Latest news with #JanelleMonáe
Fashion United
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fashion United
Prada amplifies cultural capital with 'The Sound of Prada' in Berlin
In a fusion of fashion, music, and urban culture, Prada deepened its cultural investment with the latest instalment of The Sound of Prada —a branded experience rooted in global creativity—staged in Berlin this week. Anchored by the Prada Eyewear division, the event reaffirms the Italian luxury house's ongoing ambition to remain not just a purveyor of style but a cultivator of cultural influence. Held at the Kranzler Eck, a storied café overlooking Berlin's Kurfürstendamm—long a meeting ground for intellectuals, creatives, and tastemakers—the event reflected Prada's calculated alignment with cities that embody artistic disruption. Berlin, with its post-reunification reputation as a capital of electronic music and counterculture, proved a fitting host for this latest iteration. Headlining the evening was American singer, actor, and producer Janelle Monáe, performing under her DJ alter ego, DJ Johnny Jane. Monáe, a decorated performer with eight Grammy nominations and a history of fusing afrofuturism with political commentary, brought star power and subversive edge to the evening. Her Wondaland Arts Society, which has cultivated talents like Jidenna and St. Beauty, reflects the kind of curatorial authority Prada seeks to associate with. Supporting acts included Christian AB—known for genre-bending electronica—and Channel Tres, whose signature blend of house, G-funk, and techno echoes Berlin's own music scene, which remains a significant export for Germany, accounting for over €1 billion in cultural value according to the German Music Council. Prada's 'Sound of' series launched in Paris in 2019 and has since moved through key cultural capitals including London (2021), Cannes (2022), and Seoul (2024). Each edition combines live music with fashion presentations and location-specific installations. In Berlin, guests experienced a site-specific environment dedicated to the Prada Symbole eyewear collection, a core category for the brand's licensing and accessories business. The strategy behind The Sound of Prada is emblematic of a wider shift in luxury branding—from passive product promotion to immersive storytelling that situates the brand at the centre of a cultural ecosystem. By choosing artist-driven cities and spotlighting musical innovation, Prada is creating experiential touchpoints that go beyond fashion weeks and traditional campaign formats. The guest list reinforced Prada's positioning at the intersection of pop culture and luxury, including actors Kit Connor, Ncuti Gatwa, and Clemens Schick, as well as brand ambassadors Troye Sivan and Benedetta Porcaroli. This talent curation complements the brand's global marketing strategy, which has increasingly leaned on rising Gen Z and millennial figures with high digital resonance. With eyewear now accounting for a growing share of luxury accessory sales—Euromonitor estimates the global luxury eyewear market at over 16 billion dollars—Prada's investment in lifestyle-led promotion via its Symbole collection exemplifies the potential of experiential marketing not only to sell product but to reinforce cultural relevance. Prada Eyewear Credits: Courtesy Prada
Time Out
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Here's everything you'll be eating at Ravinia Festival 2025
Ravinia's not just feeding your soul this summer—it's coming for your stomach too. As the 2025 Ravinia Festival kicks off its summer season on June 6, with over 100 concerts and an eye-popping 40 artist debuts (hello, Janelle Monáe, Kygo and Nas), festivalgoers can expect more than just top-tier tunes. The food lineup, curated by Levy and Executive Chef Mark Hill, is a headliner in its own right. Returning guests will find classic comforts with serious upgrades, like the Pulled Pork Stack, a decadent layering of creamy mac and cheese, barbecue mole-drizzled pork and crispy tortilla strips; or the Cappuccino Crunch Float, featuring cappuccino chip ice cream topped with whipped cream for the ultimate caffeinated cool-down. But the biggest culinary glow-up might just be at Park View, where new fine-dining flair includes lamb tartare with house tzatziki and oregano, and a smoked short rib served over annatto potato purée with roasted corn and mole demi-glace. Would you prefer to graze while watching the show? The revamped Tree Top Lounge is now a chic communal hangout with a full bar and live concert feeds. It plans to serve small plates with global flair, like burrata with Thai pesto, cured tuna with kimchi and sesame leaves, and wagyu sliders spiced up with togarashi tomato jam. Even the seafood fritto misto gets the Chicago treatment: calamari, shrimp, scallops and giardiniera with lemon aioli. And for one night only, Ravinia is serving up a menu as iconic as its guests. On June 7, in honor of Grace Jones and Janelle Monáe (who share a love for Jamaican flavors), you'll find jerk chicken with brown sugar glaze, pigeon peas and cornbread, plus jerk pork tacos at the Lawn Bar—because nothing says 'festival royalty' like spiced meat and a side of mac.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Janelle Monáe, Chance the Rapper and More Attend Met Gala After Party at the Public Hotel
