By Erin Moonyeen Haley Alexander McQueen Creative Director Sarah Burton had an epic vision to showcase the McQueen ready-to-wear Spring 2023 styles: "This collection is about searching for humanity and human connection.” Hence the incorporation of Hieronymus Bosch’s famous triptych, Garden of Earthly Delights (1490-1500). Originally referred to as the Strawberry Painting, the image is both outrageous and carnal, a Kahlo-esq embrace of turgid reproductive organs, symbolic berries scattered about chimeric creatures that are half bird, half toad; beetles forged from armor, fleshy motifs of the Seven Deadly Sins and numerous other images that expressly state that the moral of the story is to resist temptation at all costs. As if embracing the pseudo-absurdity as well as the artistic morality of Bosch, models jettisoned up an angular walkway with sharp right turns, straight into a ginormous plastic bubble for McQueen’s Spring 2023 show, eagerly transplanting themselves from one reality to another. Within the soapy structure - made by Chilean architect Smiljan Radic and constructed atop a car park in Tobacco Dock - models strutted in a variety of looks, with several featuring the famous Bosch eye. For Burton, the eye symbolized "a register of emotion, an expression of uniqueness," something omnipresent in its sacredness in the fashion world." While artistic eyes dominated tailored jackets and dresses with winged shoulders, they also polka-dotted sculpted dresses with cobalt irises that were seemingly more potent than the eye of Sauron. Elbow-length black leather gloves completed the look. Naomi Campbell dominated the runway in a sequined catsuit, with an eye-of-the-tiger image roaring in the center and paired with stiletto boots. If Bosch hadn't been the stated-outright inspiration, some fabrics could have been said to have Henri Matissse vibes, with explosions of jungle colors arresting the eye, perfectly adapted to silhouettes that seemed to be a cross between birds-of-paradise petal arrangementsts and kimono folds. A profusion of deep indigo and rubescent feathers were layered over tassels of black, as if creating abstract topiaries for one of those untouched island retreats that hasn't yet been ruined by Instagrammers. A space-age red one-piece electrified the audience, while the classic black leather jacket made encore appearances in a variety of versatile cuts and styles that could be motorcycle appropriate or simply Pink-lady-chic. Speaking of pink, color dominated the runway in the form of a flamigo-pink corset, an electric-blue dress and an asymmetrical tangerine skirt. At the end of the day, both Bosch and McQueen would have been proud. Images courtesy of Vogue Runway and W.

by Erin Moonyeen Haley The cover was iconic. And so were the fashions. Twenty-five years ago, Janet Jackson’s The Velvet Rope debuted, and with it an aesthetic that merged the vintage professional with the ballsy sex kitten; the sophisticate with the poet. In celebration, the album has been re-released as a deluxe edition, complete with ten bonus tracks and B-side remixes of the rarely-heard gems, “Accept Me” and “God’s Stepchild”. The album’s cover - photographed by Ellen von Unwert - is still coy but deeply meditative. Janet’s head is tilted down, her hair a cinnamon sunburst; her amber eyes are averted. The image remains an invitation to enter an entirely new world of liberation, of venting sexual appetites and excavating the self to the point that even the unconscious is somehow laid gossamer and bare. Many ‘best of’ lists have hailed the album as exquisite genius. Rich in pathos, explorative of both depression and angst, Janet balances frailty with the testimonials of a survivor, vocalizing raw honesty with an unquenchable, unapologetic thirst for intimacy that forges an electric connection with fans. The fashions that juxtaposed the sounds remain just as potent as the music, scaffolding the entire experience with a visceral level of disclosure. In the opening of The Velvet Rope tour, Janet wore the uniform of a circus ringleader who moonlights as a raver. The look featured a cropped, lipstick-red jacket (David Cardona) with oversized lapels and cuffs, and a Dolce & Gabbana zebra-striped shirt. The hair was pure punk with tiger stripes dyed Hawaiian punch-pink, creating a mohawk plumage that later fell loose into mermaid corkscrews. Directed by Mark Romanek, the video for "Got Til It's Gone" took the acoustics of the Joni Mitchell hippie ode to nostalgia and revved it up just enough to create a bump-and-grind sonic sweet spot. With Q-Tip chanting 'Joni Mitchell Never Lies' over Joni's soprano trill, the sepia setting was post-colonial Africa, circa the 1960s and 1970s. The costumes were relaxed but chic in their own vintage way. There were halter tops, suits with wide lapels, bell bottoms and disco shirts, all meant to evoke the photography of Malick Sidibé, a Malian artist whose photos captured scenes of celebration and boisterous nightlife. Janet is in synch with that groove in a halter top that was casually paired with a Santa Fe Leather Co. coat, a wrap-around army-green skirt and fortune-teller hoops. In her bittersweet lamentation to friends lost to AIDS, "Together Again" was a reminder of one-day-someday reunions. Her ensemble included a transparent, green mesh tank worn beneath a mesh burnt orange top and over blousy grey trousers. Her braids are artful architecture as she sits amid a Sahara, while her dancers wear idiosyncratic prints and styles that attest to Janet's love of people embracing individuality. "I Get Lonely" sharply deviated from its album predecessors. With a cognac-smooth tempo, the outfits played with gender expectations. There were cinching waist-biting corsets over white button-up shirts and fedoras that channeled both a gentlemen's touch and a gangster vibe. Videos aside, the Velvet Rope tour carried a raucous element of burlesque, especially with a pole dancing routine where Miss Janet wore a long-sleeved black mesh top that cropped right at her toned abdomen, and that was set on proverbial fire with scarlet feathers at the wrists and the neck. A gold rope with bronze tassels completed the theatrical look with vaudevillian audacity. A hallmark of Janet's concerts is that backup dancers received as much fashion love and care as its star. Costume sketches available on Julien's Auctions website reveal lavish designs by David Cardona full of a carnival of colors and models. Other designs feature the hallmark sleekness and oversized outrageous jackets that undercut the tour and the videos. Offstage, her look stayed edgy, with her magenta-colored hair styled in pompoms and her hoop earrings as big as bracelets as she promoted her album and tour. In the end, it is safe to say that The Velvet Rope eclipsed all other albums and tours in a way that is hard to explain yet easy to feel. While the lyrics tread into deeper waters than her previous eponymous album, the stylized looks were deliberate and precise, leaving no question that - on this anniversary of anniversaries - Janet doesn't simply perform, she reigns in any venue; a singer of bluesy dance halls and bombastic stadiums, summoning the spotlight even when artfully working with the shadows. Images courtesy of Julien's Auctions and Vogue

