Billie Eilish is perhaps the most talented artist of our generation…and I don’t throw that around lightly. At only 13, Eilish wrote “Ocean Eyes” alongside her brother Finneas and launched her prolific career. And at the fair age of 22, Eilish has 24 GRAMMY Award nominations and nine wins, two Oscars, two Golden Globes, and countless other accolades.
Beyond that, she recently announced her third album, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, to be released May 17, 2024. She spent the days leading up to the announcement building excitement by adding all of her Instagram followers to her “Close Friends” list. Eilish had the most Instagram followers in 48 hours…with her count increasing by 7 million followers total.
While her debut album, when we all fall asleep…where do we go?, was a chart-topper in its own right, it landed Billie every GRAMMY it was nominated for at the ripe age of 18…Eilish has solidified herself as one of the most revered and sought-after popstars in the world.
Eilish recently caught media attention for quietly revealing her sexuality. In an interview with Variety, she states that she’s always liked girls…and assumed people always knew that. In a viral snippet from her new song, LUNCH, she details a love affair with a girl.
But people don’t only adore Billie for her catchy tracks that consistently top the charts. It’s not just her songwriting ability and unique vocals that keep us hooked. People love her because she’s unafraid to speak her mind.
Whether it be complaining about too many influencers being at an awards show, or calling out other artists for using unsustainable practices…Billie does not hold back.
Billie Eilish On Sustainability
Eilish home
rethinkingthefuture.com
The Eilish home is iconic for many reasons: it’s where Billie and Finneas recorded her debut album, countless other songs, and EPs, in an effort to conserve water there’s no grass, and the roof is covered in solar panels. And being environmentally conscious extends beyond the four walls of their home.
When the hottest young talent is discovered at such an early age like Eilish, record labels are chomping at the bit to sign them. It’s like when a D1 athlete is ready to commit to college…you have your pick.
But what Eilish and her mom, Maggie Baird, were looking for wasn’t about money or label-perks…they were seeking a solid sustainability program. And while that may seem like standard practice, most labels didn’t bring up environmental policies during these meetings at all.
After signing to The Darkroom via Interscope Records, the struggle didn’t stop there. Billie Eilish and her family have been consistent contributors to the fight against climate change.
Maggie Baird has since started Support + Feed, which focuses on the climate crisis and food insecurity. Support + Feed helped Eilish’s 2022 Happier Than Ever tour save 8.8 million gallons of water through plant-based meal service for the artist and crew members.
During Billie’s 2023 Lollapalooza performance, she aided the launch and funding of REVERB’s Music Decarbonization Project – which guaranteed all battery systems used during her set were solar powered. The MCD’s overall mission is to lower – and eventually eliminate –the music industry’s carbon emissions.
But more recently, Billie Eilish called out other artists for releasing multiple versions of vinyls in order to boost vinyl sales. In an interview with Billboard, she says,
“We live in this day and age where, for some reason, it’s very important to some artists to make all sorts of different vinyl and packaging … which ups the sales and ups the numbers and gets them more money and gets them more…”
Artists convince fans to buy different versions of their albums by offering exclusive features on each vinyl. Take Taylor Swift, for example, who released five separate vinyl versions of Midnights, each with a different deluxe “Vault” track.
While Billie may not have been trying to shade one artist in particular, the point is that she’s fed up. After being the rare artist in the industry who go out of their way to remain environmentally conscious, Eilish sets the bar high.
How Eilish’s New Album Is Sustainable
Billie for "Hit Me Hard and Soft"
William Drumm
Social media users were quick to claim Eilish was hypocritical by announcing that HIT ME HARD AND SOFT will have eight vinyl variations. However, each vinyl is made from recycled materials – either 100% recycled black vinyl or BioVinyl, which replaces petroleum used during manufacturing with recycled cooking oil.
This just illustrates that Eilish wasn’t directing criticism towards other artists for using vinyl variants to gain album sales…but she does think there are better ways to do it that benefit the environment without hurting their sales.
