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This week in style, Black In Fashion Council showcases emerging Black designers, Chioma Nnadi is named head of editorial content at British Vogue, Lewis Hamilton has a new watch, and more.
The list of Black women editors in fashion and magazines just got one more addition.
This week, Chioma Nnadi was named British Vogue’s head of editorial content and successor to Edward Enninful. She assumes the role on Oct. 9. While Nnadi is taking over responsibilities from Enninful, according to Women’s Wear Daily, she will not hold his former title of editor-in-chief. As “head of editorial content,” she will oversee the day-to-day of the magazine.
“I’m beyond excited and honored to have been appointed as British Vogue’s head of editorial content,” Nnadi told the publication. “As someone who was born and raised in London, the energy of the city — its boundary-pushing style and creative scene — has shaped the way I look at the world.”
Speaking with the Guardian in the midst of Fashion Month, Nnadi said she felt “some” pressure along with accepting the new role.
“It still means something to be in Vogue, it still has authority,” she said. “[And there’s pressure] because of Edward. He broke new ground. It’s more than being part of a magazine – it’s part of the cultural conversation.”
Enninful, who is taking on two new roles at Condé Nast (British Vogue’s parent company), raved about Nnadi to WWD.
“She is a brilliant and unique talent with real vision who will take the publication to even greater heights,” he said.
Nnadi has been with Vogue since 2010 when she first joined as a writer in New York. Later, she became the fashion news director and was most recently the editor of vogue.com.
“Now, more than ever, it feels like a moment to look beyond borders while also celebrating the broad scope of what it means to be British. I’m looking forward to engaging a loyal and inspired digital community that is energized by our access, point of view, and storytelling,” she told WWD.
The news of Nnadi’s appointment comes a few months after Marie Claire announced Nikki Ogunnaike as the magazine’s newest editor-in-chief. Both Nnadi and Ogunnaike join a growing list of Black editors in fashion and magazines that includes Samira Nasr, editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar; Jessica Cruel, editor-in-chief of Allure; Kenya Hunt, editor-in-chief of Elle UK; Lindsay Peoples, editor-in-chief of The Cut; Marielle Bobo, editor-in-chief and senior vice president of programming of Ebony; and Danielle Cadet, executive editor and vice president of content at Essence.
Speaking to theGrio about the increase in Black editors, Cruel said, “I’ve had the privilege of seeing change happen firsthand.” She added that at times she’s been the only Black editor or writer in a room, and it left her feeling like it was “hard to tell diverse stories” during her career.
“But I was also lucky to have mentors and sponsors in the industry who embraced my ideas and helped me grow to the position I have now,” she said.
Cruel said now there is a “strong cohort” of Black editors and editors-in-chief. “It’s these people — with their unique voices and experiences — that are driving this industry to be more diverse overall,” she said.
Cruel noted that getting to work with more and more diverse talent in the industry shows how far things have come and gives her hope, however, she said, “the work is never done.”
“I believe the beauty, fashion, and media industries still have a ways to go as far as inclusivity, but making the effort to mentor and lift up other diverse voices is key to making change happen,” she said. “This is why I was so passionate about spearheading The Melanin Edit, our platform at ‘Allure’ that explores all things relating to Black beauty, skincare and wellness.”
In order to get more platforms like The Melanin Edit and more diverse talent in the industry overall, Cruel said, “We also need to lower the barriers of entry for writers and young editors so that more people can begin their careers and eventually rise to be leaders.”
During Fashion Month, it’s become known that you seldom have to go into exclusive fashion shows to spy some noteworthy fashion. Street Style has become as anticipated as the latest styles making their way down the runways.
This year, a certain sneaker collaboration between Nike and Martine Rose, a Black British menswear designer, makes waves as a street-style shoe of choice while garnering headlines.
The $200 Shox MR4, which dropped in July 2022, is a hybrid of a football cleat and a dress shoe with vibrant colorways, including neon green, orange, blue and purple.
Nnadi, is even a fan and owns a pair. She told Vogue, “I like that they give you a heel in a sneaker — a little elevation. They don’t cut you off at the ankle. Sneakers tend to look a bit frumpy with a skirt or dress, but these lengthen your legs.”
While the shoes are sold out at martinerose.com, plenty of pairs are listed on shoe resale sites, for now.
Looking for the next generation of top Black designers to refresh your fall wardrobe with?
