Meet Luigi Mangione: The Typical Face of Racial and Social Privilege

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The Pop Cult of Fame has inducted the Ivy League assassin.

On Tuesday, authorities arrested Luigi Nicholas Mangione, 26, and charged him with second-degree murder. He’d been wanted by the feds five days before being apprehended in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

The suspect allegedly gunned down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Hilton Hotel in NYC on December 4. The target did not survive the shooting. 

The suspected assassin, aka the internet's current "Babygirl," faces 15 to 25 years to life in prison if found guilty of murder. The courts denied his bail due to concerns about public safety and his potential to flee the U.S.

Bloomberg reports that they reviewed law enforcement documents stating the New York Police Department is on alert for “a risk that a wide range of extremists may view Mangione as a martyr and an example to follow.” The outlet wrote, "Rhetoric may signal an elevated threat facing executives in the near-term.”


Public opinion had zero sympathy for the deceased. A torrent of comments flooded social media, expressing indifference and labelling Thompson a serial killer for leading a company notorious for rejecting insurance claims.

The empty bullet casing at the crime scene had the words "delay" and "deny." These words refer to what appears to be the industry standard in handling insurance claims.

Newsweek reports the slain CEO's base salary was USD 1 million, but stock options and "other compensation” increased his yearly income to $10,221,898. What could “other compensation” be? We haven't gathered concrete data on this, but our initial guess is that he benefitted from a pyramid model. He banked bonuses when people signed up for coverage—he may have gotten extra when people were denied claims, too.

The medical industry is brutal. Expensive health insurance companies must coexist with the unstaffed, overworked medical industry, demonstrating how disposable human lives can be. We don’t support or condone Mangione's heinous actions, but evil exists on both sides. 

Several findings reveal Mangione as a promising young man with a bright future. The Ivy League grad came from a prominent family that gained wealth in real estate. The Toronto Star (via The Associated Press) reports the Mangione family “donated to various causes, including Catholic organizations, colleges, and the arts.” Mangione went to one of Maryland’s most elite prep schools, was valedictorian, received degrees in computer science, and belonged to the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. He also travelled to Hawaii, San Diego, and Puerto Rico, among other locations.

News outlets report on Mangione’s ongoing back pain, which led to surgery. Was he denied an insurance claim? Probably not, but the path to physical recovery likely led to a dark awakening. Days in bed led to books—we suspect YouTube—exposés and chat forums revealing "parasitic" health insurance companies and corporate greed, which he was shielded from throughout his privileged, wealthy life and indirectly shattered his world.

We feel no empathy over here for Mangione. Dude ain’t no hero nor a Robin Hood. However, the Red Pill and Incel community will hail him as the Second Coming of Jesus (one does not need to be sex-starved to be an incel). He didn't carry out his targeted act of violence on a whim. And while it’s human nature to have toxic thoughts, his privilege saw him carry out a murder and treat it as a public spectacle—a twisted joke. Then, upon his arrest, he had the nerve to be angry, yelling about something (or someone) being an “insult to the intelligence of the American people.”

No, the insult is fake deep, just like our obsession with fake prophets. Thompson’s death doesn’t stop the rising costs of health coverage, inadequate access to standard health care, and the inaccessible cost of living.

I came across Eddie Huang's substack, emphasizing the Ivy League assassin’s hotness. C'mon Huang, you know the deal. Ted Bundy was hot. Paul Bernardo was hot. For those who liked scruff, so was Charles Manson. Mangione's spray-painted abs, full head of dark curls, tanned olive skin, and expensive teeth are why he's breaking news. The wealthy family background only adds to the allure. What will happen next are prime-time interviews, movie scripts, and documentaries with Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO, and Hulu. Once released from jail, assuming he gets the maximum sentence, he’ll be around the same age Thompson was. Mangione will then get a chance again to tell his story from the perspective of a wiser, reformed man who made a stupid mistake. 

We don't believe Luigi Mangione murdered Thompson to immortalize himself; we have witnessed the removal of rose-coloured glasses from privileged eyes. When forced to explain his actions, he will again speak from a place of naiveté, reflecting with remorse on when he disposed of human life.

Before entering a jail cell, he's about to stack racks.

That’s how these stories go.

