Style

Nipsey Hussle’s Family Is Opening A Second Marathon Clothing Store

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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.

Julia Fox’s Shock Made Kanye Realize How Epic The Stylist Sourcing Those Birkins Was

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We all know the story of Kanye West gifting not just his new girlfriend Julia Fox a Birkin for her birthday, but also gifting several more to her friends. That’s a grand gesture if I’ve ever heard of one, and like most epic shopping stunts, it took a professional to pull it off. Anyone with even a slight familiarity with Birkins knows they’re hard to come by, especially the rare ones, so style reporters immediately wanted to know the story behind the bags. Complex Style editor Aria Hughes tracked down Michelle Lovelace, aka Style By Meech and @meechthestylist on Instagram and got the story of her birthday Birkin quest.

Meech was having a tough year already due to Instagram shutting down her account with 100K+ followers, and imposters immediately trying to take over her name afterward. As she was trying to face down the monster task of starting over from scratch, a call from Kanye turned her 2022 around fast. Working at lightning speed to source and vet the rare Birkins that Kanye wanted in just a matter of four days, Meech told Hughes that she flew to several different states to retrieve the bags herself (!) and then personally delivered them to Kanye in New York. But after she lined them up, at first Ye didn’t realize how much work went into Meech’s delivery.

“I lined them up and he was basically like, ‘Cool. Thanks,’” she told Complex. “But then later we were in the lobby with Julia and his assistant was like this is who got the bags, and Julia was like, ‘Oh my God, how did you make this happen? I know these bags are so hard to get.’ And then Kanye looks at me and is like, ‘Wait. These are hard to get and I just dismissed you like that?’ And I was like ‘Yeah.’ And he just gave me a big bear hug. I was freaking out. I was like ‘Oh my God. Kanye just hugged me.’”

We love a happy ending! Check out the full story here and go support Meech by giving her a follow on her new Instagram page right here.

Beyonce Fans Remember Thierry Mugler For His Game-Changing Work With The Mega-Star

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In the wake of the announcement of Thierry Mugler’s death today at the age of 73, fans are remembering the French fashion icon not only for his work expanding the boundaries of high-end design but also for his contributions to the musical impacts of stars like Beyonce and Lady Gaga. Beyonce herself shared a collage of her Mugler-designed looks throughout the years on her website with the message “Rest In Peace Thierry Mugler.” Fans also paid tribute to their groundbreaking collaborations, which included the signature Sasha Fierce looks that accompanied Bey’s third album, I Am… Sasha Fierce.

“Thierry Mugler was a master designer, but for a lot of music fans his biggest impact will be helping bring Sasha Fierce to life,” wrote industry professional and historian Naima Cochrane on Twitter. “Mugler’s been a favorite of hers for years. I’m in danger of overusing the word ‘drama’ as a descriptor but it’s the most apt phrase I can think of when explaining why his looks fit with Bey so perfectly.”

Fans lovingly recalled some of the designer’s most recognizable looks created for Beyonce, pointing out that the star was one of the first given access to the designer’s archives in ideating their collaborations. While some of the looks dated back to Bey’s Sasha Fierce era, some were as recent as her Disney+ musical film, Black Is King, which also featured her daughter Blue Ivy.

Ye’s Yeezy Gap Is Teaming Up With Balenciaga For A New Collection

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Ye’s Yeezy Gap partnership has so far offered more hype than it has actual products, but now he has announced a new venture: Yeezy Gap is teaming up with Balenciaga for a new collection called Yeezy Gap Engineered By Balenciaga.

The endeavor is a collaboration between Ye and Balenciaga creative director Demna (who also had a Ye-like name change recently, as they were previously known as Demna Gvasalia). It’s not currently clear what sort of items the collection will include, but the first drop is expected this June, with another following later in the year.

Ye teased the announcement by sharing an image of a contract related to the collaboration this morning. Additionally, he told Vogue, “It is a vision come true to work with Gap and Demna, the creative director of Balenciaga, to make incredible product available to everyone at all times.”

Demna also said, “This is a very different challenge. I’ve always appreciated the utilitarianism and the accessibility of Gap. I share some of the same sensibilities in my creative language. This project allowed me to join forces [with Ye] to create utilitarian fashion for all. […] There’s a certain urban minimalism and poetry in our aesthetics, [and] also a desire to push boundaries.”

