Latest news with #Badu
Fashion United
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fashion United
Spencer Badu makes footwear debut with HOKA collaboration
HOKA® , a division of Deckers Brands (NYSE: DECK), is proud to introduce its latest collaboration with Canadian-Ghanaian designer Spencer Badu, marking the designer's official entry into the footwear industry. Known for his elevated and subversive uniform-inspired apparel, Badu brings a deeply personal narrative to the collaboration, rooted in diaspora, discovery and the journey to oneself. 'The first shoe was a big challenge,' said Spencer Badu. 'I wanted to create something that reflected the story of my brand. We design for movement, both physical and emotional, and this collaboration is an expression of that. It's a representation of the journey we take to understand ourselves and our roots.' The collaboration reimagines HOKA's Elevon X silhouette with a bold yellow upper and iconic details that reflect Badu's roots. In addition to the Spencer Badu logo, the shoe incorporates a Cowrie shell, once used as currency along the Gold Coast of Ghana, and two Adinkra symbols: Fawohodie (Freedom) and Nyame Dua (Tree of Life), which represent spiritual protection and personal liberation. HOKA X Spencer Badu. Credits: HOKA 'This partnership captures the true spirit of a successful collaboration: authenticity, movement and meaning,' said Thomas Cykana, Senior Director of Global Collaborations and Partnerships at HOKA. 'Spencer brought a vision that deeply aligns with our values, and together we created an emotional story told through his eyes.' The collaboration also comes to life through a short film directed and produced by Badu. Shot between Ghana and Toronto, the film captures moments of introspection and movement, from bustling scenes in Accra's Makola Market to quiet, personal scenes in the designer's studio, serving as both a visual campaign and an artistic statement. The Spencer Badu Elevon X is available at SpencerBadu's website and in boutiques, as well as on HOKA's website and authorized retailers worldwide. Retail price: €210. WORK AT DECKERS BRANDS? Check out the open vacancies
CNN
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Look of the Week: Was there a hidden message in Erykah Badu's ‘booty' bodysuit?
On Saturday, Erykah Badu made waves online when she took to the stage at Billboard's Women in Music ceremony wearing a brown, curvaceous knit bodysuit to perform 'Annie Don't Wear No Panties.' The larger-than-life one-piece, dubbed the 'Full Figure Form' by Badu and the 'booty suit' by its designer on Instagram, featured a set of conical, exaggerated breasts and a rotund behind that seemed to move during her set with a life of its own. 'This night is for us!' Badu told the crowd as she later accepted her trophy as the recipient of the event's Icon Award. 'It's a night to celebrate the womb of the world, the womb of life, the womb-iverse of all things. The smartest creature on planet Earth. The wisest, the most invincible, sexiest, purest, finest. The woman.' She added: 'I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to be born a woman!' According to bodysuit's designer Myah Hasbany, a Central Saint Martins fashion student, Badu's look was almost entirely hand-knit and took nearly a year to make. Hasbany, who is non-binary, told CNN in a phone interview that they primarily used vintage mohair and yarns sourced from eBay to hand-crochet eight different pieces which they stitched together in the final silhouette – along with a pair of boots. They stuffed the curves with padding to give it shape, though Hasbany said they tried to keep it 'relatively light' so as not to restrict Badu's performance. The designer often experiments with form and the exaggerated shapes hand-made knits can take. But on social media, the musician's outfit choice proved divisive — with some claiming Badu was mocking Brazilian Butt Lifts, a surgery that has exploded in popularity in the last decade. Others suspected there was more history to the bodacious look. Some commenters believed the crocheted silhouette was a homage to Sarah Baartman, whose image has become an emblem for colonial exploitation. Baartman was an African woman who spent years in European 'freak shows' as an exhibited attraction for her large buttocks, and after her death, scientists used her remains to promote racist theories surrounding those of African ancestry. 'I thought of Sarah Baartman the entire time,' commented singer Tanerélle on Badu's Instagram post. 'I'm so sad that so many (Black people) really don't know their history,' wrote another user. Others drew comparisons to Venus of Willendorf, a voluptuous female figurine dating back to 28,000–25,000 BCE. Experts have long debated the meaning of the 4-inch sculpture, though it is widely regarded to have been seen as a symbol of attractiveness and fertility. 'It's Venus,' wrote one user on X. 'Oh my god, please put art education back into the schools.' Though Badu shared a Venus-related theory on her Instagram Stories, Hasbany says it's up to the singer to decide whether she wants to disclose the outfit's meaning. The designer did reveal, however, that there were 'a lot of different reference points.' In the end, they're glad to see people making their own interpretations about what the look could be paying tribute to. 'It's amazing to see discourse around femininity and how people interpret feminine bodies, especially for Black women,' said Hasbany. 'We should be talking about both historical context and current context.' The look held personal significance for the designer, too, as it was informed by their perspective and experiences as a non-binary person. 'A lot of my work comes from working through my own gender dysphoria and creating bodies and figures outside of myself to kind of work through those feelings.' Hasbany first met Badu when the singer, an alumna of their high school, organized an annual performance there in 2020. Hasbany showed up to dance auditions in one of their early designs, which Badu ended up buying. Now, they plan to feature the 'booty suit' in their graduate collection at Central Saint Martins. 'It's been so impactful for me as a young artist to have someone who really has my back,' they said. 'I think we really have a kinship, and really similar world views and taste.'
