Latest news with #Spelman
Forbes
05-08-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Why Community Is The New Currency Of Culture
Influence used to be a spotlight. Today, it's a circle. And the ones shaping culture aren't chasing attention, they're creating belonging. In a world filled with polished perfection and viral content, we're seeing a new kind of resonance emerge. The kind that doesn't just capture interest, but builds trust. The kind that isn't manufactured, but lived. People aren't moved by marketing. They're moved by meaning. And here's the truth: what feels organic is often designed with intention. The Trust Shift: From Top-Down to Ground-Up Authenticity isn't a trend, it's a transformation. We've stopped measuring success in reach, and started measuring it in connection. In how people feel seen, respected, and invited in. Today's cultural movements aren't being dictated from the top. They're being co-created from the ground up. From block parties to boardrooms, from community centers to classrooms, the voices shaping tomorrow are the ones rooted in purpose, not performance. It's not about who stands out. It's about who stands with. Ralph Lauren's Oak Bluffs: Legacy in Motion A powerful example of this shift: Ralph Lauren's Oak Bluffs Collection. Rather than constructing a campaign around a single persona, the brand centered a place called Oak Bluffs, a historic refuge on Martha's Vineyard where Black families and HBCU alumni have gathered for generations to rest, reconnect, and rise. Designed by Morehouse and Spelman graduates, the collection is rich with symbolism and intention. Through archival photographs, personal stories, and a moving film directed by Cole Brown, the brand honored a legacy that lives in every stitch. Partnerships with The Cottagers, Inc. and support for the United Negro College Fund made it clear that this wasn't just a campaign, it was a collaboration. A living tribute to a community that has always been the culture. As Ralph Lauren said, 'We celebrate not just Oak Bluffs as a place, but the spirit of community it represents and one that resonates with anyone who has ever sought a home away from home.' The impact didn't come from a spotlight. It came from a shared story. Shared values. Shared voice. Movements Start with Family, Not Fame Community is not a tactic, it's a truth. It's legacy passed down, and leadership lifted up. Whether it's a fashion line, a storytelling platform, or a neighborhood mural, the most powerful movements today are those rooted in real people and shared purpose. The most thoughtful brands aren't asking, 'Who can we showcase?' They're asking, 'Who are we building with?' Even better: 'How can we co-create something The Future of Culture Is Felt, Not Just Seen This is the shift: from impression to impact. From moments to movements. From reach to resonance. We don't need a louder voice; we need deeper listening. The future isn't about being followed. It's about being felt. It's not about visibility. It's about intentional presence. Let's pass the mic. Let's amplify the stories already in motion. Let's design with purpose, and lead with legacy. Because when we build with community, we don't just trend. We transform. Yes, that instinct is spot on. You don't need to directly knock celebrity the contrast speak for itself. When you highlight community, legacy, and intentionality, readers will naturally feel the shift away from traditional celebrity-driven influence without you having to call it out. That way, you're not against influencers or celebrities. You're simply for something deeper, more lasting, more inclusive. It keeps the tone aspirational, not adversarial.
Indianapolis Star
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Indianapolis Star
Ralph Lauren's Oak Bluffs collection celebrates historic Black beach community
Cricket sweaters, patchwork blanket, and distressed baseball caps. Each is part of the new collection called Polo Ralph Lauren for Oak Bluffs, celebrating the historically Black community of Oak Bluffs in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. The collection is an evolution of the 2022 collection based on Historically Black Colleges Morehouse and Spelman, who are again partners in the Oak Bluffs collection, and is a part of the company's "Design with Intent" portfolio. "Ralph Lauren as a man, as a brand is sort of the world ambassador to Americana," James Jeter, Creative Director for Polo Men's at Ralph Lauren told USA TODAY. "With that comes this incredible responsibility for us to tell these incredible American stories as fully, as broadly, as accurately as possible." The collection deftly weaves HBCU campus style drawn from Morehouse and Spelman with resort wear that references the historic Black beach town and Black traditions. "It was just very important to tell that story, the multi-faceted, multi-dimensional experience that is the Black experience that also translates into the American experience," Dara Douglas, Product and Brand Lead for Design with Intent, told USA TODAY. It is accompanied by a documentary on the community directed by Cole Brown titled "A Portrait of the American Dream: Oak Bluffs" that debuted on the brand's YouTube page on July 24. "Oak Bluffs' unique history, traditions and sense of community deeply inspire me and speak to what we are all searching for – a place where you can be free, uncontrived, joyful and truly at home," Ralph Lauren, Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of the eponymous preppy stalwart, said in a July 23 press release. Oak Bluffs was once a part of nearby Edgartown and was deemed to be the place "suitable" for Black workers at nearby resorts, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Oak Bluffs community envisioned by the collection started in earnest when Charles Shearer opened Shearer