This is the fourth installment of Why They Bought It, a series where I investigate the cultish appeal of fashion items.

Every brand sells a tank top but most of them are average at best. I would know because I bought this Acne Studios tank last January and it started coming loose by mid summer. Paper-thin fabric, unraveling threads—that’s $161 I could’ve saved (don’t bother with this brand, trust me).

If you think traditional luxury does it better, allow me to burst your bubble: the quality of this Rabanne style (retailing for $390) is comparable while the Loewe tank (which my sister Chris was gifted in 2024) is only marginally better. The fabric has a bit more weight but it loses its luster after each wash.

I have yet to try the viral Tank Air tops but until then, I’m very satisfied with my growing collection of Kai Collective Nao tanks. The product of Nigerian fashion designer Fisayo Longe, the Nao tank puts designer ones to shame. Trying it on for the first time, I became aware of touch, the sensation of the ribbed fabric grazing my skin and holding me in place. My indication that a tank top was something more than just a garment you throw on–like any ol’ shirt–came after that moment.

This is the kind of top you feel when you have on. Closer to swimwear in feel and texture, it provides the right balance of stretch and structure. That quality also gives it a more polished sheen that translates well to evening styling. Living in New York, I have put it through the wringer—running after the subway, riding a bike in chaotic Brooklyn, eating ramen with it on…you name it. Yet it is still the most forgiving and resilient tank I own.

The physical benefits are one thing, but the Nao tank top has also acquired cultural cachet and symbolic meaning that add to its appeal. Kai Collective being a fashion brand rooted in non-conformity (in subverting Western ideals of “appropriate dress”), every piece is imbued with a defiant sense of cool. Wearing Kai becomes this quiet act of resistance and self-assertion.

“There is a psychological element with Kai,” founder Fisayo tells me over email. “It has become part of a shared language within a community, such that it’s not just clothing. Wearing Kai is sending out a signal. It means you’re part of something, and that kind of belonging is powerful.”

(Disclosure: This is neither a paid or affiliate post. Fisayo gifted me and my sister our first tank two years ago, and we have since bought two more and influenced our sisters to do the same).

I write this as I’m currently wearing the white Nao tank, which feels fitting as Kai Collective came out with four new pastel shades today in honor of its decade in business. You will get 20% off when you use the code 10YEARS, so maybe see for yourself.

Ahead, see why the girls can’t get enough of the Nao tank (and Kai)—as told by four obsessive collectors, one of whom owns close to 10 Nao tops.

Alanna Doherty, fashion and lifestyle content creator

When did you buy your first Nao tank and how did you go from owning one to multiple?

I was lucky enough to be gifted my first Nao tank and loved it so much that I bought the green for me, and then gifted two others to friends!

What was your relationship with Kai before becoming a customer? (i.e. casual observer, longtime fan, obsessive shopper etc.)

I just looked back into my photos and I’ve been wearing Kai since 2019, so safe to say that I’m quite in love with the brand and everything that the team does. Around the time that I bought the tanks, I already had about 40 Kai pieces – a mixture of gifted and pieces that I bought myself!

How would you describe your style and how does the aesthetic of Kai fit within that?

I’m truly a maximalist and Kai fits perfectly into that. But I also think that’s the beauty of what Fisayo has created, specifically through the Nao tank—minimalists and maximalists can both fit the brand into their style.

Why do you think the Nao top has become such a hit? (Or: from your perspective, what about the current fashion landscape helps Kai stand out?)

Fisayo has managed to not only make her brand more accessible through pricing the tank but no matter your personal aesthetic, the Nao tank can fit within that. I’ve dressed it up, dressed it down, worn it the airport and also to shoot some fabulous maximalist looks.

Priced at $100+, many people view it as a luxury item. Do you consider it to be? Why or why not?

I’ve also heard this but on the other hand, the Nao tank is one of the more affordable items that the brand has made. So, for a lot of people who want to buy into the brand, this is the way they’ve been able to do that. When Fisayo created her current logo a couple of years ago she was really able to intensify the cult following that she’d built because now the brand was instantly recognisable and I think that’s what people love! Everyone loves walking down the road and seeing another Kai lover and they now know who the Kai customer is largely because of the success that has come with the tank. At the end of the day, it’s their most popular style to date!!

What does Kai Collective personally mean to you?

Thinking back I actually started my career full time at the same time that I started wearing Kai, so the brand has really been there with me throughout my journey which is quite special to me. It’s also a really versatile brand because when I first started wearing Kai I was wearing A LOT of black and was quite minimalist (if you can believe it) and it’s remained relevant in my wardrobe since then! I just truly love the brand and everything it stands for––being bold, loud and unapologetic.

Nesufu, Travel Content Creator and Brand Owner

When did you buy your first Nao tank and how did you go from owning one to multiple?

It came out early 2025 and I bought it within a couple of weeks of its launch as I was going through a style overhaul and always loved their pieces. The logo is bold but subtle and the colours speak to me. They [the tanks] are an easy staple in putting together outfits so buying multiple as they were released made sense to me.

What was your relationship with Kai before buying the tank? (i.e. casual observer, longtime fan, obsessive shopper etc.)

I couldn’t afford KAI a few years ago so I was an observer but as my life and income changed, I was following on social media and began to to see what pieces caught my eye, then they released the Nao tank and I bought it alongside the jeans that feature the same logo. After this, I’ve continued to be a frequent shopper of other items (I also have the long-sleeve version, both jean colours, shirts etc.). I’m definitely a loyal shopper, I could name 5 KAI items I would like right now, ha!

How would you describe your style and how does the the aesthetic of Kai fit within that?

I love bold colours and designs. I consider myself a maximalist who dips in and out of different styles yet keeping color as the center. I like pieces that make an outfit but also takes my thinking away so I can layer on other pieces, because the top speaks for itself, it is a recurring go-to. The Nao tank allows me to dress up or dress down an outfit depending on what I pair it with and how I accessorize that day.

Why do you think the Nao top has become such a hit?

It comes in a range of colours so there’s different vibes for different looks but it is simple and consistent that it can either make a look pop/be the center piece (if in a bright colour) or be a great overall finisher but not the star (white, black and brown). The logo makes it stylish without it being too in your face.

Priced at $100+, many people view it as a luxury item. Do you consider it to be?

I think it is a mid-range luxury [item]. I definitely couldn’t afford this a couple of years ago. I think colourful tank tops in general are great options for those that can’t afford these.

What does Kai Collective personally mean to you?

Being a Black woman-owned brand that focuses on bold colours, I feel confident wearing the clothes. Due to the social media presence and women noticing you are wearing Kai in public, it feels like I am part of a community of fashionable, confident women and it allows me to continue to stand behind my values of shopping Black-owned fashion.

Ayeyi Aboagye, lifestyle content creator

When did you buy your first Nao tank and how did you go from owning one to multiple?

I got my first Nao tank from a sample sale in 2024. I loved the simplicity of it but what really blew me away was the quality. The tanks are thick enough to hold you in yet lightweight enough to be comfortable and breathable. At the time the logo was kind of this IYKYK for the fashion girlies so it felt like a badge of honor and a signal to other women that you have good taste—even down to your basics. As the brand released more color ways, I knew I had to grab another! I now own 3 and I’m planning to grab a few more before summer. It really is such an IT girl item!

What was your relationship with Kai before buying the tank? (i.e. casual observer, longtime fan, obsessive shopper etc.)

I was definitely a longtime supporter of Kai, owning a few pieces before purchasing the tank. Most of their pieces prior were more statement pieces for occasion wear so this felt like a great low-lift way to rep a brand I love in more casual settings. It’s really become my go-to throw-and-go during the spring and summer and even layered during the cooler months when I want to look put together without putting too much thought into my outfit.

How would you describe your style and how does the tank (and the aesthetic of Kai) fit within that?

My style is colorful, elevated and effortlessly polished. I love to look glam and gravitate towards classic silhouettes in fun prints and colors. Kai’s aesthetic definitely aligns with my personal style. I love the bold colors that look phenomenal on my dark skin and they have so many statement pieces that you just know command attention whenever you walk into a room wearing them.

Why do you think the Nao top has become such a hit?

I think it signals style and taste in such a unique but powerful way. You don’t have to be a fashion lover or even a Kai fan to recognize the quality of the tank top when styled into an outfit. The contrasting colors, the mysterious emblem, these are eye-catching characteristics that definitely garner attention. I can’t even count the number of times people have asked me “what’s that logo on your chest?” which then leads to me introducing them to the brand. I think with it also being one of the more affordable items in the brand’s collection, it almost serves as an admission ticket to this ‘cool girls club’. It’s an easy way for people to buy into a brand that they love and admire!

Priced at $100+, many people view it as a luxury item. Do you consider it to be?

I definitely think so—it’s an elevated basic. There are a lot of factors that go into qualifying an item as luxury, price is one but quality is another. So while yes, the price is steep for a cotton tank, the quality is as well which I believe is exactly why so many people, myself included, keep going back for more!

What does Kai personally mean to you?

I think the brand does a great job representing the essence of the self-expression that a lot of us Black women carry. In a world where we often stick out for being unlike the standard, I think KAI serves to adorn that ‘otherness’ in a really beautiful way. Like if you’re going to notice me, you’re really going to notice me. It’s a brand for women who aren’t afraid to command a room, who aren’t afraid to take up space, and who aren’t afraid to be seen shining. It’s a brand for us, by us and that’s something I’ll always champion.

Sharon Umulisa, stylist

When did you buy your first Nao tank and how did you go from owning one to multiple?

I bought my first Nao tank in the summer of 2024, the first time it dropped. When I saw the campaign, I knew I wanted to own it. I wore the hell out of that tank from the day I got it until now, so I knew I would get more if they dropped other colors. Last year, during the annual sale I bought my second Nao top, it was the long-sleeve version. Then, in August or maybe earlier, they announced that they were selling the Nao tanks in bundles. I kept checking the website because I wanted to get them, but I was unemployed at the time, so financially, it wasn’t adding up. Then, I got blessed!

The founder, Fisayo Longe was doing a challenge where she was posting on TikTok everyday until Kai Collective hit 1 million in sales. She would style the tanks differently, it was fun. Then, in one of the videos she said she would give away the Nao tanks to3 winners, and I ended up winning and getting an extra 6 Nao tanks.

What was your relationship with Kai before buying the tank? (i.e. casual observer, longtime fan, obsessive shopper etc.)

I was a longtime fan. My internet friend posted a picture back in 2021—I believe—wearing the Gaia dress, which put Kai Collective on the map. I started following the brand from then. I loved all their drops and said to myself one day I would own something from them.

How would you describe your style and how does the tank (and the aesthetic of Kai) fit within that?

I like to describe my style as elevated casual. I love jeans and pants, that is what you will find me in most times and the way I elevate things as basic as that is to find cool shirts, tank tops, and jackets. And how the Nao tank fits in is that I LOVE tanks and I’m always on the hunt for the coolest ones I can find. Tank tops might be 85% of my tops collection. I feel like they make you look good without trying too much. You’re running out of the house but don’t want to look too bad, a tank and jeans will always do the trick.

Having different colors of the Nao tank is the best thing to happen to me. I can pack them for a trip and wear them and nothing else, and I’ll be fine and I’ll look good. I packed them for a vacation last year and wore them when I didn’t feel like trying too much, but still wanted to look great.

Why do you think the Nao top has become such a hit?

It is really good quality! I love tank tops but most of them get ruined within a year or so. The Nao tank doesn’t lose its stretch and it is really comfortable. I also think the logo adds to why its a hit. It is very unique and takes the tank to a different level. It doesn’t feel like a regular tank, the logo elevates it. It is also versatile, you can dress it up or down.

Priced at $100+, many people view it as a luxury item. Do you consider it to be?

I think the majority of people consider it a luxury and I get them. $100 for a tank is a lot, but as someone who has been on a hunt for good quality tanks, I have spent $36-$50 on tanks before, so it is not that crazy to me. I definitely think it is a luxury item. I view luxury in terms of quality matching the pricing, and the Nao tank fits in there. The quality is superb and I don’t know if it could be priced lower than $50.

What does Kai personally mean to you?

Kai Collective means a lot to me. I know it is a brand and its main purpose is to sell clothes, but to me it feels like it also provides confidence. It is a company that seems like it is always working hard to provide the best quality clothes, clothes that you will be confident, comfortable, and your best self in. It is not selling insecurity. It is a company that provides so much color to one’s wardrobe and so many unique pieces. Kai is very important to me, it is a brand that as long as it stands and I have money in the bank, I will be a customer.