CNN
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Look of the Week: Was there a hidden message in Erykah Badu's ‘booty' bodysuit?
On Saturday, Erykah Badu made waves online when she took to the stage at Billboard's Women in Music ceremony wearing a brown, curvaceous knit bodysuit to perform 'Annie Don't Wear No Panties.' The larger-than-life one-piece, dubbed the 'Full Figure Form' by Badu and the 'booty suit' by its designer on Instagram, featured a set of conical, exaggerated breasts and a rotund behind that seemed to move during her set with a life of its own. 'This night is for us!' Badu told the crowd as she later accepted her trophy as the recipient of the event's Icon Award. 'It's a night to celebrate the womb of the world, the womb of life, the womb-iverse of all things. The smartest creature on planet Earth. The wisest, the most invincible, sexiest, purest, finest. The woman.' She added: 'I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to be born a woman!' According to bodysuit's designer Myah Hasbany, a Central Saint Martins fashion student, Badu's look was almost entirely hand-knit and took nearly a year to make. Hasbany, who is non-binary, told CNN in a phone interview that they primarily used vintage mohair and yarns sourced from eBay to hand-crochet eight different pieces which they stitched together in the final silhouette – along with a pair of boots. They stuffed the curves with padding to give it shape, though Hasbany said they tried to keep it 'relatively light' so as not to restrict Badu's performance. The designer often experiments with form and the exaggerated shapes hand-made knits can take. But on social media, the musician's outfit choice proved divisive — with some claiming Badu was mocking Brazilian Butt Lifts, a surgery that has exploded in popularity in the last decade. Others suspected there was more history to the bodacious look. Some commenters believed the crocheted silhouette was a homage to Sarah Baartman, whose image has become an emblem for colonial exploitation. Baartman was an African woman who spent years in European 'freak shows' as an exhibited attraction for her large buttocks, and after her death, scientists used her remains to promote racist theories surrounding those of African ancestry. 'I thought of Sarah Baartman the entire time,' commented singer Tanerélle on Badu's Instagram post. 'I'm so sad that so many (Black people) really don't know their history,' wrote another user. Others drew comparisons to Venus of Willendorf, a voluptuous female figurine dating back to 28,000–25,000 BCE. Experts have long debated the meaning of the 4-inch sculpture, though it is widely regarded to have been seen as a symbol of attractiveness and fertility. 'It's Venus,' wrote one user on X. 'Oh my god, please put art education back into the schools.' Though Badu shared a Venus-related theory on her Instagram Stories, Hasbany says it's up to the singer to decide whether she wants to disclose the outfit's meaning. The designer did reveal, however, that there were 'a lot of different reference points.' In the end, they're glad to see people making their own interpretations about what the look could be paying tribute to. 'It's amazing to see discourse around femininity and how people interpret feminine bodies, especially for Black women,' said Hasbany. 'We should be talking about both historical context and current context.' The look held personal significance for the designer, too, as it was informed by their perspective and experiences as a non-binary person. 'A lot of my work comes from working through my own gender dysphoria and creating bodies and figures outside of myself to kind of work through those feelings.' Hasbany first met Badu when the singer, an alumna of their high school, organized an annual performance there in 2020. Hasbany showed up to dance auditions in one of their early designs, which Badu ended up buying. Now, they plan to feature the 'booty suit' in their graduate collection at Central Saint Martins. 'It's been so impactful for me as a young artist to have someone who really has my back,' they said. 'I think we really have a kinship, and really similar world views and taste.'
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Billboard's Women in Music Awards Honors Doechii, Erykah Badu and More
'It's a night to celebrate the womb of the world… The womb of life,' Erykah Badu said, as she accepted the Icon award at Billboard's Women in Music event on Saturday. 'The wombiverse of all things. The smartest creature on planet earth. The wisest, the most invincible, sexiest, purist, finest – the woman.' Badu's speech also had a funny anecdote about 'the vagina' being the most important thing on the planet, but she made the biggest impression with her outfit, a 'full figure form' costume 'imagined' by herself and engineered and built by designer/artist Myah Hasbany. View the to see embedded media. The "booty suit," as Hasbany called it on her Instagram, lit up in strategic regions when Badu performed her classic, 'Annie,' live on stage, and it was a sight to behold in person, with some calling it a 'cultural reset' for stage performance and acceptance speech wasn't the only attention grabbing moment on stage at the event, which took place at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood. The annual event brings together women from the music industry (both recording artists and behind the scenes figures) to celebrate their achievements and impact. This year, producers, songwriters, managers, and even moms had their moment to shine alongside some of the biggest names in music. Tina Knowles, mom to Beyonce, Solange, and, as she addressed at the event, a mother figure to Kelly Rowland and the girls in Destiny's Child as well, spoke of her influence on the singing group when it got its start and exploded onto the music scene. 'Thank you Billboard for thinking about mothers because a lot of times we're forgotten,' Knowles said in her acceptance speech. 'There is no formal training class to prepare you for the most important job that you will ever have in your life. You will most likely screw up sometimes. I know I did…'Knowles also spoke of her input, both in terms of dress up and creative collaboration, noting that mothers are often a huge part of their kids' success. She dedicated her award to her mom, Agnes, and 'all the mothers who have supported their kids in their dreams.' Another heartfelt moment at the two hour event included Angela Aguilar, who received the Breakthrough Award and sang a rousing version of the Spanish-language classic 'Cielito Lindo' with female mariachis on stage behind her. The daughter of beloved Mexican singer Pepe Aguilar got emotional as she accepted her award stating that 'this year almost destroyed me,' speaking about immigrant women's 'sacrifice and resilience' and raising her voice for women 'whose voices don't always have a platform." She reminded the live and streaming audience (via Vizio TV) that despite adversity, her fellow Latinas will continue to move forward with hope and determination. Laverne Cox hosted the uplifting event Saturday and other honorees included GloRilla with the Powerhouse Award; Gracie Abrams with Songwriter of the Year Award; JENNIE (from Blackpink) with the Global Force Award; Megan Moroney with the Rulebreaker Award presented by Crown Royal Whisky; Meghan Trainor with the Hitmaker Award; Muni Long with Rising Star Award presented by Honda Stage and Tyla with the Impact Award presented by biggest excitement was audibly near the end of the night when K-pop sensation Aespa accepted their award for Group of the Year. The foursome also returned to the stage at the end of the show to close it out, which had their fanbase in the balcony seats screaming non-stop. Long, Moroney, Tyla and Abrams also performed. Disappointingly, recent Grammy winner, Doechii who took the last award of the evening honor, Billboard 2025's Woman of the Year Award, did not perform. Still, her speech was inspiring. It was just two years ago that the rapper accepted Billboard's Rising Star award, and she noted how far she's come, stating she lost her shoe that night performing and had to hop to the stage to accept it. "That moment really reflects how I've approached my entire career which is always go full out, always go hard and always be fab," she said, addressing her full circle perspective. "I stand here as a serious ally."Doechii also noted that "lack of inclusion and sexism are unfortunately still an issue in this industry," adding that events like Saturday's awards are still much needed. "This is our m*therf*cking night to come together and acknowledge each other, to support each other and to celebrate!" Check out the red carpet fashion below (photos courtesy of Billboard) and more extensive recaps of the event at View the 15 images of this gallery on the original article Get the latest news delivered to your inbox daily! Sign up for Los Angeles Magazine's The Daily Brief below or click here.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Erykah Badu talks new music, love of touring
Singer-songwriter Erykah Badu is opening up on what's next in her illustrious career. Badu discussed new music and her love of touring in an interview with Billboard while attending the Billboard Women in Music event over the weekend. The five-time Grammy winner was asked in the interview what it was like to work on a full album for the first time since her 2010 release, "New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)." "I mean, I've put out other music but it feels good, it feels natural to me," she said. Erykah Badu opens up about exploring fashion, her work as a doula and more Badu then discussed her love of playing music out on the road, calling herself a "touring artist." "As a touring artist, we create moments. As a recording artist, I create memories, but those moments are very important to me," she said. Badu recently expressed similar sentiments in a separate interview with Billboard published March 19. "That's what I do. I am a performance artist. I am not a recording artist. I come from the theater. It's the immediate reaction between you and the audience and the immediate feeling. The point where you become one living, breathing organism with people. That's what I live for. It's my therapy. And theirs, too. We're in it together. And I like the idea that it happens only once," she said at the time. Lady Gaga announces The MAYHEM Ball tour, starting July in North America Badu performed at this year's Billboard Women in Music event, where he was honored with the Icon Award. On being an icon, Badu told Billboard on Saturday, "I think that it means that you have managed to surpass your own expectations." Erykah Badu talks new music, love of touring originally appeared on
