theGrio Style Guide: Carol’s Daughter fights for Black maternal health and Michael Jordan sets a new record

This week in style, Pattern Beauty introduces a new scent, Solange sells her Hollywood loft, the world’s biggest afro, and more.

In recognition of Black Maternal Health Week from April 11 to April 17, Carol’s Daughter has launched its “Birthing While Black” campaign.

The initiative highlights real-life experiences of Black individuals navigating the maternal health crisis by inviting Black birthing people to share their birthing stories on social media using the hashtag #BirthingWhileBlack and tagging @carolsdaughter. For each post, a donation will be made to the Mama Glow Foundation, which helps fund doula support for families in need. Dr. Jackie and Audra Curry of “Married to Medicine,” and musical duo Lion Babe have joined the cause, sharing their experiences and encouraging their followers to do the same. A recent CDC study found that Black women had the highest maternal mortality rates across racial and ethnic groups during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. 

“While the recent statistics are alarming and sobering, they only serve to further fuel our drive and commitment to this cause,” said Carol’s Daughter founder Lisa Price in a press release. “The work of birthing people should only be the work of giving birth and that experience being as beautiful as it can be. Our work is to advocate for them to have what they deserve.”

Love Delivered, an extension of Carol’s Daughter, provides events, doula grants, education, and webinars and is committed to empowering, supporting, and equipping Black birthing people and their community. Mama Glow Foundation is hosting a webinar on birth worker burnout, and families living in NYC, Miami, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Washington D.C. can apply for doula services through its grant program.

“This year’s theme for Black Maternal Health Week is ‘Our Bodies Belong to Us: Restoring Black Autonomy and Joy,’” said Latham Thomas, founder of Mama Glow Foundation, via press release. “It’s so important that as we center our health outcomes that we also lift up joy, celebration, and hope.”

Tracee Ellis Ross’s Pattern introduces New Palo Santo Leave-In Conditioner

Pattern Beauty is back with another product to add to your favorites list. This week the brand announced its first limited-edition scent, Palo Santo. The earthy and bright aroma has been infused in the brand’s award-winning leave-in conditioner. Still made with the fan-favorite formula, the new version provides the same curl-defining, moisturizing, and detangling power with a fresh new scent. 

“A sister to my Holy Grail with its sweet floral essence, this special offering features the same moisturizing formula in a new woody fragrance and a chic pink bottle, ” said CEO/Founder Tracee Ellis Ross in a press release. “The Palo Santo scent was specifically chosen for its neutral and warm fragrance. We are excited for our community to continue exploring new possibilities with our new Leave-In Conditioner!” 

The Limited-Edition Palo Santo Leave-In Conditioner is currently available for $25 at patternbeauty.com and will be sold at Sephora starting May 16th.  

Hair goals! This woman has the world‘s largest afro

Aevin Dugas of Reserve, Louisiana, has the world’s largest afro. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Dugas’ afro is 9.84 inches tall, 10.4 inches wide, and 5.41 feet in circumference. She was first awarded the title in 2010 when her hair circumference was around 4 ft, and maintaining the title, along with her journey in going natural, has led to a healthy dose of self-love. 

“It’s about pride in textured hair, which leads to self-love,” Dugas told Guinness. 

She achieved the growth through a regime involving hot oil treatments and butters she makes herself. And for those wondering what life must be like with the world’s largest afro in humid Louisiana, Douglas said, “It’s HOT. It’s not something you wear out in the Louisiana heat just because.” 

Michael Jordan’s Air Jordans break sneaker auction record

A pair of Michael Jordan’s own Air Jordan 13 sneakers sold for a record-breaking $2.2 million at Sotheby’s two-part Victoriam sale, as reported by Business of Fashion, becoming the most valuable sneakers ever sold at auction. The shoes were worn by Jordan during his final season with the Chicago Bulls and gained notoriety during the NBA Finals against Utah Jazz. Jordan’s Nike Air Ships held the previous record for a sneaker sale, sold for $1.47 million in 2021, and his 1998 NBA Finals Game 1 jersey holds the record for the most expensive basketball jersey sold at auction, fetching $10.1 million in 2022, also at Sotheby’s. The sale follows the release of the biopic “Air,” which documents Nike’s partnership with Jordan and his parents in creating the Air Jordan sneaker.  

