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How Kobe Bryant’s First Stylist Changed His Off-Court Play — Andscape

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Stylist Paige Grant I first met Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant on the opening of Phillipe Chow in Beverly Hills, Calif. It was 2009, and the restaurant’s opening coincided with the Lakers cover. Looking back, Geran said it was a pivotal moment for each of them.

“He was going through a transformation,” Geran recalled. “When he went from number 8 to 24, I wouldn’t say he transformed (into himself), but he did transform. He started taking more pictures and going outside.”

Geran had been working with Bryant’s team before the Philippe Chow meeting, normally on small requests. For example, when the rapper Lil Wayne was performing in Los Angeles, and since he was Bryant’s favorite, Bryant wanted Lil Wayne to wear his jersey. Geran delivered the jersey to Lil Wayne’s team.

When Geran connected with Bryant on the opening of the restaurant on his cover, the Lakers star desired to add the stylist to his roster. As his team built a rapport with Geran, they began working together. She would style Bryant from 2009 to 2011.

“It took him a while to get going at first because for him, having a stylist was really confusing,” Geran said. “They were wondering how it would even work. They knew he needed someone, but there weren’t many players who had stylists at the time.”

The biggest change has been working with designers to create custom-made garments which have the Lakers star’s proportions. “Designers now often cater to players’ athletic builds and shoe sizes,” Geran said. “(Designers) are smart now. They’re creating ready-to-wear that players can wear because working with athletes is a gold mine.”

And working with Bryant was easy. “He was incredibly detail-oriented, and as his primary stylist, so was I,” Geran said. “He said, ‘This is your thing. This is my thing. If I know basketball, you know fashion.’” Bryant didn’t offer much guidance, but then he wasn’t into suits.

“He was a lover of high-end luxury, like custom leather jackets and jeans,” she said. “He just wanted to look good, but he didn’t want to spend a lot of time on it. He didn’t like fittings at all. So I had to master the art of being a mad scientist when it came to measurements and measurements.”

Geran describes working with Bryant as unconventional. Typically, a stylist would map out a month’s price of looks for an athlete, but with Bryant, Geran met with him weekly handy over the outfits.

“My collaboration with him was somewhere between slapstick and drama,” she said, describing the handovers. “You had to catch up during the week. I actually had to go to the rehearsal center. I would go to the plane and hand him his stuff if he had trips. I would go straight to a private airport, which is completely unconventional, and, again, he didn’t do fittings.”

Designer Paige Geran says working with Los Angeles Lakers point guard Kobe Bryant was “somewhere between slapstick comedy and drama.”

Paige Grant

One moment Geran remembers is when designer Tom Ford’s personal tailor got here to try on Bryant for Tom Ford suits. Bryant, who was at a physician’s appointment, wanted to fulfill with the tailor immediately after the appointment.

Bryant never knew what he would wear on game day until he opened Geran’s bag. She created an off-the-field style for Bryant that was somewhere between a fresh tackle old Hollywood’s classic suiting and the elevated wardrobe adopted by footballer David Beckham, who traded in baggy pants for slimmer, more tailored silhouettes.

“He’s like, ‘Hey, do you think he can meet me in the parking lot?’ I’m like, ‘No, he’ll think we’re crazy. Can you go back to the rehearsal room?’ He’d be at the Staples Center at a concert and he’d be like, ‘Paige, I’m really cold. Can you bring me a jacket?’ And I’m like, ‘Staples Center?’”

“At that particular moment in the NBA, that was the style,” Geran said. Before they began working together, Bryant wore huge Gucci suits or sweatpants, so Geran enjoyed watching him blossom and embrace fashion. Through Geran, Bryant found his style and continued to slot in a strict dress code for athletes introduced by NBA commissioner David Stern in 2005, created after the 2004 Malice within the Palace brawl.When Adam Silver became commissioner after Stern left in 2014, he gave players more freedom.

“You had to wear collared shirts, or you had to wear a suit, depending on the team, if you were traveling,” Geran said. “But all those rules are gone now. The NBA and fashion have collided. It’s a really industrial business for the players and the NBA. So that modified all the things.