He was also effusive about the process of working with Ye, saying, “There are very few people that I know, especially of Ye’s caliber, who really understand my work so well. He makes me come out of my comfort zone and be a better designer. There’s no ego when we collaborate, just a mutual drive to evolve and do something great and new.”

Jay-Z And Swizz Beatz Marvel Over Alicia Keys’ Custom ‘Keys’ Chain That Commemorates Her New Album

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Alicia Keys has been a strong presence in pop culture for the last two decades, and deserves all the recognition she’s getting for her most recent album, Keys. And given her close relationship to the hip-hop world, it’s not surprising that she’s celebrating the release of the album in standard rapper fashion — with a massive new chain. And who better to marvel over the custom Elliot Eliante chain than her rapper/producer husband, Swizz Beatz, and one of her most high-profile collaborators, Jay-Z himself.

“Empire State Of Mind” might just be the best-known mainstream hit for both of them, and given that strong connection, Jay isn’t shy about heaping praise on Alicia’s new bling. “When we create these things, when AK comes out with Keys chain, I mean come on man, it’s just super hard first of all,” Jay-Z said in a clip about the bling. “The chain is just super hard. It comes from a different place, it’s beyond a show of wealth. People tend to identify it as [that] today, this thing comes back to… all the great kings from Ethiopia to Africa.”

That’s actually a fantastic way of identifying the piece as a celebration, and Alicia definitely deserves to be recognized as the royalty she is.

The LOX Teams Up With Kith To Bless Madison Square Garden With A Searing Freestyle

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The LOX had one of the more memorable moments of 2021 thanks to their Verzuz against Dipset. Led by Jadakiss, the group put on an absolute show in front of thousands at Madison Square Garden this past summer. It turned out to be one of the best Verzuz matchups in the series’ history, and it was the start of many big moments for them. Others inclkude an appearance on Ye’s Donda album and receiving the key to their hometown of Yonkers. For their latest act, they returned to Madison Square Garden for a fiery freestyle.

The LOX’s Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Styles stood tall in the New York Knicks’ home arena to show off their bars. The performance came after a partnership with high-end clothing brand Kith and its founder and designer Ronnie Fieg, which resulted in the trio delivering their raps while wearing clothes from the unreleased collection “Kith x Nike x New York Knicks.”

For the freestyle, Jadakiss led the way with lines like “Coming from where we from, the triple threat is all we know / Shoot the jumper, you pass it, or you take it to the hole.” Sheek Louch soon joined him to supply some additional energy to the freestyle. “New York, New York, what’s bigger than this / The home of Jay-Z and Nas, matter of fact, the home of Biggie and Kiss / Donnie and P L-O-X way before Cube we were the big three,” he rapped. Finally, Styles P stepped into the spotlight to close things out, rapping, “Dark on the streets, Clarks on the feets/ even when I’m solo, I’m deep / I ain’t coming to sleep, but you could go to sleep, yeah I’m headed to the Mecca roll a leaf.”

This comes almost a year after Kith partnered with Dipset for a similarly-styled freestyled.

Tyler The Creator Adds Nail Polish To His Growing Golf Le Fleur Collection

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Tyler The Creator’s fashion-forward Golf Le Fleur line has recently expanded its offerings, adding a fragrance in addition to the usual assortment of apparel designed or inspired by the multitalented entertainer. That growth continues this week with the inclusion of nail polish, which will come in three colors: Georgia Peach, Geneva Blue, and Glitter. Tyler has been seen throughout the rollout of his new album Call Me If You Get Lost wearing the blue shade, which is being offered along with the others for $20 at the Golf Le Fleur website.

Tyler’s French Waltz fragrance, which was announced just last week, was crafted in collaboration with CPL Aromas. Tyler accompanied the announcement with a short film (in French!), putting his own unique spin on those dramatic fragrance ads, saturating the usually somber tones with bright sunlight and pops of pastel. Tyler showed off his one-of-a-kind vision in another ad — this one for his Converse collaboration — earlier this year, putting NBA legend Bill Walton in a hilarious Chuck Taylor club with the likes of Don Cheadle, Henry Rollins, and Vince Staples.

