Source: Christian Vierig / Getty Fashion is big business and Louis Vuitton is seemingly the top earner. The French company has been named the most valuable clothing brand in the world. According to a report by Business Of Fashion , LV will be slotted as the top apparel brand on Interbrand’s yearly “Best Global Brands” list. As per the official press release the chart “analyzes how the Best Global Brands are achieving bold transformation that drives lasting economic value through brand strength. Key trends include customer-centricity, positive utility, the rise of luxury, and the success of subscription models.” For 2018 the luxury house came in at a number 18. Additionally it was named as one of the five “Top Growing Brands” with a 23 percent growth from 2017. The high placement should come as no surprise considering their recent announcement of Virgil Abloh as the director of menswear. “Louis Vuitton’s strength of point of view runs through everything they do. They have been relentless with their engagement with millennials, they’ve gone a lot deeper with their appointment of Virgil [Abloh] and they’re investing in people” explained Rebecca Robbins Global Chief Learning & Culture Officer at Interbrand. The brand consultancy firm notes that the luxury sector as a whole has experienced a spike. “It is astonishing. Luxury is the biggest story of the report. It’s their ability to connect to cultures and next generations. They have cracked the code by having a point of view in the market. Luxury is a space of excellence, whether its fashion, leather or jewellery” Robbins stated. Other noted fashion brands who scored high are Chanel (#23), Zara (#25), H&M (#30), Hermes (#32) and Gucci (#39) who was also noted for their hyper growth. Apple, Google and Amazon were the top three brands respectively on the top 100. You can view the entire list here . Photo: WENN.com
Source: vorDa / Getty Black women are now the most educated group in the country , which means it’s natural we have more money at our fingertips. However, as anyone who has ever dealt significantly in the financial arena knows, just because you make money that doesn’t automatically mean you know what to do with it. It’s easy to neglect investing, saving and making other sound decisions with your money, in favor of spending it on things you want instead of things you need to provide you with a comfortable life long after your working days are behind you. Culturally, Black people don’t utilize their finances the way they should in comparison to their non-white peers, but that has a lot to do with not making as much and being afforded the same opportunities. When you know better, you do better, so we spoke to Tiffany Aliche (known as The Bugetnista) and AttiQuewa Green (known as That Finance Chick), black women who are financial experts and filled with sage advice, to give us some tips on how to get your finances to where they should be and how to make your money work for you even while you’re sleeping. This is the year to level up…and that definitely includes your finances! Hello Beautiful: What do you think are the biggest obstacles between black women and their finances? Tiffany Aliche: The biggest obstacle for black women surrounding their finances is thinking that we need to manage it all on their own, and asking for help is a sign of weakness. Reaching out for help is a sign of strength. I had a period after getting laid off from my job where I felt ashamed. It was isolating. Nothing gets solved in isolation. This is what’s so powerful about my Facebook forum, the Live Richer Dream Catchers Group. Over 300,000 members are in the group. I see women daily getting support from each other. They share stories of how getting advice on building credit, repaying debt, and saving has completely changed their financial outlook. AttiQuewa Green: I think the biggest obstacles black women have when dealing with our finances is finding a way to end the cycle of financial illiteracy for ourselves and finding our financial comfort zone to meet our goals. Often times, it’s up to us to learn how to “do better” with our money when we didn’t realize there was an issue in the first place. Then once we get over that hump, we have to silence the voices around us saying that our ambitions are too much for our current circumstances. For example: for the woman barely making ends meet aspiring to make six figures so she doesn’t have to figure out which bill not to pay for the month and maybe be able to travel once in a while. Or the most insulting obstacle in my opinion, silencing the old traditional or