House of Slay

Last updated

House of Slay
Formation2020–2021
Headquarters New York City
Key people
 Prabal Gurung
Laura Kim
Tina Leung
Phillip Lim
Ezra J. William
Website thehouseofslay.com

The House of Slay is a collective fighting racial discrimination against Asians and promoting inclusivity. [1] [2] It was founded during the COVID-19 pandemic by the Slaysians, a group of five Asian fashion industry insiders in New York, including Prabal Gurung, Laura Kim, Phillip Lim, Tina Leung, and Ezra J. William. [3] [4] [5] In 2021, the group launched the digital superhero comic House of Slay to promote inclusivity for underrepresented groups. [6] [7] [8] It has also worked with the Asian American Pacific Islander community by partnering with the AAPI Victory Fund to mobilize and support voters. [1]

Contents

In 2022, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) recognized the House of Slay with its Positive Social Influence Award. [9] [2] [8]

Background

Designers Prabal Gurung and Laura Kim first met in 2004, when they worked in the same building at Bill Blass and Oscar de la Renta, respectively. [3] However, the Slaysians did not coalesce as a group until 2018, when the film Crazy Rich Asians was released. [10] [3] [6] After seeing the film at a private screening, Gurung arranged to have the studio host another screening especially for Asians in the fashion industry. [3] According to Gurung, it was the first gathering of its kind in New York City, bringing together Asian fashion designers, creatives, stylists, and editors for a social cause. [3] He told Tatler Asia , "I was really touched by a movie that was about people who looked like us and felt like us and truly represented us—and right after, I realised that there was a serious lack of camaraderie among Asian designers." [4] Following the screening, he hosted a dinner, which snowballed into a series of gatherings centered around home cooking and nights out at Bubble_T, the queer Asian dance party. [3] [11]

According to stylist Tina Leung, on one occasion, designer Phillip Lim invited her to pre-drinks before heading out. [4] When she arrived, bringing socialite Ezra William with her, Laura Kim and Prabal Gurung were already there. [4] The five of them bonded and started meeting regularly, calling themselves the "Slaysians". [4]

Activism

The increase in Anti-Asian hate crimes during the pandemic drew the Slaysians closer and inspired them to speak out. [6] Phillip Lim had started speaking out against harrassment and scapegoating of Asians, making an appearance on CNN on March 10, 2020, days before a complete lockdown was announced in New York City. [12] Lim went on to help start the Stop Asian Hate AAPI Community Fund on GoFundMe and launched the #NYTougherThanEver initiative with Ruba Abu-Nimah. [12] The Slaysians spread #StopAsianHate in a coordinated campaign on social media and also participated in the Black Lives Matter protests together in New York City. [11]

Deciding to channel their energy and influence toward raising awareness for Asian cultures in a more positive light, the five friends established the House of Slay. [6] According to Lim, it was important to them to convey, "'we're not a trend, we're not a stereotype, we're not your model minority myth'". [6] From "tokenism" in campaigns to constantly being treated as a "trend", they realized their vulnerability to being "disappeared" in the industry, once they fell out of fashion. [3] [6] Lim told Vogue , "One time we’re in, next time, it’s another community. It really shouldn’t be that way; we should all make up the community of fashion. So we thought we should build a house that invites all in—all communities." [6]

Comic book series

The digital comic House of Slay debuted on November 11, 2021, with 37 episodes published through April 25, 2023 on Tapas. [6] [13] [14] Created in collaboration with Einhorn's Epic Productions, its mission is to "take on racism, hatred, bullying, and fear of the 'other'". [15] [16] The House of Slay describes itself as "a place for everyone – an inclusive space representing not only the AAPI heritage of its founders, but underrepresented voices from all walks of life". [17]

Main characters

The series features each of the Slaysians as a comic book superhero who is "dressed to slay". [13] [6] Their respective alter egos are granted the following superpowers by a phoenix deity: [6] [17]

The characters' costumes are non-traditional in the superhero genre, and were designed to reflect their individual personalities and fashion affinities. [15]

