Lifestyle

‘Waiting to Exhale’ to ‘Set It Off’: At these Black film screenings, the soundtrack reigns

Published

3 months ago

January 24, 2026

‘Waiting to Exhale’ to ‘Set It Off’: At these Black film screenings, the soundtrack reigns

Some films linger in our minds because of their sharp plots, quotable one-liners and unforgettable characters. Others stay with us because of the music.

That distinction was unmistakable at a recent screening of Forest Whitaker’s 1995 romantic dramedy “Waiting to Exhale” as part of a Cult Classics Cinema event at Inglewood’s Miracle Theater. As the film played, roughly 80 attendees swayed their bodies and sang along to songs from the Grammy-winning soundtrack, including “Sittin’ Up in my Room” by Brandy, Mary J. Blige’s “Not Gon’ Cry,” and Toni Braxton’s “Let It Flow.”

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When Whitney Houston’s title track, “Exhale (Shoop Shoop),” played during a scene in which her character, Savannah, reconnects with a man with whom she’s been having an on-and-off again affair, the audience crooned the lyrics in unison like a choir: “Everyone falls in love sometime / Sometimes it’s wrong, and sometimes it’s right.”

“It’s really a time capsule of ‘90s R&B,” says attendee Deonna Tillman, 33, of Miracle Mile, who listened to the Babyface-produced album during her drive to the event as a way to prepare herself for the screening. “It also has our greats on there, Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin. … It’s iconic.”

An exterior view of the Miracle Theater marquee

Part movie screening, part listening party, Cult Classics Cinema is an event series that celebrates beloved Black films and the music that helps bring them to life. Each month, founder Diamora Hunt, who also goes by DJ Rosegawd, screens a movie — titles have included “The Wiz,” “The Wood,” “Set It Off” and “Love Jones” — and then invites attendees to stick around for a more casual listening party, where the soundtrack is played from start to finish. The recent screening of “Waiting to Exhale,” the film adaptation of Terry McMillian’s 1992 novel starring Houston, Angela Bassett, Lela Rochon and Loretta Devine, celebrated the film’s 30th anniversary.

In Los Angeles, where screenings happen just about every night of the week at venues like Quentin Tarantino’s Vista Theater and the New Beverly, and the TCL Chinese Theatre as well as at special events like Rooftop Cinema and Cinespia, Cult Classics Cinema stands out because of its communal atmosphere that gives people the space to not only geek out on films and their soundtracks, but also commemorate Black stories.

“I want it to feel like when I’m in the living room with my friends,” says Hunt, 36, adding that its become a ritual for her to watch music videos from the soundtrack after finishing a movie. “I feel like they go hand in hand in world building.”

For Hunt, who’s been DJing for nearly a decade, everything always comes back to the music.

During the COVID lockdown, she spent her only day off from her insurance and call center jobs doing hourslong live DJ sets on Twitch from her bedroom. Each Saturday, she would pick a different artist, primarily female performers, and run through their entire discography and share interesting facts about them. Among the artists she spotlighted were Missy Elliott, Britney Spears, Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey and Drake.

In 2022, Hunt began hosting Club Renaissance, a dance party where she’d play Beyoncé’s seminal “Renaissance” album in order from top to bottom at various venues in L.A. The function immediately took off, and she had to upgrade to a larger venue to accommodate a 1,200-person crowd. At one party, Grammy-winning rapper Doechii performed “Heated” with her DJ Miss Milan. Also, Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, posted about the event on Instagram, saying that Jay Z sent her a recap video.

After hosting the event for several months in L.A. and taking it to New York, Hunt wondered whether she could do the same thing with other beloved albums. To test out that theory, she debuted the Cult Classics party under her event company Ladera Hearts in February 2023. The first album she highlighted was Brandy’s third studio album, “Full Moon,” on the night of a full moon at the Blind Barber in Highland Park.

