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Two decades later, the fashion of Bring It On feels somehow even more on-trend today than it did when it came out. Bike shorts, chunky New Balance sneakers, tie-dye — these all are the hallmark looks of the 2000 cheerleader teen comedy. “What goes around comes around in the world of fashion, it’s cyclical. And what you see now, in 2020, you’re going to see it again in 2040, so it just circles and cycles around,” says costume designer Mary Jane Fort. “I really tried to make it as authentic as I could for that age, at that time, and not be too trendy. I wanted something that could hold up.”

She succeeded. Following the story of two rival teams, San Diego’s Rancho Carne Toros, led by Torrance (Kirsten Dunst), and Los Angeles’ East Compton Clovers, led by Isis (Gabrielle Union), Bring It On’s fashion features all of today’s biggest trends, alongside relics of the time, like tube tops, butterfly clips, and platform sandals, that fared less well. “I was just trying to tell the stories of the characters and who they are. And, of course, you look at fashion [around you at the time], but you don’t necessarily follow it.”

When it came to the two uniforms, which are arguably the most iconic looks from the film according to Fort, it was “a lot of fun to design them.” The main colors, red for the Toros and green for the Clovers, were a strategic choice: “The colors were a group decision with myself, [film director] Peyton Reed, the production designer, and the director of photography because it reflected the colors of absolutely everything else.” After the colors were selected, Fort came up with two styles for the Toros: a sleeveless and a turtleneck version. “That’s actually just two pieces,” says Fort of the turtleneck they slipped underneath the shell top. “It looked like two different uniforms, but it was the same uniform.”

To make clear that the Clovers were from a bigger city than the Toros, Fort added “little subtleties” to their uniforms to make them appear more trendy. The tops are shorter and the style, with the red-and-yellow accents and more geometric neckline, bolder and more confident in comparison to Toros’ more traditional look.

Fort wanted to make sure that the rival looks could also stand side-by-side as equals in the film’s most pivotal scenes. “The two uniforms had to work together. They had to complement each other without matching, without competing, and both had to be noticeable.”

When coming up with the costumes used outside of competitions and practice, Fort envisioned “places that the character could go to, be it the mall or the local boutique.” As the costume designer behind the other most popular film of the time, Mean Girls, she has experience with that. “You try to get into the head of where the characters would be able to go — like, where would Torrance go to get her sweats?” she says. For the Toros, Fort envisioned a beachy look, mimicking what people wore at the time. “It is the antithesis of trendy,” she says. “In Southern California, people wear shorts, people wear tank tops.” Meanwhile, Clovers were dressed in more on-trend fashion of the time. (It should be noted that the mostly-open cardigan with nothing underneath, seen below, is one of the biggest trends of this summer.) “It’s the same with the Clovers. You would go to the places that they go to,” she says. “They had more options of places to go, being from a bigger city. Things that you couldn’t get in the more sort of provincial place like San Diego.”

Torrance’s wardrobe is indeed girl-next-door saccharine sweet, filled with floral dresses and capri pants that she pairs with pastel sweaters. “She’s the head cheerleader, so she has a certain perkiness to her and she has a very precise way of putting everything together,” Fort says. In some instances, that translates to all-pink everything, from cutesy pink pajamas (with heart prints and kiss prints, no less) to a “Campus Queen” pink tee and a pink floral bikini which she pairs with floral-embellished platform flip-flops. “She’s that girl — pink is her favorite color, and that’s what she wants to be in,” says Fort.

This was meant to contrast the look of Missy (Eliza Dushku), the new girl who transfers from a school in Los Angeles and, at first, is hesitant to join the team. “Your school has no gymnastics team, this is a last resort,” she says in one of Bring It On‘s most iconic lines while auditioning in a “Rub Here For Good Luck” crop top showing a buddha and unpractical low-rise pants.

“She’s not a girly-girl,” Fort says. “She comes from Los Angeles, and I know it’s only a 100 miles away, but there’s a world of difference.” While Missy opts for a darker color palette and leather jackets, Torrance reaches for hoodies and a vibrant color scheme.

While their styles are in contrast to each other, in practice, all the girls are similarly dressed, wearing the workout go-tos of the time: Nike sports bras and athletic shorts, Adidas track pants and crop tops, tank tops, bandanas, and scrunchies. “The cheerleading costumes were so bright. [And] they were in them a lot. We didn’t want to overpower [the rest of the film] with clothes and too many pieces,” says Fort. It’s ironic, then, that it’s the same looks that we find ourselves wearing today in quarantine, with athletic shorts, bananas, and sweatsuits becoming the (unofficial) uniform of 2020.

All to say, we would gladly borrow Bring It On’s entire wardrobe. Don’t agree? To quote the great Torrance Shipman, “This is not a democracy, it’s a cheerocracy. I’m sorry, but I’m overruling you.”

