In an effort to address the massive negative environmental impact of the fashion industry, British luxury heritage label Burberry has revealed its plan to become climate positive by the year 2040. In addition to its pledge to “cut emissions across [its] extended supply chain by 46% by 2030,” as outlined in a press release, the brand announced its “support for the Fashion Avengers, a coalition of global fashion organizations that have come together to inspire action towards achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” as well as for other advocates working in the environmentalism space. A component of Burberry’s alignment with the Fashion Avengers includes its involvement in Forest for Change, an Es Devlin-designed installation spearheaded by the UN Global Goals project that’s part of the 2021 London Biennale festival.
The pledge goes further by stating that Burberry will invest in initiatives that “protect and [restore] natural ecosystems that remove carbon from the atmosphere,” as well as “climate resilience projects that empower vulnerable, frontline communities to adapt to changing realities and protect livelihoods.” This is particularly noteworthy in the conversation about climate change and fashion, as garment worker welfare and sustainability are inextricably linked.
Today’s news comes after the introduction of the Burberry Regeneration Project last year, the launch of which saw the brand partner with PUR Projet — a service focused on assisting companies to “regenerate the ecosystems they depend on,” as per its website. Efforts will be directed on implementing a “regenerative agricultural programme with [Burberry’s] wool producers in Australia.”
There’s been mounting pressure for brands both luxury and mass to swiftly address their part in climate change and adopt improved manufacturing measures as soon as possible. For example, Chanel recently presented a Cruise collection that included the use of “eco-friendly” fabrics. And with a growing swell of consumers wanting to shop from sustainably-minded brands, we’ll likely see more moves like this in coming months.
It appears that rapper Kanye West and model Irina Shayk might be an item. On June 9, Page Six reported that the two celebs are dating, and have been for a few weeks. New pictures obtained by the Daily Mail show the duo vacationing together in Provence, France on June 8, which also happened to be West’s 44th birthday (and the day of his first Yeezy Gap drop). While speculation about these two has been circulating on social media for a bit, the supposed confirmation has left some people shocked.
This is West’s first romantic entanglement since his wife of seven years Kim Kardashian filed for divorce back in February. The separated couple is seemingly on good terms, with Kardashian publicly wishing West a happy birthday, captioning an Instagram picture with, “Love U for Life!”
Though West’s budding relationship may seem too soon for #Kimye fans, 35-year-old Shayk has known the rapper for over a decade. Back in 2010, the Russian model starred in the music video for West’s song “Power” in which she donned over-the-top CGI wings and posed as an angel. Two years later, Shayk walked in West’s Yeezy show at Paris Fashion Week. He even name-dropped her in his song “Christian Dior Denim Flow,” so yeah, you could say the pair have potentially been eyeing each other for a while. When Shayk was spotted in April wearing a DMX shirt that West designed with Balenciaga, dating rumours began to buzz.
Shayk, who is a successful model in her own right, shares a child with actor Bradley Cooper, whom she dated from 2015 to 2019. West shares four children with Kardashian. Despite their ongoing divorce proceedings, a source from ET said Kardashian “isn’t too focused on Kanye’s dating life or rumours about him right now.” The reality star was the subject of her own dating rumours in May when the internet speculated she might be seeing CNN anchor Van Jones. Will there be dinner parties held among these two couples in the future? Who knows, but it’s fun to imagine how that would go down.
Since the idea of Pride began as a protest, it felt natural to speak to Ben Barry — the outgoing chair at Ryerson University’s School of Fashion and the incoming dean of fashion at the Parsons School of Design — about what the occasion means to him.
Barry has built a reputation as an advocate for “justice and liberation in fashion.” Included in this mandate has been an effort to decolonize the industry and emphasize more sustainability and accessibility-focused approaches to how it operates. The fruits of his labour will be evident at the Mass Exodus presentation on June 10 — a virtual iteration of the School of Fashion’s graduate runway show that will be hosted by Canada’s Drag Race winner, Priyanka.
Priyanka’s presence, as well as previous hosting duties being bestowed upon multi-hyphenate and former FASHION cover star Vivek Shraya, points to Barry’s unique ability to address many ideas at once around design, inclusivity, identity, activism and the future of community building. It’s something he thinks about often in his own daily life as well.
