Iggy Azalea And Nick Young Get Fancy In Forever 21 Holiday Campaign
(Vibe Magazine) Okay, seriously, how cute?
Iggy Azalea and her 6'7 Los Angeles Lakers boo, Nick Young, look all kinds of adorable in the new Forever 21 holiday campaign. This is Iggy's first national campaign since signing with Wilhelmenia in 2012 but from her fashion choices on the red carpet, you would think she's a pro.
Iggy and Nick prove the couple that slays together, stays together. Check out the photos below.
Iggy Azalea and her 6'7 Los Angeles Lakers boo, Nick Young, look all kinds of adorable in the new Forever 21 holiday campaign. This is Iggy's first national campaign since signing with Wilhelmenia in 2012 but from her fashion choices on the red carpet, you would think she's a pro.
Iggy and Nick prove the couple that slays together, stays together. Check out the photos below.
Jennifer Lopez Dons Impossibly Sexy Black Dress At Fashion Rocks Event
The Huffington Post | By Lauren Zupkus
Few of us could pull off this show-stopping Atelier Versace number.
All eyes were on Jennifer Lopez as she stepped out on the 2014 Fashion Rocks red carpet on Tuesday, Sept. 9, in the slinky black dress, complete with gold-plated detail, cutouts and a thigh-high slit. The 45-year-old paired the daring look with dangling gold earrings that matched the metallic collar and bodice:
All eyes were on Jennifer Lopez as she stepped out on the 2014 Fashion Rocks red carpet on Tuesday, Sept. 9, in the slinky black dress, complete with gold-plated detail, cutouts and a thigh-high slit. The 45-year-old paired the daring look with dangling gold earrings that matched the metallic collar and bodice:
J.Lo later slipped into an even racier outfit when she hit the stage to perform her new single, "Booty." She, well, dressed for the occasion in a teeny glitter jumpsuit, matching lingerie and elbow-length black gloves:
The star-studded night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, sponsored by CBS, also included performances by Nicki Minaj, Miranda Lambert and Usher, among others.
Jada Pinkett Smith: 'I look better than ever and I work out less' Actress, 42, chats fitness, female empowerment and her marriage as she goes high fashion for Net-a-Porter
|DailyMail on Facebook
Although she displays an enviably toned physique in the new imagery, Jada maintains that she takes a relaxed approach to her fitness.
'I look better than ever and I work out less. I’m never in the gym for [more than] 45 minutes,' she said.
'As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that it’s about being physical every day. You don’t have to go to the gym if that’s not your thing. You can go outside your door and walk around your block.'
One thing that Jada was keen to open up about in the interview with the magazine was her husband, Will Smith, explaining that their relationship is stronger now than ever, despite the rumours that have persistently dogged their 17-year romance.
'Will, to me, encompasses everything. It’s almost as if calling him "my husband" is too small of a word for what he means in my life,' she said.
Married for 17 years, she reveals how their relationship has changed over time. 'We used to have all these rules, [but] as you go on in your relationship, you just get into a flow… I had a very stuck idea of what a husband looks like, what a wife should be.
'Once I broke all of that, a whole new world opened for me and man, oh, man, I got to see him in all his glory. And so that’s what it’s evolved into. And I’m just ecstatic about it.'
Over the years, the couple have been accused of unfounded infidelities, of having an ‘open marriage’ and have even had their sexualities questioned.
Jada shrugs off these rumours, saying: 'The coping technique is knowing what the truth is - there’s no better technique…It’s kind of entertaining. We can laugh because it’s so ridiculous. I don’t take it personally.'
As well as the state of their own marriage, the Smith’s were at the centre of media scrutiny earlier this year when 13-year-old daughter Willow found herself amidst controversy when an Instagram picture of herself in bed next to topless 20-year-old actor Moises Arias went viral.
The 42-year-old star insisted there was 'nothing sexual' about the snap, which was noticed on one of Kylie Jenner's Tumblr accounts on Tuesday.
Speaking in a video on TMZ, she said at the time: 'Here's the deal. There was nothing sexual about that picture of that situation. You guys are projecting your trash onto it … and you're acting like covert paedophiles and that's not cool.'
Aside from her duties as a mother and actress, Jada has always been a huge advocate of female empowerment. In 2012, she visited Washington to testify on sex trafficking and now she's working with CNN on a documentary on the subject.
'A lot of people want to believe it only happens to poor girls, and that’s not true. It’s a people problem,' she says.
'Being a woman in an industry that has a voice, I just felt this enormous amount of responsibility to at least let other people know. "Guess what guys? It’s not just happening over there. It’s happening right here." I just had to get that word out.'
'I look better than ever and I work out less. I’m never in the gym for [more than] 45 minutes,' she said.
'As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that it’s about being physical every day. You don’t have to go to the gym if that’s not your thing. You can go outside your door and walk around your block.'
One thing that Jada was keen to open up about in the interview with the magazine was her husband, Will Smith, explaining that their relationship is stronger now than ever, despite the rumours that have persistently dogged their 17-year romance.
'Will, to me, encompasses everything. It’s almost as if calling him "my husband" is too small of a word for what he means in my life,' she said.
Married for 17 years, she reveals how their relationship has changed over time. 'We used to have all these rules, [but] as you go on in your relationship, you just get into a flow… I had a very stuck idea of what a husband looks like, what a wife should be.
'Once I broke all of that, a whole new world opened for me and man, oh, man, I got to see him in all his glory. And so that’s what it’s evolved into. And I’m just ecstatic about it.'
Over the years, the couple have been accused of unfounded infidelities, of having an ‘open marriage’ and have even had their sexualities questioned.
Jada shrugs off these rumours, saying: 'The coping technique is knowing what the truth is - there’s no better technique…It’s kind of entertaining. We can laugh because it’s so ridiculous. I don’t take it personally.'
As well as the state of their own marriage, the Smith’s were at the centre of media scrutiny earlier this year when 13-year-old daughter Willow found herself amidst controversy when an Instagram picture of herself in bed next to topless 20-year-old actor Moises Arias went viral.
The 42-year-old star insisted there was 'nothing sexual' about the snap, which was noticed on one of Kylie Jenner's Tumblr accounts on Tuesday.
Speaking in a video on TMZ, she said at the time: 'Here's the deal. There was nothing sexual about that picture of that situation. You guys are projecting your trash onto it … and you're acting like covert paedophiles and that's not cool.'
Aside from her duties as a mother and actress, Jada has always been a huge advocate of female empowerment. In 2012, she visited Washington to testify on sex trafficking and now she's working with CNN on a documentary on the subject.
'A lot of people want to believe it only happens to poor girls, and that’s not true. It’s a people problem,' she says.
'Being a woman in an industry that has a voice, I just felt this enormous amount of responsibility to at least let other people know. "Guess what guys? It’s not just happening over there. It’s happening right here." I just had to get that word out.'
|
|
|
Jeremy Meeks signs $30,000 modelling contract: report
Jeremy Meeks, the man pictured in the hot mugshot that went viral in June, has reportedly locked in a modelling contract.
TMZ is reporting Meeks has signed a $US30,000 deal with LA-based Blaze Modelz.
He has also signed with talent agent Gina Rodriguez, who represents Nadya Suleman, also known as octo-mum, after she gave birth to eight children in January 2009.
Ms Rodriguez has told American news sites she's looking at reality TV show options for when Meeks is released for jail.
Advertisement
Meeks' appearance may also become a key factor in his trial. American celebrity gossip site Perez Hilton has reported Meeks's lawyer, Tai Bogan, asked that he be allowed to wear civilian clothes in court rather than a
prison jumpsuit.
"We are talking to designers to provide clothing for him during this case. We want him to look as good as possible in the court. We are worried that current pictures of him in prison garb will mean he will not get a fair trial," Mr Bogan said, adding he wants to take Meeks' measurements so he can be sure clothes fit his physique.
The modelling contract may come as a welcome relief to his wife and young son. Meeks' mother, Katherine Angiers, has been trying to raise money to help meet the bail costs.
"Please help. My son was taken into custody on his way to work," she wrote. "He is a working man with a son. He is being stereotyped due to old tattoos ... please help him to get a fair trial or else he'll be railroaded."
She has raised just over $US5000 of her $US25,000 target.
But Meeks will need another $US870,000 if he wants to get out and start posing for photos, as his bail is set at $900,000.
Meeks is awaiting trial on weapons charges. He has previously been convicted for grand theft and spent two years in prison.
smh.com.au
TMZ is reporting Meeks has signed a $US30,000 deal with LA-based Blaze Modelz.
He has also signed with talent agent Gina Rodriguez, who represents Nadya Suleman, also known as octo-mum, after she gave birth to eight children in January 2009.
Ms Rodriguez has told American news sites she's looking at reality TV show options for when Meeks is released for jail.
Advertisement
Meeks' appearance may also become a key factor in his trial. American celebrity gossip site Perez Hilton has reported Meeks's lawyer, Tai Bogan, asked that he be allowed to wear civilian clothes in court rather than a
prison jumpsuit.
"We are talking to designers to provide clothing for him during this case. We want him to look as good as possible in the court. We are worried that current pictures of him in prison garb will mean he will not get a fair trial," Mr Bogan said, adding he wants to take Meeks' measurements so he can be sure clothes fit his physique.
The modelling contract may come as a welcome relief to his wife and young son. Meeks' mother, Katherine Angiers, has been trying to raise money to help meet the bail costs.
"Please help. My son was taken into custody on his way to work," she wrote. "He is a working man with a son. He is being stereotyped due to old tattoos ... please help him to get a fair trial or else he'll be railroaded."
She has raised just over $US5000 of her $US25,000 target.
But Meeks will need another $US870,000 if he wants to get out and start posing for photos, as his bail is set at $900,000.
Meeks is awaiting trial on weapons charges. He has previously been convicted for grand theft and spent two years in prison.
smh.com.au
Rihanna Stuns In See-Though CFDA Dress
Rihanna received a whole lot of attention on Monday night for wearing very little!
The 26-year-old singing superstar had heads turning and sent photographers into a frenzy in her very see-through custom Adam Selman fishnet dress, headscarf and gloves at the Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards (CFDA).
The striking dress was embellished with over 216,000 Swarovski crystals that made her literally dazzle on the red carpet.
PHOTOS: See More Of Rihanna's Stunning Red Carpet Looks
"Well, you know, island girls are sassy and we love blingy, outrageous stuff!" the singer said.
But how was Rihanna (who is not one to be shy when it comes to showing off some skin) feeling last night in such a revealing dress?
(Rihanna at the 2014 Council of Designer of America Awards on June 2, 2014 in New York City - Getty Images)
"Are you comfortable?" Access asked the singer.
"Yes I am. Why? My t*ts bother you?" The singer joked.
In addition to her Adam Selman dress, the singer was sporting jewels by designer Paul Morelli including limited edition cat's eye moonstone and diamond earrings and an imperial topaz and diamond ring.
-- Jesse Spero
NBC Universal, Inc.
The 26-year-old singing superstar had heads turning and sent photographers into a frenzy in her very see-through custom Adam Selman fishnet dress, headscarf and gloves at the Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards (CFDA).
The striking dress was embellished with over 216,000 Swarovski crystals that made her literally dazzle on the red carpet.
PHOTOS: See More Of Rihanna's Stunning Red Carpet Looks
"Well, you know, island girls are sassy and we love blingy, outrageous stuff!" the singer said.
But how was Rihanna (who is not one to be shy when it comes to showing off some skin) feeling last night in such a revealing dress?
(Rihanna at the 2014 Council of Designer of America Awards on June 2, 2014 in New York City - Getty Images)
"Are you comfortable?" Access asked the singer.
"Yes I am. Why? My t*ts bother you?" The singer joked.
In addition to her Adam Selman dress, the singer was sporting jewels by designer Paul Morelli including limited edition cat's eye moonstone and diamond earrings and an imperial topaz and diamond ring.
-- Jesse Spero
NBC Universal, Inc.
Beyonce Rocks Daringly Low Cut Dress, Face Mask at Met Gala 2014 with Jay Z
Flawless! Beyonce Knowles stunned at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala, alongside her husbandJay Z.
PHOTOS: See what all the stars wore to the Met Gala 2014
The couple opted for a monochromatic look: Beyonce donned aGivenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci custom gown while Jay also wore a Givenchy Haute Couture tux.
PHOTOS: See last year's best dressed
Queen Bey looked stunning in a black dress which was covered all over with crystals, stones and studs. The 32-year-old wore a matching bodysuit underneath with embroidered fishnet tights and shiny crocodile leather sandals. The "Drunk In Love" singer topped the dangerously low look off with a face mask by Philip Treacy and jewelry by Lorraine Schwartz.
Jay Z, 44, opted for a white grain de poudre jacket with satin details, worn with matching black pants, silver metal cufflinks, a black silk bow tie and velvet derby shoes.
The duo, who recently announced they're going on tour together, walked the carpet hand in hand looking all the more the power couple.
This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Beyonce Rocks Daringly Low Cut Dress, Face Mask at Met Gala 2014 with Jay Z
PHOTOS: See what all the stars wore to the Met Gala 2014
The couple opted for a monochromatic look: Beyonce donned aGivenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci custom gown while Jay also wore a Givenchy Haute Couture tux.
PHOTOS: See last year's best dressed
Queen Bey looked stunning in a black dress which was covered all over with crystals, stones and studs. The 32-year-old wore a matching bodysuit underneath with embroidered fishnet tights and shiny crocodile leather sandals. The "Drunk In Love" singer topped the dangerously low look off with a face mask by Philip Treacy and jewelry by Lorraine Schwartz.
Jay Z, 44, opted for a white grain de poudre jacket with satin details, worn with matching black pants, silver metal cufflinks, a black silk bow tie and velvet derby shoes.
The duo, who recently announced they're going on tour together, walked the carpet hand in hand looking all the more the power couple.
This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Beyonce Rocks Daringly Low Cut Dress, Face Mask at Met Gala 2014 with Jay Z
JORDAN BRAND UNVEILS AIR JORDAN XX9
All Ball Blogs-Lang Whitaker
ALL BALL NERVE CENTER — At a press conference yesterday in Manhattan, Jordan Brand unveiled their latest signature sneaker, the Air Jordan XX9. Michael Jordan and designer Tinker Hatfield were in attendance, and they talked often about how the new kicks, which will be available in September, is the best shoe they’ve created yet.
The shoe is woven together using a technology they found in Italy, so it’s both light and strong. As a press release explains…
The performance-woven upper delivers superior abrasion resistance, along with an entirely new look on the outside of the shoe. The structure and fit of the shoe are engineered through Flight Web tunnels, and strategic panels of stiffer and softer flex to enhance natural motion. The absence of numerous layers and adhesion technologies creates an incredibly comfortable, sock-like interior lining with superior breathability. Using webbed straps that wrap the foot and integrate with the laces, the Flight Web fit system offers superior mid-foot lockdown that moves with the athlete. Woven channels in the upper enhance the Flight Web fit system, while a double-lasted heel helps dampen the impact on hard landings. Articulated padding in the collar adds to the premium, signature feel of the shoe and helps prevent the heel from slipping.
While the shoe isn’t out until the fall, you’ll probably start seeing it on some feet in the NBA Playoffs.
The shoe is woven together using a technology they found in Italy, so it’s both light and strong. As a press release explains…
The performance-woven upper delivers superior abrasion resistance, along with an entirely new look on the outside of the shoe. The structure and fit of the shoe are engineered through Flight Web tunnels, and strategic panels of stiffer and softer flex to enhance natural motion. The absence of numerous layers and adhesion technologies creates an incredibly comfortable, sock-like interior lining with superior breathability. Using webbed straps that wrap the foot and integrate with the laces, the Flight Web fit system offers superior mid-foot lockdown that moves with the athlete. Woven channels in the upper enhance the Flight Web fit system, while a double-lasted heel helps dampen the impact on hard landings. Articulated padding in the collar adds to the premium, signature feel of the shoe and helps prevent the heel from slipping.
While the shoe isn’t out until the fall, you’ll probably start seeing it on some feet in the NBA Playoffs.
Lupita Nyong'o Shows Off Toned Abs in Cut-Out Dress
(US Magazine) Lupita Nyong'o is non-stop! The Oscar nominee stepped up her red carpet game once again when she attended the Women in Film Pre-Oscar party at Fig & Olive in L.A. on Friday, Feb. 28.
At the event, Nyong'o, 30, wore a gorgeous Michael Kors cut-out dress that showed off her toned abs and svelte figure. She paired the chic look with royal blue Pedro Garcia stilettos and simple Graziela Gems jewelry.
The 12 Years a Slave actress walked the red carpet with Helen Mirren, and fellow Oscar nominee June Squibb. Nyong'o also brought along her mother Dorothy as her date.
Nyong'o's awards season style has been just as impressive as her acting skills. In an interview with The Daily Beast last month, the first-time Oscar nominee admitted her fashion sense didn't come naturally.
"Until all this, I hadn't been a student of the fashion industry as a formal industry," she said. "I wasn't the girl who bought the fashion magazines, I'd always just worn what appeals to me."
She continued: "When I knew I was going to be doing the press tour for 12 Years A Slave, I got to work and started researching what was happening in the formal world of fashion to try and articulate to myself what my style would be in it all."
Tell Us: What do you think about Lupita Nyong'o's latest red carpet look?
This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Lupita Nyong'o Shows Off Toned Abs in Cut-Out Dress: Picture
At the event, Nyong'o, 30, wore a gorgeous Michael Kors cut-out dress that showed off her toned abs and svelte figure. She paired the chic look with royal blue Pedro Garcia stilettos and simple Graziela Gems jewelry.
The 12 Years a Slave actress walked the red carpet with Helen Mirren, and fellow Oscar nominee June Squibb. Nyong'o also brought along her mother Dorothy as her date.
Nyong'o's awards season style has been just as impressive as her acting skills. In an interview with The Daily Beast last month, the first-time Oscar nominee admitted her fashion sense didn't come naturally.
"Until all this, I hadn't been a student of the fashion industry as a formal industry," she said. "I wasn't the girl who bought the fashion magazines, I'd always just worn what appeals to me."
She continued: "When I knew I was going to be doing the press tour for 12 Years A Slave, I got to work and started researching what was happening in the formal world of fashion to try and articulate to myself what my style would be in it all."
Tell Us: What do you think about Lupita Nyong'o's latest red carpet look?
This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Lupita Nyong'o Shows Off Toned Abs in Cut-Out Dress: Picture
Louis Vuitton Designs Carbon Fiber Luggage Collection For BMW i8by
Joan Stern in Travel
Staying true to its travel-centric heritage, Louis Vuitton teams up with BMW Group to roll out a collection of luggage for the auto brand’s first plug-in hybrid vehicle. BMW i8 plug-in hybrid will drive around with tailor-made set of bags and cases made by the fashion group. Exclusively designed to travel along with the most progressive sports car, the light weight collection is crafted entirely from black carbon fiber which also matches the colors of the BMW i8.
Featuring the iconic Damier pattern, the woven carbon luggage set also sports the laser-etched signature. BMW i8’s trademark colors, black and electric blue, also show up in the microfibre lining of the bags. Comprising of two travel bags, a business case and a garment bag, the fashionable collection is cleverly designed to use minimum space in the car and appropriately fit in the interior of BMW i8.
While all the bag handles are made from dyed natural leather, the collection also comes with leather name tags and the iconic Louis Vuitton padlock with the exception of the garment bag.
The Weekender GM i8 is custom-designed to be dropped in to the boot, while the Garment Bag i8 is shaped well to snuggle on the rear shelf of the BMW i8. Perfect for carrying laptops, the form of the sturdy hardshell Business Case i8 syncs with the rear seats. The smallest bag of the collection, Weekender PM i8, can be rested on the surface the seat with ease.
Patrick Louis-Vuitton, head of special orders and great grandson of Louis Vuitton founder states, “This collaboration with BMW epitomises our shared values of creativity, technological innovation and style. The use of CFRP in the BMW i8 is indicative of an intelligent lightweight construction philosophy. And Louis Vuitton has demonstrated a similar belief in innovation, aesthetics and lightweight design in creating the exclusive luggage collection for it.”
While Adrian van Hooydonk, senior vice president BMW Group Design, remarks, “BMW and Louis Vuitton share both a profound appreciation of tradition and a commitment to constant further development. The use of CFRP in the BMW i8 is indicative of an intelligent lightweight construction philosophy. And Louis Vuitton has demonstrated a similar belief in innovation, aesthetics and lightweight design in creating the exclusive luggage collection for it.”
