Is Designer Dead? Who Sells Style? Black Athletes vs Actors, Saks Collapse & Resale’s Rise

Is  fashion casting Black talent—or typecasting it?This week, we’re asking the question brands don’t want to answer: why are Black athletes and rappers dominating fashion ambassadorships, while Black actors and singers get sidelined? From Future and A$AP Rocky to Kendrick Lamar, the pattern is loud—and the implications are louder. Who do brands actually believe can sell luxury to the Black community?Then in Designers, Deficits & Dividends, we break down the numbers behind the noise. Saks is spiraling toward bankruptcy, Kering and LVMH are sending mixed signals, and somehow Hermès, Coach, and Brunello Cucinelli are thriving. Welcome to the K-shaped economy—where luxury isn’t just splitting, it’s diverging.And if you think resale is slowing down, think again. eBay’s acquisition of Depop and The RealReal surpassing $2B in GMV proves the secondhand market isn’t a trend—it’s infrastructure.We’re also giving the girls (and the legends) their flowers: Carlos Nazario,and Ruth Carter—because real influence doesn’t always come with a campaign.Finally, it’s time for Sew, Show, or Go—from the battle of Bottega designers to the industry’s current power players, we’re deciding who stays, who slays, and who needs to pack it up.Fashion is evolving. The question is…who is it evolving IG | @isdesignerdeadTikTok | @isdesignerdeadYouTube | @IsDesignerDead