Cottage in 1912, according to The Root. The Black news outlet described the inn as, "an act of defiance in an America riddled with discrimination and racial segregation, where safe lodging for Black travelers was a rare luxury." "So by default really, Oak Bluffs becomes the place ... for young, educated, affluent African Americans—the politicians and the movie stars." Dr. Elaine Weintraub, historian and co-founder of the Martha's Vineyard African American Heritage Trail, told the Trust. At the heart of Oak Bluffs, according to the Root, is a beach called the Inkwell that served as a place where, "Black folks could swim, sunbathe, and just be, without getting side-eyed or harassed." Weintraub described vacationers to the Inkwell, Shearer Cottage, and Oak Bluffs throughout the decades as a "who's who" including Madame C.J. Walker, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., actress Ethel Waters, and singer Lionel Richie. "Well, I think perhaps I should say what you I think are aware of. Our people are deeply mystical, you might say spiritual and we have a an appreciation for place," Dr. Lawrence E. Carter Sr., the Dean of the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel, said in the documentary. "How Martha's Vineyard became Martha's Vineyard has an awful lot to do with traffic, who came through here and by coming through here bequeathed something." Dorothy West, the youngest member of the Harlem Renaissance, said of Oak Bluffs, "I thought there was always summer here" in an interview published by the Martha's Vineyard Museum Oral History Channel. "I think historically it has represented a place where African Americans could be successful, could be around other African-Americans, could share in a culture and a place in the sun and that they'll own and that they'll belong," Weintraub said. Oak Bluffs still holds that same significance today. Netflix's show "Forever", released in March, showcased this on an episode titled "The Vineyard", allowing viewers to see the vibrance and richness that still exists in Oak Bluffs. The 2022 collection was described by Jeter as a "period piece" that drew from the ephemera of Morehouse and Spelman, of which Jeter and Douglas are alumni, from 1920's to the 1960's. "You'll notice that there's this kind of decorum (in the 2022 collection). We leaned a little bit into politics of respectability, which really started such an incredible conversation," Jeter said. He added that imagery for the collection's campaign was "intentionally less serious" and leaned into a multi-generational interpretation of summers on the shore. "Quite frequently people think of the output that comes from the Black experience, whether it's through entertainment, through sports. So you constantly see the Black body in motion, but this notion of rest and relaxation as a space that the black body could occupy I think is quite revolutionary," Douglas said. The collection comes as companies have backed away from concepts labeled DEI following pressure from the Trump administration and other right-wing forces. Jeter and Douglas both pointed to the collection as a part of the company's commitment to widening the brand's view of what is included in "Americana," with James saying "we intended to stick to that."
USA Today
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Ralph Lauren's Oak Bluffs collection celebrates historic Black beach community
Cricket sweaters, patchwork blanket, and distressed baseball caps. Each is part of the new collection called Polo Ralph Lauren for Oak Bluffs, celebrating the historically Black community of Oak Bluffs in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. The collection is an evolution of the 2022 collection based on Historically Black Colleges Morehouse and Spelman, who are again partners in the Oak Bluffs collection, and is a part of the company's "Design with Intent" portfolio. "Ralph Lauren as a man, as a brand is sort of the world ambassador to Americana," James Jeter, Creative Director for Polo Men's at Ralph Lauren told USA TODAY. "With that comes this incredible responsibility for us to tell these incredible American stories as fully, as broadly, as accurately as possible." The collection deftly weaves HBCU campus style drawn from Morehouse and Spelman with resort wear that references the historic Black beach town and Black traditions. "It was just very important to tell that story, the multi-faceted, multi-dimensional experience that is the Black experience that also translates into the American experience," Dara Douglas, Product and Brand Lead for Design with Intent, told USA TODAY. It is accompanied by a documentary on the community directed by Cole Brown titled "A Portrait of the American Dream: Oak Bluffs" that debuted on the brand's YouTube page on July 24. "Oak Bluffs' unique history, traditions and sense of community deeply inspire me and speak to what we are all searching for – a place where you can be free, uncontrived, joyful and truly at home," Ralph Lauren, Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of the eponymous preppy stalwart, said in a July 23 press release. Historically Black beach community celebrated by Ralph Lauren Oak Bluffs was once a part of nearby Edgartown and was deemed to be the place "suitable" for Black workers at nearby resorts, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Oak Bluffs community envisioned by the collection started in earnest when Charles Shearer opened Shearer Cottage in 1912, according to The Root. The Black news outlet described the inn as, "an act of defiance in an America riddled with discrimination and racial segregation, where safe lodging for Black travelers was a rare luxury." "So by default really, Oak Bluffs becomes the place ... for young, educated, affluent African Americans—the politicians and the movie stars." Dr. Elaine