After three years away, Coachella returned to Indio, CA this weekend. And while some might have expected young fans to rage across the polo fields with all the angst of two previous cancelations in the rearview mirror, the sense on site was a lot more tepid, as if everyone wanted to get their feet wet before fully diving in. It’s far too early to say if the past few years have changed Coachella’s identity or changed how young people approach these massive cultural events, but the initial sense is that things have slowed down a little, and the traditional revelry has given way to something more appreciative and understated.
All that said, the fashion-forward appeal of Coachella remains. There were costumes and skin, lots of transparent lace and vibrant colors. With years of opportunities to show off festival fashion squandered by a pandemic, fans dressed their best and made 2022’s edition count. Below we have some photos of our favorites, who returned to one of the world’s best festivals with a commitment to show off exactly why Coachella is what it is. As they prepared for a day that included Harry Styles, Arcade Fire, Lil Baby, and more, everyone looked predictably great with the giant art structures and palm trees as a backdrop.
Today she launched a new line of shapewear called Yitty in partnership with Fabletics. The brand is named for Lizzo’s childhood nickname. Her shapewear goes from size XS all the way up to size 6X, a size that while incredibly common, is extremely difficult to find. Lizzo recently teased the launch in a revealing Instagram post, calling it her “biggest thing YET. Bigger than anything I’ve ever done” and noting that it was “3 years in the making.”
In a post from earlier today, Lizzo called the line “a love letter to my big grrrls” She wrote: This is a love letter to my big grrrls, and a welcome letter to Every Body. This is *not* an invitation to change who you are… this is an opportunity to BE who you are on your terms. I don’t know about y’all— but I’m sick of people telling me how I’m supposed to look and feel about my body. I’m tired of discomfort being synonymous with sexy. If it’s uncomfortable TAKE IT OFF. And if it makes you feel good PUT IT ON. @YITTY isn’t just shapewear, it’s your chance to reclaim your body and redefine your beauty standard. I love y’all—I’m going live today and will answer any questions or feelings y’all have for me.”
“Instead of thinking about size in this linear way, we’re thinking about it on a spectrum where everyone is included,” the brand said in a statement. “Everyone’s size is just their size. It’s not high, it’s not low. It’s not big, it’s not small. It’s just your size.” In a press release, Lizzo said she had an epiphany when it came to the brand. “I was tired of seeing this sad, restrictive shapewear that literally no-one wanted to wear. I had an epiphany like, ‘who can actually do something about this?’ I decided to take on the challenge of allowing women to feel unapologetically good about themselves again.”
So far, Yitty is launching three distinct collection: Mesh Me, Nearly Naked and Major Label that are respectively described as “super bossy, super soft, super YITTY.” To learn more about the brand, check out their website here. The brand officially goes live April 12.
Before she was a brand magnet, hitmaking rapper, Saweetie was a multi-sport athlete, competing in track, volleyball, and flag football and earning the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section’s Female Athlete Of The Year honor in 2011. Now that she has hits like “Tap In,” “Back To The Streets,” “Best Friend,” and “Closer” under her belt, it makes sense that she’d add an athletic brand to her growing list of high-profile partnerships, which already includes impressive names like Amazon, Crocs, MAC Cosmetics, McDonald’s, Netflix, and Quay.
While the world of athleisure is expansive and growing by the day, Saweetie prefers the classics. She’s locked in a role with Champion as the brand’s new Global Corporate Consultant and contributes one of her many catchy, fan-favorite singles, “Get It Girl,” to Champion’s ad campaign of the same name. As part of the campaign, Champion will also support its 12 featured female athletes with mentorship in areas such as marketing and media to ensure they have career opportunities beyond the court and field.
Saweetie was gracious enough to grant an interview with Uproxx via Zoom to discuss the Champion deal, her favorite pieces from Champion’s related sportswear line, and her upcoming album, Pretty Bitch Music.
What drew you to Champion as the partnership for this women’s athletics partnership?
I honestly think that it’s just in alignment with my life. I grew up playing sports. I played track, volleyball, basketball, powderpuff. I played a plethora of sports, and I’ve always worn Champion during my workouts, pre-games, et cetera, et cetera. The fact that I am the new partner and global consultant, it’s just really, really a dream come true. The fact that I’m endorsing these female college athletes, who were once in the position I was in, it’s just amazing.
