Month: May 2021

Style Points is a weekly column about how fashion intersects with the wider world.

“You would almost think that it was intentional—I mean, it is intentional, at this point,” jokes Conner Ives of the American flag in the background of his Zoom square. The designer is dialing in from London, where he’s spent the day with his team going through “like 700 T-shirts” to eventually upcycle into his designs. But don’t let his location across the pond and his Central Saint Martins degree fool you. Ives is a native of the New York suburbs, and his fall 2021 collection, which also serves as his CSM graduation collection, is an examination of “the American dream.”

That is, he is quick to admit, “a loaded phrase, a minefield of sorts. And I did that intentionally. I think America’s whole history is kind of a minefield when you break it down. As much as we don’t really talk about it, there are very few moments in that long storied history that are great, glittering, positive examples of America.” He tapped into “a disillusionment with waste, a disillusionment with what we’ve kind of come to represent as a country,” but also a sense of optimism. The collection itself was “my means of getting back to an America that I loved.”

When he initially decamped for Central Saint Martins, Ives says, he had been eager to leave the States for some time. But distance bred fondness, as it often does. “It was never cool until I left. Growing up there, I just wanted to get out,” he says. Suddenly, when he was 3,500 miles away, “all I wanted was to come back home, do all the things I said I would never do.” And this season, he did come home in a sense, marinating in nostalgia from afar and feeding on references from his past. “I asked myself, ‘What did you love and who did you love and why did you love it?’ I realized that there were so many women, girls, friends, that I just fell in love with. How they put themselves out there, how they got dressed in the morning. What were they interested in? What were their references that then became my references?”

A whole cast of figures from his youth made their way into the collection. His mother collected American folk art, thus the use of those motifs in some of the looks. (“I think in this time that we are all desperate to see a little bit of a lighter, brighter, more optimistic America, and I loved what folk art did for that.”) His babysitter was so cool, he remembers, she was like a portal opening up a world of fashion and sophistication to him. And memories of his classmates, who loved yoga pants and “stringy little tops,” turned into archetypes that he channeled into the collection. Each look feels like it delineates a character drawn with Stanislavskian precision, from the modern debutante clad in a sparkly puffball of a gown to the party girl in sporty sweats and a going-out top.

Everything interests him, he tells me. “There is no point that I ever am like, ‘Oh, I’m bored. I’m going to stop looking at this.’ I could be anywhere and I would want to look at stuff.” And that fascination extends to the people around him. “I love weird. I think weird is the thing that makes the world spin. At a hypothetical party, I will always look for the weirdest girl, the loudest girl, or just the one that isn’t fitting in. And that’s who I make a beeline for. That’s who I want to have a conversation with because that to me is the future. That’s the girl that isn’t getting the attention, and I want to know what she’s wearing, what she’s thinking about, what she’s interested in and that then becomes what I’m interested in.”

As specific as it was to his own history, the collection ended up oddly resonating with fashion’s current themes as it strives for a coherent post-pandemic aesthetic. While we were all in quarantine revisiting teenage playlists, reading Jessica Simpson’s memoir and watching Framing Britney Spears, a Y2K revival that had already been simmering came to its boiling point on the runway. We saw everything from Bimbo Summit climbers at Blumarine to Kim Shui’s shiny, ruched, sweet nothings. “Everything is nostalgia now,” Ives says. But what’s different about this new era is “the shedding of the whole idea of what we can and can’t do. Or even the shedding of trends,” which he sees as being less and less relevant now that women themselves decide what to wear without waiting for outside direction.

At multiple points in our conversation, Ives uses the phrase “slow burn” to describe moments in his career. That might seem odd coming from a 25-year-old who worked for Rihanna before he even graduated college. But as he describes it, his creative process has been a series of gradually unfolding revelations. One was about the ecological footprint of his chosen industry. When he started interning at fashion brands, he found that entire rolls of fabric would go unused, and often he’d hear “ ‘Oh, give it to Conner. Conner will do something with it,’ ” he recalls. “I was shocked because I couldn’t believe that a roll of fabric that costs a big house like that thousands and thousands of dollars, they would just want to discard. There was a disillusionment there that made me feel really sick,” but also an opportunity–to create a brand that didn’t operate by the old, flawed standards. He didn’t want to “go and fall into bed at the end of the day and get a chill down my spine and be like, ‘This is so gross.’” Which means that, these days, he often finds himself contentedly “picking,” or going through bulk bins of discarded garments, to find the perfect canvases for his upcycled vision.

Then there was the Rihanna moment, which came about when he dressed Adwoa Aboah for the Met Gala while he was still in his first year at Central Saint Martins. The look caught Rihanna’s eye and pretty soon, he had a DM request to do a custom piece for her, which eventually blossomed into a job at Fenty. “What was so amazing,” about having her as a boss, he says, “was the democracy that she created in the structure of that company. It was never held against me, at least in her eyes, that I was too young.”

