When you think of tennis apparel, what comes to mind, is it the traditional white tennis skirt and shoes, with a strategically placed wristband? Better yet, can you see yourself (or anyone you know) actually wearing this?

After hearing several members of the hip-hop community state, “I love tennis, but I hate the clothes,” entrepreneur Marvin Coleman realized that the face and image of tennis is drastically moving away from the pristine uniforms and refined image of the past. It was at this point he designed and developed 40 Luv Clothing. 40 Luv Clothing is the first tennis apparel line geared exclusively to the ever-growing and trend-setting urban market. Having worked in the fashion and entertainment industries for over 10 years, Coleman knew that that the “urban” market often acts as influencers and determines what the latest trends and styles will be. Coleman’s designs were just what tennis needed – tennis apparel with a bit of an edge!

Blending together both fashion and sports, 40 Luv Clothing answers the calls of new tennis fans that cannot relate to the generic image that tennis has typically portrayed. Whether it’s Andy Roddick being photographed at a Hollywood movie premiere or Serena Williams conversing with NBA players, tennis, entertainment, fashion and urban clothing are all melting together into pop culture, making way for highly specialized brands such as 40 Luv Clothing.

40 Luv Clothing officially made its debut at the 2004 U.S. Open with an advertorial, which appeared on USA Networks. “Launching at the U.S. Open to acclaim from top tennis insiders was more than I could have asked for,” stated Marvin Coleman, President and C.E.O, 40 Luv Clothing. “Watching the positive reaction to the line from top tennis professionals proves that even today’s tennis players want to dress with a little more flavor.”

After the USA Networks profile, requests began to pour in. Though the line wasn’t set to officially launch until spring 2005, demand insisted that Coleman begin offering the line by special order. And like its name – meaning a perfect, winning tennis score – 40 Luv Clothing continues to win over fans in both the sports and entertainment industries, with initial requests for branded, signature pieces coming in from some of today’s top urban fashionistas.

40 Luv Clothing, tennis apparel’s wildcard, plans to win over the urban fashion world as well. Urban fashion is extremely profitable and currently sells over $2 billion in clothing per year. 40 Luv Clothing will initially compete with established urban brands such as Baby Phat, Enyce, Sean John and Roc-a-Wear. However 40 Luv Clothing is the final piece in today’s sports apparel puzzle. By specifically compounding on younger and hipper audiences newfound love of tennis, 40 Luv Clothing will also compete with top sports line such as Adidas and Reebok in the over $200 million a year tennis apparel market.

Living by the age-old philosophy of “to whom much is given, much is expected”, 40 Luv Clothing will also conduct tennis clinics in underserved areas, typically ignored by tennis. 40 Luv Clothing will ultimately be responsible for changing the image of tennis, making one of the most segregated sports become more culturally inclusive.

40 Luv Clothing will be available in select retail outlets in spring 2005.

RESPECT. That’s what hip-hop was born out of over 25 years ago. Now, best-selling emcee Missy Elliott, in association with adidas Originals, brings this message to the sportswear market, with her new line, RESPECT ME.

RESPECT ME features footwear, apparel and accessories that blend adidas’ street history and sports style with Missy Elliott’s personality, flare and originality. RESPECT ME also showcases a camouflage print based on Missy’s lips and eyes that adidas hopes will become a trademark for the collection.

Missy and adidas believe the lines distinct message of positivity and empowerment, will appeal to Missy’s core fan-base and the larger urban women’s market. The collaboration, is adidas’ first link-up with an entertainment artist since their 1986 collaboration with hip-hop icons, Run DMC.

The collection has three competitive components: Bass, Rhythm and Remix, targeting different looks and distribution channels, with sizes that range from XS to 2XL, for women of all sizes.

A percentage of the sales from the RESPECT ME line benefit Break the Cycle, an innovative non-profit organization whose mission is to end domestic violence by working proactively with youth. Missy, the national spokesperson for Break the Cycle, has pledged to raise $5 million for the organization via industry contacts and cause related marketing initiatives.

Missy’s determination to put hip-hop back on the positive path is undisputable. “I do believe when you reach a certain status in this business, you’ve got to be positive. You have to remember you are a role model,” she says.

For information on Break the Cycle please visit: www.breakthecycle.org.

RESPECT ME

According to designer Thulare Monareng, her Thulare range is for "young, hip, fashion conscious people who want to retain their African identity, but
still be fashionable.

"I think my clothes offers those people the best of both African and
Western aesthetics."

