053: Political Dress & Late Summer Gems

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DISPATCH 053 —

This week, we’re digging deep into Solange Knowles’ creative empire, wish listing linen coasters, and cheering on a first-ever influencer product collaboration. Plus: a summer of pearls. But first, political dressing in the age of aesthetics…

POLITICAL DRESS

As the election date wanes closer, the sartorial decisions of a certain set of political proper and adjacent folks has definitely caught our eye. Out of everything taking place during the 2024 Paris Olympics Closing Ceremony, including the much-anticipated handoff to Los Angeles, one stylish point of note was from Mayor Karen Bass sporting a stunning red wool dress by Sergio Hudson from the brand’s AW24 collection.

Countless articles laud the importance of political dress and what doing so strategically conveys about the state of a nation. We don’t disagree! On a global stage, seeing strong, powerful women in strong, powerful looks has a ripple effect on broader society that can be difficult to measure, but the impact is meaningful, no less. Democratic Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris is no stranger to Hudson’s sharp shouldered looks, including this beautiful teal suit Harris wore in New Orleans earlier this year. The monochromatic color palette calls back to her 2020 inaugural swearing-in ceremony ensemble of a floor-length purple wool coat by Christopher John Rogers. Something about a solid color suggests confidence, clarity, and boldness. Dressing in this way feels rarely seen at such scale.

Lest we forget the impact of former First Lady Michelle Obama, whose jewel toned J.Crew wardrobe and elevated contemporary approach helped put American fashion on the map (i.e. Thakoon, Jason Wu, Tracy Reese, to name a few). Mrs. Obama is also a fan of Hudson in her post-White House style. With this election go-around, we are not in so much for a flashy affair. However, in our view, we’re looking forward to the ease of elegance and the decided determination of political women empowered through dress. We trust Kamala can pull this off.

THE STORY OF SAINT HERON

Not since 2021 have niche fashion and art publications comprehensively covered the pivot of Solange Knowles from singer-songstress into multi-hyphenate creative, but from the looks of the last three years, there is nothing stopping Knowles’ full-steam-ahead energy towards this new public persona.

Saint Heron, her creative agency and multidisciplinary studio, launched in 2013, but rapidly evolved by mid-2021 with a slew of projects out in the world. Similar in some ways to Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free’s agency pgLang, Saint Heron engages in self-directed projects as well as campaign imagery and cultural curation for other brands. Most recently, Knowles has been working quite closely with Crown Royal as a supporting partner on her ventures in product development and the debut of her short film Monuments Are Here: Black Domesticity and the Art of Collecting held at the Guggenheim Museum yesterday evening.

In some ways, it has been a natural progression for Knowles to explore these other art forms beyond music. We’ve discussed in prior dispatches the power of industrial design as a medium of meaning as well as a more IP-friendly domain that can allow one’s output to transcend time. Saint Heron has been careful to collaborate with an eclectic list of creatives across literature, fine arts, and furniture, including Melina Matsoukas, Mark Grattan, and Nuotama Bodomo (director of the aforementioned film) amongst others — whose respective works are rigorously documented through both earned and owned channels.

Just this week, Knowles has released even more shades of her limited-edition glassware Small Matter with a retail distribution plan that now includes MoMA Design Store (where the drop has since sold out) in addition to Beverly’s in New York and Blackman Cruz in Los Angeles. Here’s to our guess that the honey-yellow palette was an homage to her apiarist older sister.

LATE SUMMER PEARLS

Despite a much-needed and discerning no-shopping season, we’re rounding up our beloved recommendations to wrap up the last few weeks of summer. Up next: Only Made.

The four-year-old accessories label is such a good example of slow and organic growth that doesn’t sacrifice desirability. Without inundating its audience with too much marketing, the brand releases new pieces throughout the season and works with like-minded partners through IRL activations (i.e. T.A.) as well as limited-run collaborations. Their latest is with Freda Salvador on the Name Anklet, which incorporates freshwater ivory pearls and letter beads for the ultimate in personalization.

Founder Rayne Schloss shared via Instagram, “when the pandemic hit and I couldn’t find the type of jewelry I wanted, I decided to create my own.” It is an encouraging reminder to make the things you actually want to wear (cause more times than not, there will be a customer out there for it.)

ON OUR RADAR

Ami Cole has released its first-ever influencer collaboration product with none other than Aysha Harun. With over 500k followers, Aysha has developed a highly engaged audience centering her faith and beauty obsessions. This soft nude peach shade Happy in the brand’s best-selling Lip Treatment Oil is one Harun shares she had on her dream board for two years before drumming up the courage to pitch to Ami Cole founder Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye in 2023. (Link)

Upstate New York home goods brand Linoto has maintained a pretty tight assortment of bedding and table linens, but recently unveiled a series of linen coasters that we’re curious to try out. (Link)