“If you walked into the world before the sport in a tracksuit, you bought a $10,000 advantageous (under the old rules). Now guys wear T-shirts and skirts. They just let everyone be free. You cannot sit in press conferences with sunglasses on since you’d get an enormous advantageous. It’s crazy how much it’s evolved. I’m sure Kobe would take a look at people and think, ‘What the hell?’

Below, Geran looks back at how three of Bryant’s timeless looks got here to be.


ABC, Season 8

Kobe Bryant (left) – point guard of the Los Angeles Lakers and Jimmy Kimmel (right) – host of the evening show Jimmy Kimmel LivApril 6, 2010

Mitch Haddad/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

“Kobe was really comfortable in black because they called him the Black Mamba. I might put these sick black outfits on him because that was his energy. This is a leather jacket that I made for him. At the time, a gentleman named Eric had an organization called the Jean Shop, and everybody within the NBA would buy their custom jeans from that shop.

“That particular night, he had an event right after that. But yeah, that leather jacket, I’ve made a ton of custom leather jackets and I had to make them on the fly. I design and create and pull from different things. I was making them like crazy and that was one of them. He even talked to me about doing a leather jacket line. It never happened, but he loved the leather jackets I made for him so much.”


2010 NBA Finals, Game 2: Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant answers questions from the media during a post-game press conference on June 6, 2010, after the Lakers lost to the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of the NBA Finals at Staples Center.

Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images

“It’s a Dolce & Gabbana sweater, off the rack. I used to take my sweaters to the dry cleaners and have them aired and stretched. I needed to stretch the sleeves because Kobe had 60 inches within the shoulders and 60 inches within the chest, which was very dramatic.

“All of his custom shirts (like the one he wears under his sweater) are from Anto’s of Beverly Hills. They’re legends. I had Kobe sign the cover we did so they could put it on their wall. They have Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. shirt designs in their vault. Oh my God. They’re like the best shirt makers.”


, ABC, Season 8

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant holds the Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy during his performance at Jimmy Kimmel LiJune 18, 2010

Karen Neal

“It was a special moment. It was the day after they won his last championship and his fifth ring. He was wearing a Gucci jacket that was popular on the time. Justin Timberlake recently wore it in his music video. Floyd Mayweather, you’d see him in all the colours. It was called the Madonna jacket. I ordered that jacket from Italy for him.

“Sometimes I would order his stuff and just put it away for a while. It was perfect because he won the championship and all the guys were dressed like super-regular degular. That jacket was very classic and Gucci has been remaking it for years.”

Channing Hargrove is a senior fashion author at Andscape. It’s easier said than done than how much I discover with the words “Single Black female addicted to retail.”

This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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What do you know about Cynthia Erivo?

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Cynthia Erivo, Wicked, Cynthia Erivo controversy, Black Hollywood, theGrio.com

With the discharge of Wicked fast approaching, it’s protected to say that Cynthia Erivo is on fire straight away.

The film adaptation of the Broadway musical (which is an adaptation of a best-selling novel based on one other novel) is about to open to over $175 million worldwide this weekend, and Erivo has just landed a significant deal.

Universal Pictures has struck a first-look cope with its production company Edith’s Daughter, Deadline reported.

“Having spent the last three years working with Donna Langley, Peter Cramer and the Universal team on Wicked, I have experienced first-hand the love and fearlessness with which they tell stories and uplift narrators,” said Erivo. “I am absolutely delighted to take the next step in our cooperation under our first-look agreement. This is not only a milestone for my production company, but also a testament to the power of storytelling and the importance of diverse voices in film. I can’t wait to bring our visions to life and share them with the world!”

However, some could also be just discovering the 37-year-old from Stockwell, London (where she was born right into a family of Nigerian immigrants) or may don’t know about her background and profession to this point. There’s quite a bit to like about the Emmy, Grammy and Tony winner – and much more to grasp beneath the surface. Below we have gathered some things you have to know about Erivo, including some very necessary ones.

He is a Broadway sensation

Before Erivo became a star of the silver screen, she made a reputation for herself on the stage. The actress’ breakthrough role was the role of Celie within the musical adaptation of “The Color Purple” on Broadway. From 2015 to 2017, she delivered critically acclaimed, groundbreaking performances, winning the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.

