June 06, 2020 at 01:00PM In light of the events this week, we’ve decided to use our weekly culture news round-up to highlight some of the important pieces we’ve run over the past five days that amplify Black voices and share resources to help people get involved in the fight against anti-Black racism. Black Lives Matter: 65 Racism Awareness Books, Movies, Resources and More If you’re a non-Black person who has never fully engaged with the reality of systemic racism due to your own privilege, it’s on you to educate yourself. Here’s a handy list of films, television shows, books, social media accounts and other resources to turn to in the coming weeks, months and years to understand better the history of anti-Black racism. 14 Canadian Organizations to Donate to in the Fight Against Anti-Black Racism Systemic and institutionalized racism is a very real problem here in Canada. Here’s a list of organizations and funds supporting Black communities in Canada that you can donate to in the fight against anti-Black racism here at home. Meghan Markle Shares Powerful Graduation Speech: “When The Foundation is Broken, So Are We.” Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, shared an emotional video message to the graduating class at her former high school overnight, addressing the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and more and the issue of racism in the States and beyond. Watch her video here. And for a roundup of Canadian LGBTQ2S+ organizations celebrating Pride 2020 with virtual events throughout the month
Category: Fashionmagazine
Meet Summer Ruddock-Ellis, the Toronto-Based Creative Who Wants You to Embrace Second-Hand Shopping
June 05, 2020 at 10:24PM “I’m a creative problem solver,” says Summer Ruddock-Ellis, the Toronto-based founder of second-hand retail and editorial platform Pseudonym and partner in 4ye, the entertainment-meets-fashion hub with a robust social following. Ruddock-Ellis, who grew up in Brampton, says her interest in fashion and in thrifting began when she was young. Her first retail job was at a store in the local mall, and that’s where she says she was first exposed “to the retail landscape and how to run a business. Getting product in and actually selling it; that was really exciting to me.” View this post on Instagram Another striking photo of Angaer ? photographed by @othellogrey, styled in pieces from our store by @summer_ruddock_ellis A post shared by PSEUDONYM (@bypseudonym) on Apr 28, 2020 at 1:54pm PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js She enrolled at Carlton to do an undergrad in Economics, and while there, the burgeoning entrepreneur got an idea. “I starting thrifting a lot when I was up there, and started selling clothing out of my dorm,” says Ruddock-Ellis. “That’s originally how I started Pseudonym; it was a thing I did part-time I did while at school just to make a bit of extra money.” In combination with managing her curated offering of contemporary previously-owned finds, Ruddock-Ellis honed her retail acumen working for businesses like Cos, where she was part of the development of the company’s Canadian e-commerce venture as well as acting as a merchandiser for the brand. “It gave me an idea of scale,
10 Virtual Pride 2020 Events Taking Place Across Canada
June 05, 2020 at 08:12PM We may not be allowed to celebrate together in the streets, but Pride 2020 is far from cancelled. Here’s your guide to all the virtual Pride events taking place online through the month of June in Canada. Pride Toronto Pride Toronto has a month-long schedule of virtual events taking place throughout June, culminating in the Virtual Pride Festival Weekend from June 26-28. Highlights from this year’s virtual lineup include digital bingo night on June 11 hosted by drag queen Devine Darlin; an afternoon dance party with Toronto musician Charlotte Day Wilson on June 21; weekly trivia nights hosted by The Arquives; an Afrobeat, soca and dancehall party with DJs Soulsis and Razaqeltoro.Onkoya on June 18; and a “Feature Fridays” screening series of queer and trans movies and documentaries. Check out the full schedule here. Queens premiere event with Pride Toronto To celebrate the launch of Queens, a new television series following an eclectic group of Toronto drag queens caught in the middle of a whodunit, the cast of the show is taking part in a Q&A panel to discuss the making of the show and all things Pride. Part of Pride Toronto’s Pride Month “Feature Fridays” series, the show will be streaming live on CBC Gem on Friday, June 19 at 9pm ET, with an intro panel at 8.30pm EST and a post-show Q&A session at 10pm EST via PrideToronto.com. Saskatoon Pride Parade Saskatoon’s annual Pride parade is going online this year from June 14th
Self-Isolation Diary: A Day in the Life of Meghan Yuri Young
June 05, 2020 at 05:09PM We’re officially in Month 4 of self-isolation with an uncertain road ahead but for some much-needed inspiration, FASHION is reaching out to some of our favourite Canadians to get a peek into how they’re living their lives in lockdown (remember: #StayHomeSaveLives). Each week, keep an eye out for new self-isolation diaries from actors, designers, influencers and artists who are riding this uncertain time out with us. Meghan Yuri Young, Breakfast Television Toronto correspondent and mental health advocate Not to make light of the struggle that everyone in the world is facing due to coronavirus, but, to be completely transparent, one of the first thoughts that crossed my mind as I began to self-isolate was that the universe was testing me. Because I had done this before. But that time it was by choice. Four years ago I started down a path to get back to myself. Or maybe it’s more accurate to say: to learn about myself. I had recently separated from my partner of 12 years and felt at once liberated and lost. So much so that I deluded myself into believing I knew where I was going. It took me two years to realize I walked like a child, distracted by anything that caught my eye. Over the next two years, I began to take more time for myself, ask myself harder questions, have deeper conversations and explore the “whys” of my particular world. I stopped walking and I cocooned. Then I read