While the BMW i8 is expected the hit the U.S. shores this spring, the Louis Vuitton luggage series will be available upon request in a selection of Louis Vuitton stores worldwide (Munich, Milan, London, Paris, Moscow, Dubai, New York, Los Angeles) starting April 1, 2014.
Featuring the iconic Damier pattern, the woven carbon luggage set also sports the laser-etched signature. BMW i8’s trademark colors, black and electric blue, also show up in the microfibre lining of the bags. Comprising of two travel bags, a business case and a garment bag, the fashionable collection is cleverly designed to use minimum space in the car and appropriately fit in the interior of BMW i8.
While all the bag handles are made from dyed natural leather, the collection also comes with leather name tags and the iconic Louis Vuitton padlock with the exception of the garment bag.
The Weekender GM i8 is custom-designed to be dropped in to the boot, while the Garment Bag i8 is shaped well to snuggle on the rear shelf of the BMW i8. Perfect for carrying laptops, the form of the sturdy hardshell Business Case i8 syncs with the rear seats. The smallest bag of the collection, Weekender PM i8, can be rested on the surface the seat with ease.
Patrick Louis-Vuitton, head of special orders and great grandson of Louis Vuitton founder states, “This collaboration with BMW epitomises our shared values of creativity, technological innovation and style. The use of CFRP in the BMW i8 is indicative of an intelligent lightweight construction philosophy. And Louis Vuitton has demonstrated a similar belief in innovation, aesthetics and lightweight design in creating the exclusive luggage collection for it.”
While Adrian van Hooydonk, senior vice president BMW Group Design, remarks, “BMW and Louis Vuitton share both a profound appreciation of tradition and a commitment to constant further development. The use of CFRP in the BMW i8 is indicative of an intelligent lightweight construction philosophy. And Louis Vuitton has demonstrated a similar belief in innovation, aesthetics and lightweight design in creating the exclusive luggage collection for it.”
While the BMW i8 is expected the hit the U.S. shores this spring, the Louis Vuitton luggage series will be available upon request in a selection of Louis Vuitton stores worldwide (Munich, Milan, London, Paris, Moscow, Dubai, New York, Los Angeles) starting April 1, 2014.
NYFW: Pharrell & His Hat Launch “RAW For The Oceans” During An Epic Night At The Museum
by Rachel Hislop
(GlobalGrind) Saturdays are usually for lounging around and binge-watching shows on Netflix, but Saturdays during New York Fashion Week are for attending events after hours at the American Museum of Natural History. Fancy, we know. This weekend, I did just that to be on the scene where Pharrell Williams, Creative Director of Bionic Yarn, announced ‘RAW for the Oceans,’ a long-term collaboration between denim brand G-Star RAW and Bionic Yarn.
The collaboration is a creative exploration, where Bionic Yarn and G-Star joined forces to innovate denim. Together, they will create a collection made with recycled materials from the oceans in stores for August 2014. In addition to the joined seasonal collections, G-Star will integrate Bionic Yarn material into existing product lines.
It’s a noble fashion move, and one that will surely be the source of much success. After we were schooled about the damage plastic does to the environment while sitting under the belly of a great Blue Whale, we headed to the blue carpet to chat with Tyson Beckford, Siva of The Wanted, Adrienne Bailon and more. Check it all out in the exclusive video below.
The collaboration is a creative exploration, where Bionic Yarn and G-Star joined forces to innovate denim. Together, they will create a collection made with recycled materials from the oceans in stores for August 2014. In addition to the joined seasonal collections, G-Star will integrate Bionic Yarn material into existing product lines.
It’s a noble fashion move, and one that will surely be the source of much success. After we were schooled about the damage plastic does to the environment while sitting under the belly of a great Blue Whale, we headed to the blue carpet to chat with Tyson Beckford, Siva of The Wanted, Adrienne Bailon and more. Check it all out in the exclusive video below.
Nike Drops Air Yeezy II "Red October," Sells Out in Minutes
Iyana Robertson -Vibe.com
No warning, or nothin’, Jesus!
Nike’s highly-anticipated Air Yeezy II “Red October” kicks became available for purchaseout of thin air on the company’s website this afternoon (Feb. 9) at 1 p.m. Making the announcement via Twitter, Nike dropped the bomb, and the shoe sold out in 11 minutes.
Kanye West’s relationship with Nike has been a complicated one, with the rapper announcing his new deal with Adidas after bashing Nike for lack of creative and market control. West later apologized and showed gratitude for the launch of the wildly sought after shoe.
"I’m still gonna do music but I really do feel honored to have had the chance to blow Yeezy up with Nike and I really appreciate everything they did for me," he said. "I’m not knocking them on the way out or burning no bridges, you know, I apologize for my frustration earlier. I just think it’s time. It’s go time. It’s turn up time."
Nike’s highly-anticipated Air Yeezy II “Red October” kicks became available for purchaseout of thin air on the company’s website this afternoon (Feb. 9) at 1 p.m. Making the announcement via Twitter, Nike dropped the bomb, and the shoe sold out in 11 minutes.
Kanye West’s relationship with Nike has been a complicated one, with the rapper announcing his new deal with Adidas after bashing Nike for lack of creative and market control. West later apologized and showed gratitude for the launch of the wildly sought after shoe.
"I’m still gonna do music but I really do feel honored to have had the chance to blow Yeezy up with Nike and I really appreciate everything they did for me," he said. "I’m not knocking them on the way out or burning no bridges, you know, I apologize for my frustration earlier. I just think it’s time. It’s go time. It’s turn up time."
Beyonce Flaunts Slim Figure in Sheer Dress at Super Bowl Concert
US.COM
Sheer perfection!
Beyonce once again left not that much to the imagination -- showing off her world-famous figure in a sheer dress. For her surprise performance with husband Jay Z at the DirecTV Super Saturday Night event on Feb. 1 in New York City, Queen Bey, 32, wore a gorgeous black Roberto Cavalli gown with sheer paneling and sky-high platform pumps by Christian Louboutin.
PHOTOS: Bey and Jay Z's sexy romance
The revealing dresses are quickly becoming Bey's signature style for red carpet appearances. After all, the Cavalli gown comes just a week after she caused jaws to drop from her appearance at the 2014 Grammys. The "Drunk in Love" singer opted for a sheer Nicholas de Carle bodysuit and custom bra before changing into a sheer Michael Costello gown with white floral embroidery.
PHOTOS: Bey's best bootylicious moments
The mom to Blue Ivy, 2, debuted her affinity for dresses with strategically placed fabric at the 2012 Met Gala in NYC. Less than four months after giving birth, she showed off her slim figure in a black lace Givenchy Haute Couture gown with ombre train.
The "Love on Top" singer has been open about her enviable self-confidence after losing the baby weight. "I was very aware of the fact that I was showing my body," she said in a YouTube mini-documentary about her smash self-titled visual album released on Dec. 13. "I was 195 pounds when I gave birth. I lost 65 pounds. I worked crazily to get my body back. I wanted to show my body. I wanted to show that you can have a child and you can work hard and you can get your body back."
Beyonce once again left not that much to the imagination -- showing off her world-famous figure in a sheer dress. For her surprise performance with husband Jay Z at the DirecTV Super Saturday Night event on Feb. 1 in New York City, Queen Bey, 32, wore a gorgeous black Roberto Cavalli gown with sheer paneling and sky-high platform pumps by Christian Louboutin.
PHOTOS: Bey and Jay Z's sexy romance
The revealing dresses are quickly becoming Bey's signature style for red carpet appearances. After all, the Cavalli gown comes just a week after she caused jaws to drop from her appearance at the 2014 Grammys. The "Drunk in Love" singer opted for a sheer Nicholas de Carle bodysuit and custom bra before changing into a sheer Michael Costello gown with white floral embroidery.
PHOTOS: Bey's best bootylicious moments
The mom to Blue Ivy, 2, debuted her affinity for dresses with strategically placed fabric at the 2012 Met Gala in NYC. Less than four months after giving birth, she showed off her slim figure in a black lace Givenchy Haute Couture gown with ombre train.
The "Love on Top" singer has been open about her enviable self-confidence after losing the baby weight. "I was very aware of the fact that I was showing my body," she said in a YouTube mini-documentary about her smash self-titled visual album released on Dec. 13. "I was 195 pounds when I gave birth. I lost 65 pounds. I worked crazily to get my body back. I wanted to show my body. I wanted to show that you can have a child and you can work hard and you can get your body back."
Men’s 2014 Key Colour Trend: PurpleArticle
By Ben Jones
Purple PowerIt’s no secret that menswear has fully embraced pattern and colour over the past few seasons, with many men becoming much more adventurous with their styling and clothing choices.
Even though the global SS14 fashion weeks featured a lot more monochrome palettes than we are perhaps used to – black on black and white on white outfits were particularly prevalent – true to recent form, the majority of designer collections incorporated bold, warm-weather-appropriate hues.
However, amongst a sea of pastel shades and fluoro brights, one colour in particular came to the fore…
Pantone Colour Of The Year 2014: Radiant OrchidEvery year, Pantone, an X-Rite company and global authority on colour and professional colour standards for the design industry, singles out a specific shade as their ‘Colour Of The Year’.
It is picked after a painstaking and rigorous selection process in which colour usages in every visually oriented industry – from film and entertainment to design, fashion and tourism – are taken into consideration.
For 2014 that shade is ‘Radiant Orchid’ (Pantone 18-3224):
Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Colour Institute, claims that“Radiant Orchid reaches across the colour wheel to intrigue the eye and spark the imagination.” She adds: “An invitation to innovation, Radiant Orchid encourages expanded creativity and originality, which is increasingly valued in today’s society.
An enchanting harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones, Radiant Orchid inspires confidence and emanates great joy, love and health. It is a captivating purple, one that draws you in with its beguiling charm.”
When applied to clothing, this purple hue is said to produce a healthy glow on the skin of the wearer and complements the majority of hair and eye colours.
Purple On The SS14 RunwaysTaking into consideration Pantone’s choice for 2014, it should come as no surprise that purple was extremely prevalent on the SS14 runways. Although stereotypically associated with womenswear, the colour infiltrated SS14 menswear collections in both block-colour form and as part of an assortment of prints and patterns.
Some designers opted to include a few select purple garments, creating a variety of statement separates. Stand-out items included Yohji Yamamoto’s wide-legged purple trousers, Acne’s round neck knitted sweater in deep purple and Haider Ackerman’s purple silk-effect trousers with patterned side panels:
Similarly, Andrea Pompilio applied a purple and navy striped pattern to a variety of items, including a two-piece suit, bomber-style jacket and oversized shorts.
Also worth a mention is Pompilio’s two-piece, purple tweed suit, which was paired with mustard and black two-toned shoes (a current footwear trend) for a modern and colourful twist on the heritage aesthetic:
Other designers wholeheartedly backed purple, making it one of the cornerstones of their palette. For example, Berluti applied deep, rich tones to double-breasted suits, a trench coat and a leather jacket, as well utilising it on accents such as bags and shoes.
Tom Ford continued the purple theme by incorporating several different shades within his collection, including a sharp lavender blazer paired with exotic floral print trousers, a v-neck cable knit jumper in deep purple paired with geometric print purple shorts, and a luxurious jacquard tuxedo jacket complete with floral print in purple and silver:
At the more casual end of the spectrum, several designers proved that purple can be seamlessly worked into your off-duty wardrobe, too. Bottega Veneta featured a dark purple suede bomber jacket with contrast burgundy cuffs and waistband, along with an oversized baseball-style shirt in the same shade.
Elsewhere, Richard James showcased a range of wearable pieces that made use of different shades of purple. Stand-out items included a suede zip-up jacket in light purple, a pink to purple gradient polo shirt and a purple/pink wool mix jumper paired with a similarly toned cravat. Many of these pieces demonstrated just how well purple and pink (another key colour for SS14) work together, for those men confident enough to try it.
The Paul Smith collection was another that advocated this pink and purple combination. The British designer’s showcase featured a bright purple blazer paired with hot pink trousers, as well as a purple marl sweatshirt complete with a neon pink mushroom motif:
Read more at FashionBeans.com
Even though the global SS14 fashion weeks featured a lot more monochrome palettes than we are perhaps used to – black on black and white on white outfits were particularly prevalent – true to recent form, the majority of designer collections incorporated bold, warm-weather-appropriate hues.
However, amongst a sea of pastel shades and fluoro brights, one colour in particular came to the fore…
Pantone Colour Of The Year 2014: Radiant OrchidEvery year, Pantone, an X-Rite company and global authority on colour and professional colour standards for the design industry, singles out a specific shade as their ‘Colour Of The Year’.
It is picked after a painstaking and rigorous selection process in which colour usages in every visually oriented industry – from film and entertainment to design, fashion and tourism – are taken into consideration.
For 2014 that shade is ‘Radiant Orchid’ (Pantone 18-3224):
Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Colour Institute, claims that“Radiant Orchid reaches across the colour wheel to intrigue the eye and spark the imagination.” She adds: “An invitation to innovation, Radiant Orchid encourages expanded creativity and originality, which is increasingly valued in today’s society.
An enchanting harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones, Radiant Orchid inspires confidence and emanates great joy, love and health. It is a captivating purple, one that draws you in with its beguiling charm.”
When applied to clothing, this purple hue is said to produce a healthy glow on the skin of the wearer and complements the majority of hair and eye colours.
Purple On The SS14 RunwaysTaking into consideration Pantone’s choice for 2014, it should come as no surprise that purple was extremely prevalent on the SS14 runways. Although stereotypically associated with womenswear, the colour infiltrated SS14 menswear collections in both block-colour form and as part of an assortment of prints and patterns.
Some designers opted to include a few select purple garments, creating a variety of statement separates. Stand-out items included Yohji Yamamoto’s wide-legged purple trousers, Acne’s round neck knitted sweater in deep purple and Haider Ackerman’s purple silk-effect trousers with patterned side panels:
Similarly, Andrea Pompilio applied a purple and navy striped pattern to a variety of items, including a two-piece suit, bomber-style jacket and oversized shorts.
Also worth a mention is Pompilio’s two-piece, purple tweed suit, which was paired with mustard and black two-toned shoes (a current footwear trend) for a modern and colourful twist on the heritage aesthetic:
Other designers wholeheartedly backed purple, making it one of the cornerstones of their palette. For example, Berluti applied deep, rich tones to double-breasted suits, a trench coat and a leather jacket, as well utilising it on accents such as bags and shoes.
Tom Ford continued the purple theme by incorporating several different shades within his collection, including a sharp lavender blazer paired with exotic floral print trousers, a v-neck cable knit jumper in deep purple paired with geometric print purple shorts, and a luxurious jacquard tuxedo jacket complete with floral print in purple and silver:
At the more casual end of the spectrum, several designers proved that purple can be seamlessly worked into your off-duty wardrobe, too. Bottega Veneta featured a dark purple suede bomber jacket with contrast burgundy cuffs and waistband, along with an oversized baseball-style shirt in the same shade.
Elsewhere, Richard James showcased a range of wearable pieces that made use of different shades of purple. Stand-out items included a suede zip-up jacket in light purple, a pink to purple gradient polo shirt and a purple/pink wool mix jumper paired with a similarly toned cravat. Many of these pieces demonstrated just how well purple and pink (another key colour for SS14) work together, for those men confident enough to try it.
The Paul Smith collection was another that advocated this pink and purple combination. The British designer’s showcase featured a bright purple blazer paired with hot pink trousers, as well as a purple marl sweatshirt complete with a neon pink mushroom motif:
Read more at FashionBeans.com
Forever 21 Is The Latest Affordable Brand To Delve Into The Game
By Rachel Hislop (GlobalGrind)
We’re not afraid to admit it: we have a soft spot for Forever 21 in our fashion-loving hearts, and now they’re giving us a little more quality while still keeping their price point in check.
The brand announced that starting today, they would be extending their shoe range to include premium leather shoe collection that would introduce a range of 10 styles of higher quality than the inexpensive retail chain’s previous offerings. The prices range from $49 to $79.
Forever 21′s Linda Chang spoke with WWD about the new collection, saying:
“The breadth of this line extends beyond what most of our consumers believe is the Forever 21 brand, our new shoe collection allows us to offer premium items that complement our apparel categories, both reaching our current customers as well as attracting new ones.” She Continued “Our fans have interest in owning multiple pairs of shoes for different purposes, and this exclusive collection will allow them to pick from ten styles ranging from metal-tip clogs with stained wooden heels to distressed genuine leather high-top sneakers.”
The collection will be launching in stores starting January 10th, and is online right now.
The brand announced that starting today, they would be extending their shoe range to include premium leather shoe collection that would introduce a range of 10 styles of higher quality than the inexpensive retail chain’s previous offerings. The prices range from $49 to $79.
Forever 21′s Linda Chang spoke with WWD about the new collection, saying:
“The breadth of this line extends beyond what most of our consumers believe is the Forever 21 brand, our new shoe collection allows us to offer premium items that complement our apparel categories, both reaching our current customers as well as attracting new ones.” She Continued “Our fans have interest in owning multiple pairs of shoes for different purposes, and this exclusive collection will allow them to pick from ten styles ranging from metal-tip clogs with stained wooden heels to distressed genuine leather high-top sneakers.”
The collection will be launching in stores starting January 10th, and is online right now.
|
|
Drake Teams Up with Nike, Becoming the Michael Jordan of Sneakers for Your Feelings
By Rembert Browne (Grantland)
This has been a big 24 hours in the world of celebrity sneaker deals. Yesterday, Adidas confirmed it was partnering with Kanye West after the artist made a statement last week that his relationship with Nike was no more. The deal is reportedly worth $10 million, 95 percent of which America hopes he will use to build an athletic shoe that will enable fellow Chicagoan Derrick Rose to safely play professional basketball.
And then yesterday evening, at a tour stop in Portland, Drake made this announcement onstage:
"Shape Magazine says that Portland is number one for cyclists, microbreweries, and single women, so I’m excited about this."
What an awesome story, Drake. Anything else?
"You know, growing up, I’m sure we all idolized this guy — he goes by the name of Michael Jordan. So today, I came to Portland and I officially became inducted into the Team Jordan family. So I feel like I’m at home right now."
Well, then. Drake and Michael Jordan. Team Jordan meets OVO. I will say, for a young man with one life to live, Aubrey truly is getting the most out of his only. This might be one of the few instances of actual jealousy I have experienced regarding the 27-year-old, because what kid on the playground doesn't want a pair of Jordans or their own shoe? And just like that, Drake got both.
Drake is essentially Michael Finley Jordan now. The next generation of kids, instead of simply driving to the cup with their tongue out, will do so and then pick up someone else's little black boy and tell that someone else to hold their phone and then walk off.
I can't believe he did it. What an exciting new era for pickup basketball.
After his show, his smoother, drunker alter ego Champagne Papi previewed some of the sneakers on the social media.
And then yesterday evening, at a tour stop in Portland, Drake made this announcement onstage:
"Shape Magazine says that Portland is number one for cyclists, microbreweries, and single women, so I’m excited about this."
What an awesome story, Drake. Anything else?
"You know, growing up, I’m sure we all idolized this guy — he goes by the name of Michael Jordan. So today, I came to Portland and I officially became inducted into the Team Jordan family. So I feel like I’m at home right now."
Well, then. Drake and Michael Jordan. Team Jordan meets OVO. I will say, for a young man with one life to live, Aubrey truly is getting the most out of his only. This might be one of the few instances of actual jealousy I have experienced regarding the 27-year-old, because what kid on the playground doesn't want a pair of Jordans or their own shoe? And just like that, Drake got both.
Drake is essentially Michael Finley Jordan now. The next generation of kids, instead of simply driving to the cup with their tongue out, will do so and then pick up someone else's little black boy and tell that someone else to hold their phone and then walk off.
I can't believe he did it. What an exciting new era for pickup basketball.
After his show, his smoother, drunker alter ego Champagne Papi previewed some of the sneakers on the social media.
They're called "Stingrays," which I'm forced to assume are the national cartilaginous fish of Canada.
Following Drake's claims, Nike confirmed the news this morning.
He's home. Welcome the newest member of #TeamJordan: @Drake
— Jordan (@Jumpman23) December 4, 2013
It's no secret he only cares about money and his city. With his 2013 of shoe deals and global ambassadorships for his home basketball team, it's clear he's staying the course.
Following Drake's claims, Nike confirmed the news this morning.
He's home. Welcome the newest member of #TeamJordan: @Drake
— Jordan (@Jumpman23) December 4, 2013
It's no secret he only cares about money and his city. With his 2013 of shoe deals and global ambassadorships for his home basketball team, it's clear he's staying the course.
Kanye gets revenge on Nike with Adidas deal
(By Page Six Team) Kanye West had a monumental falling-out with Nike over their marketing of his sneakers, and is about to get his revenge by signing a $10 million deal with rival Adidas.
