FASHION+MUSIC

Fashion illustrated by Mina Tocalini for use by 360 MAGAZINE

MAGIC Cancels Live Event

Informa Markets Fashion announced today the cancellation of MAGIC’s Las Vegas fashion wholesale trade show at the Las Vegas Convention Center, which was set to run from September 30 – October 2, 2020. Instead, MAGIC, with sister shows, COTERIE, PROJECT, MICAM Americas, and CHILDREN’S CLUB, is in full swing to debut their digital trade event, scheduled to open on September 1, 2020 and run through November 1, 2020.

MAGIC, the largest domestic fashion tradeshow in Las Vegas, which includes WWDMAGIC, PROJECT, MICAM Americas, POOLTRADESHOW, STITCH, and SOURCING at MAGIC draws an audience of international and domestic retailers, brands, media, and industry influencers. With the offering of a comprehensive and centralized digital trade platform this fall, brands and retailers will benefit from an inclusive, location-free opportunity to connect and conduct commerce – bridging the gap created by the continued uncertainty of travel restrictions and health and safety concerns. This digital trade event – one of the largest digital marketplaces for fashion wholesale – is the initial step forward within a much larger, future-facing plan of collaborative physical and digital events for the fashion wholesale industry.

“Based on our discussions with partners and stakeholders surrounding health, safety, and travel concerns across the country, cancelling our late September Las Vegas event, while disappointing, is the best path forward for our fashion community,” said Nancy Walsh, President of Informa Markets Fashion. “Current climate aside, re-evaluating, re-adjusting, and continually maturing our business model has always been part of our company ethos. Our digital trade event is a natural and necessary first step in revolutionizing and innovating our business in a time that is primed for digital opportunity and outlets.”

MAGIC’s digital marketplace, powered by NuORDER will not only feature new and known brands across women’s, men’s and children’s apparel, accessories, and footwear, but like the live event, will also feature a robust line-up of educational programming and seminars. With a full 8-week run time, retail buyers will be able to leisurely explore a full library of shoppable editorials and engaging educational content, from tastemaker-curated roundups and retail discovery sessions to timely industry insights. The fusion of community and value-add content will generate a more efficient endless aisle experience of unique product discovery for retailers.

Additionally, participating brands will benefit from enhanced brand storytelling and the ability to make more informed merchandising decisions in real time through data analytics and NuORDER’S market-leading features such as digital catalogs, line sheets, 360 imagery, and shoppable hotspots to connect and conduct commerce. While the momentum is gaining to utilize this new platform and its technology, exhibitors are already gearing up for onboarding, with weekly webinar training sessions in full swing. Helping brands quickly become comfortable navigating the virtual showroom technology, each hour-long session features a comprehensive tutorial demonstrating platform functionalities and capabilities, followed by a live audience Q&A.

“From the very beginning of planning a digital component to our events, back in early 2020, we have been diligently taking strides forward to ensure a meaningful product was developed for our community. We have had our finger on the pulse of our industry and we have learned so much from our customers, partners, and community in the past few days, weeks, and months – their needs, wants, and hopes – which allows us to more confidently step forward this year and then further enhance our business into a dynamic and hybrid future in 2021,” said Kelly Helfman, President of MAGIC.

MAGIC is the most comprehensive fashion marketplace in the U.S., showcasing Women’s and Men’s Apparel, Footwear, Accessories, and Sourcing resources from around the world. MAGIC fuels the business of fashion by helping facilitate connections between buyers and brands with outstanding services like retail concierge and matchmaking programs, bridging relationships and strengthening connections.

Informa Markets creates platforms for industries and specialist markets to trade, innovate and grow. Our portfolio comprises more than 450 international B2B events and brands in markets including Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Infrastructure, Construction & Real Estate, Fashion & Apparel, Hospitality, Food & Beverage, and Health & Nutrition, among others. We provide customers and partners around the globe with opportunities to engage, experience and do business through face-to-face exhibitions, specialist digital content and actionable data solutions. As the world’s leading exhibitions organizer, we bring a diverse range of specialist markets to life, unlocking opportunities and helping them to thrive 365 days of the year. 

