Style

Don Toliver Shares A New Merch Line With Cactus Jack And A Bathing Ape

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Don Toliver is currently one of the hottest names in rap, with his new album Life Of A Don debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard albums chart. It’s no surprise, though, as he’s signed to Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack label, sharing with his mentor a certain level of cool-kid clout — enough to warrant a look from perennial streetwear favorite A Bathing Ape, which teamed up with Toliver to release a new line of exclusive co-branded merch. In addition, Toliver’s listening party for Life Of A Don was held at BAPE’s New York store and captured for posterity in the video above.

The merch line consists of four T-shirts combining the streetwear brand’s trademark logos with Don’s name and the album title. The shirts are all $129 and can be purchased either at A Bathing Ape’s website or on Don Toliver’s online shop with album bundles.

Seeing Don Toliver teaming up with A Bathing Ape makes perfect sense when you consider Travis Scott’s propensity for licensing his likeness to practically any brand looking to raise its profile among young spenders: Travis counts Sony, McDonald’s, and more among his partnerships, even as he insists he’s not looking to be a “brand” of his own. Don’s following in his footsteps and well on his way, although he’s making sure to balance savvy money moves with fan-favorite singles like “Flocky Flocky” and “Drugs N Hella Melodies.”

Life Of A Don is out now via Cactus Jack and Atlantic.

Beyonce Praises Balmain’s Creative Director During The Brand’s Spring/Summer 2022 Fashion Show In Paris

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On Wednesday, folks in the fashion industry gathered to watch Balmin’s spring/summer 2022 show in Paris. The showcase was also used to celebrate the tenth anniversary of creative director Olivier Rousteing’s time with the Parisian house. Beyonce narrated the night’s opening walk with a lengthy speech that showed love and appreciation to Rousteing while reflecting on the early days of their relationship.

“[You] brought a new mindset to help persuade fashion to finally begin to reflect the real true beauty of today’s streets, the beauty that you and your team see a daily on the diverse impressive boulevards and avenues of your beloved Paris,” Beyonce said in her message. “And from day one, you did the right thing. You knew from the start that actions speak so much louder than words. So you’ve taken a stand, made the commitments and followed through at every step of the way.”

“Does anyone have any idea how many times I’ve worn a special Olivier x Balmain creation? There have been so many events and so many beautiful moments,” she added. “You helped me make my musical statement. You helped me amplify my message, your designs have made me feel powerful. Thank you.” She concluded, “Balmain is your amazing tool for both beauty and change. Your outlook, your convictions and your talent have affected and moved all of us. I’m so proud to call you friend. Happy anniversary. We’re all looking forward to the next ten years.”

You can listen to Beyonce’s message in the video above.

Erykah Badu Gifted Rihanna Her Infamous Panty Perfume At The Savage X Fenty Fashion Show

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Rihanna’s third-annual Savage X Fenty Show is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video featuring performances from BIA, Nas, and Normani and appearances from Adriana Lima, Bella Poarch, Gigi Hadid, and Erykah Badu. The latter expressed her appreciation for being included by coming bearing a gift for her gracious host: A bottle of her infamous Badu Pussy perfume, which she supposedly formulated by burning pairs of her underwear. It seems like there could be a mutually beneficial arrangement in there somewhere, right? Erykah posted a photo to Instagram posing with Rihanna and the perfume backstage.

“Thanks RiRi,” the caption reads. “I had a ball at your @savagexfenty show. Always cool to spend a lil love time with a fellow visionary Pisces mind. Enjoy the scents. I like your hustle.”

Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 3 became available for streaming on Friday, September 24 and also drew controversy on Twitter for some of the styles represented — something that’s becoming something of a trend for the show in its three years. The second show was criticized for using a Muslim worship song, prompting Rihanna to write on her Instagram Story: “We understand that we have hurt many of our Muslim brothers and sisters, and I’m incredibly disheartened by this!… Moving forward we will make sure nothing like this ever happens again.”

Drake Dedicates His Latest Nike Nocta Golf Line To His Uncle Steve

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Drake’s fondness for basketball is no secret, but it might surprise fans to find that The Boy’s latest Nocta Nike collaboration focuses on golf instead of hoops. The new drop, which became available today, features 10 signature pieces inspired by Nike’s broader links collection. Items in it put unique spins on the usual golf attire, such as providing mock neck short-sleeved shirts in place of the usual collared shirts, as well as useful accessories like sunglasses and visor hats.