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Designer Romeo Hunte is no stranger to devoted fans. Since launching his impossibly cool namesake label in 2014, his clothing has appeared on celebrities like Beyoncé, Michelle Obama, Laverne Cox, and Tessa Thompson and athletes like Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul. Most recently, Zendaya wore Romeo Hunte’s Boxy suit for her InStyle cover story, for which the Euphoria star’s stylist Law Roach pulled all-Black designers.

In July, a week after the RH office has re-opened, Hunte tells me that being in lockdown during the pandemic has given him time to reflect. Despite having had to edit back and hold off on some new drops as a result of stay-at-home orders, the brand has continued to be there for its customers, in part by pivoting to manufacturing masks. “The reviews were just like, ‘Oh, thank you so much. This brightened up my day,’” he says.  

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@zendaya in our #ROMEOHUNTE SS20 Boxy Suit for @instylemagazine September Issue 👑🔥🖤 Styled by the legendary @luxurylaw Captured by @abdmstudio

A post shared by ROMEO HUNTE (@romeohunte) on Aug 6, 2020 at 7:33pm PDT

As factories and warehouses closed due to the lockdown, a lot of brands have had to slow down and get creative. Some have had to turn to upcycling old fabrics and pieces for the new collections. Part of it has to do with the fact that they didn’t have access to new fabrics with the closures; another has to do with sustainability — an issue that has been brought to the forefront as a result of the pandemic. Romeo Hunte was ahead of this. In February, he unveiled his Fall/Winter 2020 collection that incorporated archival looks from Tommy Hilfiger. (While the production has since been delayed due to the pandemic, Hunte will be working on making it available by pre-order later this year.) “I’m really excited about this partnership,” he says. “Tommy has been an amazing mentor and like a godfather to me, and just to be the first designer, and the first Black designer also, to work and take his archives and upcycle a lot of the pieces and taking his brand identity and mixing it with mine…” he says.

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Behind The Scenes Fall/Winter 2020 Collaboration:@tommyhilfiger Haft Theatre | 4 pm Powered By @ciroc

A post shared by ROMEO HUNTE (@romeohunte) on Feb 9, 2020 at 8:50am PST

The partnership came about organically for Hunte who has always been a master of deconstructing classic silhouettes into unexpected, high-fashion creations. “I used to take a lot of my mother’s vintage pieces, I got in trouble a lot for that, but I’d take a lot of her pieces and upcycle it. I’d take it apart, deconstruct it, put it back together,” he says. “When I first started the brand, that was not my thing. I was like, ‘Okay, I did that when I was home bored.’ But over the seasons, it’s so crazy how fashion really is, it just connects. It definitely connects with your culture automatically and with your past and your experiences, even when you don’t really want to express those things.”

When it came to the collaboration, Hunte says he was inspired by the idea of giving existing pieces new life. “I was like, ‘Tommy, I really don’t want to do something new. Let’s see how we can go into your archives and build these amazing silhouettes and new styles for the show that is very exclusive and, at the same time, find a way to celebrate sustainability in a great big way,’” he says. “I think it’s very essential that all brands find a way to be sustainable in some way and shape.”

This idea of reinvention has long been part of Romeo Hunte’s DNA, whether it’s taking a trench coat and turning it into a dress by removing sleeves or adding bold elements, like neon piping, to turn an otherwise-classic staple into a can’t-miss style. For his latest collection, which combined business casual wear and sportswear, he sent out blazer-hoodie and denim-and-leather jacket-coat hybrids that appeared, in true Hunte form, simultaneously statement-making and wearable.

While the last few months have brought some downs for the fashion industry, Hunte is hopeful for the future. “A lot of business plans are changing right now. It is definitely a time to be very strategic; but at the same time, be very optimistic and open-minded.” Personally, Hunte says he will continue to “think outside the box” and do “things that I really want to do.” He adds, “I feel like I’ve been called a disruptor, and now I’m owning it. Like, I feel like I did come in, and I didn’t want to play games. I really got straight to the business. And I found a way to structure my business without [financial] backing and a small team.”

“I’ve been called a disruptor, and now I’m owning it.”

This has proven to be successful for Hunte, who, over the years, developed a loyal customer base, as well as industry acclaim. “I just always had to believe in myself and push forward, and I knew that I could do it,” Hunte says. “It’s a dream come true to dress the former First Lady Michelle Obama and Beyoncé.” It wasn’t without its challenges, though. For one, when Hunte was attending the Fashion Institute of Technology (in which he enrolled after turning down two full athletic scholarships), there were not many Black designers that were doing what he wanted to. “There was only, like, Tracy Reese that was on the [fashion] calendar,” Hunte says. “Tracy Reese is an amazing, beautiful designer of beautiful dresses, but I’m not really a dressmaker. So it was hard for me to relate. But it was very inspiring to see.” 