During New York Fashion Week, the Black In Fashion Council (BIFC) presented its seventh seasonal showroom at Spring Studios, featuring the works of 10 Black emerging designers from around the globe, including Los Angeles, Ghana, Canada, the UK, Nigeria and more. The brands spanned accessories, apparel, and footwear and are as diverse as the designers helming them. They each have embraced their roots and already have quite a few famous fans.
In a post on Instagram, the BIFC said this year’s lineup included Ciara Chyanne, a Los Angeles-based designer who appeared in season 3 of Amazon Prime’s “Making The Cut”; Fumi The Label, by Toronto-based Fumi Egbon; Tia Adeola, a Nigerian-born designer who launched her eponymous brand in her college dorm room; Kaphill, a brand and “safe space for women” by New York-based Caribbean-American designer Krystal Phillips; Lurelly, an elegant and sultry womenswear brand by Jamaican designer Lurell; Kìléntár, by British-Nigerian designer Michelle Adepoju; KHOI, a jewelry and accessories brand worn by Janelle Monáe; Korlekie, a luxury brand by British-Ghanaian designer Beatrice Korlekie; Tejahn Burnett, a Canadian-Jamaican footwear designer; and Onalaja, by Nigerian designer Kanyinsola Onalaja.
On Thursday, IWC Schaffhausen announced that Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton will team up with the Swiss watch brand again to release a new limited-edition watch.
The pair have teamed up to release a Portugieser Tourbillon Rétrograde Chronograph watch. Per WWD, in honor of the seven-time Formula 1 champion having raced in 44 races to date, 44 styles of the watch will be available for sale. The current available luxury timepiece is priced at $169,000.
This latest collaboration marks the third time Hamilton, who is as admired for his fashion off the track as he is for his skill on it, has released a timepiece with the watch brand.
As fall slowly trickles in and the pumpkin spice flavor frenzy reaches an all-time high, Telfar and UGG join forces yet again just in time for the cozy weather. For their third collaboration, the brands are reuniting to reimagine their classic boot and bag designs by incorporating denim. From Telfar’s classic shopping bag tote to UGG’s shearling-lined boots, everything in the new collection features a raw denim exterior on all of its pieces.
Consumers will have two opportunities to snag pieces from the collection: on Sept. 25, when it launches on Telfar.net, and on Sept. 28 through the UGG website and stores. In the meantime, click here to browse the collection.
LCKR by Foot Locker celebrates Black creative homecoming.
While colleges around the country prepare for homecoming season, Foot Locker is making Creative Collective NYC’s “creative homecoming, also known as CultureCon, extra special. Leading up to the highly anticipated, star-studded conference, LCKR by Foot Locker has launched a limited-edition, exclusive apparel collection in partnership with CultureCon. On a mission to merge sneaker and sports culture with Footlocker’s heritage, the Big Things Start Small collection “pays homage to the roots of CultureCon that started out in founder and CEO Imani Ellis’ living room apartment in Harlem while serving as a gentle reminder for all to persist and pursue one’s dreams,” according to a press release shared with theGrio.
Featuring the mantras “Nothing Moves Without Us” and “We Are Culture,” the CultureCon X LCKR by Foot Locker apparel collab is available exclusively at FootLocker.com and in-person at CultureCon New York City.
Widely known for its inaugural three-step skincare routine, Humanrace by Pharrell Williams welcomes the Retrograde Gel Cleanser ($44) and the Mystifying Moisturizer ($56) to its growing list of innovative and sustainable skincare products. The new gel cleanser is reportedly designed to remove dirt, impurities, and debris without compromising moisture. Similarly, the lightweight Mystifying Moisturizer packs Niacinamide and Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract into a gel texture that hydrates the skin and protects it from environmental stressors like blue lights.
Consumers can learn more about the new products on humanrace.com and plan to shop the products starting Sept. 26.
Pharrell Williams is back at it again with another brand partnership. This week, Billionaire Boys Club, founded by Williams, announced its new partnership with Clarks Originals. The streetwear brand and legacy footwear brand are teaming up to create a limited-edition footwear capsule as an ode to Clarks’ “monumental cultural imprints.” A popular shoe worldwide, Clarks is especially known for its influence in the Caribbean (cue “Clarks” by Vybz Kartel).
The collection will feature a “limited-edition Diamond & Dollar Wallabee style,” a crossover between Billionaire Boys Club’s street style and the traditional Clarks silhouette. Offered in dark green, off-white, and orange, fans can shop the collection on the Clarks and Billionaire Boys Club websites.
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