Thank you for reading (and for being here, really)! If you have suggestions for the next cult item to feature in the series, please share your thoughts in the comments.

Until next time,

Shelcy

This will be my first year shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. These big sales events make sense for restocking old favorites (aka I never switch up my beauty routine), scoring that one piece that fills a big closet gap (as a recently converted button-down girl) or collecting accessories that will make every outfit feel new (true maximalist at heart!).

With my summer collection pretty much set (except one can never have enough accessories), I find myself gravitating towards early fall pieces from the sale. It’s somehow fitting considering the fluctuating temperatures we’ve seen in New York recently (it was a cool 70 degrees just last week). And as someone who doesn’t fully subscribe to the idea of seasonal fashion (outside of heavy-duty outerwear), I love blurring the lines whenever the weather allows.

This year, I have my eyes on a pair of bermuda shorts and a merino wool cardigan in moody plum and earth tones. I also have a newfound crush on button-down shirts in unexpected shapes or cool colors and patterns (a new development since Paris last month), and textured outerwear. For jewelry, I continue to gravitate towards expressive materials like beads in playful colors or belts that have a zesty bite to them. And last but not least, I share my beauty and skincare go-tos, products I’ve emptied and refilled many times over the years.

The sale is officially live and prices go up August 10th. Ahead, here’s how I’m thinking through what’s worth buying from the sale.

Clothes

COS Pleated Cotton Pants

Whenever I need to give my look some edge, I turn to the pair of beige satin culottes I currently own. I love that they’re generally lightweight but have some presence. This COS pair will be the second in my rotation; the color is stunning and the design looks breathable.

Caslon Stripe Cotton Poplin Button-Up Shirt

As a recently converted button-down girl, I’ve been looking to grow my collection but under one condition: it has to be either oversize, playful in print or color, or just weird (asymmetric or cut unexpectedly). I think this 100% cotton style will look great with the COS culottes; I’m also eyeing this one from Vince but it looks like a better fit for petite women.

COS Merino Wool V-Neck Cardigan

I heard the quality of knits from COS is solid so I’m curious about this 100% merino wool one.

AllSaints Clay Suede Jacket

When your jacket is (often) the whole outfit, you better give people something to look at. I love the idea of pairing this one with the COS culottes for a fun color and proportions play.

Accessories

When it comes to styling possibilities, accessories are truly the gifts that keep on giving. I don’t subscribe to the idea of seasonal jewelry so everything goes any time during the year for me.

ARGENTO VIVO Waverly Oval Pendant Cord Necklace

There’s something so nonchalant and boho chic about these pendant necklaces, I would happily collect them in all the textures and colors. My one rule though is not to overspend for what is typically some wax cord and gold plated jewelry, so this Argento Vivo number is one I can get behind especially for all the mileage I’ll get out of it.

BaubleBar Beaded Necklace

The more colorful the beaded necklace, the better! They are everything my maximalist heart could ever want. I also love having some grounding neutrals in the mix, like this Monica Vinader x Kate Young Tiger’s Eye Necklace.

Madewell Genuine Calf Hair Western Belt

If this summer had a theme, it would be the summer I discovered belts. Don’t they just make everything better? Zebra prints will continue to be huge in the fall and it’s not hard to understand the appeal–plus they’re surprisingly easy to style. Instead of being matchy matchy, I like to add a contrasting shoe or bag for a playful visual effect. Not surprisingly, this Melony belt is also speaking to me right now.

Nordstrom Set of 2 Medium Resin Bangles

Contrary to what media outlets recommend, resin bangles aren’t just reserved for summer. Imagine this set styled over the sleeves of a plum-colored sweater and bermuda shorts? Exactly.

Joiana Jewelry Willa Earrings

Vintage-inspired earrings are just so darling, and I love the oval shape of these!

Shoes

I don’t have big gaps in the shoe department; I’ve spent the past year building a collection I’m really proud of and it’s coming together well. There’s only one thing I could use and it’s this rag & bone Spire Perforated Mary Jane Flat. The perforation and gold hardware are what got me!

Beauty & Skincare

I’m simple when it comes to beauty and skincare. I swear by a small edit of brands and products, so a sale event like this is a great time to refill. Here’s what’s going in my cart:

Le Labo Santal 33 Eau de Parfum

If it has “santal” in the name, I want it. I love warm and woody scents for eveningwear and this one is a bestseller for a reason.

Charlotte Tillbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray Duo

The woman knows what she’s doing because this setting spray works! Best for that step between your concealer and bronzer.

OSEA Exfoliate & Glow Body Trio

OSEA hasn’t led me astray in my four years of becoming a consumer, so I will keep buying until further notice.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Discovery Fragrance Trio Set

Go ahead and judge me but I love MFK’s Baccarat Rouge 540 (and almost every other scent tbh, especially OUD).

Yves Saint Laurent Libre Eau de Parfum Gift Set

YSL’s Libre Eau de Parfum is my go-to scent for casual date nights.

Your turn: what are you eyeing from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale?

Until next time,

Shelcy

On the night of our arrival in Paris, our Uber driver put on a Haitian playlist and I sank deeper into my seat. It was an instant “I’ve found my people” moment, a warm welcome to a place that is always difficult for me to experience.

You don’t leave yourself behind when traveling. Packed in your mental suitcase is the totality of your lineage, histories and present-day experiences that keep you remembering. Past, present and future forever in a dance. I land in France and am immediately plunged into melancholy. The psychic wound of seeing dreams realized at the expense of former French colonies flares up again and again. Every moment of joy experienced with the ghost of possibilities stolen.

Yet against this backdrop, there is also beauty. Paris is grand, leafy, mythical and architecturally beautiful. I am drawn to this city where art, culture and leisure interact with daily life. Its appeal to the intellectually curious and those with hedonistic tendencies resonates with me. I may never be fully at ease (at least not until reparations are made), the wound is left open.

It was my second time this past June, and I enjoyed staying in Pigalle and later Montmartre where there’s greater diversity and a sense of openness to foreigners. Coming from the lavish wedding in Tuscany, our goal was to ease into the Parisian lifestyle. No packed itinerary, just a loose plan of making fashion, food and art part of each day. The only reservation we snagged was at Robert et Louise, a Bourdain-approved joint specializing in red meat and wood-fire grilling.

In our six days in Paris, I lived on the metro. I ventured into more than a dozen concept stores and vintage shops, wandered in 90-degree weather and took note of how Parisians dress for heatwaves. In the afternoons, my husband and I would get together for oysters and on one occasion, watch a World Cup game (Senegal vs France) before dinner and whatever the night had in store.

I still associate the taste of oysters with those balmy afternoons of indulgent wine buzzes. The smell of French cigarettes, the “Allez les Bleus!” chants, the crisp pitchers of beer, that sensorial satisfaction of being in a city pulsing with summer energy.

I will always remember the feeling of Paris in June. This guide is my attempt to relive these moments and hopefully inspire your next visit. I’ve narrowed it down to the absolute must-sees, which include a beautiful night at the Opéra Bastille, a visit to a gallery that specializes in contemporary African art, a “Black music only” club, and of course, delicious eats like a fish ramen spot worth going to even during a heatwave.

Note: Please rad this email on the app or browser for the full experience.

Day 1

Nuovo

Clean minimalist space that’s more of a quick browse than a long stay. You’ll find a mix of diffusion lines (i.e. Red Valentino) and French classics, like the pictured $550 YSL jacket and a good assortment of Chanel accessories.

Ofr. Librairie, galerie

Like Iconic Magazines in West Village, this is a cramped bookshop with a mix of cool fashion, design and lifestyle print publications you’re likely already familiar with, including Luncheon and Dazed. I’d say the service is classically Parisian, detached but receptive if called upon.

Nice Piece Vintage

Returning fan here, I always make it a point to stop by Nice Piece Vintage when in Paris. It’s one of the few boutiques that aren’t price gouging because they are true to this, not new to this. The owner Bonaventure (Kells) is a chatty Cameroonian French guy who’s been in the vintage business for 15 years. I was into his huge collection of leather belts, which were not only unique looking but also well-priced ($80-100 a piece).

I managed to only buy two and upon realizing that one of the belts needed adjusting, Bona took me to his go-to cobbler nearby. It was all really fun.

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It was only on this second trip to Paris that I began to appreciate the breadth of street style in the city. On my first visit in August 2024, I stayed in an apartment in the seventh arrondissement, where it seemed like everyone had the same red, white and blue color memo. This time, my husband and I stayed first in Pigalle then Montmartre, two neighborhoods with less affluence and conventional elegance but more counterculture sophistication and gritty energy. They are both magnets for young hipsters and bohemians who value style as a form of self-expression rather than an exercise in conformity. Upper East Side vs Bushwick if you will (generally speaking).

One of my favorite things to do when I travel to a new place is observing how the locals dress (see my Tokyo street style report). What are the trends that keep surfacing? How are they in relation with what I commonly see in New York? And what do they communicate about regional style and this notion of a globalized fashion look? Walking around Paris in June offers some perspective, and I thoroughly enjoyed reporting my observations from trendy and artistic neighborhoods, including Pigalle and Montmartre where we stayed as well as Le Marais, Bastille and some quarters in the seventh arrondissement.

With more than half of France’s regions currently experiencing a heatwave, the street style in Paris leaned heavily into flowy separates, balloon bottoms, and frilly textures. Take the girl pictured above biking in bright hard-to-miss harem pants or a guy walking around in a distressed fish net of a top. There were some seriously good styling ideas, and I love how people made these universal summer fashion trends their own.

More often than not, stories like “What people are wearing in [insert Euro city]” or “What to pack for your Euro summer” tend to focus almost exclusively on the white monoculture, which is a gross misrepresentation of who really drives the city’s pulse. I get into how this myopic view helps reinforce a singular and racialized notion of French girl style that is harmful to other groups.

Ahead, see how Parisians do heatwave dressing. (You will need to open this email on your web browser or the Substack app to view the entire message.)

Note: this post is obviously not inclusive of the entire city and is not meant to be a definitive guide to Parisian street style.

Early 2000s galore

Every vintage shop in Paris is selling Y2K right now (I’ll go into detail in the next post). So not surprisingly, I saw a lot of fun prints and bold colors, asymmetric skirts, capris, tiny shorts and more.

Classically Parisian

It’s streamlined, light on artifice and practical: Classically Parisian style was everywhere, naturally.

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I love being a wedding guest. My three rules for mastering the art of being a good guest are: follow the dress code, have a good attitude and be the last to leave the dance floor. Weddings are like prom for adults: people are dressed up and giddy, there’s love in the air, and everyone might hook up at the end of the night. What’s not to love?

My husband and I just attended a three-day wedding weekend in Tuscany, and it was nothing short of magical. We felt like supporting actors in our friends Adam and Mia’s love story, waking up for call time, steaming our clothes, doing glam, and reporting to the different properties of the venue—golf carts and mini vans at the ready. The event played out like a movie, an opulent affair made even more so by the elegant crowd and surreal beauty of the hotel, Castiglion del Bosco, which was exclusively reserved for the occasion.

This wedding was also special in the emphasis the groom and bride put on the dress codes. From the tomato-themed welcome dinner to the sendoff party where exaggerated millinery and headpieces were required, every event came with an elaborate mood board for both men and women. The expectations were clear: bold colors, vibrant prints, summery fabrications…anything that screams presence and soul (my favorite type of fashion). Could anything be more fitting for a Tuscan wedding? And did I mention black was a no-go at the wedding? Exactly!

While I loved the style challenge, I dreaded having to shop. Shopping for wedding-guest looks, like all shopping experiences of late, is more daunting than fun nowadays. I blame the marketing and editorial overlords who’ve turned “wedding-guest fashion” into a content gold mine, leading brands to flood the web with their entire dress and suits inventory so you can “RSVP in style.”

In the early days (T-minus two months), I went through the normal channels and scrolled through tens of sales pages on Net-a-Porter, Moda Operandi and FWRD. That didn’t do it: every dress I loved was either way out of my price range or made entirely of synthetics. So two weeks later, I moved to Vestiaire, Poshmark and TheRealReal where prices tend to be more reasonable but inventory unpredictable. At the same time, I revisited my saved folder of indie and minority-owned brands on Instagram. That did not quite pan out either.