Breaking into the fashion industry proved even harder. “I’ve been told a lot, ‘It takes time.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, if it takes time, I don’t really see that with other designers that are not Black.’ I’ve seen designers start their first year, their companies skyrocket, and they’re all over the internet. They’re all over the publications.” He tells me of his first big show, a moment that should have been a celebration of his hard work and talent. “Right before the show started, it was chaos backstage, we are all trying to start on time, open the doors,” he says, recalling a conversation he overheard between two people working the event. “My show got called ghetto until the doors opened and the models were all dressed, and then the same people who called it ghetto was like, ‘Oh my god, it was so many good, important, amazing people [watching the show], so much support in the industry.’”

This is hardly an isolated incident for designers of color in an industry that favors whiteness and tries to disregard talent even when it’s right in front of their eyes. “You have to prepare yourself. The industry’s not easy, period. I just feel like, as a Black designer, my experience is that I feel like I have to work double, triple harder to even still be here,” he says. “Your work gets overlooked.” With that in mind, Hunte, as someone who has built a strong business and client base, hopes he can inspire young designers to keep following their dreams. “I try and utilize my platform to inspire other designers, to motivate them, like, ‘You can do this, too,’” he says.

While the pandemic has been hard enough on independent designers like Hunte, the news of George Floyd, a Black man, being killed at the hands of the police, added a new layer. “It was a lot mentally to take,” says Hunte. “It was just really hard for us to get back to work, it was so much weight. We already were going through a lot, keeping each other strong, and then for that to happen and more heavy weight to take on moving forward with the brand…” 

Following the racial justice protests, fashion — that has long overlooked Black creatives and kept them out of boardrooms — is going through a reckoning, with many calling on the industry to do better in supporting Black creatives. “I think what young designers want is to be included in the stories and have a seat at the table; their work to be compared to the bigger houses, and not just compared but in mind with the bigger houses for trends, and their drops and collaborations to be acknowledged and to be published. That’s what really helps a business,” Hunte says. “I just think it has a lot to do with your presence: How much are you celebrated? How much are you acknowledged? Where do you sit?”

At the time of the interview, Hunte is unsure of his plans for NYFW or the future. “I feel like everyone loves the show and the energy of the models walking. You don’t know what’s coming out, what’s going to walk out next kind of thing,” he says. “At the same time, I don’t know if my client is looking forward to it and that it will make them feel like, ‘I want to get up and wear a Romeo Hunte look and feel fabulous again.’ Or is it, ‘I need to pay the rent and the bills and keep lights on’? I don’t know. We don’t know. We’re taking it day by day.”

That uncertainty doesn’t faze him: “The team, we’ve been strong. We went through wars, but this is one where we’re prepared, and we’re going to go hard for this show, and for the next season, too.” All to say: We’ve seen nothing yet.

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Over the last five months, I’ve spent most days in pajamas, house dresses, and sweatsuits — but I’ve been living out my fashion fantasies in Animal Crossing to the fullest. On any given day, you can find my avatar watering flowers in off-the-runway Chanel, digging up fossils in Rodarte, and planting orange trees in Sandy Liang. I am not alone. Since the Nintendo Switch game came out earlier this year, many fashion-loving players have felt the same. In part that’s thanks to the Animal Crossing fashion Instagram accounts like Kara Chung’s @animalcrossingfashionarchive. 

“I honestly started the account as a joke,” says the Hong Kong-based visual artist and photographer, who is currently in her hometown of Manila, Philippines, where she went to be with family when the pandemic hit. “I had a group chat with a few friends, where we shared looks casually, and started the account without any agenda.” Since then, it racked almost 50K followers and resulted in collaborations with brands like Highsnobiety, Marc Jacobs, and Valentino.

Most recently, Chung partnered with Klarna (the shopping app and buy now, pay later provider) and several influencers to create a series of fashion items for the game. The first installment — for which Chung worked with Micah “Noodles” Mahinay who curated the selection — will feature a virtual pop-up on the latter’s island. “Micah let us know what she had on her wish list via Klarna, and I translated some looks into the game to display on her island,” she says. Inside the pop-up, which will launch on August 17, players will find the Beyoncé-approved Marine Serre moon-print shirt, a Fenty tie-dye jacket, and an Issey Miyake pleats top, among other coveted items. 

“I personally love the Palm Angels hoodie, because it has fire in the front so it was fun to draw, and the black-and-white Raf Simons sweater with a giant smiley face, because it’s easily recognizable from afar,” says Chung. After getting the item virtually, players will also be able to snag the items IRL, by sharing a screenshot of their avatar wearing the goods and tagging @klarna.usa. Yes, you can match your avatar — and Beyoncé.