PANTONE Makes Chocolate-Coffee Hue Colour of the Year For 2025

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PANTONE names “Mocha Mousse 17-1230” Colour of the Year for 2025. Thanks. But honey, you’re late with this one.

Celebrities and runways looks in brown over the years.

“I do think brown is a fashion neutral that’s often overlooked — but one that’s especially popular with Italian brands, and their focus on leather, cashmeres and other plush materials.”

- Vanessa Friedman, Fashion Director, The New York Times

We weren’t interested in a Pantone trend report, but reading the NYT’s style desk debate about Pantone's colour of the year, mocha mousse, sparked an important discussion. According to the team, this is the first time that Pantone, a company famous for its Pantone Matching System, has chosen brown as the lead hue for the year. (Slate did a piece about the company's so-called "Colour of the Year" callout, which began as a rouse in 2000.)

Suppose you’re working in fashion, media, design, or something that puts you at the forefront of what’s fresh and new; placing yourself at the receiving end of a trend seems counterproductive.

We were unfazed when the mocha mouse drink (er, hue) got a shoutout. Given the black celebrities alone rockin’ all shades of brown on red carpets, music videos, album covers, and photoshoots, we’d say Pantone’s been asleep all along.

We’ve been on. 

Friedman's observation about brown (above) is not new. Though she’s commenting on the hue’s position from a fashion standpoint, what she says is symbolic in all facets of life. Then, of course, you’ve got the Vogue editions and WWD writing reports about how to wear the colour and whether it’ll sell. 

Whatchu mean?

You can pair brown with anything from pink to red to orange to blue (editors also report a cyclical denim trend), since we don’t always want to default to our usual greys and blacks.

Another factor is that the hue represents dirt, nature, and earth. That’s obvs. Considering the current state of our planet (and humanity), the hue strikes us as a neutralizer. Well, we’ll just have to find out if it works.

Seems like a shoo-in, though.


Ciao Edie!

Ain’t Nobody Got Time For RTFKT

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Less than three years after the Nike acquisition, the "Supreme of digital fashion" is set to close.

The digital streetwear brand RTFKT (pronounced artifact) announced on X—formally Twitter—that it was shutting down. This didn’t surprise observers from the sneaker and crypto communities, particularly Nick O’Neill, who speculated on the outcome on the same platform in March. “Two years ago, Nike acquired RTFKT for a reported one billion dollar sum. Choosing to make RTFKT founders [Benoit Pagotto, Steven ‘Zaptio’ Vasilev, and Chris Le] incredibly rich,” said O’Neill. “Now, according to our sources, Nike’s shutting down RTFKT this year. Will that be a poor choice? I’ll leave you to decide.” Zaptio's weak attempt to refute closure rumours while ignoring the supposed "undisclosed sum" is interesting. Strangely, O'Neill's tweet remained largely unnoticed until it was too late (this is kinda odd; the American University alum isn't some rando on the ‘net). With the sportswear brand’s dip in revenue, we’d imagine Nike’s board chatted it up with its former CEO, John Donahoe, well before his departure, which he announced mid-September.

In theory, RTFKT is doable. The founders aimed to establish RTFKT as the "Supreme of digital fashion.” (Eyeroll.) Sure, Supreme pioneered the concept of streetwear coolness that many emerging brands sought to emulate. But clearly, these puppies were so caught up in their own hype that they forgot the assignment.

RTFKT’s MO was providing sneakerheads with digital assets known as non-fungible tokens (NFTs). For instance, a digital cloud known as blockchain houses ultra-exclusive Nike Dunks. The buyer who owns the Dunks gets a unique code stored on a ledger. Only certain blockchains, primarily Ethereum, can trade these NFTs at outrageous prices, hence the ephemeral hype. Fashion NFTs aim to encourage an innovative approach to self-expression in the digital realm. The thing is, if you can’t get a physical drop, or if you have to go through all these hoops to nab a pair, especially if you’re paying beyond top dollar, does anybody got time for that? 