With a growing case of browsing fatigue and the date fast approaching, I took a hard look at my closet and realized the welcome dinner dress was there all along. A yellow fluttery mini dress I’d scored on sale at the luxury outlet mall that I knew would make a strong first impression. With one of the dresses figured out, the search was looking up.

Three weeks out, I took matters into my own hands and hit up some indie boutiques and vintage shops in New York. I enjoyed going back to TUMBAO and discovering places like ROOME and Pilgrim Vintage but as it went, the styles lacked the sense of wonder I was looking for. I did however score the Sunday party look at 2nd Street Soho for $33.

In the end, I found my wedding dress on Pickle. My sister Chris (probably tired of my shopping rants) suggested I try the peer-to-peer clothing app where you can get a range of fashion pieces (including accessories) delivered in a matter of hours. I did not immediately fall in love with the Bec & Bridge dress I’d picked out. The color combo fell a tiny bit flat to me and the viscose fabric didn’t have the sheen occasion dresses typically do. But my hesitations went away when I put it on. What the dress lacks for in bold colors, it makes up in unexpected details and (most importantly) a sculptural fit. Needless to say, it was a crowdpleaser (the bride and groom personally complimented me each night).

This wedding felt different because it forced me to take a look at what I already own and tap into the circular economy. As time-consuming as the shopping process was, it felt gratifying to resist impulse buying, take different paths and consume slowly. I like that the yellow dress was already mine and I came away with a deeper appreciation for thrifting and apps like Pickle that provide the sense of novelty with the psychic reward of intentional shopping. It’s tempting to shop new for every invite but shopping vintage or secondhand imposes a slowness that is the antidote to our mindless consumption problem.

PS: Here’s what I mean by the “elegant crowd” by the way:

What Other Guests Wore to the Wedding

Until next time,

Shelcy

Buongiorno!

I write to you from our hotel in Venice where it’s warm and mostly sunny. My husband and I landed on Tuesday after a tedious weekend spent trying to attend to our normal activities while battling a very bad cold. But here we are now, the 61st Venice Biennale is on and breathing in the Mediterranean sea feels healing.

On our first day, I sat on a bridge over a canal and lost myself in the clinking of glasses and tipsy chatter of the locals and tourists around. Here I can gloriously live out the concept of “dolce far niente,” doing nothing but wander aimlessly, drinking copious amounts of wine and chewing chichetti while watching people spill out of bacaris, wine glasses in hand.

Needless to say: Venice has already charmed me.

This is the third edition of Market Log, where I highlight the books, movies, shows, podcasts and other media I consume. Despite my lapse in publishing this specific series, I have a lot to share. I’ve watched a record number of movies and documentaries so far (as my Letterboxd would tell you), made some progress towards my reading goal (6 books down, 30 more to go LOL), attended some great film festivals, and seen some good art. Here’s a very condensed summary of what I’ve watched, read, seen and experienced this year.

Some highlights:

• Screening of Freda during Lakay: A Celebration of Haitian Cinema

• Joe Turner’s Come and Gone on Broadway

• World premiere of The Tropic Sun and His Eyes at Tribeca Film Festival

• Screening of I Love Boosters followed by a Q&A with Keke Palmer, Boots Riley and Jeremy O. Harris.

Around Town

Lots of new shopping discoveries this month. Now that it’s warm in New York, I’ve been walking quite a bit, which means ending up at the stores I’d been meaning to check out and those I discover on the spot.

Fashion and lifestyle:

• Vowels – Very cool store concept merging literature with fashion. You can shop Japanese streetwear labels, make a research appointment and scan pages.

• ROOME – Y2K-leaning styles, mix of vintage and new.

• 313 Vintage – ‘90s minimalism and Rick Owens core come together.

• Pilgrim New York – If the ‘90s is your favorite fashion era, you’ll love this place.

• Lara Koleji – Fun shop with big-name vintage luxury finds.

• Y-Y New York – newly opened Korean-inspired (according to me) boutique.

• Silence Please – Japanese tea house for the audiophiles.

Arts & Culture:

Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

Taraji P. Henson was phenomenal in her Broadway debut. The playwright August Wilson tackles trauma in a deeply human way through the character Herald Loomis (played masterfully by Joshua Boone). This is a powerful reminder of the strength of community in the face of extreme hardship.

Seydou Keïta: A Tactile Lens

Oh to be a Seydou Keïta sitter in 1960-era Bamako! In step with the great Malick Sidibé, Keïta captured everyday people (primarily fellow Malian citizens) with dignity, creating a vivid record of the newly emancipated nation as it grappled with tradition and modernity.

Ideas of Africa Portraiture and Political Imagination

Seeing this shortly after the Seydou Keïta exhibition felt so right (not surprisingly, Keïta featured prominently in the show). Both exhibitions examine how African identity is constructed and personal agency represented in photography.

New York African Film Festival

I make it a point to attend a few screenings whenever the NYAFF is happening. This year kicked off at the Lincoln Center where I watched the 1983 gem of a documentary Caméra d’Afrique, chronicling the first twenty years of cinema in Sub-Saharan Africa. I also had the pleasure of hearing the director Férid Boughedir talk about his process and the making of the film. The Q&As are always the best part!

Lakay: A Celebration of Haitian Cinema

My sister Christy and her friend Abigail gathered a crowd at the Roxy Hotel last month for a two-day Haitian film festival. The theme was Lakay (creole for home), projecting a series of Haitian-made shorts and features that delve into experiences of displacement, alienation, and spiritual despair.

On opening night, we watched the movie Freda by Gessica Geneus, one of the greatest Haitian filmmakers working today. It was affirming in more ways than one. I get into why in the movies section below.

Tribeca Film Festival

On the topic of Haitian cinema, I put on a mask last Friday and headed to the AMC on 19th Street to watch filmmaker Elisee Junior St Preux’s feature debut, The Tropic Sun and His Eyes. It was beautiful! These two experiences in conjunction with the many Haitian events I attended last year signal that there’s something of a cultural renaissance happening, and this Haitian girl is here for it.

Food:

• Kin Ramen – Bring all your ramen-obsessed friends here. Rich broth and perfect noodle texture.

• Cocoron – If, like me, you occasionally get hit with a sudden, intense and peremptory craving for soba noodles…

On my TV screen:

Shows:

Beef

The acting is phenomenal and the storyline explosive, just how I like it. Sure the ending was cynical especially when compared to season 1, but it also felt real and of the moment?

Your Friends & Neighbors

I don’t know what John Hamm’s obsession with murder is about, but to me it took away from the narrative potential of the second season. The show, which trades in the vanities of the elite, would be better if Hamm explored the “eat the rich” theme to the fullest without making awkward detours into forced murder plot points (it’s not like the rich just drop dead in reality anyway). That said, his show is a delight; he’s a fantastic narrator and everyone’s acting is great!

Mad Men (rewatching)

Your Friends & Neighbors made me nostalgic for Mad Men, which I watched when I was way too young to fully grapple with the themes.

Funny AF with Kevin Hart

Don’t let that stupid roast overshadow the greatness of this show. It’s hilarious, well-produced, and the contestants are all, for the most part, professional comedians. I’m planning to see several of them live. They’re really that good.

Hacks

Great writing and genuinely funny characters. They leaned too much into Black culture for my taste this last season though (what’s with Deborah saying “y’all” or bopping to Glorilla’s Let Her Cook on The Breakfast Club?) It was cringe and unnecessary.

Movies & Documentaries:

A very abbreviated list of everything I’ve watched this year:

Losing Ground

Kathleen Collins’ study of Black women’s interiority here should be part of every film class curriculum.

Killer of Sheep

So the story goes: a father works at a slaughterhouse and struggles to provide for his family. Killer of Sheep is a mediation on the alienation of the working poor and an acknowledgement of their capacity to keep showing up. The movie is haunting not so much for what it says but for what it lets us read between the lines. Charles Burnett, you will always be famous!

Freda

Freda filled a void I didn’t know was there. Seeing Haitian people onscreen acting out their true, deeply funny selves was so affirming, I felt emotional. The movie explores the inner lives of Haitian women as they grapple with growing violence in Port-au-Prince. A beautiful watch.

The Tropic Sun and His Eyes

Set in Cap-Haitian, consider this a love letter to Haiti. The movie tells a heartwarming story about the redeeming power of family.

Jim Crow Goes to Haiti: The Forgotten Occupation

Not enough people know about the U.S. occupation of Haiti in 1915. Director Alain Martin is keeping the history alive with his deeply researched documentary that features previously unseen footage of this painful chapter in our country’s history.

I Love Boosters

I want to live in Boots Riley’s mind! His movies tend to take extreme detours into absurdity in order to make a greater point about our humanity, and I Love Boosters is no different. It’s a lighthearted, entertaining watch rooted in a simple truth: we’ve only got each other.

Sembène: The Making of African Cinema

From his first short Borom Sarret to his feature Black Girl, Ousmane Sembène has consistently delivered cinematic treasures. His movies are living documents of African history (particularly Senegal’s).

The Devil Wears Prada 2

Funny, nostalgic and excessive, I liked itl! Read my review here.

Orwell: 2+2 = 5

George Orwell’s premonitions are as relevant today as they were in the 1900s (unfortunately). I came out inspired to reread Animal Farm. The documentary director Raoul Peck doesn’t shy away from difficult topics or “complex” figures and I love him for that.

George Carlin’s American Dream

I don’t know that there are many documentaries made about comedians or their process so this was an inspiring watch. Carlin was a larger than life character whose class commentary still resonates today.

Palestine 36

When the movie ended, everyone sat in the theater for a second and sobbed. What a gut punch of a movie and an absolutely necessary watch!

My Father’s Shadow

A visual poem.

Tokyo Sonata

As you can probably tell by now, I’m really invested in how filmmakers narrate vulnerability within the context of strained family relationships. Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa does this masterfully here.

On My Book Shelf:

Kitchen Confidential - Anthony Bourdain

I often find myself grieving the tragic loss of Anthony Bourdain (that’s because I watch No Reservations or Parts Unknown at least every three months). In one such instance in January, I picked up Kitchen Confidential and enjoyed every word.

Here are just a few snippets I wrote down from his bitingly funny, colorful and raw language:

And I had my first oyster. Now, this was a truly significant event. I remember it like I remember losing my virginity—and in many ways, more fondly.

Unlike them, I’d actually worked in the industry—and I’d had sex with a woman.

To want to own a restaurant can be a strange and terrible affliction. What causes such a destructive urge in so many otherwise sensible people?

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies - Deesha Philyaw

Thank you to for introducing me to Deesha Philyaw (and getting me back to reading short stories)! This is a lovely collection about the inner worlds of Black women. If you read anything from it, make sure it’s “The Peach Cobbler.”

Downtown: My Manhattan by Pete Hamill

Downtown is poetic and rich in Manhattan histories, perfect for those who—to quote Hamill—have “the native son’s irrational love of the place [New York].”

Picked this up after watching the documentary about Pete Hamill and his best friend Jimmy Breslin, Deadline Artists, which I’ll recommend to any wordsmith or aspiring journalist.

Cécé - Emilie Prophète

I received this as a birthday gift and my interest was immediately piqued. Cécé tells the story of a girl who lives in an impoverished neighborhood of Port-au-Prince that is plagued by gang violence. To make ends meet, she decides to sell her body. This is a devastating read that fictionalizes the darkness that has befallen Haiti.

Capitalism and the Death Drive - Byung Chul-Hun

Just some light reading (kidding) from my new favorite philosopher.

Hooked - Asako Yuzuki

I’m grateful to the translator who brought us this clear-eyed exploration of friendship in the age of social media. Excellent character development!

The Paris Review
I became a subscriber this year. The “Art of _” series is excellent, a masterclass in interviewing.

Until next time,

Shelcy

🎵Hello, it’s me

I was wondering if after all these years, you’d still like to hear from me. 🎶

Writing this at my favorite bookstore café where there are currently only a handful of people. One girl is journaling on the couch (mood!) Two people are on a video call with no headphones. I’m sipping hot cocoa from my bar seat, occasionally glancing at the barista who’s reading a book with a bright blue cover.

Readers, I know it’s been a while. Between navigating my job’s return-to-office mandate and fighting the urge to spend every second of free time outside, I haven’t kept up with posting. In my notebook though, I have studiously been writing down random observations and musings, which is advice the late filmmaker Kathleen Collins gave to Howard University students during a masterclass in 1984. She said (and I’m paraphrasing), “As a creative, if you do nothing else, write down your thoughts. Keep your observations fresh as these will likely become material for future writing projects.” I highly recommend the full lecture if you’re not familiar with Collin’s beautiful mind! I will write about it as well as her seminal movie Losing Ground (which I saw at the Schomburg Center last month) in my next Market Log roundup.