insecure voices telling us not to intimidate our men by making more than them. HB: How do you feel about the belief that black people lack the abundance of generational wealth of other races, thus leaving them behind financially? Aliche: History’s impact on our ability to generate wealth can’t be ignored. But I don’t believe that the black community lacks the capacity to build wealth for future generations. Abundance is all around us, we just need to give our community the right tools to accumulate it. Creating affordable tools with strategies to build wealth is my passion. Green: I believe it’s true. The historical events involving slavery through mortgage redlining has set us back tremendously, but I also believe that we don’t have to stay where we are. We cannot continue to play the blame game as it does nothing for us. It’s all about educating yourself, your family & community to get ahead. There are so many tools and resources available to us that can allow us to create generational wealth including, but definitely not limited to, having multiple sources of passive income. HB: At what age do you recommend sitting down with a young black woman and teaching her the basics of financial responsibility? Aliche: I’m working on a children’s book right now teaching children how to manage money. I also worked on a financial literacy bill to make financial education required in schools. The basics of financial responsibility should be taught to young black women right along with reading and writing at a very young age. Simple lessons like saving an allowance and giving back has a long-term positive impact as they transition into their teenage and young adult years. Green: As soon as possible. If they can talk, they can listen. It’s all about creating great habits young because it’s way easier than having to break bad habits as an adult. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people with the mindset that “kids should be kids” or they need to stay in a “child’s place” not realizing that they are stifling them. Your childhood is about learning life lessons you’re going to need as an adult and the sooner we can adopt that mindset they better off our next generations will be. HB: With the uncertainty of the current administration, what advice do you have for black women to secure their financial future? Aliche: Don’t let fear or uncertainty scare you into inaction. The news can be depressing, but there are moves you can make within your control. Of course, vote — locally and on the national level. Entrepreneurship as a means to building generational wealth is another way to secure your future. Developing multiple streams of income is advice I always stress. You never know when you could lose a job or lose a salary in your household. Having a side business can ease the financial blow. A side hustle can also grow into a full-time job or a company that you can pass down to future generations. Green: Definitely have multiple streams of income! It is a must! Also, prepare for your future by saving now, making safe investments and taking advantage of the current tax laws when looking at investing and growing your money as well as have the best credit you can possibly obtain. HB: What financial mistakes do you commonly see black women make that they need to change? Aliche: Living beyond means is a common problem I see with black women, but the good news is this isn’t such a terrible problem to have. You can rectify it by taking a hard look at your spending habits, downsizing, and creating a good budget. I was able to save about $40,000 in a few years on a teacher’s salary, so cutting back can be done even if you’re making a modest salary. Green: Not having multiple sources of income. Living a life that they can’t afford. Not planning out their financial future. Letting other people have an influence over their money (significant other, friends, family “black tax” & jobs.) HB: If you could narrow it down to a few specific tips, what advice would you give a black woman about her finances? Aliche: Know it’s not a race. As teenagers, we believe we’ll be married by 25, living in a McMansion by 28, and driving a Rolls Royce at 30. Then we get to 30, realize we’re sitting on a pile of student loan debt, and feel like failures. There’s no race. It’s a journey. Mistakes will be made. Financial security happens from learning and making smarter decisions over time. Get your emergency fund together. An emergency savings fund is where you should put a few months’ worth of your salary. Don’t ever spend this money. Keeping a cash cushion will help you avoid