She has played several iconic black characters

Aretha Franklin, Harriet Tubman and Recy Taylor are black American historical figures immortalized on screen by Erivo, who has played all of them in movies. Shortly after her Broadway run in 2017, Erivo played Taylor in “The Rape of Recy Taylor.” She then starred as Tubman within the 2019 film “Harriet.”

In 2021, Erivo played Franklin within the National Geographic anthology “Genius: Aretha”. While critics praised her performance, Franklin’s family had a special tackle the project, claiming she was never consulted and even felt “disrespected” by the production team.

He is a queer icon

Earlier this yr, Erivo received the Schrader Award from the Los Angeles LGBT Center as a self-proclaimed member for her talent and support of the queer community.

“Acknowledging that I am queer publicly – especially in the public eye – means taking a risk to claim my freedom,” she said in her speech through which she agreed to return out as queer later in life. “It seems we prefer to see the world in black and white rather than accept the difficult (but beautiful) complexities of our humanity.”

Although it has never been explicitly confirmed, Erivo has long been considered one half of a fairly powerful Black Hollywood power couple, as she is commonly seen at red carpet events alongside fellow industry heavyweight Lena Waithe.

He has a novel sense of fashion

From shaving her eyebrows to her signature long and ornamental nails, Erivo is understood for her daring sense of fashion. Her uniqueness was even incorporated into her makeup for “Wicked.” The makeup artist used stencils to attract eyebrows and add freckles. Meanwhile, a special shade of green face and body makeup was developed to make Erivo’s melaninated skin appear “clearly” on screen, and the shade was named “Cynthia Green,” the film’s makeup artist said People Magazine. It’s value noting that despite the hours-long application process required day by day for months of filming, she also said that Erivo “never, ever, ever complained.”

She doesn’t suffer fools

Social media was abuzz this week with response to actor/podcast host Dax Shepard’s invasive query about Erivo’s signature elaborate manicure, specifically how he moves through it while using the lavatory. When footage of her interview with Shepard hit the Internet, many individuals were quick to sentence its inappropriateness, asking her how she wipes herself while having very long, jeweled nails.

“My answer is that no one wipes their ass with just their fingers. You use wipes, right? And you wipe it off,” she replied calmly.

Erivo further expressed her annoyance with this query; the one she had exhibited before.

“I understand, it annoys me. Come on, guys,” she said. “I understand, but I’m a functioning adult and I’ve never walked around smelling like… you know.”

People participating within the discussion found this query rude, disgusting and invasive. It can also be, as Erivo identified, unoriginal. In response to this viral exchange, some have responded by demonstrating how they adapt these very human processes to long fingernails – and shockingly, it’s just about the identical process we have all been doing since potty training. It’s really not that complicated.

Cynthia Erivo Recalls Her Reaction to Fan-Made 'Wicked' Poster: 'I Probably Should have Called My Friends'

He has some questionable tweets in his search history

When it was announced in 2018 that Erivo would play Harriet Tubman within the biopic “Harriet,” the British actress’s seemingly problematic comments made years earlier about the language of Black Americans inevitably resurfaced. As previously reported by theGrio, this compounded existing questions about the choice to forged British-born Erivo because the historical African-American hero, given what some perceived as a disdain for African-American culture.

“As for the tweets, they were taken out of context, giving me no room to explain what they meant – and they weren’t actually mocking anyone,” she explained on the time: Complex reported. “It was not intended to be (offensive) at all. It was to celebrate a song I (wrote) when I was 16.”

Speaking further about the controversy during an event on the Toronto International Film Festival, she said: “I actually have never… never spoken negatively about people because I don’t desire to; I don’t desire this energy to be passed on to others.”

She continued: “I do not think it’s good for us in any respect; I do not think it serves any purpose apart from to bring negativity into my life and yours, and I just don’t desire that.

Perhaps he has some tension with the band in “The Color Purple.”

For unknown reasons, Erivo claims she was not invited to a special screening of the musical “The Color Purple” for family and friends, which was also attended by other members of her Broadway forged. It’s a bit strange that the Tony-winning revival star wasn’t on the guest list. When asked about her apparent rejection in the course of the interview and whether it reflected her initial considerations for Celie’s role within the film adaptation, Erivo suggested she couldn’t talk about it.