Seven Upcycled Pieces to Make Your Closet More Eco-Friendly on World Environment Day
June 05, 2020 at 05:00PM There are plenty of designers making old things new again—it’s a great way to curb the wastefulness of the fashion industry’s traditional production methods, and also results in garments and accessories that are incredibly unique. Looking to add something more environmentally-friendly to your wardrobe? As we mark World Environment Day today, here are seven pieces of upcycled clothing (and a few accessories for good measure) to fit any budget. <div class="sjm-attachment-carousel–header gallery-container–vertical" data-slick='{"speed":400,"adaptiveHeight":true,"variableWidth":false,"centerMode":true,"centerPadding":"0","slidesToShow":1,"lazyLoad":"ondemand","prevArrow":"Previous”,”nextArrow”:”Next”}’ data-simplemodal=’false’ > 1/7 Aldgate dress ($492, The R Collective) This lightweight and versatile crepe dress will quickly become a staple thanks to its dreamy draped quality. Buy Now 2/7 Caravan mix flip flop bracelets ($16 for set of 10, Caravan and Company) Add to your arm party with this fun mix of bangles made from recycled flip flops. Buy Now 3/7 Dot insertion trouser ($365, Laugh By Lafaille) Spring forward with Montreal brand Laugh By Lafaille’s charming trousers, crafted with vintage textiles and a modern cut. Buy Now 4/7 Pop of colour t-shirt ($79, Zero Waste Daniel) Made from fabric scraps sourced by Fabscrap, a hub for facilitating a more circular fashion industry, this tee is anything but basic. Buy Now 5/7 Cotton-blend jacket ($490, Myar) Everyone loves a good khaki jacket—this one comes with an off-beat Hawaiian shirt pattern on the back. Buy Now 6/7 Revivify blazer ($171, Blonde Gone Rogue) A boxy silhouette and asymmetrical detail give this blazer a business-meets-pleasure vibe. Buy Now 7/7 Screen-Shot-2020-04-21-at-1.25.23-PM Meristem backpack ($390, Vanina)
Texture Talk: Celebrity Hairstylist Kahh Spence Chats Wig Maintenance and Caring for Curls
June 04, 2020 at 10:00PM Welcome to Texture Talk, our weekly column that celebrates and deep dives into the dynamic world of curly hair, from crowns of curls that are free flowing to hair that’s tucked away in a protective style. This week, a textured hair expert to the stars shares his dos and don’ts when it comes to wig and curl maintenance. If you haven’t heard of Kahh Spence, keep scrolling. At just 25 years old, Spence already counts superstars Kehlani, Cardi B, Ella Mai, and Yara Shahidi as clients, and is the founder of his own unisex beauty brand. Known mainly for his custom wigs, the Brooklyn-born, self-taught hairstylist and OGX Beauty brand ambassador is behind many of Cardi B’s ever changing looks, and shares that his first encounter with the female rapper was the year before the juggernaut’s meteoric rise to fame with the release of her single Bodak Yellow. But the rising Brooklynite’s real break came a few months later when R&B singer Kehlani asked him to join her on tour. “Probably the second time I worked with her she asked me to go on tour, and I’ve been working with her ever since,” he says. Spence credits the clout of social media for gaining him his celeb visibility; it is the way Cardi’s publicist reached out to him, after all, he reveals. “I feel like it’s opened over 112,000 peoples eyes to me,” he says of his amassed following. “They get to see me, what
The New #PullUpOrShutUp Campaign is Asking Beauty Brands to Do More Than Donate
June 04, 2020 at 08:52PM A new campaign is making waves on social media – and with good reason. #PullUpOrShutUp is the brainchild of Uoma Beauty founder, Sharon Chuter, and its aim is to hold beauty brands to account on their commitment to standing in solidarity with the Black community. Over the past few days we’ve seen an outpouring of beauty brands donating to various Black Lives Matter causes, however Chuter – who, before starting her own beauty brand, was the head of Corporations for Benefit at LVMH – is concerned that some of these donations may simply be PR stunts. “You can’t say Black lives matter publicly when you don’t show us Black lives matter within your homes and your organizations,” Chuter said in a series of videos posted to her Instagram account, before asking her followers to pause their spending for 72 hours until these brands released the number of Black people they have in corporate and leadership positions. In the clips, Chuter explained that in the US, Black people make up just eight per cent of corporate roles, a little over three per cent in management positions and that there are only four Fortune 500 companies with Black CEOs. “These corporations, who are the gatekeepers of jobs, have starved us for the longest time. They’ve pushed us out, and they’ve marginalized us and they’ve oppressed us by doing nothing and staying silent which is exactly what is happening even in this moment,” she says. View this post
Meghan Markle Shares Powerful Graduation Speech: “When The Foundation is Broken, So Are We.”