Chung says she never imagined that the account would get this kind of a viral reaction and result in designer collaborations, which most recently included MM6 Maison Margiela: “Whenever I get a request for these types of things, I always have to double-check to see if I am awake. It’s so crazy, it’s nothing like I could have ever imagined.” She approaches Animal Crossing projects like an actual fashion shoot, by creating storyboards and having conversations with the brands. In addition to refining the concept, the latter helps in setting expectations regarding what works in the scope of Animal Crossing: “The game is quite limited.”

She goes on to explain that not every look translates well — typically, vivid, graphic pieces and illustrations come out best. “In reality, you can’t capture the full piece of clothing. It forces you to ask what is special about the specific piece. It forces you to think what makes the piece or gives it its soul [laughs],” she says, adding that sometimes it’s the challenge of finding a piece that makes sense for the project and looks good visually that makes it interesting for her. “To scour through all the [brand] items and curate the selection that works for the brand is quite a fun experience. You just have to find what works.”

Earlier in the summer, Chung was also the design force behind Animal Crossing’s first fashion show. After “meeting” stylist Marc Goehring during, what else, an Animal Crossing party, the two connected. “We knew of each other’s work, and then we got on a call and decided to do something. We didn’t know what yet but, since he’s a stylist in real life and I am a fashion photographer in real life, we thought why not just create a project using our real interests and our real occupations in Animal Crossing, and do a collaboration that we otherwise couldn’t,” she says. After Goehring curated 30 looks, Chung designed and shot the show. “As a bonus, we got Michel Gaubert to do the score, which is hilarious because he does real runway scores,” she says. “He is also a player of the game, and stitched together samples from the in-game soundtrack with a song called ‘E.T.’ by JOON.” Having covered fashion week shows in the past, she “tried to put an editorial touch on” the project: “I treated it as a serious runway — but also a joke.”

Chung says she loves seeing how the game has created a conversation between designer brands and fashion lovers. “So many people participate in fashion without necessarily buying the clothes. A lot of people don’t have the physical clothes, but, ever since I can remember, so many people have gone to SSENSE.com or NET-A-PORTER to make their wish list,” she says. “You don’t need to spend money to be part of this conversation, and brands accept that. They accept that the love for the brand goes beyond having to shell out or having to work hard for access. It’s evening the playing field.” Especially amid lockdown when we couldn’t go to physical stores, there was something comforting about visiting Sandy Liang’s Animal Crossing pop-up or seeing a new collection virtually unveiled on avatars. “What this game shows brands is that, if you give people access, and if you give people these very easy tools to work with, there’s this profound effect.”

Then, does Chung feel like Animal Crossing is the future of fashion? “It’s a direction worth exploring — Animal Crossing is proof that players who love fashion can create within the scope of resources and in-game rules present in the game, and I’d love to see more platforms emerge that let people access a community and create from scratch,” she says. “I always say that this is not an end-all, the scope of the fashion industry is too wide for all aspects to be covered by a video game. It’s a nice way though to continue brand stories while people are unable to meet in physical spaces.”

So, until then, see you on the island. I’ll be the one wearing Marine Serre.

To access the island where the Klarna pop-up will be held, on August 17, players will need to DM Micah Mahinay (@Noodz) on Instagram to receive the Dodo code. But set your alarms and act fast: The island and pop-up will only be available for 24 hours after it’s live.

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The Baby-Sitters Club is back in business, thanks to a new adaptation of the beloved series by Ann M. Martin. Set in present-day Stoneybrook, a fictional suburban town in Connecticut, Netflix’s The Baby-Sitters Club 10-episode series follows a now-diverse cast of seventh-graders who start a babysitting business to make extra money.

In a move that will delight the (grown-up) fans of both the books and ‘90s TV series (and movie!), the girls still hold the meetings in Claudia’s room because she is the only one who has an “olden times phone” — aka a landline, which Claudia makes a point to say her family got as part of an ultra-high-speed internet package. Naturally, super-stylish Claudia bought the physical phone on Etsy instead of any big-box retailer. In another old-school nod, they spread the word about BSC using flyers rather than social media. Of course, as 12-year-olds, they are also too young to have Instagram, a problem the girls are willing to work around before Claudia’s sister suggests an analog way to promote the business; in the same way that the BSC’s Gen X would-be clients will love the nostalgic appeal of landlines, there’s no doubt that they’ll also take to flyers-as-advertising, too.  

Similarly, the inspiration for Netflix’s The Baby-Sitters Club fashion feels delightfully retro, and also comes from the original source. “[I was] definitely inspired by the books. Ann M. Martin wrote the characters so clearly, which is always a gift to a costume designer when taking a book to screen,” says costume designer Cynthia Summers, whose past work includes shows like A Series of Unfortunate Events and Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce. “I was also inspired by blending fashion of the ‘90s with current Gen Z fashion.” 

