Statement Piece

We discuss TikTokker $ERIC’s (@MoneySignEric) creative process, how he won the Chipotle x David Dobrik challenge and received free access to Chipotle for a year, how COVID-19 has impacted his content creation, and how activism interacts with TikTok. Finally, we conclude with analysis on a potential federal TikTok ban.

Kathryn recalls her experience as an extra in a music video, leading us to discuss the idea of labor in the entertainment and fashion industry. First, we review the trade-off of time and skills experienced in unpaid internships. We continue to examine unpaid modeling work, the effects of the pandemic, and the potential growth for unions within the modeling industry. Last, we emphasize the need for worker-driven protection agreements to ensure that every worker is happy and healthy.

With Trishna, a pre-dental former Pop Talk radio host, we explore American body politics, or the ways in which society regulates, controls, and struggles with the human body. We unpack how coronavirus may impact cosmetic surgery procedures and how that relates to the age of the “Instagram face.”  Furthermore, we discuss body politics’ intersectionality with Tik Tok culture, race, age, culture, data, governmental politics, and personal finances, specifically women’s investment in their own bodies.

We are analyzing recent and predicted mergers and acquisitions within the beauty and fashion industries. First, we cover Coty’s stake in KKW Beauty and discuss investment deals within the Kardashian and Jenner family. We relate these to 7 fashion industry trends from IMAP’s M&A Fashion Report from 2017. We look at growing demand for influencer personalities and established technology frameworks. Next, we consider potential future M&A deals and the significance of designers' families’ histories within fashion companies. Finally, we conclude that fashion and beauty are different in how they function, interact with each other, and how the economy responds to them.

We are assessing greenwashing accusations against H&M and prison labor’s perils in the fashion industry. Then, we speak with Arrow + Phoenix Swimwear Founder and Creative Director Kayla Bell about the intersectionality of social and environmental issues in fashion and how she built her business to be as sustainable as it can be.

We are discussing the commodification of Pride Month as well as expanding on the idea of performative allyship within different fashion brands, ranging from Louis Vuitton to Converse. Next, we question this year’s decrease in buyers’ consumption of Pride products and finish the episode by highlighting Olivier Rousteing and Balmain’s most recent campaign. Some virtual pride events that you can attend include those on myGwork, Attitude Magazine’s website, Animal Crossing, and Reddit.

We are examining big brands’ responses to calls for greater diversity and inclusion and Black executives’ roles in uplifting Black talent, highlighting Edward Enninful, Jide Zeitlin, Virgil Abloh, Aurora James, Sharon Chuter, and more.  Some Black-owned fashion and beauty brands that you can shop at include Jam + Rico, Tier, Wasi Clothing, Savage x Fenty, Fenty, Kaike, and Pat McGrath Labs.