With the release of the new Golf collection — just in time for the holidays! — Tyler caps a year that saw him live out some of his biggest rap dreams (working with DJ Drama, appearing on BET) and elevate his brand to new heights. We can’t wait to see what he does next.

Kim Kardashian Credited Ye For Her Interest In Fashion While Accepting Her 2021 People’s Choice Award

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Kim Kardashian and Ye may be ending their marriage (and already dating others), but that doesn’t mean they don’t recognize the influence they’ve had on each others’ lives. Kardashian apparently influenced some of Ye’s music on his My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album, acting as his muse on the track “Lost In The World.” But Ye has also influenced Kardashian in a number of ways, namely her style.

Kardashian was honored for her style at the 2021 People’s Choice Awards on Tuesday night. She took the stage in a Balenciaga skin-tight black jumpsuit and massively oversized sunglasses to accept the Fashion Icon award, which was presented by last year’s winner Tracee Ellis Ross. During her speech, Kardashian gave Ye a huge shout-out, saying he introduced her to the world of high fashion.

Kardashian said:

“I started off as a closet organizer and a stylist, so the fact that I’m winning a fashion icon award it’s like a pinch-me moment. I have those every single day that designers are willing to work with me, there was a time when they weren’t. […] To Kanye, even to really introducing me to the fashion world. I fell in love with fashion and I’m so inspired by so many people.”

Watch Kardashian’s full acceptance speech above.

Kid Cudi Honors Virgil Abloh With A Touching Post: ‘You Changed The World Forever’

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On Sunday, the world was shocked to learn that designer and DJ Virgil Abloh passed away at the age of 41. His death came after a private battle with cardiac angiosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer. A post that was shared on Abloh’s Instagram page said this: “He chose to endure his battle privately since his diagnosis in 2019, undergoing numerous challenging treatments, all while helming several significant institutions that span fashion, art, and culture.” His death inspired many to share their condolences on social media, the latest being Kid Cudi who wrote a lengthy message honoring Abloh on Instagram.

“It’s taken me a few days to make this post,” Cudi wrote with a carousel of images featuring him and Abloh. “Tryna find the right words. Virgil was the kindest most warmest soul I’ve ever met. He was a true visionary, genius, disrupter, epic DJ and artist, but he was also just truly a beautiful human.” He continued:

I’ve never known anyone quite like him. And I know i never will. Once in a lifetime. Virgil, I thank u for being a true friend and always makin me feel special when u sent a text, made time for me to hang or sent some shoes w my name on them. I love you endlessly. Til we meet again my friend. I hope u see what you’ve done. You changed the world forever. You did that. I love you Virgil. Goodbye my friend. Your brother, Rager.

Cudi was also one of many artists who appeared at Abloh’s final Louis Vuitton fashion show on Tuesday night. He also performed “Moon,” he and Ye’s collaboration with Don Toliver from Donda.

Tierra Whack Announces The New EP ‘Rap?’ Out This Week

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Adrian Spinelli

When it dropped in 2018, Tierra Whack’s Whack World took hip-hop by storm. Who was this unknown twenty-something rapper out of Philadelphia presenting this flawlessly produced 15 minute album of 15 one-minute songs with 15 separate unique visuals? It was jaw-dropping stuff and Whack has rightfully soared ever since, her voice gracing collaborations with her hometown Philadelphia 76ers, a powerful Janelle Monáe track, even the Madden 22 soundtrack. There have been a lot of singles released in the past few years, but no official album release since Whack World. Until now.

Announced today, Rap? is an EP from Whack, and she has announced a few shows surrounding the release as well. She’ll be in Brooklyn on the day of the release, December 2nd, and in Los Angeles on December 10th. There’s a third date whose location has yet to be announced, but a hometown show in Philadelphia would make sense.

Whack has also announced her first ever fashion collaboration, with an official Vans sneaker and apparel line — an ’80s style collection that Whack and her stylist Shirley Kurata have helped design. All of the pieces will feature the mantra “Weird Hype And Creative Kids” (as in “WHACK”).

Rap? is out on 12/02. Purchase/pre-save it here.

Tierra Whack Rap?
Tierra Whack