by Erin Moonyeen Haley It was only a year ago that the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures debuted its star-studded gala to celebrate its movie memorabilia, which includes everything from Dorothy Gale’s culture-rocking ruby red slippers to an annotated page of Gregory Peck’s To Kill a Mockingbird script, where the actor's penciled thoughts graffiti the page. This year, the spotlight was back on the museum with yet another soiree. Presented by Rolex, the platinum shindig saluted Julia Roberts and her three-decades-long career with an Icon Award while also paying homage to visionaries Steve McQueen and Tilda Swinton. Swinton won the Visionary Award for her cinematic corpus, having played characters who have not only stretched audience imaginations to the point of bursting, but have also populated stories that have redefined fairy tale arcs and psychological dramas. Roberts, meanwhile, was praised by Jacqueline Stewert, Director and President of the Academy Museum for embodying “iconic characters and memorable roles.” Even though the evening was designed to remind both industry insiders and avant-garde outliers about the importance of film preservation and of recognizing cinema as an educational medium, the stars themselves were decked out and dolled up, apropos of Tinseltown culture. Amal Clooney was praised as one of the night's 'buzziest ' attendees by Vogue, her strapless lime meringue silk tulle gown designed by Daniel Del Core, formerly of Gucci. (Oh, and George looked pretty swanky too.) Jodie Turner-Smith pulled off the burlesque mermaid aesthetic in her neon sea green Gucci gown that swept around her in languid elegance. Edged with Adriatic-blue feathers and paired with a black velvet choker, the nightlife was all but summoning its chanteuse. With her strawberry locks channeling Veronica Lake sultriness, Jessica Chastain wore Oscar de la Renta silk chiffon, pairing the cape with an aura of nonchalance. Keke Palmer mixed business with pleasure in a Wayman and Micah suit trimmed with bright blue pompoms for a whimsical flourish. In the end, there was not a look that didn't strike a fashionable chord of individuality befitting the tenor of the evening. Photos courtesy of Vogue Runway and Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

By Erin Moonyeen Haley Call it heliotrope, call it mauve; call it lilac, or call it violet, but purple has a rich history that has made it the signature color of queens of every stature, hence its saturated appearance on the November 2022 issue of British Vogue. Since its founding in 1892 by Arthur Baldwin Turnure Vogue has commemorated the death of three British monarchs: George V, George VI and now Elizabeth II. Each time it has used purple to mark the occasion, calling upon the color’s ubiquitous history and connections to royalty and majesty. In 1936, Vogue honored George V with a monochromatic eggplant-colored display, while also insisting that the fashion magazine would still fill its pages with Francophile articles with such headings as "I Dress as I Please...from the Paris Collection", and "Radio Queen", a featurette that examined the listening habits of the modern woman. The editors insisted that life “goes on and Vogue, which reflects a varied and fundamental part of life, must go on too – the continuity of English kingship is a symbol of the continuity of life, which cannot be suspended by any catastrophe.” The 1952 Vogue honored King George VI with a similar shade of plum. The 2022 November issue of British Vogue carries on the tradition. Even the December 1947 issue that marked Queen Elizabeth’s marriage to the Duke of Edinburgh featured a watercolor image complete with a telltale purple cushion. Still, the color itself is hardly reserved for British royalty. Cut to Paris, 1874: A coterie of artists - which included Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas and Camille Pissarro - founded the Anonymous Society of Painters, Sculptors, Printmakers, etc. as a response to their rejection from the annual Salon exhibit by the Académie des Beaux-Arts. The group embraced violet as their official color. According to Kassia St. Clair, author of The Secret Lives of Color (Penguin, 2016), one possibility as to why violet was chosen was that the impressionists were convinced that shadows were not merely black or gray, but suffused with the nuances of purple, a belief that had antagonists charging the sect with suffering from ‘violettomania’. A deeper dive into history reveals that the Persian King Cyrus wore a purple tunic as his royal uniform while, in the Byzantine Empire, the Purple Chamber was reserved for empresses giving birth so that their offspring could be declared to have been born ‘in the purple’ and thus destined to rule. Historically, England is home to numerous sumptuary laws that forbade the hoi polloi from donning the sumptuous color. Perhaps most strikingly was Edward IV’s passage of laws that restricted the common folk from wearing gold cloth, sable fur, and, of course, purple. Later, Elizabeth I would forbid anyone but those in her immediate circle from wearing the impressive shade. Of course, the red carpet is no stranger to iconic purple gowns and queens-in-their-own-right. In 2010, Zoe Saldana attended the 82nd Annual Academy Awards wearing a Givenchy Couture gown complete with a sweeping ombré skirt with purples falling in silk and tulle bouquets of lilac, amethyst and sangria. At the 2017, 70th Annual Cannes Film Festival, Elle Fanning wore a Sugar-Plum-Fairy-esq Rodarte gown, whose periwinkle tulle skirt and sweetheart neckline could have trumped any blue-blooded royal on any red carpet. Meanwhile, in the summer of 2019, statuesque Rosie Huntington-Whiteley showed up at Paris Fashion Week’s YouTube cocktail party wearing a feather Attico lavender gown with a tiered skirt and plumed train that gave off serious Moulin Rouge vibes. Also appearing in lavender and heather perfection in 2019 was Ava DuVernay, waltzing down the red carpet in a Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini cinched gown whose iridescent fabric shimmered and winked with the slightest of sparkles. So even as British Vogue uses its November issue to pay homage to its former monarch, it is clear that purple - in all its pinkish-to-blueish incarnations - has long been a color for many Queens who have reigned among us mere mortals.

