Let’s Start With…

New York-based contemporary clothing brand Theophilio, helmed by Jamaican fashion designer Edvin Thompson, has landed a collaboration with Italian wine brand Ecco Domani.

The collab features a limited-edition label design, by Theophilio, which presents elements of the Jamaican flag.

On Instagram, Thompson shared, “It’s a pleasure to announce our partnership with Ecco Domani, celebrating community, inclusion and cultural identities through a limited-edition label for their classic Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio.”

Ecco Domani has featured a plethora of designers over the years for their limited-edition ‘designer’ labels. Established designers such as Jeremy Scott, Zac Posen, Bobby Berk, and Brandon Maxwell are some who have used the wine bottles as creative canvases to create fashion-forward, limited-edition labels.

Then…

Multifaceted music industry label heads, deejays and tastemakers Idris Elba and Toddla T linked up for a summer heater, We Run The Area. The track, officially released on June 5, via 7Wallace and Bell Brothers, features Jamaica’s very own reggae star Naomi Cowan as well as veteran DJ General Levy.

From the UK to the Caribbean, the sun-drenched track draws influence from Jungle and drum and bass sounds with an accompanying visual featuring all four artistes shot on location in Jamaica and London. The video was filmed and edited by directors Notty Cuts, Desmond Dakura and Abo Raj — mostly via an iPhone 14 — reflecting the DIY, collaborative nature of the four creatives.

Toddla T, one of the most pivotal music industry insiders in the UK, has released tracks with a roll call of names that include the likes of Skepta, Avelino, Casisdead, Stefflon Don, Roots Manuva, Skream, Andrea Martin, Craig David and more. From his legendary sound system at Notting Hill Carnival to over a decade at the helm of shows for BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra, the label head continues to work with the most exciting emerging names in the global scene.

Meanwhile British actor and longtime DJ-turned-label head Idris Elba founded 7Wallace in 2015 to break boundaries in hip hop and dance music. The label has released a slew of cuts with the likes of Elba himself, Che Lingo, Little Simz, Q-Tip, Chip, Kah-Lo, Kojey Radical, and more.

And… in more #NaomiCowanNews

The recording artiste turned up her style quotient in a mod pink ensemble at the City Splash Festival in London. The look was conceptualised by British Vogue featured stylist Sian Maher, who has worked with Jamaican reggae powerhouses Protoje and Lila Ike.

Also…

Rock star Shenseea, who continues to make strides on the international scene, lends her Caribbean charm to Sony’s just-released Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse.

The Dancehall star joins Puerto Rican rapper Myke Towers in Infamous, one of six songs released on the deluxe version of the film’s soundtrack last Monday.

Produced by Shae Jacobs, Mustapha, and Rick Diezel under Republic Records, the song prominently features Grammy-nominated Barrington Levy’s well-known tongue-twisting ad lib “shiddly diddly” at the beginning and incorporates a fusion of reggae and dancehall elements, creating a catchy sound that complements the exciting adventures of Spider-Man.

The track is the newest Jamaican-inspired addition to the popular movie soundtrack. Shenseea joins Jamaican musicians BEAM, Di Genius and Toian, who were previously featured on the Afrobeats song Link Up that samples Red Rat’s 1997 hit Tight Up Skirt. Multi-Grammy Award winner Ziggy Marley, who lends his voice to the character Lenny in the film, is also part of the record-breaking project.

And of course, there was a stylish moment from Shenseea at the premiere, held on June 2. The fashionista was mesmerising in a black body-con number, look 7, from luxury womenswear brand Et Ochs’s Spring/Summer 2023 Collection.

Additionally…

UK-based eyewear brand Sub Sun and Scottish-Jamaican menswear designer Nicholas Daley have collaborated for an exclusive limited-edition frame that captures the spirit of Daley’s SS23 ‘Calypso’ collection.

The unique frame is a combination of both brands’ aesthetics, bringing together Daley’s intricate design and craftsmanship with Sub Sun’s eye for detail and flair for the unexpected.

Crafted with Mazzuccelli acetate, the frame is expertly hand-finished, with a unique combination of colours and detailing. The frame shape, with its exaggerated curves, gives a subtle nod to the bold and playful nature of the collection, referencing frames from the 1960s, seen on music and film legends Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier.

The lenses are available in two unique colourways, purple and green.

Photographer: Piczo

Stylist: Stephen Mann

Producer: Tara Sadeghi

Set Design: Kei Yoshino

Barber/ Grooming: Nat “The Barber” Bury

Meanwhile…

Beauty Stop by Pageant Boss won ‘Makeup Brand of the Year’ at the South Florida Makeup Awards, held at the Germack Event Venue in Davie, Florida, on Sunday, May 21, 2023.

Founder Nicole Stoddart said, “I’m just a country girl from MoBay, I’ve never imagined winning an international award. We did it! I know I’ve been working but I didn’t realise the impact it was having on others. It was just an Instagram tag that one of our customers, Renee, tagged us in and we got nominated a day after that. The power of social media is so amazing! I campaigned for weeks to get votes and I was so nervous because I was telling myself that nobody from Florida knows the brand and so I didn’t think I could’ve won, but my beauty stoppers started to campaign for me and so I continued my campaign for votes and said to myself, that I’m going to give it a try.”

According to Stoddart, international recognition has opened the door for a Pageant Boss USA launch. “We were able to secure a fulfilment house in the United States and are currently working with them to launch and expand the brand internationally. Everyone that has come in contact with our products falls in love with the quality.”

The South Florida Makeup Awards, founded by American make-up artist and hairstylist Daphney Paul, is a platform on which to honour beauty excellence around the world.

Plus…

BAUGHaus Design Studio has landed on the radar of American lifestyle magazine Cosmopolitan.

The Jamaican pottery brand, which prides itself on making fine handmade pottery and porcelain tableware, was featured in an article, ’10 Dinnerware Sets That Will Make Hosting a Breeze’, by Fashion, Culture, and Lifestyle Editor, Mekita Rivas. The feature reviewed a plethora of other dinner plates including Kate Spade, Stone Lain and 54kibo.

In the feature, Rivas’s review on BAUGHaus read: “These ceramic plates are made in Jamaica and currently available in six different colours, ranging from bright turquoise to mint green. Although you have to purchase them individually, the quality of each piece is well worth the time and investment to curate your own dreamy dinnerware collection.”

There’s more…

Saint International star and Gotham-resident Wayne Booth appears in the new advertising campaign for contemporary womenswear brand Everlane. Booth is front and centre for the ‘Dressed Up Daywear’ themed campaign.

CREDITS

Photographer: Jack Day

Creative Director: Gabriel Villasmil

Makeup Artist: Karo Kangas