“I’m constantly reminded that even though there are laws in place to ensure equality, [this] doesn’t necessarily translate to attitudes and cultural norms in the world,” he says when asked about what Pride means to him. “I think of myself — a white male with the most privilege in the LGBTQ+ community, and still a month ago while walking down the street with my husband and our dog, we were yelled at with homophobic slurs. Then the two guys in the truck got out and confronted us. The fact that in 2021 this still happens shows that we still have work to do to shift attitudes and culture.”
There’s a distinct intersection between Barry’s professional and personal life in this way, in terms of what needs to be done to establish equity in the fashion space — and the world-at-large. “There need to be conversations about the different forms of inequity that exist in the queer community based on race, class, disability, body size and so many other social identities,” he notes. “People have very different experiences of privilege and marginalization. Holding space for that, to learn and have discussions so queer people can be advocates and allies for each other — particularly those who have more privilege — is really critical. Pride is an opportunity to have those conversations and have that education in addition to celebration.”
Barry points to the existence of “standards of what a queer person looks like — a clear hierarchy that reinforces dominant norms about white masculine power” as something that requires a huge transformation. And what’s more, that Pride — which has become a heavily commodified concept in the past decade — is an opportunity to reflect on the notion that it should be a “space for community to gather and share experiences in the world, and learn from the different experiences that we have because obviously the queer community is so diverse. Pride is in many ways connected to so many different intersectional struggles around oppression.”
As a disability-identified individual and researcher for the platform Cripping Masculinity, Barry dives into the concept of oppression and accessibility in its many forms. While the virtualization of Pride events has potentially meant more folks in the community could partake in programming that was historically not accessible for them, he says that there’s a ways to go in terms of crafting a substantial Pride experience for all interested.
“Access isn’t a checklist — it looks different to different people,” he highlights, adding that it’s really about “who’s making the decisions about these events,” and affording individuals the tools to give insight into what true participation means for them, from implementing “ASL and closed captioning to visual descriptions” of what’s happening on screen.
Barry flags the Queer Women of Colour Festival in San Francisco — which runs June 11 to 13 — as an example of a platform working to create an uplifting and accessible event for as many people possible. “All their films are subtitled, and they have ASL interpretations and open captions,” he says. “That’s one of the things I’m really excited about [this Pride].”
Excitement aside, Barry is also hopeful that given the growing commercial interest in Pride month, dialogue about corporate commitment beyond the 30 days of June will become more of an immediate and ongoing action.
“We’ve moved beyond a point of corporations donating money and coming out with a new Pride shoe or collection as an acceptable way to engage,” he says. “I think that queer communities are looking for that deeper systemic change, especially in the fashion and beauty industries that have been so inspired by and have appropriated queer culture for years. What’s the deeper commitment? What pathways are you opening up in your organization to bring in and support queer people? Are you creating opportunities to engage them in sustainable and meaningful and paid ways throughout the year? From a corporate perspective, that’s the next step and what the queer community is starting to demand.”
Additionally, demystifying the idea that Pride is simply about parades, parties and other cultural programming will lend promise to communal hope and healing based on honouring individual needs. “Pride doesn’t need to look one way for everyone,” he says. “You can go on a hike or be at a lake and celebrate Pride as much as when you’re at a parade or drag brunch. It’s about doing what feels right for you. That’s an important conversation to have and support to offer, about centering the different ways to do Pride.”
In case the humidity and 30 degree weather didn’t give it away, we’re happy to inform you that summertime is officially upon us (or around the corner, at least — the first day of summer is officially June 20). One of our favourite parts of prepping for the best season of the year is stocking up on cool new beauty products that promise to make our summer beauty routines a little brighter, glowier and best of all, more streamlined. Because who wants to sit around indulging in a dozen-step regimen when there’s patio drinks to be had? Below, we’ve rounded up eight new and innovative beauty products that will get you ready for summer 2021 — and beyond.
Okay, so maybe innovative isn’t exactly the right word for a bright nail polish but we’re calling it now: Essie’s “Tangerine Tease” is about to be the shade of the summer. The star of the brand’s summer 2021 collection is a feel-good orange hue that the brand’s Global Lead Educator Rita Remark calls “the most delicious summer popsicle shade ever” — and we’d have to agree. Perhaps manicures were one of the first self-care rituals to slip off your list of priorities once lockdown began to drag on (and on and on and on…) but now that the sun is out and things are opening back up, this happy shade is just the thing to brighten up your fingertips for the season.