So while, like most successes, Ives’s didn’t happen overnight, being named a finalist for the LVMH Prize is a star-minting moment for him. And his hybrid of American sportswear comfort and eveningwear flash feels particularly of the moment. “We’re all desperate to put on something that’s tight and sparkly,” he says. “I know that I am. I know that a lot of my friends are, but then I also have a lot of friends that are like, ‘No, I love what we’ve been doing for the last year. I love that we’ve been in sweatpants from the waist down and maybe something a little bit more special from the waist up.’”

With his finalist status, you might just say his own American dream is coming true. “I’m in a complete state of disbelief,” he says, “but with that said, $350,000 would be fabulous.”

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Welcome to Texture Talk, a column that celebrates and deep dives into the dynamic world of curly hair, from crowns of curls that are free flowing to strands that are tucked away in a protective style.

Hair colouring is a chemical process that changes more than just your hair’s hue — especially if you’re blessed with natural curls — so it’s important to do your research and go in prepared. The first order of business is, of course, booking a consultation with your colourist. This should be an information-gathering conversation, and “there has to be honesty on both sides,” says Praise Okwumabua, stylist and owner of Freshair Boutique in Winnipeg. “Sometimes clients are timid when it comes to expressing what they want, so be clear.” Photos of the coloured curls you’re after are helpful; send the colourist an inspiration pic of the colour you hope to achieve, plus one of your current hair colour, prior to the consultation. Most importantly, Okwumabua stresses, clients should be empowered to ask for photos of the colourist’s past work. “You want to see that they know how to manipulate your hair type,” she says. “If you have no evidence they’ve done it before, or if they’re dismissive and act like the process will be the same for your type 3 or 4 curls as it would be for anyone else, be leery.”

Prep

Once you’ve both agreed on your desired shade, there are some pre-appointment steps you can take to enhance your results before you settle into the chair. First, shampoo and detangle your hair the day before the big appointment. Despite what you may have heard, “dirty hair isn’t better,” says Keina Morgan, a Toronto-based curl expert and owner of Urban Curls Boutique. You want clean hair with no heavy oils or other products that might block the colour from penetrating. Clients with curl patterns in the type 2 to 3 range can arrive at the salon with their curls in natural form. For type 4 curls, “it’s best to come in with tight coils stretched out,” says Morgan. “This makes it easier to apply the product and will result in less pulling on your scalp. The product will also be absorbed deeper into the hair, and we’ll have to use less of it.”

Colour

Now for the dyeing process…The procedure lifts and opens up the hair cuticle to allow the colour to seep in. But it also allows moisture to escape, leading to dry hair. “Think of the cuticle layer of your hair as a pine cone,” says Morgan. “With virgin hair, the pine cone is tight and sealed. The developer used in a colouring service opens up the cuticle layer, so the pigment can penetrate, and the cuticle is then always lifted.” This puts Black hair, which is naturally drier and more fragile, in an even more delicate, breakage-prone state. All coloured hair is compromised, especially when you get into lighteners, says Okwumabua. “So if you don’t follow an after-care regimen, your hair is going to break off for sure, particularly if you have type 3 or 4 curls.”

After-care

Now that you’ve left the salon with your desired hue and snapped the perfect selfie to post on Instagram, it’s time to chill out—literally. To preserve the colour in freshly dyed hair, it’s best to avoid hot temperatures. “Every time you pass a flatiron over your hair or blow-dry it, you open up the cuticle a little bit, causing the colour to fade,” says Okwumabua. Diffusing is less damaging, since the hot air isn’t directly hitting your strands, but air-drying and twist-out styling are ideal for maintaining colour. The minimal- heat rule applies in the shower, too. “Using cooler water will help keep the cuticle closed, which keeps colour in your strands for longer,” says Morgan. What’s in your hair-care lineup plays a major role in rebuilding colour- treated curls and preserving vibrancy, too. Morgan suggests a sulfate-free no- or low-lather shampoo, a keratin leave-in treatment and a protein-rich deep-conditioning mask. And investing in a bonnet or using a silk or satin pillowcase overnight will go a long way toward reducing frizz and maintaining moisture in curls, says Okwumabua.

To DIY or not to DIY…

Thinking about executing this whole process at home? Unfortunately, the hair pros don’t recommend trying to achieve coloured curls yourself. “After last year’s initial lockdown, we had to do a lot of fixing,” says Morgan. “You’ll never achieve the colour that’s on the front of the box—ever,” adds Okwumabua. But if your heart is set on DIYing, “talk to a stylist you trust and who will support you and give you the best tips,” advises Okwumabua. Both experts strongly recommend using a semi-permanent formula only—the type that will fade over several shampoos. Morgan suggests going just one shade darker than your hair colour. “It’s going to lift and lighten over time, and you don’t want lines of demarcation left in the hair,” she says. When shopping, buy multiple boxes of dye to make sure you have enough product to work through dense curls and finish the job. Morgan suggests two boxes if you have short to medium hair and four boxes if you have medium to long hair. Start by doing a patch and strand test to make sure you’re not allergic to the formula and to see what the results will be like before you mess with your entire mane. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

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With summer just around the corner and the world slowly but surely opening up, it is time to start thinking about getting dressed again. Over the last year, we scaled back our wardrobes and returned to our favorite fashion staples. But in that time, we also rediscovered the charm of our accessories: those versatile styling pieces that have a way of injecting personality into any look.

