beyonce age

Jay-Z Revives The Italian Sportswear Brand That Refuses To Die - DMARGE

Posted: 03 Aug 2020 05:33 PM PDT

Jay-Z is like fine wine: he only gets better with age. The now 50-year-old rapper, business mogul and cultural icon is indomitable – indeed, the only musician that has more of a cultural impact than him may be his wife Beyoncé. Which is why Jay-Z (real name Shawn Carter) choosing to rock an obscure Italian sportswear brand has got streetwear fans so intrigued.

Endlessly innovative, anything 'The Carters' touches turns to gold, whether it's fashion collaborations like Beyoncé's 'Ivy Park' collection with Adidas, or streaming services like Jay's Tidal. Artists, brands and movements champ at the bit for a co-sign from the pair, and the two are widely considered a barometer for what's cool.

On July 31st, Beyoncé released her much-anticipated visual album Black Is King, an 85-minute musical art film designed to complement her 2019 soundtrack album for The Lion King remake named The Lion King: The Gift. The film itself is almost like a B-side of The Lion King remake: featuring humans instead of CGI animals, and a Beyoncé-curated soundtrack instead of a Hans Zimmer one, Black Is King is a landmark moment for African music and film.

Advertisement

The film is jam-packed with celebrity cameos including Kelly Rowland, Pharrell Williams, Lupita Nyong'o and Naomi Campbell just to name a few. Of course, Jay-Z appears too – wearing a fetching red suit contrasted with a Sergio Tacchini polo and headband.

Image: Parkwood Entertainment

Sergio Tacchini was an Italian tennis player active in the 50s and 60s that branched out into athletic apparel, founding and later naming a sportswear brand after himself. Focused on making tennis gear first and foremost, the brand eventually branched out into ski, fitness, golf and sailing gear. The mid-80s saw Sergio Tacchini issue perhaps their most iconic product, the sharp Dallas tracksuit – a Mediterranean rival to Adidas' Beckenbauer tracksuit.

Huge in the 70s and 80s, Sergio Tacchini alongside fellow Italian brand Fila led the tennis world in terms of sponsorship. Names like John McEnroe, Pat Cash, Pete Sampras and most recently Novak Djokovic wore the brand. Outside of tennis, even F1 legend Ayrton Senna sported the classic 'ST' logo.

The brand went bankrupt in 2007 and despite being bought out has had been financially shaky for many years. They've enjoyed brief moments in the spotlight through collaborations with Russian avant-guard fashion designer Gosha Rubchinskiy and cult West Coast streetwear brand Stampd, but the brand has a fairly low profile in the minds of fashionistas. Sergio Tacchini hasn't died just yet, however – as demonstrated by Jay-Z picking it up.

Big 80s hair, big 80s style: American tennis legend John McEnroe in full Sergio Tacchini poses alongside Swedish champ Björn Borg.

Jay-Z clothed in the heritage brand perfectly complements the stylish aesthetic of Black Is King and makes 'Hov' look like an absolute don. Just like how anything Jay's protege Kanye West wears immediately sees a huge spike in sales, we'd be unsurprised if Sergio Tacchini's quarterly results see a healthy boost thanks to Jay's co-sign.

Sergio Tacchini is due for a resurgence: they make classy, effortless sportswear that's easily dressed up or down, as Mr Carter so perfectly demonstrates. Fingers crossed his influence will precipitate a bevy of fine fashion-forward fits.

Read Next

How to Watch 'Black Is King,' Beyoncé's Upcoming Visual Album - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Posted: 27 Jul 2020 03:14 PM PDT

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter is back to prove she truly is Queen Bey. This time, she's releasing another visual album featuring the music of The Lion King: The Gift. Unfortunately, it will only be available for viewing on one streaming platform. Here's how to watch Beyoncé's latest project, the visual album titled Black is King.