having to rely on credit cards and other debt when unexpected expenses come up. Protect your credit. Having good credit history comes with many perks like affordable loans and credit. You may think you’re a good friend, partner, parent, or cousin by co-signing for someone else, but their payment habits will impact you. Your needs come first. Work to keep your credit history clean. Use your employer retirement plan. It’s never too early to start saving for retirement. Even if you can only put a few bucks away in your employer retirement account, do it! Work towards increasing your contribution to match your employer contribution. If your employer doesn’t offer a retirement plan, consider investing in an IRA or another retirement account. Green: Outside of the usual “make sure you have a great budget, plan for your future, fix your credit & have multiple sources of income,” do not allow anyone to make you feel negative about your financial ambitions. As women, we crave stability and security and if people don’t understand that, that’s none of your business. Also, be sure to surround yourself with like-minded people. It’ll make your financial journey a lot easier. RELATED STORIES: Money Moves: Saweetie Talks Her Future and Finances, Fabulously 50 Cent On Filing For Bankruptcy: ‘It Means You’re Re-Organizing Your Finances’
Source: XXL MAGAZINE / XXL MAGAZINE Meek Mill’s post prison glow up continues. The Philadelphia MC is gracing the cover of the newest XXL . As Rap Radar reports Meek’s public relations team doubled up with not one but two covers of the fall issue. For the feature the “All Eyes On You” rapper pens a letter to his 19-year old self. The message speaks about perseverance, race in America, the judicial system and looking forward to his accomplishments. The magazine created an accompanying visual as a teaser to the letter. Since being released from jail Meek has shown immense growth. He has seemingly become the face of criminal justice reform with ongoing participation in rallies and voicing the plight of non violent offenders who have been unfairly hit with severe sentences. Additionally he has made up with his once foe Drake. Both covers will be available October 16. Source: XXL MAGAZINE / XXL MAGAZINE — Photo: WENN.com
Source: David Livingston / Getty Tonight’s fun on Bossip on WEtv is all about Kanye West being annoying, Lindsay Lohan getting faded and Iyanla actually fixing the Braxton Family’s lives (hopefully). Even Kim is tired of Kanye, because, on a recent episode of Keeping up With the Kardashians, she vents to Khloe about how he threw a tantrum because Kim had Jesus band-aids in their house instead of skin color band-aids and how could he be seen wearing a loud Jesus band-aid? The horror! In other news, Lindsay Lohan has adopted a weird wannabe Arab accent and she got punched in the face for messing with some Syrian refugees. She had it in her mind that their kids were being trafficked, tried to take the kids and got the Syrian Fists of Fury laid on her. Get this, she live-streamed her beat down! On tonight’s episode of Braxton Family Drama Values, Iyanla Vanzant actually got to the bottom of their issues and seems to have actually fixed their lives. She even got Tamar to commit to choosing to be a better person. That’s going to be hard, but mmmkay. Finally, the episode winds down with special guest, Nene Leakes. She discussed Gregg’s health, which is said to be turning around, but also her Swag Boutique in Georgia and Florida, and of course Real Housewives of Atlanta. As far as RHOA , NeNe puts to bed the rumors that nene is responsible for casting the show. She is not but she has had to do a, “me or them” situation. She’ll never tell who it was, but hopefully, people will stop trying to act like she’s a casting director. View this post on Instagram When you’re auditioning for #RHOA and you’re telling #NeNeLeakes about your tagline. You play toooooo much @ronniejordan!!! ______ See more #BOSSIP tonight at 10 on @bossip_wetv! A post shared by Bossip.com (@bossipofficial) on Oct 4, 2018 at 5:37pm PDT View this post on Instagram Does @neneleakes think she’ll be invited to #KenyaMoore’s baby shower? Plus she talks #PorshaWilliams’ pregnancy and the new season of #RHOA. ____________ See more #NeNeLeakes tonight at 10 on @bossip_wetv ! A post shared by Bossip.com (@bossipofficial) on Oct 4, 2018 at 2:31pm PDT Nene’s time on the show winds down with her judging the rest of the cast’s housewife lines and it’s hilarious. RELATED POSTS Bossip on WETV Recap: Hat-Fishing Men Get Put On Blast ‘BOSSIP on WEtv’ Debuts TONIGHT!