The accessories of the Tod’s Summer 2021 collection are a tribute to the distinct spirit of Italian summer style. Light materials such as cotton, raffia, and linen are celebrated throughout the collection. The exaggerated proportions of the collection’s miniature and oversized bags channel the playful summer mood with effortless style.

Whether they’re paired with denim for a chic city look or the hero of your go-to beach outfit, these versatile accessories embody the sunny attitude we’re most looking forward to this season. Take note.

Cork Platform Wedges

Since it first broke into the fashion scene in the ’70s, the wedge remains an icon of summer style. Designers have reimagined its timeless silhouette many times over the decades, but the Tod’s leather and cork interpretation for the summer 2021 collection is a perfect ode to the season’s effortlessly chic spirit. It’s easy to imagine slipping on this platform wedge and being transported to a quintessential Italian summer day: lunch at a restaurant overlooking the blue Mediterranean and a kiss stolen in the shade of a wisteria.

Statement Shopping Totes

The classic straw basket gets a chic upgrade with the Gommini. Designed for the everyday, this shopping tote features a leather panel embossed with Tod’s signature rubber pads at the bottom (the same pads found on the iconic Tod’s Gommino moccasins). Whether you choose the maxi size for its endless versatility or the mini for its sweet disposition, each silhouette—available in either cotton or raffia—is as delicious as a Tropézienne tart on a hot summer day.

Macramé Details

It’s official: Macramé is back like we’ve never seen before. The artful craft has found its way onto all of the season’s best accessories—from espadrilles to totes. On Tod’s covetable bags, hand-knotted and fringed detailing perfectly complements natural leather. And what would summer be without the perfect pair of espadrilles? These macramé and leather versions are just the pair you want to slip on for an afternoon aperitif at the beach. We just might have to order a spritz now.

Breezy Summer Satchels

The classic satchel bag is the secret to light and breezy summer style. Tossed effortlessly over the shoulder or carried as a cross-body, the versatile leather, raffia, and cotton options from Tod’s are equal parts practical and timeless. The shoulder strap lengthens or shortens according to preferences, and the bag’s size is just right for carrying the everyday essentials. Whether it’s lunch with friends or a dinner date, the silhouette brings style to every occasion. This bag will see you from the office into the long-awaited summer holidays.

Leather Vacation Slides

If the past year of style has taught us anything, it’s the importance of having beautifully crafted fashion staples in our day-to-day wardrobe. For days in the sunshine, few pieces are more fundamental than a sandal. Simple in its design yet rich with detail, the leather slide is poised bound to be the “It” shoe of summer 2021. Minimalists should look no further than this chic cut-out option by Tod’s. It’s the perfect summer sandal to slip into your weekender for everything from escapes in the city and vacations to picturesque beaches.

Tiny Bon-ton Bags

Perfect for a cocktail party on the terrace or a night out in the name of style, the mini bag is the style to carry from sunrise to sunset (or vice versa). It’s small—very small—and designed to fit only the necessities: a smartphone, house keys, and lipstick. This irresistible option from Tod’s is made of a raffia and cotton blend with natural leather trim is minimal chic at its absolute finest. And with a detachable strap, this tiny bag allows you to have your hands free wherever the summer breeze takes you.

Wear-Everywhere Shoulder Bags

If your summer style is all about easy elegance, the shoulder bag is the one for you. Among the most popular silhouettes of the season, it’s on-trend without being over-the-top. Sling this Tod’s Oboe bag over your shoulder for a sophisticated look that’s perfect for life on the go. For those whose summer days are already booked full of commitments, the bag’s extendable shoulder strap makes it possible to carry a laptop in tow—a feature that’s sure to be a favorite for anyone spending their summer running around the city.

Discover the Collection

Wedge Sandals

Tod’s
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Gommini Shopper Bag

Tod’s
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Macramé Slip-ons

Tod’s
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Raffia T Timeless Bag

Tod’s
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Leather Slip-ons

Tod’s
tods.com

Oboe Shoulder Bag

Tod’s
tods.com

Leather Sandals

Tod’s
tods.com

Micro Timeless Bag

Tod’s
tods.com

Emma Stone rocks an English accent and over-the-top costumes in this fashion-filled prequel.

Every villain needs a captivating origin story — and Disney’s Cruella is dripping with bold fashion, makeup and hair looks that are perfectly suited for the world’s most glamorous on-screen criminal. Inspired by Glenn Close’s frighteningly eccentric Cruella de Vil in the 1996 film 101 Dalmations, Cruella gives us a glimpse into the character’s early life and follows the events that lead to her evolution into the Cruella de Vil we all know now.

The film premiered in Los Angeles last week, and though it won’t be officially released until May 28, there’s no shortage of fashion and plot details to capture your attention ahead of time. Here’s everything you need to know about Craig Gillespie’s Cruella.

What’s the plot of Cruella?