What’s your favorite piece from the collection?
My favorite piece is the tights. It feels I’m not wearing anything. It’s so soft. It just feels like skin. There are leggings where they feel good, but these ones feel so good, you could probably fall asleep in them.
As far as women’s athletics go, are you paying any attention at all to the NCAA Basketball tournament’s women’s side? Do you have any picks? Have you filled out your bracket?
Please fill me in, because while they playing on the court, I’m playing in the studio. I’ve been focused on Pretty BitchMusic, but please enlighten me. Who’s your pick?
You caught me. I’ve been pretty busy writing about new music too.
I guess we both got to do our research.
Absolutely, because now I’m embarrassed. You turned it around on me. Speaking of Pretty Bitch Music, I know a lot of people have been waiting for a very long time for it. You’ve been tweaking things. What would you say has been the biggest challenge in getting it out the door, and the most fun part about holding on to it and making sure that it’s been tweaked to perfection?
I think the best thing about this music is as I begin to learn myself, as a woman, there are more things that I’d like to discuss and talk about. I’m happy that it didn’t come out when it was supposed to come out, two years ago, because I’ve definitely grown spiritually, mentally in a lot of areas in my life. I actually discovered meditation last year, and through being silent, I realize what my purpose was. I need to make sure that I get this message across in my music.
Are there any surprises that would really blow anybody’s mind that you can share or let us know about ahead of time, because it’s Uproxx, and you love us?
If I tell you, it’s not going to be a surprise anymore.
Is the Tagalog song still on there?
It’s not a Tagalog song. I am speaking Tagalog, but it’s definitely on the “keep” list — hopefully, it stays there.
Maybe you brought back one of the old car verses for us? Because I love those car verses. They were so good.
Thank you. Honestly. I think that people will definitely see the elevation. I can’t say specifically what it is yet. It’s not “new” Saweetie, it’s just “elevated” Saweetie. I mean, you might have touched on a couple of things, but we’re just going to have to see.
I know you get a lot of interviews. You get a lot of the same questions. I have to ask a lot of the same questions. Do you ever have anything that you want to talk about, that you really care about, that you never get a chance to talk about, because nobody ever asks you? For instance, I once got someone who wanted to talk about anime because I was wearing an anime shirt like I am now [It was a Sailor Moon shirt].
Well, I do love anime. My favorite is Chibi, Sailor Rini from Sailor Moon. I actually have a Chibi chain.
Honestly, I was a stationery collector, I don’t know if you’re familiar with stationery books, but I love Lovely White. I would go to Koreatown and collect a whole bunch of stationery. It’s definitely one of the more low-key animes, but her name’s Lovely White.
If there’s one major thesis or statement, or message of the album, what would you want people to take away from it?
That’s a really great question. When women listen to this album, I really want them to tap into their divine femininity. After they’re done consuming, seeing their self in some of these songs, I would really love to hear how women feel in 12 months, because the purpose of this album is for women.
Saweetie is hip-hop’s undisputed queen of brand partnerships. Sure, Megan Thee Stallion and Doja Cat have fast-food deals, but Saweetie’s the one who kicked it all off with the McDonald’s meal inspired by her viral favorite food concoctions. She’s also got deals with Crocs (a co-sponsorship with Hidden Valley Ranch, also inspired by her revelation she likes to apply the dressing to more than just salad), MAC Cosmetics, and Amazon. So it comes as no surprise that she announced a new one this week, this time tapping into her history as a multi-sport athlete.
Saweetie is now Champion’s first-ever “Global Culture Consultant,” appearing in the sports apparel brand’s “Get It Girl” campaign (named for the Saweetie song of the same name, which also appears in a Beats By Dre ad) and throwing a spotlight on 12 collegiate athletes who have the “confidence to play by their own rules and look good doing it.” The women featured in the campaign are receiving more than just the look, too; Champion is providing access to Champion executives as mentors of entertainment, marketing, and media as well as sports.