OG influencer Camila Coelho launched her beauty brand Elaluz last year and counts the Overnight Facial Glow as one of the brand’s most innovative launches. “It’s one of our best sellers right now,” says Coelho. “I love tanning my body but I try to protect my face from the sun, so I never tan it. In the summertime I’ll be dark from the neck down but my face stays super white, so I wanted a product that would tan my face without having all the bad stuff in it. I also didn’t want it to smell like self-tanner. So we created Overnight Facial Glow, which is a moisturizer that hydrates your skin but that will tan your skin gradually.”
Is there any beauty product that’s as much of an instant lifesaver in the summer as a hydrating facial mist? Graydon Skincare’s Face Food Mineral Mist is a hot weather must-have thanks to its dual action. First, it forms a protective shield against environmental stressors like pollution and particulate matter, then it hydrates your skin while making your skincare products even more effective thanks to a formula that’s full of precious and semi-precious ingredients like malachite, copper and zinc.
Attitude Living Plastic-Free Mineral Sunscreen Stick SPF 30
Mineral sunscreens in stick form have a reputation for being, well, underwhelming. They sound great — convenient, safe, portable — but they often go on chalky and clumpy. And don’t get us started on that white cast. But hear us out — Attitude Living’s new Mineral Sunscreen Sticks are in a league of their own. Available in three scents (unscented, tropical and orange blossom) plus one that’s made for kids, they glide on smooth (thanks to coconut oil and shea butter in the formulations), blend in easily and don’t leave behind any sort of residue. It gets better. The brand is Canadian, each sunscreen stick comes in at under $20, and is sold in plastic-free biodegradable (!) packaging. Trust us — you need one in every bag this summer.
Earlier this year, Gillette Venus launched an innovative new line of products made specifically for pubic hair and skin. The range includes a Daily Smoothing Serum, 2-in-1 Cleanser + Shave Gel, Skin Smoothing Exfoliant and a razor that’s been designed to give you the best shave ever, no matter how much or how little you like to remove when it comes to pubic hair grooming. In a study conducted by the brand, they found that 96 percent of Canadian women choose to groom their pubic area in some way, so the brand set out to make the experience, well, all-around better. We’re especially into the razor, which was carefully designed to provide the best shave for pubic hair and pubic area — because not all the hair on our bodies is the same, of course.
“The outer layer of skin in our pubic area is less than half the thickness of, for instance, the skin on our legs,” explains Elizabeth Compo, senior scientist at Gillette Venus. “And I think most people would agree that pubic hair is curlier, it’s denser — up to two times as thick as other hair on our body — and there’s just more of it. It can grow in all different directions, so when you take a razor to it, it’s not as easy as just shaving in one direction,” she adds. “The other interesting thing we considered is the topography of the pubic area,” says Kristin Monaco, senior products research engineer at Gillette Venus. “So if you think of our legs’ topography, it’s like a wide open road with multiple lanes; it’s very easy to drive on. But in the pubic area, we think of it as a winding mountain path. The skin is also looser in the pubic area so it’s more difficult to manage.” Because of these unique characteristics of the pubic area, the brand realized it was time to create a pubic hair-specific razor to solve common issues like nicks and cuts, ingrown hairs and razor bumps. “A traditional multi-bladed razor yanks the hair out of the follicle as the other blades cut the hair,” says Monaco. “And that’s great for [less sensitive areas] but for the pubic area, we needed something that doesn’t allow for that yanking.” The new Gillette Venus Razor For Pubic Hair & Skin, on the other hand, is specifically designed to help protect pubic skin from shaving irritation via its patented Irritation Defense Bar, which allows its two blades to remove the hair while barely touching the skin, for an overall more gentle experience while still giving you a close shave.
Toronto-based beauty brand TopGlow has just launched a serum that gives you the ability to transform your favourite moisturizer into a custom self-tanner. The serum is enriched with Vitamin E and C, rosehip, cucumber and beetroot extract, plus natural DHA tan actives for a gradual glow that you can build. “Our number one goal was to simplify your self-care routine,” says co-founder Besarta Bytyq. “It gives you a customizable glow — the more drops you add, the deeper the glow. And you don’t need to change your normal routine to use it.” Better yet, you can use it all over your body, and because it’s a serum, its thin consistency makes it easier to apply over any area — shaven or unshaven — than a traditional cream or mousse. “Unlike a thick tanning mousse, our serum doesn’t attach to your body hair, but instead penetrates into your skin, giving you a moisturized, glowing, streak-free tan.”
