Must Read: Barbie and Black in Fashion Council Spotlight Emerging Designers, Forever 21 to Close Hundreds of Stores

Nia Thomas, Larissa Muehleder and Fumi Egbon
Photo&colon; Courtesy of Barbie x Black in Fashion Council

These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Thursday.

Barbie partners with Black in Fashion Council to spotlight emerging designers

For its latest campaign, Barbie is partnering with the Black in Fashion Council (BIFC) to spotlight three emerging Black women designers, Nia Thomas, Fumi Egbon and Larissa Muehleder. Barbie and BIFC tapped digital content creator Blake Newby to create a series of interviews with the designers, focusing on their career journeys and advice for upcoming designers. To help address barriers to entry to becoming a fashion designer, Barbie and BIFC are creating custom programming geared toward kids, teens and young adults at the 2025 ENVSN Festival. In celebration of Black History Month, Barbie has also created its 45th Anniversary Black Barbie doll in honor of Kitty Black Perkins, the designer of the first-ever Black Barbie doll in 1980, and partnered with Aurora James on a style feature for the @BarbieStyle Instagram account. {Fashionista inbox}

Forever 21 plans hundreds of store closures in second bankruptcy

Forever 21 is gearing up to close at least 200 more locations as part of a bankruptcy process expected to begin as soon as next month. The potential bankruptcy plan would seek a buyer for Forever 21’s remaining stores, and if no buyer emerges, then the fast-fashion retailer would liquidate its approximately 350-store chain. Some of the stores that may close have lost money for years, and one source told Bloomberg that Forever 21 often withheld royalties and rent payments elsewhere to keep them afloat. {Bloomberg/paywalled}

Beyoncé’s Cécred exclusively expands into Ulta Beauty

On its first anniversary, Beyoncé‘s hair-care brand Cécred has officially made its first move into retail by exclusively expanding into Ulta Beauty stores. Starting April 6, Cécred will enter more than 1,400 Ulta stores nationwide and online, which is the largest exclusive hair launch in the beauty retailer’s history. Cécred’s entire Foundation Collection will enter Ulta’s brand portfolio, including its shampoo, conditioner, treatment mask, hair and edge drops and more. {Fashionista inbox}

E.U. moves closer to putting a waste tax on fashion

On Tuesday, the European Union agreed on new rules that will make major fashion companies pay to clean up clothing waste. The deal between the E.U.’s Parliament and Council will require all E.U. countries to enact Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs that make fashion companies responsible for paying the costs of collecting, sorting and recycling textiles at the end of their life. These will come into effect within 30 months of the directive. EPR fees will apply to all retailers, even e-commerce platforms based outside of Europe. {Business of Fashion/paywalled}

Saks Global to close century-old Neiman Marcus flagship in Dallas

The Neiman Marcus flagship in downtown Dallas will close on March 31 after more than 100 years. With more than 100,000 square feet of selling space, the flagship has been designated a historical landmark. A Saks Global spokesperson said that the closure was forced on the retailer by an unnamed landlord. Saks Global will invest $100 million to renovate the Neiman Marcus anchor at the nearby NorthPark Center mall. Affected employees may be able to transfer to nearby Neiman Marcus locations and those who are eligible will get “appropriate separation packages.” {Retail Dive}

J.Crew and The New Yorker launch capsule collection

In honor of The New Yorker‘s 100th anniversary, J.Crew is teaming up with the publication to launch a capsule collection spanning womenswear, menswear and children’s clothing. Ranging in price from $32.50 to $168, the limited-edition collection includes rugby shirts, graphic tees, hoodies, canvas totes, hats and more. The J.Crew x The New Yorker capsule is available to shop now on jcrew.com. See (and shop!) the collection, below.