In a separate post on his own Instagram page, Drake explained the reasoning behind releasing a golf line, dedicating the collection to one of his “idols”: His uncle Steve, who introduced him to the game. “A collection dedicated to one of my idols,” he wrote. “A man who took me under his wing and showed me much of what life had to offer and even more so what your own life can become when you are dedicated and loyal. My grandmother Evelyn Sher has a resting place close to the King Valley Golf Club and our drives and visits to that course hold some of my most valuable life lessons and will forever be cherished.”

The Stephen Sher Nocta Golf collection is available now. A few of the pieces are already sold out, but you can check it out here.

Saweetie, Crocs, And Hidden Valley Ranch Team Up For An Unlikely But Fitting Collaboration

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Despite having a slew of inescapably catchy singles under her belt and an album on the way, Saweetie has become just as well-known for her brand partnerships and cast-iron gut over the past few years. So, it should come as no surprise that her latest endeavor combines both for an unlikely, yet fitting collaboration. The Bay Area rapper has teamed up with Crocs, which has increased its visibility thanks to collaborations with Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj, and Post Malone, and Hidden Valley Ranch, which she’s been known to slather on her spaghetti, to promote a new pair of the slipper brand’s signature rubber clogs adorned in food-related Jibbitz charms.

The Hidden Valley Ranch x Crocs Clogs are off-white-colored and accented with green speckles, drawing a resemblance to the dressing. Each of the Jibbitz charms are based on the items that folks love to dip in their ranch like fries, chicken nuggets, and vegetables. There are nine charms in all, and all are included with the clogs, which will only be available for purchase online through a drawing system. Entry is open from today to Monday, September 20 at 12pm ET. You can also check out Saweetie’s Instagram Story for a link to enter the big-city exclusive sweepstakes to win the shoes and a free pizza (in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York).

Check out some shots of the shoes (and some choice fan reactions) below.

Roc Nation School Of Music, Sports, And Entertainment Launches Its First Back-To-School Merch Collection

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Last summer, Jay-Z’s Roc Nation brand launched its School of Music, Sports, and Entertainment at Long Island University in order to “educate the next generation of industry changemakers.” The partnership is designed to grant undergraduate students opportunities to work in the music, sports, and entertainment industries, offering degrees in music, music technology, entrepreneurship & production, as well as sports management. Today, in honor of the upcoming fall semester, the school has released its first official merchandise collection, with proceeds going to the HOPE Scholarship program.

The collection is available via the university’s student-operated store and online, featuring everything from beach towels to water bottles, as well as the usual assortment of apparel such as hats, hoodies, shorts, socks, sweatpants, and t-shirts. According to a press release, additional options will be added in the future.

Roc Nation’s Hope Scholars are selected from freshmen based in New York determined by need, while the school also offers other scholarships based on GPA. When the school first launched, Long Island University President Dr. Kimberly Cline was quoted, “Our proximity in and around New York City’s epicenter of music and sports clearly positions us to offer unparalleled experiential learning and access to professional opportunities that will launch students to success.”

Check out some of the options below.

Eminem Is Celebrating His Career Via A New Streetwear Collab With Millinsky

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Eminem has debuted a new capsule collection of streetwear in collaboration with Gen-Z designer Millinsky.

Teasing the collection, which celebrates the rapper’s career highlights, Em shared a video on his socials set to the Music To Be Murdered By: Side B song “Discombobulated.” “Let’s take ’em back / In time,” he captioned. Millinsky shared his own promotional video on Instagram, posting the message, “Music through design. Can’t wait to share with you my latest collaboration with @eminem. Pieces available on Eminem’s official website on September 2nd.”

The collection itself consists of short-sleeve and long-sleeve T-shirts, hoodies, and baseball caps that say career-spanning phrases from Eminem like, “Hi, My Name is Slim Shady,” “Guess Who’s Back,” “I’m Infinite,” and “Slim Shady,” Ranging in price from $25 to $50, the pieces are available for purchase here.

“I’ve always loved music, but I don’t think it had a specific impact on the creation of the pieces themselves in the beginning,” Millinsky recently explained to Thred. “I think in the music industry right now — and this has been the case for a decade or so — musicians tend to care more about how they dress than athletes and actors so it’s easier to get musicians on board to wear cool stuff. Rihanna specifically is always style-forward. For us to have her buy the product and actually wear it was monumental. It had a snowball effect.”