In other news, I was quoted in this article about one of my favorite fashion designers, the inimitable Elsa Schiaparelli. “Schiaparelli can be considered a wild card in a good way,” I said. “She not only did away with all sorts of conventions, but she also added this element of fantasy into fashion.” If you’re in London, check out the Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art exhibition at the Victoria & Albert museum.

Today’s post is the fifth edition of Talk of the Town, where I aggregate niche fashion news, stories, rumors and fun facts you need to know. Today, we’re discussing the Bezoses’ new climate-related grants, Everlane’s sale to Shein and founder Michael Preysman’s PR stunt (sorry I mean the announcement of his new venture), Allbirds’ AI pivot, DVF’s appointment of Henry Zankov and more.

At the end, I’ve curated a list of noteworthy fashion exhibitions (like the Schiaparelli show above) and events to have on your radar (behind the paywall). Paid subs, let me know if you want more of these roundups.

What’s Everlane x Shein? Quince

I will be honest: I was a fan of Everlane in its early days. Or rather, I found the concept and marketing very appealing in 2016. They were early adopters of Snapchat (this was when Kylie Jenner was still with Tyga), using it to educate people on supply chain, material composition and clothing production. I wasn’t buying anything but I found myself tuning in to the show every Tuesday and Thursday to learn something new. While the goal was always to sell and convert viewers into loyal customers, Everlane—founded in 2011—made thinking about where your clothes come from cool.

But the promise of radical transparency was always doomed to fail because Silicon Valley cannot do good if it’s not first profitable. The drops became more frequent. The sustainability claims were entirely self-reported (similar to Reformation) and the quality of the clothes took a dip. I worked with them twice in the span of a year as a content creator and there is a noticeable difference in the pieces from the two collections (Chris and I still have everything from the partnerships). The decline in quality was apparent in the suffocating feel of a cropped knit cardigan and the itchiness of a cashmere sweater.

I’m guessing Everlane started aligning itself with the values of Shein long before there were any talks of acquisition, and that’s true of almost every DTC fashion brand that’s venture-backed or in the case of Everlane, private equity-funded. All fast fashion but with better messaging and imagery. Sustainability is simply antithetical to consistently delivering shareholder value and as capitalism is designed, overconsumption keeps the economic wheels spinning.

It’s hard to wrap my head around the events that led to Everlane selling out to Shein (for a meager $100 million at that). There must have been some serious internal dysfunction putting them on a sinking ship where the only lifeline was fast fashion’s final boss. What’s in it for Shein?

Everlane’s founder Michael Preysman is now claiming he didn’t know about the sale until the news broke out. How convenient that comes at the same time as the announcement of his new venture, Still Radical. We have no idea what it is but it will supposedly involve “no venture capital, no private equity.” The world doesn’t need another “radical solution” from a privileged white man but alas, here we are.

Say hello to NewBird AI: AllBirds’ AI pivot

Allbirds’ pivot does not really surprise me as I always thought their sneakers look AI-generated. Each shoe is so perfectly generic you’d think someone just entered the prompt “comfortable sneakers” on ChatGPT. It’s not that there isn’t a need for these shoes, it’s just that they already exist and people do not care to buy them from Silicon Valley.

It seems AllBirds has finally read the room (how the mighty have fallen from their $4B valuation) and embraced what they’re likely better at selling: tech. As I wrote in my post about our collective shopping malaise, businesses are worshipping at the altar of AI as it’s apparently the market sector currently driving the most growth. Whether this is all manufactured by all the big investments we’re hearing about or it’s the natural course of human history, the AI craze is here to stay, or so we’re told.

Diane Von Furstenberg’s next act

DVF the brand hasn’t had a great idea since the “invention” of the wrap dress (read my review of her documentary to understand the quotation marks). For a brand with so much lore, I always thought the marketing was lackluster—for one, they could’ve done an intergenerational campaign (shot by a major movie director like Balenciaga just did with Celine Song) with the wrap dress at the center of it all. If anyone from DVF is reading this, hit me up.

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If you were a working fashion editor when The Devil Wears Prada came out in 2006, you may be lamenting the industry portrayed in the sequel directed by David Frankel. Contemporary journalism is marked by career volatility and shrinking budgets, a story working writers know too well.

In a climate of layoffs and corporate greed, how do employees (and by proxy, institutions) meaningfully resist? Do they resign themselves to the decline of standards or fight to preserve integrity? These questions are central to the plot of The Devil Wears Prada 2.

Twenty years later, Andrea “Andy” Sachs (played by the one and only Anne Hathaway) returns to New York as an accomplished journalist. Her days at Runway are far behind; she gave up the job “a million girls would kill for” as Miranda Priestly (Meryl Street)’s assistant to pursue a career in writing. Luckily, the risk paid off: when we first meet her, she is getting ready for an award reception hosted in her honor.

Andy’s success isn’t necessarily the material kind: she lives in an average one-bedroom apartment, dresses in rather drab fashion (lots of gray loose-fitting pantsuits) and carries a black satchel many would consider old-fashioned. This is the woman we knew: humble, determined, motivated not by free trips to Paris as part of top editor perks but the opportunity to write. Things were going well until she suddenly found herself laid off, moments before accepting her award ironically.

One PR crisis and a surprise phone call later, Andy is back at Runway as a features editor—with twice her newspaper salary and a new apartment to match. Familiar faces immediately reemerge: Nigel (the wise art director played by Stanley Tucci), who is never short on tough love; the ever-sarcastic and mercurial editor-in-chief Miranda, who hardly remembers her; and Emily (Emily Blunt) is the magazine’s top advertiser as a Dior executive. The crew works to keep up with changing industry demands.

Whereas the original story delights with witty, meme-able banter and lighthearted drama, The Devil Wears Prada 2 delivers the same levity but with a dose of bittersweet realness. On many occasions we are reminded of the current state of media: print magazines are dying, digital is king, and understaffed teams are forced to do more with less. “I’m lucky if I get two days in Milk Studios to shoot content people scroll past,” Nigel says in one scene, reflecting on the days of creative latitude. Later in a meeting, he warns the team, “No more private cars. Uber only.”

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When you remember that the company is owned by H&M—the same H&M that shot, retouched and uploaded a photo of a Black boy in a hoodie imprinted with “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle”—it all makes sense. “Like father, like son” I suppose.

Speaking of, fashion darling Stella McCartney is apparently proud to be collaborating with H&M again. Reflecting on her decision to launch the first collection with the fast fashion retailer in 2005, she tells Vogue “It was a risk. But I’m not averse to risk.” I can only assume the check was worth the risk to her reputation as a sustainability advocate.

So much so she’s back for round two. Vogue mentions the “level of care that has gone into making every piece as responsibly manufactured as it can possibly be,” citing materials like organic cotton, circular viscose and textiles from recycled feedstock. That’s nice but Vogue doesn’t of course at any point press her to address the elephant in the room. How does Stella reconcile her preoccupations with the planet with her endorsement of one of fast fashion’s biggest offenders? Back then maybe it was about the money (even though she comes from money), but today with the backing of LVMH, what’s behind it?

On that note, this is the fourth edition of Talk of the Town, where I aggregate niche fashion stories, rumors and fun facts you need to know. Today, we’re discussing among other things:

• Anna versus Anna (why that Vogue cover is actually iconic)

• The Chanel shopping craze (and what it says about taste and consumption)

• Luxury fashion’s Q1 results

• Media news flying under the radar

• Old Navy x Christopher John Rogers

Old Navy x Christopher John Rogers

The marketing is lackluster (it would’ve been better if they had casted real people) but the collection is fine—not great but not as terrible or cheap-looking as people are saying online. It’s exactly on par with the quality you can expect from Old Navy or CJR’s former collaborator (Target). What most people don’t realize is that these are diffusion lines, the toned down version for those who don’t do capital F-Fashion. Old Navy is for the people so you will never get the arduous design thinking or material engineering often manifest in a designer’s main line.

While I think CJR’s aesthetic is a more obvious fit for GAP (imagine the sick denim work they could do together), GAP is doing just fine so there is a greater need to boost the Old Navy business.

The Chanel shopping craze

Although I like Mathieu Blazy’s Chanel, I can’t help but feel it has become peak Tastecore. The writer describes it as a “version of taste that is almost entirely a matter of consumption.”

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Francis Pierre Laborde is marching to the beat of his own drum. The Haitian designer whose viral handbags caused quite a stir at the Grand Bazaar flea market last November (with more than 600 people eyeing his very limited supply) is not succumbing to pressure. “It can be very overwhelming,” he said over a video call. “At the same time, I just want to block out the noise and keep on creating.”

This heightened visibility is new to Laborde, who has spent at least two decades crafting his vision, doing various unfulfilling stints in fashion—one of which included designing custom wedding gowns—before starting his own line. Through trial and error, he honed his signature design codes: compact shapes, lightweight hardware and an unrestrained use of color and prints “Coming from Haiti, color is everything to me. I just want people to feel empowered to wear it.”

Success did not immediately materialize. The early days at the bazaar were hard, with Laborde remembering many instances of going home without having sold a single bag. Still, he kept showing up, offering the kind of human attention and personalized experience his customers still know him for. A decade later, his handbags are in such demand, they’ve been dubbed the new birkins.

On our call, Laborde looked surprisingly relaxed for someone who’d spent the previous months at his Harlem workshop, cutting, painting and stitching leather pieces day and night. Warm, conversational and at times paternal (he gave me a pep talk at the end of the call), he exuded the kind of self-assuredness that comes from an unwavering commitment to the craft. Sure, he’s been relishing the newfound attention but it hasn’t changed his principles.

Today, with a massive following, a popular waitlist and long bazaar lines, Laborde is planning for the future. Ahead of his relaunch, we discussed how he’s navigating his newfound fame.

PSA: The Pierre Laborde website will open TODAY at 12 PM. Set a reminder and come back to shop the new collection here.

This interview happened on February 27, 2026. It’s been slightly edited for clarity.

First of all, how are you? What have the past few months felt like for you?

It can be very overwhelming having all these things coming at you at once. I used to do my own thing in my own corner and all of a sudden…It’s been great because I’m so appreciative and because I’ve been doing this for a long time.

I went to school to become a clothing designer and then I worked in the industry. It’s a tough industry to be in: you work hard and the treatment is not great. I felt like the work didn’t live up to all the time I spent studying—unpacking boxes from China, working 12-hour days, and yet you make no money and there’s no respect. I asked myself, “Is this what I have to do to become a designer?”

I decided I couldn’t do it anymore so I started designing gowns for people. It’s a lot of work and while it’s what I loved doing at the time (it was like couture, meaning I put a lot of time in), I don’t think people understood [all the labor] so it financially wasn’t worth it. With fast fashion now, you have all these places people can go to for a $10 dress. You can even get a wedding dress for $200 or less. I didn’t think this was good for me so I went back to school at FIT for accessory design.

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It’s no secret that shopping has felt more like a chore than a pleasurable activity lately. Nowadays, you either have to settle for what someone on Twitter called “expensive mediocrity,” travel to far-flung places where quality is still the standard, search long and hard for indie brands doing it right, or have your alerts on for new drops on the secondhand market. When did it become so hard?

I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve felt genuinely happy (and satisfied) as a shopper in recent years:

• My recent trip to the outlet mall

• When I discovered Mexican handbag designer Gabino Barrera

• Weekendin’ in Mexico City

• Bazaar day in Senegal

• My first time in Japan

The outlet trip aside (I knew exactly what I went in for), each experience revolved around things made with intention, with a focus on craftsmanship, quality and reasonable prices. It’s rare to have the kind of experience that checks all these boxes when engaging with mainstream fashion today. Enter our shopping malaise.

If you want to understand why the experience of shopping feels so dreadful, you just need to follow the money. I read the “State of Fashion 2026” report by BoF last week, and it quite clearly laid out the forces playing into our shopping malaise. While it came out last November but the take-home message is as relevant as ever. And today’s post is a contextualized summary of these takeaways with examples of how they are playing out.