Source: Paul Archuleta / Getty Actor Pooch Hall , best known for his role on The Game , was arrested this week (October 3) for driving under the influence and child endangerment after letting his 2-year-old son drive because he was too drunk to steer, according to TMZ . Sign Up For Our Newsletter! Close Thank you for subscribing! Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. Email Submit Reports say Hall was driving in Burbank, Calif. yesterday evening when witnesses called 911. Imagine that. SEE ALSO: Pooch Hall Says BET Dissed Him The car veered off and smashed into a parked car. No one was injured, but the Hall’s toddler was seen crying. There was a car seat in the back seat but it wasn’t installed – considering the kid was “driving,” that makes sense. Hall, who reeked of alcohol, was unable to walk straight when police arrived. His blood alcohol level was said to be .25, which is more than three times the legal limit. SEE ALSO: Pooch Hall’s Daughter Beats The Odds By Graduating From High School [PHOTOS] The 2-year-old left with his mother and the actor was taken to jail on $100,000 bail. READ MORE STORIES ON RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM : Quick Silva’s Vitamin of the Day: Check On Your Strong Friends and Family Here’s What Millennials Think About Voting For A Black Candidate Pooch Hall’s Reported DUI Arrest Sheds Light On Black People Facing Intoxication Charges Follow @TheRSMS
Source: Dhwee / Getty For those who crave beer but need coffee at the same time, Dunkin’ Donuts and Harpoon have teamed up for a combo drink to provide you with the best of both worlds. Sign Up For Our Newsletter! Close Thank you for subscribing! Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. Email Submit The coffee-flavored beer has been described as “a smooth mouthfeel with aromas of espresso and dark chocolate.” It has six percent ABV and was made to pair well with donuts, seasonal desserts and stews. Per Delish.com: The bottle is easy to spot at stores—its white label is decorated in Dunkin’s signature orange and pink colors, and the side even looks like the side of a coffee cups, with checks marking the drinks’s flavor, color, aroma, and taste. SEE ALSO: 5 Go-To Vodka Drinks That Will Quench Your Thirst The limited-edition concoction fittingly called “Harpoon’s Dunkin’ Coffee Porter” is available now. Click here to see where you can find the beer near you. READ MORE STORIES ON RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM : Quick Silva’s Vitamin of the Day: Check On Your Strong Friends and Family Here’s What Millennials Think About Voting For A Black Candidate Pooch Hall’s Reported DUI Arrest Sheds Light On Black People Facing Intoxication Charges Follow @TheRSMS
Source: Astrid Stawiarz / Getty First We Feast’s incredibly popular Youtube series Hot Ones is finally back for a seventh season of hot questions, and even hotter wings. Fans of the show are known to bombard the comment section (and the host Sean Evans ‘ Twitter page) with requests for who they want as a guest on the show–and they brought the heat this season by starting out with one of their most highly-requested guests for the series: Chrissy Teigen . The cookbook author, model, and entrepreneur stepped into the terror-dome with a different approach than the show has ever seen, as she licks her way through the all-new hot sauce lineup–but unfortunately for Chrissy, things don’t exactly end well. Throughout the course of the episode, Teigen touches on a little bit of everything from her guide to surviving award shows to her honest thoughts on her tweets becoming news stories…and she even demonstrates how to perfectly pit an avocado. Some of the most memorable quotes from this one-of-a-kind episode include: “We went to Chicago, I think I tried four or five different ones. I respect it for what it is. It’s not pizza.” said the cookbook author on the classic deep dish pizza debate. When talking about how it feels to have mundane tweets of hers (or other celebrities) turned into entire news stories or think-pieces, Chrissy says, “ It is annoying because on Twitter, people follow you, they know your humor. And then once that gets translated into a story, everyone’s like leaving comments like ‘Who cares?’ And I’m like, ‘That’s what I’m saying! Who cares? It was just a dumb tweet. It wasn’t mean to be some kind of think piece.’” And her comments about award shows are eye-opening to say the least: “You still have dogs sniffing up your dress and stuff, they just assume that everyone’s just packing drugs at all times. And you always think that people are partying, but no, everyone’s just looking for the same drink basically. They’re all like, ‘Do you know where the bar is?’ And it’s also very annoying because everyone wants you in your seats, and when they see you stand up to get a drink, they tell you that there’s no bar. They try to lure you back into your seat because obviously they don’t want a whole room of seat fillers.” After the episode made it online, Teigen commented on what happened after the episode’s taping, tweeting the following: It took me two weeks of CBD pills to tame the constant twitching of my eyebrows after “da bomb” – but I’ve never had a better interview. I love you guys. https://t.co/fESbo4UhNc — christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) October 4, 2018 It was all worth it in the end.