Kanye designed a range of sneakers for Nike, but sources tell us relations soured because he “only got 10 to 20 cents on the dollar for sales of his sneakers from Nike, and he only had a small personal stash to give out to his friends.”
Nike was the subject of one of Kanye’s rants during his recent shows at the Barclays Center. He said, “And with Nike, last conversation I had with them I said, ‘When are the Red Octobers coming out,’ and they said, ‘We’re not sure.’ Then I talked to my man down in Miami that runs the store and they said Nike was pressuring them saying if you want the Red Octobers you have to take all these trash-ass shoes. Nike was pressuring them trying to leverage off some s - - t that I made.”
Kanye complained he didn’t get decent royalties from Nike because he’s “not a professional athlete.” He also said, “I’m gonna be the first hip-hop designer and because of that, I’m gonna be bigger than Walmart.”
Kanye’s rants have been filling a lot of column inches this past week, after he compared himself to Shakespeare, Warhol and Marina Abramovic, and described himself as “The No. 1 rock star on the planet” while ranting about Lenny Kravitz while on stage at Madison Square Garden.
Kanye designed a range of sneakers for Nike, but sources tell us relations soured because he “only got 10 to 20 cents on the dollar for sales of his sneakers from Nike, and he only had a small personal stash to give out to his friends.”
Nike was the subject of one of Kanye’s rants during his recent shows at the Barclays Center. He said, “And with Nike, last conversation I had with them I said, ‘When are the Red Octobers coming out,’ and they said, ‘We’re not sure.’ Then I talked to my man down in Miami that runs the store and they said Nike was pressuring them saying if you want the Red Octobers you have to take all these trash-ass shoes. Nike was pressuring them trying to leverage off some s - - t that I made.”
Kanye complained he didn’t get decent royalties from Nike because he’s “not a professional athlete.” He also said, “I’m gonna be the first hip-hop designer and because of that, I’m gonna be bigger than Walmart.”
Kanye’s rants have been filling a lot of column inches this past week, after he compared himself to Shakespeare, Warhol and Marina Abramovic, and described himself as “The No. 1 rock star on the planet” while ranting about Lenny Kravitz while on stage at Madison Square Garden.
Jay Z to Debut First Men's Fragrance, Gold Jay Z
By Stephanie Chan, The Hollywood Reporter
Jay Z is entering the fragrance business.
The rap mogul will launch his first men's fragrance "Gold Jay Z" on Black Friday, Nov. 29. To create the scent, Jay Z collaborated with Firmenich perfumer extraordinaire Ilias Ermenidis.
"I was impressed with Jay Z’s style and confidence and was drawn to the ease with which he carries himself and all of his success," Ermenidis said in a statement. "He has a natural cool that people want a piece of. In developing Gold Jay Z, I wanted to capture both the vibrant ambitious part of Jay Z’s charismatic persona and his effortless style that he naturally embodies through a fusion of notes chosen by Jay Z."
Jay Z Defends Barney's Deal: I'm Being 'Demonized'
Gold Jay Z's scent is described as being "perfected through a layered blend of yellow ginger, white cardamom and grapefruit with a hint of blueberry" with a "refined infusion of violet leaf, cypress, lavender and luxurious vetiver with a thread of pink pepper." The fragrance is also crafted with "golden amber, patchouli, teak and bourbon vanilla give a final shot of gilded sensuality."
Gold Jay Z will be available in three sizes: 3.0 ounce ($70), 1.7 ounce ($55) and 1.0 ounce ($39) at major department stores across the U.S.
Jay Z, who is working with Barneys New York for his holiday collection, recently felt "demonized" by critics who pressured him to drop out from his collaboration after the luxury store was accused of racial profiling.
The rap mogul will launch his first men's fragrance "Gold Jay Z" on Black Friday, Nov. 29. To create the scent, Jay Z collaborated with Firmenich perfumer extraordinaire Ilias Ermenidis.
"I was impressed with Jay Z’s style and confidence and was drawn to the ease with which he carries himself and all of his success," Ermenidis said in a statement. "He has a natural cool that people want a piece of. In developing Gold Jay Z, I wanted to capture both the vibrant ambitious part of Jay Z’s charismatic persona and his effortless style that he naturally embodies through a fusion of notes chosen by Jay Z."
Jay Z Defends Barney's Deal: I'm Being 'Demonized'
Gold Jay Z's scent is described as being "perfected through a layered blend of yellow ginger, white cardamom and grapefruit with a hint of blueberry" with a "refined infusion of violet leaf, cypress, lavender and luxurious vetiver with a thread of pink pepper." The fragrance is also crafted with "golden amber, patchouli, teak and bourbon vanilla give a final shot of gilded sensuality."
Gold Jay Z will be available in three sizes: 3.0 ounce ($70), 1.7 ounce ($55) and 1.0 ounce ($39) at major department stores across the U.S.
Jay Z, who is working with Barneys New York for his holiday collection, recently felt "demonized" by critics who pressured him to drop out from his collaboration after the luxury store was accused of racial profiling.
- This article first appeared on THR.com
GET THE LOOK: Ciara’s Sleek & Sexy Leather And Plaid Pieces
By Joy Adaeze HelloBeautiful.com
Ciara rocked the stage last week for Paper’s 9th Annual Nightlife Awards wearing a black leather top, a sleeveless blazer, pointy-toe black pumps and a standout accessory: a flannel shirt, tied around her waist. She further accessorized the look with simple gold jewelry and a head full of wavy, blond hair.
Ciara’s look is hot but to get a more wearable effect, stick to one leather piece, like the leggings. I love the idea of a plaid shirt mixed in with the leather. Bring the 90′s back and tie it ever so casually ’round your waist.
Inspired? Try these three looks below!
Ciara’s look is hot but to get a more wearable effect, stick to one leather piece, like the leggings. I love the idea of a plaid shirt mixed in with the leather. Bring the 90′s back and tie it ever so casually ’round your waist.
Inspired? Try these three looks below!
Nicki Minaj Gives A Behind-The-Scenes Look At Her Kmart Collection Photoshoot
Are Cosmetic Companies Biased Against Brown Beauty Bloggers?
BY MAYA K. FRANCIS
(ClutchMagazingeOnline) Last week, MAC Cosmetics dropped its latest installment of Riri Hearts MAC, Rihanna’s limited edition collection with the popular global cosmetic brand. Offerings in the Fall 2013 collection, which include the cult favorite Riri Woo and the ever-elusive perfect Nude shade were of special interest to women of color, who sometimes find it a bit more challenging to nail down the perfect picks to compliment their complexions.
Riri Hearts MAC Fall 2013 also includes eyeshadows, liners, blushes and brushes.
Before the 1970s, there were few makeup lines who offered shades for black women; complexion products, such a concealer or foundation, were often made for paler skin tones. Other cosmetics were designed to compliment fairer skin as well. In response, brands like Fashion Fair, which launched in 1973, were started in response to strong customerinterest of an overlooked market.
Fast forward twenty years, and additional niche brands like Black Opal, or IMAN Cosmetics, Skincare, and Fragrance, the eponymous company owned by the legendary model, have also emerged and provide black consumers with a wider range of options.
Still, there are some who wonder if black women are getting the brush off from the cosmetic industry. According to Essence magazine’s 2009 Smart Beauty Research study, Black women spend $7.5 billion annually on beauty products, spend 80 percent more money on cosmetics, and twice as much on skin care products than the general market.
But black women are not just buying the products specifically tailored to them; they are after the larger, prestigious, high-end, aspirational brands, too. Black beauty consumers still face challenges finding the right products because many in the beauty industry still aren’t marketing effectively towards them. Without conversation between the brands and the buyers, many black have come to rely on word of mouth.
And blogs.
Beauty blogging has been a saving grace for many product junkies in the hair and cosmetic worlds, with regular women positioning themselves behind the screen and the lens to give the best consumer information they can for an already captive audience.
But some black beauty bloggers site exclusion even in the realm of review.
“The biggest challenge is trying to stick out in an over saturated niche,” says Aprill Coleman who started her site GlitteryGlossy.com three years ago. “It tends to be painstaking when you’re trying to stay above water when there are so many others. As an African-American blogger, there are brands that don’t represent us at all with their products, and there are others who don’t want to work with us at all, which can be a challenge.”
Without engagement from brands, bloggers have difficult to provide content for readers in a timely way. Without samples, many resort to buying the products themselves, which can be a costly undertaking over time.
Coleman referenced the highly anticipated release of the Riri Hearts MAC Fall 2013 collection as a missed opportunity for the brand to engage with a larger number of black beauty bloggers.
“They say that they have a traffic requirement as to how many hits you have to have to be on their [media list to receive samples]” she said, noting the standard is not applied ”across the board.”
A MAC Cosmetic spokesperson would not disclose the metrics requirement for blogger engagement and product samples, citing that the information was proprietary and confidential.
Still, there’s no denying brand has been consistent in its celebration of black women and has been in ways that many other beauty brands have not. MAC Cosmetics has frequently employed black female pop culture iconography with individuals (Nicki Minaj, Lil Kim, RuPaul, Rihanna) who often throw respectability politics to the wind.
“In addition to being existing or emerging icons in their respective lines of work, they are outspoken, embrace individuality and have a connection to the brand resulting in an authentic partnership,” said the spokesperson.
Authenticity is a large part of dissident media, and according to Patrice Yursik, a pioneer in black beauty blogging, is part of the fabric of the Afrobella.com brand.
“I’ve always embraced my identity as a person with my blog, so I’ve never seen it as a problem, it’s just who I am. So I don’t see me as a black woman being a hindrance. It’s been beneficial because I came out early and I’ve always celebrate the range of skin tones that we come in,” she said. “When I first started it was more challenging because in 2006 people were not really as focused on us. The brands didn’t really have our shades in 2006, and there’s been a recent revolution. [Brands like] MAC, and Bobbi Brown and Fashion Fair – they’ve been doing it all along. But we’re seeing that brands with [just] six shades are losing.”
Since her start in 2006, Yursik has turned her blog into a business, providing her insight and her pen to various other places around the internet including AOL Black Voices, Glam Media, and the Italian Vogue site, Vogue Black. She cites work with other brands as a great way for bloggers to boost credibility and elevate their reputation. She stresses good business acumen as key for bloggers who want to get to the next level.
“Work actively to bring [cosmetic companies] to you. For them, it’s really that question of influence. It’s not always necessarily numbers but it’s definitely influence and professionalism and reach.”
But is that enough?
“Years ago I would have said ‘[Black beauty bloggers] need to improve our website layouts and take high quality photos to go with our great content.’” said Krissy H., who started AddictedToAllThingsPretty.com in 2009. “But we’ve done that. I don’t know what more we can do besides to reach out to brands. This is why I make it a point to add great women of color bloggers on my blogroll and share their content. We used to have the notion that if we support [the cosmetic companies] they will support us or if you have really high numbers they’ll support [us]. That’s not the case [...] It comes down to who you know and if that person likes you and your blog. The playing field is a lot different for us and that needs to be understood. There are too many black beauty bloggers with great quality photos or us to always be overlooked.”
“I think brands are very aware – more aware – of the consumption of women of color,” Yursik said about the beauty industry’s perception of black women at the counters and their computers. “We are the biggest consumers of hair products, of makeup. We stay fly [...] Like I said, it’s a business. So if we are actively voting with our dollars. So they can’t help but get that message.”
Riri Hearts MAC Fall 2013 also includes eyeshadows, liners, blushes and brushes.
Before the 1970s, there were few makeup lines who offered shades for black women; complexion products, such a concealer or foundation, were often made for paler skin tones. Other cosmetics were designed to compliment fairer skin as well. In response, brands like Fashion Fair, which launched in 1973, were started in response to strong customerinterest of an overlooked market.
Fast forward twenty years, and additional niche brands like Black Opal, or IMAN Cosmetics, Skincare, and Fragrance, the eponymous company owned by the legendary model, have also emerged and provide black consumers with a wider range of options.
Still, there are some who wonder if black women are getting the brush off from the cosmetic industry. According to Essence magazine’s 2009 Smart Beauty Research study, Black women spend $7.5 billion annually on beauty products, spend 80 percent more money on cosmetics, and twice as much on skin care products than the general market.
But black women are not just buying the products specifically tailored to them; they are after the larger, prestigious, high-end, aspirational brands, too. Black beauty consumers still face challenges finding the right products because many in the beauty industry still aren’t marketing effectively towards them. Without conversation between the brands and the buyers, many black have come to rely on word of mouth.
And blogs.
Beauty blogging has been a saving grace for many product junkies in the hair and cosmetic worlds, with regular women positioning themselves behind the screen and the lens to give the best consumer information they can for an already captive audience.
But some black beauty bloggers site exclusion even in the realm of review.
“The biggest challenge is trying to stick out in an over saturated niche,” says Aprill Coleman who started her site GlitteryGlossy.com three years ago. “It tends to be painstaking when you’re trying to stay above water when there are so many others. As an African-American blogger, there are brands that don’t represent us at all with their products, and there are others who don’t want to work with us at all, which can be a challenge.”
Without engagement from brands, bloggers have difficult to provide content for readers in a timely way. Without samples, many resort to buying the products themselves, which can be a costly undertaking over time.
Coleman referenced the highly anticipated release of the Riri Hearts MAC Fall 2013 collection as a missed opportunity for the brand to engage with a larger number of black beauty bloggers.
“They say that they have a traffic requirement as to how many hits you have to have to be on their [media list to receive samples]” she said, noting the standard is not applied ”across the board.”
A MAC Cosmetic spokesperson would not disclose the metrics requirement for blogger engagement and product samples, citing that the information was proprietary and confidential.
Still, there’s no denying brand has been consistent in its celebration of black women and has been in ways that many other beauty brands have not. MAC Cosmetics has frequently employed black female pop culture iconography with individuals (Nicki Minaj, Lil Kim, RuPaul, Rihanna) who often throw respectability politics to the wind.
“In addition to being existing or emerging icons in their respective lines of work, they are outspoken, embrace individuality and have a connection to the brand resulting in an authentic partnership,” said the spokesperson.
Authenticity is a large part of dissident media, and according to Patrice Yursik, a pioneer in black beauty blogging, is part of the fabric of the Afrobella.com brand.
“I’ve always embraced my identity as a person with my blog, so I’ve never seen it as a problem, it’s just who I am. So I don’t see me as a black woman being a hindrance. It’s been beneficial because I came out early and I’ve always celebrate the range of skin tones that we come in,” she said. “When I first started it was more challenging because in 2006 people were not really as focused on us. The brands didn’t really have our shades in 2006, and there’s been a recent revolution. [Brands like] MAC, and Bobbi Brown and Fashion Fair – they’ve been doing it all along. But we’re seeing that brands with [just] six shades are losing.”
Since her start in 2006, Yursik has turned her blog into a business, providing her insight and her pen to various other places around the internet including AOL Black Voices, Glam Media, and the Italian Vogue site, Vogue Black. She cites work with other brands as a great way for bloggers to boost credibility and elevate their reputation. She stresses good business acumen as key for bloggers who want to get to the next level.
“Work actively to bring [cosmetic companies] to you. For them, it’s really that question of influence. It’s not always necessarily numbers but it’s definitely influence and professionalism and reach.”
But is that enough?
“Years ago I would have said ‘[Black beauty bloggers] need to improve our website layouts and take high quality photos to go with our great content.’” said Krissy H., who started AddictedToAllThingsPretty.com in 2009. “But we’ve done that. I don’t know what more we can do besides to reach out to brands. This is why I make it a point to add great women of color bloggers on my blogroll and share their content. We used to have the notion that if we support [the cosmetic companies] they will support us or if you have really high numbers they’ll support [us]. That’s not the case [...] It comes down to who you know and if that person likes you and your blog. The playing field is a lot different for us and that needs to be understood. There are too many black beauty bloggers with great quality photos or us to always be overlooked.”
“I think brands are very aware – more aware – of the consumption of women of color,” Yursik said about the beauty industry’s perception of black women at the counters and their computers. “We are the biggest consumers of hair products, of makeup. We stay fly [...] Like I said, it’s a business. So if we are actively voting with our dollars. So they can’t help but get that message.”
Burberry Launches Travel Line of Menswear
(Luxurytravelmagazine.com) THE British luxury brand has unveiled a new menswear offer – suits designed for men who travel. New suits feature lightweight construction and flexible fabric.
Burberry describes it as “a new type of tailoring,” with a focus on the travel consumer who wants to look sharp on the go.
The new suits feature “innovative lightweight construction” (the front panels of the suit), “lightweight shoulder construction,” and “naturally flexible fabrics.” In reality the suit jacket has been designed to sit like a normal blazer, but with more modern canvassing, lending extra flexibility and rotation in the shoulder. The suits also feature a new Italian “memory fabric”, a 100% merino wool specially woven to resist creases and crumples.
Burberry is launching Travel Tailoring with a global digital campaign, shot in London. The brand has released a video which shows off some of the more innovative aspects, as well as an interactive online experience which allows you to explore the suits in more detail.
Burberry describes it as “a new type of tailoring,” with a focus on the travel consumer who wants to look sharp on the go.
The new suits feature “innovative lightweight construction” (the front panels of the suit), “lightweight shoulder construction,” and “naturally flexible fabrics.” In reality the suit jacket has been designed to sit like a normal blazer, but with more modern canvassing, lending extra flexibility and rotation in the shoulder. The suits also feature a new Italian “memory fabric”, a 100% merino wool specially woven to resist creases and crumples.
Burberry is launching Travel Tailoring with a global digital campaign, shot in London. The brand has released a video which shows off some of the more innovative aspects, as well as an interactive online experience which allows you to explore the suits in more detail.
Accessories Street Style: Heavy Metal (Essence) By Celia L. Smith and Charlene Cooper
|
|
The GQ Cover Story: Idris Elba
Late one night, factory floor, somewhere in East London. Idris Elba is two decades younger—so not yet The Wire’s Stringer Bell, or Pacific Rim’s Stacker Pentecost, or Nelson Mandela, but still basically the guy he is now: bluntly good-looking, square-shouldered, with a charm so easy it borders on evasive. This is the factory where Elba’s father works. The son has already been a tire fitter, a shop clerk, a DJ, and a drama student, until the money to pay for school ran out. Now, in lieu of a better option, he works here, on the night shift, welding side panels onto a never-ending procession of Ford Fiestas. Often he falls asleep as car after car passes by; to this day in England people drive Fiestas that are missing their bottom welds on account of Idris Elba. He sleeps and wakes up and thinks about his father, doing this same job for thirty years and counting.
This is the night Elba decides he’s had enough. Before he comes to work, he buys a one-way plane ticket to New York. At the plant, he goes by his dad’s office to say good-bye. His dad’s a boss by now, and with that responsibility come certain privileges, which include the keys to a little sports buggy—a go-kart, really, for getting around the factory—keys that Elba, in the midst of an awkward, emotional farewell, swipes from his father’s desk.
He’d brought some beers. It was about 1 a.m. The plant, he remembers, “was huge, about the size of Disneyland.” He took the buggy, started driving it around—joy-riding, basically. “It was freezing out, just driving around that whole plant. I had a Walkman, and I had Sam Cooke on it. That’s all it was: Sam Cooke, the whole album. Sipped from that beer like, ‘Fuck this world.’ ”
He rode around for a couple of hours, returned to his station at 3 a.m. to find an enraged supervisor and, behind that supervisor, his enraged father. He turned the keys in, walked out of the plant.
“And the next day I was in New York for the first time.” He stayed at the YMCA in Union Square, started scouring the local papers for casting notices: “Open audition, black male wanted. 6'4", can play basketball.”
He couldn’t play basketball. The rest of it seemed promising, though.
···
And just to give you an idea of what Idris Elba’s life is like now, twenty years later:
In a few moments, the evening air here on Ibiza’s south coast will turn burnt orange, and Elba—after threading his way carefully past a Birkenstock-clad Fatboy Slim and a willowy brunette with a pile of loose weed in her palm—will bound onto the outdoor stage at the Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel to DJ for an hour and a half. When his set is over, Elba will be hustled into a waiting car, and we’ll all caravan into the setting island sun toward the unlovely tourist town of Sant Antoni de Portmany. He’s got another gig scheduled there, the second of three this evening. The last DJ set, at Ibiza Rocks House at Pikes Hotel, where Elba’s staying, will take place in a louche warren of rooms where Freddie Mercury used to stay; there’s a little piano, a big comfy bed on which guests are encouraged to dance, and a tub that I am told more than once can hold up to four people. That last gig isn’t even supposed to start until 2 or 3 a.m., and it doesn’t.