While we’re on the topic, I will be in conversation with Valentina Pozo (owner of the fabulous concept store TUMBAO) at NeueHouse on Thursday, April 9. The name of our new talk says it all: Why Does It Feel Like There’s Nowhere to Shop Anymore? Valentina (we’re on a first-name basis) was a guest at one of my fashion talks in 2024, so this will be a nice follow-up to our conversation about the state of fashion retail. Except this time, we will both be interviewing each other.

Come hang out with us!

The outlook:

Tariffs

They’re being felt! So much so that more than 1,000 companies sued the U.S. government in January for refunds on duties paid. These include familiar names like Prada, J.Crew Group and EssilorLuxottica.

Earlier this month, a federal judge ruled that these companies are indeed owed refunds (time to pay back some of those $133 billion the Treasury has collected since December).

Slowdown in consumer spending

High fashion prices are driving aspirational consumers away. As a result, they’re buying into less expensive yet still culturally relevant, often non-tangible goods imbued with social cachet. Enter: the wellness boom.

Increasingly, people are spending more on wellness instead (read: America Now Has More Spas and Gyms Than Stores Selling Actual Stuff). As a result, fashion brands are expanding into the hospitality space in troves. Some recent examples:

• The Kith Ivy Club. Where Soho House, Equinox and Erewhon meet. Accessible to those who have $36,000 lying around.

• Alo Yoga (which has been on a quest to luxurify itself even more lately) opened its first wellness house in Los Angeles last fall, bringing all its lifestyle-oriented services (ice baths, massages, workouts etc) under one roof.

• Since the choice is now between a Dior bag and a membership at the local wellness house, Dior opened its first permanent spa in New York (in the basement of its 57th Street flagship store).

• Just last week, Kendra Scott announced the opening of Beau’s Bar (the brand’s first foray into hospitality), a Western-inspired cocktail lounge inside their Nashville Yellow Rose Store. Come for the vibes and cocktails, leave with a jewelry set for your wife just because.

The Kendra Scott bit is interesting because the jewelry business (both high and low) is thriving. According to the report:

Strong volume demand in jewelry is expected through 2028, driven by consumers’ desire for lasting investments and self-expression alongside a rise in self-gifting among both men and women. In fact, 42 percent of women and 35 percent of men report buying more jewelry for themselves than two or three years ago.

The AI craze continues

If your boss has been name-dropping Copilot a lot more lately, it’s because companies no longer consider AI a competitive advantage. It has now become a business necessity. This not only impacts internal organization (layoffs, restructuring and whatnot) but also the way customers shop. Chatbots are becoming the new customer service and SEO; as companies catch up, you’ll soon be able to lean into your friendly AI assistant to recommend products and compare prices across sites.

Where this leaves shopping in 2026:

• Compute all the risks of our current geopolitical turmoil and you get a very confusing, volatile “yesterday’s price is not today’s price” fashion landscape. Supply chains will have to keep up with all the trade and shipping disruptions, which means….before you ask…that prices will keep going up. About 45 percent of executives in North America told BoF they plan to increase prices by more than 5 percent “in an effort to offset tariff-driven input cost increases.” Sure.

• Chinese consumers are spending less overall, giving rise to promising new markets across Asia.

• Fashion shoppers will keep being smarter about quality and hopefully more conscious of where they purchase from. I’m not holding my breath though because I hear the Willy Chavarria x Zara collection sold out on launch day.

• Businesses are worshipping at the altar of AI. Companies like Pandora and Zalando are already using it for personalized product assortment (Pandora) and image generation for product pages (Zalando). AI has become a strategic partner across marketing, finance and merchandising, helping with things like managing cost pressures, projecting growth, gathering real-time trend data and more.

• Sustainability has (unsurprisingly) been de-prioritized even as consumers keep applying pressure. Zara’s appointment of John Galliano just set us back decades.

As a result, companies’ key business priority is:

Retaining customers. They see the slowdown in spending and decreasing consumer confidence as the biggest risk to growth.

**from the BoF report

How this is playing out:

• Real life is the new luxury. We’ll keep seeing brands going into campuses to be part of the next gen’s graduation or prom. You can also expect to see more of them curating live experiences like book clubs, fashion talks, cooking classes…you name it.

• Loyalty programs are the new community play. No wonder GAP recently revamped its Encore Membership Rewards Programs, with benefits that range from exclusive invites to their Coachella pop-up to discounts on movie tickets and concerts.

• Resale will continue to keep pace with retail. According to the report, the global secondhand apparel market is expected to reach $317 billion by 2027. Fun fact: Asia has become the largest and fastest-growing market.

A troubling new development: The rise of the AI Shopper

**While the trend has not quite taken off, companies have quietly been building up their AI discovery capabilities so that consumers can make purchases directly through chatbots. E-commerce is moving from being mobile and social-first to AI-enabled but there’s more…the next iteration is agentic commerce, or the process by which autonomous AI agents (which you’ll train with your own data and inquiries) will transact on your behalf with no input needed from you. What a time to be alive!

**from the BoF report

This is all to say, it will get worse before it gets better. The major forces will continue to play out (skyrocketing prices, a complete disregard for sustainability and AI-led output) in addition to our hyper-consumerist trend-driven market and the the generic interchangeability of most brands. It’s what keeps the engine running so it will be up to us—the individual consumers—to dig ourselves out of the hole. We can follow the example of people consuming less, focusing exclusively on secondhand, or saving their hard-earned dollars for indie designers that are pushing against the grain.

Zooming out: good, equitable and fair fashion still exists (and is in fact thriving) in small networks across the world—particularly in Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa. The challenges in the report can seem like a first-world problem, but they do have ripple effects on the rest of the world, especially as far as labor and the environment are concerned. This is why there is so much advocating for modern fashion to find its way to the old days of craftsmanship and “fair” practices (although I fear we are way past that). It’s overwhelming to think about the way forward but I do want to stay somewhat optimistic, and at least in the meantime, do my part to uplift those still operating with a moral code.

What are your thoughts on the current state of shopping? What trends are you noticing across retail? Drop me a note in the comments.

In the next post, I hang out with Taehee Park at her showroom.

Until then,

Shelcy

I am excited to share that my next guest for Story Time is !!! I was so fortunate to come across her work in late 2024 and it didn’t take long for me to reach out. Our first hang was an illuminating two-hour convo during which we discussed everything from books to the political moment. Tembe is a gifted storyteller, an author and a wealth of Black cultural knowledge (her newsletter Extracurricular should be required reading, btw). I can’t wait to experience her brilliant mind again!

She will join me in the flesh on Sunday, March 29 for a reading of one of her favorite short stories, Shape-Ups at Delilah’s."It’s one of those stories I read whenever I need to see intimacy on the page and Black love and Black life in its specificity." - Tembe said.

You don’t want to miss this one. RSVP here 💌

And now for the main event…

Note: you will need to read the full email on the app or in your web browser.

Some people’s happy place is Disneyland, mine is the luxury outlet mall. I love the thrill of the hunt, the promise of finding my wish list items on sale. It’s not so much that I’m a “luxury consumer” as I’m a fan of good original design. No, I don’t want Zara’s poorly constructed knockoff; I want the original dress I saved on Vogue Runway and I’ll wait for it to go on sale. It could be because I work in fashion but I know too much as a consumer (plus, I don’t have an unlimited budget) to allow myself to get played by these silly retail prices. And knowing where fashion houses dump their excess inventory is enough to get me to leave my house at 9 am on a Saturday—after an exhausting work week—to hop on an hour-long bus ride.

So there I found myself two weekends ago, sleep-deprived yet feeling energized by the thought of what’s in store. After almost a year of checking on my wishlist saves and nervously waiting for prices to drop, I took matters into my own hands. It was time to make real progress on my closet rebuilding project.

In this post, I’m taking you on this daylong adventure, hour by hour. Behind the paywall I’m sharing:

• Where I went and what I bought (with receipts)

• Where the best deals are

• The types of discount you can expect (i.e. at Bottega Veneta, Jil Sander, Tory Burch etc.)

• A shopping disconnect at Ferragamo

• Tips for a better shopping experience

• The name and location of the mall

AM Chronicles

9:30 am: I hop on the L train after waiting 8 mins (it’s the weekend). The train is pretty packed. I have a bus to catch at 10 am. Will I make it? Putting all my faith in the MTA right now.

Most people are wearing sweats and puffers. I did not think the weather called for it. I’m in a pair of jeans, a light funnel-neck jacket layered under another (leather) jacket. Yikes.

9:39 am: I’m scrolling Instagram instead of listening to the Are We on Air? podcast episode with Nobu Matsuhisa. There’s a viral video about an alleged creep and stalker (who’s famous in entertainment circles) and his weird parasocial relationship with Connor Storrie. I look up his account to see if there’s a response. None (as of March 14).

9:42 am: At Union Square. I can feel my cortisol level rising 📈

9:46 am: At 8th Ave. Let’s hope the A train is running normally.

9:48 am: Luckily the A is right there as I pull up. It’s emptier than the L. There’s a cute little family who dressed their little girls in Nike Air Jordans and embellished jeans.

9:56 am: I made it, three steep flights of stairs later. Panting but I link up with my sister Chris.

10 am: The bus leaves on time. It’s at 40 percent capacity, a mixed crowd of young and old couples, a couple girl groups and the one sister duo.

10:46 am: The bus breaks down on the side of the road. The driver is asking Siri to call somebody for help?? This might take a while. *checks Uber*

11:01 am: The bus starts back up. Everyone claps. We are so back.

11:15 am: We made it. Perfect timing as there’s barely anyone here. The famous Mean Girls quote comes to mind: “Get in loser, we’re going shopping!”

But first: fit check

11:25 am - First stop: Bottega Veneta

There are only four people inside but the older male greeter gestures for us to wait…..in the 30-degree cold. It was only a minute though but still :)

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Happy Friday!

I love the Twitter discourse around Gucci. As always, Demna is the man for sparking cultural conversations. I’ve come to the conclusion that he’s at the stage of his career where his collections are interesting not for their design genius, but for what they communicate sociologically. And this is why I decided to revisit my first impression of Gucci (scroll to the “At Gucci, fashioning archetypes” section).

This post is a recap of my observations from Milan and Paris Fashion Week. Did anyone else notice the weird dog collars at Fendi? Or the drop waists at Chanel that riffed on sagging pants? This was a strange season but there were also some great things (like Dries, Tom Ford and the accessories at Dior). I get into those eyebrow-raising choices, my favorite runway trends and a rapid-fire reaction to the top shows. Without further ado…

See also: The new working woman wants to inject feminine energy into the office.

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The big themes:

Back to black

There was a noticeable color regression across the board. The few instances of it were either reduced to “accessory pops” (i.e. Celine), washed out (i.e. Prada) or toned down in places where you’d least expect it, like at Balenciaga, Gucci and Bottega.

You could see it as a sign of the times or fashion’s gradual return to conservatism and Eurocentric tastes. No wonder it all felt like a drab déjà vu but in the midst of it all, Valentino’s rich palette, Chanel’s fanciful colors and Dior’s delightful confections felt like welcome breaks.

Speaking of Dior…a new kind of “florals for spring”

This collection is what I’ll now be thinking about when fashion editors say “florals for spring.” Dare I say this was Jonathan Anderson’s best work so far at Dior? Although he’s a brilliant conceptual artist, his execution has on many occasions weighed down his woman with excess volume or shown a total lack of sensuality…but this Dior collection was different.

It felt like a spring outing and I love that it wasn’t. I think we could all feel a renewed confidence in his abilities. Suddenly Christian Dior’s passion for flowers translates into dreamy decorative volume miniskirts and the Bar Jacket gets a flirty peplum treatment (these ideas could’ve easily gone south in the hands of a less capable designer). After the prolonged monotony of Maria Grazia’s Dior, this collection by Anderson tastes like the best palate cleanser.

Shopping fatigue at Prada

For fall 2026, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons’ proposition was simple: less stuff, smarter dressing decisions. Continuing their exploration of women’s interiority (though this is mostly Miuccia’s purview), they cast just 15 models, who modeled four layered looks throughout the show.

It was an interesting commentary on material excess and “Marie Kondo-ing” your approach to dressing. The designers leaned into the idea of a wardrobe that goes the extra mile, but the biggest irony is that they ultimately presented more…stuff. Some of it came from the archives, sure, but it still begs the question: how can designers truly inspire slow consumerism when they constantly bombard us with newness?