NuORDER is the leading wholesale e-commerce platform. Brands use NuORDER to deliver a seamless, more collaborative wholesale process, where buyers can browse products, plan assortments and make smarter buys in real-time. The NuORDER platform was engineered with flexibility and scale in mind processing over $35B in GMV. It empowers businesses of all sizes with enterprise-level technology. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California with offices globally; NuORDER connects more than 2,000 brands and 500,000 retailers, helping them grow and win together. 

Follow Informa Markets: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Follow NuORDER: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Follow Fashion Framework: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

Lil Wayne illustration by Mina Tocalini

Lil Wayne – Free Weezy Album

Today, multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning music icon Lil Wayne celebrates the 5th anniversary of the Free Weezy Album (FWA) by releasing the project on all digital streaming platforms. Released via Young Money Records/Republic Records, the album features the bonus track, “We Livin’ Like That.” Wayne’s 11th studio effort was previously only on TIDAL.

Wayne is also treating fans to the highly anticipated visual for “Glory” – a hard-hitting single off of FWA. Directed by Eif Rivera, the explosive music video features Wayne showcasing his lyrical prowess on a mountaintop.

Tonight at 7pm EST/4pm PST, fans can also tune into the 10th episode Wayne’s hit new show – Young Money Radio on Apple Music. To date, the show has featured an all-star lineup of guests, including Dr. Dre,  Drake, Eminem, Nicki Minaj, Mike Tyson, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Kevin Hart, Jamie Foxx, Shaq, Stephen Jackson, Kevin Durant, Mannie Fresh, DJ Khaled, Travis Scott, Deion Sanders, Babyface, Jessie Reyez, Lil Baby and more.

Earlier this year, Wayne released the deluxe version of his chart-topping album Funeral, which includes 8 new tracks featuring Lil Uzi Vert, Tory Lanez, Doja Cat, Jessie Reyez, Benny The Butcher and Conway The Machine. Funeral marks Wayne’s 5th No. 1 album on the U.S. Billboard 200 Chart, joining Tha Carter V (2018), Tha Carter IV (2011), I Am Not a Human Being (2010) and Tha Carter III (2008).

Lil Wayne rewrote the entire game in his image. The five-time GRAMMY® Award-winning multiplatinum rap icon, Young Money Entertainment founder, acclaimed author, skater, philanthropist, and history-making superstar left an indelible tattoo on the culture. By 2020, he cemented his legacy forever as “one of the best-selling artists of all time,” tallying sales in excess of 100 million records worldwide with 15 million albums and 37 million digital tracks sold in the United States alone. Not to mention, he garnered 11 BET Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, two MTV VMAs, and eight NCAAP Image Awards. Among many milestones, he emerged as “the first male artist to surpass Elvis Presley with the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100,” logging a staggering 109 entries.

With a discography highlighted by two consecutive #1 debuts on the Billboard Top 200 with 2008’s triple-platinum three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning opus Tha Carter III and its double-platinum 2011 successor Tha Carter IV, he completed the series with Tha Carter V in 2018. Not only did it clinch #1 on the Billboard Top 200, but it also achieved “the second-largest streaming week for an album in history.” Every song on the tracklisting charted on the Billboard Hot 100 as he became “the first artist to debut two songs in the top 5.” It all bulldozed the way for his thirteenth full-length, Funeral, a year later. Simultaneously , Wayne owns and operates Young Money Entertainment as C.E.O. The company ignited the careers of two of the most successful artists ever—Drake and Nicki Minaj. The committed philanthropist founded The One Family Foundation too.

Follow Lil Wayne: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Kanye West, 360 Magazine, rapper, Kim Kardashian, Adidas, yeezy rita azar, illustration

Kanye – “Wash Us In the Blood”

KANYE WEST has released a new track and video “Wash Us In the Blood” featuring Travis Scott. “Wash Us In The Blood” was mixed by Dr. Dre. Artist Arthur Jafa created the artwork and directed the video. “Wash Us In The Blood” is the first track from West’s upcoming tenth solo studio album God’s Country.

Listen to “Wash Us In The Blood” HERE.

Watch the “Wash Us In The Blood” video HERE.