If body hair removal is on the menu for you, Nair’s Wax-Ready Strips have recently been reformulated to include 97 percent natural ingredients and are available in different formulas for different body parts: legs and body, underarms and bikini, and face and bikini. There’s no rubbing or warming up required, and they’ll even adhere to short hair, so you can skip the dreaded growing out period traditionally associated with waxing.
Keratosis pilaris — also known as strawberry skin (cute!) or chicken skin (ew) — may be one of the most common skin conditions but that doesn’t make it any less annoying. Want to get rid of those pesky bumps on the backs of your arms and legs? Look no further than First Aid Beauty’s new KP Smoothing Body Lotion, formulated with 10 percent lactic acid to gently but effectively buff away keratosis pilaris bumps, plus colloidal oatmeal and ceramides to nourish and hydrate skin after all that sloughing away.
Does the world really need a stiletto Croc? Doesn’t matter — it’s here, courtesy of a new Balenciaga x Crocs collaboration. Yep, you read that right. Paris-based fashion house Balenciaga has teamed up with everyone’s favourite foam slip-on shoe brand Crocs to give us a stiletto clog that is, if nothing else, one of a kind.
The shoe was unveiled at Balenciaga’s Spring 2022 presentation on June 6. The collection, dubbed “Balenciaga Clones,” featured a few other pieces from the house’s collab with Crocs including platform rain boots Crocs. This is the second partnership between the two brands, appropriately titled “Balenciaga Crocs 2.0.”
The presentation (and brand crossover) comes a few months after Balenciaga was “hacked” by Gucci when it showed Balenciaga-branded pieces in its March 2021 Aria show. In addition to reinventing Crocs, Demna Gvasalia showed both Gucci accessories (including a monogrammed tote with “This is not a Gucci bag” written on it in graffiti) and new Balenciaga wares, combining the double-G and double-B logos of Gucci and Balenciaga on accessories like hats, scarves and belts.
The internet-famous clog stiletto has people talking, with some even saying they thought the collaboration was a joke at first. The shoe is a classic Croc mule with the addition of a skinny Balenciaga heel and subtle “BALENCIAGA” branding. The shoe comes in black, grey and — wait for it — grass green, because why not? The price for the heels has not yet been released, but they’re likely going to be pretty pricey seeing as the last Balenciaga Crocs collab had shoes going for $850.
This isn’t Balenciaga and Crocs’ first time creating viral shoe designs. For their first collab in 2018, they made “meme-worthy” platform Crocs that came in a variety of bright colours and were bedazzled with large, cartoonish Jibbitz (a.k.a. the little accessories made to fit in the holes found on the top of a Crocs shoe). Despite mixed reactions to clog stiletto, it’s impossible to deny Crocs’ hold on both fashion and pop culture.
The foam clog brand is constantly upping the ante with unexpected partnerships and wild designs. Their latest collaboration with Diplo dropped earlier this month and features trippy tie-dye motifs. Previously, the brand has worked with other musicians including Justin Bieber, Post Malone and Bad Bunny on collections that quickly sold out. From additional collaborations with restaurant chain Kentucky Fried Chicken to luxury fashion brands like Christopher Kane, the list of Crocs’ partnerships is extensive, to say the least.
Can we take a moment to appreciate Crocs’ versatility? Whether you love or hate the high-fashion foam clog stiletto, Crocs sure knows how to get people talking. We have to respect the hustle.
This article was originally published on May 6, 2021.
Netflix released its latest teaser for Stranger Things season 4 on May 6, and it looks like we’re going to learn even more about Eleven’s backstory.
The clip takes place at Hawkins Laboratory, presumably when Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) was there as a child. Inside, children in identical hospital gowns are playing together, as eerie music and echoed laughter ripples in the background. Dr. Martin Brenner (Matthew Modine) — who was believed to have been killed in season 1 — enters the room. He announces to the children that he has something “very special planned” for them. We hear someone breathing heavily and the shot pans to a door labelled 11, followed by Hawkins saying, “Eleven, are you listening?” She opens her eyes, and the screen goes black.