“My relationship with Champion runs deep, as an athlete and lover of streetwear,” Saweetie said in a press release. “It’s been a go-to brand since high school! This campaign and partnership hit me on a personal level and I couldn’t be prouder to help all my sporty-icy girls out there feel empowered with self-love and confidence. When you feel good wearing Champion, the sky’s the limit.”
Jay-Z and Fanatics Inc. have joined investors including Lil Baby, Maverick Carter, and Meek Mill to buy the throwback sports apparel designer Mitchell & Ness for $250 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin was especially excited to purchase the Philadelphia-based brand, which joins his collection of local businesses including part of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers.
“Growing up as a kid in Philadelphia we looked at Mitchell & Ness as a badge of pride, and I truly believe this legendary brand has no limit,” he said. Fanatics will own 75% of Mitchell & Ness, while the investment group, which also includes the family of TikTok star Charli D’Amelio, will own the rest. Mitchell & Ness is best known for designing and retailing the throwback jerseys that were so popular during the early 2000s and have since made a resurgence. Most recently, the brand collaborated with J. Cole’s Dreamer imprint to produce a series of custom NBA throwbacks bearing the Dreamer logo in place of the original teams’ logos. Ironically, Jay-Z now co-owns the creator of the jerseys he once famously threw under the bus on “What More Can I Say” in 2004.
Combined with Fanatics’ minority stake in the headwear retailer Lids acquired in 2018, Jay, Meek, and Rubin are living a millennial hip-hop fan’s sartorial dream come true. Fanatics has also been reportedly expanding outside of sportswear, acquiring Topps trading card company with the intent of turning it into a digital platform with internet gambling.
J. Cole well-documented love for basketball and his understated, ultra-comfy style have come together in his latest collaboration with throwback sportswear designer Mitchell & Ness. He revealed his new Dreamer X Mitchell & Ness throwback jersey collection after teasing it with the help of viral hoop phenom Hansel Enmanuel, who appeared in a video narrated by J. Cole praising the young, one-armed baller’s audacity to dream of a pro hoops career.
The jerseys are designed to look like ’90s-era NBA team jerseys, with the name Dreamer taking the place of the original team names on each. Included in the initial run are looks referencing the old-school aesthetics of the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Washington Wizards (formerly the Baltimore Bullets), Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, and New Jersey Nets (now the Brooklyn Nets). Alas, my beloved Clippers are nowhere to be found, nor are the Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Seattle Supersonics, or any iteration of the Grizzlies (Vancouver or Memphis). I’m not sure if anyone even cares about the Utah Jazz (they can’t read this; they don’t have internet). Cole also posted several throwback jersey photos on Instagram to remind fans of their cultural impact (including the “bootleg” throwback he wore as a kid — an authentic NBA jersey, but not a Mitchell & Ness one, which was the THING back then).
The jerseys retail for $375 and are available on mitchellandness.com (for now, expect them to sell out quick).
When Nipsey Hussle was gunned down in March 2019, he had a lot of unfinished business. He was working on various projects to benefit the community, including the Vector90 coworking space and the shopping center around his Marathon Clothing store, the center of his business dealings. He also wanted to open a second Marathon location and now, thanks to his brother Blacc Sam, that dream is about to become a reality.
In an interview with The Guardian, Sam revealed that Nipsey’s family had purchased commercial property in LA’s Melrose arts district and has begun remodeling it to house the second location. There is no current opening date; meanwhile, the family plans to keep the original Marathon location on the corner of Crenshaw and Slauson intact despite its closure as a tribute to Nipsey. The lot is still undergoing redevelopment into a community space offering free music lessons for kids.
In the wake of Nipsey’s death, the store was closed down to prepare for the construction on the lot, although it remains a popular destination for well-wishers to visit and remember the Victory Lap rapper’s legacy. It was also where he was shot to death as he met with a local to offer him fresh clothing after being released from prison. The store has remained busy online, where drops often sell out within minutes of availability.
Meanwhile, David Gross, Nipsey’s business partner, plans to reopen Vector90, which has remained closed throughout the pandemic, and continue to offer the same financial education courses that Nipsey believed were vital to building the community.
(@saweetie)