Meanwhile, Elba already hasn’t slept in more than twenty-four hours. He’s come here straight from Los Angeles, where he was attending the premiere of Pacific Rim, the Guillermo del Toro–directed blockbuster in which he stars as a stentorian monster-apocalypse resistance leader. In the UK, the third season of the BBC’s much loved detective series Luther has just begun; Elba plays the title character, in a rumpled suit of self-loathing and rage. And at some point between yesterday and today, the Internet got hold of the first trailer for Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, starring Elba as Nelson Mandela, in a performance that does real honor to the flawed, angry, and vivid humanity of the man himself. He’s also got a decent-size role in Thor: The Dark World, out in November. And in a few days he’s flying to Madrid, where he’ll begin shooting The Gunman, with Sean Penn and Javier Bardem.
Right now you look at him backstage, busily preparing to go out and bang house remixes of Lana Del Rey and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and see a man gathering momentum the way public figures sometimes do, when certain stars align. Who knows—maybe it’s merely the sweet, syrupy scent of Red Bull drifting on the wind, or maybe it’s the legendarily nonlethal properties of Ibiza, a place where, I’m told, not a single natural thing can kill you “except drugs.” Maybe it’s all just another set of false indicators in a career filled with them. But here among the island’s silently rotating mechanical bulls and its sunburned Euro girls in white sneakers and tube tops, it feels like an overdue thing is finally happening for Elba, an actor long regarded as one of the most charismatic of his generation, even if until now he didn’t have the work to show for it.
Name another actor of his size and physical presence—six feet three inches, 200 pounds, linebacker broad—so singularly gifted at bringing inner life to such a majestic outer frame. “He exudes power” is how del Toro describes Elba. “But he doesn’t exude the power of The Man, of the establishment. He doesn’t have the authority that belongs to a group. It’s an authority that belongs exclusively to him.” Del Toro says he figured there were about four actors on the planet who could sell Pacific Rim’s gloriously preposterous “WE ARE CANCELING THE APOCALYPSE” speech; even among those four, he chose Elba.
Del Toro is also the first to mention something that I will come to notice as well, which is that Elba’s charisma is largely the product of a basic discomfort with the job: that his wattage goes up in front of cameras and crowds, even as he seems to experience a certain unease around both. “Idris, when he’s acting,” del Toro says, “I don’t think he is content.”
Perhaps that’s why Elba is here, taking a long-weekend break from his day job to open for the guy who wrote “The Rockafeller Skank”—because here on Ibiza, where everything is weird and infused with talk of magnetic rocks (people on Ibiza really love to talk about magnetic rocks), Elba is less acting or performing than just diving in with the rest of us. Perhaps this is why he introduces himself to the crowd the way he does when he finally takes the stage, in Nantucket-reddish pants and a blue crewneck T-shirt, briefly turning down the music and picking up a microphone in order to playfully disown the growing public expectations that come along with the name Idris Elba:
“How you feeling? Make some noise! Fatboy Slim up later. And me...”
LOUD YELL.
“...Luther.”
Long, perplexed silence.
“I’m just joking. Grab a drink, let’s have some fun.”
···
As a kid, Elba says, “I sort of blended into the background quite a bit. I wasn’t the guy that was a big personality. I was the tall, silent, quiet type.” Even now—I can attest to this—he gets lost in crowds. Walk into a room with him and watch him disappear. “I call it the invisible factor,” he says. “On any ordinary street, walking down in London Soho in a cap, I’m just a fucking tall black man walking along.”
He grew up in Hackney, East London, an only child. His mother worked as a clerical assistant for the government; his dad worked at the factory. Dinners were in front of the TV--Dallas, Starsky & Hutch. “What was the show with the car with the Confederate flag on it? Dukes of Hazzard.” Elba didn’t exactly see himself in that; he was not the kid watching television, imagining being part of it one day.
But in school he signed up for a drama class and immediately took to it. I point out the incongruity—the quiet kid at an all-boys school, getting up to do Shakespeare in front of the entire class.
“Even with people looking at you, when you’re playing a character, you’re so hidden,” Elba says immediately. “There’s a weird little thing there, where you just feel most comfortable being someone else, because then they’re not really looking at you. Know what I mean?”
Elba spent his twenties going back and forth between New York and London, looking for work. In New York he would stay in Brooklyn, where he’d work on his American accent at a Fort Greene barbershop called Ace of Spades. He had an on-and-off relationship with a woman who lived in London, and when he was 26, they decided to get married. “I liked the idea of being married,” Elba says. “I was focused in on what I was trying to do in my life. And my girl supported me.”
But whatever roles there were in America, Elba wasn’t finding them. He DJ’d at New York dives to help make rent, worked for a while as a bouncer at Carolines, a comedy club. He and his wife moved around a bunch. “I had to keep going back and forth to New York, to London, to try and make a bit of money real quick.” Back in the States, Elba’s wife “didn’t adjust to the culture as quickly as I did.” And he was gone a lot. “We just had a hard time. The next thing you know, we broke up.”
The timing was bad; she was pregnant. Elba began sleeping in his Astro van. “The apartment we had lived in together was in Jersey City. So when I left, I was sofa-hopping here and there and got to a place where I was parking it in Jersey somewhere and just camping down for the night.”
What did you think when you were laying your head down at night to go to sleep in a van?
“I mean, it was like, ‘Fuck, where did I go wrong?’ I had a lot of promise in England, you know? ‘What the fuck are you doing here? Your visa’s going to run out soon. You’re going to have a baby. What the fuck are you doing?’ That’s what’s going through my head.”
He got a call about a show HBO was putting together called The Wire. At first he was trying out for the part of Avon Barksdale, Stringer’s boss, the lethally impulsive crew leader. “I was studying in my van for the auditions,” he says.
What did you know about Baltimore drug dealers? Was that an intelligible thing to you?
“Yeah, it was, because I was running with cats. I mean, I was DJ’ing, but I was also pushing bags of weed; I was doing my work. I had to. I know that sounds corny, but this is the truth.” He says he’d sell drugs at Carolines, and meanwhile all these successful guys would come through: D. L. Hughley, Dave Chappelle. “All those black comedians, they knew me as a doorman.”
Finally getting cast on The Wire as a criminal the likes of which television audiences had never quite seen—a Wealth of Nations–reading drug lieutenant with ambitions to take over not just Baltimore’s drug trade but also its undervalued waterfront real estate and pliable local politicians—put an end to that. By this time, Elba had an apartment in Jersey again, and the character had become a local hero. “I remember when Stringer Bell died, man, the neighborhood knew I was there. They fucking camped outside my house.” Eight, ten, twenty dudes outside his apartment, yelling up at the window: You kidding me, man? Yo, why you ain’t tell us, String?
After The Wire, Elba got work, but not great work. He played soldiers, criminals, mechanics, explosives experts. He had a part as a motorcycle-riding warrior priest opposite Nic Cage in a Ghost Rider sequel. He played the lead in a Tyler Perry movie, acted opposite Beyoncé in Obsessed. Discreetly he began recording music under the name Big Driis—quiet storm jams, rap bangers, deconstructed covers of Michael Jackson songs. It was a way of marking time, of sharing certain feelings for which he had no other outlet. “I was getting a lot of offers to play more gangsters,” Elba remembers. “Didn’t want that.” But not much else came.
Read More http://www.gq.com/entertainment/celebrities/201310/idris-elba-cover-interview-october-2013#ixzz2fRY21Bz6
This is the night Elba decides he’s had enough. Before he comes to work, he buys a one-way plane ticket to New York. At the plant, he goes by his dad’s office to say good-bye. His dad’s a boss by now, and with that responsibility come certain privileges, which include the keys to a little sports buggy—a go-kart, really, for getting around the factory—keys that Elba, in the midst of an awkward, emotional farewell, swipes from his father’s desk.
He’d brought some beers. It was about 1 a.m. The plant, he remembers, “was huge, about the size of Disneyland.” He took the buggy, started driving it around—joy-riding, basically. “It was freezing out, just driving around that whole plant. I had a Walkman, and I had Sam Cooke on it. That’s all it was: Sam Cooke, the whole album. Sipped from that beer like, ‘Fuck this world.’ ”
He rode around for a couple of hours, returned to his station at 3 a.m. to find an enraged supervisor and, behind that supervisor, his enraged father. He turned the keys in, walked out of the plant.
“And the next day I was in New York for the first time.” He stayed at the YMCA in Union Square, started scouring the local papers for casting notices: “Open audition, black male wanted. 6'4", can play basketball.”
He couldn’t play basketball. The rest of it seemed promising, though.
···
And just to give you an idea of what Idris Elba’s life is like now, twenty years later:
In a few moments, the evening air here on Ibiza’s south coast will turn burnt orange, and Elba—after threading his way carefully past a Birkenstock-clad Fatboy Slim and a willowy brunette with a pile of loose weed in her palm—will bound onto the outdoor stage at the Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel to DJ for an hour and a half. When his set is over, Elba will be hustled into a waiting car, and we’ll all caravan into the setting island sun toward the unlovely tourist town of Sant Antoni de Portmany. He’s got another gig scheduled there, the second of three this evening. The last DJ set, at Ibiza Rocks House at Pikes Hotel, where Elba’s staying, will take place in a louche warren of rooms where Freddie Mercury used to stay; there’s a little piano, a big comfy bed on which guests are encouraged to dance, and a tub that I am told more than once can hold up to four people. That last gig isn’t even supposed to start until 2 or 3 a.m., and it doesn’t.
Meanwhile, Elba already hasn’t slept in more than twenty-four hours. He’s come here straight from Los Angeles, where he was attending the premiere of Pacific Rim, the Guillermo del Toro–directed blockbuster in which he stars as a stentorian monster-apocalypse resistance leader. In the UK, the third season of the BBC’s much loved detective series Luther has just begun; Elba plays the title character, in a rumpled suit of self-loathing and rage. And at some point between yesterday and today, the Internet got hold of the first trailer for Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, starring Elba as Nelson Mandela, in a performance that does real honor to the flawed, angry, and vivid humanity of the man himself. He’s also got a decent-size role in Thor: The Dark World, out in November. And in a few days he’s flying to Madrid, where he’ll begin shooting The Gunman, with Sean Penn and Javier Bardem.
Right now you look at him backstage, busily preparing to go out and bang house remixes of Lana Del Rey and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and see a man gathering momentum the way public figures sometimes do, when certain stars align. Who knows—maybe it’s merely the sweet, syrupy scent of Red Bull drifting on the wind, or maybe it’s the legendarily nonlethal properties of Ibiza, a place where, I’m told, not a single natural thing can kill you “except drugs.” Maybe it’s all just another set of false indicators in a career filled with them. But here among the island’s silently rotating mechanical bulls and its sunburned Euro girls in white sneakers and tube tops, it feels like an overdue thing is finally happening for Elba, an actor long regarded as one of the most charismatic of his generation, even if until now he didn’t have the work to show for it.
Name another actor of his size and physical presence—six feet three inches, 200 pounds, linebacker broad—so singularly gifted at bringing inner life to such a majestic outer frame. “He exudes power” is how del Toro describes Elba. “But he doesn’t exude the power of The Man, of the establishment. He doesn’t have the authority that belongs to a group. It’s an authority that belongs exclusively to him.” Del Toro says he figured there were about four actors on the planet who could sell Pacific Rim’s gloriously preposterous “WE ARE CANCELING THE APOCALYPSE” speech; even among those four, he chose Elba.
Del Toro is also the first to mention something that I will come to notice as well, which is that Elba’s charisma is largely the product of a basic discomfort with the job: that his wattage goes up in front of cameras and crowds, even as he seems to experience a certain unease around both. “Idris, when he’s acting,” del Toro says, “I don’t think he is content.”
Perhaps that’s why Elba is here, taking a long-weekend break from his day job to open for the guy who wrote “The Rockafeller Skank”—because here on Ibiza, where everything is weird and infused with talk of magnetic rocks (people on Ibiza really love to talk about magnetic rocks), Elba is less acting or performing than just diving in with the rest of us. Perhaps this is why he introduces himself to the crowd the way he does when he finally takes the stage, in Nantucket-reddish pants and a blue crewneck T-shirt, briefly turning down the music and picking up a microphone in order to playfully disown the growing public expectations that come along with the name Idris Elba:
“How you feeling? Make some noise! Fatboy Slim up later. And me...”
LOUD YELL.
“...Luther.”
Long, perplexed silence.
“I’m just joking. Grab a drink, let’s have some fun.”
···
As a kid, Elba says, “I sort of blended into the background quite a bit. I wasn’t the guy that was a big personality. I was the tall, silent, quiet type.” Even now—I can attest to this—he gets lost in crowds. Walk into a room with him and watch him disappear. “I call it the invisible factor,” he says. “On any ordinary street, walking down in London Soho in a cap, I’m just a fucking tall black man walking along.”
He grew up in Hackney, East London, an only child. His mother worked as a clerical assistant for the government; his dad worked at the factory. Dinners were in front of the TV--Dallas, Starsky & Hutch. “What was the show with the car with the Confederate flag on it? Dukes of Hazzard.” Elba didn’t exactly see himself in that; he was not the kid watching television, imagining being part of it one day.
But in school he signed up for a drama class and immediately took to it. I point out the incongruity—the quiet kid at an all-boys school, getting up to do Shakespeare in front of the entire class.
“Even with people looking at you, when you’re playing a character, you’re so hidden,” Elba says immediately. “There’s a weird little thing there, where you just feel most comfortable being someone else, because then they’re not really looking at you. Know what I mean?”
Elba spent his twenties going back and forth between New York and London, looking for work. In New York he would stay in Brooklyn, where he’d work on his American accent at a Fort Greene barbershop called Ace of Spades. He had an on-and-off relationship with a woman who lived in London, and when he was 26, they decided to get married. “I liked the idea of being married,” Elba says. “I was focused in on what I was trying to do in my life. And my girl supported me.”
But whatever roles there were in America, Elba wasn’t finding them. He DJ’d at New York dives to help make rent, worked for a while as a bouncer at Carolines, a comedy club. He and his wife moved around a bunch. “I had to keep going back and forth to New York, to London, to try and make a bit of money real quick.” Back in the States, Elba’s wife “didn’t adjust to the culture as quickly as I did.” And he was gone a lot. “We just had a hard time. The next thing you know, we broke up.”
The timing was bad; she was pregnant. Elba began sleeping in his Astro van. “The apartment we had lived in together was in Jersey City. So when I left, I was sofa-hopping here and there and got to a place where I was parking it in Jersey somewhere and just camping down for the night.”
What did you think when you were laying your head down at night to go to sleep in a van?
“I mean, it was like, ‘Fuck, where did I go wrong?’ I had a lot of promise in England, you know? ‘What the fuck are you doing here? Your visa’s going to run out soon. You’re going to have a baby. What the fuck are you doing?’ That’s what’s going through my head.”
He got a call about a show HBO was putting together called The Wire. At first he was trying out for the part of Avon Barksdale, Stringer’s boss, the lethally impulsive crew leader. “I was studying in my van for the auditions,” he says.
What did you know about Baltimore drug dealers? Was that an intelligible thing to you?
“Yeah, it was, because I was running with cats. I mean, I was DJ’ing, but I was also pushing bags of weed; I was doing my work. I had to. I know that sounds corny, but this is the truth.” He says he’d sell drugs at Carolines, and meanwhile all these successful guys would come through: D. L. Hughley, Dave Chappelle. “All those black comedians, they knew me as a doorman.”
Finally getting cast on The Wire as a criminal the likes of which television audiences had never quite seen—a Wealth of Nations–reading drug lieutenant with ambitions to take over not just Baltimore’s drug trade but also its undervalued waterfront real estate and pliable local politicians—put an end to that. By this time, Elba had an apartment in Jersey again, and the character had become a local hero. “I remember when Stringer Bell died, man, the neighborhood knew I was there. They fucking camped outside my house.” Eight, ten, twenty dudes outside his apartment, yelling up at the window: You kidding me, man? Yo, why you ain’t tell us, String?
After The Wire, Elba got work, but not great work. He played soldiers, criminals, mechanics, explosives experts. He had a part as a motorcycle-riding warrior priest opposite Nic Cage in a Ghost Rider sequel. He played the lead in a Tyler Perry movie, acted opposite Beyoncé in Obsessed. Discreetly he began recording music under the name Big Driis—quiet storm jams, rap bangers, deconstructed covers of Michael Jackson songs. It was a way of marking time, of sharing certain feelings for which he had no other outlet. “I was getting a lot of offers to play more gangsters,” Elba remembers. “Didn’t want that.” But not much else came.
Read More http://www.gq.com/entertainment/celebrities/201310/idris-elba-cover-interview-october-2013#ixzz2fRY21Bz6
Versace Menswear: AW13 Collection
Article By Nicole Whitaker
(FashionBeans.com) Versace favourite Edward Wilding fronts the brand’s latest lookbook. Dressed to impress in the military-inspired AW13 collection, the model poses against a neutral studio backdrop that lets the clothes do all the talking. The lookbook showcases a shortened version of the full collection, plucking out its most multi-faceted pieces.
A prominent military aesthetic mixes with business-orientated pieces and eccentric numbers in a fashion that Versace pulls off with flair. The collection has the potential to cater for the everyman – whether he’s the corporate gent with a love for exclusive suits, the creative type who revels in fur and sparkly fabrics, or the loyal Versace client who appreciates the pristine silhouettes, lavish prints and sex appeal engrained within the brand’s DNA.
Wilding is seen suited and booted in sharp, perfectly tailored pieces and military pea coats. A far cry from extreme patterns and heavy gold accenting of seasons past, the pieces are subdued, wearable and monochromatic. The regimented styling is topped off with knitwear donned with buttons, slim-fit trousers and polished leather boots.
Outerwear makes up the front line of the collection, with a selection of structured pea coats, a parka, fur detailing and black leather gloves iterating the utilitarian roots of the range. This is a collection made for the man whose current wardrobe can only aspire to be both stylish and practical.
Off-duty looks come in the form of sharp dinner party suits and a neon-tinged tiger patterned shirt, which help inject a sense of playfulness into the range without detracting from the line’s sophisticated ethos. With jeans turned up to just above the ankle to emphasise a more casual vibe, the pieces are calm and grown-up without any risk of falling flat.
Offering the most universalised appeal we’ve seen to date, the Versace AW13 lookbook marks a new mature direction for the brand.
A prominent military aesthetic mixes with business-orientated pieces and eccentric numbers in a fashion that Versace pulls off with flair. The collection has the potential to cater for the everyman – whether he’s the corporate gent with a love for exclusive suits, the creative type who revels in fur and sparkly fabrics, or the loyal Versace client who appreciates the pristine silhouettes, lavish prints and sex appeal engrained within the brand’s DNA.
Wilding is seen suited and booted in sharp, perfectly tailored pieces and military pea coats. A far cry from extreme patterns and heavy gold accenting of seasons past, the pieces are subdued, wearable and monochromatic. The regimented styling is topped off with knitwear donned with buttons, slim-fit trousers and polished leather boots.
Outerwear makes up the front line of the collection, with a selection of structured pea coats, a parka, fur detailing and black leather gloves iterating the utilitarian roots of the range. This is a collection made for the man whose current wardrobe can only aspire to be both stylish and practical.
Off-duty looks come in the form of sharp dinner party suits and a neon-tinged tiger patterned shirt, which help inject a sense of playfulness into the range without detracting from the line’s sophisticated ethos. With jeans turned up to just above the ankle to emphasise a more casual vibe, the pieces are calm and grown-up without any risk of falling flat.
Offering the most universalised appeal we’ve seen to date, the Versace AW13 lookbook marks a new mature direction for the brand.
|
|
Converse x Wiz Khalifa Footwear Collection (Fall Line-Up)
Iconic footwear brand, Converse, finally reveals the first official colorways and models from the upcoming Wiz Khalifa collection. The TGOD general put his signature touch and design hand in the collection, giving unique twist and colorways on some of the classic Converse silhouettes. The Collection features a wide variety of chucks inspired by Wiz, consisting of some custom branding.
The Wiz Khalifa x Converse Collection will be available August 23rd at all major converse retailers worldwide, and also online. Check out more images below and after the jump.
The Wiz Khalifa x Converse Collection will be available August 23rd at all major converse retailers worldwide, and also online. Check out more images below and after the jump.
|
|
Nicki Minaj Gives Sneak Peek of Kmart Collection
By Dorkys Ramos
(BET) Nicki Minaj is all set to dress up her Barbz with her upcoming Kmart collection and the rapper has modeled some of her looks for her fans. Minaj shared a few sneak peeks from The Nicki Minaj Collection via Instagram and it's full of skintight outfits, tracksuits, and a whole lot of prints.