*Shudder*
Here’s what we know about our sci-fi fave’s upcoming season — caution, spoilers ahead.
What do we know about the plot of Stranger Things season 4?
In February 2020, the show released its first teaser for season 4, resolving one of season 3’s biggest cliffhangers regarding the fate of Hawkins chief of police Jim Hopper (David Harbour). The clip shows him stuck working in a Russian prison, where he is referred to as “the American.” A press release from the show revealed that although Hopper is most certainly alive, it’s not all good news for him. “He is imprisoned far from home in the snowy wasteland of Kamchatka, where he will face dangers both human… and other,” it read.
Creators Matt and Ross Duffer also said that season 4 will likely be the most frightening season yet, telling us to “pray for the American.”
When will Stranger Things season 4 be released?
Filming and production of the new season was halted last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a specific release date has not yet been announced. Though production has resumed, it is suspected that it will not be released until 2022.
Are there any new characters in Stranger Things season 4?
The long-awaited return of Stranger Things will feature our above-mentioned favourites, along with Winona Ryder, Gaten Matarazzo, Finn Wolfhard, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp and Maya Hawke.
They’ll be joined by several new faces, including Jamie Campbell Bower, Eduardo Franco, Joseph Quinn and Robert Englund. Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) is set to be a new main character of the show. He will be at the centre of the Hellfire Club, which Stranger Things teased about on Twitter. The Hellfire Club is reportedly Hawkins High’s official Dungeons & Dragons club, and as the head of it, Munson finds himself in a lot of danger this season.
Update: On June 9, Stranger Things announced in a press release that the show, which is currently in production, will be adding four new recurring characters to season 4. The newly appointed cast members are Amybeth McNulty, Myles Truitt, Regina Ting Chen and Grace Van Dien.
Irish-Canadian McNulty, who played Anne Shirley in the CBC/Netflix drama Anne with an E, will play Vickie, “a cool, fast-talking band nerd who catches the eye of one of our beloved heroes,” reads the press release. Truitt will play Patrick, a Hawkins basketball star who has “friends, talent, and a good life,” but whose world gets turned upside down by the show’s shocking events. Ting Chen will play Ms. Kelly, “a popular guidance counsellor who cares deeply for her students — especially those struggling the most.” And Van Dien will play Chrissy, the lead cheerleader and most popular girl at Hawkins’ High who is hiding a “dark secret.”
Will there be more seasons of Stranger Things after season 4?
While Netflix hasn’t confirmed that Stranger Things will be renewed after its fourth season, co-creator Ross Duffer told The Hollywood Reporter that season 4 “won’t be the end.” Despite the pandemic’s halt on production and original schedule of the show, it gave creators time to figure out and plan its trajectory and ending. “We know what the end is, and we know when it is,” he said.
It’s been nearly two years since the release of a new Stranger Things episode and though we might be waiting a while longer until season 4, past seasons of the thrilling show have been well worth the wait.
Kanye West’s brand Yeezy has dropped the first piece in its long-awaited collaboration with Gap. The surprise release happened on June 8, which was also West’s 44th birthday, and features one item only: the Round Jacket. Here’s everything we know about the Kanye West Gap jacket, plus details on the Yeezy Gap partnership.
What’s the “Round Jacket”?
The Yeezy Gap Round Jacket is a bright blue unisex puffer that retails for $200 USD. Made of recycled nylon, its material is ultra-shiny, bordering on luminescent. In a press release, Yeezy Gap announced that starting June 7, they’re featuring “floating projections” of the jacket at various locations in New York City, Los Angeles, and Ye’s hometown of Chicago.
Is the Kanye West Gap jacket available in Canada?
As of right now, the Round Jacket is only available for preorder in the U.S. Orders will be shipping out in Fall 2021. Stay tuned for more announcements regarding Canadian shoppers.
When will more Yeezy Gap items be available?
The Round Jacket drop comes almost a year after Kanye announced the Yeezy Gap collaboration on Twitter. The two companies reportedly have a 10-year contract with each other, so if you aren’t able to get your hands on this first piece, don’t stress — it’s just the beginning.
Wait, didn’t Kanye West wear the jacket in public before it dropped?
West was indeed spotted wearing the Round Jacket in Los Angeles a few days before its release. We’ll be keeping an eye on the designer’s wardrobe for possible hints at future Yeezy Gap drops.
In the Heights is a story about what it means to be home. Written over two decades ago by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of the Broadway sensation Hamilton, the musical is an ode to Washington Heights, a Manhattan neighbourhood near where he grew up that’s home to a large Latinx community. The play depicts what it’s like to have big dreams while grappling with the reality of your situation and, most crucially, the importance of leaning on your community. Three years on Broadway, four Tony Awards and countless accolades later, In the Heights is officially hitting the big screen as a feature film. Directed by Jon M. Chu of Crazy Rich Asians, the movie is an energetic, colourful adaptation of the play, complete with cast-wide dance numbers and heartfelt ballads.
In the Heights depicts a Washington Heights that is bustling. Crowded streets and sidewalks, long chats in the bodega and large family-style apartment gatherings convey a feeling of nostalgia that is especially touching in our pandemic-enduring world. The musical film reminds us that the most important moments often come from the mundane, everyday interactions we sometimes take for granted. It’s the perfect film for those of us longing for community after a year of disconnection.
While punctuated with moments of fantasy, the film adaptation has an underlying narrative of real-world issues — like the impact of gentrification on the neighbourhood and the Trump administration’s attempts to end DACA — while focusing on the dreams and struggles of its characters, two of whom are Nina and Melissa. Nina (played by Leslie Grace) is the first in her family to attend university, but after completing her first year at Stanford, she feels ostracized by the elitist world of academia. As a result, she struggles with feeling out of place both at home and at school. Vanessa (played by Melissa Barrera) is a hardworking aspiring fashion designer who hopes to make it big in the city, but is lacking in connections and financial advantages.
Ahead of its release on June 10, FASHION spoke with stars Leslie Grace and Melissa Barrera about the cultural importance of the film, the pressure of doing this story justice, and how they hope In the Heights will make an impact in Hollywood.
“For me, everything about this project is so important,” Grace says. The Dominican-American performer felt a personal connection to the role she played. “With Nina, I just felt fully seen in her character. I felt like it was the first time I was reading experiences and dialogue of guilt, pride, and shame, all mixed into her experience of being a first-generation Latina in the States. I had never seen that on screen. I had hoped to find somebody that would talk about it and embody it, so I could be like, ‘Oh, my God, I’m not alone!’” In the Heights was just that for her: tangible artwork that reflected her lived experiences.
“What’s so great about this movie is that it’s aspirational, and it’s celebratory about our people,” Barerra tells FASHION. “We’re so used to being portrayed in a negative light. In the major films, the few roles that [Latinx people] get are usually about gang violence, drug trafficking, or illegal immigrants — always [focused on] the struggle. This movie has such a positive message about community, about dreaming big, finding success, finding love and finding a home, and all those things are so important for the younger generations to see.”
Grace agrees. “We so often see people of colour on screen being dehumanized. And now, you get to see us dream as big as anyone else on screen, which sounds so strange to say, but we rarely do get to see that. So I think that’s the most beautiful part about this.”
Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.
While making the film, the pressure to live up to the beloved musical was not lost on anyone, Grace explains. “Every day, we felt like we were being trusted to bring our value, but at the same time, we were like, ‘I got my family on my back, I got the pride of my people [and] my ancestors on my back. And I don’t want to mess this up.’ Each one of us, down to every dancer, had that [feeling] of, ‘This is the one time that I can walk on set with my full self and show them what I got.’ We were all challenged in new ways that were scary, but we had a whole community and family on set to face it with. That didn’t make it any less scary, but it did make it more of an experience, and so much more valuable. I think that’s why our movie has so much heart: because we all felt personally responsible to tell this story and do it justice.”
The film is an outlier compared to most big-budget Hollywood productions because most of its stars are not previously established A-listers. Miranda and Chu had to fight to make that happen. They told Variety that other movie studios wanted to hire actors from the small pool of already widely known Latinx stars, and didn’t want to “commit” to lesser-known names for the film. This, they noted, contributes to the cycle of fewer opportunities for Latinx people who are trying to make it in the entertainment industry.
Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.
