First Things First…

What do you do when your BFF is supermodel Jasmine Tookes and she’s getting married in Quito, Ecuador and wants all 12 of her bridesmaids to wear your ByChari jewellery line? Deliver with the perfect smile of course, and on time! Kudos to our Rock-born Los Angeles-based jewellery designer Chari Cuthbert.

Next…

When Hollywood actress Gabrielle Union and her long-time stylist Thomas Christos Kikis decided to recreate the dress worn by the late American icon Cicely Tyson in 1974 to accept her Emmy, they enlisted Rock-blooded fashion designer Samantha Black to get the job done. Black then linked up with Brooklyn-based textile design studio Sogé Studio to recreate the vintage floral print and the rest, as they say, is fashion history. Images of Union wearing the mod floral mini surfaced on #MetMonday as the Costume Institute readied to launch In America: A Lexicon of Fashion, a two-part exhibition exploring fashion in the United States. The exhibition will debut at the Anna Wintour Costume Center on September 18.

Then…

American actress and director Regina King covers Vanity Fair’s October issue wearing the East West Rings from Mateo New York, helmed by Jamaican-born jewellery designer Matthew “Mateo” Harris. The Oscar-winning actress talked about her career as a black woman in show business and becoming a red carpet icon in an interview with National Book Award-winning novelist Jesmyn Ward.

CREDITS

Photographer: Jackie Nickerson

Make-up: Porsche Cooper

Hair: Larry Sims

Plus…

Venice Glass Week — an international festival that the city of Venice dedicates to the art of glass — has awarded special recognition to Rock-born, Milan-based multi-media artist Hugh Findletar for his From My Little Pond Side to the Grand Canal exhibition.

Also

Supermodel Bella Hadid was spotted heading to the Kin Euphorics launch party in a Kathryn Bowen design. Kin Euphorics, a wellness drink brand, is helmed by Hadid and Jen Batchelor. No stranger to SO, the Canadian designer’s father Bruce headed Scotiabank Jamaica for several years.

Finally…

There was glitz and glamour as the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) unveiled Saturday, September 11, the documentary: Don’t Make Me Over, a stunning tribute to the legendary singer Dionne Warwick, directed by Wooley Entertainment with Jamaican Wes Hall, as executive producer. Hall, who has been an active member on the TIFF board of directors for many years, was approached by directors Dave Wooley and David Heilbroner.

To celebrate the film’s success, Hall hosted an intimate, absolutely fabulous all-purple soiree to honour the living legend. Hall and his stunning wife Christine opened their home safely to roughly 70 guests who were all double vaccinated and had gone through appropriate COVID-19 screenings prior to entering the space. The party featured a stunning rich purple carpet, twinkle lights, a signature cocktail curated by 3 Kilos Vodka entitled ‘That’s What Friends are For’ (in purple of course). There was even a musical trio to welcome Warwick as she entered.

Guests were immersed in an evening of opulence, laughter and story-telling from the iconic singer, who, at the end of the evening was effusive in her thank- you speech before heading out. “To say the party was special would be an understatement,” said Wes Hall, founder and executive chairman of Kingsdale Advisors, The BlackNorth Initiative, and who is the newest Dragon on Canada’s Dragons’ Den.” 

Special thanks to:

Diana Pires Events

Bernard Okulaja Photography

Jasmine Ault

Kelly Medeiros

3 Kilos Vodka Canada