At Gucci, fashioning archetypes

At first I thought Demna’s first Gucci collection was a lazy pastiche of The Best of Tom Ford, with clothes that were half as well-made. Then I saw the styling references to Black culture…

Of all the luxury brands, it’s safe to say that Gucci culturally resonates the most with the strivers and outcasts (let’s start with its relationship with hip-hop). These are people who have either achieved success in ways society frowns upon (i.e. drug dealers, scammers, strippers etc.) or those making it happen by way of “fake it till you make it” (i.e. rappers, etc.). Demna codified that earnestness then turned us into the judge of these archetypes. Were his characters, with their irreverent attitude, asking to be seen? Or were they actively rejecting preconceived notions of who belongs and who doesn’t? The answer matters only to us, the voyeurs.

If the men were “particularly vile looking” as a certain biased fashion journalist put it, it’s because they defied established laws of propriety. Which prompts the question: Do the clothes become less desirable when they are worn by certain groups of people? Ever the provocateur, I believe Demna was forcing us to confront our tendency to cast judgment on people who don’t fit the mold. As Rian Phin said in this video, it was about “feeding our addiction to the dialogue between the ways that we make ourselves and the audience that we believe is watching.”

This is what made Gucci so brilliant.

Things that made me go “???”

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Puerto Vallarta is fairly busy in early January with troves of tourists, expats, day-trippers and cruising gay men. (Zona Romántica is very much the West Village of Puerto Vallarta, with plenty of gay bars that give it its reputation as a safe LGBTQ+ destination). On our last full day in the city, my friend Alanna and I headed downtown to visit a local craft market. For fashion girls with a special inclination for shopping abroad, it was the perfect plan.

We arrived at the tail end of the market, anxious to make the most out of the 30-or-so minutes we had left. As we rushed through the remaining shops, hastily trying on a set of handmade necklaces in one place before the vendor put them away, we locked eyes with a set of shiny crochet accessories hanging at the nearby stall, Gabino Eco Purses.

My heart skipped a beat. Paco Rabanne chainmail shoulder bag, is that you? I thought as I ran over. Only what I saw was even better, a gleaming collection of handcrafted bags made with recycled beer bottle caps. It was all honest work, designed not with the help of an assembly line but the handiwork of Gabino Barrera, whose brilliant idea has created opportunities for himself, his family and his community.

I think fondly of that afternoon in Puerto Vallarta, the time I spent watching Gabino (first-name basis since we’re WhatsApp besties) and his wife make alterations to my bags, undoing stitches and putting them back together to achieve my desired handle length. I also loved seeing his daughter partake in the action, all smiles as she snapped photos of me and my friend on her phone. I’ll always remember their warmth and willingness to engage with my earnest Spanish. These moments feel so removed from my usual shopping experiences in New York: the quiet browsing, the sterilized decor, the laconic exchanges and the maddening focus on “in and out” service.

In an era of arrogant luxury (a term coined by the fashion critic Jeppe Ugelvig), of outrageously priced leather bags stitched together with hot glue and vibes, I’m glad honest businesses like Gabino’s are quietly thriving. Their presence is crucial to our sense of imagination. “In my family, we always recycle so I loved the idea of giving a second life to things,” Gabino said.

Read on for my conversation with Gabino, who shared his story in Spanish. No ChatGPT was used in the translation process xx

PS: If you love this story, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. I removed the paywall as I believe more people should know about Gabino’s business.

How did your family get involved with the business and why is it important to you to make it a family affair?

Something I learned about my family is that we’ve always done things together. I used to help my dad with his ranch for example. He didn’t work for a company; the ranch was his and my mom’s legacy.

With this business, I love that I get to work with my family. We can all be together as we work and there’s no need to leave them at home or have someone else watch them. There are currently 16 of us working from home, which is very convenient. My children have grown up and are now in university. I’m very proud of them and they will help me modernize and further grow the business.

Was there a part of you that was consciously tackling the problem of waste when you chose to work with recycled materials?

Not exactly because when I first started selling things, I had no idea where this would go. But in my small hometown, recycling and giving things a second life is a way of life. We had an awareness of our footprint and shared a sense of responsibility for a cleaner, less polluted planet. Currently in my house, we have windows made from recycled glass bottles and a retaining wall built with recycled tires.

My handbag business kept growing and still is because of the strong support of my clients. In fact, some of them collect the raw materials and donate them to us. We receive a large part of it as gifts.

Let’s go back to the beginning…How did you start making handbags and what inspired the idea?

The story began the morning of February 14, 2002. I had just finished an overnight shift at Pepe’s Tacos as a waiter and delivery man. I was on my way home when a car hit me while riding my Honda motorcycle and it caused a fractured femur in my left leg. It was very difficult to get surgery because I didn’t have social security so they transferred me to Guadalajara. I went back to get my job after but it wasn’t the same. I ended up with a job as a dishwasher and the pay was much lower.

From that point on, I decided to change my life. I quit that job and tried to get others but they didn’t work because I was limping. After some time looking, I started selling fruits at Los Muertos Beach where I learned to make hats with coconut palm leaves, which I also sold. I cut them from the mountains then assembled them at the beach. I also learned to make grasshopper iguanas out of palm leaves and decorated the hats with those.

One day while I was working at the beach, some tourists asked me if I knew who sold a specific type of bag made out of candy wrappers. I told him yes and went looking for my friend Don Chuy, who lived in the same neighborhood and whom I had previously helped make the bags. I started selling them for him because he was very busy just producing the bags, which were very labor-intensive. I later learned how to make them myself, and this is how I started making these bags—first with magazines, newspapers, and chip wrappers.

And how did you start working with recycled materials?

One day at the beach, while I was selling in front of Hotel Los Arcos in Puerto Vallarta, I saw a tourist who had a very particular bag. It got my attention because it was really different. I asked her where she bought it and she told me that style was very popular in Brazil. Her bag was crocheted with a small line of recycled aluminum bottle caps. I then had the idea to make a bag with the same material (soda cans) because I already knew how to make bags with recycled papers and candy wrappers, and I thought I could do something even more innovative with recycled materials. In my family, we always recycle so I loved the idea of giving a second life to things.

The first bag I made was very square and it had no lining, inside pockets or closure. I remember selling it at a restaurant and the funniest thing is, a man bought it and told me, “You’ve got something in your hands!” He said I could explore different colors, shapes and sizes and get inspired from fashion magazines to add lining and zippers and further innovate. I thought the feedback was really inspiring, especially coming from a man.

After creating a few designs and seeing that my customers really liked them, I kept making more bags. This was 15 years ago. Over time, the clients started gravitating towards the bags made from aluminum bottle caps. They would ask me if I could make them a fanny pack, backpack or something that could carry their laptop, and I would make them. I still do a lot of custom work.

What was your professional background before this?

Growing up in Catemaco, my paternal grandfather visited us every year. When I finished high school, he invited me to study in Zihuatanejo [a city on Mexico’s Pacific Coast, northwest of Acapulco] where he lived. I enrolled at CONALEP Plantel 027 and learned computer programming. I started working in tourism soon after but there wasn’t a lot of business, so after listening to many people visiting from Puerto Vallarta, I moved there in 1998 in search of a better life. I immediately loved having access to the rivers, mountains and sea.

My first job was in construction for a few months while I looked for something else. I didn’t know anyone. I also worked a few months at the Walmart chain in Mexico, Sam’s Club. When I thought it was time for a new path, I looked for something related to my career and found a job at a cybercafe where I worked for two years. I really liked it because I was also learning English.

After meeting my wife, I decided to make another change and worked as a waiter and food delivery man. I first worked at a Chinese restaurant and later Pepe’s tacos, which was the time when the motorcycle accident happened.

How hard is it to turn the materials into these beautiful bags?

The production time can take up to two weeks. The can tabs go through a purification process that removes any residue that can damage their shine. Luckily it’s easy to work with these materials because they don’t require drilling, cutting or painting (depending). Each piece is ready to be used. There is so much you can do with them too—lampshades, wall art, belts, jewelry, accessories, baskets…even a roof for a patio.

Tell me about your clients…

Puerto Vallarta is a cosmopolitan city and because of this, you’ll come across a variety of cultures and people from all over the world. As such, a large percentage of my clients are foreign tourists. They will buy a bag that will make a splash back home, and some will come back to tell me about how much people are into them. So they’ll buy more for their friends, it’s fantastic!

What is your long-term vision for the business?

Today, the bags are shipped to Australia, Russia, Germany, the United States and they also sell in four boutiques in Puerto Vallarta. But the idea is to bring this product to people everywhere! I am also working with local farmers’ markets (like Olas Altas) as well as tourist destinations such Marina Vallarta, La Cruz de Huanacaxtle and Rincón de Guayabitos.

I would also love to teach workshops and online classes to people with an interest in recycled materials or want to start their own businesses. I am always open to new ideas and projects.

If you’re ever in Puerto Vallarta, tell Gabino you read this! In the meantime, you can also get in touch on Facebook or WhatsApp to order custom styles.

Until next time,

Shelcy

Happy Sunday friends! I hope my fellow New Yorkers are staying safe and warm with the blizzard.

This is the third edition of Fashion News of the Week, where I aggregate niche fashion stories, rumors and fun facts you’d like to know. Today, we’re diving into the legacy of Tyra Banks (we all know one), the launch of ELLE Africa, Aritzia’s random Fred Segal acquisition, and more.

But first, on Diotima at New York Fashion Week:

When I first saw Diotima’s new collection, scrolling through Vogue Runway with no context so as to form my own opinion, I felt myself resisting it. Between the somber color palette and austere tailoring reminiscent of WWII fashion, it struck me as a depressing departure from her previous work. The textural whimsy and lightness of past collections were suddenly replaced with a severity that did not sit well with me.

Then I took another look, noticing on closer inspection the recurring art prints on several dresses and skirts, and started to wonder. More clarity came from researching the show and my perspective began to shift.

The recurring art motifs at Diotima directly referenced the work of Cuban painter Wifredo Lam, whose craft he described as “an act of decolonization.” Lam was famous for his opposition to fascism and his circle of friends and collaborators included likeminded critics of Western imperialism such as Aimé Césaire and Édouard Glissant. Three of Lam’s most representative paintings, ”La Jungla,” “Femme Cheval” and “Omi Obini” featured in the Diotima designs. As a longtime admirer, Rachel Scott collaborated with Lam’s estate to construct her collection, imbuing it with an anticolonial sentiment.

The collection may have felt solemn but that was on purpose. While most New York designers opted for willful ignorance, insulating themselves from the current political climate, Scott put us face to face with reality. There was historical continuity in the way her silhouettes recalled the warlike atmosphere of the ‘40s. We are at war, they seemed to say, how will we resist injustice?

Fashion can be frivolous but it can also be meaningful. Scott’s strict tailoring and sober colors were not, as I feared in a moment of paranoia, an exercise in sanitized luxury but a statement of consciousness. A reminder to care.

And now for the main event:

The Wang Contemporary Opens its Doors in Chinatown During Lunar New Year (not linking as this does not need more amplification :))

Nobody’s buying it, except the editors who are paid to believe it. Alexander Wang could just apologize for a start, but here we are. I will give it to Mr. Wang though, he is a wily opponent!

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ICYMI: NYC friends, I am hosting a live reading this Sunday with my brilliant friend Nneka Julia. If you love Black women’s stories, this one’s for you 💌

Continuing my shopping series Why They Bought It where I investigate the cultish appeal of fashion items.

Years ago, I launched a TikTok series to document the ubiquity of the Telfar Shopping Bag in Brooklyn. The idea came to me while I was attending a conference in 2022 and spotted it on the shoulder and wrist of almost every attendee. Aunts and uncles, daughters and sons, influencers and normies (just kidding)—Telfar’s vegan leather tote resonated with people of all demographics, and it functioned as an icebreaker as they waited in line for the food truck or passed each other on the way to the next workshop.

I knew right then that these people were part of a subculture, a secret club with its own admission ticket. “It’s Telfar’s world, and we’re just living in it,” I cheekily captioned my posts.

The Telfar Shopping Bag, also known as the “Bushwick Birkin” launched in 2014, attracting fanatical support and reaching instant cult status. Here was this relatively unknown Black-owned brand with a hit product (retailing at the time for under $275 no less) that gives luxury bags a run for their money. No one saw it coming; as writer Brontell Purnez puts it for Dazed, “It was an authentic come-up, a weird cultural blip that inspired a sense of hope.”

Hope for a more inclusive definition of luxury, akin to Virgil Abloh’s “It’s not or, it’s and” design philosophy. Hope for an ecosystem where Black founders can thrive without negating their values or alienating their core customers. Hope for a new guard of brands achieving success by subverting the traditional system.

