Doctor Martin Luther King Junior, a man of many names.
Survivors are the zine the world has been waiting for. Director Maria Polzin has created one of the few publications that utilize fashion and photography to empower survivors of sexual assault and spread awareness of sexual violence.
Deb Perelman of “Smitten Kitchen,” is world renowned for her kitchen skills.
Last Thursday, January 26th, Ford hosted ‘Life Hack Academy Live’ at the Altman Building in New York City. With guest and speakers ranging from Tia Mowry, to Deb Perelman of “Smitten Kitchen,” and Brian Kelly of “The Points Guy.”
New York’s top influencers from every borough trekked down to the Public Arts Hotel in NYC his Thursday night to see artists Towkio, Duckwrth, Blackway & Shaboozey grace the stage. The night was filled with an open Photo Booth, tons of laughter, sprinkled with attendees from Justine Skye to Asian doll, and even a surprise performance from Amine.
Tuesday, December 19th was a special night for hip-hop and car enthusiasts alike. Rap legend Biz Markie and the king of luxury car customizations, Will Castro joined forces to celebrate the new season of “Unique Rides,” airing Wednesday 12/27 at 9:00 pm.
It’s rare that you find an artist who does fluidity so well but KaMillion, living up to her name, excels at almost every aspect of the music industry.
Last Sunday, Baldwin had it’s New York City Grand Opening at 199 Mott Street.
70 years of luxury family-ran fashion was celebrated Thursday night with the opening of Herno’s first New York City storefront in Soho Manhattan. Located down a quiet cross street at 95 Green, and perfectly positioned next to other designer power houses like Dior, the Herno storefront launch was a gathering place for fashion insiders. Claudio Marenzi, current President & CEO, hosted the reception and music was curated by by Paul Sevigny with Sophie and Wolfgang Sevigny.
The room was filled with a healthy mixture of lightweight, breathable neon fall bubble jackets and fur-hooded pastel a-line winter jackets, each with their own unique styling. We sat down with Olivia Labella at the event to find out more about the brands first ever U.S flagship launch:
On the Importance of Thursday’s Launch:
“Very important because the brand is now in its second generation. It’s a family owned business and with the second generation Herno went through a relaunch of the family business, starting a new approach of outerwear so a little bit more technological more couture, more feminine. And every jacket tries to contact every need of the customer today but with a glamorous appeal. Of course we’re an Italian made brand but we’re sold in 54 countries. We’re very international and what’s nice is next year we’re celebrating 70 years as a brand, but 50 years that we’ve been selling in Japan. So it’s going to be a double anniversary. But even in Japan our business is run by a family, but it’s a second generation running it as well. So it’s family to family. So it’s very nice to work in such an environment, I think it makes it more special.”
On the Most Popular U.S. Herno Styles:
“This new phase that Herno is going through, for the first time, and we started making them 10 years ago, for the first time we started showing down jackets in a couture format. I mean literally, when the first prototype of an egg shaped, 3/4th sleeve, crater color down jacket came out- we were all saying ‘o.k, it might make you look fat. It’s 3/4th sleeve will it keep you warm? Who’s going to buy it?’ It’s been the number one selling piece for 10 years because it’s the first time you felt elegant and glamorous in a down jacket. It’s also super light because it’s produced with the newest technology, you can even see the quality of the feathers through the label. It’s so fine because it has no quills, no grains, it’s all pure white feathers. This feels like silk, and amazingly this is a jacket, you can wear all year round because it’s so light.”
On U.S. Expansion:
“In the past two and a half years the company has invested a lot in the American market. We started with this flagship store in New York but the branch has been open two and a half years because American business is very good to us, the customers have been reacting very nicely. Also to our Lux business, for example, the cashmere line has Lux material like cashmere and silk. And all the Americans love the combination of the lux materials but also feeling comfortable and protected. So the American line has been doing very well for us. And what is important is this store, is the only direct store after Milan. All the other stores were done with franchise partners but this one here is direct from the company so that’s the importance we’re giving to the American line.”
Alessandra Balazs
On What’s Next For Herno:
“I think we’re going to go for another store, maybe in Europe? But for sure we’re going to invest more in the American market.”
Credit: BFA/ Matteo Prandoni
‘The Rape of Recy Taylor’ is the most important film of 2017. The politically charged film will leave you fired up and ready to make your voice heard. Shortly after the spectacular premiere at New York Film Festival, The Knockturnal gained exclusive access to the film’s panel, featuring Taylor’s brother, scholar Crystal Feimster, actor Cynthia Erivo, and director Nancy Buirski. Catch the commentary below:
Director, Nancy Buirski
On films immortalizing a story:
“So while I was in the middle of making the film I realized these stories were connected … I’ll just say that I met Recy, her family, and Robert the day that Barack Obama as inaugurated. And I went there with my family, I brought them a box of the legal documents and I think it was really import that they weren’t able to find anything and Robert had searched his whole life to find something. And the documents that I had brought back- town, those young men, and the historians in Alabama all tried to erase it and make it disappear and that erasure is anther kind of error and injustice. So the documents brought that back by saying of course what happened to you was real and no one can erase it. And I think this film adds a layer to that. No one can take this away anymore.”
Actor, Cynthia Erivo:
On the role actors play in aiding these stories:
“I feel like my job as an actor is to tell the stories people otherwise wouldn’t get to see or know about. There are things that are hidden and swept under the rug and I get the idea to get them out so there are no longer hidden. And I agree with what Nancy said, once it is part of a film it’s written down forever and can not be erased. So the idea that I was even able to be a small part of this means a lot to me.”
Scholar, Crystal Feimster
On the importance of the film:
“I think one of the things that Recy did was always maintain her humanity as a mother, a sister, and as a daughter. But then also, I think there is also the work that we do at different levels. For me as a scholar who works in the field and works on race and sexual violence-doing that deep work and showing these people as not just victims right. So the documentary does that work, it gives us humanity it shows us humanity, and brings humanity to Recy and her story. And then Nancy picks it up and she sees this as a story that’s to be told, and makes this beautiful film that humanizes the story at every level. So it’s not just we have this black woman who’s brutally assaulted but we have these young white boys who believe they have the right to behave in a certain way. That is part of a long tradition of the south that is not just about a bad apple, but this how racial and sexual violence functions. And you can use different terminology, but it really requires, artist, and historians, and family members to come out and be a voice to this story and we have to voice those wrongs in order to make them wrong.”