Oscar-winning actor Emma Stone dons an English accent as Estella, a young designer who hopes to make it big in the fashion world amid the punk-rock revolution of 1970s London. She is hired by industry legend Baroness von Hellman (Emma Thompson), and from here, we see Estella’s transformation into the infamous Cruella de Vil.

The film strategically uses Cruella’s fashion statements to represent her new, increasingly nonconformist identity.

“In this film we get to see how she became the villain we know today,” said Stone in a promotional video for the film. “Once you put this wild black and white hair, this incredible makeup and these completely unique costumes on, you feel like Cruella de Vil.”

Where did the inspiration behind Cruella’s fashion and beauty looks come from?

Cruella has an astonishing 47 looks throughout the film, many of which were sourced from vintage stores in New York, Los Angeles and London. Considering the film’s punk-rock background setting, Cruella’s looks were heavily influenced by punk. Costume designer Jenny Beavan said references were wide-ranging, including Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, German singer Nina Hagen, and 1980s British fashion label BodyMap.

Hair and makeup designer Nadia Stacey told Vogue that there were “no barriers” when it came to brainstorming for the film’s many looks. Inspiration came from all different time periods; she studied makeup and wig references from the 18th-century, looks from 1950s and 1960s, avant-garde hair sculptures and, of course, 1970s punk.

Cruella’s signature black and white hair is arguably her most identifiable feature. The film approaches Cruella’s hair in an interesting way, by choosing to mask it at first. When we meet Estella, she sports a grown-out shag that’s dyed red to hide her natural two-toned hair and conform to societal standards of beauty. Stacey said this hairdo was meant to represent someone who’s grown up in 1970s London. As the story progresses and Estella transforms, she ditches the hair dye and lets her natural black and white hair shine.

The hair and makeup transformations in this film are indicative of Estella’s growth as a character. When we first meet her, she dyes her hair red out of fear that her natural hair will be perceived as odd or unattractive. As she moves further and further away from the status quo, we see her actively embracing a new, individualistic identity.

How does Emma Stone’s Cruella differ from Glenn Close’s Cruella in 101 Dalmations?

Stacey said she wanted to be respectful of Close’s look, and specifically pay homage to it in Stone’s first appearance as Cruella de Vil. When we first see Stone as the fully formed Cruella, her hair and nails are styled similarly to what was worn by Close in her adaptation of the role. But since this is an origin story, Stone’s Cruella takes on her own identity style-wise, and is ultimately different from the Cruella we see in 101 Dalmations.

Despite the film’s distinctions from the 1996 Cruella de Vil, Close is an executive producer of Cruella, which tells us there will be some influence and inspiration from the original film.

What fashion moments can we look forward to seeing in Cruella?

Cruella’s signature colours are black, white, grey and red (for moments of particular importance). The film will no doubt be filled with jaw-dropping fashion, but here are three of our favourite looks thus far.

Cruella has a show-stopping moment in this red dress. She enters a Marie Antoinette-inspired black and white ball in a mysterious white cloak. She then sets the cloak on fire to reveal a red ballgown, inspired by Charles James’s “Tree” dress housed at the Metropolitan Museum. At this moment, her red dress stands in stark contrast to the rest of the room’s black and white outfits, which is indicative of Cruella as the ultimate outsider.

In this scene, Cruella stands on top of a car wearing a long scarlet skirt and custom-made jacket with miniature horses and carriages on her shoulders. Her skirt, made by costume designer Kirsten Fletcher, is so long that it wraps around the car she’s standing on.

The film’s punk influence comes through in an iconic look where ‘‘The Future” is written in black makeup across Cruella’s pale face, almost as if she’s wearing a black mask. For this look, Stacey copied the font used on the Sex Pistols’ 1977 album cover Never Mind The Bollocks.

We can’t wait to get to know Stone’s Cruella de Vil a bit better when the film is released on May 28.

Rina Sawayama has been influencing pop since the day she appeared on the scene with “Sleeping in Waking” in 2013. But it wasn’t until her 2020 album SAWAYAMA, which topped all the notable “Best of” lists last year, that we began to truly appreciate her. She explored the depths of herself, breaking Rina down into the stereotypes that both define and misrepresent her: Female. Queer. Asian. Pop star. But like everyone, the Japanese-British singer-songwriter is more than a culmination of nouns. And she’s willing to talk about it, both in her music and in the way she engages with the world. With a 2000s-era Christina Aguilera voice, a touch of an awkward pop-punk pop phase, and nu-metal vocals reverberating in the background, Sawayama brings the depths of her life experiences to her music, creating a nostalgic sound with explicitly relevant subject matter. Rina Sawayama is our modern pop star, contrasting melodic beats with heady topics, exploring the scope of sexuality and fetishization in 4/4 time. Dance music with depth.

In an effort to break through the stigmatization and hate, Sawayama’s dialogue extends beyond her music on the topics that matter. She harnesses her platform to discuss Asian hate, Black Lives Matter, trans rights, and even meme-ifies the fetishization of Asian women (also directly addressed in her video for “STFU”). Today, she is the face of Coach’s new campaign, Pride Is Where You Find It. Without IRL events this year, the brand is redefining Pride as a state of mind. It’s a fitting sentiment in a time when we question celebratory “heritage months” in favor of year-round allyship for underrepresented communities. In addition to the campaign, the Coach Foundation made donations to the Hetrick-Martin Institute, Albert Kennedy Trust, Point Foundation, and CenterLink Community of LGBTQ Centers as part of its Dream It Real initiative.