By Erin Moonyeen Haley (Photographs by Campbell Addy; Styled by Patti Wilson) Lizzo is a cross between a fire goddess and a Mae West acolyte on the November cover of Vanity Fair. She stuns in an off-the-shoulder red ruffled coat with plenty of thigh on display thanks to the lipstick-red lace-up boots by Pleaser with leg-sculpting platform heels. Act No 1 gloves are the same candy apple red as the Yandy fishnet stockings and the rest of the ensemble. Cartier and Austin James Smith jewels drip from the neck and fingers, while a stylish mullet and smokey eyes deliver on the glamorization of punk look. Inside the pages, photos pay a tongue-in-chic tribute to Ursula - this time in a rebellious vixen motif - with architectural legs extending from a sleeveless bodice and an Ilariusss headpiece with an awning drop. Other images feature Lizzo looking covert in futuristic hats by Luis De Javier with sea-urchin-style rubbery spikes while wearing Tableaux Vivants gloves and chunky Bulgari rings. Keeping with the red, black and white color scheme, other looks hint at Roman-flavored conquest thanks to sweeping Gucci capes and headpieces that mimic galea helmets and their mohawk plumes. Fashion aside, Lizzo tackles the mega issues in the article. She weighs in on America's democratic consciousness as the nation teeters on the edge of another political season, skillfully dissecting everything from the Supreme Court to white supremacy to the milquetoast white women who have been complicit long before 2016. Between the fashion and the politics, the article is ultimately a reminder that, to be in the presence of Lizzo is to be in the presence of greatness. Images courtesy of Vanity Fair. Issue hits the stands October 18.

By Erin Moonyeen Haley The lineage of the ballet shoe as a fashion staple is far more illustrious than one might expect. While ballet’s roots can be traced to the court of Catherine de Medici upon her marriage to Henri II, the French king and scion of Francis I, the ballet slipper itself owes its debut to Marie Camargo the first dancer of the Paris Opéra Ballet who removed the heel from the slipper prototype to create a suppleness not seen before. Without the heel, ballerinas could dance fast allégros, move in fluid glissades and leap higher in gravity-defying jetés, trailblazing a style of dance that meshed the athletic with the elegant. Ballerinas themselves have long been living, breathing objets d’art, subject to worship and imitation, thanks to everyone from Edgar Degas with his Little Dancer of Fourteen Years sculpture, to Darren Aronofsky with his 2010’s cerebral thriller Black Swan. Capezio was the company that popularized the ballet slipper as streetwear after designer Claire McCardell commissioned them to make a ballet flat for the everyday. Later, Italian designer Rose Repetto made handmade ballet flats for one of her son's performances. But it would be bombshell Brigitte Bardot who - having been trained as a dancer - would ask Repetto to make ballet flats for her to wear in her cinematic classic And God Created Woman (1956). From there, everyone from the gamine Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face to Princess Diana would wear ballet flats, keeping the sweet shoe as part of the fashionista’s casual uniform that played into ballet's aesthetic of clean lines and form-hugging attire. Today, with the accelerated spotlight of social media, the Balletcore philosophy has emerged, with its own hashtag, racking up over 76.4 million views. Drum it up to nostalgia or a desire to look chic via simplicity, but the ballet shoe is not going anywhere, especially with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo showing off the lissome shoes on Instagram amidst Wicked rehearsals. The traffic on Miu Miu runways this past March as designers prepped for fall were all about the ballet flat, creating an ambiance of classic sophistication that was at once athletic but nonchalant, creating a new prototype of style that that could be given the sobriquet 'Ballet Prep'. Fast-forward to Grande's social media post, and the fashionable footwear has migrated from the spring runway to the autumn pedestrian. The website offers satiny splashes of color in shades of firebird red, complete with sweet bows and elastic bands with the Miu Miu logo. Other styles are sculptured from cotton gabardine with the black-and-white color scheme of brand-new dice, with crystals bedazzling the entirety of the shoe. The crowning touch might just be the bulbous pearls cinching the band. Some pairs are less earthbound thanks to platform heels that add a level of funk with double straps and chunky buckles. The Naplak leather shoes come in black or white. A variety of other styles and sizes are on the company website, allowing everyone to channel the Balletcorp vibe.