View this post on Instagram

I typically keep comments short and sweet, but I just watched the trailer with my family and I'm excited. please don't get me hype "Black Is King" is a labor of love. It is my passion project that I have been filming, researching and editing day and night for the past year. I've given it my all and now it's yours. It was originally filmed as a companion piece to "The Lion King: The Gift" soundtrack and meant to celebrate the breadth and beauty of Black ancestry. I could never have imagined that a year later, all the hard work that went into this production would serve a greater purpose. The events of 2020 have made the film's vision and message even more relevant, as people across the world embark on a historic journey. We are all in search of safety and light. Many of us want change. I believe that when Black people tell our own stories, we can shift the axis of the world and tell our REAL history of generational wealth and richness of soul that are not told in our history books. With this visual album, I wanted to present elements of Black history and African tradition, with a modern twist and a universal message, and what it truly means to find your self-identity and build a legacy. I spent a lot of time exploring and absorbing the lessons of past generations and the rich history of different African customs. While working on this film, there were moments where I've felt overwhelmed, like many others on my creative team, but it was important to create a film that instills pride and knowledge. I only hope that from watching, you leave feeling inspired to continue building a legacy that impacts the world in an immeasurable way. I pray that everyone sees the beauty and resilience of our people. This is a story of how the people left MOST BROKEN have EXTRAORDINARY gifts.❤️✊ Thank you to Blitz, Emmanuel, Ibra, Jenn, Pierre, Dikayl, Kwasi and all the brilliant creatives. Thank you to all at Disney for giving this Black woman the opportunity to tell this story. This experience has been an affirmation of a grander purpose. My only goal is that you watch it with your family and that it gives you pride. Love y'all, B

A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce) on

Beyoncé is premiering another visual album, this one titled 'Black is King'

She appeared with a video message at the BET Awards and she released a song in honor of Juneteeth. Even though some fans are stuck social distancing, Beyoncé has plenty of content releasing on a weekly basis. That includes her upcoming visual album, a work titled Black is King. 

This visual album features the music of Beyoncé's 2019 release, The Lion King: The Gift. The album, inspired by Disney's rebooted movie, features music inspired by the culture of Africa and the Black experience in the United States. This upcoming visual album will, presumably, feature some of the same empowering messages.

Jay-Z and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter attend 'The Lion King' European Premiere
Jay-Z and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter attend 'The Lion King' European Premiere | Dave J Hogan/Getty Images

'Black is King' will exclusively be available for streaming on Disney+

Thanks to Beyoncé's partnership with Disney and The Lion King, the artist has her sights set on a new project. Earlier this summer, the artist announced she would release her second visual album exclusively on Disney's streaming platform, Disney+. 

"Black Is King is a celebratory memoir for the world on the Black experience," Disney and Beyoncé's Parkwood Entertainment said in announcing the visual album, according to Variety. "The film is a story for the ages that informs and rebuilds the present. A reunion of cultures and shared generational beliefs. A story of how the people left most broken have an extraordinary gift and a purposeful future."

Previously, Beyoncé debuted 'Lemonade' on the television network HBO

This wouldn't be the first time Beyoncé released a groundbreaking visual album. Back in April 2016, Beyoncé debuted Lemonade on the premium television network HBO, later releasing the album on the streaming platform on Spotify. 

There's no word regarding if, or when, the artist will partner with another television network to premiere Black is King. Thanks to this partnership with Disney, some think if it was a possibility, it would most likely premiere on Disney Channel. 

"These timeless lessons are revealed and reflected through Black voices of today, now sitting in their own power," according to the announcement for the visual album. "Black Is King is an affirmation of a grand purpose, with lush visuals that celebrate Black resilience and culture. The film highlights the beauty of tradition and Black excellence."

Black is King debuts on Disney's streaming platform on July 31, just a few weeks following the premiere of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton. Until then, fans can watch the 2019 adaptation of The Lion King on Disney+. To learn more about Disney+ and to subscribe, visit their website.

RELATED: How Beyoncé Turned Disney's 'The Lion King' Into a Celebration of African Culture

RELATED: Here's What We Learned About Beyoncé, Her Music, and 'The Lion King' From 'Making the Gift'