Vixen Casting Couch: Celebs We'd Enlist For Aaliyah's Biopic

New York's Spring Studios may have been dripped in white backdrops during NYFW, but the flavor was anything but bland during LaQuan Smith's Fall/Winter 2020 show. Presented alongside the launch of the new Moët & Chandon Limited-Edition Signature bottlings, the edgy but benevolent designer presented all-black looks that would make any fast fashion soldier switch over to the luxurious side.

Puffer jackets with skirts to match arrived down the runaway with baggy tracksuits, giving the audience an array of looks for the cozy girl all the way down to the trendy posh woman. Speaking with VIBE backstage, Smith shared how the importance of confident women inspired his recent unveiling. "I just wanted to do something that was super confident and really progressive," he explained. "I think that I have a really true sense of who my woman is at this point so right now I'm really having fun being able to design for a woman who is super comfortable in her own skin. This strong sense of elegance, glamour, and confidence is like the woman that I'm designing for so that was sort of the mood and the attitude for this season's collection."

The conscious mix of a free spirit and earnest attitude is something Smith has conjured since his early days on the scene. After making his NYFW debut in 2010, Smith has attracted the biggest names in entertainment on the runway like Rihanna, Cassie, Serena Williams, Nicki Minaj and recently supermodel Winnie Harlow. With such dominating and powerful women in Smith's orbit, it makes it easy to see just how spot-on his looks are.

But famous ladies aren't Smith's only muses. His show consisted of women of color—specifically Sudanese and Asian models, which made a big splash on social media. There was also a plus-size model who rocked the hell out of a little black dress.

"I'm inspired by a woman who appreciates getting dressed up in the day," Smith added. "Not even having a reason to dress up, just 'Yes!' Just 2 o'clock in the afternoon. I'm really about somebody who just enjoys the thrill of dressing up." But Smith's goal at the end of the day is to bring back chic demeanor of yesterday, where fashionistas would dress to the nines on Casual Fridays.

"I want to revive those moments again where women would wear skirt suits during the day to go to work," he said while pointing to his boiled wool jackets and matching pencil skirts. "They can transition from day to evening. I want to be able to bring back that level of glamour from an American perspective because I'm from New York City and this is the city that made me, this is the city that inspired me so for me to just be able to design and create off of all of my inspirations and my upbringing is a thrill."

Tina Turner's "What's Love Got To Do With It" closed the show but the celebratory vibes continued with guests like Tinashe, Delilah Hamlin, Amelia Hamlin, ASAP Ferg and Renell Medrano, Ryan Jamaal Swain, Young Paris, Patrick Starr, and Cyn Santana enjoying Moët & Chandon.

See more moments from the show below.

Tinashe  A$AP Ferg and Renell Medrano Ryan Jamaal Swain Jonathan Mannion Patrick Starr

When was the last time you enjoyed a spa day? Dove has allowed you to come up with one sooner than later thanks to their newly formulated body washes.

Introduced to retailers last week, the beauty brand's latest body washes contain "Moisture Renew Blend," a gathering of skin-natural nutrients that help revive and maintain the skin's moisture barrier. Because many of us lose lipids during shower/bath time, the new formula makes room for an enhanced blend of stearic and palmitic acids to better mimic what is naturally found in the skin.

The beauty enthusiasts and natural lovers out there will be thrilled to know the product was made with 100 percent gentle naturally-derived cleansers (Glycinate and DEFI), free of sulfates and parabens, and pH balanced.

With 14 new variants and Valentine's Day around the corner, it's only right to plan ahead for a focused day of self-care. Below is a playlist supporting each new scent. From Ari Lennox's "Shea Butter Baby" painting a theme for the Pampering Body Wash Shea Butter & Warm Vanilla to D'Angelo's "Alright" absorbing the vibe of the Sensitive Skin Body Wash, there's a scent and dynamic sound made for you.

Listen to the full playlist here and enjoy the benefits of each Dove Body Wash below.