by Erin Moonyeen Haley There are designers who put on shows and there are designers who choreograph experiences. Designer Thom Browne - an Imagineer when it comes to modern tailoring - falls in the latter category, offering runway extravagance during Paris Fashion Week that dovetailed the near-giddy theatrics courtesy of sweeping robes, silk taffeta opera coats, saddle shoes and embellished designs that call to mind a time when fashion was a baroque juggernaut. (With Dangerous Liaisons set to make an encore appearance on Starz, perhaps there is a bit of the clairvoyant in Browne’s sumptuousness as the world seeks to embrace decadence yet again.) As a designer, Browne has declared that the “idea of uniformity to me is interesting because I think it does show true individuality, and I think that it shows true confidence.” Neither term was lacking in his Paris show. With statuesque thespians such as Michaela Jaé Rodriguez from Pose and Gwendoline Christie of Game of Thrones fame working the runway, the models created a synthesis of ready-to-wear glam that bespoke of Browne’s thesis in the fusion of confidence with individuality. With ruffled collars channeling the Renaissance and lace netting over hats calling to mind post-World War II Paris when women sought to reclaim coy fashion glory, there wasn’t an era that Browne seemed adverse to visiting. Chic crop coats in lipstick red were paired with veils made flirty with polka dots. Plaid-print half-corset attachments reminded audiences that garments don't have to sacrifice the fun and frisky to be fashion-forward. Male models strutted in oversized tuxedo jackets and kilts where plaids and strips created a delightful melee of fabrics and eye-dizzying patterns that were a kiss-kiss homage to punk. The stuffed dog purses completed the subtle anti-establishment nod. With pursed, crimson lips, Rodriguez elevated the schoolgirl-with-an-attitude strut into an iconic walk not seen since Jawbreakers. The platform saddle shoes redefined the preppy ensemble that cheekily matched exposed underwear, netted veils and shortened tie. Then there were the long Bermuda shorts that classified the innocent schoolboy edge, while the red lips reminded all that this was a brash business look. And yet, amid the suits and ties, the voluptuous robes with satin and silk panels stole the show, sweeping across the runway in a range of colors straight from the Fabergé egg spectrum: peach, seafoam, cherry, lemonade and lavender. The result was that everything was orderly in that it was all over the top, with the concept of 'too much' crystallizing into a vehicle for originality. Pictures courtesy of Vogue Runway

By Erin Moonyeen Haley As part of her company’s mission statement, Stella McCartney has made it emphatically clear that hers is a vegetarian company, eschewing the use of fur, skins, leather or feathers in order to not “compromise on desirability or sustainability and that holds us accountable to our values”. But McCartney goes beyond token environmentalism; she is the polar opposite of fast fashion, being hyperaware when it comes to the origins of fabrics, thereby refusing to use cotton from nations that exploit child labor such as Syria, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. That awareness was front and center at her outdoor show for Paris Fashion Week on October 3, 2022 in the courtyard of the Centre Pompidou. Proudly calling herself an ‘eco-weirdo’, McCartney’s show notes detailed “environmental costs related to using hides, water use, Amazon deforestation and carcinogenic tanning chemicals.” Taking things a step further, she also accessorized her “collection courtesy of an innovative technology that turns grape skins into mock leather.” With the use of regenerative cotton and exclamations of color tempered with tans and sierras, designs that featured the slogan ‘change history’ were reflective of McCartney’s belief in making fashion and sustainability intertwined themes. Meanwhile, the layout of the show was a result of her collaboration with Yoshitomo Nara, echoing a punk aesthetic, but with a slightly day-glow edge. Across the runway, oversized business jackets cut grandiose silhouettes while gold chain tops from her Chloé spring 2000 collection were recycled for the show, perfectly dovetailing the planet awareness theme. Camel-colored jackets and slacks were also on display, along with bejeweled, sheer negligee dresses and fishnet stockings. The Hadid sisters were also on hand, with Paris Fashion Week’s ‘It’ girl Bella strutting in a skimpy tuxedo vest, as well as a sheer catsuit. In the end, the color and fabric of every look made it clear that the environment and sustainability were as front and center as the A-list coterie of models and attending celebs. Images courtesy of Vogue Runway.

The Frilliance founder and Gen Z entrepreneur is not only a young entrepreneur providing clean, affordable, and effective skincare for teenagers, but she is also a successful YouTube influencer with nearly 1 million subscribers. In this exclusive interview Fiona discusses her journey as a beauty entrepreneur and content creator and lets us in on what its like running a beauty brand. By. Angel Neal Established in 2017, Frilliance has a wide range of products, such as the cutest heart-shaped pimple patches and a soothing Perfecting Primer + Serum, which you will not want to miss! Frilliance makeup is always: Cruelty-free / Animal-friendly (She loves animals!) Hypoallergenic (won't bother sensitive skin) Fragrance-free (ideal for ALL skin types) "My brand is clean, affordable, innovative and teen approved/tested. We standby our ingredients and are transparent about everything that goes into our products! Frillance can be found in 500 Walmart stores around the USA, frilliance.com and amazon.com … more coming soon!!" Disrupshion Magazine caught up with the savvy beauty influencer in this exclusive interview below. Q&A From modeling, acting to YouTube to the owner of an emerging beauty brand. How do you manage your time running a business at the same time while becoming a young adult? Time management is one of the hardest things ever, I feel like everyone can relate to that. With distractions of social media, your computer your phone. I would say writing everything down for the following day helps me. I have a notepad that I color coordinate my to do lists. So writing things down and planning them out has helped so much with the clarity of me felling stressed. You got your business started as a teenager. How has that experience been and what has it taught you moving forward? Did you have a mentor? Starting my business was very organic. I was doing a lot of YouTube videos and discussing my skin breakouts and I was intrigued to get the root of the problem. I stopped using makeup and started to research the ingredients of the makeup I was using and I was baffled. I went to my mom and said I wanted to invest the money I’ve made from YouTube and start a skincare beauty company for teenagers. In early 2016 we started working with a lab in California and the brand launched in December 2017. My mom has been my biggest supporter. Overall a beautiful package of a woman. We really did not have much help in the beginning we were very resourceful. My mom understands business so she taught me strategy and about business. She encouraged me to do me with my company but my mom was a 100% my go to mentor. For teens who are entering puberty and battling skin changes from your collection what is your go to products? I would say the The Clear Skin Perfecting Primer+Serum along with our Pimple Patches always save the day for me (and they are now available at Walmart stores). The primer fights acne and is an overall great hydrating skincare product. I put it on before I apply my makeup as well as at night when I cleanse my face. The pimple patches are also the best of both worlds their super cute and effective. All of Frillance products are packed Packed with great ingredientsand are , all of our products are hypoallergenic. Congrats on having your products in 500+ Walmart stores. What was that experience like seeing your product in store for the first time? That was insane, I couldn’t