From the first episode, the girls’ unique personalities come through in the clothes they wear. Just like in the books, the club’s president and founder, Kristy (Sophie Grace), has, what Summers calls, a “tomboy/athletic-meets-comfort-meets-I borrow from my brothers’ closet” aesthetic. This translates into turtlenecks worn underneath sweatshirts, baseball caps, jeans, and sneakers; in one episode, Kristy’s style is described, in true Gen Z fashion, as “normcore.” 

At the beginning of the series, Mary Anne (Malia Baker), the shyest member of the group, “is stuck in a pre-pubescent nightmare when it comes to fashion.” Her closet is filled with cutesy pajamas, animal slippers, and skirt-overalls that were no doubt picked out by her overprotective widower father. After convincing her dad to allow her to do a makeover midway through the season, Mary Anne’s style turns “New England prep with pops of color and print,” with a lot of button-down shirts and knits. 

Quirky, creative Claudia (Momona Tamada) wears clothes that are “art house-inspired all the way,” according to Summers. Her wardrobe is the most exciting and eclectic of the group, and features bold prints (with lots of leopard!), loud colors, oversized knits, fashion-forward overalls, and statement accessories that range from cherry-shaped sunglasses to various headbands and printed socks. “Claudia’s style is whatever inspires her in the moment,” says Summers. “If she can’t purchase or repurpose it, she creates it.”

Stacey (Shay Rudolph), a recent transplant from New York City, has the most fashion-forward wardrobe, which includes sheer blouses with oversized sleeves, a sequin bomber jacket, and lots of stylish coats that are in stark contrast to what the other girls wear. “Stacey needed to appear as an ‘outsider’ when she arrived in Stoneybrook for our story. She also has a personal story she is trying to hide, so her facade is strong and sophisticated,” Summers says. “She is more mature than the other girls in some ways, and we wanted her to visually stand out, and her more sophisticated big city New York look helped us tell that story.” Meanwhile, Dawn (Xochitl Gomez), who joins the group a few episodes in, is the ultimate “Cali girl,” according to Summers, with a penchant for ‘80s fashion like flannel shirts, acid wash denim, and creepers. 

To keep the looks authentic, Summers opted to shop at popular modern stores with relatively accessible price points. “Most of the characters’ [looks] were purchased from places these girls would shop in real life: Zara, H&M, American Eagle, Gap, Urban Outfitters, Aritzia, Topshop, Kate Spade, Alice + Olivia, Anthropologie, Nordstrom,” says Summers. “Because we shot in Canada, 80 percent of everyone’s fashion was purchased at Simons in Vancouver. Also lots and lots of vintage shopping and upcycling.”

But just because the looks came from mall-mainstays doesn’t mean that the fashion is boring. Claudia’s earrings alone deserve their own show (or at least their own Instagram account), with styles ranging from single statement pieces to intricate fruit-shaped baubles. “The fruit earrings are a nod to the books,” says Summers, who pulled most of Claudia’s accessories from jewelers like Konplott and Claire’s, as well as vintage stores. “When we couldn’t find what we needed, we created pieces that looked like something Claudia would make for herself. Like, the ‘pineapple earrings’ are actually from key chains we deconstructed and made into earrings.”

In a cyclical fashion loop, Claudia also embraces trends from the time of the first television adaptation of the series — ones that have made a comeback in recent years. Think: yellow plaid (which, with Clueless’ Alicia Silverstone playing Kristy’s mom, is especially apt), barrettes, and scrunchies. “I love being able to work past decades’ fashion into current trends… some fit and some do not,” Summers says. “Scrunchies, maybe because they are also practical, seem to have made the recurring fashion trend… again!”

While the show explores familiar middle school topics like having a period for the first time and developing a crush, it also delves into political and social issues. In one episode, Mary Anne stands up for a trans girl, whom doctors continuously misgender. In another, through the experience of her beloved grandmother, Claudia learns about Manzanar, a World War II internment camp where Japanese-Americans were forced to live after being classified as enemy aliens by the U.S following the attack on Pearl Harbor.

It’s these kinds of important storylines that inspired the most exciting fashion on the show. In one episode, Claudia dons a “Stay Angry” T-shirt designed by artist Irene Koh for the Angry Asian Man — famously worn by Randall Park in Always Be My Maybe. “We decided, as Claudia is an outspoken, bit of a rebel artist that she would at some point, address her ethnicity within America,” says Summers. “This was a great way for us to understatedly have Claudia be a part of, or be aware of, a current movement of Asian American visibility, through art. It was a perfect choice for our character’s purposes.” 

