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
The Inside Scoop On The Latest Teeth Whitening Trend Everyone Is Talking About
We're living in an age of endless photographs, dating apps, and living our lives online. So sometimes, it can feel like we only get one shot at presenting ourselves to the world.
So, we get it. We all want to look our best. And the old saying is true: there is nothing more beautiful than a big, confident smile.
Our editors have tried just about every teeth whitening treatment under the sun, from whitening strips that were super painful to charcoal toothpaste that worked, but made such a mess - oral care is always at the top of our beauty research.
We're always super eager to try anything that combines beauty with practicality, so when we discovered the BURST Electric Toothbrush, we were intrigued by its promises to not only clean better than any other toothbrush but to also whiten your teeth.
What makes BURST different than other electric toothbrushes?
Everything! BURST is one of the only brushes on the market that has the goods to back up its claims. Recommended by over 25,000 dental professionals, it is clinically proven to remove up to ten times more plaque than its manual counterpart. The 33,000 sonic vibrations a minute and thin charcoal bristles make reaching those hard-to-clean places a breeze.
How exactly does it whiten?
When we tried the whole charcoal toothpaste trend, we were super impressed with the results, but boy did it make a mess in our all-white bathroom! BURST's soft charcoal-infused PBT bristles are designed to remove surface stains gently and effectively, leaving your teeth looking and feeling radiant. Seriously, our teeth haven't felt so clean since our last visit to the dentist!
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I have sensitive teeth and gums, is BURST right for me?
YES! Most people assume that harder bristles result in a deeper, more thorough clean, but in fact, the exact opposite is true. Softer bristles are kinder to your enamel and will actually clean much better.
With BURST, there's no need to scrub your teeth in a back-and-forth motion, all you have to do is let it work its magic. It will prompt you to move to a new part of your mouth every 30 seconds by gently vibrating, and will automatically turn off after 2 minutes (the perfect brushing time recommended by dentists!)/ BURST also helps reduce bleeding gums by up to 3 times in just 15 days when compared to a manual toothbrush.
What else do you love about it?
So much! The timer is not the only cool tech feature giving BURST its edge on all the rest. Its long-lasting Lithium Battery lasts for a whole month once fully charged, so you can take it with you anywhere without having to lug around a charger. Plus, they're super convenient subscription delivers a new replacement head right to your door every 90 days for as low as $6. We also love that BURST comes in 3 colors; black, white and our personal fave, rose gold!
There's a reason everyone is talking about BURST. It cleans better than any other toothbrush we've ever tried, whitens and removes surface stains, and has an insane battery life. And starting at only $74.99 (originally 102.97!), BURST is the perfect way to marry your oral care and beauty routine together to get the beautiful smile you've always wanted.
Update: Limited Offer! BURST is offering up to37% OFF their Sonic Toothbrush and Whitening Strips.Get yours today while the offer lasts!
The Inside Scoop On The Latest Teeth Whitening Trend Everyone Is Talking About
We're living in an age of endless photographs, dating apps, and living our lives online. So sometimes, it can feel like we only get one shot at presenting ourselves to the world.
So, we get it. We all want to look our best. And the old saying is true: there is nothing more beautiful than a big, confident smile.
Our editors have tried just about every teeth whitening treatment under the sun, from whitening strips that were super painful to charcoal toothpaste that worked, but made such a mess - oral care is always at the top of our beauty research.
We're always super eager to try anything that combines beauty with practicality, so when we discovered the BURST Electric Toothbrush, we were intrigued by its promises to not only clean better than any other toothbrush but to also whiten your teeth.
What makes BURST different than other electric toothbrushes?
Everything! BURST is one of the only brushes on the market that has the goods to back up its claims. Recommended by over 25,000 dental professionals, it is clinically proven to remove up to ten times more plaque than its manual counterpart. The 33,000 sonic vibrations a minute and thin charcoal bristles make reaching those hard-to-clean places a breeze.
How exactly does it whiten?
When we tried the whole charcoal toothpaste trend, we were super impressed with the results, but boy did it make a mess in our all-white bathroom! BURST'ssoft charcoal-infused PBT bristles are designed to remove surface stains gently and effectively, leaving your teeth looking and feeling radiant. Seriously, our teeth haven't felt so clean since our last visit to the dentist!
I have sensitive teeth and gums, is BURST right for me?
YES! Most people assume that harder bristles result in a deeper, more thorough clean, but in fact, the exact opposite is true. Softer bristles are kinder to your enamel and will actually clean much better.
With BURST, there's no need to scrub your teeth in a back-and-forth motion, all you have to do is let it work its magic. It will prompt you to move to a new part of your mouth every 30 seconds by gently vibrating, and will automatically turn off after 2 minutes (the perfect brushing time recommended by dentists!)/ BURST also helps reduce bleeding gums by up to 3 times in just 15 days when compared to a manual toothbrush.
What else do you love about it?
So much! The timer is not the only cool tech feature giving BURST its edge on all the rest. Its long-lasting Lithium Battery lasts for a whole month once fully charged, so you can take it with you anywhere without having to lug around a charger. Plus, they're super convenient subscription delivers a new replacement head right to your door every 90 days for as low as $6. We also love that BURST comes in 3 colors; black, white and our personal fave, rose gold!
There's a reason everyone is talking about BURST. It cleans better than any other toothbrush we've ever tried, whitens and removes surface stains, and has an insane battery life. With kits starting at only $74.99 (with free shipping!) BURSTis the perfect way to marry your oral care and beauty routine together to get the beautiful smile you've always wanted.
Update: Limited Time Offer! Our friends at BURST are extending a special offer to our readers! Get up to 32% OFF a toothbrush bundle today!