This weekend in fashion had some standout moments that we had to highlight like young actresses Marsai Martin and Skai Jackson both wearing a LaQuan Smith dress to the 2024 Oscars. One wore a short bright orange gown while the other wore a lime green dress. Supermodel Adut Akech also attended the Oscars in an eye-catching long Valentino gown in a vibrant shade of green.
Next, MATCHESFASHION is officially closing down. Additionally, a Calvin Klien ad featuring FKA Twigs that was previously banned has received an update. A decision was made that the ad was not as “suggestive” for viewers to see on billboards in the U.K, at the moment it is still banned. Lastly, the Parsons School of Design came to an agreement for academic workers to end their strike.
The Parson’s New School Student Workers Strike Has Ended
A three-day strike ensued with academic student workers who are members of the ACT-UAW Local 7902 looking for a successor contract with Parsons School of Design has ended, according to WWD. After months of negotiations, an agreement to give student workers a raise by 24 to 30 percent has been reached. The new contract also “includes the first codification in the U.S. of protection for trans and reproductive rights,” reports WWD. A childcare fund for the parents and families at the university is also included in the proposed contract. Representatives of the previously mentioned union stated the university was “far behind in standards for graduate worker employment compared to similar institutions of higher education, and this agreement goes a long way towards making the workers whole.” The contract also offers 80 percent of healthcare coverage to be provided to all graduate workers. This has ended the strike with a three-year contract promising those conditions. Classes have been resumed as scheduled.
Adut Akech Wears Valentino
Supermodel Adut Akech wore a Valentino gown to the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party. The rich green dress had a cowl neck detail that was also low cut. Akech took the opportunity to accessorize with a simple pendant necklace and a pair of stud earrings. She held a deep green sparkling Valentino clutch with a gold branded clasp. The simple yet elegant look was eye-catching.
Marsai Martin Wears LaQuan Smith
Actress Marsai Martin wore a short, strapless vibrant orange sequined gown designed by LaQuan Smith to MACRO’s Pre-Oscars party. While accessories were kept to a minimum, she did wear a pair of silver cross-style earrings to add to her look and a few silver rings with diamond adornments. She completed her look with a pair of black pointed-toe pumps.
Skai Jackson Wears LaQuan Smith
Another young actress who wore LaQuan Smith to MACRO’s Pre-Oscars party was Skai Jackson. Her gown was also short and strapless in a lime green shade with some draping at her midriff and a bow on the side that created a cinching effect. She also had no necklace but wore hoop earrings and a few rings to accessorize. She carried a mini black clutch as well and wore black open-toed strap heels to complete her look.
FKA Twigs Calvin Klein Ad Ban Partially Reversed
The first time singer FKA Twigs’ Calvin Klein ad came out in April 2023, it quickly got banned in the U.K. for presenting her as a “stereotypical sexual object” and the ad being “suggestive” by the Advertising Standards Authority. Now, after “careful thought,” months later the ad’s ban has been revoked. FKA Twigs previously posted on her Instagram after the ad was banned, lamenting on a woman’s struggle with her bodily rights and what her body actually meant to her in the ad. The ASA, after lifting the ban said that the ad was “the image was not sexually explicit, that the ad presented FKA twigs as confident and in control and, therefore, that she had not been objectified.”
Matchesfashion Is Shutting Down
After two months under a new owner, Fraser Group, it has been announced that Matchesfashion, the luxury e-commerce platform is closing down. The business was sold for $66.6 million in December 2023, the news broke last Thursday globally. According to Sky News, Matches has been failing to pay brands on time. Three days ago, it was reported that the company would be cutting 273 roles.