ART AND FASHION:

British-Moroccan photographer Hana Zebzabi is gearing up for her upcoming debut exhibition, by hosting “The Art Show Before The Art Show.”

Taking place in Tottenham, the exhibition acts as a preview of the artist’s distinctive works, exploring themes of confidence, empowerment and sexuality through the female lens. Drawing inspiration from her cultural heritage and upbringing, her work aims to encourage self-expression and defiance, resulting in bold works starring captivating muses.

The photographer’s preview exhibition is set to display numerous works in-person for the first time ever while offering a teaser of what’s to come. Offering a unique perspective on the female body within the context of culture and religion, the artist aims to question our understanding of what is or isn’t appropriate, while encouraging viewers to be unapologetically themselves.

Hana Zebzabi’s “Prelude” exhibition will open on June 21 at Markfield Road, London, N15 4QQ. Take a look at Zebzabi’s work above, and head to Eventbrite to book your free ticket.

In other art and design news, Kwesi Botchway explores the Black gaze in a new LA exhibition.

Kate Moss and Diet Coke are continuing their ongoing partnership with the release of season 2 of “Love What You Love.”

Off the back of the successful first season, Moss is set to continue bringing her fashion expertise and irreverent style to the world of DC, this time using the brand’s rich archive for inspiration and drawing on the iconic ’90s “11:30 Break” adverts.

“Last year was such an incredible experience, so when we collaborated on Season 2, the brand’s archives were an amazing place to start,” says the supermodel and Creative Director. “The Diet Coke Breaks are classics, and I wanted to add a fashion twist to these moments. The campaign is very different aesthetically to the ’90s and ‘00s but the narrative is the same. It’s all about a pause to love what you love and indulge yourself in that moment, without taking yourself too seriously. I’m excited to unveil the new campaign soon!”

For its next instalment, “Diet Coke by Kate Moss” season 2 will welcome more high-fashion content, alongside a collection of limited-edition merchandise and there’s still plenty more to be revealed.

“Last year, we took inspiration from Kate’s unrivalled archives to celebrate our shared love of fashion. In Season 2, we have given Kate access to Diet Coke’s legacy to create something visually stunning and unexpected, with a Diet Coke wink. With Kate’s vision, this summer we will continue to inspire fans to embrace an unapologetic attitude to ‘Love What You Love,’” adds Sean Kellett, Partnerships & Assets Senior Manager EU at The Coca-Cola Company.

Take a look at Kate Moss in action above and stay tuned for more coming soon.Pharrell and adidas Originals are set to continue their ever-blossoming relationship at this iteration of Paris Fashion Week, joining forces to launch the all-new Samba Café.

The cafe will be held as a pop-up store during PFW and will see the duo gearing up for the exclusive release of three new colorways of the coveted Humanrace Samba. Paying tribute to the vibrant city of Paris, the pop-up will feature a limited quantity of Samba Tones each day, available for purchase on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The duo’s exclusive new colorways include “Terracotta,” “Charcoal” and “White”, with each design aimed to celebrate the brand’s iconic silhouette through Pharrell’s unique vision and distinctive lens.

Pharrell x adidas Originals Samba Tones will be available for purchase in-store for €200 EUR, with guests also able to purchase a selection of curated menu items, high-quality coffee and more. The pop-up is set to open at The Broken Arm from June 22 to June 24 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day.

The Broken Arm

12 Rue Perree
Paris, France
75003

ADIDAS GETS CHRISTMAS-READY WITH GRINCH-THEMED FORUM LOW//ELEVATE YOUR INTIMATE ESSENTIALS WITH PLAYBOY’S NEW LINGERIE COLLECTION

With the holiday season just around the corner, adidas is cooking up Christmas-themed releases for its footwear lineup. This time around, the sportswear giant has covered its Forum shoes in shaggy green material as a celebration of the Grinch created by Dr. Seuss.

This isn’t the first time the Grinch is getting involved in the footwear space — Cactus Plant Flea Market designed a furry Dunk Low earlier this year while Tyler, The Creator designed a fuzzy GRINCH le FLEUR* with Converse back in 2018.