One midriff-baring purple outfit features a galaxy-inspired print that will surely cling to those curves. In another photo, Minaj sports a tracksuit with velour bottoms and a colorful zippered jacket.
"Studio outfit. Each piece has the matching top/bottom. Love this jacket," she wrote on the caption.
She also showed off a printed purple and black dress that "hugs u in all the right places."
One midriff-baring purple outfit features a galaxy-inspired print that will surely cling to those curves. In another photo, Minaj sports a tracksuit with velour bottoms and a colorful zippered jacket.
"Studio outfit. Each piece has the matching top/bottom. Love this jacket," she wrote on the caption.
She also showed off a printed purple and black dress that "hugs u in all the right places."
Fashion’s Blind Spot
The New York shows are as dominated by white models
(NYTimes.com) Five years ago, the fashion industry faced a reckoning over the startling lack of diversity among the models on major designer runways. Reacting to complaints that many shows and magazines included nothing but white models, Vogue, in its July 2008 issue, featured a substantial article that asked, in its headline, “Is Fashion Racist?”
This came shortly after Franca Sozzani, the editor of Italian Vogue, published a provocative issue using only black models and feature subjects; Bethann Hardison, a former model and agent, initiated a series of panel discussions on the subject; and Diane von Furstenberg, the president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, urged members to be more aware of diversity in casting.
And since then, almost nothing has changed.
The New York shows are as dominated by white models as they have been since the late 1990s, roughly at the end of the era of supermodels. Jezebel, a blog that has been tracking the appearance of minorities in fashion shows since the debate erupted, noted that the numbers are hardly encouraging. After a notable increase in 2009 that followed extensive news media coverage, the representation of black models has remained fairly steady until this year, when they accounted for only 6 percent of the looks shown at the last Fashion Week in February (down from 8.1 percent the previous season); 82.7 percent were worn by white models.
In Europe, where Phoebe Philo of Céline, Raf Simons of Dior and many others have presented entire collections using no black models at all, the opportunities have been even less favorable for minorities.
“There is something terribly wrong,” said Iman, one of the most iconic models in the world, who later created a successful cosmetics company. Her experience in the fashion scene of the 1980s and ’90s, when designers like Calvin Klein, Gianni Versace and Yves Saint Laurent routinely cast black models without question, was starkly different than that of young nonwhite models today, when the racial prejudice is all but explicitly stated. The increased appearance of Asian models over the last decade, for example, is often described specifically in terms of appealing to luxury customers in China.
“We have a president and a first lady who are black,” Iman said. “You would think things have changed, and then you realize that they have not. In fact, things have gone backward.”
The most astonishing aspect of the persistent lack of diversity — to Iman, to Ms. Hardison, to the models who apply for castings and are told, “We already have our black girl” — is that there have been no obvious repercussions for those who still see colorless runways as an acceptable form of artistic expression. Despite a history of polite and often thoughtful discussions within the industry, there are still many designers and casting agents who remain curiously blind to black models, or unmoved by the perception that fashion has a race problem in the first place.
Part of that problem, Ms. Hardison said, is that “no one in power slaps these designers around.”
“All I want to say is, you guys have a lot of explaining to do,” she said. “If you are going to be bold enough to do it, then please be bold enough to explain it.”
Beginning at Fashion Week in September, Ms. Hardison is organizing a social media campaign to bring public scrutiny to specific designers who do not use black models. By making consumers aware of the designers who do not embrace minorities on the runway, she said, “I wonder if that would make them have second thoughts about buying the shoes, the accessories and the bags.”
While her plans are still being developed, Ms. Hardison said that the seemingly indifferent responses among companies to complaints of tokenism and lookism have become too insulting and destructive to ignore. And Iman, at times speaking so passionately that her comments were unprintable, said it was time to protest “by all means necessary.”
“It feels to me like the times need a real hard line drawn like in the 1960s, by saying if you don’t use black models, then we boycott,” Iman said. “If you engage the social media, trust me, it will hurt them in their pockets. If you take it out there, they will feel the uproar.”
Several events this year have suggested that fashion, an industry that views itself as socially progressive and reflective of change, is not much more enlightened than the cast of “Big Brother.” While some developments have been viewed as positives, others have revealed a simmering tension, with models like Jourdan Dunn and Joan Smalls complaining publicly of not getting jobs because of race, and finger-pointing among designers, casting agents and stylists over who is responsible.
On July 2, while attending the couture shows in Paris, Edward Enninful, a successful stylist who has worked for magazines for 25 years, posted a message on Twitter that instantly revived the debate about race and fashion, but also underscored how sensitive the subject can be for those working to make changes from inside the industry:
“If all my (white) counterparts are seated in the front row, why should I be expected to take 2nd row? racism? xoxo”
In an interview, Mr. Enninful, who is the fashion and style director at W magazine and is black, would not disclose which designer he was alluding to in the message because of the political fallout. But he said that while the matter was resolved to his satisfaction, diversity in fashion has increasingly been at issue and he was not convinced that it is improving.
“Change always takes time,” Mr. Enninful said. “The fashion industry needs to breed a whole different way of thinking. We need more diverse people working in all facets of the industry.”
It is not only the models who need to reflect diversity, he said, it is the image makers who set the trends that the rest of the industry follows, too. “What is happening on the runways is the result of a very Eurocentric aesthetic that has taken over for the last 10 years,” he said, “and that has excluded other races.”
Increasingly, the frustration with the influencers is spilling out into public view. Kyle Hagler, a senior executive manager at IMG Models, spent years promoting Ms. Smalls, who is black and Puerto Rican, before she became the top-ranked model according to Models.com. “Unfortunately, you do have people in positions of power who do not appreciate an idea of beauty outside of their own,” he said.
In March, James Scully, a casting director whose clients include Tom Ford, Derek Lam and Stella McCartney, went public with a scathing critique of shows that did not reflect a diverse casting last season, specifically naming Dior, Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton and Chanel.
“I feel the Dior cast is just so pointedly white that it feels deliberate,”he said in a BuzzFeed article. “I watch that show and it bothers me — I almost can’t even concentrate on the clothes because of the cast.”
Mr. Scully said that he had since received complaints from executives who work with Dior and elsewhere, but also an enormous amount of support from strangers who commented online. “I found the response among some of my peers to be very disappointing,” he said. “But in the last 10 years, I have found the only time you get any action is when you actually do something and you call someone out.”
In July, when Mr. Simons presented his latest couture collection for Dior, the show included six black models, prompting speculation that the change came in response to Mr. Scully’s remarks. In the same week, Prada, which has long been criticized for casting very few minorities, released a fall campaign featuring Malaika Firth, the first black model to appear in its women’s advertising in nearly two decades.
It would appear that the designers are beginning to pay attention to the potentially negative publicity, but representatives for both labels refused to discuss the subject or to make the designers available, as did a spokeswoman for Céline, which has not used a black model in a runway show since Ms. Philo became the designer in 2009. Not one in the 259 looks shown in eight runway shows. “I would say it’s quite odd,” Mr. Scully said. “Everyone notices, so why shouldn’t someone say something?”
Russell Marsh, the casting director for Céline and formerly for Prada, did not respond to messages over several weeks. His agent, Beverley Streeter, said he was unavailable.
Calvin Klein, once a vastly diverse show, has frequently been faulted for its mostly white casting, including by Mr. Scully, who said the company sometimes hired one black model “to not get in trouble.”
Francisco Costa, the women’s creative director, responded in an e-mail that the company looks for diverse faces in its casting. But, he wrote: “There are only a handful of top-level, professionally trained models of color at a particular level out there now, and they end up being booked by other fashion houses and can be seen on dozens of runways each season, which is counter to what we are looking for. We try to present a unique and interesting cast with as many exclusives as possible to create and emphasize that season’s aesthetic.”
Maida Gregori Boina, the casting director for Calvin Klein and Dior, said that Mr. Costa has pushed for more diversity, “but we don’t want to book a model because we are obliged.” The Dior casting, she said, was the result of the multicultural concept of the collection, not the criticism, and she actually wanted more minorities represented in the show.
“Unfortunately, you’ve got what you’ve got in the agencies,” said Ms. Boina, who is half black. “I am conscious I have to do more. But it has to be part of a movement that includes the entire fashion industry.”
The old arguments within the industry — the designers say the agents don’t send them black models, and the agents say the designers don’t want any black models — increasingly seem insufficient when luxury fashion has become such a global business, with untold numbers of consumers watching the shows online. It now becomes noteworthy when a label like Dsquared creates advertisements using only black male models or only Asian female models.
“There are not only white people around the world,” said Riccardo Tisci, the Givenchy designer, who has been heralded for representing a range of races, ages and genders in his marketing. Of those who cast only white models, he said: “I think that is called laziness. People sometimes think, ‘It’s easier, we’re used to it.’ ”
To designers who say they cast white models for aesthetic reasons, their critics would ask if that means they don’t think their clothes look good on black people.
This is important, said Veronica Webb, who encountered the same excuses during the years she walked the runways in the ’90s, because “this is where a lot of young women get their idea of beauty from.”
“When you see someone that looks like you,” she said, “it makes women feel beautiful, and it makes women feel they belong.”
A version of this article appeared in print on August 8, 2013, on page E1 of the New York editionwith the headline: Fashion’s Blind Spot.
This came shortly after Franca Sozzani, the editor of Italian Vogue, published a provocative issue using only black models and feature subjects; Bethann Hardison, a former model and agent, initiated a series of panel discussions on the subject; and Diane von Furstenberg, the president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, urged members to be more aware of diversity in casting.
And since then, almost nothing has changed.
The New York shows are as dominated by white models as they have been since the late 1990s, roughly at the end of the era of supermodels. Jezebel, a blog that has been tracking the appearance of minorities in fashion shows since the debate erupted, noted that the numbers are hardly encouraging. After a notable increase in 2009 that followed extensive news media coverage, the representation of black models has remained fairly steady until this year, when they accounted for only 6 percent of the looks shown at the last Fashion Week in February (down from 8.1 percent the previous season); 82.7 percent were worn by white models.
In Europe, where Phoebe Philo of Céline, Raf Simons of Dior and many others have presented entire collections using no black models at all, the opportunities have been even less favorable for minorities.
“There is something terribly wrong,” said Iman, one of the most iconic models in the world, who later created a successful cosmetics company. Her experience in the fashion scene of the 1980s and ’90s, when designers like Calvin Klein, Gianni Versace and Yves Saint Laurent routinely cast black models without question, was starkly different than that of young nonwhite models today, when the racial prejudice is all but explicitly stated. The increased appearance of Asian models over the last decade, for example, is often described specifically in terms of appealing to luxury customers in China.
“We have a president and a first lady who are black,” Iman said. “You would think things have changed, and then you realize that they have not. In fact, things have gone backward.”
The most astonishing aspect of the persistent lack of diversity — to Iman, to Ms. Hardison, to the models who apply for castings and are told, “We already have our black girl” — is that there have been no obvious repercussions for those who still see colorless runways as an acceptable form of artistic expression. Despite a history of polite and often thoughtful discussions within the industry, there are still many designers and casting agents who remain curiously blind to black models, or unmoved by the perception that fashion has a race problem in the first place.
Part of that problem, Ms. Hardison said, is that “no one in power slaps these designers around.”
“All I want to say is, you guys have a lot of explaining to do,” she said. “If you are going to be bold enough to do it, then please be bold enough to explain it.”
Beginning at Fashion Week in September, Ms. Hardison is organizing a social media campaign to bring public scrutiny to specific designers who do not use black models. By making consumers aware of the designers who do not embrace minorities on the runway, she said, “I wonder if that would make them have second thoughts about buying the shoes, the accessories and the bags.”
While her plans are still being developed, Ms. Hardison said that the seemingly indifferent responses among companies to complaints of tokenism and lookism have become too insulting and destructive to ignore. And Iman, at times speaking so passionately that her comments were unprintable, said it was time to protest “by all means necessary.”
“It feels to me like the times need a real hard line drawn like in the 1960s, by saying if you don’t use black models, then we boycott,” Iman said. “If you engage the social media, trust me, it will hurt them in their pockets. If you take it out there, they will feel the uproar.”
Several events this year have suggested that fashion, an industry that views itself as socially progressive and reflective of change, is not much more enlightened than the cast of “Big Brother.” While some developments have been viewed as positives, others have revealed a simmering tension, with models like Jourdan Dunn and Joan Smalls complaining publicly of not getting jobs because of race, and finger-pointing among designers, casting agents and stylists over who is responsible.
On July 2, while attending the couture shows in Paris, Edward Enninful, a successful stylist who has worked for magazines for 25 years, posted a message on Twitter that instantly revived the debate about race and fashion, but also underscored how sensitive the subject can be for those working to make changes from inside the industry:
“If all my (white) counterparts are seated in the front row, why should I be expected to take 2nd row? racism? xoxo”
In an interview, Mr. Enninful, who is the fashion and style director at W magazine and is black, would not disclose which designer he was alluding to in the message because of the political fallout. But he said that while the matter was resolved to his satisfaction, diversity in fashion has increasingly been at issue and he was not convinced that it is improving.
“Change always takes time,” Mr. Enninful said. “The fashion industry needs to breed a whole different way of thinking. We need more diverse people working in all facets of the industry.”
It is not only the models who need to reflect diversity, he said, it is the image makers who set the trends that the rest of the industry follows, too. “What is happening on the runways is the result of a very Eurocentric aesthetic that has taken over for the last 10 years,” he said, “and that has excluded other races.”
Increasingly, the frustration with the influencers is spilling out into public view. Kyle Hagler, a senior executive manager at IMG Models, spent years promoting Ms. Smalls, who is black and Puerto Rican, before she became the top-ranked model according to Models.com. “Unfortunately, you do have people in positions of power who do not appreciate an idea of beauty outside of their own,” he said.
In March, James Scully, a casting director whose clients include Tom Ford, Derek Lam and Stella McCartney, went public with a scathing critique of shows that did not reflect a diverse casting last season, specifically naming Dior, Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton and Chanel.
“I feel the Dior cast is just so pointedly white that it feels deliberate,”he said in a BuzzFeed article. “I watch that show and it bothers me — I almost can’t even concentrate on the clothes because of the cast.”
Mr. Scully said that he had since received complaints from executives who work with Dior and elsewhere, but also an enormous amount of support from strangers who commented online. “I found the response among some of my peers to be very disappointing,” he said. “But in the last 10 years, I have found the only time you get any action is when you actually do something and you call someone out.”
In July, when Mr. Simons presented his latest couture collection for Dior, the show included six black models, prompting speculation that the change came in response to Mr. Scully’s remarks. In the same week, Prada, which has long been criticized for casting very few minorities, released a fall campaign featuring Malaika Firth, the first black model to appear in its women’s advertising in nearly two decades.
It would appear that the designers are beginning to pay attention to the potentially negative publicity, but representatives for both labels refused to discuss the subject or to make the designers available, as did a spokeswoman for Céline, which has not used a black model in a runway show since Ms. Philo became the designer in 2009. Not one in the 259 looks shown in eight runway shows. “I would say it’s quite odd,” Mr. Scully said. “Everyone notices, so why shouldn’t someone say something?”
Russell Marsh, the casting director for Céline and formerly for Prada, did not respond to messages over several weeks. His agent, Beverley Streeter, said he was unavailable.
Calvin Klein, once a vastly diverse show, has frequently been faulted for its mostly white casting, including by Mr. Scully, who said the company sometimes hired one black model “to not get in trouble.”
Francisco Costa, the women’s creative director, responded in an e-mail that the company looks for diverse faces in its casting. But, he wrote: “There are only a handful of top-level, professionally trained models of color at a particular level out there now, and they end up being booked by other fashion houses and can be seen on dozens of runways each season, which is counter to what we are looking for. We try to present a unique and interesting cast with as many exclusives as possible to create and emphasize that season’s aesthetic.”
Maida Gregori Boina, the casting director for Calvin Klein and Dior, said that Mr. Costa has pushed for more diversity, “but we don’t want to book a model because we are obliged.” The Dior casting, she said, was the result of the multicultural concept of the collection, not the criticism, and she actually wanted more minorities represented in the show.
“Unfortunately, you’ve got what you’ve got in the agencies,” said Ms. Boina, who is half black. “I am conscious I have to do more. But it has to be part of a movement that includes the entire fashion industry.”
The old arguments within the industry — the designers say the agents don’t send them black models, and the agents say the designers don’t want any black models — increasingly seem insufficient when luxury fashion has become such a global business, with untold numbers of consumers watching the shows online. It now becomes noteworthy when a label like Dsquared creates advertisements using only black male models or only Asian female models.
“There are not only white people around the world,” said Riccardo Tisci, the Givenchy designer, who has been heralded for representing a range of races, ages and genders in his marketing. Of those who cast only white models, he said: “I think that is called laziness. People sometimes think, ‘It’s easier, we’re used to it.’ ”
To designers who say they cast white models for aesthetic reasons, their critics would ask if that means they don’t think their clothes look good on black people.
This is important, said Veronica Webb, who encountered the same excuses during the years she walked the runways in the ’90s, because “this is where a lot of young women get their idea of beauty from.”
“When you see someone that looks like you,” she said, “it makes women feel beautiful, and it makes women feel they belong.”
A version of this article appeared in print on August 8, 2013, on page E1 of the New York editionwith the headline: Fashion’s Blind Spot.
$tyle War$: Odd Future and A$AP Mob's Rebel Fashion Strategies
Earl Sweatshirt performs at Coachella 2013 in Indio
(Spin.com) Nineteen-year-old rapper Earl Sweatshirt was one of hottest names at this past April'sCoachella Music and Arts Festival. On opening night, he closed out the Gobi Tent, drawing a crowd nearly as large as that of the Stone Roses, one of the event's headliners. Sweatshirt was playing his first solo show in the Los Angeles area — where he grew up and rose to prominence — since returning from a nearly two-year stint at a reform school in Samoa. He was promoting his upcoming album Doris, which he previewed extensively during the set to an audience hungry for new material. It was a homecoming of sorts, and Sweatshirt was greeted like a rapper who was on the cusp of cult stardom. (He returned the crowd's gratitude by playing his early viral hit "Earl," which he often forgoes.) Despite the evening's triumphant feel, if there was one performer who could have moved through the crowd virtually unnoticed, it was Earl.
There was a uniform, more or less, for teen boys at Coachella: bucket or Supreme hat, button-down patterned shirt, shorts, and Vans. That this is the exact style of Sweatshirt and his friends in Odd Future is no coincidence. As the economics of hip-hop have changed, two young crews of rappers — Odd Future and A$AP Mob — have leveraged fashion as a way to present a lifestyle to fans. In the process, they've forged a new pathway to profitability (and potential fame) in an industry where success is increasingly ephemeral and elusive.
The ways in which the two groups have utilized fashion to build their brands are different, but equally effective. Operating out of Los Angeles, Odd Future have taken the business of brand-building literally, progressing from selling typical band merch to running a full-blown clothing brand, which the crew sells both online and out of its store in Hollywood. Across the country, in New York City, A$AP Rocky and cohorts A$AP Ferg, Nast, and Twelvyy emerged from the streets of Harlem sporting Jeremy Scott and Hood By Air, streetwear brands that cross over into the world of high fashion. The archetype of the New York/East Coast rapper — think the gruff gangsterisms of forgotten non-saviors like Papoose, Saigon, and Joe Budden — had long grown stale, but Rocky remade the city's image by blending post-Kanyehigh fashion with downtown streetwear. He's the city's first cool rapper since 50 Cent.
Music and fashion have long been intertwined in hip-hop culture, but Odd Future and A$AP Mob are unique in making fashion intrinsic to their appeal from the outset of their careers. Rap stars like Jay-Z and Diddy became moguls thanks, in large part, to their clothing lines (Rocawear and Sean John, respectively), but never before have rap artists started and maintained an independent clothing line as tied to its brand as Odd Future's. Prior to the winter holidays in 2011 — roughly one year after the world first discovered their music — Odd Future opened a pop-up shop in Los Angeles that sold merchandise not previously available online as well as apparel from their new clothing line. In order to meet demand on their subsequent 2012 tour, they opened a similar pop-up shop in every city they visited. The original L.A. outlet soon became a permanent fixture on Fairfax Avenue, the L.A. strip dotted with stores hawking the hippest streetwear in the country. Thanks to Odd Future's celebrity, the entire district surrounding Fairfax itself has become a magnet for kids hoping to catch group leader Tyler, the Creator and his friends hanging out.
