On May 15, American Express and Hilton came together for a very special moment.
Amex
In the midst of selling out four nights at the world’s most famous arena, Madison Square Garden, Olivia Rodrigo has cemented her status as a pop rockstar, lifting the spirits of thousands of dedicated fans in attendance.
Tyler, The Creator’s GOLF WANG Has Opened Global Holiday Shops with Amex!
Christmas came early this year: Tyler, the Creator’s GOLF WANG has opened *TWELVE* pop-up holiday shops worldwide, alongside their permanent locations in Los Angeles, New York City, and London!
The stores feature portions of the FW23 collection of utilitarian-inspired tops and bottoms and outerwear pieces with mixed media details, as well as a variety of playful accessories that correspond to apparel pieces from the collection. Each pop-up location will also feature a graffiti airbrush-inspired art piece that can be seen across different items like tees, fleece, jackets, accessories, and—the best part—Converse Chuck 70’s!
In addition to the FW23 items, the stores carry your favorite pieces from the essentials collection, and of course, Tyler, The Creator’s entire music catalog to purchase on vinyl.
And, if you’re an American Express cardholder, you’re in luck! As the GOLF HOLIDAY SHOPS’ official partner, American Express is offering special card member-only perks, including:
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An Amex Card Member-only entry line to the Shop.
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Access to purchase dedicated apparel available exclusively to Amex Card Members.
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An exclusive 5% discount on purchases made in stores.
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And a complimentary gift with purchase when using an Amex Card!
(Terms and conditions apply to these card member benefits. Visit https://golfwang.com/pages/holidayshops to learn more!)
Not an Amex card holder, but one of Tyler, the Creator’s top fans on Spotify? Spotify is also continuing their partnership with GOLF WANG—fans have access to exclusive archival GOLF WANG merch items as part of the Spotify Capsule Collection here!
You can find GOLF HOLIDAY SHOP pop-up locations in Austin, Atlanta, Bay Area, Chicago, Phoenix, Washington, D.C., as well as internationally in Amsterdam, Berlin, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul, and Melbourne. To explore more about what each pop-up shop has to offer, and store hours and other information, you can visit the official website here!
This week in Miami American Express hosted the PLAY by American Express Platinum House Party at The Miami Beach EDITION. The one-of-a-kind, interactive gallery featured reimagined toys as collectable art during Miami Art Week. PLAY was created in collaboration with one of the most sought-after creative studios, PlayLab, Inc. and the premier collector platform, Mattel Creations.
A star-studded crowd came out for the night celebration. Notables included Lori Harvey, Chanel Iman, Aly Raisman, Yvonne Orji, Batsheva Haart, Dale Moss, Shantell Martin and more. The exclusive, invite-only party featured music from LA-based DJ collective, Donavan’s Yard.
The gallery combined art and nostalgia by bringing together some of today’s most interesting artists including Salehe Bembury, Surin Kim, Eny Lee Parker, Serban Ionescu, and Kumkum Fernando to reimagine iconic toys as limited-edition collectibles and art pieces.
PLAY by American Express Platinum was available to Platinum Card® and Centurion® Members and their guests.
Photos by Getty Images for American Express Platinum
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 08: A guest attends CultureCon NY 2023 on October 08, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
Saturday, October 7, 2023. Duggal Greenhouse, Brooklyn, New York. — Saturday morning rain showers fell hard and heavy in the borough of Brooklyn; but it didn’t stop the main event from happening on Flushing Avenue. The annual cultural mecca for Black and Brown creatives, CultureCon, opened its lines to the likes of designers, brand influencers, culture benders, film talents, small business owners, media press outlets and many more. CultureCon, founded in 2019, is the fastest growing conference and brings together creatives and changemakers of color that aim to elevate their social and professional networks. These bountiful creatives intend to make a mark on the culture and within the communities they serve. In an effort to keep the focus “community centered” the conference sets its sights on celebrating prominent and innovative voices leading the way. It is their hope to inspire attendees to make notable impacts in their respective lanes, creative causes and to become an infectious impact on the world at large, as a BIPOC creative-thought leader.
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 08: A guest attends CultureCon NY 2023 on October 08, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
This year’s CultureCon presented by Creative Collective included presenting partners: Max, Amex, Shea Moisture, Amazon PRIME, Freevee, Clinique, Google, Ciroc, Bullet Bourbon, Seedlip (Non Alcoholic Spirits), Patreon, Paramount (Content For Change), KickStarter, NBCUniversal,Spotify, Walmart, Tubi, School For Experiential Education in Design, The Startup Collection | Aveeno, Ben & Jerry’s, Coca Cola, LTK, Visible by Verizon, Dotdash Meredith, LCKR, Getty Images, Nielsen, TikTok, #CultureTags, NPR, and The Tillary Hotel- Brooklyn.