“Wash Us In The Blood” is being offered for pre-order online HERE in a variety of different formats including a 12 inch picture disc, 7 inch red vinyl, red cassette, CD and a standalone digital single; all featuring artwork by Arthur Jafa.

Kanye West’s 2019 album Jesus Is King debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart, surpassing the Beatles and once again tying Eminem for the most consecutive #1 album debuts in chart history, with nine.

Jesus Is King also made history with #1 debuts on both the Rap Album and Gospel Album charts.

On the Jesus Is King album, New York Magazine wrote “There comes a time, when musicians devote themselves to big questions, where the biggest question of them all comes calling, the question of what, if anything, orders the universe…Jesus Is King is the man coming full circle.”

On Kanye West, NBC News offered: “It is not hyperbole to call West a genius.”

Follow Kanye West: Twitter | Youtube | Spotify | Website | Wikipedia

Kanye West, 360 Magazine, rapper, Kim Kardashian, Adidas, yeezy rita azar, illustration

Bridging the GAP 

By Armon Hayes × Emily Bunn

Hip-hop icon and culture curator Kanye West announces his 10 year collaboration yesterday with America’s sweetheart brand GAP. Identified as the #WestDayEver, Kanye’s tweet comes as a major displacement in the fashion industry which no one expected. A media frenzy reminiscent of Beyoncé’s Adidas × Ivy Park collaboration as well as Rihanna x Puma is verified for lines of anticipation forming now set to release 2021. 

Offerings include men, women, children and possibly home. It’s premature to speculate on design details; however, fans can assume chique yet simple urban duds shared by both Yeezy and the GAP. The household name established in 1969 proves its resilience and continues to reinvent itself. At a time where diversity and equality is at the cutting edge of pop culture, the GAP boardroom is no stranger to utilizing their voice for justice.

According to CNN, on the day of the announcement GAP’s stocks have significantly increased.

Today, Kanye dropped the first piece of merchandise from the collaboration: the Yeezy “Round Jacket.” The cobalt blue puffer jacket was revealed on Gap’s Instagram when they posted a caption-less, silent video showcasing the garment.

The jacket is also being highlighted in various locations across Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago. At four separate locations in all three cities, floating projections of the jacket are displayed.

Shoppers can pre-order the stylish jacket for fall HERE. Currently, the garment is sold out on GAP’s website, and is only available to customers in the US.

Further, today marks Kanye‘s 44th birthday! Surely, the successful release of the Yeezy “Round Jacket” is a birthday gift for both Kanye and his fans.

Usher, Vaughn Lowery, 360 Magazine

Usher – I Cry

Usher releases “I Cry,” a song with an emotional response to this unprecedented time in our lives

Today, Usher releases a brand new song “I Cry,” which explores Usher’s emotional response to this unprecedented time in our lives.

Listen to “I Cry” here.

“This song was inspired by wanting to teach my sons that it is ok for a man to feel emotions deeply and to cry. Like many men, I was raised to believe that we have to be “tough” and not show our vulnerability, which I don’t want to teach them. While I was shut in during the Pandemic and watching the death of George Floyd, the ongoing slaughtering of Black men and women, the protests and the events that unfolded, I became very connected to the wider universal feeling of hopelessness. Like many, I grew increasingly frustrated by how slow things have been to change. I became very depressed thinking about all sons who have lost their fathers to police brutality, social injustice and violence; the daughters and mother’s too. So I returned to this song and realized it was intended for this time, so I finished it and here it is,” said Usher.

Usher will be donating his proceeds from the record to LISC, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, which provides grants to Black-owned small businesses and communities. In addition to the release of “I Cry” today, Usher will also debut the track live tomorrow at Global Goal: Unite for Our Future – The Concert.

About Local Initiatives Support Corporation:

LISC is one of the nation’s largest nonprofits investing in underserved communities and communities of color across the country. LISC provides grants to minority-owned small businesses that are the lifeblood of their neighborhoods and local economies, and that are reeling from the health and economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic. LISC also supports thousands of community-based organizations in urban and rural places to connect residents with affordable housing, education and good jobs, and with programs that support community health and safety and address the wealth gap created by structural racism.