She kept it up, throwing dedication nights in honor of Usher’s “Confessions,” Janet Jackson’s “The Velvet Rope,” 50 Cent’s “Get Rich or Die Tryin,’ ” “One in a Million” by Aaliyah and Mariah Carey’s “The Emancipation of Mimi.” After seeing a lively fan recap video from the party, Carey commented “invite me next time” with two kissy face emojis.

Hunt says she thinks people were receptive to the party, even if they weren’t familiar with the album, because you are “surrounded by people who love it and they’re going to tell you why they love it.” She adds, “It helps people connect with [the music] in a different way.”

She wondered whether she could create that same feeling with her favorite movies and their soundtracks.

Hunt hosted the first Cult Classics Cinema event in November 2024 and screened the 1992 film “Boomerang” starring Eddie Murphy, Halle Berry, Chris Rock and Robin Givens at a local bar. During the function, she shared trivia about the soundtrack such as the fact that Toni Braxton’s song “Love Shoulda Brought You Home” was her introduction into the music industry.

Three people take photos in front of a backdrop.

Since January 2025, she’s been hosting her movie nights at the Miracle Theater in Inglewood. Just days before Thanksgiving, Hunt showed “Soul Food” and invited stars Vivica A. Fox, Brandon Hammond and Morgan Méchelle to participate in a panel discussion hosted by Randy C. Bonds. Afterward, attendees were welcomed to attend a family-style dinner with the cast members.

At the recent “Waiting to Exhale” screening, patrons walked down a red carpet to get to the theater entrance. After picking a customized button that depicted popular scenes from the movie, many guests grabbed a themed cocktail (named after the four main characters) and a snack (popcorn, empanadas or box candy) at the bar. As people waited to order, they could read fun facts about the film and soundtrack.

During the film, attendees laughed out loud, shouted at the characters on the screen as if they could hear them (“Don’t do it!”) and recited their lines back to them (“Get yo s— and get out!”).

As someone who attends movie screenings regularly, Tillman says it’s hard to find ones dedicated Black storytellers, which is why she appreciates Cult Classics Cinema.

“I feel like we have a lot of Black cinephiles in L.A., but we don’t have a lot of access to watch our classics,” says Tillman, adding that many of these films aren’t available on streaming platforms — “which is really frustrating.”

Felisha Fowlkes, 34, has attended multiple Cult Classics Cinema events solo. “When you hear these songs, you’re thinking about the scenes in the movie,” she says. “You’re thinking about what happened emotionally and I feel like [the music] allows you to really sit in that place.”

When the two-hour movie ended, one attendee won the big raffle prize, which included “Waiting to Exhale” on DVD — and a DVD player to play it.

"Waiting to Exhale" attendees react during a screening.

As the music video for Houston’s “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” played on the big screen with the song lyrics running along the bottom, Hunt moved the mic to the center of the stage in case anyone felt called to sing.

No one took her up on the offer. Who would want to compete with a powerful songstress like Houston? Still, the energy in the room remained high as the crowd sang, bobbed their heads and grooved to the music from the comfort of their plush seats.

It felt, just as Hunt envisioned, like being in a living room with all your friends.

Cult Classics Cinema will screen “Boomerang” on Saturday, “A Thin Line Between Love and Hate” on Feb. 15 and “B.A.P.S.” on March 14 at the Miracle Theater in Inglewood. Tickets start at $15 (not including taxes and fees).

Lifestyle

Armani Goes Back to the Archive

Published

8 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Press Room

In the year since his death, there has been no hard pivot at Armani. The shadow of the founder has stayed in place over the Milan HQ, where the brand seems happy to leave it. Armani is not just plumbing the past for continued inspiration, it’s reselling it.

Today, Giorgio Armani is announcing Archivio, a grouping of 13 men’s and women’s looks, plucked from the brand’s back catalog and remade for today. (And, yes, at today’s prices.) There’s a jacket in pinstriped alpaca of 1979 vintage; a buttery one-and-a-half breasted jacket with a maitre d’s flair that first appeared in 1987; and an unstructured silk-linen suit that will activate ’90s flashbacks for die-hard Armani clients and those who want to capture that era’s nostalgia. The advertising campaign was shot and styled by Eli Russell Linnetz, who has his own label, ERL, but always seems to be the first call brands make when they want sultry photos with the aura of Details magazine circa 1995. (He did a similar thing for Guess recently.)