Weintraub, historian and co-founder of the Martha's Vineyard African American Heritage Trail, told the Trust. At the heart of Oak Bluffs, according to the Root, is a beach called the Inkwell that served as a place where, "Black folks could swim, sunbathe, and just be, without getting side-eyed or harassed." Weintraub described vacationers to the Inkwell, Shearer Cottage, and Oak Bluffs throughout the decades as a "who's who" including Madame C.J. Walker, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., actress Ethel Waters, and singer Lionel Richie. "Well, I think perhaps I should say what you I think are aware of. Our people are deeply mystical, you might say spiritual and we have a an appreciation for place," Dr. Lawrence E. Carter Sr., the Dean of the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel, said in the documentary. "How Martha's Vineyard became Martha's Vineyard has an awful lot to do with traffic, who came through here and by coming through here bequeathed something." Dorothy West, the youngest member of the Harlem Renaissance, said of Oak Bluffs, "I thought there was always summer here" in an interview published by the Martha's Vineyard Museum Oral History Channel. "I think historically it has represented a place where African Americans could be successful, could be around other African-Americans, could share in a culture and a place in the sun and that they'll own and that they'll belong," Weintraub said. Oak Bluffs still holds that same significance today. Netflix's show "Forever", released in March, showcased this on an episode titled "The Vineyard", allowing viewers to see the vibrance and richness that still exists in Oak Bluffs. Oak Bluffs collection intends to broaden view of Black experience The 2022 collection was described by Jeter as a "period piece" that drew from the ephemera of Morehouse and Spelman, of which Jeter and Douglas are alumni, from 1920's to the 1960's. "You'll notice that there's this kind of decorum (in the 2022 collection). We leaned a little bit into politics of respectability, which really started such an incredible conversation," Jeter said. He added that imagery for the collection's campaign was "intentionally less serious" and leaned into a multi-generational interpretation of summers on the shore. "Quite frequently people think of the output that comes from the Black experience, whether it's through entertainment, through sports. So you constantly see the Black body in motion, but this notion of rest and relaxation as a space that the black body could occupy I think is quite revolutionary," Douglas said. The collection comes as companies have backed away from concepts labeled DEI following pressure from the Trump administration and other right-wing forces. Jeter and Douglas both pointed to the collection as a part of the company's commitment to widening the brand's view of what is included in "Americana," with James saying "we intended to stick to that." "We are the leaders. So we look not outside of ourselves, but we look toward our purpose to be the guiding light to the kind of stories that we tell," James said. "The hope is that other corporations or other folks see us as an example."
Fast Company
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Fast Company
Ralph Lauren's gorgeous new campaign is fashion advertising done right
In Ralph Lauren's latest campaign, Black men, women, and children wear the brand's traditionally preppy clothes against idyllic coastal backdrops. The collection isn't just some sort of woke fantasy of a post-racial America. It's grounded in a very specific history that many Americans aren't familiar with. The setting of this campaign is Oak Bluffs, a section of Martha's Vineyard that has been home to Black communities for more than a hundred years. Oak Bluffs was a haven for educated, middle-class Black families looking for respite in a racist, segregated country. And in this place of relative peace and safety, Black people were able to nurture excellence. Key figures of the Harlem Renaissance and Civil Rights Movement, from Langston Hughes to Martin Luther King Jr., spent time there. President Barack Obama vacationed there with his family and now owns a house in a neighboring town. Ralph Lauren delves into this history in a gorgeous short film full of archival footage created in partnership with Morehouse and Spelman colleges. Directed by Cole Brown, A Portrait of the American Dream is a radical statement in our current cultural climate, when the notions of diversity, equity, and inclusion are under attack. Here is an American brand that understands how to meet the needs of Black consumers, who are expected to spend as much as $70 billion on fashion by 2030, according to McKinsey. Many pieces in this collection are already sold out. Rather than making a superficial effort to get these consumers to spend money, Ralph Lauren is doing the work. The company began partnering with the historically Black Morehouse and Spelman colleges in 2022, working closely with Black academics and cultural critics to understand how students there helped influence preppy fashion as we know it. The Oak Bluff collection goes deeper, reflecting how members of the Black middle class enjoyed their leisure time. A tale of two fashion ads Ralph Lauren's new collection offers a contrast to American Eagle, which has been mired in controversy because of its recent campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney. As my colleague Jeff Beer explains, American Eagle's campaign hinged on the double entendre that Sweeney has great jeans and great genes. In a video, the actress provides a scientific explanation of genetics, describing how genes pass physical traits from parents to offspring. Given that Sweeney is a blond-haired, blue-eyed woman, many people thought this ad reeked of eugenics, the