It’s difficult to know whether RTFKT—founded in 2020 and acquired by Nike shortly afterwards—was a ‘real’ streetwear brand or simply a cash grab. According to Vogue Business, it raked in $185.3 million in NFT revenue in less than three years. Contributing to the bag were collabs, first with then-teen digital artist FEWOCiOUS, followed by bigger names like Takashi Murakami, beauty brand Shu Uemura, luggage brand Rimowa, and crypto hardware wallet maker Ledger. Inevitably, as with most fads, the NFT hype went into overkill until the novelty wore off. Early on, The Information reported that sneakerheads weren’t that hyped on the streetwear/sneaker NFT trend, and even Nike decided to cool off on its .SWOOSH virtual platform.

Had RTFKT kept things underground, which is the point of streetwear, it probably would’ve survived. However, after securing their initial $8 million investment, they probably felt the pressure to scale up. By the looks of things, though, it appears RTFKT and Nike were out to make it rain… right into the gutter.

Kanye West Secretly Dropped Another BOMB Video

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The Internet's going wild over Ye's latest video, but we discovered an alternate version.

Kanye West doesn’t do comebacks. He’s always in the spotlight, but this time, he's piped down his emo antics, allowing his talent to speak through his work. Judging by both Vultures’ tracklists, people don't realize that Ye is still the same homie, just a more expensive version. This is evident in his latest video, BOMB.

Ye got dem kids in the mix; shout out to North West Chicago (though Ye's from the South Side). Chicago's mean muggin' (1:52) reveals that Ye's immersed the music video in generative AI, which we didn't catch the first time. What's most intriguing is how YouTuber Yuno Miles (no, we didn’t “know” Miles until Kanye West), a SoundCloud rapper named Miles Wahlberg, merges his identity with Ye's. For real, though, Miles dons an all-black leather ensemble despite being recognized for goofy hoodies. That's a Ye move.

We noticed a more animated version of the BOMB video via Yuno Miles' YouTube channel, amidst the hype surrounding Ye's drop. It's better, come to think of it. No, Miles isn't a rapper we're adding to our playlist, but the visual storytelling for his version is stronger. Ye’s rendition heavily draws inspiration from Mad Max, while Miles’ version resembles a fever dream, an outlandish video game conceived in Ye’s multilayered brain. Of course, Miles' version isn't going to gain the same traction, but if Ye had swapped the visuals, it probably would've blown up our feed.

Kanye is in his create-and-deploy era. The rapper-producer's been steadily dropping bombs (pun!) with Vultures 1 and 2, respectively—as part of the rap supergroup ¥$—with Vultures 3 expected to land at any moment. The reports are crazy: He is a clone (yawn), his teeth are platinum grills, and he’s currently in Saudi Arabia finalizing his eleventh studio album, Bully. Nah, we don't think so. However, according to Arab News, he is in Tokyo, "residing in a hotel while producing the album."

Japanese photographer Daido Moriyama, well into his 80s, shot the Bully album cover, which Ye teased on IG. You dun know, the art world is all over that, drawing references to custom Japanese traditions; bruh, when looking at the image, we see Chi-town realness (but maybe its interpretation is heterogeneous).

As of this posting, the only confirmed track is Beauty and the Beast; everything else is speculation.

More to come.

Kanye West Releases Mad Max-themed Music Video for BOMB

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The rapper goes hard with the latest music video featuring his daughters, North and Chicago West. 

Posting random music videos isn't about to become a thing on this blog. It's late; you're on your way to bed but can't help yourself. Sometimes, a piece of art is worth mentioning. In this instance, Ye, short for Kanye, one of hip-hop's most controversial figures, unveils a music video that ignites the blogosphere. The song is from his album, Vultures.

We all know North has game. Looking’ all scared and ish. But she’s come through as the coolest member of the West family. Cooler than Ye himself. Now, we’ve got a feisty Chicago gunnin’ for the top spot, like she runs the show.

They didn’t get all this swag and black girl attitude from their mom. I mean, that’s not a question. But the juice they have spilt over from the former Louis Vuitton Don turned megastar. Kim was kinda annoying, actually.

Back to business.

Over the past few months, the rapper has steadily focused on releasing tracks from Vultures. I’m not up to speed yet, but I haven’t seen anything from his new album, Bully. When I’m awake,, I’ll take a closer look.

Knowing, Ye, though, you never know. He is an unconventional thinker, after all.

More to come.