Another scene where each girl’s unique aesthetic is on display is at Kristy’s mom’s wedding, for which Kristy trades her jeans and sweatshirts for a simple blue silk gown. Meanwhile, Claudia appears in a Rotate by Birger Christensen mutton sleeve mini dress, a custom fascinator, and platform booties; Mary Anne in a vintage navy blue taffeta floor-length gown by Alfred Sung; and Dawn in a boho-esque Ulla Johnson maxi. And Stacey? Summers says, “I wanted [a] black-and-white [look] but could not find what I wanted so we purchased two dresses — one white, one black — used the top of one and the skirt of the other, and added a custom black-and-white fascinator and amazing Jeffrey Campbell rhinestone-encrusted shoes.”

It is this blend of vintage pieces with popular fashion brands of today that make The Baby-Sitters Club a fun watch for both fans of the first TV show and movie (who may have kids old enough to read the books now) and new viewers. Like yellow plaid, being a member of BSC never goes out of style.

The Baby-Sitters Club will be available on Netflix on July 3. 

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When the pandemic hit, Thrilling, an online marketplace that offers vintage and secondhand clothing from small businesses around the country, cut its commissions for the first two months. After brick-and-mortar businesses were forced to close their doors, and thus lose their main source of income, founder and CEO Shilla Kim-Parker knew that those owners needed every dollar they could make. Thrilling then released custom-printed vintage T-shirts to raise money for the 100+ stores it carries (you can still purchase them or donate to stores here). When protests started around the country, following the murder of George Floyd at the hands of the police, Thrilling curated a collection of clothing from Black-owned vintage stores — although, as a Black woman, Kim-Parker had amplified these businesses since the start of Thrilling, giving them the exposure they desperately need in a fashion industry that still prioritizes whiteness.

Kim-Parker, whose prior careers were in industries ranging from finance to media and nonprofit arts, founded Thrilling as a way to support local businesses. “My grandparents started the first Black-owned business in the small town of Kinston in North Carolina in the 1940s, and it was a dry-cleaning business. At the time, the world was against them, and they suffered a lot of harassment and abuse and trauma and violence, but managed to survive and thrive for 50 years,” Kim-Parker told me over a Zoom call last week. “I’ve always had a lot of kinship for small business owners and helping support their place in the world.” 

A vintage lover, Kim-Parker grew up secondhand shopping in New York City. “It’s my favorite and only way to shop. I think it’s where you find high-quality, well-made, one-of-a-kind items that are also truly environmentally friendly,” she said. She saw Thrilling as a way to not only support these stores but also broaden their customer base by making the offerings available online: “Secondhand and vintage business owners have been very frustrated about the lack of support from the tech community in helping get their business out to more customers around the world. I started this business to really partner with them and help bring them more revenue, so that they can continue to build their business and continue to be cornerstones of their communities.” 

Kim-Parker says that the hardest part of the pandemic has been seeing these businesses face real fear about the future of their livelihoods. “It has been enormously stressful for our stores. They have had to shut their doors. In-person sales are the primary way that they earn revenue, and many of their landlords are unforgiving. They were shut out of a lot of federal grant programs, and so they’ve been under an enormous amount of strain,” she said. “There’s magic to the environments that a lot of stores have created in their stores that’s really important to preserve. There’s a real physical element, and social element, of being part of a neighborhood that I think is super important.” There is also, of course, the thrill of finding a one-of-a-kind gem after physically going through the racks.

Not only does Thrilling carry fashion from vintage stores around the country but it also curates collections by categories and themes, and offers a large range of sizing —  still, unfortunately, a somewhat rare occurrence in vintage fashion (Kim-Parker says she is “proud that we work with some of the best plus-size vintage boutiques across the U.S.”). Prior to the pandemic, Thrilling also worked with the stores to photograph the clothing and upload it online, as well as help process the order. With COVID-19 putting a stop to physical visits, Thrilling pivoted to working with the stores to provide digital solutions so the owners could do it themselves. “The most rewarding part has been how much we’ve stuck together, how much we’ve sacrificed for each other to ensure our collective livelihood. I am sure our investors may have wondered about us giving up our commissions for two months, but it was undoubtedly the right thing to do because we’re a values-first, mission-oriented, and humanity-oriented organization,” she says. “Thrilling is about community first and business second.”

That sentiment is infectious: When, in April, Thrilling partnered with Banana Republic — which, interestingly, started as a small mom-and-pop shop selling vintage — on a collection of vintage pieces from the stores on the site, the clothing giant (owned by Gap since 1983), in response to Thrilling giving up its commissions on sales, also decided to give up its commission; every dollar of that collection went to the stores.

As Thrilling’s sales have grown month over month since the pandemic began, Kim-Parker says it’s been exciting to see customers respond to the business. “Something that’s been really nice is that people are becoming activated, so they’re realizing that they can be part of progress and activists in many different ways, including voting with their dollars,” she said. “We’re so grateful for support from people who not only just love fashion but also love supporting Black women-, people of color-owned businesses and are really passionate about supporting small businesses and really passionate about mitigating the impact of the apparel industry on the environment. We are seeing a lot of people aligning their consumption choices around their values.”