Linnetz’s images are a reminder of how Armani’s work still reverberates decades later.

Archivio is also a canny recognition of what shoppers crave now. On the resale market, Armani wares are as coveted as can be. Every week it seems as if I get an email from Ndwc0, a British vintage store, announcing a new drop of meaty-shouldered ’90s Armani power suits. They sell for less than $500. At Sorbara’s in Brooklyn, you can buy a tan Giorgio Armani vest for $225.

That vintage-mad audience is in Armani’s sights: To introduce the collection, it’s staging an installation, opening today, at Giorgio Armani’s Milan boutique. It will feature the hosts of “Throwing Fits,” a New York-based podcast whose hosts wear vintage Armani button-ups and shout out stores like Sorbara’s.

It’s prudent, if a bit disconnected. Part of the charm of old Armani is that it can be found on the cheap. I’m wearing a pair of vintage Giorgio Armani corduroys as I write this. I bought them for $76 on eBay. Archivio is reverent, but its prices, which range from $1,025 to $12,000, may scare off shoppers willing to do the searching themselves.

If you ask me, the next frontier of this archive fixation is that a brand — and a big one — will release a mountain of genuine vintage pieces. J. Crew and Banana Republic have tried this at a small scale, but a luxury house like Armani hasn’t gone there. Yet. Eventually, Armani (or a brand like it) is going to grab hold of the market that exists around its brand, but through which it gets no cut.

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Lifestyle

The story behind this rare architectural speaker from cult Japanese fashion brand TheSoloist

Published

9 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Press Room

This story is part of Image’s April’s Thresholds issue, a tour of L.A. architecture as it’s actually experienced.

You hear it before you see it.

Turning the corner of the 15th floor corridor of the historic American Cement Building, a low thrum of electronic sounds seeps through the door of Archived, an L.A. luxury vintage curator. Inside, standing 43 inches tall, a silver speaker from Takahiro Miyashita’s brand TheSoloist vibrates high fidelity through the showroom.

Constructed of 3D-printed polycarbonate resin and aluminum, with a wide amp frequency range of 20Hz to 25KHz, the object looks less like a speaker and more like a relic of time. It is an artifact set in concrete, chiseled away to reveal a replica of the Flatiron Building in New York City. Containing seven audio channels and two bass speakers, its vibrations can be felt against the skin.

Dream Liu, along with his partner Marquel Williams, founded Archived in 2019 to resell rare vintage collectibles. Their designer wardrobe houses some of the most sought after pieces in the industry — like a 1990 Chrome Hearts biker jacket— but the collection of homeware, including a Giovanni Tommaso Garattoni glass chair or a Saint Laurent arcade machine, is what greets you when you walk in. “That’s one way we stand out from all the other archival brands,” Liu says. “We’re very much deep into everything design-related, not just fashion.”

Liu first encountered TheSoloist speaker a few years ago at the home of a friend, a lighting designer working in music who he admired. The speaker, he says, lived at the back of his mind ever since. Archived eventually sourced it directly through TheSoloist’s manufacturer, now acting as an intermediary seller. Only a few hundred of the silver color-way, on display in the showroom, were produced. Even fewer exist of the black, for sale on their website for $9,500.

Miyashita, the cult Japanese designer behind early-2000s punk label Number (N)ine and later TheSoloist, is known for fusing meticulous Japanese craftsmanship with distinctly American motifs. The speaker, for instance, pays homage to New York City, where he opened his original store. Without even seeing a single garment, his style is clear: avant-garde, grunge and very rock ’n’ roll.