Trendspotting: The Korean Streetwear Craze is Just Around the Corner

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Everyone’s jumping on the Korean streetwear trend lately. But will it last?

polyteru sold at rinostore

Cult brand Polyteru has completely sold out. But not integrity, just in stock.

While fashion insiders mourn streetwear’s death in the West, a new market is emerging in the Far East. "Similar to many other popular Korean culture exports, Korean streetwear is not reinventing the wheel or creating anything groundbreaking – it just takes current clothing/fashion trends to the next level." Wrote San Francisco-based tech consultant Noah Chung in an article for Best of Korea. "And while the actual clothing has helped Korean streetwear to achieve a quick rise in popularity, the combination of visual aesthetics, customer service, and amenities in the shopping experience is what sets Seoul apart from the rest." Chung added that the stores he visited weren't your average; the spaces were like art exhibits, with the staff there to meet you at almost every corner. It's no wonder Palace founder Lev Tanju opened a flagship store in Seoul.

Sure, the appeal of this new wave of streetwear is creating a buzz—that's understandable. Streetwear has been dull, so it's plausible that consumers—and fashion insiders—are thirsting for a refreshing take on what has now become a predictable offering. However, if you're looking for wearable staples, look elsewhere. Korean streetwear is extra, literally. Some brands have absurd names, such as Thug Club (inspired by 50 Cent?) and GRAFFITIONMIND (let's go do some tagging! But not in South Korea). The silhouettes are about three to four times larger than average. They remind us of when our parents grasped at our oversized jeans in the nineties; maybe they'd praise our bold sense of style if we wore Ader Error now?

We won't be jumping on the trend here, but we'll watch closely from the sidelines to see how it plays out. Though we might pull up in some Ader Error, that brand’s kinda ill, still.

Shout out to Best of Korea for the lead.

Ciao Edie!

No, Streetwear's Still Not Dead. It Won't Die Anytime Soon.

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Since people, especially in the fashion industry, constantly discuss the death or end of streetwear, I thought I'd put things into perspective. 

No. Streetwear is not dead, nor has it lost popularity. Despite the watering down of the rebellious ethos, depending on which brand we're talking about, the overall aesthetic, from Supreme to Uniqlo, lives on. When browsing the aisles at Marshalls for my son, the first item that catches my eye is a hoodie adorned with the Spidey mask. The average shopper may think, "Oh, great.” But I recognize a clear influence from streetwear brands that blew up during the aughts. Then, reality sets in: my child is, well, a kid. That could be the crux of the issue: commercializing an underground industry that spoke for the “yout.”

I remember when Married To The Mob did an ad in '08, and a friend expressed concerns. When I asked Leah McSweeney about it (yes, I used to chat briefly with the streetwear designer turned reality TV star), she didn’t see what the speculation was about. Her clothes were about to be seen by millions of people all over the world. Years later, the brand's still hot. If anything, her foray into reality TV may have tarnished MTTM—if that's even a concern.

Streetwear is about youth. I'll assume those talking about it being “time for streetwear to die” are past their glory days. So, if you're going to lament about streetwear's slow, gruesome death, perhaps it's time to pass the torch to a fresh set of eyes who know what’s up.

Trendspotting: Basketball and Fashion Collabs Score Big Points

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Fashion and basketball collaborations are quickly becoming a growing trend. Will some key players sit back and ride the wave or use it to their advantage?

Photo Credit: Gaffer Magazine

When news broke about Nike's Jordan brand signing Atlanta Hawks' Rayford Trae Young, we knew something was up. The young NBA all-star, who previously worked with Adidas, isn't the type of person you'd see front-row at Milan Fashion Week, at least not yet. He recently took to his IG to announce the partnership decked out in Jordan gear. What is noticeable is the fact that this is the beginning of fashion's next big star. It won't be long before you see him on a billboard in a Louis Vuitton or Balenciaga campaign. How he plays his position in the fashion world when that time inevitably comes remains to be seen.

The word is out about the growing bond between basketball and high fashion. Over the years, we've seen Russell Westbrook and LeBron James pop up on best-dressed lists, but lately, legit fashion brands have chimed in. Jerry Lorenzo's Fear of God inked a multiyear partnership with the NBA and WNBA. Bristol Studio and New Era also co-created a fashion and accessories collection that, according to them, celebrates the NBA. The hype doesn't stop there; KidSuper launched a collection with the Brooklyn Nets.