June 04, 2020 at 03:53PM Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, shared an emotional video message to the graduating class at her former high school overnight, addressing the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and more and the issue of racism in the States and beyond. Meghan began the video by telling the class that she wasn’t sure what she could say to them following recent events. “I wanted to say the right thing. And I was really nervous that I wouldn’t, or that it would get picked apart and I realized the only wrong thing to say is to say nothing. Because George Floyd’s life mattered, and Breonna Taylor’s life mattered, and Philando Castile’s life mattered, and Tamir Rice’s life mattered, and so did so many other people whose names we know and whose names we don’t know. Stephon Clark, his life mattered.” Meghan also shared her own experience of witnessing the Los Angeles riots in 1992, and apologized to the graduating class “that we have not gotten the world to the place you deserve it to be.” Towards the end of her speech (which you can watch and read in full below), Markle touched on the hope she has in the next generation to make meaningful change. “Now all of that work [you’ve done over the past four years] gets activated. Now you get to be part of rebuilding. And I know sometimes people say how many times do we need to rebuild? Well, you know, we are
14 Canadian Organizations to Donate to in the Fight Against Anti-Black Racism
June 03, 2020 at 10:22PM Systemic and institutionalized racism is a very real problem here in Canada. Aside from educating yourself on anti-Black racism, supporting Black-owned businesses, attending protests and speaking out about injustice, donating to worthy causes and organizations (if you’re able) is a key way to make a difference. Read on for a list of organizations and funds supporting Black communities in Canada that you can donate to. Black Women in Motion Black Women in Motion is a Toronto-based youth-led organization that empowers and supports the advancement of Black womxn and survivors of sexual violence. The group works within “an anti-racist, intersectional feminist, trauma-informed and survivor-centred framework to create culturally-relevant content, educational tools, healing spaces and economic opportunities for black womxn.” Donate to their mission here. Black Artists Network Dialogue Black Artists Network in Dialogue (BAND) is dedicated to supporting, documenting and showcasing the artistic and cultural contributions of Black artists and cultural workers in Canada and internationally. Its gallery space in Toronto is dedicated to developing emerging artists, curators and administrators by providing an accessible venue to showcase their work to the general public, while its Quarterly Canadian Culture Series encourages dialogue on current events among Black artists, cultural workers and the larger society. Donate to the art organization here. Black Health Alliance Working to improve the health and wellbeing of Black communities, the Black Health Alliance’s mission is to reduce the racial disparities in health outcomes and to mobilize people and financial resources to create lasting
How Disability Styling Expert Stephanie Thomas is Using Fashion as a Form of Advocacy
June 03, 2020 at 10:03PM Los Angeles-based disability styling expert Stephanie Thomas has built a career around bringing style inclusivity to a worldwide audience. “In 2006, I went to a pet store and saw a Burberry-inspired trench coat for dogs,” she says. “I was just annoyed at that point. If I had a dog, I would have more clothing options for it than I would have if I were the parent of a child who has a seated body type and uses a wheelchair for mobility.” In 1992, Thomas began researching clothing and retail trends for people with disabilities. This eventually led to her creating the Disability Fashion Styling System, a three-point guide that allows the differently abled to better understand how to approach dressing while learning more about the brands, innovations and people bringing fashion to those with largely underserved needs. She also founded her media platform, Cur8able, in 2015 and wrote a textbook titled Fitting In: The Social Implications of Fashion and Dressing With Disabilities. “Fashion is a powerful tool in my tool box to fight discrimination against people with disabilities and to challenge and educate people who probably unknowingly have ableist views,” she says. View this post on Instagram It’s a Wrap!! @zapposadaptive another fun shoot! Day 2 Models: @dgstyle @chauntallewis @itslololove #models #disabilities #wheelchairs #inclusive #amputee #fashion #customers #photoshoot A post shared by Stephanie Thomas (@disabilityfashionstylist) on May 3, 2019 at 10:23pm PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js Though Thomas, who is a congenital amputee, has given a TEDx Talk