A$AP Mob have followed a slightly more traditional route, pinning their image to personal style. But where Run-DMC had Adidas, LL Cool J had Kangol, and Kanye West had Polo, A$AP Mob have curated a lifestyle — where rap and high fashion exist as one, as opposed to rubbing up against each other — that goes beyond just a single look. In the process, A$AP Rocky has crossed over into a world where only a few rappers have made inroads.
"He is different from other rappers, he plays with dresses and outfits," says Gianluca Cantaro, the managing editor of Italy's L'Uomo Vogue, which put Rocky on its March 2013 cover. "He has a personal point of view that makes him different." That individualism can be seen clearest in the controversy he caused by going on 106 & Park in an oversized tank, which many people perceived to be a dress. (Rocky called the blog and Twitter chatter "foul.")
Though in its slim, arty and often exclusive streetwear, the Mob looks unlike any other rap crew, the style is homegrown. Their flair for the dramatic shares a common spirit with the Diplomats, the Harlem gang whose leader, Cam'ron, took rap by storm in 2003 with his all-pink-everything aesthetic. But they picked up cues from all over New York.
"It was really just the streets, just being downtown at the underground parties," says A$AP Ferg, 24, whose own style blends brands like Margiela with gold grills and the bulletproof vests of G-Unit. "The streets had the fashion."
Those parties were where the Mob began to mingle with the fashion world, which led to Rocky hosting the release bash for his major-label debut album – January's Long. Live. ASAP, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top 200 – not at a club, but at the Hole, an art gallery in Manhattan's East Village. This is where the golden boys of rap's hometown are now most comfortable.
"There was certain decorum in the clubs," says Ferg, thinking back to the Mob's earliest days. "Some wouldn't let us in, so then we just started throwing our own [parties]. Our buddy was doing a fashion show — that was kind of like our own scene at that point. Fuck the club."
The fashion influences of Odd Future are a bit easier to pinpoint. In addition to pulling from skatewear (the California pranksters have long favored Vans, so it was no surprise when they collaborated with the shoe company earlier this year), Tyler, the Creator has been open about his obsession with BAPE, the Japanese streetwear brand made popular in the United States by his idol, Pharrell Williams. That indebtedness is clear throughout the OF line, from its reliance on cartoon drawings to its bold patterns. At a time when many rappers, A$AP Mob included, prefer a minimalist aesthetic — like the now-infamous $120 white t-shirt in Kanye West's collaboration line with the French brand APC — Odd Future's clothing features a bright primary-color palette.
But while Pharrell went from wearing BAPE to easing into a partnership with the label, Odd Future has built its brand from the ground up. By 2011, the demand for Odd Future apparel was far greater than what a table in the lobby of a venue could serve, so the idea to stage pop-up shops was hatched.
"We went out, and when we did that, it sent a pretty cool message, because everyone else was like, 'Holy shit,' says Christian Clancy, the manager and a father-figure for much of Odd Future. "It became an obvious thing. What we were sitting on, we thought, 'Why limit it?' When you go on tour, why have a merch table when you can have a fucking store?"
On a July weekday afternoon, Odd Future's Los Angeles store is being visited by a number of tourists while local skaters populate the sidewalk outside. The space — a single room — takes its cues from the clothing it peddles. The top of the walls are lined in donut-patterned wallpaper, while one side is covered in images of cat heads. A section of another wall features graffiti — one more cat head, an upside-down cross, a dick — drawn by Tyler, whose sketches have made their way onto shirts and hoodies. Every so often the kids on skateboards come inside and pop kickflips in a center space on the floor. A handwritten sign that says, "No fucking photos in the store," is dwarfed by large photo prints of various members of the crew that sell from $300 to $350. Albums by Mellowhype and Trash Talk are available for sale, but CDs are treated the same way they are at retailers like Urban Outfitters: as impulse register buys.
A 17-year-old named Alexis is at the store on the occasion of her birthday. She says she begged her parents to drive her here from Arizona, and they obliged. Alexis, like many Odd Future fanatics, was first entranced by Tyler's willingness to provoke authority by refusing to self-censor. She says she doesn't buy apparel by any other artists, but her bond with Odd Future has remained strong.
"I feel a connection with them, as themselves. They make themselves like normal people," she says. "They don't wanna be these big stars. It's really cool to be able to get along with [Odd Future], and not even know them at all." She, of course, left the store with a birthday gift. "I got a Trash Wang shirt. It's the last one. It was, like, $50, but you know," she laughs, her sentence trailing off.
The crew's brashness has translated to its clothes, which aren't necessarily vulgar, but are decidedly audacious. Fans can't live life in open rebellion like most of Odd Future seem to do, but they can at least approximate that attitude by proudly displaying a hoodie with an upside down cross or a shirt with a camel on roller skates.
"This is kind of a first for me, because I haven't really seen much clothing from artists that I like, that I would actually wear," says a shopper named Isaac. "It's kind of in your face. It's something that not a lot of [artists] have. They expanded from the regular t-shirt and sweatshirt. They made it more creative. It fits our generation."
The Odd Future store is a Mecca of sorts for this ravenous fanbase, but it's also the embodiment of one of the great tensions at the heart of the group. Tyler has been a true fashion influencer in rap over the past handful of years — his style co-opted completely by his fans, and even trickling up to artists like Lil Wayne, who made the decidedly Tyler-esque activities of skateboarding, wearing patterned socks and Vans and rapping while wearing a ski mask important elements of his latter-day persona. But this influence has been something that's made Tyler uncomfortable, at least publicly. He would not agree to an interview for this story, and in general his team wants Odd Future's music, rather than its style, to drive the narrative. "I would never refer to Tyler as a 'fashion icon,'" bristled Clancy at the mere mention of the phrase.
Odd Future is a true homegrown success story. They built a loyal fanbase simply by being themselves and have only accessed traditional channels (like major-label distribution) when necessary. Tyler's most recent album Wolf debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard album chart, selling nearly 90,000 copies in its first week despite no radio single or viral hit (though the impact of his breakout "Yonkers" still lingers). He puts out music and his fans buy it. But he and Clancy have consciously grown the Odd Future brand — Tyler is now the head of his own creative agency called Camp Flog Gnaw, through which he recently partnered with Mountain Dew. (That partnership has since fizzled.) And clothing is the engine driving Odd Future's extracurricular endeavors.
Schemes and planning, though, cut against a sensation that was, at least initially, a happy accident. "To be honest, Odd Future's never been about fashion; it's an extension of who they are. If I even said that this is an article on fashion, they'd be like, 'What the hell?'" says Clancy. "Of course, there are strategies, but never at the expense of protecting the culture. These are kids that hang out with each other, [the clothes] are just extensions of their natural state. It's not about a fashion takeover; they'd cringe if they even thought that."
Though he acknowledges its importance in building a fanbase, Ferg is similarly feeling fashion fatigue. "It's too much. Everybody's trying to be a fashion God now," he says, reclining in a chair at the A$AP Mob's Bronx recording studio. "I'll leave that shit up to them. I don't want to lift a finger for that shit. It's all about style. Fashion? Fuck that, it's so wack. They call it fashion because it's a fad. Style is what you have, when you can put on anything and make it look good."
Yet, connecting themselves to fashion is undoubtedly profitable for both Odd Future and A$AP Mob. Ferg, a promising rapper with a deal through RCA, has yet to release a debut full-length, but sells hoodies for $50 and basketball jerseys for $70. And in an era where musicians fight for ever-shrinking slices of pie, Odd Future has a store that opens up every day and sells t-shirts for $30, hoodies for $80, and jeans for $100. According to Clancy, sales spike when Tyler releases music, but the store has held steady as a self-sustaining entity for well over a year.
"What is success nowadays?" Clancy asks, stating a question that looms over much of the music business. "If you're basing success on the old metrics" — by which he means album sales — "well then OF wouldn't be doing it. But if you're basing the metrics on the reality of a brand-based business, then they're doing fantastic." The implication cuts through any boardroom jargon: Odd Future is thriving, with music being merely one of its many pursuits.
Other rappers are following Odd Future's lead. Metro Zu, a fledgling clan of rap kids from Miami with a few mixtapes, designed and sold out a run of shirts that were firmly streetwear instead of simply merch.
But as Odd Future and A$AP Mob continue to make inroads with the fashion world, the line between innovators and adopters continues to blur. A$AP Rocky recently wore a limited edition Hood By Air shirt onstage at Summer Jam, New York City's premiere rap concert. The shirt was then sold for $600 in a run of only 70. Last year, London-based designer Shaun Samson collaborated on a line with the streetwear retailer Opening Ceremony that featured a t-shirt with a prominent image of a cat head — a clear rip-off of Odd Future's aesthetic. But last month in Japan, Odd Future staged a pop-up shop at the store's Tokyo location.
"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the rise of cats over the last year," Clancy says. "Some of that stuff can get under your skin if you pay attention to it. It's obvious what's happening, but it also means what you're doing is working."
Odd Future may continue to treat the word "marketing" as if it's toxic, but they're not naive. In utilizing fashion to differentiate themselves from the rest of rap music, both Odd Future and A$AP Mob have managed to put down solid roots in a business – the recording industry – that has proven to be extremely shaky territory. These are two groups that have built genuine connections with their respective audiences thanks, largely, to their fashion savvy.
"Fashion is a huge part of A$AP because without that we would have just been ordinary rappers," Ferg admits, despite his previous protestations. "That's our hook. It lets kids feel like a part of something."
Clancy illustrates the same phenomenon in business terms. "I like to use the metaphor of soil," and it's one that he repeats often. "To me, it's all about the soil. The plants — the records, the clothing — some live, some die. But if the soil is right, then that's all that matters," he says. "If the plant dies, you move on. But you use the same soil along the way. You can keep planting shit and learn. For us, it's always been about the soil."
Therein lies a lesson for any rapper hoping to just sell CDs.
"If we worried about what kind of song to give to the radio – I mean, I can't tell you how many times one gets added and no one makes a penny," says Clancy. "That's a game I'm not interested in."
Additional reporting by Chris Martins
There was a uniform, more or less, for teen boys at Coachella: bucket or Supreme hat, button-down patterned shirt, shorts, and Vans. That this is the exact style of Sweatshirt and his friends in Odd Future is no coincidence. As the economics of hip-hop have changed, two young crews of rappers — Odd Future and A$AP Mob — have leveraged fashion as a way to present a lifestyle to fans. In the process, they've forged a new pathway to profitability (and potential fame) in an industry where success is increasingly ephemeral and elusive.
The ways in which the two groups have utilized fashion to build their brands are different, but equally effective. Operating out of Los Angeles, Odd Future have taken the business of brand-building literally, progressing from selling typical band merch to running a full-blown clothing brand, which the crew sells both online and out of its store in Hollywood. Across the country, in New York City, A$AP Rocky and cohorts A$AP Ferg, Nast, and Twelvyy emerged from the streets of Harlem sporting Jeremy Scott and Hood By Air, streetwear brands that cross over into the world of high fashion. The archetype of the New York/East Coast rapper — think the gruff gangsterisms of forgotten non-saviors like Papoose, Saigon, and Joe Budden — had long grown stale, but Rocky remade the city's image by blending post-Kanyehigh fashion with downtown streetwear. He's the city's first cool rapper since 50 Cent.
Music and fashion have long been intertwined in hip-hop culture, but Odd Future and A$AP Mob are unique in making fashion intrinsic to their appeal from the outset of their careers. Rap stars like Jay-Z and Diddy became moguls thanks, in large part, to their clothing lines (Rocawear and Sean John, respectively), but never before have rap artists started and maintained an independent clothing line as tied to its brand as Odd Future's. Prior to the winter holidays in 2011 — roughly one year after the world first discovered their music — Odd Future opened a pop-up shop in Los Angeles that sold merchandise not previously available online as well as apparel from their new clothing line. In order to meet demand on their subsequent 2012 tour, they opened a similar pop-up shop in every city they visited. The original L.A. outlet soon became a permanent fixture on Fairfax Avenue, the L.A. strip dotted with stores hawking the hippest streetwear in the country. Thanks to Odd Future's celebrity, the entire district surrounding Fairfax itself has become a magnet for kids hoping to catch group leader Tyler, the Creator and his friends hanging out.
A$AP Mob have followed a slightly more traditional route, pinning their image to personal style. But where Run-DMC had Adidas, LL Cool J had Kangol, and Kanye West had Polo, A$AP Mob have curated a lifestyle — where rap and high fashion exist as one, as opposed to rubbing up against each other — that goes beyond just a single look. In the process, A$AP Rocky has crossed over into a world where only a few rappers have made inroads.
"He is different from other rappers, he plays with dresses and outfits," says Gianluca Cantaro, the managing editor of Italy's L'Uomo Vogue, which put Rocky on its March 2013 cover. "He has a personal point of view that makes him different." That individualism can be seen clearest in the controversy he caused by going on 106 & Park in an oversized tank, which many people perceived to be a dress. (Rocky called the blog and Twitter chatter "foul.")
Though in its slim, arty and often exclusive streetwear, the Mob looks unlike any other rap crew, the style is homegrown. Their flair for the dramatic shares a common spirit with the Diplomats, the Harlem gang whose leader, Cam'ron, took rap by storm in 2003 with his all-pink-everything aesthetic. But they picked up cues from all over New York.
"It was really just the streets, just being downtown at the underground parties," says A$AP Ferg, 24, whose own style blends brands like Margiela with gold grills and the bulletproof vests of G-Unit. "The streets had the fashion."
Those parties were where the Mob began to mingle with the fashion world, which led to Rocky hosting the release bash for his major-label debut album – January's Long. Live. ASAP, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top 200 – not at a club, but at the Hole, an art gallery in Manhattan's East Village. This is where the golden boys of rap's hometown are now most comfortable.
"There was certain decorum in the clubs," says Ferg, thinking back to the Mob's earliest days. "Some wouldn't let us in, so then we just started throwing our own [parties]. Our buddy was doing a fashion show — that was kind of like our own scene at that point. Fuck the club."
The fashion influences of Odd Future are a bit easier to pinpoint. In addition to pulling from skatewear (the California pranksters have long favored Vans, so it was no surprise when they collaborated with the shoe company earlier this year), Tyler, the Creator has been open about his obsession with BAPE, the Japanese streetwear brand made popular in the United States by his idol, Pharrell Williams. That indebtedness is clear throughout the OF line, from its reliance on cartoon drawings to its bold patterns. At a time when many rappers, A$AP Mob included, prefer a minimalist aesthetic — like the now-infamous $120 white t-shirt in Kanye West's collaboration line with the French brand APC — Odd Future's clothing features a bright primary-color palette.
But while Pharrell went from wearing BAPE to easing into a partnership with the label, Odd Future has built its brand from the ground up. By 2011, the demand for Odd Future apparel was far greater than what a table in the lobby of a venue could serve, so the idea to stage pop-up shops was hatched.
"We went out, and when we did that, it sent a pretty cool message, because everyone else was like, 'Holy shit,' says Christian Clancy, the manager and a father-figure for much of Odd Future. "It became an obvious thing. What we were sitting on, we thought, 'Why limit it?' When you go on tour, why have a merch table when you can have a fucking store?"
On a July weekday afternoon, Odd Future's Los Angeles store is being visited by a number of tourists while local skaters populate the sidewalk outside. The space — a single room — takes its cues from the clothing it peddles. The top of the walls are lined in donut-patterned wallpaper, while one side is covered in images of cat heads. A section of another wall features graffiti — one more cat head, an upside-down cross, a dick — drawn by Tyler, whose sketches have made their way onto shirts and hoodies. Every so often the kids on skateboards come inside and pop kickflips in a center space on the floor. A handwritten sign that says, "No fucking photos in the store," is dwarfed by large photo prints of various members of the crew that sell from $300 to $350. Albums by Mellowhype and Trash Talk are available for sale, but CDs are treated the same way they are at retailers like Urban Outfitters: as impulse register buys.
A 17-year-old named Alexis is at the store on the occasion of her birthday. She says she begged her parents to drive her here from Arizona, and they obliged. Alexis, like many Odd Future fanatics, was first entranced by Tyler's willingness to provoke authority by refusing to self-censor. She says she doesn't buy apparel by any other artists, but her bond with Odd Future has remained strong.
"I feel a connection with them, as themselves. They make themselves like normal people," she says. "They don't wanna be these big stars. It's really cool to be able to get along with [Odd Future], and not even know them at all." She, of course, left the store with a birthday gift. "I got a Trash Wang shirt. It's the last one. It was, like, $50, but you know," she laughs, her sentence trailing off.
The crew's brashness has translated to its clothes, which aren't necessarily vulgar, but are decidedly audacious. Fans can't live life in open rebellion like most of Odd Future seem to do, but they can at least approximate that attitude by proudly displaying a hoodie with an upside down cross or a shirt with a camel on roller skates.
"This is kind of a first for me, because I haven't really seen much clothing from artists that I like, that I would actually wear," says a shopper named Isaac. "It's kind of in your face. It's something that not a lot of [artists] have. They expanded from the regular t-shirt and sweatshirt. They made it more creative. It fits our generation."
The Odd Future store is a Mecca of sorts for this ravenous fanbase, but it's also the embodiment of one of the great tensions at the heart of the group. Tyler has been a true fashion influencer in rap over the past handful of years — his style co-opted completely by his fans, and even trickling up to artists like Lil Wayne, who made the decidedly Tyler-esque activities of skateboarding, wearing patterned socks and Vans and rapping while wearing a ski mask important elements of his latter-day persona. But this influence has been something that's made Tyler uncomfortable, at least publicly. He would not agree to an interview for this story, and in general his team wants Odd Future's music, rather than its style, to drive the narrative. "I would never refer to Tyler as a 'fashion icon,'" bristled Clancy at the mere mention of the phrase.
Odd Future is a true homegrown success story. They built a loyal fanbase simply by being themselves and have only accessed traditional channels (like major-label distribution) when necessary. Tyler's most recent album Wolf debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard album chart, selling nearly 90,000 copies in its first week despite no radio single or viral hit (though the impact of his breakout "Yonkers" still lingers). He puts out music and his fans buy it. But he and Clancy have consciously grown the Odd Future brand — Tyler is now the head of his own creative agency called Camp Flog Gnaw, through which he recently partnered with Mountain Dew. (That partnership has since fizzled.) And clothing is the engine driving Odd Future's extracurricular endeavors.
Schemes and planning, though, cut against a sensation that was, at least initially, a happy accident. "To be honest, Odd Future's never been about fashion; it's an extension of who they are. If I even said that this is an article on fashion, they'd be like, 'What the hell?'" says Clancy. "Of course, there are strategies, but never at the expense of protecting the culture. These are kids that hang out with each other, [the clothes] are just extensions of their natural state. It's not about a fashion takeover; they'd cringe if they even thought that."
Though he acknowledges its importance in building a fanbase, Ferg is similarly feeling fashion fatigue. "It's too much. Everybody's trying to be a fashion God now," he says, reclining in a chair at the A$AP Mob's Bronx recording studio. "I'll leave that shit up to them. I don't want to lift a finger for that shit. It's all about style. Fashion? Fuck that, it's so wack. They call it fashion because it's a fad. Style is what you have, when you can put on anything and make it look good."
Yet, connecting themselves to fashion is undoubtedly profitable for both Odd Future and A$AP Mob. Ferg, a promising rapper with a deal through RCA, has yet to release a debut full-length, but sells hoodies for $50 and basketball jerseys for $70. And in an era where musicians fight for ever-shrinking slices of pie, Odd Future has a store that opens up every day and sells t-shirts for $30, hoodies for $80, and jeans for $100. According to Clancy, sales spike when Tyler releases music, but the store has held steady as a self-sustaining entity for well over a year.
"What is success nowadays?" Clancy asks, stating a question that looms over much of the music business. "If you're basing success on the old metrics" — by which he means album sales — "well then OF wouldn't be doing it. But if you're basing the metrics on the reality of a brand-based business, then they're doing fantastic." The implication cuts through any boardroom jargon: Odd Future is thriving, with music being merely one of its many pursuits.
Other rappers are following Odd Future's lead. Metro Zu, a fledgling clan of rap kids from Miami with a few mixtapes, designed and sold out a run of shirts that were firmly streetwear instead of simply merch.
But as Odd Future and A$AP Mob continue to make inroads with the fashion world, the line between innovators and adopters continues to blur. A$AP Rocky recently wore a limited edition Hood By Air shirt onstage at Summer Jam, New York City's premiere rap concert. The shirt was then sold for $600 in a run of only 70. Last year, London-based designer Shaun Samson collaborated on a line with the streetwear retailer Opening Ceremony that featured a t-shirt with a prominent image of a cat head — a clear rip-off of Odd Future's aesthetic. But last month in Japan, Odd Future staged a pop-up shop at the store's Tokyo location.
