beauty that people can interpret for themselves?
What inspires your art?
Food, actually. It's a basic thing of sharing. As in sharing a meal with others and experience those moments. It's a core basic natural behavior where it brings people together. It also shows you different cultures and stories that you encounter through it. That's what we want to do with our work -- share it with others.Having different inputs and views always helps you grow. That's why shooting fomofuku was fun. It's an interesting way to approach beauty.
Where do the prints come from?
The mask prints are designed in-house. We have prints in everything from marble and peeling paint to kawaii kitty faces to burgers and fries to tropical flowers. We are attracted to the unconventional and plan to create a diverse offering to speak to different styles and occasions.
Who would you like to see wearing one of these masks?
K Pop star ShinEE, Sia, Miley, Biebs, Cara, Katy P, Die Antwoord, Young Thug, Fetty Wap, Drake , M.I.A.,Tokimonsta, Skrillex -- basically anyone, really.