New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson launched a capsule collection with the all-American "surf hippie" brand Faherty (Surfing? Hippie?), and the list continues.

So, what's with the big push towards fashion brands linking up with basketball players? Basketball players love to floss just as much as their rapper counterparts. However, they aren't known for their stylish sense of dress. But there is feverish hype around their sneaker releases, proving ball players to be cash cows. Then there's that NBA tunnel. We thought it was an event, but no. It's simply the players going from the locker room to the court until it morphed into a runway show.

Golden State Warriors point guard and two-time MVP Steph Curry intends to use his tunnel moments to showcase Black and Brown designers. “My whole mission across every opportunity I have is to elevate people that deserve an opportunity and to drive awareness toward some very talented individuals, especially in this fashion industry where Black and Brown communities don’t necessarily get the same resources or opportunities,” Curry told WWD. “Leveraging our tunnel walks that have become a really big part of the NBA experience with cameras everywhere behind the scenes, you have that moment where you’re walking in and it’s a great opportunity for self-expression through the clothes that you’re wearing.”  Curry's plans could be a turning point for fashion players, heavy hitters, and the league.

This is big business.

More to come.

Ciao, Edie!

No Bad Promo: Drake Masters the Power of Beef While Announcing Tour and Secretly Launching NOCTA in Italy

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Drake took to a live streamer's platform to shade fellow musicians. However, closer inspection reveals a brilliant marketing savant.

On Friday, Kendrick Lamar, a former Drake collaborator turned foe, launched his sixth studio album, GNX. The surprise 12-track drop, released on his label, PGLang, features a stellar cast, including Roddy Ricch and labelmate SZA. Except for SZA, who grew up in New Jersey, GNX is an ode to the West. However, based on the sea of positive reviews pouring in, it's clear that K. Dot’s popularity spans the globe. His gritty storytelling, hard beats, and theme-bending cultural references are bound to make the LP a staple in everyone’s playlist except Drake’s.

Following GNX hitting the airwaves, YouTube, the Internet, and everything else, Drake hopped on a livestream with fellow Canadian Félix Lengyel. For those who don't know, Lengyel goes by xQc. He's a popular Twitch streamer with over 12 million followers (it's important to mention Lengyel took to Kick for the stream with Drake. After signing a $100 million deal with the Twitch rival, he should). This was a brilliant move; aside from the world's most annoying third wheel, Kevin Hamdan, who we've learned is a magician, talking about nothing specific, the rapper kept it calm. He lauded the streamer while smoking shisha. Drake was so relaxed that he pulled some wisdom from his wellness bag. "I'm here, as you can see, fully intact. Mind, body and soul, in case you were wondering," Drake said during the live. "You need facts to take me out. Fairytales won't do it."

Unbothered is the approach; as you can imagine, the rapper's nonchalance has set the internet on fire. Drake is an entertainer, playing the game by throwing shots at K. Dot, former friend The Weeknd, and Steve Lacy! “This guy’s like a fragile opp,” Drake said as Lengyel lip-synched Lacy's Bad Habit. “But this is a good song, though.” When Lengyel asked for clarity, Drake responded, "Chat knows what I'm talking about. Fragility" Sure, Lacy fired back, and Kendrick has not responded since this post. But we did find it fascinating that while all the shenanigans were going on, Drake's line with Nike, NOCTA, previewed the latest Cardinal Stock capsule on IG.

The capsule isn't new—Cardinal Stock originally came out in 2021. Based on the campaign, which was shot in Naples, Italy, the latest drop includes pink tees, hoodies, and sweat sets; black tracksuits; speckled grey sweatsuits; and silver puffers. The capsule will be available on NOCTA's website at midnight on November 26th.

Then we get another shocker: Drake announced on Lengyel's livestream that his Anita Max Wynn tour kicks off exclusively in Australia on February 9, the exact day Super Bowl 2025 kicks off (excuse the pun). However, this revelation won’t affect K. Dot’s half-time performance. Sources say Anita Max Wynn is the alter ego he uses while gambling, though, quite frankly, Anita Max Wynn Tour sounds like he's positioning himself to become the Anna Wintour of music.

Just sayin'.

