Category: PRESS

Amid the social reckoning on racial injustice in our country, Judas and the Black Messiah is a film that couldn’t have come at a more profound time. 

The biographical drama, directed by Shaka King, tells the true story of FBI informant William O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) who infiltrates the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party to gather intelligence on Chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), leading to the police raid and killing of Hampton in 1969 when he was just 21. 

Costume designer Charlese Antoinette Jones recreated the historical uniform of the Black Panther Party in the late ’60s, such as incorporating the iconic beret.

ET spoke with Jones on her research process and the impact of her work in the film, set to release in theaters and available to stream on HBO Max on Feb. 12.

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One woman has made it her mission to connect Black-owned brands with today’s top costume designers.

Sex and the City made Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo household names, and, everyone knows what “an AlaÏa” is — and that the couturier is a “totally important designer” — thanks to Clueless. Even when a brand isn’t name-dropped so bluntly, the impact of a pop-culture appearance can be a major launchpad for success. 

As a recent example, after Emily in Paris premiered on Netflix last fall, the titular lead’s green python-print mini-skirt by Ronny Kobo sold out, while search for the New York-based Israeli designer increased by 22% on global fashion shopping platform Lyst, and interest in skirts by French label Ganni jumped a whopping 289%.

“TV and film have a huge role in both cultural currency and the visibility of designers for both emerging and established brands,” explains Amiyra Perkins, Director of Mindset for trend forecaster WGSN, via email. She cites loads of Barbour in The Crown and the now-Instagram-ubiquitous Marine Serre moon print in Beyonce’s Black is King. “Consumers continue to discover brands and track down the items of their favorite characters or artists merging imagined worlds into real life.”

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With an estimated 90% of businesses led by people of color and women locked out of the stimulus bill, Black and Brown communities across the country have done what they’ve done since the start of US history — take care of themselves. While recently we’ve all been focused on the pain and suffering caused by COVID-19, it’s also important to take a moment to celebrate all the she-roes and heroes who have found innovative ways to keep people employed and serve their communities.  View entire article here.