Carl Collison chatted to the 34-year-old about her gorgeous range.

Tell us a bit about your background.
Well I was born in Johannesburg, lived in Swaziland till I was thirteen years
old and moved back to Jo’burg to attend high school here. I then went over
to the States on a student exchange program. There I finished high school
and later attended Xavier University where I completed a B.A. in Political
Science. Then off to Belgium to live for three and a half years where I did
a Masters in Public Admin and Management. After that it was back to the States
where I lived in New York for three years.
 
You seemed to have studied everything except fashion.
Yeah, I worked for a French fragrance company around ’96/ ’97, then I went
back to New York. There I studied Fashion Buying and Merchandising for a year.
I then came back and worked for Telkom (laughs) as a Marketing Manager. God,
that seems like ten lifetimes ago!
 
And then came fashion.
Yes. I was always interested in fashion, though.  I moved down to Cape
Town and did the styling for Backstage…which was a good experience,
really. Although I knew my sole purpose is to design. Design has always been
my primary interest!

Any other television work?
Yeah, after Backstage I moved back up to Jo’burg and did the styling for Bassiq,
which was really cool…
 
So
how is Thulare different from other nu-school Afro-centric designers
in South Africa?
(Hesitates) Well, I don’t think it’s different necessarily. I think we all
really have the same mindset…I think my winter range will definitely
be different because of the fabrics I’m using. For example, I’m mixing hessian
with leather for this long coat, which is really beautiful. Also, a bit of
denim…

Tell us more about you choice in fabrics.
Well, it’s 100% South African! I’m really inspired by the diversity of cultures.
I use Swazi, Sotho, Venda, Xhosa even some Shangaan fabrics and prints…Indigenous
fabrics with a hip spin to it!
 
Who is the range for?
I’d say it’s for young, hip, fashion conscious people who want to retain their
African identity, but still be fashionable. I think my clothes offers those
people the best of both African and Western aesthetics."
 
Any chance of a men’s range soon?
Yes, definitely! A kiddies range as well! I really just want to concentrate
on the women’s range and really get it kicking, you know. I’d say there’ll
be a men’s range out in under a year.

Why did you choose The Space, in Rosebank to sell your clothes?

Well, speaking as a new designer, I think the Space offers the most creative
and eclectic mix of design talent in South Africa. This, I think, will allow
me to express myself fully as a designer. Also, I worked closely with The
Space for all my previous styling jobs, like Bassiq.
 
You were part of the Space fashion show recently. What was the response
to your range?
Oh, I had a very good response…It was fantastic!

&nbsp

Athough Thulare is not available via the web yet, the line can be found
at The Space in Rosebank, South Africa. Carl Collison is Photo Editor for Rage,
a magazine dedicated to South African Street Culture Online.

Cybelle Gear aims to support female artists and raise the public’s awareness
of issues affect women globally. You may not have heard about Cybelle Gear
clothing line, and the names Gabriella Davi and Emily Goodwin may not ring
a bell, but to some, Cybelle, Davi and Goodwin are names of heroes.

Cybelle is the collaboration of Gabriella Davi, an attorney and accessories
designer and Emily Goodwin, a graphic designer. The two met as students at
University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. The two got the idea to start
the clothing line in 1999 when Davi designed a shirt and Goodwin designed
a bag for friends after the annual Burning Man Festival. Graduation and time
moved Davi back to her New York home, then to San Francisco. The distance
makes working together difficult, yet they still manage to come out with amazing
designs. Emily says it1s all due to their ability to make the two cultures
blend, "Fashion-wise, I feel East Coast style much more, except when
it comes to color. I1m not in to the all-black thing at all, and love color‹
both vibrant and subtle. I prefer East Coast music too, but I am also really
digging some West Coast artists like Hieroglyphics, Zion I, and Mystic. I
don1t think we have a hard time mashing the two cultures ‹ on the contrary,
I think the combinations and compromises we make are the best ideas we come
up with."

Gabriella waxed philosophical on the topic, "I think, when it comes
down to it, hip hop is hip hop. North, South, East, West – beats are beats,
words are words and graf is graf. Sure there are some stylistic differences,
but it just makes it all more interesting. It gives us more influences to
choose from."
Cybelle gets its name from the mythological Roman goddess Cybelle, the mother
and earth goddess and protector of cities, personifying the company philosophy
that believes in celebrating the "urban goddess" within us all.
The Cybelle style reflects truth, love, creativity, rhythm and the power of
the feminine spirit.

