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
Vaping Crisis Showing No Signs of Stopping
The CDC has reported over 2,600 serious lung injuries related to vaping.
In case you've been living under a rock, there has been a vaping crisis sweeping the nation. Vaping has been under much scrutiny, especially after the US Surgeon General declared it an epidemic in December 2018 (prior to the current pandemic rightfully distracting us).
Originally, the fight against vaping was due to defective batteries that could explode. Although a rare occurrence, there were numerous deaths reported. There were also reports of some consumers experiencing seizures. Now, the CDC has reported over 2,600 serious lung injuries related to vaping– including vapes for both tobacco and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). That number has increased by as much as 200 in just two weeks, adding to the scare. To make matters worse, little is known about what is causing these injuries.
With the outbreak showing no signs of slowing down, the federal and state governments are doing what they can to limit the damage. The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have issued clear warnings to consumers against using any vaping device, THC, tobacco, or neither. Some states, including Massachusetts, Oregon, and Washington, have placed temporary bans of some sort on vaping products in an attempt to avoid more injury cases.
What Do We Know?
In a March announcement by the CDC, we learned that a majority of the injuries were suffered by younger victims aged under 35 years old – 80% of the cases to be exact. 15% of the cases involved those under the age of 18. Of all the cases, the CDC has reported 26 deaths across 21 states. Those states include Indiana, Kansas (2), Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Alabama, California (3), Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia (2), Illinois, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oregon (2), Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia.
A majority of the deaths were reported in older victims with an average age of 49 years old. The CDC continues to investigate more deaths. Although test results have come back mixed for the most part, it was found that 76% of the victims reported using products containing THC. In comparison, 58% of the victims reported using both THC and tobacco products, while only 13% used only tobacco products.
A lot of the confusion stems from the fact that it's happening in all vapes, just more frequently in THC products. Scientists are also having difficulty finding any one substance in all the samples. Mixed results and inconsistencies are causing several obstacles for the FDA in its investigation.
Is Cannabis Still Safe?
Vaporizers are considered to be the safest method of smoking, as they leave zero chance of producing combustive smoke and also allows you to avoid the health risks associated with smoking. The same goes for e-cigarettes, with these being around for even longer. When taking all of these factors into consideration, it's no wonder that people everywhere, every day are making the switch from combustibles to vaping.
For those who are nervous that this could be the downfall of cannabis, think again. The many health benefits that the plant provides is backed by powerful scientific research and is in no way under doubt during this investigation. These health benefits include, but aren't limited to:
- Providing relief from chronic pain
- Improving lung capacity
- Regulating seizures
- Helping with ADHD
- Managing stress, anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders
As of now, the FDA is more focused on certain ingredients and additives in the oil solution that might be causing these lung injuries. They fear that it's not the THC, but the additives that our bodies are not reacting positively to.
Searching For a Possible Cause
In their research, the FDA has uncovered several potential causes that have been linked to the outbreak of lung injuries in vape consumers. A major concern is in vaping products bought off the streets. With no way of regulating this, the possibilities are endless as far as what could be in that product.
One box of counterfeit products found in the US was said to contain a pesticide that turned into cyanide when heated. This is definitely something that shouldn't be inhaled into our lungs. Some reports suggest that it's not just the chemicals in the liquids and oils that cause concern, but the device itself could contain harmful chemicals. There were also reports of some counterfeit products being made with butane honey oil (BHO), which is known as the most dangerous way of extracting cannabis.
Through analyzing a wide variety of vape samples containing THC, the FDA has been trying to find similar substances in all of them that could be causing the injuries. Unfortunately, they haven't found one substance that appeared in all of the samples. This is causing the FDA to suggest that there are multiple reasons consumers could be experiencing these lung issues. One substance that has been found in nearly half of the samples is vitamin E acetate.
Used to cheaply thin the THC oil in the vape cartridges, this chemical is the oil derived from vitamin E. Despite it being safe for consumption as a supplement or a topical, there are growing concerns about the effects when inhaled. In addition to the vitamin E acetate, the FDA has found numerous other chemicals including metals, cutting agents, pesticides, among others.
What Can You Do to Protect Yourself?
With so much unknown in this investigation, the worst thing we can do is make it definitive and assume that vaping is dangerous.
In the meantime, it's important to remain on the lookout for more information from the CDC, FDA, and local organizations. The good news is, there are plenty of other ways to consume cannabis without ever touching a vaping product. If you're looking for something to inhale, flower is always a good choice. For those that aren't a fan of flower, edibles are an easy and fun alternative. Even certain topicals will give you the benefits of cannabidiol (CBD) if you're trying to avoid THC all together. Either way, there are safer ways of enjoying cannabis. If vape products are the preferred choice, only purchase from a trusted and regulated source. Ask the retailer for more info on what ingredients were used in making the product – both the oils and devices. It is also suggested to heat your vape at the lowest temperature possible.
Just because current law is murky, doesn't mean consumers can't continue to enjoy ourselves in the realm of cannabis -- all is good in moderation and well-conducted research.