The forthcoming Forums are given a tonal makeover, arriving with shaggy suede all over. The base of the upper is dressed in a light green hue, which is subtly contrasted with a darker tone on the overlays found on the Three Stripes, toe box, lacing system, ankle strap and more. The kicks are complete with a brighter green color on the soles, while Grinch and Christmas-themed charms decorate the shoelaces. The tongue features the Grinch’s signature eyes for a playful touch.

Take a look at the “Grinch” Forums via the gallery above. The sneakers are expected to release via adidas and select retailers on December 1.

While you’re here, peep Pharrell Williams’ latest collaboration with adidas — the Samba Humanrace arriving with an elongated tongue.

Iconic sex-positive brand, Playboy, released two lingerie collections today: The Everyday Logo and The Lace Collection. Pulling inspiration from decades of iconic Playmate pictorials, both collections effortlessly exude seduction and functionality.

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Designed to be layered for a confident and chic look, the Everyday Logo collection is the moment your boudoir of outdated basics has been waiting for. Each garment dons the custom and iconic Playboy plaid, instantly elevating each outfit you pair it with. With the available colorways Black, Red, Grape and Pink, you have options for any day to night fit.

The Everyday Collection features feminine soft cup bras, sexy bralettes, cheeky briefs, bodysuits, tanks and thongs. Playboy’s design director Mel Floyd told Hypebae, “This collection is sheer, so it’s super sexy worn on its own but can also look very sleek when layered up and worn together.” As for her favorite pieces to layer: “I love the balconette underwire worn under the camior bodysuit!”

In another string of good news, Playboy also released its seductive Lace Collection today. Made from “soft European designed lace and comfortable elastic,” it’s the epitome of sexy and feminine, revealed the brand. The collection features bralettes and thongs but by far the standout piece is the high-waisted Lace Boxer Briefs that hug your curves and give your bum the “sitting pretty,” look. Make sure you cop yours in one of the following colorways: Black, Red, Pink, Green or Ivory Shimmer. For the femmes that love a transitional fit, Floyd says this collection is a must.

Shop The Everyday Collection and The Lace Collection on Playboy’s website.

ART & STYLE:

German designer Valentin Lessner just won the 2022 Mercedes-Benz Sustainability Prize, as selected by a jury of globally recognized fashion experts, including Diesel and Y/Project‘s creative director, Glenn Martens. Lessner’s win was announced during this year’s Festival d’Hyères, a longstanding partner of Mercedes-Benz since 2012.

The prize itself first launched in 2021, as a way to showcase Mercedes-Benz’ commitment to supporting responsible fashion design and the next generation of international fashion talents. Alongside the prize, the festival is home to the Mercedes-Benz Shortlisted Showroom, a space which sees the 10 fashion finalists present their collections to the festival guests.

The designs of each finalist were captured in an editorial shoot lensed by Jenny Brough and starring poet, activist and model Kai Isaiah Jamal and sustainability advocate, writer and model Nassia Matsa, which took place in a London-based studio ahead of the festival. Advocating for sustainable design at every turn, the shoot’s set was inspired by Mercedes-Benz newest car innovation, the VISION EQXX, complete with vegan leather interiors, and fabrics made from bamboo, cactus and mushroom.

Finalists also received mentoring support throughout the process, through Fashion Open Studio, an initiative developed by non-profit global movement, Fashion Revolution. The 10 finalists were guided through the overarching practice of sustainability in fashion, accompanied by in-depth Q&A sessions and presentations and feedback during workshop sessions.

“Our brand is globally engaged in fashion for nearly 30 years and we are very happy to continue the support of international talent also this year as a long-standing partner of the Festival d’Hyères. We cordially congratulate Valentin for winning our Mercedes-Benz Sustainability Prize 2022 and recognize her passion for a responsible fashion design,” says Julia Hofmann, Mercedes-Benz AG’s Head of Branded Entertainment & Brand Partnerships in a press release. “The vote was unanimous for the Mercedes-Benz Sustainability Prize as Valentin Lessner was able to translate sustainability with a contemporary, ready to wear approach,” adds The Festival d’Hyères Fashion Jury.