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“I’ve never worked with a female-slash-queer-only crew before. It’s rare,” Sawayama tells me over Zoom after a long day shooting with Coach. Inclusivity is a big part of her work, and despite the exhaustion in her voice, she’s compelled to discuss it. Read on to see what the artist has to say about the biggest misconceptions of bisexuality, Elton John, and what to do if a man fetishizes you, with exclusive behind-the-scenes images from her campaign shoot.

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What is your personal history with Coach?

I feel so honored to join the Coach family. I got this necklace when I was young, I think I was thirteen. My sister gave me a Coach necklace and I literally have worn it every single day until I lost it last year and it breaks my heart. It’s very 2000s. It’s wild to think that I’m doing the campaign while also celebrating pride, which is important since we can’t do festivals and stuff.

You have a song titled “Chosen Family,” which is especially important for LGBTQIA+ youth. What was it like meeting yours?

Without them, I wouldn’t have lasted through university. I was really struggling at university and that’s when I found my chosen family. They were also struggling, getting bullied or ostracized, and they all happened to be queer. I was very stressed. Finding them was super important. It saved me from a situation where I was getting bullied in university. And at so many points in my life, they’re the ones I go to to ask for advice, and also, they’re each on their own journey of queerness and following their heart. And we try to be there with each other talking about things we can’t talk about with our birth families.

Is Elton John part of your chosen family now?

He was the one who said “you’re part of my chosen family!” He rings me all the time and it’s so sweet. He just calls me, very brief, he’s all, “I just saw you in this magazine and I just want to say I’m so proud of you.” I really think he connected with the song and values the idea of chosen family. And I know people of all ages who connect with that idea and who find it so important that they have one.

As a queer Asian, you’re subverting what the image of a pop icon looks like. What does that feel like?

I think there’s this amazing wave of people being able to tell their stories. I think it’s also the democratization of music in general, the fact that you don’t have to be a big label to put music out. That means that people like me or Dorian Electra can do our version of pop without having to jump over hurdles like we would have to do if we were releasing music back in the nineties.

Can you describe a moment where you felt like you were being stonewalled in the industry because of your sexuality or your Asian identity?

I think all of these things are invisible. Kind of a glass ceiling. When I was starting out in music there were only a handful of Asian artists, especially in pop. And even now just a few years later, I’m seeing so many more people and that’s amazing. I love that the pioneers of the first ones who were visible, the fact that they’re Asian is not the main thing. They’re just being part of this very diverse landscape. To be respected for what you do and your skill. In “STFU.” for example, that whole dialogue was taken from a conversation that I had at a wedding. I got frustrated no one was asking me what my skills were or what I do for a living, things that I find more interesting than just my ethnic identity.

Has it changed over time?

It’s slowly changing. Behind the scenes, I don’t think there are enough queer people at upper management of the labels. It’s so not diverse at all but it’s slowly happening. That’s why I try to work my hardest so that things can become more diverse and I can ask. I think it’s up to the individual artist to check themselves. Surprisingly a lot of queer artists will not have teams that represent them, so I think it’s important to keep that in check.

What you think are the biggest misconceptions about bisexuality or pansexuality?

Oh my god, where do I start? Just because you’re in a heterosexual relationship does not mean that you’re not queer. I think that’s one of the main things. Or just because you’re in a gay relationship that doesn’t mean you’re not bisexual. I think that it’s also important to stress that some people have preferences and some people might prefer having sexual relationships with men but then having relationships with women, and that’s totally fine. I’m trying really hard to eradicate this idea that you can’t make your mind up or whatever. I think if you do identify as gay or a lesbian I think a lot of people I know who do identify as such, that’s the box that they fit 80 or 90 percent of the time. But because there are these labels they feel comfortable in them, but some people can discriminate against those who don’t fit rigidly within those, and that stops people from people expressing their actual identity.

You’ve also been really vocal about Asian hate and discrimination, and internalized racism. What helped you move beyond that and embrace that side of you?

It’s a daily process. I don’t think you graduate from it. I think you learn to accept that you can’t change everyone’s minds, but what I can do is make art and music that I feel passionate about. And I’ve been vocal about anti-Asian hate or fetishization of Asian women since the beginning of my career— since I’ve noticed it really. It’s really important to me because I think it’s important for artists to speak up when they see it.

When Asian hate was really boiling over in the States, I didn’t see enough people posting about it, like the people who love aikido art or might be referencing dragons. You know, people who love anime or Asian culture but they weren’t talking about it. So it’s really important for me to talk about it in my music or interviews because it’s something I genuinely feel passionate about.

Do you have advice for Asian women when they experience fetishization?

Oh god, I still haven’t quite figured that out for myself, to be quite honest. I’ve actually spoken to people around me so that they can stop it from happening. So many times I’ve been at a party where I’m meeting new people where it happens to me and it has always been my friends that have stepped in and been like “That’s not okay.”