“I think of one of the biggest problems in Hollywood and one of the biggest setbacks for our community is that [people] always argue that there aren’t any Latinx superstars, or there aren’t any ‘bankable’ Latinx names,” says Barrera, who is Mexican. “It would have been easy for Lin and Warner Bros. to say, ‘Let’s do this with the few [Latinx stars] that there are, because we need to sell.’”
Grace recalled going to another studio and hearing them suggest people to play Usnavi, the film’s leading character, that “didn’t make any sense” but that ticked the boxes of being big names in music and being Latino. “It happens all the time,” she says.
“I think Lin and Jon really wanted to say, ‘We’re going to find the best people for these roles — people that can sing, dance and act — and we’re going to make them stars.’ So that in the future, people are not going to be able to say that there aren’t any Latinos that can lead movies, because they just demonstrated that there are,” says Barrera. “It’s a beautiful thing that they were allowed to do, and that they fought to do. The star of the movie is the show itself, the story. It didn’t need any [big] names to be the powerful movie that it is.”
In the Heights will hit theatres and be available for streaming purchase or rental on June 10.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
With the release of the final season of Kim’s Convenience, series stars Simu Liu and Jean Yoon are speaking about racist storylines, subpar pay, and a lack of Korean voices behind the scenes of the Canadian sitcom.
Co-created by playwright Ins Choi, the show follows a Korean-Canadian family running a convenience store in Toronto. Since its debut on CBC in 2016, Kim’s Convenience has been a cult favourite. Over the course of its run, the show has earned praise for its deep and well-rounded representation of Asian communities. But after its fifth and final season was released on Netflix last week, new revelations depict a toxic environment behind the scenes. Here’s what went down with the show, according to two of its stars.
Racist storylines and lack of Korean voices
On June 2, Simu Liu (who played Jung Kim) shared a lengthy Facebook post airing grievances about his experience on Kim’s Convenience. As the series progressed, he said he became “increasingly frustrated” with the way his character Jung was written. Liu explained his disappointment that season after season, his character was not able to improve himself or evolve.
“The characters never seemed to grow. I can appreciate that the show is still a hit and is enjoyed by many people… but I remain fixated on the missed opportunities to show Asian characters with real depth and the ability to grow and evolve,” the post read.
Liu said that the show’s writers were “overwhelmingly white” and the cast never had the chance to give input on storylines, despite being Korean-Canadians with lived experience. Aside from Ins Choi, there were no other Korean voices in the writer’s room, according to Liu. When Choi became less involved in later seasons, Liu tried to get a place in the writer’s room but said he was not given any meaningful opportunities.
Actor Jean Yoon (who played Mrs. Kim) posted a Twitter thread echoing these sentiments on June 6, in response to an article from The Globe and Mail that criticized Liu for his aforementioned comments. Yoon explained that the lack of knowledge of Korean experiences in the writer’s room led to inaccurate and “overtly racist” storylines.
She recalled a joke that was written for season five, which described her character wearing nude shorts that made her look naked from the waist down. “Stripping someone naked is the first act before public humiliation or rape,” she said, adding that she got the scene cut from the script. She noted that if they had gone forward with the scene, it would have aired hours after the racially motivated Atlanta shooting, where six Asian women were killed. “This is why it matters,” she wrote.
THAT scene would have aired hours after 8 people, 6 Asian women, were shot in Atlanta, GA in a hate crime spree that shocked the nation. THIS IS WHY IT MATTERS. If an Asian actor says, 'Hey this isn't cool,' then maybe should just fix it, and say THANK YOU.
— Jean Yoon (윤 진 희 or 尹真姬) (@jean_yoon) June 6, 2021
Problems within the cast
Liu said that despite their on-screen dynamic, the cast spent a lot of time fighting with one another. He said that they were “deliberately being pitted against each other” and weren’t given any decision-making power, but were expected to be the main promoters for the show.
Despite the success of the show, “we were paid an absolute horsepoop rate,” said Liu. He wrote that the actors on Kim’s Convenience were making “nothing” compared to sitcoms like Schitt’s Creek, who “had ‘brand-name talent’ but whose ratings were not as high.” He said he was resentful of the fact that the only non-Asian character was the one who got a spin-off (referring to co-star Nicole Power getting her own show).