As the winner of this year’s prize, Lessner is set to receive a 20,000 Euro grant, which aims to support the designer in her commitment to responsible design. Alongside Martens, the judging panel included designers at Berlin-based label Ottolinger. as well as former Grand Prix of Jury Première Vision, Ifeanyi Okwuadi.

Today, protestors from the climate change organization Just Stop Oil threw tomato soup at Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers at the National Gallery in London.

After the two activists then super glued themselves to the wall. In the provocative video, they can be heard shouting, “What is worth more — art or life? Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people?” Many criticized the act of protest as detracting from the climate change movement as it destroys a work of art that neither helps nor hurts the Earth — the National Gallery does not share as large of a carbon footprint as corporations like Amazon might. Just Stop Oil’s public action follows calls for the British Museum to end its sponsorship from oil giant BP, however, it seems as though the selection of Van Gogh’s art was arbitrary, thus adding more insult to injury for passionate art lovers who may never get to see his work now.

Nevertheless, a billion dollar industry has been built around fine art, begging the question — is it ethical and sustainable to spend exorbitant amounts on an inessential luxury than turn our attention to the very real demise of our planet. Take a look at the viral moment below.

adidas Originals ventures into the digital world with the debut of the first-of-its-kind virtual Ozworld Experience. The immersive platform celebrates the brand’s latest Ozworld collection, presenting the world’s first personality-based AI-generated avatar creation platform, in collaboration with Ready Player Me. Designed to give all the power of self-expression, the online Ozworld experience allows users to create a truly unique digital version of themselves which can then be taken around the web exclusively with Ready Player Me – a cross-app avatar platform for the metaverse that allows anyone to explore virtual worlds with one consistent identity.

In both the digital and physical worlds, the Ozworld collection is a bold representation of fashion experimentation, breaking the status quo about what style can be. Diving deep into our inner worlds, the accompanying web experience forgoes the importance of physical appearance by asking users a series of questions to build an avatar based on their personality. Users of the platform can also select their favorite Ozworld footwear silhouette, marrying the physical collection with the virtual experience. Meanwhile, every user will be able to download their Ozworld alter ego to deploy as stickers and GIFs across their social media accounts.

Experience the digital Ozworld realm in the gallery above and head to adidas’ website for a first-hand look.

FRESH KICKS: ADIDAS

NOAH and adidas Originals are set to deliver their final collaboration for the Spring/Summer 2022season, following their longstanding partnership featuring the Vintage Runner and the Rod Laver Super.

The finale of the collaboration features a range of cozy essentials, including a white knit pullover sweater, pinstripe track pants and raglan trench coats. The accessories range is comprised of bandanas and bucket hats, while the images give a sneak peek at a co-branded Superstar.

adidas explained in a press release: “A modern staple of the downtown NYC cultural nexus, NOAH brings its penchant for quality materials and thoughtful design language to its final adidas Originals collection, staying true to its indelible hallmark in this collaborative series.”

Take a peek at the upcoming release via the gallery above. The NOAH x adidas Originals SS22 collection will release on June 23 at 9 a.m. ET on NOAH’s website. 

adidas Originals and Wales Bonner teamed up to present their Spring/Summer 2022 collection. Leaning into past adidas archives, the partnership continues to draw inspiration from the ’70s and ’80s while complementing Wales Bonner’s research into the cultural landscape of Burkina Faso in West Africa.

Paying tribute to the country’s music and photography scene, the collaboration reimagines core adidas silhouettes through the lens of movement and music, offering a seamless blend of textures, silhouettes and graphic prints. Standouts from the collaboration include jacquard knitwear pieces alongside Seventies-style iterations of the iconic Wales Bonner Track Top and Track Pants.

As expected, footwear is at the heart of adidas and Wales Bonner collaboration, with this partnership seeing a revival of the adidas Country silhouette and Wales Bonner Samba sneaker. Iconic silhouettes return in vivid color palettes of “Primary Red,” “Sun Yellow” and “Pale Pink” alongside classic greens and beiges. Celebrating themes of togetherness and connection, the lookbook is shot by twin brothers Jalan and Jibril Durimel and styled by British stylist Tom Guinness.

