WeeklySA_AdminFREE SPIRIT: Designer
inspired by strong
impulse to express
inner-child and
LGBTQIA+ communion…
By Robert Tlapu
Adidas announces its latest collaboration with South African, queer designer Rich Mnisi with a unique collection and campaign for Pride 2023; Let Love Be Your Legacy.
With a shared ambition to encourage allyship and freedom of expression without bias, in all spaces of sport and culture, the adidas x RICH MNISI range of apparel and footwear spans both lifestyle and performance featuring signature silhouettes across adidas Originals, football, cycling, Sportswear and swim.
The range is inspired by a love letter Mnisi wrote to his younger self, in which he declares Let Love Be Your Legacy – serving as his mission statement, but also a rallying cry for active allyship to empower and champion the LGBTQIA+ community.
Rich Mnisi said “In creating this collection, I had a strong impulse to speak to my inner-child and express to the world how LGBTQIA+ allyship can create a legacy of love.
Unifying these themes together through my own visual language and adidas’ iconic performance and lifestyle pieces is a powerful combination – making the collection a symbol for self-acceptance and LGBTQIA+ advocacy. My hope is this range inspires LGBTQIA+ allies to speak up more for the queer people they love and not let them fight for acceptance alone”.
Adidas partners Tom Daley, Jari Jones and Athlete Ally, have written ‘Love Letters’ to the world for the campaign calling for radical self-acceptance and support from the wider communities in culture and sport and appear alongside South African rugby player Lusanda Dumke in the collection.
Channelling the spirit of allyship, the collection’s vibrant colour palette is paired with the slogans ‘Love Unites’ and ‘Let Love Be Your Legacy’ printed onto the fabric, emboldening its wearer to lead with love and uphold inclusive values.
The apparel and footwear features Mnisi’s retro graphic print, a monochrome circular check design layered with hand drawn flowers, and abstract shapes in bright and punchy colours with the adidas three-stripe boldly accented in pink and red. The adidas x RICH MNISI collection includes garments made in part with recycled materials and in collaboration with Better Cotton.
The adidas x RICH MNISI collection for Pride 2023 is part of the brand’s ongoing commitment to help make sport equal.
With the ambition to drive greater access, equity and safety for sport’s marginalized communities through advocacy and allyship, this year adidas continues its ongoing partnership with non-profit, Athlete Ally, which focuses on ending homophobia and transphobia in sport.
Founder of Athlete Ally, Hudson Taylor, comments “Together with adidas our goal is to drive inclusivity in sport – supporting student athletes from the LGBTQI+ …Through our partnership, we’ve created more affirming athletic spaces to celebrate the community across sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.”
The adidas x RICH MNISI collection will be available from 15th May at adidas stores and on adidas.co.za. Join the conversation by following @adidasZA and using hashtag #LetLoveBeYourLegacy on Instagram.
KEEPING FACE AND BODY GLOWING AND RADIANT
SELF-CARE: Explore benefits of body lotions and crèmes and how they can make your skin feel scent-sational…
By Mpumi Brown
Who doesn’t love the feeling of soft, smooth skin? Yes, some are born with it, but the rest of us work hard to achieve that gorgeous feeling. It takes effort, and it starts with moisturising.
Body lotions and crèmes are the unsung heroes of skincare. They do so much more than just hydrate your skin. In fact, they can transform your skin from dull and dry to radiant and glowing. So, let’s explore the benefits of body lotions and crèmes and how they can make your skin scent-sational.
First and foremost, body lotions and crèmes moisturise your skin. When you apply them, they create a barrier on your skin’s surface that helps lock in moisture. This is particularly important after showering or bathing, when your skin is most prone to dryness. A good body lotion or crème can help prevent that dry, tight feeling that comes from over-cleansing. But body lotions do more than just hydrate. They can also improve the texture and tone of your skin. Ingredients like HydraPlus, glycerine, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides will leave you with gorgeous looking and feeling skin.
Of course, one of the biggest benefits of body lotions and crèmes is the way they smell. When it comes to choosing a body lotion or crème, there are a few things to keep in mind. Look for one that is formulated for your skin type – if you have dry skin, you’ll want something richer and more emollient than if you have oily skin. There you have it – the benefits of body lotions and crèmes are clear. Not only do they moisturise and hydrate your skin, they can also improve texture and tone, and of course, make you smell amazing.
So go ahead, indulge in a little self-care and slather on some lotion. Your skin – and your senses – will thank you.
Published on the 99th Edition