Telfar Clemens, who launched the brand in 2005 and still owns 100 percent of the business, embodies this optimism. His steadfast commitment to building an inclusive universe, as his motto “Not for you — for everyone” reads, has earned him a permanent place in not only the hearts of his loyal customers but our collective cultural memory.

“No designer working today understands better than Mr. Clemens that fashion functions as a sign of community and identity,” Vanessa Friedman writes for the New York Times. “He built his empire his way, transforming a logo into a not-so-secret password to a world that defines luxury not as a sign of material success, but as being seen.”

Even as I am not the target audience for Telfar’s bags, I am genuinely rooting for the brand. The Shopping Tote may not speak to Shelcy the shopper (although they’ve gifted me a large one from the UGG collaboration that I have used when traveling), but it speaks to Shelcy the cultural observer as a symbol of access and community. So of course, I sought to interview a few people who obsessively collect them. Ahead, see what these three loyal fans have to say about their prized Telfeezy.

Kaylah Harden, Fashion Content Creator in Philadelphia

When did you first buy a Telfar bag and how did you go from owning one to multiple?

My very first Telfar was actually a gift from my mom! I fell so in love with it that I started doing some research on what the brand was all about. When I discovered the Telfar mission statement “it’s not for you - it’s for everyone” I fell even more in love. With luxury brands you always feel a sense of exclusivity. And I get it: you need a level of unattainability to attract customers but there was always this slight sense of “I don’t belong” when stepping into a luxury store. Telfar didn’t have that; they made it clear that this brand was for anyone and everyone. It felt like a warm hug. So with that and the fact that the bags are so versatile that they go with everything—plus owned by a fellow Black New Yorker—I had to get more!

How hard was it to get your hands on them? Tell us about the process of securing them.

Sometimes I genuinely got lucky and sometimes I had to swallow that hard pill and go to a reseller. I remember when they were doing a pop-up in Brooklyn at a store called Rainbow. I stood outside in the pouring rain, freezing, just for them to run out of bags! Luckily the people running the pop-up were so kind that they shipped bags to all those who weren’t able to get one (you needed to have proof that you were in line, of course!). But that was probably the most intense process I’ve gone through to get a bag.

How would you describe your style and how does the aesthetic of the Telfeezy fit within that?

I can’t really describe my style as one thing. I dress pretty differently depending on how I feel that day. And I guess you can say that relates to the aesthetic of Telfar as well. There are so many different styles now like the duffle bag, circle bag, shopping bag etc. There’s a bag for anyone with any style.

What do you think makes Telfar bags so special? And why do you collect them?

I collect them because it represents just how far you can go as a Black creative. It’s a reminder that despite the hardships and biases from the world, you CAN succeed as a Black artist. Also Telfar is the kind of brand that welcomes you with open arms. There’s no judgement, or sense of “superiority” like with other luxury brands. So I collect because I genuinely support the message and artist behind the bag.

What should shoppers know before buying Telfar bags?

Honestly before you go to a reseller, try eBay! And for all the students, the medium shopping tote is the perfect size for a school bag.

Elizabeth Marquis, Fashion Content Creator in NYC

When did you first buy a Telfar bag and how did you go from owning one to multiple (if applicable)?

I bought my first Telfar in 2020, and less than a month later, I bought my second one. I bought a small then soon realized I needed a medium to carry all my things on a daily basis.

How hard was it to get your hands on them? Tell us about the process of securing them.

Getting the first few felt like the Olympics! I set multiple alarms for when I knew my colors were going to be in stock. The bag security program definitely came in clutch and relieved the stress in securing all of the colors and sizes I want.

How would you describe your style and how does the aesthetic of the Telfeezy fit within that?

My style is very minimal and timeless with a bit of a trendy twist. I think I love my Telfar bags because the silhouettes are very classic and understated, and the branding isn’t too in your face because the logo is monochromatic.

What do you think makes Telfar bags so special? And why do you collect them?

I love the versatility of Telfar bags. There are so many colors and sizes that I have a Telfeezy for every occasion. Telfar is so intentional with their collaborations as well. It never feels like the brand is collaborating just for the sake of it, and they all feel in line with the brand.

What does Telfar personally mean to you?

Telfar defies what I’ve always viewed as the “rules” of luxury. It’s really nice to see a brand that isn’t founded on exclusivity. I’m also Liberian, so it was super impactful to see Telfar design the country’s Olympic uniforms.

What should shoppers know before buying a Telfar bag?

Have a use in mind before you buy! If you plan on carrying your Telfar out for errands, to work, or on a trip, really pay attention to the sizing information. I was gagged when I got my first small tote and it couldn’t fit my phone.

Devine Blacksher, Creative Strategist in New York

When did you first buy a Telfar bag and how did you go from owning one to multiple (if applicable)?

I bought my first Telfar bag circa 2019. It was the green mini shopping bag with the short straps, before the crossbody versions existed. From there, it just naturally grew into more. I liked how cute and expressive the bags were, so adding more colors and sizes just made sense.

How hard was it to get your hands on them? Tell us about the process of securing them.

Back then, it was pretty quick and easy. I ordered it online and it arrived shortly after.

How would you describe your style, and how does the aesthetic of Telfar fit within that?

My style is very free and mood-based (shoutout to Rihanna!). One day I’m in a tracksuit and ballet flats; another day it’s a sexy top, silk skirt, and Vans. Telfar fits into that because it’s just as versatile; it comes in different sizes and a full spectrum of colors, so it moves with you instead of boxing you in.

What do you think makes Telfar bags so special? Why do you collect them or keep them in rotation?

When I first got my bag, what stood out was how seeing someone else with one immediately created a sense of connection. There was an unspoken bond. I love the large shopping bag for traveling, and I rotate my minis when I’m going out or don’t want to carry much. It’s an iconic bag with real cultural lore behind it, not just hype.

What does Telfar personally mean to you?

It still represents access, community, and feeling seen without needing permission. Even when you don’t have the words for it, the bag says something.

What should shoppers know before buying a Telfar bag?

Don’t sleep on the clothes. The bags get a lot of attention but the full world is worth exploring too.

Until next time,

Shelcy

“Every morning brings us news from across the globe, yet we are poor in noteworthy stories.” - Byung-Chul Han, The Crisis of Narration.

Happy Black History Month!

I am in community with many people who are at risk of unfairly being deported. To say I’m angry today is an understatement, but I find that rage is only helpful when channeled into a force for good. At home and in my group chats, conversations are happening. I am furious but I refuse to give into idleness. Mutual aid links are circulating; small actions are being taken; we’re reading and reflecting on how to fight this moment. It’s something—anything helps. Just ask the people in Minnesota.

The protests and organizing efforts in Minneapolis will go down in history as one of the greatest displays of collective resistance in the U.S. since 2020. From the businesses that have transformed into shelters and donation centers overnight to the networks of neighbors taking shifts to report that agency’s presence in their neighborhoods, this is hope. We are drowning in gloomy headlines, but these stories are light. As the saying goes, “Darkness cannot drive away darkness. Only light can do that.”

I’m leaning into stories and community to cultivate hope and sustain collective action in this moment. I took a break from hosting events last year to come back more intentionally in 2026, and we are so back!

A special documentary premiere

My sister Christy has been working on a personal project since last spring, a documentary that is like “a virtual hug to the 350,000 Haitian immigrants across the country who are currently bracing for deportations,” she says.

“We’re Here” will premiere tomorrow, Monday, February 2nd, in East Village. I have 10 tickets to offer to paid subscribers who are interested.

I wrote her film blurb:

“We’re Here” follows a group of Haitian immigrants who grapple with uncertainty as the Trump administration announces the end of their 15-year Temporary Protected Status in the United States.

The film documents a diversity of perspectives, from working-class families to educated professionals, challenging immigrant stereotypes and capturing their reality as it’s being altered. Urgent, illuminating and heartwarming, this intimate documentary is an ode to immigrants around the world, whose sense of home is always under threat.

Doors open at 7 PM and the screening will start at 7:30. I will be interviewing Chris about the film afterwards. If you’d like to attend, just reply to this email.

A monthly reading series

This month, I am kicking off Story Time: Reading the Greats, a monthly series where I’ll sit down with a fellow reader to hear and discuss one of their favorite stories.

On Sunday, February 15, will join me to read Peach Cobbler, a short story featured in the book The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw. “It explores the performance of piety in Black girlhood, food as language, and how we stop generational cycles of behavior,” she told me. “I interviewed Deesha a few years ago about the piece, and it’s only gotten better with time.”

After the reading, we will further explore the text with guiding questions. Nneka is a brilliant storyteller and I can’t wait to experience her mind.

I owe the event idea to the fantastic New Yorker fiction podcast. Listen to the episodes where Edwige Danticat reads Zadie Smith and Junot Díaz reads Edwige Danticat.

I hope you will join our inaugural event in two weeks.

RSVP here 💌

Coming up next: Why They Bought It: Telfar’s ‘Bushwick Birkin.’

Until next time,

Shelcy

It might be cliché—a pre-packaged belief sold by late-stage capitalism—but there is psychic power in giving voice to something. Manifesting, if you will. It’s like that long-awaited exhale during yoga, after which your neck and shoulders start to relax, your chest feels lighter and you become more intentional with each breath.

I used to be superstitious about manifesting out loud but to hell with that fearful attitude! Who cares if my goals don’t happen when I want and like I imagined them? From here on out, I’m approaching it like Kelli in Insecure, “Thriving in abundance…Limitless.”

Besides, dreaming is fun! And at the very least, by sharing this post, I’m opening the door for like-minded people to find me. 🧘🏿‍♀️🔮

So allow me to dream out loud here. Sharing five of my manifestations for 2026 ahead.

Get weird with my style again

In 2021, a girl I was interviewing described my style as “normcore chic.”

It sent me spiraling.

Normcore?

The words hit me like a punch. She was right: in that time, my style had indeed strayed from the mood board. Combine the casualness of my then remote job with the frequent influencer gifts I was privileged to receive, and you get a formulaic rotation that still signaled intent but felt nothing like me. Convenience replaced my usual spirit of experimentation and my regular style morphed into a muted minimalism I did not recognize.

(Note: there is nothing wrong with normcore style. It’s just not me. I love rich colors, embellishments on everything, unexpected cuts and details, tactile clothes—things that feel alive! Normcore is the opposite of that.)

As I shared in my Style or Consumption post, I have since been on a spiritual quest to regain agency over my style. And lately, it’s become this little devil on my shoulder that keeps whispering “Be weird”. Weird as in brave. As in quirky, eccentric or nonsensical at times if that’s what it takes to pull off an idea in my head. Back to experimenting, unexpected layering and color matching, growing my vintage collection and most importantly, having fun!

All this to say, I’m manifesting more Diotima, Maryam Nassir Zadeh, Zankov, Nia Thomas, Ferragamo, ALAÏA, vintage Roverto Cavalli and Dries Van Noten in my closet asap.

Get hired as a red carpet correspondent

People LOVE my red carpet reviews on Instagram Stories. Since I started posting them in 2022, they’ve become my most watched and “engaged with” content on the app. This says something given the reality of the algorithm. Turns out, I love analyzing what celebrities wear. There is so much to glean from their presentation, it’s a thrill to read into it. I know I’d make a fun red carpet correspondent so I’m manifesting the gig this year. May the right opportunity find me!

Launch a limited-edition print magazine

They say print magazines are a dying art but in my library, the supply just keeps coming. I have a problem: I cannot stop buying magazines (Vestoj, MacGuffin and Apartamento are some current faves). They are such a labor of love—requiring a level of intellect and discernment—I have great appreciation for the work that goes into them.

It would be a dream to create my own printed zine someday. I see it as a natural extension of this newsletter and a fun opportunity to work with cool talented, travel the world to capture stories and immortalize them on a page. Someday!

Master the art of the dinner party

In all my years of hosting events, I’ve come to realize that dinner parties are my favorites. There is just something irreplicable about the intimacy of gathering friends around shared plates, carving out a few hours to unwind, talk freely and be in each other’s company. It’s an ephemeral experience that, when done right, can imprint itself on your memory forever.

I’m a hopeless romantic when it comes to that stuff! Chris and I had the pleasure of hosting our first-ever branded dinner in partnership with Campari last spring, and I’m manifesting more opportunities like this in 2026. The hope is to partner with other culture-forward brands that get it and flex my creative director muscles (I’m tryna be on Care of Chan’s level hehe.)