Source: Randy Holmes / Getty If you’re a true Dave Chappelle fan, you have followed his career for decades, watching him dominate stage after stage. We’ve seen him in films such as The Nutty Professor , Half Baked , and Blue Streak . We’ve watched him leave us in complete stitches during the two seasons of his Comedy Central sketch comedy series, Chappelle’s Show. But what we hardly ever get to see is Dave Chappelle in a serious role. Dave’s hilarious and his ability to be funny is, without a doubt, a given. It’s almost natural for him. However, in Bradley Cooper’s A Star Is Born , hitting theaters October 5th, we are getting to see a side of Dave that we rarely, if ever, get to see on screen. We are getting to see Dave behind all of the jokes and laughs and honestly, it’s about time. Even though A Star Is Born isn’t all about Dave, he’s definitely the star that was born on this movie. Here are 3 reasons why: 1. We’ve Never Had Vulnerable Dave Before Source: The Washington Post / Getty As we said before, vulnerable Dave is pretty non-existent as far as films go. According to Dave, he has Bradley Cooper’s direction to thank for his ability to pull off the role so flawlessly. “The types of movies I’ve done in my career, they’re always hard comedies,” said Chappelle. “[Directors] will kind of weigh in sometimes but Bradley, the way he directed me and the way we would talk about a scene, the way he would create an environment that would give me the courage to actually be vulnerable in a way that comedy wouldn’t let me be. I never felt threatened or unsafe. He would always tell me sometimes that he would not let me look bad and I believed him.” 2. Dave Chappelle Is A Genius Source: getty / Getty According to Bradley Cooper, not only is Dave Chappelle a natural, he’s damn near a genius. Hey, we knew this already but it’s still great to hear others say it. Cooper says, “ I loved our dynamic and I couldn’t get it out of our mind. I knew that he would set a rhythm that I would then follow and edit towards. ” 3. Dave Chappelle Is Willing To Learn Source: Fred Watkins / Getty One thing about Dave Chappelle is that despite being 45 years old with over 25 years in the industry, he knows that he can never know too much. Dave Chappelle is always willing to learn and that’s what makes him a star. Bradley Cooper can attest to just how great Dave is on set. He says, “ There’s something about Dave and how he is as a human being, he’s such an observer. And I thought if I can capture that, it would be perfect.” Watch Bradley Cooper and Dave Chappelle talk A Star Is Born below.
In 1993, Reebok launched the Aztrek: an off-road runner that perfectly represented the wildly original and experimental designs of the time. Relaunched 25 years later, the Aztrek’s super-futuristic layers and chunky design embrace the heart of 1990s sneaker style. To celebrate the Aztrek’s return and honor the spirit of the ‘90s-era style it embodies, Reebok has launched a campaign featuring six ‘90s-raised tastemakers for a content series titled “Aztrek: 90s Re-Run.” Featuring the likes of social media sensation Jay Versace, vintage streetwear re-worker Sara Gourlay of Frankie Collective, cult vintage shop owner Kirk Tilton of For All to Envy and more, the campaign was shot on a variety of mediums that champion the Aztrek’s past and celebrate it within the context of contemporary culture and style. Each partner was shot in rare vintage ‘90s Reebok gear that they personally curated or custom created – resulting in five unique “one-of-one” capsule collections, all of which will be available for anyone to enter to win on Reebok.com starting today. Sourced from their own personal wardrobes, along with hours of vintage shopping, each collection nods to the singular style of the 1990s, as well as the Aztrek’s distinctive design elements and colorways. Shot on film as an homage to ‘90s visual culture, the campaign imagery and videos span five truly epic off-road locations, illustrating the sneaker’s evolution from an off-path performance shoe to symbol for ‘90s-inspired style. From the pristine beauty of upstate New York’s national parks, to the enigmatic Joshua Tree and Death Valley desert landscapes and Utah’s breathtaking slot canyons, the campaign showcases the Aztrek’s new Fall/Winter colorways against unique off-road environments and vibrant landscapes. Check out the visual campaign above. Alongside the relaunched Aztrek, all individual partner capsule collections will be available to win via a giveaway on Reebok.com – a platform for individuals to recreate their own ‘90s-inspired style. To enter to win, the rules are: Be a U.S. resident Sign up to win at https://www.reebok.com/us/90s_rerun Wait for an e-mail from Reebok – they’ll select six winners at random and let entrants know if they’ve won. For high-res images of all items in each capsule collection, click here . Shop the new Aztrek Fall/Winter styles, available from $90, at Reebok.com. More pics below:
