Smashbox and ILKA Team Up for Limited-Edition Fashion Collab

Get ready, beauty and fashion lovers! Smashbox Cosmetics has partnered with Mexico City-based fashion brand ILKA for an exciting limited-edition collection, blending Smashbox’s iconic aesthetic with ILKA’s signature style. This exclusive line, previewed at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Mexico City, marks Smashbox’s first venture into the world of fashion accessories. Both brands have infused their unique flair, bringing out the best of beauty and fashion in this creative collaboration. With designs that exude personality and style, these pieces are crafted to make a bold statement. Here’s a closer look at this unique partnership and the incredible accessories it’s bringing to the scene.

The Perfect Match: When Smashbox Meets ILKA

"When beauty and fashion meet, surprising things happen," says Rosine Kalach, co-founder of ILKA. This collaboration is the result of a shared vision between Smashbox and ILKA to create something truly special. From the very first preview at Fashion Week, the collection drew attention for its bold and seamless fusion of Smashbox’s modern branding with ILKA’s best-selling designs. The Smashbox x ILKA collection is all about striking a balance between elegance and attitude, with pieces that reflect both brands’ creative energy. Attendees at the launch event were thrilled by the bags’ unique look, showcasing how well the two brands complement each other.

Inspiration from Mexico City’s Vibrant Creative Scene

The inspiration behind this collaboration started with a visit to Mexico City by Smashbox leaders Felix Backhaus and Lauren Aja. Drawn to Mexico City’s dynamic arts and culture, they were eager to connect with local talent and build something meaningful. “We were inspired by the creativity we encountered in Mexico City and saw an opportunity to collaborate with local talent,” Aja shared. In June, Smashbox hosted a Sephora masterclass with the actress Ela Velden, which further strengthened ties with the Mexican beauty scene. For Smashbox, this partnership with ILKA isn’t just about fashion; it’s a celebration of creativity, community, and cross-border collaboration.

A Launch Event to Remember: Stars and Influencers Unite

The official launch event on October 18, 2024, turned into a star-studded affair, bringing out some of Mexico City’s most prominent names in entertainment and social media. Telenovela star Grettell Valdez and actress Ana Paula Capetillo joined influencers and style icons, all eager to see and celebrate the new collection. The event was filled with excitement as attendees got their first look at the collection’s four standout designs, each embodying a mix of form, function, and fabulousness. Smashbox’s Global Pro Lead Artist, Lori Taylor Davis, expressed her enthusiasm: "Smashbox has always used its platform to spotlight emerging talent across fashion, art, and music. This collection is no exception—it’s our way of celebrating beauty in all forms."

Final Thoughts

The Smashbox x ILKA collaboration goes beyond a simple fashion collection; it represents a shared passion for innovation, creativity, and community. With stylish shapes, bold branding, and ILKA’s unique fringe detailing, these limited-edition pieces are designed for anyone looking to elevate their style game. Each bag in this collection is more than an accessory—it’s a piece of art that reflects the collaboration between two brands dedicated to pushing creative boundaries. Whether you’re a Smashbox fan, a fashion enthusiast, or both, this collection brings something fresh and exciting. So, don’t wait! Head to ILKA’s store or website and grab your favorite piece before they’re gone.

ABOUT SMASHBOX COSMETICS:
"Everything carries out of the studio into reality." – Davis Factor

Born in a Los Angeles photo studio in 1990 by acclaimed celebrity and fashion photographer Davis Factor, Smashbox very quickly became a creative hub for world-class photographers, actors, models and musicians. The creative energy on set showed no signs of slowing down – except when the team had to stop for makeup touch ups. In 1996, Smashbox Cosmetics was officially born.

In 2000, Davis created Photo Finish Smooth & Blur, our original long-lasting primer. Now a cult-favorite, the formula helps makeup look flawless, feel better, and last longer—all day, every day, on set, and long after the shoot wraps.

Today, Smashbox carries that legacy with studio-grade, high-performance makeup that makes artistry easy—and always camera-ready.

Trashie Partners With Steve Madden On Recycling Program

Trashie, the recycling and rewards platform, announced today that it has partnered with Steve Madden, the renowned footwear, accessories and apparel company, to bring Trashie's Take Back Bag and recycling infrastructure to Steve Madden customers. The partnership is indicative of how circularity and sustainable behavior are becoming more and more mainstream across the United States.

Steve Madden customers can now purchase Trashie's Take Back Bag for $20 from stevemadden.com, fill it with the old clothes and shoes cluttering their closets, and send it back to Trashie's recycling facility using a pre-paid shipping label. In exchange, customers will receive $25 off their next Steve Madden online purchase.

"I'm incredibly excited to announce our partnership with Trashie, which marks a key step in our efforts to support end-of-life management for our products," said Gregg Meyer, Chief Sustainability Officer, Steven Madden, Ltd. "As we look to 2024 and beyond, a key part of our sustainability journey involves creating a holistic, circular approach to fashion across our supply chain. Trashie's innovative platform aligns perfectly with this vision, allowing us to offer our customers an opportunity to responsibly and easily give new life to their used fashion and footwear. We're eager to see how this partnership will empower our customers and drive positive change in the years to come," he continued.

Everything sent to Trashie's recycling facility is assigned to one of 253 grades with a specific category, size, quality, and fabrication to ensure each item finds its next best home, whether via re-use, downcycling, or fiber-to-fiber recycling. Up to 95% of collected items are kept out of landfills.