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways It just wouldn't be a night of Met Gala after parties without Janelle Monáe. Two years ago, she hosted the annual Boom Boom Room after party, where she performed atop the bar in a bedazzled bikini. This year, she took her hosting efforts to the Public Hotel's lower level club Artspace for a late-night bash post-Met. After wearing a Thom Browne look on the Met red carpet, complete with an optical illusion outer layer that she took off to reveal a deconstructed suit, Monáe slipped into another Browne look (this one, which involved nipple pasties, was a tad more revealing). More from WWD The party, titled 'A Phenomenal Affair,' featured DJ sets by Kaytranada, DJ Kitty Cash and DJ Miss Milan and drew guests such as Chance the Rapper, Padma Lakshmi, Leon Bridges, Yara Shahidi, Bebe Rexha, the Rev. Al Sharpton, Willow Smith, Caleb McLaughlin and Ryan Destiny. Cocktails by Lalo tequila and Belvedere Organic Vodka flowed, while 7th Street Burgers arrived to sustain energy into the wee hours of Tuesday morning. The party scene stretched across Manhattan, with parties at The Mark hotel uptown, the Apres Met bash down at WSA, Met Gala cohost A$AP Rocky's party at Jean's and Richie Akiva's party at Casa Cipriani. Janelle Monáe Brian Tyree Henry at the Public's Met Gala after party. Chance the Rapper at the Public's Met Gala after party. Launch Gallery: PUBLIC's Met Gala 2025 After Party Photos Best of WWD Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Janelle Monáe Creates Optical Illusion at Met Gala 2025 in Thom Browne x Paul Tazewell Collaboration
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Janelle Monáe's Met Gala 2025 outfit was a custom Thom Browne look created in collaboration with costume designer Paul Tazewell, who is known for creating costumes on Broadway for 'Hamilton,' 'In the Heights' and 'The Color Purple.' Her avant-garde look featured bold black with white pinstripes on one side, while the other was red with white geometric lines and patterns. The exaggerated shoulders and rectangular silhouette created a surreal, cartoonish effect. Janelle Monáe 'From the very beginning of the design process — exploring the beautiful and important theme of the Black dandy — it was essential that tailoring be front and center. With Janelle's expansive imagination and Thom Browne's meticulous attention to every detail, this collaboration is just the beginning,' Tazewell wrote on Instagram, celebrating Monáe's look. More from WWD Monáe also wore a Vacheron Constantin luxury watch and jewelry by Selim Mouzannar. Janelle Monáe Monáe was styled by Alexandra Mandelkorn, who also dressed Rachel Brosnahan for the event. Mandelkorn searched for inspiration in Black culture and fashion for the occasion, embracing the theme 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.' 'Dandyism is one of the many vibrant ways the Black community has created to channel self-expression and culture. A way to be loud and proud of who they are, and showcase the immense creativity they possess, even in the face of a society that has continuously oppressed them,' stylist Alexandra Mandelkorn told WWD via email. 'My goal was to make sure both of my clients felt like their own personal fashion sensibilities were being showcased, while also centering the Black creatives we are working with.' Janelle Monáe Mandelkorn worked to honor Black creatives at the event, including Tazewell. 'They are all tailoring experts and are currently making Black history!' 'The Met Gala is our one chance a year to really dream our biggest fashion dreams. There are things you can do on the Met Gala carpet that would never read on another big red carpet, but at the Met, it's celebrated. We help our clients synthesize their visions, emotions, current fashion goals and strategies and make sure we are making the most of Fashion's Biggest Night,' Mandelkorn said. Janelle Monáe The 2025 Met Gala, held Monday at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, features the theme 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.' The event highlights Black dandyism and menswear, with a 'Tailored for You' dress code. Cochairs include Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams and Anna Wintour. View Gallery Launch Gallery: Met Gala 2025 Red Carpet Arrivals Photos, Live Updates Best of WWD Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Time Out
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn's lineup of free summer concerts is finally here
New York's summer music festival season is nearly upon us and this year will see the return of a true local favorite: BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival is back for its 47th installment, offering a season's worth of free outdoor concerts at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park from June 7 to August 16. And the performer lineup is officially here, highlighting "the diverse cultures that make Brooklyn a global music hub, featuring artists whose work transcends borders and celebrates the exchange of ideas." On the 2025 docket is a mix of international icons and global up-and-comers "whose work resonates from around the world and within our own borough," per BRIC. Kicking things off at the opening benefit concert on June 9—which is one of four paid shows included in the fest, to help support the non-profit's regular free programming—is the powerhouse pair of Grace Jones and Janelle Monáe, just in time for Pride. Elsewhere, the lineup includes alt rockers Dinosaur Jr. with Snail Mail on July 17, punk legends Gogol Bordello on August 2, jazz greats William Parker and Nikara Warren on August 15, a family-friendly 80th birthday celebration for Pippi Longstocking on June 15 and a tribute concert to music icon Quincy Jones on June 27. You can check out the full BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival schedule below:
