Latest news with #Ecko
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Marc Ecko Returns to Complex as Chief Creative, Innovation Officer
Marc Ecko has gone back to his roots. The streetwear pioneer has returned to Complex, the magazine he founded in 2002, as chief creative and innovation officer. In this newly created role, Ecko will oversee the creative strategy for the media company and work to integrate new technologies such as AI into the business to drive audience engagement. More from WWD PONY Positions Itself for a Comeback With Major Plans for Apparel Japanese Artist Verdy Named Artistic Director of ComplexCon Hong Kong Vuitton on the Harbor, Iconix's Hoodrich Deal, Cameron Silver Hits the Beach At the same time, Ray Elias has joined Complex as chief marketing officer, where he will work to spearhead growth and communications for the media and commerce business. Elias has more than 25 years of experience and most recently served as chief marketing officer at HotelTonight, a hotel booking company that was ultimately acquired by Airbnb. He also served as chief marketing officer at StubHub for more than 10 years, working to grow the company from a start-up to a multibillion-dollar platform in live entertainment and e-commerce. In addition to Complex, Ecko founded the fashion brand, Ecko Unltd. in 1993 as a T-shirt company. Ultimately he grew the brand, which became famous for its rhinoceros logo, into a must-have for the hip-hop and urban communities. In 2023, he returned to Ecko Unltd. on its 30th anniversary to create a limited-edition collection based on his archival designs. He had sold his stake in the business to Iconix Brand Group in 2009. In recent years, he has focused on philanthropic efforts. Complex was acquired by Ntwrk in 2024 with strategic investment from Universal Music Group, Jimmy Iovine, Goldman Sachs and Main Street Advisors. It publishes a print magazine, operates an e-commerce platform and hosts the ComplexCon event in different cities globally. Best of WWD Dawn Staley's Outfits Through the Years: The Basketball Coach's Designer Looks Looking Back at Mugler's Best Celebrity Fashion Moments Through the Years: Beyoncé, Zendaya and More Happy Birthday, Sarah Jessica Parker: Her Style Through the Years From the '90s to Today
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Macy's calls Diddy 'an equal opportunity sexual predator' in bid to be dropped from sexual assault lawsuit
Macy's wants a judge to remove it from a sexual assault lawsuit against Sean "Diddy" Combs. The suit says Macy's violated a gender-violence law by ignoring an attack at the Herald Square store. The plaintiff himself describes Diddy as "an equal opportunity sexual predator," Macy's argues. Macy's wants to be removed as a defendant in a sexual assault lawsuit against Sean "Diddy" Combs — and their arguments for dismissal include calling the rap entrepreneur "an equal opportunity sexual predator." The October lawsuit accuses Macy's of violating a New York City gender-violence law by covering up an alleged attack by Combs on a male employee at the Herald Square flagship store in 2008. The worldwide department chain argues the plaintiff, only identified as John Doe, cannot accuse Macy's of gender bias because, in the very same lawsuit, Doe himself describes Combs as willing to attack both men and women. "Plaintiff's own allegations establish not only that this was a same-sex assault, but that Mr. Combs sexually assaulted both men and women, without regard to gender," the Macy's lawyers argued in court papers last week. "Plaintiff does not address the fact that his own allegations establish that Mr. Combs was an equal opportunity sexual predator." A spokesperson for Combs declined to comment on Macy's argument. Combs has repeatedly denied any sexual assaults. District Court Judge J. Paul Oetken's decision on whether to dismiss Macy's could come at any time. Macy's is the deepest-pocket defendant by far in any of a blizzard of more than 30 sex-assault lawsuits filed against the rapper in the past year. The plaintiff says in his lawsuit that at the time of the alleged attack, he was working at Macy's flagship Manhattan store for Ecko, a rival hip-hop fashion brand to Combs' Sean John Clothing. His 19-page lawsuit alleges that he was working in a stockroom when Combs entered with three armed bodyguards who struck him and threatened to kill him. Combs then orally raped him in the stockroom, while calling him "Ecko" and taunting, "You like that, white boy?" the lawsuit alleges. After what was alleged to be a two-minute attack, Combs then grabbed armfuls of Sean Jean clothing, left the stockroom with his bodyguards, and proceeded to hand out clothes to shoppers "as if nothing had happened," the lawsuit claims. The plaintiff alleges that the chain did nothing to support him when he came forward with his allegations against Combs, and instead fired him to protect a multimillion-dollar deal with Sean Jean. In fighting to be dropped as a defendant, lawyers for Macy's argued that the lawsuit does not allege store employees were in any way involved in the attack. Macy's lawyers also pointed to the New York City Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law. The lawyers for the man had argued in their lawsuit that the gender violence law entitled their client to seek damages from Macy's. Macy's countered that the law does not permit claims against corporations for assaults prior to 2022, and that the lawsuit failed to offer any evidence that the alleged violence was motivated by gender bias. Combs' alleged "white boy" taunt does not refer to gender bias, Macy's lawyers argued in papers signed by attorney Daniel Kotler. The word "boy" in that scenario "functions primarily as a term of status and belittlement (boy versus man) rather than as a gendered comment (boy versus girl) — it is in effect an inversion of the classically racist use of the term 'boy' to degrade or belittle African Americans," Macy's side argued. Kotler did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story. Buzbee, the lead attorney for the plaintiff, counters in court papers that the New York gender-violence law does cover corporations involved in attacks prior to 2022. He also argues that "the fact that Combs violently assaulted people of both genders does not somehow exempt him" from the law. "A pretty novel argument that should fail," Buzbee told Business Insider on Tuesday of Macy's dismissal arguments. Read the original article on Business Insider