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 08: (L-R) Simone Jordan, Laura Stylez and Jacob Lattimore speak on stage during CultureCon NY 2023 on October 08, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
CultureCon encourages the creative collective body by honoring notable influencers, industry trailblazers, tastemakers and celebrities. The two day event featured panelists that discussed navigating and managing the pressures in the film and entertainment industries; obtaining careers in the growing field of tech and various degrees of corporate spaces. Other major topics offered insights on personal branding; overcoming the socio-economic factors that impede or inspire creativity; investments, crowdfunding for business and managing personal finances with financial gurus such as Financial Educator and New York Times Bestseller, Tiffany “the Budgetnista”; as well as discussions on maintaining self care while launching brands and building empires.
This year the 2023 CultureCon brought on a new facet to their ever growing pilgrimage, now including in its activation booths, a Creative Career Job Fair that allowed the attendees to meet one on one with recruiters from: Amazon Studios, Clinique, Max, NBCUniversal, Google, Walmart, Shea Moisture, and Kickstarter. Career hopefuls had the opportunities to provide or upload their digital resumes within the talent submission pool for further consideration and a chance to land their dream jobs.
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 07: Issa Rae speaks onstage during How to Find Your People Brand: American Express panel at the CultureCon NY 2023 on October 07, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
Day one of the CultureCon event included the prolific and legendary American Actress and Writer, Issa Rae (Insecure, Rap Sh!t, The Photograph, The Lovebirds, Barbie) discussed her organization, ColorCreative, and how it cultivated its initiative, the Find Your People Program (FYPP), to mentor aspiring creatives of color through an intensive creative program.
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 07: Issa Rae speaks onstage during How to Find Your People Brand: American Express panel at the CultureCon NY 2023 on October 07, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
Emmy-Award winning actor and rapper, Jharrel Jerome (When They See Us, Moonlight, Full Circle) sat down with podcast host and entrepreneur, Bimma Williams to share his creative process in music and his career journey. Sharing insights on “When They See Us” and providing more insight on his new album “I’m a Virgo”, inspired the crowd who remained engaged during his interview with Bima.
Actress and Film Producer, Marsai Martin (Blackish, Little, Fantasy Football), at the blossoming age of 18 years, took to the stage to share her newest venture as the global brand ambassador for Clinique and shared her creative evolution in beauty after partnering with the high-end beauty brand. Marsai spoke on her numerous achievements, multiple NAACP Image Awards, BET Awards, her historic role as the youngest executive producer in Hollywood, and founding her company Genius Entertainment.
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 07: Teyana Taylor and Eric Jones Jr. speak onstage at CultureCon NY 2023 on October 07, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
This year’s CultureCon honoree, was the illustrious superstar, Teyana Taylor(A Thousand and One, Coming 2 America, The Breaks). The multihyphenate shared the stage in an intimate discussion with Emmy-Award winning journalist, Eric Jones, to discuss her incredible career and was rightfully presented with the CultureCon 2023 award by her mother and children. Teyana dazzled the crowd with her star studded aura. She handed out pearls of wisdom to the attendees; mentioning that her faith in God kept her strong in mind and spirit; and reminding us that the wait for our promise is actually our time of preparation for a great outcome and to learn to give ourselves flowers by being our own glade plugin; further exemplifying why she earned the right to be acclaimed as a cultural icon.
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 07: Ziwe speaks onstage at CultureCon NY 2023 on October 07, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
TV host and internet icon, Ziwe closed day one with a hilarious conversation alongside, DeAndre Brown AKA The Corporate Baddie. “Black Friend: Essays,” and her journey from being an intern with big dreams to a certified boss in the midst of her dream career.
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 07: Lola Brooke speaks onstage at CultureCon NY 2023 on October 07, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
On day one, I found myself richly inspired by panelist, Rap recording artist, Lola Brooke, who eagerly shared her love of performing on stage. The “Don’t Play With” lyricist lit up as she discussed that she knew in her heart she’d always wanted to perform; she said that before bed at night, she recalls falling asleep with music in her ears and dreaming that she was on stage. She expressed staying grounded and knowing that every decision that she’d made “fell on me” and that remaining centered was above all else, priority for her.
Day one of CultureCon lunch consisted of jollof rice ( a tomato and rice-based dish that is widely eaten across West and Central Africa) sweet plantains, gold coast slaw, grilled peri-peri chicken with a Bissap Hibiscus juice from African Chop House, and yes it was delicious. Other featured restaurants included the Crabby Shack, Ras Plant Based, OxKale, Cafe Rue Dix, File Gumbo Bar, Aunt Et uncles, Charles Pan Fried Chicken, the James Beard nominated chef and Harlem icon’s soul food for the soul pick, and Chef Kwame’s Patty Palace.