 

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1. Tycho - "Awake" 

Try: Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash

Provides: Instantly soft skin, lasting nourishment

2. Sade - "Kiss of Life" (Kaytranada Edit)

Try: Dove Renewing Body Wash Peony & Rose Oil

Provides: Revival for dewy, supple skin

3. Skip Marley and H.E.R.- "Slow Down" 

Try: Dove Glowing Body Wash Mango Butter & Almond Butter

Provides: Moisture for radiant skin

4. Snoh Aalegra - "I Want You Around" 

Try: Dove Purifying Detox Body Wash with Green Clay

Provides: A deep cleanse and renews skin

5. D'Angelo - "Alright"

Try: Dove Sensitive Skin Body Wash

Provides: A gently cleanse and nourishes skin

6. SiR and Masego - "Ooh Nah Nah" 

Try: Dove Refreshing Body Wash Cucumber & Green Tea

Provides: A revitalization and refreshes skin

7. Lizzo - "Water Me"

Try: Dove Restoring Body Wash Coconut Butter & Cocoa Butter

Provides: Perfect pampering and softens skin

8. Beyonce, Wizkid, Saint Jhn and Blue Ivy Carter - "Brown Skin Girl" 

Try: Dove Hydrating Body Wash Aloe & Birch Water

Provides: Refreshing and invigorating skin

9. Jill Scott - "Golden" (Kaytranada Edit)

Try: Dove Dryness Relief Body Wash with Jojoba Oil

Provides: A deeply nourish and restoration of dry skin

10. Kaytranada and Kali Uchis- "10%"

Try: Dove Gentle Exfoliating Body Wash with Sea Minerals

Provides: An instantly reveal of visibly smoother skin

11. Ari Lennox and J. Cole - "Shea Butter Baby" 

Try: Dove Pampering Body Wash Shea Butter & Warm Vanilla

Provides: Nourishment and feeds skin

12. bLAck pARty - "Purple Heart" 

Try: Dove Relaxing Body Wash Lavender Oil & Chamomile

Provides: Calming and comforting skin

13. Erykah Badu - "Honey"

Try: Dove Rejuvenating Body Wash Pomegranate & Hibiscus Tea

Provides: Energy and revitalization of skin

14. Koffee- "Toast" 

Try: Dove Revitalizing Body Wash Blue Fig & Orange Blossom

Provides: Restoration and replenishes skin

Learn more about Dove's moisture renew blend here.

After the release of her first solo EP in 2019, Dinah Jane is ready to embark on her first solo world tour.

Chatting with VIBE at Billboard's 2020 Power event, the former Fifth Harmony songstress shared her plans for the year, which include a tour alongside Agnez Mo and new music. Her EP Dinah Jane -1, presented a new direction for Jane who leaned into her vocal chops while showcasing her love for R&B.

"I was in a position where L.A. Reid gave me the power and stepped up for a project that I believed in. Just to have that kind of power meant the world to me," she said of the project which included the tracks "Fix It" and "Heard It All Before." "I'm so happy I came out with that mini project because it gave people a great introduction into who I am and what I'm about to step into and what I'm about to explore."

When it comes to new music, Jane has something in mind for the lovers and her dearest fans. "Missed A Spot," will release on Valentine's Day (Feb. 14) along with more new tunes. "I'm really excited because my fans have been with me since I could remember," she said."From dropping my first YouTube video when I was 11-years-old, this little stinky 7th grader who had like 20 views. Now that I'm 22, I've evolved into an actual musician, it really means a lot that my music can speak to people. I love that people are loving the music and I can't wait to give them more of it."

The U.S. portion of the tour begins in Phoenix, Ariz. on April 7.  Fans can currently purchase tickets for the North American dates on Dinah Jane's website.

"Being a solo artist now made it hard to define who I was because I was singing so many different styles before," Jane told VIBE in 2019. "I had to take time for me to really cope and understand what it is that I really want to come out as my true identity. When I dropped my first record "Bottled Up" it was more me transitioning from Fifth Harmony to myself, I really love that I took some downtime to understand who I was and who I want to be."

Check out our interview below.