The SS22 partnership marks the fourth collaboration between adidas Originals and Wales Bonner, with the first-ever iteration launching back in 2020 following its London Fashion Week debut.

The adidas Originals by Wales Bonner SS22 collection is available globally on June 4 on the adidas Confirmed app and through select retailers. Check out the lookbook in full above and while you’re here, take a look at the new and improved Adilette slides.

Looking Back at 20 Years of Y-3 The collaborative label has redefined contemporary fashion and footwear for two decades with minimal branding, elevated silhouettes, and more.

In the last two decades, adidas (XETRA:ADS.DE +1.76%) has teamed up with high-profile industry names and brands including Kanye West, Pharrell, South Park, Pradaand more, but few of these have the history and heritage that its collaborative Y-3sub-label possesses. Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto has been helming this imprint since 2002, and he’s been pushing the boundaries in contemporary fashion and footwear ever since. Y-3 was one of the first to blend the worlds of high-fashion with sportswear — something we know all too well today — and it continues to dominate in this space.

Some of the most innovative product designs have spawned from this partnership. A footwear silhouette as iconic as the Y-3 Qasa will forever be remembered for its unique design and how it influenced a whole generation of contemporary and lifestyle sneaker models. And athletic apparel such as hoodies, tracksuits, jumpsuits and tech wear now have room in streetwear as Yamamoto reinterpreted this category through minimal branding, tasteful patterns and neutral tones.

The hype over the label has more or less simmered down in recent years, but the brand is still making strides to remain relevant with a slew of lifestyle footwear offerings and athleisure capsules. It’s safe to say that Yamamoto’s brand still has plenty left in the tank, and as it gears up for its 20th anniversary HYPEBEAST has taken a look back into some of its most pivotal moments.

Debut, 2003

Xavier Rossi/Getty Images

Having already run his own label for 30 years, Yohji Yamamoto was thirsty for a new venture, one that he would be able to amalgamate all of his knowledge from working in the luxury space with street and sportswear. After getting rejected by Nike, he ran with this collaborative idea and pitched it to adidas in 2002. The German sportswear brand was much more open to the idea of doing something that had never been done before in the fashion space, and the partnership was forged.

Y-3 Platform Sandal, 2004

Aro Archive

Clogs, mules, sandals and everything in between are the new norm in today’s footwear space. However, Y-3 was one of the first labels to engineer an unorthodox model slip-on model that was both contemporary and sporty, and that was the adidas Y-3 Platform Sandal. Up top, the kicks feature a high-cut mesh bootie that bears a Tabi toe-esque design, exposed heels and Three Stripes branding on the rear end. A thick platform serves as the foundation of the model, and which curves up towards the front and bears a Yohji Yamamoto spell out on the lateral rear. It was a unique proposition to the footwear market as you would very seldom see an offering that was this fashion-forward but still possessed a sportswear feel to it.

Dave M. Benett/Getty Images (london Store Pictured)

First Flagship Store Opening, 2008

Once the partnership had reached its five-year mark, Yamamoto recognized that the collaboration had gained a substantial enough fan base that it was time to go the brick-and-mortar route. In 2008, Y-3 opened its doors to the label’s inaugural standalone retail space in New York City’s West Village neighborhood.

Y-3 Qasa, 2013

Y-3

Of all of the adidas Y-3 silhouettes under the sun, the Qasa is undoubtedly the most iconic. At the time, Yamamoto felt a need to shake the sneaker landscape up with a silhouette that pushed contemporary footwear design forward, and he certainly achieved that with this offering. The model debuted in 2013 and instantly garnered mass appeal for its futuristic shape and premium comfort. Yamamoto harked back into Three Stripes’ early 90s archives to bring back the brand’s Tubular technology, and he merged this with own Japanese design sensibilities to create the offering. The response to this shoe was so well-received it even spawned the avant-garde designer to create more variations of the model in the years that followed.