Plot

Once they have acquired their powers, which are stronger when they work together, five friends from the New York fashion world are ready to fight Max Huxley, a villain who draws his power from everyday acts of hatred and discrimination. [15] [13] [14] The fashion superheroes vow to use their powers to spread love and hope for all humankind. [17] New heroes and villains are introduced over the course of the series. [14]

Other initiatives

In addition to launching the comic book, the House of Slay was involved in several other initiatives to support the Asian American Pacific Islander community, including a voter mobilization program with the AAPI Victory Fund. [1] The House of Slay created a merchandise collection, including t-shirts, sweaters, and bags, to benefit the fund. [18]

In 2022, the House of Slay partnered with the Brooklyn Nets NBA basketball team on several projects, including co-hosting the first-ever Brooklyn Nets AAPI Heritage Game and co-sponsoring a mural at John J. Pershing Intermediate School 220 in Sunset Park with the Thrive Collective. [1] [19] The concept for the mural was "Be Your Own Superhero". [19]

The CFDA awarded the House of Slay – Gurung, Kim, Leung, Lim, and William – the Positive Social Influence Award in 2022. [1] [20]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Ilchi, Layla (2022). "House of Slay to Receive CFDA's Positive Social Influence Award". WWD: Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved January 30, 2025– via EBSCOhost.
  2. 1 2 Brown, Evan Nicole (March 21, 2023). "Stylist and Fashion Creator Tina Leung Signs With CAA (Exclusive)". Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved January 29, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Carreon, Justine (May 21, 2021). "Meet the 'Slaysians'". Elle. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Slaysians: 5 Asian Fashion Insiders in New York City on Challenges, Family and How They Bond Over Food". Tatler Asia. March 9, 2020. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  5. ↑ Spellings, Sarah (November 8, 2022). "Prabal Gurung Prepared for the CFDA Awards With Boxing and Red Wine". Vogue. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Phelps, Nicole (November 8, 2021). "Zap! Boom! Pow! The Fashionable Superheroes of the House of Slay Are Taking on Racism and Anti-Asian Hate". Vogue. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  7. ↑ Chayanin, Paint (February 1, 2023). "10 Facts About Tina Leung From 'Bling Empire: New York'". Prestige. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  8. 1 2 Boyd-Griffith, Shelton (January 22, 2023). "The Abundance of Tina Leung". Lady Gunn. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  9. ↑ Wheeler, André-Naquian (November 9, 2022). "House of Slay's Tina Leung Became Her Superhero Alter Ego for the CFDA Awards". Vogue. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  10. ↑ Farah, Lynn (February 2, 2023). "How the 'Slaysians' became an inspiring pop culture movement: Tina Leung, Phillip Lim, Prabal Gurung, Laura Kim and Ezra J. William share a love for food, fashion – and Asian representation". South China Morning Post . Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  11. 1 2 Krueger, Alyson (November 9, 2021). "The Superheroes From House of Slay Are Here to Stay". The New York Times . Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  12. 1 2 Hyland, Veronique (May 11, 2023). "How Phillip Lim Became an 'Accidental Activist'". Elle. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  13. 1 2 3 Allen, Brendan M. (November 11, 2021). "'House Of Slay' From Einhorn's Epic Productions Debuts On Tapas". Comicon. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  14. 1 2 3 "House of Slay". tapas.io. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Schwartz, Alexis (January 14, 2022). "'House of Slay' Finds Their Power". L'Officiel . Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  16. ↑ Hughes, C. J. (October 2, 2023). "Fashion designer known for anti-hate efforts lists co-op: Phillip Lim could double his investment in the full-floor two-bedroom unit in a landmark distric". Crain's New York Business. Retrieved February 2, 2025– via EBSCOhost.
  17. 1 2 3 "House of Slay". House of Slay. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  18. ↑ Ilchi, Layla (May 2022). "House of Slay and the AAPI Victory Fund". WWD: Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved February 2, 2025– via EBSCOhost.
  19. 1 2 "Brooklyn Nets x Thrive Collective x House of Slay Mural". NBA. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  20. ↑ Lockwood, Lisa (November 9, 2022). "The CFDA Awards: Celebrities, Glamour, Glitz - and Let's Not Forget The Fashion Designers". WWD: Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved February 2, 2025– via EBSCOhost.
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