I remember I was at a party just after Trump got inaugurated, and there was this guy at the house party that was so weird. We were hanging out and getting to know each other just on a friendly basis and then someone else joined the conversation and he said, “Sorry, you don’t speak English,” and just walked away. It was so weird. So my friends all stepped in and kicked him out of the party and we went bowling so it was great. Making sure your friends know that it’s a big deal to you and being like “It’s fine, it’s fine”—it’s not fine. It’s not up to the people who are being harassed to sort out the problem, with everything, with BLM. It’s not for them to sort it out.

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What was teenage Rina like? Did she have a Myspace?

She had multiple Myspaces because I had a band. I recruited on the back of Enemy, the magazine, which is so dangerous to think about now. I went to meet them in a garage. I was so fearless it was wild. It was bad because I hated my parents and my mom. From 7 in the morning, we’d have yelling and screaming arguments, and then I’d go off to Paris on my own to see gigs. It was definitely a rebellion. I would not be going to school. I had so much fun and I got so much partying out of the way from 13 to 16 so now I’m a grandma. By the time I got to uni I was done partying.

Your music embraces that awkward 2000s era of pop metal emo. We’re seeing that aesthetic revived with the Gen Z. How does it feel to see that music and style be considered cool again?

It’s awesome, but also weird because it’s like, “were you alive through that?” Because they’re obsessed with the ‘90s but they weren’t alive in the ‘90s.

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Yorkville’s “best kept secret” offers up surprising design names and now, home décor.

When managing director of Yorkville’s WDLT177 boutique, Jason Morikawa, opened its doors in the summer of 2019, the space — curated, cool and full of names not typically seen in the Canadian shopping scene — was poised to become a must-visit for fashion lovers searching for the lines they typically only interacted with digitally. Or in some cases, that they didn’t know they needed to know.

Kolor, A.W.A.K.E Mode, Y/Project, Both and Bode were just a few of the labels one could find in an eclectic array housed in the grand two-level shop. “Our store is all about the experience,” Morikawa says. “People could come in and see new brands that they hadn’t seen before, or been able to touch before. So many emerging brands are online-focused, so we wanted to give them a home in Toronto.”

After a year of offering up a unique mix of men’s and women’s garments and accessories IRL, COVID-19 hit, and Morikawa suddenly had to make a major pivot; and not just in terms of taking buying appointments via video call — a great challenge for retailers who previously relied on in-person appointments to truly get a sense of the weight, fabric feel and movement of the items they were bringing into their shops.

“There’s only so much you can see on Zoom,” Morikawa says with a laugh, adding that WDLT117’s story also “needed to translate online.” So came a greater push to take its philosophy into the digital world; but also, to bring everything back home, in a sense, as well.

In addition to ramping up the store’s e-comm experience, Morikawa — who has an extensive background in the Toronto luxury retail landscape, having worked for Holt Renfrew and Saks Fifth Avenue before launching this endeavour — expanded its niche into the housewares realm. You’ll now see quirky lines like Qeeboo and Ligne Blanche amongst WDLT117’s offerings. (Swedish brand Aveva’s felted planters have been of particular interest, because, well, plants.)

What’s been most crucial to Morikawa is that there’s no disconnect between the fashion and home goods; each piece speaks to the special moments he’s strived to give his customers access to all along. “They’re looking for a more diverse range of lesser-known brands,” he says. And he takes particular pride in the emphasis WDLT117 has had in supporting Asian designers based around the world. “We’ve noticed solid sales performance there,” he says of the appeal of unisex-focused label Feng Chen Wang, hat maker Kijima Takayuki, and Shushu/Tong’s playful wares.

Paris-based, sustainably-minded designer Marine Serre has also been a strong favourite for customers — unsurprising given the uptick in consumers being more mindful about their purchases, particularly throughout the last year. And a rise in interest around genderless garments has made Australian designer Dion Lee a hit.

These names noticeably serve up looks that fall on the fashion-forward yet casual side, and this vibe has certainly been what’s kept WDLT117 going during COVID-19. Morikawa is hopeful, though, that once lockdown eases and going out is a thing again, that people will “want to have some fun, and shake off the COVID nightmare. I see it kind of like the end of the Depression; the opulence came back and people started getting dressed again.” Here’s hoping.

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When Kelly Marie Tran took on the role of Rose Tico in Star Wars in 2017, she became the first woman of color to play a lead in the series. What followed was an onslaught of racist and sexist comments from online trolls, leading her to delete her Instagram and eventually respond in a powerful personal essay. Just a few years later, she returned in another standout role, this time as the first-ever Southeast Asian Disney princess in Raya and the Last Dragon. To celebrate, Tran attended the film’s virtual premiere in a traditional Vietnamese dress and headdress, designed by Thai Nguyen.

ELLE’s series Clothes of Our Lives decodes the sartorial choices made by powerful women, exploring how fashion can be used as a tool for communication. We sat down with Tran to hear about what you wear when you’re making Hollywood history.