(Archived)

Six months ago, Archived opened its MacArthur Park showroom, a brightly lit loft with exposed beams, floor-to-ceiling windows and a panoramic view of downtown. Today they are a team of about six people. Distinctive objects like TheSoloist speaker are an extension of not only the brand’s imprint, but the architecture that houses it. “The speaker fits perfectly into this space.”

Archived, whose clientele consists mostly of celebrities and high-profile curators such as Timothée Chalamet, Travis Scott and Don Toliver, sources its pieces through consignments from sellers and endless hours spent hunting across international marketplaces. When it comes to selecting which piece makes it to the floor, Liu looks for collectible items and whatever fits the brand’s taste, which can be described as minimal avant-garde with a touch of fine craftsmanship.

“Nothing is random,” Liu says. Every item at Archived has a story, from the Giseok Kim aluminum shelf where an unworn pair of 2005 reconstructed Nike Dunks are displayed, to the Marc Newson racks which archival Rick Owens hangs off.

The speaker is valuable, Liu admits, because of Miyashita’s reputation as one of the greats, placing him alongside designers like Jun Takahashi and Yohji Yamamoto. “Our audience knows his designs and all of his great collections,” he says. “So the speaker itself speaks volumes.”

Originally from West Palm Beach, Fla., Liu moved to California to study fashion merchandising at FIDM in San Diego. Before that, he had dabbled in architecture. “It’s always been in the back of my mind,” he says.

Liu said he recognizes that designers, after a time, get fatigued with profit-driven conglomerates and begin to delve into other art forms. “Fashion is just another art form, and I think eventually, when [designers] tire of making clothes — Helmut Lang as an example, even Tom Ford — they transition to art.”

If the nature of design is building upon and taking from existing works, then creating an archival space is collecting pieces of history. “Everything is a reference point,” Liu says. “Every piece here has made an impact on the current climate of fashion.”

To Liu, items like the speaker are worthy of preservation because some of them are only getting rarer and rarer to find. “Pieces like this deserve to be presented properly, and be in spaces that reflect the caliber of the clothing,” he says. “You can put random objects in a beautiful space and that object becomes important.”

Lifestyle

How ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Red Carpet Looks Came Together

Published

21 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Press Room

How ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Red Carpet Looks Came Together

The scene recalled the frenzy that unfolds backstage during fashion week: On a recent Monday, in a room full of clothing racks, the stylist Micaela Erlanger was working alongside a team of tailors and assistants. But they were not preparing for your average fashion show.

Ms. Erlanger and the group had assembled at her studio in Manhattan to prepare looks for the actress Meryl Streep, Ms. Erlanger’s client of 11 years, to wear during the press tour for “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” the buzzy sequel to a beloved film set at a fictionalized version of a certain glossy fashion magazine.

In the sequel, Ms. Streep steps back into the stilettos of Miranda Priestly, the publication’s glamorous editor in chief. She stars alongside Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt, who also reprise their roles as Andrea Sachs and Emily Charlton, characters who served as Miranda’s assistants in the original film. Based on a novel and released in 2006, it has become a cult favorite among serious and casual followers of fashion alike.

To prime fans for the sequel, Ms. Streep has appeared on the cover of Vogue and, along with some of her co-stars, has traveled to Mexico, South Korea, China and Japan in recent weeks for premieres. On Monday, cast members appeared in New York, and they will travel to London for more events before “The Devil Wears Prada 2” is widely released on May 1.

Each affair has offered the cast members a chance to turn heads in finery on par with the clothing worn by the characters they play in the movie. Balenciaga, Chanel, Valentino and — yes — Prada are just some of the labels they have sported as they have traveled the globe.

To pull off this fashion feat — and to avoid any style faux pas — Ms. Erlanger, 40, has been in constant communication with Erin Walsh, 43, Ms. Hathaway’s stylist of seven years, and Jessica Paster, 60, who has been styling Ms. Blunt for going on two decades. The women have been operating as something of a hive mind for months, sharing details of the actresses’ looks — the brands, the accessories, the color palettes — in group chats, calls and conversations on the sidelines of runway shows.

“I got to see Erin and Micaela at fashion shows,” Ms. Paster said. “We would whisper: ‘I like that. I like that. I like this. I like that.’”

In a conversation that has been edited and condensed, Ms. Paster, Ms. Erlanger and Ms. Walsh discussed their collaborative relationship, the stakes of styling press tours and the ways they have used fashion to build hype for “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”

How have you each approached dressing your client for the press tour?

MICAELA ERLANGER With Meryl, we leaned into this idea of powerful silhouettes and shapes that you haven’t necessarily seen her in. This is a fashion movie — we’re leaning into it. I would say that there are a lot of references that the fashion community will appreciate and enjoy. We have not just been referencing the first film, but referencing references within the film. I call it “meta dressing.”

JESSICA PASTER You have to remember that Emily Charlton was an assistant 20 years ago. She has evolved. So I’m approaching her as a little stronger — a girl with power. She doesn’t need to borrow clothes anymore. Designers are now giving her the clothes, and she’s out buying clothes.

ERIN WALSH I guess I am hesitant to tell you a theme. I don’t want to encapsulate it. Ultimately, it’s always about how we make a person feel their very best.

You said you communicate via group text. What are you saying to one another?

ERLANGER We have been, from logistics to creative, kind of strategizing among ourselves. What look works best here or there? What’s the other person wearing? Will they look great together?

PASTER I remember one text among us was like: “I’m thinking red. I’m thinking a little burgundy red. And I’m thinking red, too. Is it weird that they’re all wearing red?” I said, “No, let’s lean into that, and let’s do it all in red.”

What we do is make a picture more beautiful. If we have two people who are wearing red, and one is wearing white or purple or black, that is the girl that should be in the middle of a photo. It’s not about, “My girl needs to be in the middle.” If something goes viral, it’s going to help Erin; it’s going to help me; it’s going to help Micaela; and it’s going to help the movie because it gets everyone buzzing and excited.

WALSH With our job, there are always curveballs thrown your way. By working together, we can better navigate any kind of situation in a joyful way without having breakdowns.

Styling has a competitive aspect, in that there are only so many looks, and everyone can’t always get what she wants. How are you navigating that together?

PASTER There are a lot of stories about stylists competing with each other. We’re not. We are so busy. We do not have time. Micaela is calling me because she needs something. I have so many questions to ask Erin and Micaela. If one of these two girls needs me, I will be there for them.

WALSH Removing anything competitive or not collaborative from the equation makes us stronger. It makes our work better.

ERLANGER Collaboration also benefits our clients. Everybody wins when we are aligned.

I’m curious, where were you in your careers when the original “The Devil Wears Prada” premiered?

ERLANGER We have stages of our careers that directly relate back to the first movie. I was an intern at Condé Nast, the company that owns Vogue.

WALSH I was an assistant at Vogue when it came out. I watched Anne onscreen. “The Devil Wears Prada” I knew, you know, in my skin.

PASTER I was a stylist, and, in fact, I was trying to get Emily Blunt as a client.

Modern press tours can involve several premieres in addition to other events. How has that changed how you work?

ERLANGER Social media has made every moment a photo op. Even if it is a junket day when your clients are sitting in a room for on-camera interviews, those pictures get picked up. So every single moment has become press-worthy. And, therefore, there’s more intentionality behind what clients are wearing.

PASTER People forget that we just can’t bring in a dress or two, bust out a look and call it a day. Micaela and Erin are going with nine suitcases all over the world to fit their girls, and I have two trips of fittings in Ireland.

What clothes have you been wearing during the press tour?

WALSH You’ve got to look the part. I tend to, in these situations, reach for more empowering pieces, like a shoulder pad and heels. I don’t work in flats.

ERLANGER I need a flat, and I kind of want to be more comfortable. I’m in jeans and a blazer and a button down and a flat.

PASTER I’m working in sweats and with my hair in a bun.