Amanda Gorman is the First Poet to Land Vogue
The first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate and the youngest inaugural poet in US history Amanda Gorman adds another first to her resume, gracing the May cover of American Vogue. With two covers shot by Annie Leibovitz and decked in a re-imagined kente look from Virgil Abloh’s latest Louis Vuitton men’s collection, the 23-year-old who is having a very good 2021 speaks with writer Doreen St. Félix on her trajectory that was years in the making on Vogue.
Grace Elizabeth Shares Her Pregnancy With the World
Previously this year, Grace Elizabeth gave birth to a baby boy with her husband Nicholas Krause and kept it a secret from the public. At 9 months pregnant, Elizabeth shot a Mother’s Day campaign for Victoria’s Secret photographed by Cass Bird, and the following day, welcomed her newborn into the world. The new mom shared a sentimental post on Instagram saying, “I kept private about the pregnancy because I wasn’t ready to share him with the world just yet; my best-kept secret. My husband and I really just wanted to live in those precious moments and give our unborn baby the love and attention he needed to grow without outside eyes or expectations. Just us. And it was absolutely beautiful.” [Vogue]
Karlie Kloss Returns to Project Runway
Karlie Kloss will be returning to Project Runway — but not as its host. Kloss, who recently gave birth to her first child, will instead make guest appearances on the program, which is now in its 19th season. Kloss and designer Christian Siriano took over as host and mentor of the long-running series after Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn were forced out of a whopping 16-season run by a contract dispute with the Bravo network. Siriano will be returning in the same role he previously held, as will judges Nina Garcia, Brandon Maxwell and Elaine Welteroth. [Deadline]
Models Stand up to France’s Hijab Ban
This week the French Senate passed an amendment banning anyone under 18 from wearing a hijab in public, mothers who wear hijab from attending school trips, and burqini at public pools and beaches in order to address religious extremism. The measure will likely fail when up in the National Assembly but holds dire consequences regardless of removing Muslim womens’ autonomy while stoking stigmatism, Islamophobia, and xenophobia. Hijabi athletes, influencers, and models like Rawdah Mohamed have since condemned the proposal taking to social media with the #HandsOffMyHijab.
Michel Gaubert Apologizes After Racist ‘Wuhan Girls’ Gaffe
French DJ and soundtrack designer for Chanel, Dior, Fendi and Loewe Michel Gaubert apologized after posting an Instagram video showing him at an intimate group dinner, with attendees holding cut-out, white masks with slanted eyes made by artist Marie Beltrami while saying “Wuhan girls, wahoo,” referring to a song by French band, Le Villejuif Underground. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, the now-deleted viral post was problematic as a surge of violent attacks rampage against the Asian community due to false associations with the COVID-19 pandemic, and received backlash from industry influencers Bryanboy, Tina Craig, Chu Wong, and Susie Lau, who deemed the masks as “an Asian version of blackface.”
New Movement at Calvin Klein
Changes are afoot at Calvin Klein. Designer Heron Preston—who has previously worked with Kanye West and Virgil Abloh—has taken on the role of creative consultant for a spring 2021 collection for the heritage brand. Heron Preston for Calvin Klein will focus on essentials such as jeans, t-shirts and underwear. Meanwhile, fellow Yeezy ex-employee Willy Chavarria has been hired as senior vice president of design for Calvin Klein North America men’s lines. Alongside Yeezy, Chavarria has previously held positions at Ralph Lauren, Dickies, K-Swiss, and American Eagle. The changes come after parent company PVH Corp revealed a 20% decrease in revenue. [Fashion Network] [WWD]
Vivienne Westwood Turns 80 and Still Takes on the Climate Crisis
Fashion’s eco-warrior, Dame Vivienne Westwood celebrated her milestone 80th birthday by broadcasting a film at London’s Piccadilly Circus titled, Do Not Buy a Bomb. Westwood recites a rendition of ‘Without You’, Eliza Doolittle’s song from the musical My Fair Lady, as the film commissioned by art foundation CIRCA sets to illuminate how the international arms race has contributed to the intensifying climate crisis. A special limited-edition print in support of #CIRCAECONOMY is available to buy for £100 on the CIRCA website until May 8th, 2021.
Model Alliance’s Kai Braden & Barrett Pall Speak Up Against Sexual Assault
Model Alliance Leadership Council member Kai Braden spoke with activist Barrett Pall on the disturbing side of male modeling and trading stories on alleged sexual assault by photographer Rick Day, as documented in this 2018 Advocate article. Pall who said the moment happened on his first shoot in 2007 and who was first linked with Braden in that article, spoke to demand accountability from those in power and protection for models that are too often found in these powerless instances.
Kate Moss Joins The NFT Art World Frenzy
Kate Moss is the latest celebrity to join the NFT art world craze and ready to let lucky fans in on her personal life by partnering with art collective MITNFT. Buyers will get a snippet of the model’s intimate parts of her life through three videos, “Drive With Kate,” “Walk With Kate” and “Sleep with Kate” which will all be sold as non-fungible tokens through the online platform, Foundation on April 13th at 9 AM EST. The British model plans on distributing these raised funds for Adwoa Aboah’s Gurls Talk foundation, which helps support young women and their mental health.