It’s to make it easier for people to further vote with their dollars that prompted Thrilling to curate the Black Vintage collection, though Kim-Parker notes that — given that most of the stores Thrilling carries are not only woman-owned but Black-owned and people of color-owned — every collection supports them. Still, she is happy to see others in the industry focusing on supporting and highlighting Black-owned businesses and committing to making the industry more diverse — a movement that’s long overdue. “There’s an enormous amount of important work to do ahead. It’s not a flash in the pan moment, it doesn’t go away with surface solutions and press releases. There is important work to be done about changing the nature of systemic racism in our institutions, including fashion institutions,” she said. “We embrace it, look forward to being a part of the solution and seeing how other organizations and leaders, who have expressed support for the movement, address these issues, not just in the heat of the moment but a month from now, a year from now, 10 years from now.”

In the meantime, Kim-Parker won’t stop doing her part to support small, women-, and Black- and people of color-owned businesses, as well as customers who want accessibly priced and sized clothing that won’t hurt the environment. “I come from a family with generations of persecution and trauma, and so much of what we encounter today and what our greater family and community encounter today is still problematic and unjust,” she said. “You have to fight for all of us or else you stand for none of us. And I’ve been given the privilege of starting my own company and being able to define who we are and what we stand for from day one, and so we are going to do just that.”

With businesses like Thrilling, the future of fashion — and the world at large — is something to be excited about.  

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In news that no one expected, Kanye West’s fashion brand Yeezy announced a long-term partnership with Gap today. Set to release in 2021, the Yeezy Gap Line is described by the press release as a “full circle” for the artist and designer, who worked in a Gap store as a teen in Chicago.

“We are excited to welcome Kanye back to the Gap family as a creative visionary, building on the aesthetic and success of his YEEZY brand and together defining a next-level retail partnership,” Mark Breitbard, Global Head of Gap Brand, said in the press release. This announcement is indeed an exciting one for fans of Yeezy. While the label has had great success with the fashion crowd, the high prices have prevented a lot of people from being able to afford it. Now, in partnership with the accessible brand whose styles rarely go over $100, West’s designs will be available to a much larger audience.

Of the forthcoming line, the press release says: “Under West’s creative direction, the YEEZY design studio will develop the new line to deliver modern, elevated basics for men, women and kids at accessible price points, with the creative process just getting underway. Additionally, West’s design vision will extend to unique YEEZY Gap expressions in Gap stores and digital channels over time.” Along with the news announcement, the brands have released an image which features Gap’s iconic navy blue box, with its logo replaced by “YZY.”

This is not Gap’s first collaboration. Just earlier this year, the iconic American brand announced a partnership with Telfar. Yeezy, too, has collaborations under its belt, the most popular one being with Adidas. This announcement comes after news that Gap closed more than 3,000 of its stores as a result of the pandemic, as well as canceled Summer and Fall orders. The company also reported a 43 percent drop in first-quarter sales in June. With publications reporting that the partnership will be a 10-year deal, this begs the question: Can Kanye West revive the struggling mall brand that had a steep decline in sales even prior to the pandemic?

The answer to that remains to be seen — as does the specific date for the line’s drop. All we know for sure is that it will be available in stores and online sometime in 2021.

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As protesters took to the streets in cities worldwide following the death of George Floyd — an unarmed Black man killed after being kneeled on by police in Minneapolis last week — many people, including celebrities, are expressing solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement by donating money to pay for the legal expenses and release of protesters in custody.

While some prominent names are donating huge sums — Chrissy Teigen pledged to donate $200,000 to bail out protesters — others have not. Notably, artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection and CEO of Off-White, Virgil Abloh, posted a screenshot on Instagram Stories of a donation he made — for $50. 

The news of the donation came after Abloh re-posted photos of looting in Fat Tiger Workshop and RSVP Gallery, which carries Off-White, following protests in Chicago.

After posting a document including links to bail funds and legal help, Abloh included a screenshot of a $50 donation to Fempower. “The Miami community – im crazy inspired. for kids in the streets that need bail funds for George Floyd protests,” he wrote over the donation confirmation.

In response, people questioned the “measly” sum, calling Abloh “cheap.” “Virgil Abloh. Creator of Off-White.. Artistic Director of Louis Vuitton donated a measly $50… and y’all want me to feel bad for designer stores getting looted???” a Twitter user wrote. 

Virgil Abloh. Creator of Off-White.. Artistic Director of Louis Vuitton donated a measly $50… and y’all want me to feel bad for designer stores getting looted???

— Brie♡ (@bblackbarbiee) June 1, 2020

VIRGIL!!! HOW DARE YOU.