Despite every little thing, he’s capable of admit his mistake

Erivo can have had mixed emotions previously as a result of questionable comments or her unwavering passion for her craft, but she is ultimately capable of admit when she was incorrect. In the lead-up to Wicked’s premiere, fan-made art got here to light that edited the film’s poster to look more like the unique Broadway Playbill, obscuring Erivo’s direct gaze with the brim of her witch hat. The actress was initially very offended, but later admitted that she can have overreacted.

“I think for me it was a human moment…” she later explained. “I probably should have called my friends, but I’m fine.”

Cynthia Erivo accepts Los Angeles LGBT Center award for speech on freedom to 'be different'

After all, she is an expert

Say what you want, but Cynthia Erivo is robust and talented. He can also be a one that is alleged to place the nice of the team ahead of his personal glory. During a recent appearance on “Cutting room floor” podcast, she described her technique of coming into harmony together with her “Wicked” co-star Ariana Grande and the way the 2 worked together to create a unified sound fairly than resorting to diva-like behavior in an try and outshine one another.

For example, although she and Grande have very different voices, Erivo noted that what they’ve in common is way more necessary.

“I think what connects us is the way we hear music, so we can hear each other,” she explained. “And the beauty of singing with someone who can also hear is that you follow each other back and forth. We can find ways to make our textures and sounds make sense, and that’s really hard with humans.”

Erivo added: “It also signifies that you found someone completely selfless because they care about working with you, and being an element of that’s essentially the most amazing thing. When you find someone who’s committed to creating sound together, (there may be) no ego.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Snoop Dogg Takes Over ‘Amazon Music Live’ in Season 3 Finale – Essence

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Snoop Dogg attends the Los Angeles Premiere of “Gladiator II” held on the TCL Chinese Theater on November 18, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)

When Snoop Dogg takes the stage at Amazon Music Live on November 29, it is the moment hip-hop fans have been waiting for. The West Coast legend ends Season 3 with a performance that guarantees to be nothing in need of legendary.

Airing after Black Friday Football at 7pm EST on Prime Video and Twitchthe show will showcase his expansive musical journey, combining chart toppers with deep cuts that defined a complete generation.

Sponsored by the brand new 2025 Nissan Kicks, fans can expect an exclusive first hearken to songs from his upcoming album ‘Missionary’, which might be released next month. The announcement comes at a critical point in Snoop’s profession and marks the following evolution of an artist who moves seamlessly between music, acting and entrepreneurship.

(*3*)Snoop Dogg takes over

Amazon Music Live has change into a powerhouse of musical innovation, and Snoop’s final performance epitomizes what it’s all about. Throughout Season 3, the series featured standout moments from artists resembling Jelly Roll, who brought together country and rock stars for an epic performance, and Big Sean, who paid tribute to historically black colleges and universities together with his breathtaking tribute .

For those that wish to have fun in advance and luxuriate in the final word Snoop experience, Amazon Music has REDISCOVER Snoop Dogg playlist it’s the proper foundation. It’s a musical time capsule chronicling his journey from the Long Beach underground scene to world-famous superstardom. Each track tells the story of an artist who not only survived in the music industry, but fundamentally modified it.

With 16 Grammy nominations to his name, Snoop continues to prove that he’s greater than only a rapper – he’s a real entertainment icon. His influence extends far beyond music, touching on film, television, cannabis culture and entrepreneurship. The Black Friday performance might be the following chapter in a profession defined by constant reinvention.

The performance isn’t only about music – it’s also a presentation of, amongst others, recent nissan kicks 2025. As an official sponsor of Amazon Music Live, the compact crossover was integrated throughout the season, giving fans a glimpse of its modern style and advanced technologies through pre-show and in-person experiences on the show.

For those in the Los Angeles area, a limited variety of tickets can be found from DICE. But for everybody else, Prime Video and Twitch will bring the magic of Doggfather right to your screen. It’s a probability to see a living legend in top form, delivering a performance that guarantees to be as unpredictable and electrifying as Snoop himself.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Melania slammed Donald Trump with third prenup change, fueling rumors of marital drama after she dodged his kiss and claim resurfaced

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For years, there was speculation concerning the authenticity of the love between President-elect Donald Trump and his wife, Melania Trump. The theories intensified after Melania was caught repeatedly hiding from her husband’s public displays of affection for years.