Shout out to Il Mattino for the lead.

Ciao Edie!

Self-Care Holiday Gift Guide Under $20: Sol de Janeiro, Re=Comb, GOLF le FLEUR*, & More

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Holiday shopping on a budget? Here are some stylish gifting ideas under $20.

Culture Forward Self-Care Holiday Gift Guide Under twenty dollars
 

Let's be honest: Forget December. Mariah Carey declared it Christmas Day—in her signature whistle note—on November 1st.

Since then, people have been decorating pine trees and wrapping porches and windows with holiday-themed lights. While early birds have their holiday shopping lists on lock, the rest of us haven't even started yet (editor's sidenote: the memories of Halloween continue to haunt my son's mind). And let's not forget those good ole work mingles; chances are, you've volunteered to take part in Secret Santa.

Overthinking gift ideas tends to result in generic coffee mugs, picture frames, and Starbucks gift cards. But we see how hard our colleagues work. What if we encouraged self-care?

Granted, one or two of our suggestions may be perceived as offensive, so consider carefully listening and observing your target before purchasing. If that’s an issue, you could include a note letting them know that the gift is simply an on-trend gesture and nothing more.

These gifts are so good: We peeped a gold pin from GOLF le FLEUR*, a crazy-sexy Soak Sunday giftset, a two-step superfood skincare system from Youth To The People (we can personally vouch for this; we bought the cleanser several times), a stunning recycled polypropylene pik with a marble effect by Re=Comb, and Sol de Janeiro’s fruity, floral-scented deodorant that’s aluminum and baking soda-free. You may keep these finds for yourself, choosing to give that coffee mug to your colleague instead. Who knows?

More to come.

Happy Shopping!

Ciao Edie!

Youth To The People Youth Stacks: Daily Skin Health

 
 

Sunday Soak Seduction Gift Set

 

GOLF le FLEUR Gold Pin

 

Re=Comb Marble Pik

Black Bling, Hip-Hop, and Reinforcing Black Power

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Hip-hop Jewellery and Culture Take Center Stage at Major Museums in New York and Toronto.

Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History. Photo Credit: Taschen

The good thing about recycling themes is that it opens the doors for broader discussion. For instance, a jovial YouTuber, Jackie “Bronx Baubles,” lights up when discussing Vikki Tobak's take on hip-hop's bejewelled lineage in her book and its eponymous exhibition, “Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History.” Jackie, a Bronx-born native, reminisces about witnessing the birth of hip-hop in her hometown while holding three other books: “Bling: The Hip-Hop Jewelry Book” (2006), co-authored by Gabriel Tolliver and the late Reggie Osse (the latter famously known as entertainment attorney turned podcaster Combat Jack), alongside “Bling Bling: Hip Hop's Crown Jewels” (2005), penned by Minya Oh (aka Miss Info of Hot97 fame), Andrea Duncan Mao, with a foreword by Ludacris, and finally, “The Nameplate: Jewelry, Culture, and Identity,” co-authored by Isabel Attyah Flower and Marcel Rosa-Salas.

The Nameplate book by Marcel Rosa-Salas and Isabel Attyah Flower

The Nameplate: Jewelry, Culture, and Identity. Photo credit: Penguin House

All four books bear an obvious resemblance. Each highlights the same iced-out jewellery, bling makers, and the game’s most prominent figures; granted, Tobak's version features a new wave of younger, flossy, mega-star rappers. While Jackie says she bought the books in 2024, one gets the impression that many readers wouldn't have known, and probably still won’t know, about Ice Cold’s direct predecessors (or The Nameplate) had it not been for Tobak's newest addition.

Ice Cold's author isn't new to the scene; Tobak has been around since the '90s and released two other books: “Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop,” co-authored with Questlove, and “LL COOL J Presents The Streets Win: 50 Years of Hip-Hop Greatness,” to commemorate, you guessed it, the rap genre's 50th birthday.

It's important to tell these stories. With all the momentum around hip-hop’s maturity, it's no wonder the American Museum of Natural History felt compelled to work with Tobak. Held in the Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals, the exhibition showcases endless rap bling on loan from several famous faces and/or their jewellers, including Biggie Smalls (Tito Caicedo), A$AP Rocky, Nas, Ghostface Killah, and Tyler, the Creator.