believe it. I remember the Walmart I went to was 40 minutes away from me. I walked in and I made eye-contact with the product and I got teary-eyed. I couldn’t stop looking at it. I was in the store for about an hour just staring at it. It was overwhelming and surreal and I was very proud in that moment. What motivates you to keep going? Do you have a mantra when you’re creating a new product? Knowing that I’m bringing products to teens that can’t afford $90 face products always gives me a reason to keep going. I'm providing a product that's effective, accessible and affordable. It's not just me or my friends, every teenager deals with puberty and acne. I wanted to make sure this brand is affordable and accessible and thats what keeps me going knowing that it helps other people. There are no parabens, no phthalates, no mineral oil, no petroleums, and the list goes on! We are dermatology tested, hypo-allergenic as well as non-comedogenic. Makeup and skincare goes hand in hand. For young makeup enthusiasts what are some words of advice for the teenager who does not know how to take care of their skin post makeup? If you are wearing make-up you have to remove the make-up that is a non negotiable. I honestly don’t wash my face in the morning. You don’t want to do too much to your skin. Skin just wants a little boost, but it also needs to be cleansed. Don’t overwhelm it. My best advice would be to wash your face at least once a day. NFor me washing at night just makes sense, to clear off all the oils from the entire day. I would say invest in skin care product or two, no more than 3. Read the ingredients on the back of the products you use, because brands usually are honest about what they put into their products and some stuff is just not healthy for your skin no matter how cute it maybe advertisied to you. Skincare and beauty is big right now and constantly evolving. At this point in your life who has been some of your beauty influencer inspirations? I ‘ve always admired Kylie Jenner and Selena Gomez even before their beauty brands, their just talented and amazing at what they do. I look up to Kylie the most, as far as the way she handles her business. In addition, Rihanna of course she's the etilmate Queen with the amazing stuff she does with Fenty Beauty and she has some of the best music. Those three are huge inspirations for me for sure. You mentioned Rihanna and Kylie Jenner as beauty inspirations for you. Both of these women are the face of their beauty brands and they have their hands in marketing as well as the production of their brands. Are you that hands on with Frillance as well? Yes thats my favorite part of the business! Everything based on marketing and creative direction comes from me. I cast all the models for the photo shoots, I’m there. I hire the team and photographer andfacilate anything creative for the brand. I understand the backhand of the production and finance but its not my strong suit. But with my brand being revolved around Gen-Z I’m all in on the creative direction, thats the fun part for me. So yes occasionally you'll see me in the ad placements as well. Thought on using your influence.. I want to use my influence to help other teens with their skin and their confidence. It’s simple. I want every teenager to know clear skin is accessible and it is affordable and I can relate to their struggles with skin, My brand is effective and it actually works. Thoughts on learning to listen to my intuition.... Intuition is a lot, its everything. You know what you’re doing deep down. You get a gut feeling that you have to listen to. Sometimes its difficult to navigate. So for me I try to make sense of it by just listening to it. Taking risks. Thoughts on using my image... Idon't mind being a leader. I'll be the face of my brand because I'll use my image to let other teens know they can also make their dreams and goals come true. Whatever that may be for them, but its important to reach for the stars. Follow your passions and your goals don’t listen to what anybody has to say. Work your butt off and do the work. You can do crazy things. I never thought I would have a skincare brand in Walmart stores. I’m dyslexic, I’m legally blind and I have a lot of learning issues. So everyones quirks and differences are like a super power to me. Follow your DAMN DREAMS! Thoughts on Success.... Success is dedication, freedom and emotions, all three of these will help you become successful Dedication is what you need for anything, you have to be consistent to see results. As for emotions , they are a part of making any business successful. There's always going to be sad days, happy days and days you just may need motivation. Just remember you have to get through them all. I believe with success comes freedom. With growing a successful business you can look at the end goal, which for many is being financially free and being able to do all those thing you want to do. I’m still not close to where I want to be. I give myself another five years before I can kick and scream I’m successful. but I am proud of where I am. Something we all know but bears repeating? If not now, when. I have it tattooed on my arm. I live by it. Live in the moment and understand you have to start doing whatever it may be that you want to pursue. It does not matter how small or big it is. Tomorrow is not promised and you have to live now and not worry about the when. Don’t let anyone ruin your day. You choose the way you react to stuff and you can choose to be positive in any situation that you can. What are your plans for the future? Expanding store stockiest, goals to be in more drugstores, CVS, Target and Ulta beauty. My personal, goals, I want to move to NYC and travel more. I want to experience a lot of things. I want to live a very full life and experience everything I possibly can. Maybe vending machines in highschool for skincare, who knows. I would kill to have that but it takes permits and everything but something to consider in the future. To stay up to date with all things Freelance make sure you follow Fiona & Frillance!

By Erin Moonyeen Haley Couture legend has it that, as a child, Alexis Mabille was so enamored with the bow ties donned by the doctors in his family as they balanced professionalism with fashion savvy, that he decided to design and sew one himself. When one wasn’t enough, he proceeded to make another and then another. This love for noeuds papillons has always been evident in his prêt-à-por·ter, especially in his recent Spring 2022 collection where bow ties created a spine of satiny excess on some garments and grandiose, ribboned arches on top of capes for others. For Paris Fashion Week 2022, Mabille's philosophy of translating "the old-world Hollywood glamour of [his] couture into easier to wear off-the-rack pieces" was transcended from abstract belief system to the physical runway and beyond. Outfits were luxurious but not so inordinate as to be beyond the price or wearability of the average smitten fashionista. Browns as warm as brandy and blues as bright as siren eyes came in such fabrics as casimir and lamé, with dewy lace ensembles to soften the overall appeal. For some gowns, there was an autumnal pagan bride motif, courtesy of low shoulders with ruffles of Mabille's signature bows that perfectly matched sheer, coppery sleeves. Sweeping bronze skirts with glittery waists were paired with white blouses complete with intricate lace appliqué and starched collars, rendering jewelry obsolete. Caramel mermaid skirts and oversized sleeves simplified the formality, allowing oversized necklines to steal the show with penny-colored nuances of shimmer. There was a deviation from the warm browns and tiger-eye bronzes. Blue was added to the palette in the form of romantic, almost Edwardian-style teal satin gowns with plunging V bodices and masculine shirt sleeves that tied at the elbows in oversized bows that were quintessential Mabille. Tuxedo vibes are channeled with button-up white blouses that were offset with black sequined ballroom skirts and slender elongated ties. While chocolates remained the dominant shade, elegance was undeniably the dominant theme. Photos courtesy of Alexis Mabille.