Solange Knowles sells her Hollywood loft for $725,000

It costs $725,000 to live like Solange Knowles. 

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the neo-soul singer’s two-bedroom, two-bathroom Hollywood loft just sold for $725,000 in two weeks after originally being listed at $799,000. Knowles owned the loft for nearly 20 years.

Since she first bought the home in 2007, the neo-soul artist has updated the space with unique design choices, including a walk-up Japanese soaking tub, a custom-made modular velvet sofa, and concrete-plastered floors. In an interview with Apartamento Magazine, Knowles told the publication why she felt “connected” to the building. 

“I was a single mother and was looking for a building with a sense of safety when I found this loft space in Hollywood. I felt really connected to its ‘20s art deco architecture, its exterior and all of its original moldings and details,” she said, adding, “It’s been one of the most constant, grounding things in my life.”

Knowles also listed a former church she owns in New Orleans, originally intended as a hub for her creative agency, Saint Heron. The asking price for the property is just shy of one million dollars.

Sloane Stephens and Nicole Byer become celebrity investors and creative directors

Kitty and Vibe, the inclusive swimwear brand known for its first-to-market sizing metric, has announced its first-ever class of celebrity investors and creative designers. The inaugural group includes actress, comedian, producer, writer, and director Nicole Byer and professional tennis player, Grand Slam champion, and Olympian Sloane Stephens. Each designer will create their own exclusive swimsuit prints inspired by their unique personalities and styles — or their “vibes,” as explained by Kitty and Vibe. Set to launch in summer 2023, the collections will be available in the brand’s bestselling swimwear styles and include silhouettes the celebrities consulted.

Rooted in authenticity, it was important for the brand’s founder to that “we [the brand] stayed true to our values as a company, intentionally selecting inspiring women who truly embody and represent our ‘Kind Is My Vibe™’ mission, our daily reminder to be kind to ourselves, our bodies, and others.” 

“Okay, so I love my body in a bathing suit. It’s yummy as hell, and I want others to love their bodies and feel good in the bodies they have,” said Byer in a press release. “For that to happen, bathing suit brands need to have size inclusivity, which is why I’m so happy to be working with Kitty and Vibe. They understand that small divas, all the way to the big divas, need to look and feel good. I’ve always wanted to create a bathing suit line, and now my lil dream is a reality, and that’s a real treat for me.’”

“As a female athlete, I’ve struggled to find cute swimsuits that flatter and fit my muscular build,” said Stephens in the press release. “When I heard about Kitty and Vibe’s transformative bikini bottom sizing metric, a huge differentiator in the swimwear industry, I became a true fan of the brand and was so excited to finally find a swimsuit that perfectly fit my booty. Kitty and Vibe celebrates all body types, and I can’t wait to share my personalized designs with the world!”

CFDA Names 16 Interim Members, including three Black designers

The Council of Fashion Designers of America has three new Black members. 

This week, the CFDA announced 16 new interim members as part of its newly established, by-invitation-only interim membership tier. Among the new members are Jacques Agbobly of Agbobly, Patrick Christopher of Sloan and Bennett, and Charles Harbison of Harbison Studio. 

According to Women’s Wear Daily, the temporary membership, free to those selected, affords emerging designers full member benefits with opportunities, resources, networking, and mentorship.

“In the short time that each [of the designers] has been in business, they have shown great promise for a long and successful career ahead. We will work together to assure that they have a solid framework and network in place to support the future growth of their businesses,” Lisa Smilor, CFDA executive vice president, said in a release.

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