Creating a book of this calibre wasn’t a walk in the park. Putting the exhibition together was probably even tougher. However, we're cognizant that it’s bound to lack depth because it’s not told directly through the lens of Black and Latino historians and journalists. It’s not because Tobak isn’t capable; she can tell the story. It’s just that there’s a line that won’t ever be crossed. Whereas storytellers from the diaspora provide the often painful context, truths, and nuances of identity in the rap game and the various complexities associated with owning bling—be it gold, silver, or diamonds—and what it symbolizes for a community that has travelled through years, decades, and centuries of oppression. However, if the Ice Cold exhibit is bringing in traffic, then Tobak did her job. But would it have been more powerful if she had brought in the other authors of the topic? Combat Jack passed away in 2017, but regardless, it more than likely would have.

While we have seen Fat Joe's bling in person and on a slew of rappers, admittedly, it would be fascinating to see each piece up close on display if nothing else. Sometimes, getting lost in the moment is cool, especially if it's covered in diamonds. “Ice Cold: An Exhibition of Hip-Hop Jewelry” is at the American Museum of Natural History and runs until January 5, 2025.

Hank Willis Thomas, Black Power, 2008. Lightjet print, 62.2 x 100.3 cm. © Hank Willis Thomas. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York.

In Toronto, there's a lot of anticipation around “The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century” opening at the Art Gallery of Ontario on December 4. The show doesn’t focus on one aspect of hip-hop but rather an all-encompassing experience featuring the works of 65 artists, including Stan Douglas, John Edmonds, Deana Lawson, and Hank Willis Thomas.

The exhibit is set to be a robust exploration of hip-hop since its early inception. The Culture is curated by a collective of black historians, educators, and storytellers (Tobak co-curated Ice Cold with Kevin "Coach K" Lee and Karam Gill). Still, the ethos of The Culture centers around empowerment and multidisciplinary storytelling and includes paintings, sculpture, poetry, photography, and multi-media installations.

Hip-hop’s origins have been told thousands of times. Ultimately, these two exhibits tap into similar themes from two angles. While Ice Cold is surface-level, The Culture zooms in on rap and the intersection of activism, racial identity, gender, sexuality, and feminism. Bring your kids, friends, spouse, and, hell, your frenemies, too—why not? “The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century” opens at the Art Gallery of Ontario on December 4 and runs until April 6, 2025.

Toronto's Bata Museum Launches a Sneaker Exhibition Featuring Keith Haring, KAWS, Takashi Murakami, and More

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Toronto's latest exhibit invites us to explore the collaboration between artists and sneaker brands.

We covered the opening of MCNY's exhibit yesterday but couldn't ignore other events in the city and beyond, particularly in Toronto, which has recently been surprisingly lit.

Ruohan Wang x Nike Blazer Mid 77 Flyleather_Kailee Mandel-2 sneakers at Bata Shoe Musem

Ruohan Wang Photo credit: Bata Museum/Kailee Mandel

Placing Toronto on the Map... Again.

The Great North is not one to top the Coolest Ciy lists, at least not since Drake's meteoric trajectory (sidenote: not sure if Torontonians share the sentiment). Still, Toronto is steadily carving out its little pocket in popular culture. We received word that the Bata Museum launched an exhibition called “Art/Wear: Sneakers x Artists.”

Art/Wear: Sneakers x Artists

The exhibition debuted on October 3rd (pardon our tardiness) and delves into the collaborations between artists and sneaker brands. These collabs are more than just an outlet for artists to cash in; they’re art-filled canvases collected and preserved by sneakerheads and enthusiasts familiar with the artist and their works. Alternatively, the buyer could be none of the above; perhaps the wearer is only concerned with rocking a pretty pair of kicks. Either way, wearing the sneakers usually results in getting a few daps on the street.

Art World Versus Rest of World

Modern consumerism probably means these collabs aren't all that deep to the masses. However, Bata provides a different perspective. “Sneaker and artist collabs are increasingly finding their way into conventional art venues such as museums and auction houses, with some elevated to a status similar to limited edition artist prints.” Elizabeth Semmelhack, Director and Senior Curator at the Bata Shoe Museum, said in a release. “However, the popularity of these collabs can also be seen as democratizing “high” art, inviting consideration of the intersections between art, fashion, and identity in the modern world.”

