Slick Woods is Supporting Minority-Owned Businesses with Her New Jewelry Line
In true New York Fashion Week style, the grind never stops for Slick Woods. The day after walking in Rihanna's Savage X Fenty show, Woods launched her new, minority-owned jewelry line, C1V1L. The model, immediately recognizable for her distinct look of gap teeth and a shaved head (that, and for going into labor after the Savage X Fenty show last September), is aware of how black culture is often a vehicle to market, but mostly for businesses that are not minority-owned. With that in mind, Woods partnered with a group of friends to launch C1V1L.
One of Woods' partners and the mind behind the brand is Blakely Thornton, former managing director of Jerry Media (yes, the marketing agency for the Fyre Festival). With the desire to create a brand that could enjoy the benefits of representing black culture, Thornton also seeks to pass along those opportunities to others. The direct-to-consumer line plans to invest 20% of its profits into other female and minority-owned businesses. While there are white owners of C1V1L, the majority are minorities, including Thornton, who plans to ensure the future board continues to be at least half people from underrepresented backgrounds.
The unisex jewelry brand will be selling necklaces, cord cuffs, and signet rings using semi-precious metals, all in a clean, modern style. C1V1L's pieces range from $195 to $5000, though most of the pieces are less than $400. With nearly a million Instagram followers, Woods is able to use her platform (as well as her circle of celebrity friends, like Rihanna) to promote C1V1L. Thornton hopes to use the model's influence to make the company profitable enough to begin investing in other businesses as soon as possible.
The launch party took place last night at The Crown at 50 Bowery, but as of now, there's no drop date for the jewelry. We'll just have to keep impatiently refreshing C1V1L's Instagram page for updates.