idea that some people have better genes than others and that society should prevent the reproduction of those considered 'unfit.' The outcry about the American Eagle campaign featuring Sweeney has everything to do with the political and cultural climate we're living in. The extreme right—which includes white supremacists and neo-Nazis—is on the rise, while the Trump administration attacks organizations that invest in DEI programs. In this context, it's no surprise that a campaign about how a white woman has good genes evokes the most horrific aspects of racist history. The fact that American Eagle could not foresee how this campaign could go wrong suggests that it did not receive enough feedback from diverse people as it created its ad. Either the company did not have people in the room willing to point out how troubling it was, or the company didn't listen to those who did speak up. Ralph Lauren has taken a very different approach with its design process and marketing in recent years. It doesn't just create clothes that celebrate the diverse strains of American history; it works closely with diverse designers, creatives, and thought leaders. To create the Oak Bluff collection, in addition to historians and cultural experts at the two HBCUs, it partnered closely with the Martha's Vineyard African American Heritage Trail, the Martha's Vineyard Museum, and the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. It also tapped Black creatives to produce the campaign. In addition to film director Brown, who spent summers on Martha's Vineyard for decades, the campaign features photography by Nadine Ijewere and video footage by Azariah Bjørvig. Consider its 2023 collection, which celebrated Native American style. Ralph Lauren brought in Naiomi Glasses, a seventh-generation Navajo textile artist and designer, to create garments inspired by her culture, and also empowered Glasses to select Native Americans as models, photographers, and creative directors. The company now has an ongoing artist-in-residence program where it brings other artisans preserving heritage crafts to collaborate with Ralph Lauren's creative teams. Good for business To be clear, Ralph Lauren hasn't always been this inclusive. For its classic American style, from preppy fashion to Native American iconograpy, in the past the 60-year-old brand appropriated aesthetics from Black and Indigenous communities, rather than collaborating with them. And the company was slow to bring in models of color for its campaigns. The company is now willing to acknowledge its missteps and blind spots, and is trying to do things right. Its designers have learned that the way to be more inclusive is to partner with diverse creatives, listen closely to their points of view, and give them creative freedom. With all of these collections, Ralph Lauren also gives proceeds back to these communities. This time around, it has partnered with a nonprofit comprised of 100 Black female homeowners on Martha's Vineyard to support historic building restoration on the island. It has devoted $2 million to support scholarships for students at 10 historically Black colleges and universities. Many companies, including Target and Amazon, have backed away from their DEI initiatives in response to Trump's executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in both the public and private sectors. So Ralph Lauren deserves credit for having the bravery to continue investing in programs that bring more diversity to its brand. minority by 2045. Black and brown Americans will use their purchasing power to support brands that make an effort to understand them and respond to their needs. And they have long memories. They will hold American Eagle's Sweeney campaign as a mark against the brand for years to come. And they'll remember Ralph Lauren's Oak Bluff campaign the next time they shop for a sweater or dress.
Daily Mail
24-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Food for thought... how we comfort eat our way to 344,064 calories a year
We have all reached for a bar of chocolate or packet of crisps after a trying day. But our fondness for a snack when feeling down is adding many thousands of extra calories to our diets, a poll has revealed. A quarter of Britons questioned in the survey said they would describe themselves as an emotional eater – admitting to eating 28,672 'comfort calories' a month, or 344,064 a year. Almost nine in ten of those surveyed said they had eaten food out of boredom or sadness, despite not being hungry. Many said they felt guilty as a result. However, 78 per cent said they wanted to reduce the amount they eat because of feeling sensitive to weight gain. The most popular emotional nibbles were bags of crisps, chocolate bars, biscuits, bananas, buttered toast and instant noodles. Nuts, cheese, sausage rolls, and crumpets were also common snacks chosen to give us an emotional boost. Somewhat depressingly, four in ten of the 20,000 participants surveyed described food as their only real enjoyment in life. Psychologist Dr Becky Spelman said: 'Emotional eating is deeply rooted in how we were raised. 'Many of us were given treats as a reward for being good or to soothe us when we were upset, so food becomes more than just fuel; it's a source of emotional comfort.' She said recognising the pattern was the first step towards replacing habits with something that 'genuinely nurtures us emotionally'. 'Real change begins with kindness, with treating yourself like someone you care about, even when you're struggling,' Dr Spelman added. 'That shift in perspective is what helps break the cycle.' Dr Babak Ashrafi from Superdrug Online Doctor, which commissioned the survey, said: 'With the latest Government stats showing six in ten of us are obese or overweight, it seems many Brits need to break the cycle of emotional eating.'
