Exclusivity is in demand more than ever and Richfresh is serving up some for Häagen-Dazs.
The bespoke tailor known as Richfresh and screenwriter, producer and actress Lena Waithe have partnered with Häagen-Dazs to help advance underrepresented creatives and spread the word about its #ThatsDazs campaign. The ice cream company has committed $1.5 million over the next three years to help organizations that are helping to advance marginalized and underrepresented creators and tastemakers. For the kickoff, the company donated $100,000 to the Hillman Grad Productions Mentorship Lab, a nonprofit that Waithe started to help marginalized storytellers to connect and advance their careers in television and film.
The latest campaign is meant to encourage a new generation of artists, dancers, chefs and other creatives. The creatives will host an Instagram Live Thursday at 2 p.m. EST to discuss their creative pursuits and the striped custom tracksuit that Richfresh has designed for the ice cream brand. For every person who joins the live event, Häagen-Dazs will donate $1 to the Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab.
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Reached in Los Angeles, Richfresh said he noticed Waithe was checking out his Instagram Stories and DM-ed her two years ago suggesting they meet. After hanging out a bit, they collaborated on a tracksuit and “forged a really solid bond,” the designer said. “We just have a really cool relationship now that is outside of clothes.”
Waithe later told him though to just be an artist, giving him total creative freedom with any designs for her and not wanting to know what he envisioned, the designer said. “That’s a lot of trust,” he said. “To get that type of trust from someone with such a high profile really made me feel confident as an artist. And it made me feel appreciated and valued.”
After Wednesday’s chat, viewers can try to win Richfresh’s handcrafted tracksuit made of a Neoprene-like fabric by following @HaagenDazs_US, tagging two friends and liking the picture. Waithe’s involvement in the project and the ice cream maker’s aim to connect with creatives to see their definitions of luxury appealed to him. “I feel that creatives drive a lot of what we perceive as luxury any how,” he said.
The winner will be revealed on Monday. The custom tracksuits start at $3,900. The one that will be given away is among only three in that style. Waithe and the designer will have the other two.
As a vegan, he no longer enjoys traditional ice cream as he once did. But his teenage daughter is a Häagen-Dazs fan. The custom tracksuit’s colors are inspired by some of the company’s flavors.
Richfresh will launch a women’s bespoke collection with a photo shoot scheduled for later this month. A private showing will be held in the prominent area of Mount Olympus in Los Angeles. A few key stylists and members of the press will be on the guest list to see the line, which will include handbags. “It’s time,” the designer said. “…there are a lot of cool pieces in women’s wear. it’s my take on women’s suiting and women’s athleisure and just things that I know that you’re going to wear.”
Richfresh is also expanding his mask company Henry, which was launched in April 2020, into more markets and with other products. “We’re just excited to be able to offer to people — who trust us with what’s very important to them — their safety, more products to use on a daily basis.”