Cardi B Promoted Her Reebok Collection With A Hilariously Raunchy Description

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Cardi B is already well-known and loved for doing things her own way, whether it’s making hit singles about the power of female sexuality, or lamenting the influence of Peppa Pig on her daughter, the Bronx rapper always keeps it as real as can be. That hasn’t changed at all as Cardi enters the world of fashion and brand collaborations, as she’s been promoting her line of classic Reebok sweatsuits.

The vintage-inspired suits are size-inclusive, something else that has been important to Cardi in the past, and is probably even more top of mind after her most recent collaboration with Lizzo on “Rumors” sparked a slew of hateful, fatphobic backlash. Cardi supported Lizzo through her tearful reaction to those hateful comments, and is letting women of all sizes know that

“If you got a fat ass p*ssy or you got a boney p*ssy with some grip DONT worry momma BARDI got you !!! I made this collection Witt everybody body shapes in mine !!!!!
@Reebok,” the rapper wrote on Twitter yesterday of the collection. Her hilariously raunchy description is actually addressing something important though. The “City Fierce” collection is available in both straight size and plus size, something that has finally become a priority in fashion over the last few years. Check out the full collection here.

Saweetie’s Icy McDonald’s Merch Includes Fanny Packs, Trucker Hats, And Oversized T-Shirts

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Saweetie‘s McDonald’s meal has been out for a couple of weeks now, which means it’s time for its accompanying merch collection to hit the net as well. While Travis Scott’s collection included wild entries like Cactus Jack house slippers and Chicken McNugget body pillows, Saweetie’s stuff sticks to the most functional items like apparel and accessories.

In the press release, Saweetie noted that the designs here suit her own personal style, which includes oversized t-shirts and hoodies, and claimed a favorite. “Y’all know I stay dipped in the latest fashion, so it was only right I drop some icy merch to celebrate my McDonald’s collab,” she said. “There are so many oversized pieces that I love, like my favorites: the Saweetie ’N Sour Hoodie and Fry Tees.”

In addition to those items, the collection includes the Dats Right fanny pack, the Pop Art sticker tote, a pair of trucker hats, and socks with her snowflake logo. The simplicity of the collection will probably ensure that the supply issues that plagued J Balvin’s collection can be avoided this time around. You can check out a few pieces below and make your purchases on the official website.

Beyonce And Jay-Z Display A Never-Before-Seen Basquiat Painting In Their New Tiffany & Co. Ad

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Over the years, Beyonce and Jay-Z have come to represent a standard of luxury for a generation of music fans. Likewise, the long-established jeweler Tiffany & Co. has also represented class and elegance at a high level, so it only makes sense for the brand to tap into The Carters’ cachet as it markets its product to that younger generation. The only thing that would improve such an idea would be some kind of expensive, ridiculous rare art piece — what’s that, you say? A never-before-seen painting of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s? Yeah, that’ll do the trick.

Alexandre Arnault, Tiffany’s executive VP of products and communications, told WWD that the painting, the 1982 “Equals Pi,” is “a way to modernize Tiffany blue.” He elaborated that while the inspiration of the painting isn’t quite ironclad, the choice of the iconic shade was likely intentional. “We don’t have any literature that says he made the painting for Tiffany,” he said.

“But we know a little bit about Basquiat. We know his family. We did an exhibition of his work at the Louis Vuitton Foundation a few years back. We know he loved New York, and that he loved luxury and he loved jewelry. My guess is that the [blue painting] is not by chance. The color is so specific that it has to be some kind of homage. As you can see, there is zero Tiffany blue in the campaign other than the painting. It’s a way to modernize Tiffany blue.”

MASON POOLE FOR TIFFANY & CO.

The campaign marks the first time the company’s signature Tiffany Diamond (worn by Beyonce) appears in such marketing materials, making Beyonce only the fourth woman to wear it after Mary Whitehouse, Audrey Hepburn, and Lady Gaga. A short film accompanying the ad sees Beyonce singing the theme song from the 1961 film Breakfast At Tiffany’s to Jay as he films her with a Super 8 camera.

For more about the campaign, you can read WWD’s feature here.