"It is wonderful to see a mainstream brand like Steve Madden making such a meaningful commitment to circularity," said Kristy Caylor, founder & CEO of Trashie. "We are proud to partner with the Steve Madden team to deliver a fun and inspiring way for their customers to engage with recycling. Our goal is to ease our partners' transition to a more circular future by leveraging our proven consumer model and back-end recycling logistics to drive measurable and lasting impact for the brand."

Trashie, which recently announced that its Take Back Bag sales surpassed 500K over the past 12 months, meaning they diverted 8.4 million items totaling 4.3 million lbs from landfills, works with partners small and large, including ThirdLove, Bombas, Marine Layer, and Walmart.

About Trashie
Trashie gives people an easy and convenient way to recycle unwanted clothing, shoes, accessories, linens, and more, keeping waste out of landfills for as long as possible and helping drive impact. Its iconic Take Back Bag can be filled with items in almost any condition and sent back via mail in exchange for TrashieCash, which can be redeemed for rewards to use at a wide range of retailers across dining, travel, clothing, beauty, wellness, home goods and more. Trashie is the latest innovation from the team behind For Days, which was founded in 2018. For more information, visit www.trashie.io and follow @trashie on Instagram and TikTok.

Source Trashie

Coach Introduces Fall Campaign, "Unlock Your Courage"

Coach today launches "Unlock Your Courage," a campaign starring new global ambassadors Elle Fanning, Charles Melton, Nazha and Storm Reid, and returning Coach Family members Jayson Tatum, Kōki, and Youngji Lee. The campaign introduces Coach's Fall 2024 collection in a series of stories about having the courage to choose authentic self-expression over the idea of perfection, and is the newest exploration of "The Courage to Be Real," Coach's purpose-grounded platform inspiring people to express the many sides of who they are.

Coach's "Unlock Your Courage" campaign reshapes the brand's talent constellation with the addition of exciting new ambassadors —a global group uniquely aligned with Coach's grounding purpose, the Courage to Be Real. In their own ways, each of these individuals display the kind of authenticity, courageous spirit, talent and style that make them stand-outs in their fields, and strong examples of how to confidently explore the many facets of one's identity. 

The Fall campaign reflects the ways today's generation can sometimes feel constrained by their own expectations of perfection. Starting from this initial place of vulnerability, the campaign stories then flip the narrative, with each character unlocking their inner courage to break free from their ideas of perfection and instead celebrate their unique self-expression.

"My approach to the "Unlock Your Courage," campaign matched my design process for the Fall collection," said Creative Director Stuart Vevers. "We focused on the tension between something romantic and picturesque and something very real and spontaneous; a sense of the lived in but compelling aesthetic that typifies the spirit of New York. Elaine's dynamic shots of our friends of the house all amplify that message of authenticity and the beauty that comes from embracing the imperfections of a well-lived life in well-loved fashion."

In the campaign films directed by Camille Summers-Valli, Coach bags act as a catalyst for the characters' transformations, animating with a life of their own to help each individual tap into their inner confidence. Elle Fanning portrays a young woman preparing for an audition, who then gets a burst of confidence from the Brooklyn bag she carries with her. Charles Melton's character is arriving at a first date when his Hitch backpack helps him show up as his authentic self. In Nazha's film, she plays a young woman walking up to a crowded party, and her Times Square Tabby bag gives her the assurance to arrive as only she could. The new ambassadors are joined in the campaign films by returning Coach Family member, rapper Youngji Lee, playing a young woman who initially feels self-conscious at a family gathering, before her Tabby bag pulls her out of her shell. These films are complemented by a series of photographs by British photographer Elaine Constantine, which capture carefree moments of inner liberation and feature the full cast, including Storm Reid, who makes her debut with the brand in eyewear, and Jayson Tatum, for eyewear and watches, along with Kōki, featuring the new Times Square Tabby. Constantine worked closely with each individual to achieve a natural, uninhibited style of portraiture that evokes spontaneity and human emotion.

"Self-expression is one of the key pillars of the Courage to Be Real, our purpose here at Coach," says Coach Global Chief Marketing Officer and Tapestry Chief Growth Officer Sandeep Seth. "We've found again and again that the chase for perfection can hold us back from expressing ourselves authentically. 'Unlock Your Courage' is meant to inspire our consumers to break from that impossible standard and embrace the many facets of who they are."

Another star of the campaign is Coach's iconic Tabby bag, which appears in new silhouettes and finishes with the debut of the Times Square Tabby. Alongside the new Brooklyn bag, this latest iteration of the Tabby is a highlight of the Coach Fall 2024 collection, inspired by Creative Director Stuart Vevers' vision of youthful interpretations of Coach's American design language. The campaign also features tailored silhouettes and ready-to-wear essentials including denim trousers, tops and knitwear, along with an array of New York-inspired charms such as yellow taxis, postcards and the Statue of Liberty.

"Unlock Your Courage" follows Coach's "Find Your Courage" and "Wear Your Shine" campaigns grounded in Expressive Luxury, Coach's vision of a new kind of luxury focused on self-expression as defined by today's generation.

SOCIAL MEDIA: @Coach; #CoachNY, #CourageToBeReal 

ABOUT COACH  Coach is a global fashion house founded in New York in 1941. Inspired by the vision of Creative Director Stuart Vevers and the inclusive and courageous spirit of its hometown, the brand makes beautiful things, crafted to last—for you to be yourself in.

Coach is a Tapestry, Inc. brand.  Tapestry is publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker TPR.

Source Coach