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When I first started out in this industry, I had no idea how anything worked. Before I was in Star Wars, I was an office assistant. My dad works at Burger King, and my mom works in funerals. I didn’t know that actors had stylists. I didn’t know people sat in hair and makeup for hours before a premiere. It was all overstimulating, and it all happened so quickly, that at first I didn’t know I could make thoughtful decisions with what I wore. But now, I feel like a different person. I’ve recognized how I can use my power and my privilege to highlight voices that have historically been unheard.

I knew coming into this process that Raya and the Last Dragon was a movie I wish I had growing up. It meant so much to me, especially because it’s inspired by the cultures in Southeast Asia, where my family is from. Honoring this part of the world is something I rarely get to do in my work. I wanted to reflect that in a lot of my fashion choices for the press tour, so for the film’s virtual premiere, I texted Thai Nguyen, who designed my first premiere dress for The Last Jedi. (He also designed for Paris by Night, this big Vietnamese performance show my parents are obsessed with.) I asked him, “What do you think about me wearing an áo dài?” The áo dài is a traditional Vietnamese dress. My mom wore áo dài to school every day, though there are different versions, including more decorative áo dài for celebratory events. After I did The Last Jedi, I took my whole family back to Vietnam for the first time, and my sisters and I wore áo dài and took a picture outside of the street where my dad grew up homeless.

Thai was really excited about the idea and sent me some initial designs. But I stepped back and told him, “Thai, we get one chance. I want to feel like a full Vietnamese queen.” And he completely rose to the challenge. I knew I wanted our version to feel royal. I knew I wanted black and gold, as gold is a really important color in Asian culture. There’s also a phoenix motif, which was poetic because my Vietnamese name Loan translates to a sort of mythical, magical bird. Overall, it’s one of the most stunning things I’ve ever worn.

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When I put it on with full hair and makeup the day of the premiere, I really felt like it was a Disney princess moment. Growing up, I was very much in a world where I wanted to hide the things that made me different. To be in a place where I was celebrating those very same things felt so healing and full-circle.

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During the premiere, I was surprised with a video of all these other Disney princesses welcoming me into the family. I’m a girl who, five years ago, couldn’t pay off my student loans or make my rent. I was driving my half-broken Honda Civic around L.A. auditioning while working a full-time job. To then be wearing a dress from the country where my family’s from—and to have the voices that essentially sculpted my childhood welcome me into a family I never thought I’d be part of—was one of those magical, miraculous moments that can only be compared to Disney movies. It was that sense of impossible things becoming possible.

I remember leaving the premiere and thinking, this is an example of the world I want to live in. I don’t want that experience to only be for me. I want everyone to know what it feels like to be welcomed, just as they are, into a world where they don’t think they belong. For me, that moment was life-changing.

This experience has taught me so much about the ways in which I can use my voice and be really thoughtful about decisions I’m making. I recognize now I have a part to play in this story. Before I felt that I had to be so grateful because someone gave me a chance, almost like it was a fluke. Now I’m in this position where I’m still grateful, but also I know I deserve to be here. My voice is one that deserves to be heard. That’s not something I could have said about myself a few years ago. I’ve done work to recognize the ways in which I had internalized a lot of racism. I’m just a different person. I know who my friends are. I have people around me. I was so isolated before in this industry, and now I am not.

At this point, my experience in my career hasn’t only been mine. That day, wearing the áo dài, I wanted to symbolize that no matter where you are and no matter how dark it gets, impossible things are possible. It will get better. Celebrating who you are is a really healing experience, especially if those were things people attacked you for before. I just wanted people to believe in magic again, because I had to teach myself how to believe in it again too.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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The bride wore Vera Wang — see photos from Grande’s big day here.

Ariana Grande isn’t known for her understated style. The pop star favours exaggerated ballgowns with impossibly full skirts, over-the-knee boots that are basically pants and high ponytails so long, she risks tripping on them. But for her wedding day, the 27-year-old singer went a decidedly more minimal, classic route with her bridal look — and photos from the intimate day are finally here.

Grande married Dalton Gomez, her partner of a little more than a year, on May 17 in a low-key ceremony described by the singer’s rep to People as “tiny and intimate.” The nuptials took place at Grande and Gomez’s Montecito, California home and from the looks of some of the photos Grande has shared on her Instagram, the scene was pure timeless romance, with white candles everywhere and flowers suspended from the ceiling.

Grande’s wedding gown was equally timeless. According to an exclusive interview with Vogue, the white silk charmeuse strapless dress was designed by bridal legend Vera Wang (who else?), the result of a pact made by the two famous women at the Met Gala a few years back. “On fashion’s biggest night, Vera promised that when the time came, she would create Ariana’s wedding day look…and the iconic designer delivered,” writes Vogue. The publication describes Grande’s custom wedding dress as an “empire waist column gown accented with a sculpted neckline, an exposed bra strap closure, and a plunging back.”

It’s refreshing to see the often OTT singer in such an elegant gown on her big day — but playful accessories, like a shoulder-length bubble veil with a satin bow at the top, make the overall look feel pitch-perfect for the young star.