Some imagine their relationship is solely business-related, a view that gained popularity when the New York Post reported in September 2023 that its alleged insider claimed that Melania had renegotiated her prenuptial agreement with the forty fifth president for the third time. The move followed Trump’s confirmation of his intention to hunt a second term as president after announcing his re-election campaign on November 15, 2022.

When the couple married in 2005, the initial prenuptial agreement reportedly significantly favored Donald Trump. However, since then the contract has been renegotiated not less than 3 times, with the primary renegotiation going down in 2017 and one other in 2020, when she served as apparently delayed moving to the White House – not less than that is what the New York Post claims in its unconfirmed reports. It is unclear why the thrice-married Trump would conform to loosen up his protections as part of such an arrangement.

In 2023, an alleged insider told the Post’s Page Six gossip column: “Over the past yr, Melania and her team have been quietly negotiating a brand new deal following the suspension of her contract with Donald Trump. This is not less than the third time Melania has renegotiated the terms of her marriage contract.

WASHINGTON – JULY 4: President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend an event on the South Lawn of the White House on July 4, 2020 in Washington, DC. President Trump hosts a "Salute to America" ​​celebration that includes a flyover of military planes and a large fireworks display. (Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON – JULY 4: President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend an event on the South Lawn of the White House on July 4, 2020 in Washington, DC. President Trump hosts a “Salute to America” ​​celebration that features a flyover of military planes and a big fireworks display. (Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

It continued to be claimed that Melania can be increasingly concerned about Trump’s mounting legal problems. Last yr, he was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with making secret payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels. That same yr, Trump was also found liable in a civil suit for sexual abuse and defamation of author E. Jean Carroll. More than a yr ago, Trump was also charged in Atlanta with attempting to overturn the presidential vote within the 2020 elections in Georgia. Trump ultimately faced federal criminal charges related to his mishandling of classified documents after leaving office and the January 6 rebel.

With all this happening against Trump, Melania obviously desired to be certain she can be secure.

“This agreement was necessary due to ongoing legal disputes that (…) (Donald) has suffered,” the source said.

However, the insider also told Page Six that the postnuptial agreement doesn’t mean Melania plans to depart Trump.

They said the revised deal would also provide money for his or her 18-year-old son, Barron Trump.

“Melania is most concerned with maintaining and increasing the considerable trust she has in her son, Barron.”

Another source backed up this statement, saying, “I know she wanted this to provide her with more money, and also – from what I understand – there is at least a set amount that Barron is expected to get.”

Fans shared their thoughts on Melania renegotiating her prenup with The Daily Beast’s. side.

One person said: “Thanks to her we managed to save him. After filing for bankruptcy five times, he will be living on Melany’s benefits.”

The second wrote: “He must secure Barron’s future before the non-existent money disappears.”

A third commenter advised: “Honey, take the money and run.”

CNN is preparing for Trump’s second visit to the White House reported that his wife doesn’t plan to live in Washington full time. Sources told the news outlet that while Melania plans to attend essential events, she will spend loads of time living between New York City – as her son Barron attends NYU there – and Palm Beach, Florida, where many of her friends live.

Her reported impending absence from the White House has sparked whispers about whether Melania is serious about her responsibilities and priorities as first lady, but that is not all. It also sparked more speculation about whether she and Trump have a blissful marriage.

Even during Trump’s victory speech, a smiling Melania avoided being kissed by her husband as he sang her praises on stage. After thanking her and expressing his appreciation for her “best-selling book in the country,” Trump moves to hug and kiss his wife, then places her hand on her cheek as she turns her head barely.

Still, Melania assures doubters that every little thing is effective in her marriage to Trump. In September, she even tried to disclaim the rumors during an interview on “Fox & Friends.”

When asked what she liked about her husband, she replied: “His essence. His humor. His personality. His kindness,” he added later. “It’s very special. His positivity. His energy. It’s unbelievable. Yes, so we’ve got a fantastic relationship.

This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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