If you aren’t familiar with SSENSE, it’s the online epicenter for buying luxury brands and high-end streetwear. Founded by the three Atallah brothers, the goal was to take away the obstacles and headaches that could arise from purchasing high-end fashion and democratize the latest, coolest brands.
More than any other platform right now, SSENSE does curation right. They’re painfully aware of which pieces from new collections are a fit for their audience. They show you what’s relevant and hot right now — prioritizing pieces you’ll genuinely like rather than what’s just being pushed by the brand. Now, SSENSE carries brands of all price points from Adidas to Versace.
Another highlight: SSENSE is known for its brand diversity. They often highlight Black-owned brands and showcase collections from people of color and lesser-known designers. To close out Black History Month 2024, SSENSE is teaming up with none other than ESSENCE: a pairing that makes perfect sense.
ESSENCE, the lifestyle publication geared towards Black women, is helping feature three designers and artists: Bianca Saunders, Mowalola, and Stanley Raffington. The series will showcase their designs and tell their story.
According to SSENSE’s site,
“The two brands are turning ESSENCE’s “In The Studio” print franchise into a video series hosted by Lynette Nylander. The series will spotlight the achievements and creativity of Black designers who have significantly impacted the menswear realm. With three episodes, each featuring a distinguished designer, the series offers exclusive insights into their creative processes and journey,”
Meet The SSENSE X ESSENCE Feature Designers
Bianca Saunders
Bianca Saunders
British GQ
Bianca Saunders’ clothing embraces masculinity in womenswear. Her jackets will always be a bit oversized, or the style will mimic a classic streetwear bomber that could have been borrowed from boys like Jeremy Allen-White and Jacob Elordi — a girl can dream.
“The essence of Saunders' clothing lives in the details, which point to how she subverts ideals often associated with menswear.”
Finding the intersectionality between workwear and streetwear, Saunders clothing is genderless and trendy. Some of her signatures include layered shirts, tucked waists, and somewhat minimalist designs.
@babyboyflame Buying Black: @Bianca Saunders #streetwear #menswear #blackownedbusiness #fashion #fashiontok #fashiontiktok ♬ Oldschool - Cookin Soul
Mowalola
Mowalola
Joyce NG
Mowalola, a highly sought after designer whose pieces have been worn by the likes of Rihanna and Naomi Campbell, is a bit of an icon in the fashion world. Her mantra for fashion is “do what you want to do” and that’s exactly the kind of energy Mowalola’s clothes give off.
Much like Bianca Saunders, Mowalola is known for her gender bending designs. Inspired by cinema, many of her collections revolve around movies. And this is on full display at her cinematic runway shows.
She brings an edge to her designs through textures like leather and intentionally placed cutouts. She’s not afraid to make public commentary on race and gender, making her runway shows incredibly popular.
“The British designer has shifted the cultural zeitgeist with her boundary-pushing collections inspired by the world around her.”
@i_d Replying to @JAC So are we! #ferragamo #maximiliandavis #tiktokfashion #mfw #mowalola ♬ original sound - i-D
Stanley Raffington
Stanley Raffington
ESSENCE
In a world where the Chanel black-and-white aesthetic hails ever-popular, especially amongst those emulating Old Money Style and Sofia Richie’s closet, it’s hard to find designers who aren’t afraid of a bit of color…enter Stanley Raffington.
Often incorporating Rastafarian colors of red, yellow, and black as an ode to his Jamaican roots, Raffington isn’t going to shy away from any hue. He quickly rose into fashion prominency when Madonna and FKA Twigs attended his show, which included 3D printed accessories.
Constantly inspired by his Jamaican roots and the nostalgia of past trends, you will see lots of Y2K nods in Stanley Raffington’s clothing. He’s embraced tech in the fashion world by utilizing 3D printing in many of his designs and runway shows, and he’s not slowing down now.
@yungstanz Process behind my 3d printed curve bag. Taking inspiration from the architecture of Zaha Hadid, mixing new technology with natural materials and craft. Available now exclusively at @SSENSE ♬ Never Lose Me - Flo Milli
Basic Homeowners Insurance Surprisingly Doesn't Cover These Things
Raising a family in my own home has been a goal of mine for as long as I can remember...even before I met my wife. Once I took the plunge and bought a house, got a mortgage, and we purchased homeowner's insurance because it was a requirement. Unfortunately, I signed a policy without looking too deeply at the fine print. It turns out, a lot of people think homeowner's insurance covers all their needs, but that's a myth.
So, when my wife's parents got a home warranty plan from TotalHome Warranty by HomeServe, she wanted to get one too. At first, I thought my wife was being overly dramatic, and we had everything we needed taken care of by our homeowner's insurance. Boy was I wrong! I started looking into it and discovered that problems which usually happen to due wear and tear around the home aren't even covered by basic homeowners' insurance.
In doing my research, I realized that TotalHome Warranty offers a home warranty plan for the covered repair or replacement on appliances and home systems - such as refrigerators, washer/dryers, and electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling systems. A plan is relatively inexpensive and having one in place can help avoid home repair headaches down the line. Plus, the best thing is that TotalHome Warranty finds a technician for you, and they have a 24-hour hotline you can call any time of the day or night.
Here are four common issues that most basic homeowner's insurance won't help you with:
1. Appliance Breakdowns
Laundry isn't optional. When your washer or dryer isn't working, your entire household comes to a standstill. Same can be said for major appliances. For example, can you imagine life with 3 kids without a working refrigerator, oven, or dishwasher? With an appliance plan from TotalHome Warranty, you'll feel good knowing that a breakdown may be covered, and my family can still get a hot meal, and have clean clothes.
2. Heating/Cooling System Failure
When my central AC went down in the middle of last summer, things got pretty uncomfortable pretty fast. I was stuck waiting while my family got overheated in more ways than one (let's just say there were a lot of arguments that summer). I ended up having to dig into our savings to get it fixed. I was kicking myself knowing that I should have been prepared before my AC went on the fritz. Now that I have a plan from TotalHome Warranty, I have peace of mind knowing covered repairs will be taken care of.
3. Burst Water Pipes
In my opinion, there's nothing worse than water damage in a home. And having to deal with burst water pipes can cause some serious homeowner stress. And the biggest stress of all for me is that I hate dealing with plumbers because I never know if I can trust their estimates. Having a plan from TotalHome Warranty in place before something happens makes me feel at ease as I know that they have trusted, local, licensed technicians that I can call 24/7, 365 days a year and they can help me with a covered repair.
4. Electrical Problems
I live in a beautiful old house, with much of the same architecture as when it was built in the 1900s. But the circuits in older homes just aren't made to handle the many electric gadgets we use in modern life. We're starting to notice that the circuit breaker flips far more often than usual, and sometimes we get dips or sags in power. It's a huge bother, but back then, I didn't want to call an electrician because I was afraid it would cost thousands to fix properly. Now that we have a home warranty plan in place, I feel more at ease and less homeowner stress when I think about future electrical problems with my antique home.
All said and done, I can't believe how many common household problems caused by normal wear and tear were not covered by most basic homeowners' insurance. Now that I have a plan from TotalHome Warranty by HomeServe, I don't hesitate to call when I have a covered problem with my appliances, interior plumbing, electric, heating or cooling systems.
Update: HomeServe is extending a new offer to celebrate the launch of TotalHome Warranty. Follow this link or call 1-866-765-4208 to receive $100 off your first year.