According to Yoon, as Choi’s presence continued to diminish on set ahead of his decision to leave the show, his co-creator Kevin White (who is white) took leadership, and insensitive storylines were introduced. She added that if it weren’t for her continually speaking up, the food on the show would not have been accurately representative of Korean culture. “The more successfully I advocated for my character, the more resistance and suspicion I earned from the writers/producers,” Yoon said.
Is there a future for Kim’s Convenience?
From what it looks like, no. The recent news saddened fans of the show everywhere, who have long loved Kim’s Convenience for its on-screen representation of Korean culture. Despite the aforementioned spinoff in the works, Liu said he would “adamantly refuse” to reprise his role in any capacity. At the end of her Twitter thread, Yoon said of the show: “The love died.”
So the white writers on KIM’S CONVENIENCE were all just ok with no Koreans in the writing room? Um.
— anthony c. ocampo, ph.d. 🇵🇭🏳️🌈 (@anthonyocampo) June 7, 2021
Kim’s Convenience prided itself on being diverse, but without giving Korean voices decision-making power, it is exploitative of Korean talent and culture. Seemingly in response to these statements, Kim’s Convenience tweeted that they have always had a South Asian writer and co-executive producer on the show. This prompted fans to point out that South Asian and East Asian representation is not the same, and this does not justify Korean voices being stifled on set.
Yeah…and? I’m a South Asian Cdn writer, and i would be of no more help than a white male writer when it came to representing Korean culture on a show. Like it’s great this writer was there and is proud of her work, but to use her tweet as damage control to real criticism? #LAME
Liu seemed somewhat optimistic at the end of his statement, giving a nod to the show’s fans. “I still believe in what the show once stood for; a shining example of what can happen when the gates come down and minorities are given a chance to shine,” he said.
Like many folks in the LGBTQ2S+ community, Toronto-based comedian and writer Arianne Tong has seen Pride as an opportunity to let loose and celebrate. “Historically, the whole month of Pride has been great, but the one weekend specifically with the parade in Toronto, has been the ultimate release,” she says. “To not experience that over the last two years is pretty disappointing. There’s nothing like Pride weekend — it’s Christmas for gay people. I really miss it.”
At least Tong and others have fortunately been able to find connection online through a plethora of virtual events in the absence of large, in-person gatherings. And many of these outlets, including Tong’s weekly pop culture trivia event called Question Everything, will have an additional donation angle in the coming weeks.
The June 23 QE game, for instance, will be a “Super Queer” version of the night, and proceeds from player registration will benefit Across Boundaries. “I’m focusing on how to help [communities] in some way,” Tong notes of the give-back initiative; Across Boundaries is centred around providing access to mental health and addiction services to “marginalized and racialized communities locally and across Canada.”
Tong also taps Phil Villeneuve from queer culture collective Yohomo — which will host a virtual dance party June 26 — and his musical bingo ‘do on June 18 as another must-attend fête this Pride month. Five dollars from every ticket sold will go to Friends Of Ruby, a Toronto-based resource for LGBTQ2S+ youth that offers support from transitional housing to creative programming and mental health/wellness services.
While Tong rides out the IRL vacancy of some of her favourite festivities like the hip hop-centric party Yes Yes Y’all and Cherry Bomb, the “fun flirty dance party for queer women and friends” (as per the tagline on its website), she’s found a way to spice up her virtual trivia nights from the comfort of home.
“I’ve mandated costumes and themes. I didn’t really get into costumes before COVID-19 [but] it’s a good opportunity to jazz up being indoors,” she says, adding that recent QE events have included a “Disney villains” vibe that saw Tong dress like Ursula from The Little Mermaid.
Whimsical get-ups aside, Tong also keeps a sense of great expectations despite limitations when it comes to this month’s Pride activities. “I’m way more pumped for this year than last year,” she says. “There was a thick cloud of depression and not knowing what was going on or for how long. [But] we’re starting to be vaccinated, and people are more optimistic and looking forward to this maybe being the last year where this is the situation.”
As restrictions begin to ease across Ontario and the rest of Canada, it’s indeed cause for even more revelry — safely, and mostly more subdued, of course. “I might go to a park and put down a blanket and have a picnic with my girlfriend and celebrate being together,” Tong says, noting that you don’t need to go big to be proud. “We need to continue the spirit of Pride, which is to celebrate being out and open in public.”