Y-3 PureBOOST, 2014

Flight Club

Prior to Kanye West creating a cult following for adidas running sneakers such as the UltraBOOST as well as his ever-expanding line of adidas YEEZYs, Yohji Yamamoto helped to introduce the cushioning system to the fashion crowd with the Y-3 PureBOOST. The silhouette debuted in a handful of grayscale renditions and instantly became a hit after Fear of God founder and now one of adidas’ newest collaborators Jerry Lorenzo was often seen wearing the black and white and all-white colorways.

Y-3 Run Boost, 2016

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During this time period, nearly every adidas BOOST model would capture the attention of the sneaker community, and Yohji Yamamoto couldn’t help but chime in on the action so he fashioned the adidas Y-3 Run Boost. This silhouette is essentially a elevated version of the adidas Pure Boost that debuted in 2014 that bears the Japanese designer’s full moniker across the middle stripe and oversized Y-3 branding on the heels. If Kanye West stepped out in public and he wasn’t rocking his YEEZYs, you’d often catch him lacing up various colorways of this model, and this of course jacked up the resell prices and created more demand for them.

Y-3 Creates Flight Suits for Virgin Galactic, 2016

Y-3

After already proving himself time and time again on the runways, Yamamoto was presented with a unique opportunity to work with Virgil Galactic — an American spaceflight company founded by Richard Branson. The company admired the designer’s unique perspective in fashion and tapped him to create special flight suits for the world’s first commercial space flights. The suits were devised with Nomex Meta Aramid — a woven, heat-resistant synthetic material — and were designed to support a pilot’s natural seating position. Y-3-made limited-edition jackets were also made for the pilots, crew and passengers.

Y-3 4D Runner, 2018

Y-3

As adidas continued to expand upon his footwear cushioning technology with the introduction of of FUTURECRAFT 4D, it was only fitting that a silhouette be engineered under the Y-3 label. To kick things off on this front, Yamamoto implemented the brand’s unique and latticed sole unit and designed the Y-3 4D Runner. The silhouette first walked the runway during Paris Fashion Week that year and only a mere 200 pairs were released.

Y-3 “20 Years: Re-Coded” Campaign, 2022

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Y-3 launches its newest “20 Years: Re-Coded”campaign that features football icon and longtime friend of the brand Zinedine Zidane. It’s designed to celebrate the brand’s two decades-long history while shining a light on Zidane and his impeccable ball control. Campaign imagery shows Zidane adorned head-to-toe in Y-3 and is seen sporting the brand’s sweatsuits, a trench coat, a puffy vest and the recently-dropped Y-3 UltraBOOST 22.

No matter where the brand goes from here, it will always be remembered for being a pioneer in fusing the worlds of luxury with street. As long as it continues to hone in on its craft and continue to push out wearable, functional and elevated products, it has great potential to stay relevant, but the brand still has room to grow. Having another pivotal moment like introducing another footwear model that transcends sneaker culture like its Qasa did can definitely bring fresh energy and attract new fans to the brand, but we’ll see how it moves in the coming years.

Yohji Yamamoto has a penchant for pushing the boundaries of where lifestyle footwear can go by often crafting silhouettes that are both avant-garde and fashion-forward. The Japanese fashion designer has a unique ability to merge the worlds of contemporary design with modern footwear technology, and he’s done exactly that with his all-new adidas (XETRA:ADS.DE +1.76%) Y-3 IDOSO BOOST.

From a palette standpoint, the shoes are fashioned with understated, neutral tones, but the beauty here is in the details of its construction. A handful of materials are called upon to assist in forming its upper such as a smooth leather which forms the overlays around the toes, synthetics which makes up the side paneling and tongues as well as a breathable mesh which is found on the quarter panel’s windows and houses the Three Stripes branding. Tonal adidas Y-3 branding is raise on the tongues in both small and oversized font, and the laces start out on the toe boxes in unique fashion as the first set of lace loops are slightly skewed outwardly. The most interesting component of these kicks is arguably the sole unit as a bulbous, half-sphere is positioned on the heels. It comes branded with a large Y-3 hit and exposes a sliver of BOOST cushioning towards the top.

Parties interested in copping can find these available now via HBX for $503 USD.