— Duckie Thot (@duckie_thot) June 1, 2020

I really cannot believe Virgil Abloh has the audacity to post that screenshot of his $50 donation. I’m speechless every time I see it.

— jade bentil (@divanificent) June 1, 2020

Virgil Abloh, founder of Off White & artistic creator of LOUIS VUITTON really had the nerve to share his $50 donation. The audacity. That’s not even half the amount of one his damn keychains. My Off White bags will be going up for sale this week.

— Ourfa Zinali (@ourfazinali) June 1, 2020

#virgilabloh donated $50!! From a CEO of a brand that black people spend thousands on daily! You can’t make this up! But what do you expect from a man that only employs white people but wants to invite every black talent, Musician, athlete etc to sit front row at his shows!! pic.twitter.com/F8xE0X4FlT

— HrhSharm’s (@HrhSharms) June 1, 2020

Some have pointed out that a pair of socks, one of the lowest-priced items available at Off-White, costs more than the donation Abloh made.

But the thing is he has lucrative peers who could match him. I’ve seen other celebs retweet someone’s match of $100, and donated $1,000. A pair of Off White socks costs more than the $50 he has donated. Meanwhile, black youth are breaking their banks to be fresh in Off white.

— MaK Milly (@MaKaylaHeard) June 1, 2020

You literally can’t even buy anything he sales with that amount — even his Off-White socks alone cost more than that. Alas!

— Timothy Katoga (@Timbonator) June 1, 2020

Virgil Abloh selling socks that’s worth the same as mortgages and said here’s $50 my brother fight the power.

— Ahmed/Official A&R for OVO Records (@big_business_) June 1, 2020

Virgil Abloh, founder of Off White & artistic creator of LOUIS VUITTON really had the nerve to share his $50 donation. pic.twitter.com/qMh3n2lrf7

— The Academy Music Business (@BenjaminEnfield) June 1, 2020

Others have defended the designer, and pointed out that it’s possible Abloh could have donated more money privately.

his intention and generosity behind the 50$ shows he wasn’t posting a high amount for clout like a lot of others… we don’t know how much more he donated.. the humble 50$ is for the public to know.

— retired rapper. (@burnersteez) June 1, 2020

i honestly wouldn’t be surprised if he donated more and didn’t post it. everyone acting like you are supposed to post what u donated as if it’s a status symbol

— matt jeezus (@mattjeezus) June 1, 2020

In addition to celebrities donating to bailout funds, brands like Rihanna’s Savage Fenty have also publicly contributed to help protesters. Other designers like Brother Vellies’ Aurora James have called on retailers to commit to buying 15% of their stock from Black-owned businesses.

View this post on Instagram

@wholefoods @target @shopmedmen @walmart @saks @sephora @netaporter @barnesandnoble @homedepot I am asking you to commit to buying 15% of your products from Black owned businesses. . So many of your businesses are built on Black spending power. So many of your stores are set up in Black communities. So many of your sponsored posts are seen on Black feeds. This is the least you can do for us. We represent 15% of the population and we need to represent 15% of your shelf space. . Whole Foods if you were to sign on to this pledge, it could immediately drive much needed support to Black farmers. Banks will be forced to take them seriously because they will be walking in with major purchase orders from Whole Foods. Investors for the very first time will start actively seeking them out. Small businesses can turn into bigger ones. Real investment will start happening in Black businesses which will subsequently be paid forward into our Black communities. . Dont get me wrong, I understand the complexities of this request. I am a business Woman. I have sold millions of dollars of product over the years at a business I started with $3500 at a flea market. So I am telling you we can get this figured out. This is an opportunity. It is your opportunity to get in the right side of this. . So for all of the ‘what can we do to help?’ questions out there, this is my personal answer. #15PercentPledge . I will get texts that this is crazy. I will get phone calls that this is too direct, too big of an ask, too this, too that. But I don’t think it’s too anything, in fact I think it’s just a start. You want to be an ally? This is what I’m asking for.

A post shared by Aurora James 🦢 (@aurorajames) on May 29, 2020 at 5:46pm PDT

We have reached out to Off-White for comment and will update this post should we hear back. 

To help bring attention to the police killing of George Floyd, you can sign the Change.org petition here, or donate to local organizations like Black Vision Collective or Reclaim the Block via the Minnesota Freedom Fund here.

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While we firmly believe there’s no work-from-home style during a pandemic, over the past two and a half months, we've found that there are items we've worn on repeat here at Refinery29 — and by at, we mean remotely. 

A uniform of sorts, for some it’s nightgowns disguised as maxi dresses and actual pajamas; for others, it’s trendy items like bike shorts, and continuing to rent clothes despite having nowhere to go. For us, these are the items of clothing that made us feel our best while working from home, added a sense of order to the day, and maybe got us out of a style rut on a bad day. 

Ahead, what we’ve been wearing nonstop and are buying in several colors. 

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

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