"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the rise of cats over the last year," Clancy says. "Some of that stuff can get under your skin if you pay attention to it. It's obvious what's happening, but it also means what you're doing is working."
Odd Future may continue to treat the word "marketing" as if it's toxic, but they're not naive. In utilizing fashion to differentiate themselves from the rest of rap music, both Odd Future and A$AP Mob have managed to put down solid roots in a business – the recording industry – that has proven to be extremely shaky territory. These are two groups that have built genuine connections with their respective audiences thanks, largely, to their fashion savvy.
"Fashion is a huge part of A$AP because without that we would have just been ordinary rappers," Ferg admits, despite his previous protestations. "That's our hook. It lets kids feel like a part of something."
Clancy illustrates the same phenomenon in business terms. "I like to use the metaphor of soil," and it's one that he repeats often. "To me, it's all about the soil. The plants — the records, the clothing — some live, some die. But if the soil is right, then that's all that matters," he says. "If the plant dies, you move on. But you use the same soil along the way. You can keep planting shit and learn. For us, it's always been about the soil."
Therein lies a lesson for any rapper hoping to just sell CDs.
"If we worried about what kind of song to give to the radio – I mean, I can't tell you how many times one gets added and no one makes a penny," says Clancy. "That's a game I'm not interested in."
Additional reporting by Chris Martins
A t-shirt from designer Shaun Samson openly followed Odd Future's lead
|
Waka Flocka Flame, A$AP Ferg, A$AP Rocky and Jeremy Scott at Scott's fall 2013 fashion show.
|
A$AP Rocky at the Hood by Air Fall 2013 fashion show
SUPRA Presents The Maurizio Molin Women's Footwear Collection
By Christopher Harris
SUPRA has recently unveiled its artistically crafted Maurizio Molin women's footwear collection.
(Vibe) Comprised of three signature SUPRA silhouettes, the collection includes the Vaider, the Skytop and the Wrap. The renowned Venetian-based artist blended vibrant pop colors with snakeskin on to the exteriors and interiors of the three shoes. The rainbow snakeskin is complemented by pink accents, black suede and smooth grey nubuck. While the outersole's of each sneaker varies, the only other striking difference among the collection is the snake scale embossed iridescent suede that appears on the Vaider. Customized specifically for their female consumers, the ladies can't go wrong with a pair of these flashy, yet fun shoes. The Maurizio Molin Women’s Collection is available now at fine SUPRA retailers worldwide and suprafootwear.com.
(Vibe) Comprised of three signature SUPRA silhouettes, the collection includes the Vaider, the Skytop and the Wrap. The renowned Venetian-based artist blended vibrant pop colors with snakeskin on to the exteriors and interiors of the three shoes. The rainbow snakeskin is complemented by pink accents, black suede and smooth grey nubuck. While the outersole's of each sneaker varies, the only other striking difference among the collection is the snake scale embossed iridescent suede that appears on the Vaider. Customized specifically for their female consumers, the ladies can't go wrong with a pair of these flashy, yet fun shoes. The Maurizio Molin Women’s Collection is available now at fine SUPRA retailers worldwide and suprafootwear.com.
Tyra Banks invests in fashion site that finds garments seen in photos
By VERONICA LINARES, UPI.com
Tyra Banks has her entrepreneurial sights set on a new project, a fashion website.
The 39 year old supermodel turned talk show host has reportedly invested in TheHunt.com, a shopping site that helps customers find pieces that they've seen in photographs either on the site itself on in other social media outlets.
"I created Fierce Capital LLC because supporting female owned, led and targeted businesses is extremely important to me. We are excited about The Hunt, our first fashion investment, because it truly sucks to discover a great style item but not be able to find and buy it. The Hunt solves that fashion dilemma in a fun and innovative way," Tyra told WWD.
According to Cover Media, TheHunt.com is a "community website" that works as people who recognize items in the pictures posted on the site let others know where the garments can be purchased.
"What I love about The Hunt is that women help other women find their perfect outfit [head-to-toe]. I am excited to be part of this new approach to collective retail and styling," Banks explained.
Since its launch in January, TheHunt has recruited a few celebrity endorsers including Ashton Kutcher and Madonna's manager Guy Oseary.
Tim Weingarten and Simon Peck, the creators of the site, said they've been very careful about the people they're allowing to invest in their company. They reportedly chose Banks because of her relevant experience in the fashion world.
“She intends to be extremely active and in no way a passive investor. From her acumen in style and fashion to her intuitive and innate sense on how the community should be guided over time, she has lots of ideas,” Weingarten explained.
Tyra Banks has her entrepreneurial sights set on a new project, a fashion website.
The 39 year old supermodel turned talk show host has reportedly invested in TheHunt.com, a shopping site that helps customers find pieces that they've seen in photographs either on the site itself on in other social media outlets.
"I created Fierce Capital LLC because supporting female owned, led and targeted businesses is extremely important to me. We are excited about The Hunt, our first fashion investment, because it truly sucks to discover a great style item but not be able to find and buy it. The Hunt solves that fashion dilemma in a fun and innovative way," Tyra told WWD.
According to Cover Media, TheHunt.com is a "community website" that works as people who recognize items in the pictures posted on the site let others know where the garments can be purchased.
"What I love about The Hunt is that women help other women find their perfect outfit [head-to-toe]. I am excited to be part of this new approach to collective retail and styling," Banks explained.
Since its launch in January, TheHunt has recruited a few celebrity endorsers including Ashton Kutcher and Madonna's manager Guy Oseary.
Tim Weingarten and Simon Peck, the creators of the site, said they've been very careful about the people they're allowing to invest in their company. They reportedly chose Banks because of her relevant experience in the fashion world.
“She intends to be extremely active and in no way a passive investor. From her acumen in style and fashion to her intuitive and innate sense on how the community should be guided over time, she has lots of ideas,” Weingarten explained.
Malinda Williams’ Mane Taming #1: Create a Funky Style for Night Out
Cocoafab.com
Actress Malinda Williams has partnered with CocoaFab to present an exciting new series of how-to web videos, demonstrating how she maintains her short, healthy haircut. As someone who relaxes, colors, cuts and styles her own hair, Malinda shares her celebrity secrets to some of her favorite red-carpet ready hairstyles!
In the first episode Malinda shows viewers how to take freshly blow dried hair and create a funky new style for a fun night out.
In the first episode Malinda shows viewers how to take freshly blow dried hair and create a funky new style for a fun night out.
Episode #1: Malinda Williams Creates a Sexy Hair Style for Date Night
Episode #2: Malinda Williams Secrets to Wrapping Short Hair
Episode #3: Malinda Williams Shares Sexy Pixie Hair Style
Episode #4: Malinda Williams on How To Trim Hair Between Salon Visits
Episode #5: Malinda Williams Shares New Style for Short Hair
Episode #6: Malinda Williams Celeb Secrets to Sexy, Shiny Hair and to Stop Breakage
Host: Malinda Williams @MalinsWorld
Executive Producers: Malinda Williams @MalinsWorld; Angela Burt-Murray @AngelaCocoaFab; Shelly Jones Jennings @SJonesJ
Click HERE to learn more about Malinda’s series!
In the first episode Malinda shows viewers how to take freshly blow dried hair and create a funky new style for a fun night out.
In the first episode Malinda shows viewers how to take freshly blow dried hair and create a funky new style for a fun night out.
Episode #1: Malinda Williams Creates a Sexy Hair Style for Date Night
Episode #2: Malinda Williams Secrets to Wrapping Short Hair
Episode #3: Malinda Williams Shares Sexy Pixie Hair Style
Episode #4: Malinda Williams on How To Trim Hair Between Salon Visits
Episode #5: Malinda Williams Shares New Style for Short Hair
Episode #6: Malinda Williams Celeb Secrets to Sexy, Shiny Hair and to Stop Breakage
Host: Malinda Williams @MalinsWorld
Executive Producers: Malinda Williams @MalinsWorld; Angela Burt-Murray @AngelaCocoaFab; Shelly Jones Jennings @SJonesJ
Click HERE to learn more about Malinda’s series!
Rihanna Wears Nearly Nude Outfit to Chanel Fashion Show
By Hallie Stephens | omg!
If there is one thing Rihanna can't seem to get enough of these days, it's Chanel! The "Stay" singer took a break from her Diamonds World Tour to show her love for the fashion house at the Chanel Haute Couture Fall-Winter 2013-2014 Collection in Paris on Tuesday. The 25-year-old posted a flurry of pics to Instagram of herself rocking a scandalous, head-to-toe Chanel ensemble, posing with Karl Lagerfeld and attending the runway show.
And while all eyes should have been keenly fixed on the gorgeous couture coming down the catwalk, it was Rihanna's outfit that had heads turning! The singer rocked a clingy, floor-length white cardigan that was held together by only three small buttons around her navel. Needless to say, the outfit left very little to the imagination, and we are impressed that she managed to avoid any wardrobe malfunctions! RiRi completed the look with Chanel's signature pearls, a quilted handbag and cap- toed pumps.
But this isn't the first time the super- star has shown her love for Chanel. Check out the vid to see how Rihanna paid homage to Coco back in June!
And while all eyes should have been keenly fixed on the gorgeous couture coming down the catwalk, it was Rihanna's outfit that had heads turning! The singer rocked a clingy, floor-length white cardigan that was held together by only three small buttons around her navel. Needless to say, the outfit left very little to the imagination, and we are impressed that she managed to avoid any wardrobe malfunctions! RiRi completed the look with Chanel's signature pearls, a quilted handbag and cap- toed pumps.
But this isn't the first time the super- star has shown her love for Chanel. Check out the vid to see how Rihanna paid homage to Coco back in June!
Summer Hair Issues
By Eva Scrivo Acclaimed hair and makeup artist
It can be a bit alarming to experience an adverse change in the texture of ones hair. There could be one or several elements to take into account, the weather being a substantial factor. With warmer temperatures and higher humidity levels, there are a few problems that can arise: dryness, split ends, frizz and excessive oil production. These problems all have solutions and can often be eliminated, or at least mitigated, to achieve smoother, healthier summer hair.
Dry Hair
Dry hair is usually the result of using the wrong products (or lack thereof), external damage, or diet. If your hair is color treated and chronically dry, talk to your colorist about using an ammonia-free colorant on your hair. Also, choose more hydrating hair care products. In addition, it is wise to hydrate from the inside out with the right nutrition and supplements.
Split Ends
Split ends occur when the hair has been compromised from external damage or simply because it desperately needs a trim. Remember that hair is quite old near the ends and the strands split in a similar way to fabric fraying from constant wear and tear (like the hem on a pair of jeans that becomes ragged after months of dragging on the ground). Over time, especially with the constant use of heat from drying and ironing, this fraying is likely to happen. Regular brushing helps to prevent this by conditioning the hair, while using a thermal protection product before heat styling shields the ends. Although you can temporarily smooth the ends with hair oil or a silicone product, or smooth them under with a round brush to look more presentable, ultimately it is only camouflaging and not treating the problem. The only real remedy for split ends is cutting them off.
Frizz
The hair problem I am asked about most is frizz. Women usually chalk it up to the weather, heredity or a curse, but it is more often induced or exacerbated by poor hair care habits, improper heat styling, bad haircuts and chemical processing. The best way to fight frizz is by having healthy diet, proper home care and a good stylist/colorist who knows how to work with your natural texture. Other than that, treating the hair roughly, in general, can create frizz even without heat. For instance, aggressive towel drying lifts the cuticle, even before you begin to style the hair. It may even lead to breakage and/or split ends over time. Be gentle with your hair: blot it dry by lightly squeezing it with your towel. The overlapping of permanent hair color (especially that contains ammonia) also stresses the hair and contributes to frizz by damaging the outer cuticle layer of the strand.
Climate is another trigger: humidity expands the cuticle of the hair. On curly or coarse textures with an already elevated cuticle, this can be an inescapable formula for frizz. Applying an anti-humectant product such as a smoothing serum temporarily coats the strands to counteract the effects of humidity. Ultimately, however, this kind of product can build up, weighing down the hair and dulling its shine. What you really need is consistent moisturizing to keep the cuticle smooth. The most effective way to achieve this is through regular brushing. Another is by applying a conditioning mask once a week.
Frizz can also start in the salon from overlapping of color or over-texturizing and thinning during the haircut. In such case, you should notice small broken, shorter hairs popping up in humidity.
Oily Hair
Oily hair is caused by an overproduction of sebum. Remember that the skin and scalp are one, so if your skin is oily, it is likely that your scalp is, too. For teenagers who have excessively oily hair, the problem is most likely hormonal and will pass. In the meantime, anyone with oily hair should simply follow common sense and shampoo more often, but not more than once per day. You can use a clarifying shampoo more frequently, perhaps twice a week, to deeply cleanse the excess oil and residue that are weighing the hair down. In addition, since brushing cleans the hair, it will actually help loosen dirt and oil, so the hair does not look so flat.
Beauty Secret: Create a liquid barrier on your hair before swimming.
Before you swim in a chlorinated pool or take a dip in the ocean, saturate your hair with clean water. The hair will absorb less of the chlorinated or salty water if it's already wet. (Like a sponge, it can only absorb so much liquid.) While salt water is not as damaging as chlorine, it is still dehydrating to the hair. When I go swimming, I also apply natural oils to my hair, which creates a protective barrier from the chlorine and keeps my hair from drying out.
For more information on caring for your hair please refer to Chapter Three of Eva Scrivo on Beauty: The Tools, Techniques, and Insider Knowledge Every Women Needs To Be Her Most Beautiful Confident Self.
Dry Hair
Dry hair is usually the result of using the wrong products (or lack thereof), external damage, or diet. If your hair is color treated and chronically dry, talk to your colorist about using an ammonia-free colorant on your hair. Also, choose more hydrating hair care products. In addition, it is wise to hydrate from the inside out with the right nutrition and supplements.
Split Ends
Split ends occur when the hair has been compromised from external damage or simply because it desperately needs a trim. Remember that hair is quite old near the ends and the strands split in a similar way to fabric fraying from constant wear and tear (like the hem on a pair of jeans that becomes ragged after months of dragging on the ground). Over time, especially with the constant use of heat from drying and ironing, this fraying is likely to happen. Regular brushing helps to prevent this by conditioning the hair, while using a thermal protection product before heat styling shields the ends. Although you can temporarily smooth the ends with hair oil or a silicone product, or smooth them under with a round brush to look more presentable, ultimately it is only camouflaging and not treating the problem. The only real remedy for split ends is cutting them off.
Frizz
The hair problem I am asked about most is frizz. Women usually chalk it up to the weather, heredity or a curse, but it is more often induced or exacerbated by poor hair care habits, improper heat styling, bad haircuts and chemical processing. The best way to fight frizz is by having healthy diet, proper home care and a good stylist/colorist who knows how to work with your natural texture. Other than that, treating the hair roughly, in general, can create frizz even without heat. For instance, aggressive towel drying lifts the cuticle, even before you begin to style the hair. It may even lead to breakage and/or split ends over time. Be gentle with your hair: blot it dry by lightly squeezing it with your towel. The overlapping of permanent hair color (especially that contains ammonia) also stresses the hair and contributes to frizz by damaging the outer cuticle layer of the strand.
Climate is another trigger: humidity expands the cuticle of the hair. On curly or coarse textures with an already elevated cuticle, this can be an inescapable formula for frizz. Applying an anti-humectant product such as a smoothing serum temporarily coats the strands to counteract the effects of humidity. Ultimately, however, this kind of product can build up, weighing down the hair and dulling its shine. What you really need is consistent moisturizing to keep the cuticle smooth. The most effective way to achieve this is through regular brushing. Another is by applying a conditioning mask once a week.
Frizz can also start in the salon from overlapping of color or over-texturizing and thinning during the haircut. In such case, you should notice small broken, shorter hairs popping up in humidity.
Oily Hair
Oily hair is caused by an overproduction of sebum. Remember that the skin and scalp are one, so if your skin is oily, it is likely that your scalp is, too. For teenagers who have excessively oily hair, the problem is most likely hormonal and will pass. In the meantime, anyone with oily hair should simply follow common sense and shampoo more often, but not more than once per day. You can use a clarifying shampoo more frequently, perhaps twice a week, to deeply cleanse the excess oil and residue that are weighing the hair down. In addition, since brushing cleans the hair, it will actually help loosen dirt and oil, so the hair does not look so flat.
Beauty Secret: Create a liquid barrier on your hair before swimming.
Before you swim in a chlorinated pool or take a dip in the ocean, saturate your hair with clean water. The hair will absorb less of the chlorinated or salty water if it's already wet. (Like a sponge, it can only absorb so much liquid.) While salt water is not as damaging as chlorine, it is still dehydrating to the hair. When I go swimming, I also apply natural oils to my hair, which creates a protective barrier from the chlorine and keeps my hair from drying out.
For more information on caring for your hair please refer to Chapter Three of Eva Scrivo on Beauty: The Tools, Techniques, and Insider Knowledge Every Women Needs To Be Her Most Beautiful Confident Self.
Kanye West Plots Return to Fashion
by DHANI MAU
(Fashionista) W has just released the full Kanye West interview from whence this morning’s “I Am God” story came and there are many more gems and insights, as well as the news that West will indeed return to fashion design–in more ways than one, it sounds like.
He responds to the criticism of his two Paris Fashion Week outings–the second of whichgot somewhat better reviews than the first. His response was basically that everyone was just wrong: “The first collection was way better than the second,” he says. “It was more artful. It was 30 collections in one. It just takes time for me to slow down and think like a normal person.” Though, it sounds like that criticism helped lead West in the direction of his next fashion outing, which we’re about 95% sure is a collaboration with A.P.C. He says, “I tried to come out of the gate going crazy. And it didn’t work. So now I have to somehow put out something that says, ‘I look sensible!’” W‘s Christopher Badgley writes that Kanye’s “new men’s capsule collection of jeans, T-shirts, and hoodies for a hip French brand” is coming out in July. Last February, A.P.C. founder Jean Touitou told GQ that he and Kanye “wanted to do something related to clothes that’s not high fashion.” Also, here’s a picture from December of West and Touitou working together.
But if you had your heart set on something a little more creatively ambitious from Kanye, worry not. Apparently, he’s set up an atelier in Milan from which to stage his return to fashion, even though he was still decorating his house in Paris at the time of the interview. Granted, he hasn’t had much luck in Paris with his fashion career, so perhaps he thinks things will go better for him in Milan? The Italian fashion industry could use some of his confidence right now, it sounds like.
West also touches on his other fashion project: Kim Kardashian. He doesn’t take too much credit for his girlfriend and baby mama’s recent outfits (just about all of which have been met with criticism): “Nobody can tell my girl what to do,” he says. “She just needed to be given some platforms of information to work from.”
But also does: “For her to take that risk in front of the world, it just shows you how much she loves me.”
He also says “Visiting my mind is like visiting the Hermès factory. Shit is real. You’re not going to find a chink. It’s 100,000 percent Jimi Hendrix.” Whatever that means.
More generally, West tells Badgley that, across all fields, “people are going to look back 10 or 20 years from now and say, ‘Man, I remember such and such was like this, but then Kanye got involved, and now it’s like this.’” We figure he’s probably counting Kim Kardashian and fashion among those “such and such-es.” At the very least, it will be interesting what that yields in terms of future Kanye collections, of which we kind of feel like there will be many.
He responds to the criticism of his two Paris Fashion Week outings–the second of whichgot somewhat better reviews than the first. His response was basically that everyone was just wrong: “The first collection was way better than the second,” he says. “It was more artful. It was 30 collections in one. It just takes time for me to slow down and think like a normal person.” Though, it sounds like that criticism helped lead West in the direction of his next fashion outing, which we’re about 95% sure is a collaboration with A.P.C. He says, “I tried to come out of the gate going crazy. And it didn’t work. So now I have to somehow put out something that says, ‘I look sensible!’” W‘s Christopher Badgley writes that Kanye’s “new men’s capsule collection of jeans, T-shirts, and hoodies for a hip French brand” is coming out in July. Last February, A.P.C. founder Jean Touitou told GQ that he and Kanye “wanted to do something related to clothes that’s not high fashion.” Also, here’s a picture from December of West and Touitou working together.
But if you had your heart set on something a little more creatively ambitious from Kanye, worry not. Apparently, he’s set up an atelier in Milan from which to stage his return to fashion, even though he was still decorating his house in Paris at the time of the interview. Granted, he hasn’t had much luck in Paris with his fashion career, so perhaps he thinks things will go better for him in Milan? The Italian fashion industry could use some of his confidence right now, it sounds like.
