Spike Lee 

 

A fearless storyteller, Lee’s body of work amplifying the Black experience, from Do the Right Thing to BlacKkKlansman, hasn’t just challenged America’s conscience—it has helped shape a deeper understanding of its culture. In May, Lee reunited with actor Denzel Washington for Highest 2 Lowest, a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 classic High and Low, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. But Lee’s influence extends beyond film. An Oscar winner and ardent New York Knicks fan, he has also been integral to shaping streetwear culture. Do the Right Thing showcased Bed-Stuy’s colorful Afrocentric style and cemented the cultural importance of Air Jordans, notably when the character called Buggin Out erupts after his new sneakers are scuffed.The Atlanta-born director, known for his vibrant personal style—including signature round glasses—directed the iconic “Spike and Mike” Air Jordan commercials that ran from 1988 to 1992 and, just by wearing one, helped popularize the Yankees New Era fitted cap.

 

 

One of fashion’s most sought-after photographers, Sorrenti has spent more than three decades making sensual imagery and intimate portraits that capture the emotional core of his subjects. He has also created some of the industry’s most memorable campaigns and editorials. Born inNaples and raised in New York, Sorrenti grew up in a creative family led by his mother, Francesca Sorrenti, a fashion designer and creative director. In the early 1990s, in his twenties, he began photographing his then-girlfriend, an emerging young model named Kate Moss, whose early portraits by Sorrenti led to Calvin Klein’s iconic Obsession campaign that catapulted their careers. Since then, he has shot hundreds of editorials for top magazines like Vogue,W and Vanity Fair, major campaigns for blue-chip brands like Chanel and Lancôme, and portraits of figures such as Oprah Winfrey and former President Joe Biden. His work has been exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Portrait Gallery in London.