Getty Stephen 'tWitch' Boss and Allison Holker Boss
Before his death on December 13, dancer and TV personality Stephen “tWitch” Boss participated in one last project, an ad campaign for GAP, which his wife, former “Dancing With the Stars” professional dancer Allison Holker wanted to share with the world because the ad campaign captured Boss’ essence so well.
The GAP Campaign is Honoring Boss By Donating to the 988 Lifeline
GAP
The campaign is a partnership between GAP and Ouigi Theodore, who founded and is now creative director for The Brooklyn Circus, which is a “Haitian-owned, historically inspired prep wear brand that exists as a staple for cultural tastemakers and fashion connoisseurs alike,” according to the GAP press release.
The limited-edition series of clothing launches on January 31 and will be available on both brand’s websites and in select GAP stores and the Brooklyn Circus flagship store in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, New York.
In light of Boss’ death on December 13, which obviously happened after the campaign was shot but before its release, the GAP and the Brooklyn Circus have decided to honor Boss’ memory “with a donation in his name to The 988 Lifeline and the Vibrant Emotional Health organization.”
The GAP press release reads:
The Brooklyn Circus and GAP share in the heartbreaking loss of beloved icon Stephen “tWitch” Boss, who was a longtime supporter of the BKc community, Ouigi’s work and a core part of this campaign thanks to his personal friendship with Ouigi Theodore.
In honor of Stephen, GAP is supporting The 988 Lifeline by donating to Vibrant Emotional Health. Vibrant administers the 988 Lifeline, which provides free and confidential emotional support and counseling to people in crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across the United States.
Allison Holker Said in a Statement That the Campaign ‘Brought Tears’ to Their Eyes When They Saw It
Also included in the press release was a statement from Boss’ widow, Allison Holker Boss. In the statement, she said that she and her husband were able to see the campaign before he died and they were “so moved” by it that it “brought tears to [their] eyes.”
“When Stephen and I first saw his images from the campaign, it brought tears to our eyes. He was so moved by how they captured his true essence, and he was excited for the world to see them. We pay tribute to Stephen’s life by sharing these images in homage to the joy and light he brought to everyone around him,” said Holker.
The description of the clothing line says that it is taking on “fashion throughout American history” and “explores the concepts of individuality, movement and modern prep – blending academia, music and Black culture and street style from the 1960s through today.”
“Style is an opportunity for us to be honest. Classics are the foundation of what we do at The Brooklyn Circus and GAP is so known for that classic Americana style,” said Theodore in a statement. “GAP has always been in my history, which is where I find inspiration for our designs. We took our graphic elements and brought that explosion of energy and culture to iconic GAP styles. I’m proud of what we’ve put together and honored to launch a campaign with GAP that highlights various communities.”
Boss died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound on December 13, as first reported by TMZ. He is survived by his wife, Holker, and their three children — Weslie, 14, Maddox, 6, and Zaia, 3 — and his mother, Connie Boss Alexander.
A few weeks after his death, Holker posted a video montage of him to Instagram and wrote, “To my husband, best friend, babe, Chee-chalker, Superman and father of my children I LOVE YOU FOREVER and ALWAYS! We will forever remember you as the true beacon of light that you were and we will continue to cast your light and love throughout the world. Thank you for our incredible memories and our beautiful life shared together.”