• British rapper Tinie Tempah is GQ UK’s best dressed man for 2012.
We can agree with them on that, but we also like him without his shirt. (BBC)
• Rocawear hasn’t been doing so well these days. They laid off half their staff in January after losing about $200 million in sales during 2011. Part of the reason? Their men’s collection isn’t doing so well, since the tastes of their target market are changing (thank you, Obamas!) Still the brand presses on, making plans to branch out into children’s wear, and enlisting its wildly popular CEO, Jay-Z, to front its very first television campaign. (WWD)
Not Xuedan Wang
• Xuedan Wang, former intern at Harper’s Bazaar magazine, is filing a lawsuit against Hearst for unpaid wages. Wang claims she was made to work 40+ hours a week without pay for a year, laboring as a full time employee in their fashion closet for absolutely nothing. Unpaid internships are often touted as the way to get your foot into fashion, and the industry itself wouldn’t work were it not for eager young people willing to sacrifice current wages for the promise of a future position. This sort of relationship yields itself to abuse. I feel for her, but I wonder what kept her from leaving during those weeks when she was working 55 hours for nothing? (Styleite)
• Solange Knowles will document what she’s wearing everyday this week for Vogue UK‘s “Today I’m Wearing” feature. Each outfit will be flawless. (Vogue UK)
• Psychologist Tara Raines has started the “What’s Your Nude?” movement, urging women of all shades to pressure bra and underwear companies to expand their “nude” offerings. Raines says, “Women of color have tremendous spending power in the U.S. and it’s absurd to think that in 2012 we are essentially disenfranchised when they shop for lingerie. It’s my hope that this campaign will drive not only awareness, but swift action by bra makers.” I’m sure she won’t find many people who disagree! You can show your support by contacting your favorite lingerie company (Victoria’s Secret is a good place to start), and following the movement on Facebook. (Fashionista)
• Check out Prada‘s rather Spring-like 2012 campaign video. Watch models Natasha Poly, Kathryn Kruger, Elise Crombez, Meghan Collison, and Ymre Stiekema sharpen their cheekbones in car mirrors, casting all kinds of supercilious glances to strange music in a rather visually pleasing fashion flick. (Prada Youtube)
• If you were planning on copping a pair Nicholas Kirkwoods and want to make that purchase extra special mexico Soccer Jersey, head over to Saks Fifth Avenue Thursday, February 9th from 6-7:30pm to meet the designer, get your shoes signed, and receive a complimentary sketch. We’ll be there Portugal Soccer Jersey!
~ Jihan