By the close of Day one’s festivities, my black mesh CultureCon tote was full to the brim with goodies. I collected my goodies from Clinique whose volumizing mascara and skin moisturizer has instantly become a new favorite in my makeup arsenal; magazine giveaways (and cookies) from the largest publisher in North America, Dotdash Meredith; free beverages from CocaCola and SmartWater; and an adorable “Black Men We Love You” men’s care kit from Shea Moisture.
Let me know, did you get your Culture on this weekend or are you planning to attend the Fourth Annual Culture Con? Let me know your thoughts and stay tuned for Day 2 of Culture Con!
Olivia Rodrigo will Play an Intimate Concert at The Ace Hotel for Amex Members Week Tomorrow! Want to be There? We Have All The Deets!
As an avid connoisseur of the latest in Olivia Rodrigo news, from her newest releases down to her favorite color Stanley Cup, I love being in the know about where I can catch a glimpse of my favorite star and her breathtakingly beautiful performances. I know I’m far from alone in this one, and when I found out that American Express would be putting on an evening with Olivia at the Ace Hotel TOMORROW, I knew that I needed to let all of you know as soon as possible.
I know what you’re thinking- how do I be a part of this? Well, if you’re anything like me (a New Yorker), start by getting on the closest plane headed towards LAX with Guts playing in your headphones, as is what I’m doing right now. That’s right, I want you all in the know about this gem of a night so badly that I am quite literally writing this from 42,000 feet in the air.
Once you’ve secured a way to get to Los Angeles in less than 24 hours OR realized that you don’t have to do that since you already live there (consider me jealous), all you have to do is head over to AXS, where the tickets will be available via the following link at 10 AM PST, just an hour from now! https://www.axs.com/events/506549/an-evening-with-olivia-rodrigo-tickets
The tickets will be available exclusively for American Express Cardmembers, and can be yours for only $25! Once again, if we’re similar, your wallet also tends to audibly cry when a new concert is announced, so this is incredible news. Best of all, All proceeds from ticket sales will go towards Fund 4 Good, Olivia’s new nonprofit. It launched alongside Olivia’s upcoming GUTS Tour and is a global initiative committed to building an equitable and just future for all women and girls through direct support of community-based non-profits that champion girls’ education, support reproductive rights and prevent gender-based violence. In addition to these ticket sales, a portion of each ticket sold for the tour will go towards the fund as well.
So what can you expect once you’ve grabbed your American Express card, transportation to LA (whether that’s an airplane or simply your feet) and head to toe purple outfit? I’m so glad you asked! The immersive concert experience will bring some of GUTS’ most iconic moments to life, including an Instagram-worthy photo moment from the “Bad Idea Right” music video and vintage-style photo booths, so very Olivia. The show will also feature a complimentary matcha experience, featuring matcha lattes from LA-based small business Midori Matcha, in a commemorative reusable cup. After the show, concertgoers can expect to be met with even more surprises. I’d tell you now, but I’d rather just see you there.
We’re always telling you how great is is to be #withAmex, and this exclusive show is truly the icing on the cake. The concert is part of Amex’s third annual Member Week, a weeklong celebration of what it means to be #withAmex. Olivia’s concert follows 2022’s Member Week concert featuring Jack Harlow. American express is presenting the week this month, as a continuation of their commitment to making life better. From October 9-13, cardholders will be met with exciting new offers and experiences across dining, travel, entertainment, shopping, and of course, being a diehard Livie.
Don’t live in the area? No problem! For those unable to attend, Olivia’s performance will be available on her YouTube channel the following day, Tuesday, October 10 at 8pm ET through Thursday, October 12, courtesy of American Express. The video will include special stories behind each song, and viewers will get an inside look at Olivia like never before.
There’s nothing like being an Olivia fan, and as her stardom continues to grow at a record breaking pace, experiences like these will continue to bring us all together and remind us what it feels like to escape from life for just a while. I should be touching down soon and have many purple dresses to sort through, so I have to go, but be sure to head to AXS shortly to secure your ticket to see American Express Presents: An Evening with Olivia Rodrigo. I can promise that it’ll be a night to remember. See you there!
Exclusive: Issa Rae Talks American Express Ambition Project, Celebrating Women, & ‘Insecure’
Issa Rae is partnering with American Express in celebration of their newest initiative, The Ambition Project.
Delta and Amex Take you Out of the Office for Travel Perks & Beach Parties
Delta Air Lines and American Express have teamed up to release their new Delta SkyMiles American Express Cards, and Thursday night saw their NYC kickoff event, the Out of Office winter party. Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o hosted the event along with the lifestyle brands.