Welcome to Atelier Jolie
Opening in the former studio of Basquiat and Warhol, Angelina Jolie’s clothing brand is not another vanity project
Every day, it seems yet another big name launches a clothing brand. Kylie Jenner just announced her own fast fashion brand, Khy. Phoebe Philo just launched a high-ticket eponymous luxury brand with LVMH. But for Angelina Jolie, her foray into fashion isn’t about her.
Angelina Jolie launched Atelier Jolie with all the fanfare you could expect from an A-Lister and one of the most recognizable faces on the planet. She graced the cover of Vogue. She bought the iconic former home of Andy Warhol, 57 Great Jones Street in New York -which still bears graffiti from Basquiat- to give the brand a home. And she even posted to her Instagram account, which followers will know is a rare occurrence.
But all of this impressive marketing is not an attempt to build Jolie’s ego or even her own brand. It’s to support the careers of other artists. Atelier Jolie is a brand of collaborations:
“I’ve met a lot of artisans over the years—very capable, talented people—and I’d like to see them grow,” Jolie told Vogue. “It’s not really about fashion … I don’t want to be a big fashion designer. I want to build a house for other people to become that.”
The atelier itself promises to be a collaborative space — part store, part cafe, part creative community where patrons can stitch and mend and tailor their pieces. “I’ve always wanted to take my family to a place where I can say: Does your clothing really represent you?” she said in Vogue. “Absolutely you? And do you love it? I think the average person would not think it does. But I think tailoring does that for you.”
The brand is a community. The designers and collaborators are mostly “refugees and other talented, underappreciated groups.” Its global collaborators include the London-based milliner Justin Smith, the American artist Duke Riley, South African lacemaker Pierre Fouché, and more.
In the brand announcement, Jolie wrote:
“I am building a place for creative people to collaborate with a skilled and diverse family of expert tailors, pattern makers, and artisans from around the world. A place to have fun. To create your own designs with freedom. To discover yourself.
We will use only leftover, quality vintage material and deadstock. You will be able to repair or upcycle pieces from your closet you wish to revive, perfecting fit, breathing new life into what could have been thrown away, and creating quality heirloom garments with personal meaning.”
“We hope to create a community of creativity and inspiration, regardless of socio-economic background. We will spotlight the people who play a part in each creation. We will bring together a diverse team, including apprenticeships for refugees and other talented, underappreciated groups, with positions of dignity based on skill. And as we work with global artisans and creators, we hope to help share the richness of their cultural heritage and support the development of their own businesses.
But what about the clothes?
It should come as no surprise that the brand’s creative vision is full of timeless silhouettes inspired by Jolie’s simple approach to fashion. “Sometimes the way you dress says, ‘Don’t mess with me—I’ve got my armor on,’ ” Jolie told Vogue. “But I want a woman to feel safe enough that she can be soft.”
Their first collaborator is B Corp-accredited luxury Maison Chloé. Together with Creative Director Gabriela Hearst, Jolie designed this capsule full of eveningwear with an emphasis on fluid silhouettes. Lots of tailored pants and fluid gowns. Lovers of the Chloe, The Row, and Phoebe Philo should eagerly await this one.
This new venture aligns with Jolie’s personal commitment to service. A former UN Refugee Agency Goodwill Ambassador and Special Envoy, Atelier Jolie’s focus on uplifting and supporting creatives from marginalized communities is on brand for Angelina. When she’s not working on this new creative venture, she’s writing pieces for TIME magazine, doing philanthropic work, and using her platform to speak on global issues. Moved by her work with refugees, she has been one of the only major celebrities to use their massive platform to explicitly address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
As with everything she does, Jolie’s brand is a labor of love filled with passion and purpose. She has even gotten her kids involved to drive home the communal aspect of the brand. It’s for everyone and it’s about everyone — not just Jolie.
Atelier Jolie opens its doors later this year. I’ll see you all in line at 57 Great Jones St.