"Cybelle was a mother goddess and protector of cities," states
Goodwin and Davi, "we wanted to make streetwear for women and we thought
it was a perfect fit. We think all women are goddesses and what better goddess
to represent streetwear than the protector of cities?"

The designs Gabriella and Emily use reflect childhood and the spirit of the
city. Past designs have featured illustrations of b-girls, little girls on
swings, and tagged subway trains, symbols of the urban spirit that moves us
all. Their inspiration-the neighborhoods they grew up in and the music they
love.

"I look at different elements of urban life and focus on what makes
cities unique places." Davi stated in a 2002 interview with Phillyhiphop.com.

Cybelle designs also reflect their love of hip-hop and electronic music.
This love is also reflected in their sponsorship of b-girls, b-girl crews,
female MCs and female DJs. Their touch reaches from the Syrenz b-girl crew
of NYC, DJ Cozmic Cat of Philadelphia, and DJ Tektrix of San Francisco. Cybelle
even uses female DJs as models on their website cybellegear.com. When I asked
the ladies why they decided to sponsor b-girls, MCs and DJs, Emily replied,
"We thought about who would have fun and enjoy wearing our clothes, while
also giving us exposure to the ladies we would like to reach. We give the
ladies publicity on our Web site and in press materials, have the DJs spin
at our events, and have had some of the girls model for us. The ladies we
have met are doing tremendous things, and have become the inspiration for
some of our designs."

With hip-hop being such an influence on their designs, the ladies of Cybelle
are very much concerned about the misogynistic turn that hip-hop has taken.
Emily is disappointed in the attitude that is being taken about it "S
It is not just the booty-shaking artists that bring this attitude. I was listening
to a well-respected musician on a radio hip-hop show, and he joked about being
"just as misogynistic as the next guy." Along with about 100 ladies,
I phoned in to call him on the comment, and guess he thought it was a joke.
But I don1t think misogyny is something to joke about any more than a racial
slur. On the flipside though, there is a lot of support for collaborative
performances like Black Lily, that truly celebrate and respect the talent
and heart of women."

Gabriella, though, sees the chance for a turn around in the near future,
"Lauren Hill where are you?? The ladies need more women like you! But
honestly, I struggle with that issue every time I listen to hip-hop. I just
try to listen to artists that respect women and don1t call them bitches and
hos. I think there is a hip-hop revolution brewing. I think people have had
enough of that over produced, over commercialized hip-hop and bling videos
with girls swinging on poles. I think that a more mature, socially conscious
strain of hip hop is out there. I1m just waiting for it to come on full force.
There are also an increasing number of ladies in the world of hip-hop and
I think that will definitely affect the amount of misogyny in hip-hop. And
there are male artists out there as well that respect women."

DJs and b-girls aren’t the only ones who have felt Cybelle’s philanthropic
touch. Cybelle has always been involved with community activities. After the
9/11 attack, Cybelle designed a line of "I love NY" t-shirts and
gave the profits to the International Association of Fire Fighters. Later
that year, at Fluid in Philadelphia they gave a show called "Lovely",
a fundraiser for Women Against Abuse consisting of music, fashion shows, and
free makeovers and manicures. That night raised $700 for WAA. In the spring
of 2002, they did a line of t-shirts called Body Beautiful as a fundraiser
for the Renfrew Center Foundation, an organization that deals in the treatment
of eating disorders. One design features women in all shapes and sizes with
the word "Beautiful" beneath it. Another features the silhouette
of a woman standing, in full attitude of one fed up with trying to be what
others dictate, hands on hips and hair blowing, outlined by the words "Binge
no more. Purge no more. Starve no more."

Both Goodwin and Davi are excited about their new project for this summer,
"We are planning an event called "Lovely" for this summer in
San Francisco. We had one "Lovely" event in Philly where we raised
money for Women Against Abuse. The event featured women djs who volunteered
for the cause. The upcoming "Lovely" in San Francisco will be more
comprehensive and will showcase more women in hip hop – from graf writers
to DJs, to emcees and b-girls."

With a new spring line for 2003 coming out this February and a keen focus
on philanthropy, I’m certain we can expect more wonderful, creative, and intelligent
designs from Cybelle. When it comes to the future of Cybelle, Emily sums it
up perfectly, "I’d like people to say that we utilize creativity and
style to bring awareness and change to women’s issues such as self-esteem,
body image, physical safety, independence, and family welfare."

Buy Cybelle online at www.cybellegear.com.