ShopThing’s founder Maggie Adami Boynton is a technologist who has now linked her professional life to her personal passion for fashion, style and retail. In this exclusive interview she gets candid on creating one of the fastest-growing live shopping apps and breaking down all the details surrounding the live shopping app's continued success! By. Angel Neal ShopThing “shoppers” sell designer apparel, accessories, footwear, and handbags all at a discounted rate. Being Live, the app allows you to truly see the luxury piece in action and from all angles! “This one may seem obvious, but you would be surprised by how many entrepreneurs think that a good idea is enough; it’s not. The idea is just the beginning of the journey. Taking that idea and turning it into a success is the most challenging part and takes a lot of work." Disrupshion Magazine caught up with the savvy tech fashionista in this exclusive interview below. Q&A What do you love most about ShopThing? Well, everything, it’s essentially my 4th child! Beyond the excitement of pioneering a new industry to North America and disrupting traditional retail and e-comm, what I love most is watching that change in consumer behaviour from a traditional very static and transactional experience, to one that is entertaining and engaging. We believe that shopping can (and should) be so much more than simply buying a functional item - we’re sharing joy (think: finding new brands, discovering your new favourite influencer, or sparkly shoes you didn’t know that you needed, but now that you’ve seen them, you NEED them) to create an experience that has our customers coming back time and time again. You speak about responsible disruption in the fashion industry. Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive? Responsible disruption is to prioritize customer pain points, expand market opportunities, or increase overall service efficiency. For decades, the only way to purchase something was to go to a physical store, try it on, and pay at checkout. Then online shopping became the biggest craze—millions of items at our fingertips and all you had to do was click an image (but let’s be honest, there’s no replacement for the experience of feeling a coat’s fabric or trying on a shoe for yourself). Live shopping is the perfect combination of the things we love most about in-store and online shopping: engagement, experience, and convenience. Bonus? ShopThing brings the magic formula of influencer marketing and their trusted reviews. Our retailers can drastically increase brand awareness, grow sales and reach hundreds of thousands of customers that wouldn’t have set foot in their store. Some companies report conversion rates up to ten times higher than in conventional e-commerce. Live shopping is undoubtedly disrupting the retail landscape and the future of how we shop and sell. Our retail partners see a huge spike in brand awareness and foot traffic after a Shopper event—something we've coined “the ShopThing effect.” How are you seeing the representation of minority women in tech change? 75% of our leadership team is female, and 100% persons of colour. It’s a huge moment for minority women in tech. How does fashion help you express yourself and build your confidence? I am 100% a true believer that you can’t be overdressed, only undressed (ask anyone that works in our office!). Fashion can definitely build your confidence. If you didn’t love something, then try something different! The great thing is that they’re just clothes at the end of the day. There’s always a different outfit for a different mood tomorrow! Dress how you want to feel and the right outfit will change your whole mood. Tech has played a big part in the development of your company. Briefly discuss its fusion with fashion and where do you see the forecast of fashion and tech heading in the future? At our core, believe it or not, we are actually a tech startup, even though to our consumers we look like a high-end fashion retailer. Our technology is what has allowed our influencers to create instantly-shoppable links, in real-time, in under 30 seconds! We use our technology to connect not only influencers with our customers, but also our customers with brands and retailers. As Gen-Z and every subsequent generation spends more and more of their time online, technology will continue to play a major role in the fashion landscape. ShopThing is already at that intersection, and we plan on continuing to evolve by offering our customer and brand partners more ways to shop and sell through live video. Congrats on raising 10 million in funding! Is the company planning to expand internationally? Thank you so much! We don’t want to ruin any surprises, but yes we have our sights on international expansion. Today we operate in 5 markets and plan to triple that within the next 12 months. Do you have a mentor? How did you meet her/him? How do they continue to help you professionally? My sister and mom have been really big mentors for me. Both fierce, strong women who have managed to juggle motherhood and careers. Both have been exceptionally successful in their careers and work harder than anyone I know. My mother instilled in me a very incredible work ethic and my sister is always there to challenge me, offer up amazing advice and help as much as needed. I definitely wouldn’t be where I am without them. Some feel blowing a big budget on influencers is not necessary. On the other, social media influencers and celebrities have an impact on our shopping expenses. What are your thoughts on that? Well, our current model is entirely based only on influencers, so that's insight on how I feel about them! No but seriously, Millennials and Gen Zs are an intelligent bunch. They see right through glitzy marketing campaigns and don’t trust when advertisements are coming from the brand themselves. Instead, they value the opinions of influencers they follow and are much more likely to make purchases based on their recommendations. In fact, 50% of women have made a purchase because of an influencer (Digital Marketing Institute, 2021). In your opinion, how are women changing the classic “tech founder” stereotype?” Simply, when most people hear “tech founder” they think of a male, mainly because tech is a predominantly male industry and typically, so are founders. There is a significant funding gap for female entrepreneurs: while billions of dollars in global venture capital funds were doled out in 2020, female founders received just 2.3 per cent of the pot, according to Crunchbase, which tracks data about the tech industry. What fuels your individual passion for fashion, tech and social media? My love of fashion comes from my mom. She is definitely my inspiration and I’ve looked up to her since I was a little girl. I combined this with social media to create my fashion blog, which was a testing ground for the early days of ShopThing. My passion for tech stems from my endless curiosity. I love learning how entrepreneurs build their empires using tech and I feel that tech has the ability to unlock so many doors. What qualities do you look for in a personal shopper who wants to be apart of ShopThing? There are too many to list, but if I had to narrow it down to just 3 key things, it would be the love of fashion, camera presence, and product knowledge. We are always looking for new personal shoppers to join our team: all sizes, personalities, backgrounds, and markets. Send me a DM if you know anyone :) What practical advice would you give young women wanting to set up their own businesses? Learn from your own and other people’s mistakes. A lot of entrepreneurs think that failure is a bad thing, when in fact, failure is always an opportunity to learn. You can not only learn what not to do from others’ mistakes, but you can also learn how to evolve your own business from your failures. Over the past few years, I’ve learned a lot from failures in fundraising, partnership, hosting live shopping events and so many more. My motto is that failure is allowed, as long as you never make the same mistake twice! Don’t take it personally. Entrepreneurs who take things too personally will likely have a tough time receiving constructive feedback that could right a sinking ship. They can feel attacked when anyone makes a comment that isn’t overwhelmingly positive. A good leader needs to be able to dissociate their emotional feelings from these situations and see it is as an opportunity to improve their company. Stay focused on the vision. Worrying about what could have been or dwelling on the past is not helpful in your journey. Staying focused on your vision, the present, and the work ahead of you will help you achieve your end goals. Understand that challenges will arise and setbacks will happen, but knowing how to quickly move on from them is one of the most important things you can do. Bad days are inevitable, so I’ve learned not to make any game changing decisions on those days. I like to take a “time-out” in those scenarios. Sometimes it’s a day off, sometimes a long lunch, or sometimes as simple as a 5-minute walk to reset and refocus. It’s not going to come easy, put in the work. This one may seem obvious, but you would be surprised by how many entrepreneurs think that a good idea is enough; it’s not. The idea is just the beginning of the journey. Taking that idea and turning it into a success is the most challenging part and takes a lot of work. This is something I like to tell any budding entrepreneur or really anyone that is struggling with something: if it were easy, someone would have already done it. Remember that it’s supposed to be hard and you’re supposed to work through the challenges and obstacles. Prepare yourself. Too many entrepreneurs start a company thinking that their vision, idea, or business is so invincible that failure simply isn’t an option. Unfortunately, we’ve all read about businesses with brilliant products that are no longer around today. Why? There are so many factors (internal and external) that come into play. The best entrepreneurs see failure as one of the multiple possibilities and make decisions accordingly to better equip themselves for the future. Since launching the membership VIP program, what has been the overall reaction? Overwhelmingly positive! It’s been less than 1 month since launch and our customers are loving the early access and opportunity to shop exclusive sales. We are working hard to create a full calendar of VIP events for these customers and use their feedback to continuously enhance the ShopThing live shopping experience. Who is your fashion icon and why? Alexander McQueen! For as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved McQueen. From his carefree attitude about life to his over-the top creativity. McQueen had a really unique way of taking edgy pieces, like the classic skull, and adding a very soft feminine touch to it. It’s that perfect intersection of edgy and whimsical that speaks to me.

By. Angel Neal A true testament to turning dreams into reality, Tressa Azarel Smallwood is only getting started when it comes to filmmaking. Smallwood is an award-winning Producer, and Founder of MegaMind Media, a production company specializing in creating compelling original content for female audiences. A true trailblazer, Tressa turned her debut bestselling novel into a multi-million-dollar publishing company that amassed thousands of fans worldwide with over 162+ titles to date. An advocate for mental health, Tressa recently partnered with BET Networks to produce series designed to bring awareness to women’s health. Now, as she gears up to kick off production on with Co-Executive Producer Morris Chestnut and Director Bill Duke, the fashion-forward filmmaker is excited to continue expanding on her creations. The "Founder of MegaMind Media," Has BET's Stamp of Approval! " With MegaMind Media every time someone comes to my set they never want to leave. Thats because my staff and I have a way of making people feel at home, its a different type of hospitality then probably what their accustomed to." Disrupshion Magazine caught up with the film fashionista in this exclusive interview below. Photo Credits L.C. Legacy PR Next Film Releases Wicked City : December 1, 2022 on ALLBLK Sound of Christmas : Thanksgiving Day BET+ Q&A Everybody’s has a unique origin story, huge people in the industry have put their trust in faith in you. Tell us about your background, how did you get started in the film industry? I have a very untraditional journey, I use to be a school teacher. I can remember when I first started people would tell me, you’ve never been to film school or on a movie set how are you able to do these things. My teaching experience in having that experience being in a classroom has helped me with everything that I do today. As a teacher you have to exercise patience and treat everyone differently and meet them where they are. So a lot of times with my actors I don’t care if you come in and you are a C-lister or an A-lister everybody needs something different from me. I'm a firm believer that my educational background experience and being a natural nurturer helps me grow my company. With MegaMind Media every time someone comes to my set they never want to leave. Thats because my staff and I have a way of making people feel at home, its a different type of hospitality then what the talent and artists maybe accustomed to. So from education to book publishing. How did you pivot into putting your book storytelling into producing films? Was there a turning point for the leap of faith? It was a natural pivot. In 2001 I went on bed rest for six months due to complications with my pregnancy. Over the course of those months I wrote a book which was the start of my company; Life Changing Books. Between 2001 and 2014 I had those years to cultivate content and create all of these books that people fell in love with. So if you think about it, most movies that come from books they go to the publishing house and they buy the rights. For me I owned my publishing company so it was just natural for me to want to produce. The challenging part was that I did not know how too produce movies. But Jesus does not play about me, he taught me everything I needed to know and put me with the right people. My team and I just started putting these movies out and right now we have eighteen movies out. When people ask me how I just say Jesus, because I don’t know how else to explain it. Its not something thats typical. I recognize it and I don’t try to pretend