Grande’s wedding hair and makeup, which included polished half-up hair, sculpted brows and winged liner (the work of Josh Liu and Ash Kohlm respectively, per Vogue), also marry a certain timeless grace with some of the bride’s signature beauty moments, like cat-eye liner.

But the look we’re most struck by? The look of love shared between these two young lovebirds! What can we say, we’re suckers for romance. Congrats to the newlyweds!

While rewatching the show, many have pointed out tone-deaf messaging and harmful tropes. Let’s unpack some of them.

Friends is one of the most cherished sitcoms of all time. From the often-iconic humour, to the chemistry-filled relationships, to the adorable displays of #friendshipgoals, the show captures how important it is to have a tight-knit crew of pals during your young adult years. So with a Friends reunion officially coming to HBO Max and Crave on May 27, fans are ecstatic.

The reunion was shot at the original Friend soundstage at Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank, California, and will feature all of the original cast members — Jennifer Aniston (Rachel), Courteney Cox (Monica), Lisa Kudrow (Pheobe), David Schwimmer (Ross), Matt LeBlanc (Joey) and Matthew Perry (Chandler) — along with special guests like Justin Bieber, Cara Delevingne, Lady Gaga, Mindy Kaling, and even Nobel Peace Prize Winner Malala Yousafzai. The reunion won’t be a new episode of the sitcom, but a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of the show, with cast members reminiscing and taking viewers on a stroll down memory lane.

Up until it was taken off Netflix at the end of 2020, Friends was one of the most-watched shows on the streaming platform. It’s been 17 years since a new episode aired, and while Friends has gained younger fans over the years, it’s also received a fair bit of criticism for some of its tone-deaf moments.

While we can appreciate the sitcmo and what it ultimately stands for (and the legendary stars it produced — Aniston, we’re looking at you, girl), it’s important to acknowledge the harmful messaging that consequently lives on with the show’s legacy. With the Friends revival just around the corner, here’s a look back at some of our *less fond* Friends memories that, if we’re honest, can stay on a break.

The homophobic and transphobic jokes

Friends received praise for depicting a lesbian wedding at a time when it was not commonplace to do so on TV. Carol (Jane Sibbett) and Susan (Jessica Hecht) were fully developed characters who were not simply the butt of a joke, as was often the case in 1990s mainstream pop culture. But even with increased LGBTQ+ representation on Friends and other ’90s shows like Roseanne and Ellen, homophobia and transphobia were still acceptable punchlines.

The show also encourages viewers to question and laugh at the blurring of traditional gender roles. In the episode “The One With the Male Nanny,” Ross insists his male nanny must be gay because he works in a typically female job. As the friend with the least amount of romantic relationships with women, Chandler was often the target (and source) of gay jokes. But Chandler’s jokes were most commonly directed at his father, who was likely a transgender woman. Chandler’s childhood trauma stemmed from his dad abandoning their family to be with their younger employee, or “house boy.” Throughout the show, whenever Chandler references his father, it is always accompanied by a joke poking fun at their seemingly ambiguous or undefined gender identity. When the only on-screen representation trans people are given is of an absent father who broke up a family, it is harmful and demonizing.

The “you’re fat, and it’s funny because you’re fat” trope

Monica’s backstory is that when she was younger, she was overweight. To get a laugh out of viewers, the show would often put Courteney Cox in a fat suit to play “Fat Monica” for a throwback episode. When Monica is fat, she’s not the same Monica: her entire personality becomes about food and her weight. Making a joke of Monica’s previous weight was used again and again throughout the series, and this type of narrative contributes to the dehumanization of fat people in mainstream media that is still prevalent today. This trope is tired and so are we! Next.

The whitewashed version of NYC

New York City is one of the most diverse cities in the world, and yet on Friends, all the major characters are white — we’re looking at you too, Sex and the City. The only two recurring non-white characters on the show were Ross’s girlfriends Julie and Dr. Charlie Wheeler. In an interview with The Guardian, Schwimmer said that he “campaigned for years to have Ross date women of colour” because he saw the lack of diversity on the show. But Ross dating two women of colour over the course of 10 seaons isn’t exactly a meaningful stride towards diversifying the cast.

The misogyny passed off as “boys being boys”

Joey is seen as the lovable, childish, dim-witted character — he’s an actor who doesn’t get much work, sandwiches are his favourite food, and he relies on his roommate and best friend Chandler to cover the bills. But when it comes to relationships, or more specifically sex, Joey is revered by his male friends for being “the man.” Despite not having much going for him career-wise, Joey is constantly getting beautiful women to go out with him. The problem is that he sees these women as conquests, and has no respect for them as people. He leads women on and ghosts them when he doesn’t want to talk to them anymore. This attitude is seen as aspirational to the men in his life, which hasn’t aged well.

In rewatching the show, the flaws of Friends become more apparent. But despite its shortcomings, Friends does a solid job of showing the realities of navigating the world as a young adult, and how your friends are some of the most meaningful relationships you can have at that time in life. We can’t discount the impact Friends has had on the world, but sometimes, we wish we could go back and tweak it, just a little.

You can catch the Friends reunion on HBO Max and Crave on Wednesday, May 27.