Go on a solo trip

It may be because I watched Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross but lately, I’ve been feeling this intense urge to go on a solo trip. I crave that kind of solitude, the freedom to move at my own pace and be alone with my thoughts for an extended, uninterrupted period of time.

I think it’s time. I’ve put it off for too long and I’m ready to experience this spiritual rite of passage. If you’ve done it or have suggestions for where I should go, please drop me a line! My friends have suggested Portugal, Costa Rica and Spain so far. I’m honestly open to wherever, including the States!

It will be fun to revisit this post a year from now. I’m happy I shared it with you all.

What are you manifesting for the new year?

Until next time,

Shelcy

Happy 2026!

Mentally, I’m still in Puerto Vallarta with my friends but alas, work is back and—on the bright side—so is Market Appointment! Today’s post is a curated itinerary of my recent weekend in Miami, featuring the usual mix of art, cool vintage shops, vibey bars and tasty food.

I always knew I liked Miami but I had never quite registered its cultural depth until recently. The last trip felt different, less about vegetating at Soho Beach House or partying in South Beach and more about engaging with other facets of the culture. From visiting Little Haiti to catching a contemporary art exhibition, I began to experience and appreciate the Caribbean and Latin influences that give Miami so much vibrancy.

Dear Miami, I’m sorry I underestimated you!

But first, let me get these fits off:

A note on Aya Muse: Not a fan! As good as it looked at my friend’s wedding, the price did not match the quality. Chris's dress was also from them and we both complained about the flimsy fabric and poor construction.

My skirt collection is coming together slowly but surely. I thrifted this one from Dana Foley last month.

I bought this top in Mexico City and am quite obsessed with it.

Where to stay:

Arlo Wynwood

I’ll take boutique hotels over large chains any day, and the Arlo in Miami lives up to expectations.The rooms are on the modest side but the hotel staff and amenities (rooftop pool, lobby café + lounge spaces) more than make up for it. Did I mention we only paid $200 a night. Amazing value!

Where to shop:

Capsool

Sleek showroom-style vintage shop with a sassy co-owner Arthur (he’s French lol). You’ll find some good gems at Capsool. I’ve been on the hunt for an old fur coat and was tempted to buy the one pictured but wasn’t feeling the shape of the shoulders.

I was surprised by how I much I liked these SHY shoes though. I don’t typically do mid-calf boots but I love how the sleek silver heel and snake print patches blend a city girl sensibility with a cowboy aesthetic. I plan to style them under barrel-leg jeans but I’m also curious to see how they’ll look with a skirt or pair of jorts. Stay tuned, this experiment might warrant its own post.

Umalu Vintage

This is where I’ll shop when I’m in the “$5,000 Roberto Cavalli fur coat” tax bracket, but I loved trying on things and meeting the owner. It’s a haven for Y2K lovers–lots of early 2000s Dior, Dolce Gabbana (yuck) and of course, Roberto Cavalli.

Where to see art:

Pérez Art Museum Miami

The museum boasts a sprawling architectural space and a fantastic collection of artworks from primarily African-American, Cuban and Brazilian artists. I discovered my current artist crush, the Haitian sculptor and painter Woody De Othello, here.

Where to eat:

Takeloroko

No-fuss Mexican food truck with very good al pastor and lengua tacos. The ideal late-night bite if you slept through dinner or after a long flight (there’s one conveniently located near the airport).

Uchi

Chris and I came here with a couple girlfriends and loved the atmosphere. It’s an artsy restaurant with really inventive Japanese dishes.

Ossobuco

Delicious cocktails. Sexy design. Scrumptious meat plates. Save this reservation for the last night!

Red Rooster Overtown

Savory collard greens, creamy shrimp and grits, ribs and salmon cooked fresh on the grill–yes please! The weekend buffet brunch at Red Rooster Overtown is where it’s at, combining the best of a New Orleans cookout with the delicacies of a beach city.

I’ve also partied here on a Saturday night when the upstairs lounge turns into an afrobeats club. Immaculate vibes.

Chez Le Bébé

I’m convinced Haitian food is the best in Florida. How can it not be when it’s warm all year long? We’re island people after all!

Our visit to Little Haiti started with a proper breakfast: a plate of mayi moulen (grits) and legim militon (stewed vegetables) and another of bannann bouyi (boiled plantains) a ze (scrambled eggs). Eating at Chez Le BéBé feels like coming to any Haitian elder’s home: our love language is food so there will be plenty of that, cooked with love and shared with care (and humor).

Where to catch a vibe:

Dante’s HiFi

At Dante’s HiFi, Sundays are the new Fridays. Rotating DJs spinning Latin music, living room-style lounge with seats and a dancing area, I loved everything about it.

Barcelona Wine Bar

After walking around Wynwood, we settled for a night cap at this cozy little wine bar. Great choice!

The White Elephant Cocktail Bar

We heard Amapiano playing and walked right in. A good place to pregame on your way to the clurb.

Your turn, spill your best-kept Miami secrets in the comments!

In the next post, I’ll share my five manifestations for 2026 (inspired by my friend ’s recent post).

Until next time,

Shelcy

Hi friends! Hope you all had a lovely Christmas break.

I spent it with my family eating plates of griyo (fried pork) served with bannann peze (plantains) and diri kole a pwa (rice and beans). I also got to check several movies off my watchlist, including Marty Supreme which the fashion press can’t stop raving about.

Who doesn’t like a feel-good tale of hustle and “can’t stop won’t stop” ambition in New York City? As we watched Marty Mauser (played by Timothy Chalamet) go to extremes for a chance at becoming a ping-pong champion, the film delivered on the kind of gritty, dizzying yet ultimately gratifying entertainment we’ve come to expect from director Josh Safdie (who’s known for Uncut Gems among other movies). It was also very stylish, shot and rendered mostly on 35mm film, in the signature A24 style.

What was also enjoyable is the earnestness and verve Chalamet brought to his character. He took us on a wild tour of the psychology of Marty Mauser, who is at once witty, mercurial, determined and wily. You could just feel Chalamet’s intense commitment to the bit, and his performance was convincing for the most part.

Much of the media praise has merit but the movie was too long and the plot too convoluted to be a total knockout. It took too many gratuitous detours into the unresolved conflicts of Marty’s life, making me lose sight of the premise in the process. It would’ve done well to borrow from instant classics like Whiplash or Tár for their singular focus on craft.

On the topic of good entertainment, No Other Choice was so much fun to watch! The perfect movie for the late-stage capitalist nightmare we have yet to wake up from. I’d love to hear your thoughts on either of these movies.

Anyway, I’ll be spending the week here in Puerto Vallarta celebrating a friend’s birthday so this will be my last newsletter of 2025. I could not let the year end without revisiting my old predictions and start to speculate on what’s next.

Thank you for all your support this year! There are now more than 3,000 of you (pinch me). I’m excited to bring you more stories and start hosting events again in 2026. Have a happy new year!

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Top 5 Most Read Market Appointment Stories of 2025

I’m taking notes: you my readers like a mix of reported stories, niche deep dives and personal style anecdotes—according to the five posts you engaged with the most this year:

1. From Tampa to Paris, the Politics of Doechii’s Paris Fashion Week Debut

2. Style or Consumption? What My Favorite Outfits Say About My Personal Style

3. Made in China, Finished in France?

4. An Ironic Guide to Duping Ethically

5. Why They Bought It: The Chopova Lowena Carabiner Skirt

The year of the Caribbean designer:

An outcome of 2025 I’m personally happy about is the increased recognition Caribbean designers are receiving on the global stage. Grace Wales Bonner at Hermès? Chess, not checkers! Rachel Scott at Proenza Schouler? Exactly! Here are just some of the big wins:

• Daveed Baptiste Wins the Second Empowered Vision Award

• Rachel Scott Named Proenza Schouler’s Creative Director

• Hermès Appoints Grace Wales Bonner as Creative Director of Menswear

• Pierre Francis Laborde: The Harlem Handbag Maker Who Creates a Frenzy With Every Drop

2025 Predictions, Revisited

Fast fashion is so in right now, but don’t call it fast fashion.

Quince is a prime example of the great fast fashion rebrand. The “Amazon of fashion and lifestyle” retailer has spent big bucks to bring their $50 cashmere sweaters to market and make people believe they’re the better alternative. They’ve also flooded Google search and podcast ads (From The Journal by WSJ to one of my favorites Philosophize This), which serves to associate them with things of high caliber. The last straw for me was when they got LVMH to agree to sell Dom Pérignon on the platform...

I was being sarcastic when I wrote “Babe wake up, fast fashion is aspirational now” in January but Quince and Zara took the concept and ran with it. Zara is still the final boss of this movement but clearly, everyone is sharing notes.

Other predictions:

1. Fashion embraces Substack

What happened: A few fashion brands joined (Balenciaga, The RealReal, problem child American Eagle and Madewell for example) but it hasn’t reached critical mass and their content strategies feel like a rehash of their emails/social posts so there’s nothing noteworthy there.

You know what did make a big splash though? Celebrities joining Substack! Charli XCX, Lizzo, Kamala Harris and Doechii all made debuts that have sparked conversations on the app, Twitter and Threads.

That said, brands are spending big dollars on Substack and you’ve seen their sponsored posts in your favorite newsletters. Among the top fashion spenders, I count Sézane, Madewell, J.Crew and The RealReal. Who else have you noticed go big on Substack?

2. Luxury gets serious

What happened: Some serious creative directors were put in place, and they have the potential to bring elegance back to the runway instead of the tired meme fashion we’ve had to endure.

Louise Trotter at Bottega. Michael Rider at Céline. Pierpaolo Piccioli at Balenciaga. Julian Klausner at Dries Van Noten. Grace Wales Bonner at Hermès. Rachel Leigh Scott at Proenza Schouler. AND lest we forget, Matthieu Blazy at Chanel! These are strong appointments that are actually based on talent and brand affinity.

We might finally be moving away from recycling star designers (eye rolling Gucci) in favor of fresh (or more serious) blood, even if it’s still that of white gay men. I’m hoping 2026 is the year we’ll see Martine Rose appointed at a luxury house and in general, more women of color stepping up to fill big shoes in Paris and New York.

3. Resale competes with retail on a larger scale

What happened: Increased retail prices (owing partly to Trump’s tariffs) apparently drove more people to seek out secondhand options, inadvertently boosting the resale economy. Lots of retailiers saw record numbers in Q3:

• eBay reported quarterly revenues were up 9% YoY, totaling $2.8 billion.

• The RealReal reported a 17% YoY increase, totalling $174 million.

• ThredUp reported quarterly revenues of $82.2 million in November, a YoY increase of 34%.

This Retail Brew article dives into the other factors that might’ve have contributed to it.

4. Americana is cool again

What happened: Big sigh.

I will point you to ’s brilliant series on American fashion and fascism as well as ’s latest dispatch on how The Right hijacked “hot” to understand the implications of this shift.

2026 Predictions, according to fashion and design historians

A few of my friends shared their thoughts on what you can expect in 2026":

Dr. Elizabeth Way – Curator at The Museum at FIT

My “prediction” is that the worlds of Art and Fashion will continue to collaborate and find increasingly exciting ways to create in-person products and experiences in 2026, from co-branded products (make-up, bags, etc.) to exhibitions like Art X Fashion at MFIT (my show!) and the Met’s Costume Art.

Jonathan Michael Square – Founder, Fashioning the Self

I’ve noticed a styling trend on the runway and among the RHOBH set in particular: wearing Hermès Kelly and Birkin bags deliberately left undone. It feels like the rich white lady equivalent of slinging a backpack over one shoulder. I think it’s meant to communicate insouciance. “I don’t rub shoulders with the hoi polloi. I live in such a bubble that I don’t worry about security.”

This is not necessarily a positive trend in my view, and it’s wildly impractical for most New Yorkers. Can you imagine leaving your bag undone on the subway?

Tida Tep – Creative Director at Tidal Magazine

In 2026, design will move away from hyper-polished aesthetics and toward craft and imperfect oddities. Hand-drawn and hand-made details will be highly regarded, and visible creative processes like sketches, research, iterations, and even failures will feel more meaningful. I think this proof of process will become signals of care, intention, and humanity.

In the next post, I will share my itinerary from a recent weekend in Miami. This city has a lot more to offer than South Beach, as I began to experience.

Happy Holidays!

Shelcy x