that its just me. I make movies with my family which is another unique situation. My entire family is involved in the process and not because their family but they actually have a skill set to contribute. How do you jungle being a mother, a wife and a Boss? I just put my family to work. When I’m exhausted and tired from working on a set for thirteen hours their tired to so its not really something I have to balance. My husband also owns his own business so he gets it as well, he has a company and I have a company to run. We don’t have those issues that most marriages may have because we both work too much, but we're a team at the end of the day. MegaMind has been doing impressive things. The amount of projects you’re doing is of interest to a lot of people. Let’s talk changing the narrative in film. How important has it been for you to use your company to empower female voices in front and behind the camera? I’ve always been an advocate of the youth and female of all the ages. No offense to the males is just my heart has always been with these. I do a lot of first time female directors with my partnership with BETHer, where we’ve had everybody from Kim Fields to Sheryl Lee Ralph to Meagan Good and LisaRaye McCoy you know a long list of talent. Its been really important for me to watch those journeys because people gave me a chance. I remember Mona Scott-Young saying to me I can’t direct and I was telling her yes you can, I’m going to help you. I didn’t know what I was doing when I first started, so I think because I was really the underdog and was able to reach a level of success I love being able to help other women do the same. How did you both initially get involved with BET Her? BET Her was looking for a producer to jump in and do Season 2 of The Waiting Room. I gladly took the position because I knew that it was purposeful. It was about breast cancer awareness, and I have a lot of family members who have been battling breast cancer. Thankfully, all of them are in remission, but I know their stories. I watched the pain. I know the journey. I like to inspire and touch females in the youth and black women in particular we develop breast cancer at higher rates than any other race. We’re usually hospitalized more and the death rates are higher because we don’t have the preventative information so that was a goal that we present these stories to provide awareness. Every season we tell different stories but the goal is always the same. Get tested and make sure you are paying attention to your body if you’re over 40 go get a mammogram. For me, it was an absolute yes, very quickly. Then they shared that I would get the opportunity to work with some amazing directors and cast members. They mentioned that a lot of the directors had never had the opportunity to direct before. For me, that was another yes, yes, yes because people had given me a chance when I first started producing and I’d never done any of this before. Everything for me was a yes! That’s impressive doing it yourself from scratch. What kept you going on the journey with being a newbie in the producing industry? I think its just my gift to teach, inspire and uplift. I don’t like to fail. I’m one of those people if its not working Imma get back in there and figure it out however many times it takes because I want to succeed. I’m also OK when things don’t go right the first time. I’m definitely a fan of if at first you don’t succeed dust yourself back off and try again. Most people don’t win the first time around you have to figure out the mistakes you made and recalibrate and lift your head up and put your crown back on and do it again. I recognize that in this industry and I’m here for it. What do you currently look for in a project when you’re considering signing on to produce? Is it the material, the attachments, the logistics or a combination of elements? Is it a tedious process for filmmakers and writers and directors to come to you with their ideas they want produced? I would say its a collaboration between the content and if there are any attachments. I go for the underdogs. I have a writers program where a lot of first time writers get mentored by me and a lot of them have gotten deals because I allow them a shot to perfect their craft. On the other hand sometimes its the simplest project and it may not have any attachments, sometimes its also who has already agreed to sign on to the script, those are the easy slam dunks. I really like to work on projects that are meaningful. Everything that I do is all about paving the way for the next person. Wicked City, Sci-Fi-- what makes this project unique and important to be produced now? It's coming this fall on ALLBLK network. This series is important to me because it was created by two black females and we don’t have any supernatural dramas out there that are created by us and for us. When people see the cast, these black witches are bad. I also feel like when its a project that we can be proud of we have to have our hands on it in the very beginning. So being able to executive produce the project and the one to take it to the network it was really important for me. I can’t wait for people to see it. From a producers perspective what gives you the confidence to tackle the hard subjects like breast cancer, domestic violence, ect..? Whenever you do something in arts and entertainment you can get people ears and eyes. I just think its something we have to do, its working and people are sharing the visuals and the resources. You spoke an interview saying Greenwood Avenue a film to be released at a later time with Morris Chestnut will be your Oscar winning film. What so far in your personal opinion is your best film to date and why? All of the films I’ve done are all my babies. I don’t necessarily have a favorite because their all different genres. I like luxurious things so I would say The Available Wife and Trophy Wife are two of my favorites in terms of aesthetics. But some of the others in terms of the stories, like I said I’m in love with Wicked City because of what it represents. Sound of Christmas, the holiday musical film featuring Ne-Yo and Serayah. What can we expect from this film? It's a musical so I’m excited for people to see it. What people won’t suspect is Tichina Arnold’s daughter, Alijah Kai will also be singing in the film and her voice is phenomenal, she can sang, sang. I love when we have new talent. The overall story of the film is just a really good feel. Relatable, a lot of young people are having the issues of do I stay with my boyfriend if I’m a christian or do I go. It comes on Thanksgiving day on BET+. Running an independent film company what has been biggest challenges you faced? Money is always a big one. We know that finances can be a challenge when you’re independent. For our movies we raise the money in house from our families and sometimes we do a lot of begging. People understand now that you know we make good movies and we’re in position to license those movies to networks. The other piece is still Covid, we still have to deal with that in terms of hiring talent. Find out more Bout Tressa Azarel via: Social Media @ceoazarel and find out more about her film resumer here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7652716/ !