About Global Goal: Unite for Our Future:

International advocacy organization Global Citizen and the European Commission are partnering on Global Goal: Unite for Our Future – The Concert, a globally televised and digitally streamed special that will highlight the disproportionate impact COVID-19 has on marginalized communities. Global Coal: Unite for Our Future will include a summit and a concert and will be streamed on many services, around the world. The summit will showcase world leaders, corporations and philanthropists and their responses to equal treatment of COVID-19 treatments to everyone. The concert will feature musical and entertainment stars who will celebrate the current triumphs and encourage even more positive change. See all the ways to watch Global Goal: Unite for Our Future here.

Follow Usher: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

TATRAS × FILA

Italian-born label TATRAS is set to release a new collection in collaboration with the popular sports brand FILA.
The TATRAS brand offers top-level quality and sophisticated fashion pieces.
Now, TATRAS is releasing collaboration items with sportswear brand FILA, popular amongst all generations for its usability in daily life.
The partnership has produced a selection of items featuring an accent of a large tricolor TATRAS logo that embraces the symbol of FILA.

The collection seamlessly combines luxury and sport, showcasing the innovation and quality that TATRAS and FILA are known for, and presenting a new creative vision.


TATRAS and FILA are announcing their collection in two stages: Vol. 1 and Vol. 2.


The items that were launched on June 5th, as Vol. 1, consist of a cap and a t-shirt, which are the protagonists of the upcoming season.
Vol. 1 items are available on sale at TATRAS corners in department stores in Japan, and exclusively for Italy at the TATRAS Milanese flagship store in Via della Spiga 3, as well as on its online retail stores. Furthermore, a hoodie and shoes will be released as Vol. 2 in the middle of July.

About TATRAS
Founded in 2006 by Masanaka Sakao, TATRAS first established awareness by proposing a new idea of modern luxury in the international market with a core focus on their now-signature high-end down jacket.
With over 13 years of experience in the industry, TATRAS prides itself on simple sophistication with high attention to detail, producing garments that combine both technical innovation and an impeccable level of craftsmanship. The TATRAS brand has positioned itself as a luxury product in today’s market with its collections offering a perfect combination of essential yet minimal designs and practically refined garments.

About FILA
FILA was born in Viera, Italy in 1911. Italian orthodox pedigree, Italian style, passion, creativity, and Italian spirit are the origins of FILA which have been carried until today.
Rather than competition and challenges to break new records, FILA interacts with sport with an intention to enjoy watching and participating in everyday life.

Jessica Minh Anh, Vaughn Lowery, 360 Magazine

Jessica Minh Anh Global Passport

A famous fashion entrepreneur is on a mission.

In collaboration with UNESCO, supermodel and producer Jessica Minh Anh – whose history-making catwalks at iconic monuments and renewable energy sites gained her international credibility – is now focusing on vitalizing the tourism industry, to stimulate this hard-hit sector post Covid. Already an ambassador for sustainability and innovation in the international arena, her upcoming travel program: “Jessica Minh Anh: Global Passport,” will focus on promoting domestic travel and tourism across the world, starting with Vietnam.

“Vietnam has weathered the current crisis effectively, avoiding casualties and keeping infection figures contained in the low triple figures. While this is an incredible result, closing borders has come at a heavy cost to some vital national industries, such as tourism. My goal is to promote a safe Vietnam for domestic travel in 2020 and beyond.” said Jessica Minh Anh.

Follow Jessica Minh Anh: Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

Jessica Minh Anh, Vaughn Lowery, 360 Magazine

TEYANA TAYLOR × JUNETEENTH

For Teyana Taylor, not only will she be rejoicing the liberation of her race, but also the deliverance of her elusive project, The Album. A follow-up to her 2018 mini-opus KTSE, Taylor’s fourth album is a fountain of different emotions: across a 23-track effort, the Def Jam singer looks to galvanize the Black community with her candor, lucid vision and unapologetic love for her race — all while being six months pregnant. Rather than disarm her brazen attitude for change, Taylor stays faithful to her core beliefs and delivers a powerful message amidst dark times.
 