Murakami x Vans Skull Blue. Photo credit: Bata Museum/Kailee Mandel

Sneaker Apps to the Rescue!

From our perspective, the answer is straightforward. For example, Takashi Murakami's artwork is neither cheap nor accessible to a younger audience who, more than likely, prefers streaming on Twitch over heading to the Gagosian (one of the major galleries that represent Murakami). Chances are, the "yout" aren’t fussed over Artsy newsletters either. However, put Murakami's signature design on a pair of Nike Air Force 1's and, ideally, tease the drop on the Nike SNKRS or GOAT platforms; that’ll send push notifications to the user’s phone, and the drop is a hit.

Murakami and Other Artists Collabs On Display

Big name KAWS (known for his early tagging days) will also be on display; viewers can also see brand collabs with Alfie, Cey Adams, Ruohan Wang (who did the damn thing with those Nike Blazer Mid 77 Flyleather drops in 2020), MSCHF, and, of course, Keith Haring.

“Art/Wear: Sneakers x Artists” at the Bata Museum runs until March 23, 2026. If you're heading to the show, don’t forget to purchase your tickets.

Ciao Edie!

Uniqlo and the Museum of the City of New York Uncover Graffiti & Hip-Hop in New Exhibition

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Those who appreciate graffiti as art (much like us) should head to East Harlem to check out Above Ground: Art from the Martin Wong Graffiti Collection.

Rammellzee, Atomic Note. Photo credit: MCNY/Martin Wong

The late Martin Wong donated over 300 canvases and works on paper to the museum thirty years ago and was friends with the show’s artists. The exhibition, which opens to the public today, trails the works of our favourite street artists, notably Rammellzee (pictured), Futura 2000, Fab 5 Freddy, and Uniqlo's posthumous star, Keith Haring. All of them transitioned from illegal tagging on subways to rubbing shoulders with the art world's bigwigs, among other big things.

Uniqlo, a major Japanese retailer, is the lead sponsor of the exhibit and has leveraged its customization program, UTme!, to collaborate with three of the exhibition artists: photojournalist Martha Cooper and street artists Part One (Enrique Torres) and Bronx native John 'Crash' Matos. To coincide with the exhibition, the three shared two pieces of work for an exclusive line of tees available at the retailer's Fifth Avenue flagship and SoHo stores.

Image photo credit: VOGUE

Uniqlo isn't the only fashion brand using graffiti as a concept to gain street cred. Luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, and Moschino have also tapped into the trend, sending models down runways in what the mainstream calls "designs inspired by street art." However, the popular Japanese retailer, a Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. subsidiary, has a strong Gen-Z and Millennial base. It’s also one of the few who offer a take on the "graffiti-inspired" trend that's on-the-nose yet still accessibly priced (a Uniqlo tee sells for roughly about $25 USD, whereas a Givenchy tee, if you can get one, sells upwards of 550 USD). 

Uniqlo's popularity stems from its low prices and basic, label-free separates, which give customers a casual-cool aesthetic. That same coolness is part of a clear strategy to drive its Gen-Z and Millennial customer base to the “Above Ground” exhibit. The exhibit takes the viewer on a journey to the genre's purer days, when Black and Latino kids used graffiti as a form of expression and, many hoped, as a way out of the hood.

Over the years, graffiti has become a rather mainstream endeavour, with sportswear juggernauts like Adidas using their Originals division to attract hip-hop heads (aka b-boys and girls) through large-scale activations. For many skeptics and graffiti purists, an artist showcasing their work in an art exhibit (or partaking in a mainstream brand collaboration) is a symbol of selling out; however, Martha Cooper, a purveyor who played a pivotal role in capturing the genre's early days, disagrees. "Artists deserve to make money from their art," she told WWD. "As a freelance photographer in New York City, it’s been so difficult making a living, not so much anymore. I understand perfectly if someone comes along and offers you money for what you do, take it.” 

Shout out to WWD for the lead.

Above Ground: Art from the Martin Wong Graffiti Collection runs at the Museum of the City of New York from November 22, 2024, to August 10, 2025. 

Enjoy.

Until next time, Ciao Edie!