TEYANA TAYLOR TAPS ERYKAH BADU, MISSY ELLIOTT FOR JUNETEENTH ALBUM RELEASE

Kierra Luv – Take It or Leave It

18-year-old artist Kierra Luv returns with her debut mixtape Take It or Leave It. Featuring a wide range of rap offerings, including the previously-released hit “Can’t Stand It” (feat. Tory Lanez), Kierra shows off her versatility and her powerful voice as an artist. A 2020 high school graduate, Kierra Luv celebrates her independence on Take It or Leave It and proves that she is a force to be reckoned with.

Often spitting so hard that tears stream down her face, Harrisburg, PA artist Kierra Luv raps with the surefire spirit, undeniable intensity, and street wisdom of a hard-lived life. Last week Kierra uploaded an emotionally charged freestyle speaking out on the police brutality faced by Black people in America.

Kierra’s music has always provided an outlet from a rough home life. Of Puerto Rican and African American descent, she grew up in her grandparents’ small house where she was witness to domestic violence against her mother, and her grandfather’s alcohol addiction. At school Kierra began writing poetry as a method for trying to heal from her breakups and unsettling home life. These rhymes set the stage for her to eventually pick up a mic. Inspired by Lil Wayne and Chris Brown, she auditioned for The Rap Game. Despite not making it onto the show, Kierra began to grow an online following as she consistently uploaded freestyles and her first single, “You Lied To Me.”

In 2018, Kierra uploaded her take on Cardi B’s “Money”, which quickly exploded on the internet; it went from a plug on Say Cheese to WorldStarHipHop in a matter of days. The remix eventually made its way to Cardi B who shared it on Instagram and opened up the floodgates for Kierra. The video was viewed over 14 million times in under six months, and had major labels clamoring to sign the young Philly artist.

Finding a home with 10K Projects/Electric Feel Entertainment, Kierra dove into crafting her debut project. Her 2019 single “Put You On” showcases her deft rhymes, hard-hitting hooks, and bulletproof bars, culminating on lines like “I’m a little girl, but look, I’m moving like a don.”

“Put You On is basically me telling myself that I can put you on, show you how to make some money, and everything is going to be okay,” explains Kierra. “Everything was reckless before now, including my home life. So this is a motivational track to show you what can happen in the future if you don’t give up.”

“When you listen to me, I want you to know you’re not alone,” she leaves off. “It’s all about having a winners’ mindset. I hope to give that to everyone so they know tomorrow will always get better.”

Listen to/purchase Take It or Leave It here.

FOLLOW KIERRA LUV: Instagram | TikTok | YouTube

Fredo Bang, 360 Magazine

Fredo Bang – Receipts

With his deep, barking drawl and a natural affinity for melody, Fredo Bang (Fredrick Givens) is the next rhymer to rise out of the Bayou.

Today, the 23-year-old Baton Rouge native has released his new song “Receipts,” as well as the accompanying video, via Def Jam Recordings.

“Receipts” follows Fredo’s collaborations with everyone from YNW Melly to Moneybagg Yo to Kevin Gates. 2018’s 2 Face Bang mixtape put him on the map with the breakout single “Oouuhh” and a streak of hits including “Shootas on the Roof” and “Father” (over 22 million YouTube views). He garnered deeper notice in 2019, with the Big Ape mixtape and  a non-stop string of regional single and video hits that included “Oouuh” Remix featuring Kevin Gates, “Gangsta Talk” featuring NLE Choppa, and “Story To Tell” (Remix) featuring Moneybagg Yo. Fredo entered into a partnership with Def Jam in the fall.  The hits continued unabated with “Face Down” and “Vest Up,” then into 2020 with “Yo Slime,” and “Waitin 4” (with a beat from Hardbody B-Eazy and DJ Chose). Fredo’s next mixtape, Pain Made Me Numb hit in November, with the single + video releases “Cap A Lot” and “Slidin.”  April 2020 brought the back-to-back releases of the single and video “Trust Issues,” and Fredo’s newest mixtape, Most Hated.

Watch the video for “Receipts” here.

FOLLOW FREDO BANG: Instagram | YouTube | Website | SoundCloud | Spotify