West also touches on his other fashion project: Kim Kardashian. He doesn’t take too much credit for his girlfriend and baby mama’s recent outfits (just about all of which have been met with criticism): “Nobody can tell my girl what to do,” he says. “She just needed to be given some platforms of information to work from.”
But also does: “For her to take that risk in front of the world, it just shows you how much she loves me.”
He also says “Visiting my mind is like visiting the Hermès factory. Shit is real. You’re not going to find a chink. It’s 100,000 percent Jimi Hendrix.” Whatever that means.
More generally, West tells Badgley that, across all fields, “people are going to look back 10 or 20 years from now and say, ‘Man, I remember such and such was like this, but then Kanye got involved, and now it’s like this.’” We figure he’s probably counting Kim Kardashian and fashion among those “such and such-es.” At the very least, it will be interesting what that yields in terms of future Kanye collections, of which we kind of feel like there will be many.
Street Style Accessories: Ladies in Loafers
From patterned to patent leather, ladies are ditching their socks and rocking cool look-at-me loafers.
By Charlene Cooper Essence.com
By Charlene Cooper Essence.com
|
|
Tony Parker unveils new limited edition Tissot watch
Written by Jeff Garcia/ProjectSpurs.com
Aside from making a statement on the basketball court for the San Antonio Spurs, Tony parker also likes to make a fashion statement off the court.
It is no secret TP loves fashion and he shows this with his choice of watch - Tissot. And as the playoffs are well underway, Tissot and Parker haveunveiled the latest line of watches titled "Tissot PRC 200 Tony Parker Limited Edition 2013."
Here is how Tissot describes TP's new watch.
The precision of the piece is highlighted by stylish details such as the orange minute track and hands, which also portrays a sporty look, further recalled by stitching on the all-time classic smooth leather bracelet. A tailored touch is brought to the watch with a highlight of Tony Parker’s player number 9 on the dial. Adding to that uniqueness is the fact that this watch is limited to 4’999 pieces. These will feature a case which is finely engraved and a case back with the talented basketball player’s signature and number which are silk printed. You will have to try and keep up with Tony Parker’s fast pace to get your hands on one of these limited edition pieces.
What do you think about this new TP watch Spurs fans? Will you go out and get one?
But for those die-hard Tony Parker fans or just Spurs fans in general who want to own their very own limited edition TP watch right now, visit Tissot by clicking here.
Aside from making a statement on the basketball court for the San Antonio Spurs, Tony parker also likes to make a fashion statement off the court.
It is no secret TP loves fashion and he shows this with his choice of watch - Tissot. And as the playoffs are well underway, Tissot and Parker haveunveiled the latest line of watches titled "Tissot PRC 200 Tony Parker Limited Edition 2013."
Here is how Tissot describes TP's new watch.
The precision of the piece is highlighted by stylish details such as the orange minute track and hands, which also portrays a sporty look, further recalled by stitching on the all-time classic smooth leather bracelet. A tailored touch is brought to the watch with a highlight of Tony Parker’s player number 9 on the dial. Adding to that uniqueness is the fact that this watch is limited to 4’999 pieces. These will feature a case which is finely engraved and a case back with the talented basketball player’s signature and number which are silk printed. You will have to try and keep up with Tony Parker’s fast pace to get your hands on one of these limited edition pieces.
What do you think about this new TP watch Spurs fans? Will you go out and get one?
But for those die-hard Tony Parker fans or just Spurs fans in general who want to own their very own limited edition TP watch right now, visit Tissot by clicking here.
The Plus-Size Supply Size and Demand Problem: 'Fatkini" Sells Out Instantly
(Jezebel.com) Gabi Gregg's swimwear collaboration with Swimsuits For All was eagerly anticipated by the fashion blogger's thousands of fans. But order fulfillment and inventory issues have left would-be customers disappointed by cancelled orders. And, though many say Swimsuits For All was quick to charge their credit cards, the plus-size retailer has been slow in issuing refunds.
Gregg, long well-known in the fat-acceptance and plus-size fashion blogospheres, became famous after photos she posted of herself relaxing in a bikini — which she called her "fatkini" --went viral. That led to Today Show appearances and a gig writing a column for InStylemagazine. The Swimsuits For All collaboration was announced in April and the product images — shots of Gregg and other women modeling neon and galaxy-print bikinis and a jewel-print maillot with mesh panels, all looking very trippy and Spring Breakers — were covered positively by USAToday, Fashionista, Refinery29, the Daily Mail, XOJane, and MTV, among others. The neon and jewel-print suits were cute, but the real prize of the collection was obviously the galaxy bikini, modeled by Gregg herself. Who wouldn't want a swimsuit that looked like the universe?
Gregg's Instagram and blog comments fields are full of dozens and dozens of comments from people who say they waited up to order the swimsuits as soon as they became available, that their credit cards were charged, and that they received order-confirmation emails from Swimsuits For All — only to be told days later that their orders would not be fulfilled. Several also say their payments were slow to be refunded.
Swimsuits For All told Gregg — who promptly informed customers via her blog — that it would not be making any more swimsuits because it took their supplier three months to make the current stock, and by the time a new round of suits would be ready, swimsuit season would be over. Gregg has apologized on her blog to those who never got their bikinis. Frankly, she's doing a much better job addressing Swimsuits For All's mistakes than the company itself.
This is clearly a public-relations disaster and an embarrassment for Swimsuits For All, which wasn't prepared for the wave of interest Gregg's designs elicited. As retail snafus go, it sort of sounds like the plus-size fashion world's version of the Target/Missoni debacle. In that case, heads rolled — the head of Target.com even resigned. Swimsuits For All should have made sure its inventory software and Web site infrastructure was up to the task of handling such an influx of orders, but mistakes happen. And when they do, it's important to explain what happened, apologize promptly to customers who were disappointed, and offer to do something nice for them in exchange — three things Swimsuits For All hasn't really done.
The good news is three other swimsuit styles Gregg designed are still available (in limited sizes). And if there's one takeaway from this whole episode, perhaps it's this: that the market for fashionable plus-size clothing and swimwear is so woefully underserved that people will go nuts for an exciting new offering. Whichever retailer figures this out first stands to make a lot of money.
Gregg, long well-known in the fat-acceptance and plus-size fashion blogospheres, became famous after photos she posted of herself relaxing in a bikini — which she called her "fatkini" --went viral. That led to Today Show appearances and a gig writing a column for InStylemagazine. The Swimsuits For All collaboration was announced in April and the product images — shots of Gregg and other women modeling neon and galaxy-print bikinis and a jewel-print maillot with mesh panels, all looking very trippy and Spring Breakers — were covered positively by USAToday, Fashionista, Refinery29, the Daily Mail, XOJane, and MTV, among others. The neon and jewel-print suits were cute, but the real prize of the collection was obviously the galaxy bikini, modeled by Gregg herself. Who wouldn't want a swimsuit that looked like the universe?
Gregg's Instagram and blog comments fields are full of dozens and dozens of comments from people who say they waited up to order the swimsuits as soon as they became available, that their credit cards were charged, and that they received order-confirmation emails from Swimsuits For All — only to be told days later that their orders would not be fulfilled. Several also say their payments were slow to be refunded.
Swimsuits For All told Gregg — who promptly informed customers via her blog — that it would not be making any more swimsuits because it took their supplier three months to make the current stock, and by the time a new round of suits would be ready, swimsuit season would be over. Gregg has apologized on her blog to those who never got their bikinis. Frankly, she's doing a much better job addressing Swimsuits For All's mistakes than the company itself.
This is clearly a public-relations disaster and an embarrassment for Swimsuits For All, which wasn't prepared for the wave of interest Gregg's designs elicited. As retail snafus go, it sort of sounds like the plus-size fashion world's version of the Target/Missoni debacle. In that case, heads rolled — the head of Target.com even resigned. Swimsuits For All should have made sure its inventory software and Web site infrastructure was up to the task of handling such an influx of orders, but mistakes happen. And when they do, it's important to explain what happened, apologize promptly to customers who were disappointed, and offer to do something nice for them in exchange — three things Swimsuits For All hasn't really done.
The good news is three other swimsuit styles Gregg designed are still available (in limited sizes). And if there's one takeaway from this whole episode, perhaps it's this: that the market for fashionable plus-size clothing and swimwear is so woefully underserved that people will go nuts for an exciting new offering. Whichever retailer figures this out first stands to make a lot of money.
Lil Wayne Presents SPECTRE By Supra
Christopher Harris
(Vibe) Despite recently losing his sponsorship deal with Mountain Dew, Lil Wayne is still kickin' it with Supra.
The YMCMB rapper joined forces with the skateboarding footwear company in April of 2012. His signature brand, SPECTRE will release an assortment of both low and high top sneakers throughout the year. According to Supra, SPECTRE is a new footwear collection from the mind of Lil Wayne that gains inspiration from the art and style of hip-hop culture, while advancing a revolutionary philosophy from the altar of the future.
The first shoe being released from the brand is the Chimera, a high top shoe expected to be available in several colorways. Although the sneakers appear to be a bit gaudy, you'll still be able to skateboard or play basketball in them. Weezy's Chimera line is set to hit Supra retailers on May 17th.
The YMCMB rapper joined forces with the skateboarding footwear company in April of 2012. His signature brand, SPECTRE will release an assortment of both low and high top sneakers throughout the year. According to Supra, SPECTRE is a new footwear collection from the mind of Lil Wayne that gains inspiration from the art and style of hip-hop culture, while advancing a revolutionary philosophy from the altar of the future.
The first shoe being released from the brand is the Chimera, a high top shoe expected to be available in several colorways. Although the sneakers appear to be a bit gaudy, you'll still be able to skateboard or play basketball in them. Weezy's Chimera line is set to hit Supra retailers on May 17th.
What Are the Biggest Fashion Challenges Curvy Women Face?
By Derrick Bryson Taylor
(Essence) Abercrombie & Fitch is coming under fire for its exclusionary tactics regarding women's apparel this morning. According to ABC News, the retail chain doesn't sell clothes beyond a size 10—unlike many of its competitors that go up to sizes 16 and 18.
If you think it's a mistake on the corporate level, think again. A&F purposely leaves out a grand segment of the population—to create a new definition of "cool."
A total of 67% of American shoppers are plus size. But that doesn't matter to A&F CEO Mike Jefferies, who flat out says he doesn't make clothes for plus size folks. In a 2006 interview with Salon magazine, Jefferies said, "We go after the attractive all-American kid. A lot of people don't belong [in our clothes]. And they can't belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely."
Despite the struggling economy, many retail chains continue to offer clothing sizes that do not cater to curvy women. Within the Black community, curvaceous women who like to be fashionable at work and home often voice their concerns with the difficulties they face when shopping. From a shortage of sizes to a boring selection, it's no secret that buying clothes is a challenge for Black women who fall under "plus sizes" and their lists of complaints continue to grow.
If you think it's a mistake on the corporate level, think again. A&F purposely leaves out a grand segment of the population—to create a new definition of "cool."
A total of 67% of American shoppers are plus size. But that doesn't matter to A&F CEO Mike Jefferies, who flat out says he doesn't make clothes for plus size folks. In a 2006 interview with Salon magazine, Jefferies said, "We go after the attractive all-American kid. A lot of people don't belong [in our clothes]. And they can't belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely."
Despite the struggling economy, many retail chains continue to offer clothing sizes that do not cater to curvy women. Within the Black community, curvaceous women who like to be fashionable at work and home often voice their concerns with the difficulties they face when shopping. From a shortage of sizes to a boring selection, it's no secret that buying clothes is a challenge for Black women who fall under "plus sizes" and their lists of complaints continue to grow.
Rihanna's 'RiRi Woo' MAC Lipstick Debuts Thursday
By Antoinette Bueno | ET Online
Get ready ladies -- Rihanna's much-hyped "RiRi Woo" lipstick, her own version of MAC's popular matte red shade Ruby Woo, will be available for purchase starting tomorrow.
Though Rihanna will be releasing an entire MAC collection throughout 2013, her first product -- a lipstick which is described as a matte cool red -- is definitely the most anticipated given the popularity of MAC's original shade and Rihanna's own signature red lips.
"Working with MAC, it's difficult to get a red lipstick that beats Ruby Woo, because it works on every skin tone," Rihanna told WWD. "I had so many different samples to choose from and so many different colors underneath -- blue, yellow, orange and pink bases. And I got to pick one that worked, and I tried it on all my friends to make sure it worked on all of our skin tones."
And one look at the lipstick in action confirms that the shade is indeed gorgeous!
Rihanna's first foray into lipstick -- which retails for $15 a tube -- will only be sold exclusively online or in person at Rihanna's concert in Brooklyn's Barclays center.
Though Rihanna will be releasing an entire MAC collection throughout 2013, her first product -- a lipstick which is described as a matte cool red -- is definitely the most anticipated given the popularity of MAC's original shade and Rihanna's own signature red lips.
"Working with MAC, it's difficult to get a red lipstick that beats Ruby Woo, because it works on every skin tone," Rihanna told WWD. "I had so many different samples to choose from and so many different colors underneath -- blue, yellow, orange and pink bases. And I got to pick one that worked, and I tried it on all my friends to make sure it worked on all of our skin tones."
And one look at the lipstick in action confirms that the shade is indeed gorgeous!
Rihanna's first foray into lipstick -- which retails for $15 a tube -- will only be sold exclusively online or in person at Rihanna's concert in Brooklyn's Barclays center.
Sneak Preview: Rihanna Gets To Work On Her Second Collection For River Island
by Caroline Ferry
Her catwalk show for River Island was one of our highlights of London Fashion Week - and when the collection hit stores, the British public went nuts for it. Since then we hadn’t heard a whisper about a second RiRi for River Island collection - until this weekend that is.
Rihanna, or rather 'badgirlriri' as the Barbadian beauty calls herself on Instagram, Insta’d a picture of herself hard at work with her costume designer and collaborator for her River Island collection - and so it seems the second collection for the high street giant is well under way.
Rihanna captioned the snap of the two during a model fitting with, “Me and my better half @adamselman in design mode!! We went to #WERK on the upcoming #RihannaForRIVERISLAND Autumn and Winter collections! No really, we took it there! Like it’s not fair that you could get this kinda s**t at #RIHverIsland” See what she did there? RIHver Island? Jazzy.
So what can we expect for her second high street range? Her debut collection featured signature RiRi style staples: cropped and double denim pieces, varsity jackets, thigh-high boots and eagle embellished baseball caps. Meanwhile, this latest Instagram snap showed us what looks like a tie-dye-cum-watercolour winter florals printed shorts suit, the typically classic silhouette Rihannafied by turning those tailored shorts into a track short, totally in keeping with her preppy training style she featured last week dressed in Isabel Marant Étoile. How perfectly appropriate for next season, eh?
Check out Rihanna’s debut collection for River Island below, and let us know what you hope to see for her second collection…
Courtesy of graziadaily.co.uk
Rihanna, or rather 'badgirlriri' as the Barbadian beauty calls herself on Instagram, Insta’d a picture of herself hard at work with her costume designer and collaborator for her River Island collection - and so it seems the second collection for the high street giant is well under way.
Rihanna captioned the snap of the two during a model fitting with, “Me and my better half @adamselman in design mode!! We went to #WERK on the upcoming #RihannaForRIVERISLAND Autumn and Winter collections! No really, we took it there! Like it’s not fair that you could get this kinda s**t at #RIHverIsland” See what she did there? RIHver Island? Jazzy.
So what can we expect for her second high street range? Her debut collection featured signature RiRi style staples: cropped and double denim pieces, varsity jackets, thigh-high boots and eagle embellished baseball caps. Meanwhile, this latest Instagram snap showed us what looks like a tie-dye-cum-watercolour winter florals printed shorts suit, the typically classic silhouette Rihannafied by turning those tailored shorts into a track short, totally in keeping with her preppy training style she featured last week dressed in Isabel Marant Étoile. How perfectly appropriate for next season, eh?
Check out Rihanna’s debut collection for River Island below, and let us know what you hope to see for her second collection…
Courtesy of graziadaily.co.uk
As Seen On TV: Shazam App Can Help You Find On-Screen Fashion
By Megan Gibson
There are very few things more frustrating in this world than seeing a gorgeous frock on the big screen and being unable to place the designer—and therefore the store where you can purchase it. But, just as the by-now old adage promises, there’s an app for that.
Shazam, the company behind the app that allows you to identify purchase a song heard playing on the radio or TV, has developed the app to pinpoint and identify other information found on television, which could bring you one step closer to that garment you’ve been eyeing.
While the company doesn’t yet have image-recognition technology, they are working on expanding Shazam’s role as a “brand engagement” tool by partnering with television shows and companies creating advertisements. The app can pick up the audio cues of the TV in much the same way it does now with songs, and lead users to a database of information about what they’re seeing onscreen. “We have the ability to identify the product in a TV show so that when somebody Shazams it, they could find out where a presenter’s dress is from in one click,” Shazam CEO Andrew Fisher recently told the Guardian.
Essentially, the app would save you from wasting a lot of time scrolling through Google to find what you’re looking for. “We make it easier for consumers to engage with a brand or a piece of content they are interested in, without having to go through search engines, then mining the results,” Fisher added.
As anyone who has ever coveted a garment, only to search in vain for it in real life, this app sounds like a dream come true for your closet. Or a nightmare for your credit card.
via Time Magazine
Shazam, the company behind the app that allows you to identify purchase a song heard playing on the radio or TV, has developed the app to pinpoint and identify other information found on television, which could bring you one step closer to that garment you’ve been eyeing.
While the company doesn’t yet have image-recognition technology, they are working on expanding Shazam’s role as a “brand engagement” tool by partnering with television shows and companies creating advertisements. The app can pick up the audio cues of the TV in much the same way it does now with songs, and lead users to a database of information about what they’re seeing onscreen. “We have the ability to identify the product in a TV show so that when somebody Shazams it, they could find out where a presenter’s dress is from in one click,” Shazam CEO Andrew Fisher recently told the Guardian.
Essentially, the app would save you from wasting a lot of time scrolling through Google to find what you’re looking for. “We make it easier for consumers to engage with a brand or a piece of content they are interested in, without having to go through search engines, then mining the results,” Fisher added.
As anyone who has ever coveted a garment, only to search in vain for it in real life, this app sounds like a dream come true for your closet. Or a nightmare for your credit card.
via Time Magazine
Cassie Teams With Forever 21
Cassie has linked up with Forever 21 for an awesome summer campaign. As usual, she pulls off all of the looks with ease. The 26 year old Bad Boy artist is the face of the Summer 2013 Forvever L.A. Collection.
According to reports, the L.A. collection represents both parts of the county, including the West Side (think vintage and inspirations from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air) and the East Side (think laid-back California style with sneakers and crop tops.)
We are sending Cassie big congratulations on her new gig.
We are sending Cassie big congratulations on her new gig.
|
|
First Look: Dior Homme 2013 Fall/Winter Footwear Collection
check out the latest footwear for Dior Homme's 2013 Fall/Winter collection.
The shoe is a comfortable multipurpose shoe that can be worn with almost anything. Check out the pics below!!
The shoe is a comfortable multipurpose shoe that can be worn with almost anything. Check out the pics below!!
|
|
Beyoncé For H&M Confirmed- By SARAH KARMALI
(Vogue) BEYONCÉ KNOWLES has partnered with H&M for summer. The singer stars in the Swedish retailer's new campaign, modelling pieces inspired by her individual style. The singer also gave "personal input on the pieces seen in the campaign", confirmed a representative for the brand.
The print and billboard images - which see her reclining on beach sun lounger and posing in swimwear by the sea - were shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin in the Bahamas earlier this year. The adverts will introduce the star: "Beyoncé as Mrs Carter in H&M" - tying in with the name of her upcoming world tour.
"I've always liked H&M's focus on fun affordable fashion. I really loved the concept we collaborated on to explore the different emotions of women represented by the four elements - fire, water, earth and wind," said Knowles. "It was a beautiful shoot on a tropical island. It felt more like making a video than a commercial."
The summer campaign features swimwear and beachwear pieces - including a bikini from the H&M for Water collection, which raises money for WaterAid. The print adverts will launch alongside an accompanying television commercial - featuring a new Beyoncé song, Standing On The Sun.
"H&M's summer campaign starring Beyoncé is an epic fantasy, with glamour, drama and also a sense of paradise," said Donald Schneider, H&M's creative director. "It was amazing to watch her on the shoot make it all look effortless - a quality that makes her such an icon for women around the world. The campaign is the essence of Beyoncé, and also the essence of H&M this summer."
It was first reported that the singer would be partnering with H&M back in January - which is when the shoot took place - after one of the star's dancers accidentally revealed the news on Twitter.
Kick Drop: NIKE 2013 Spring/Summer Roshe Run
Terry Carter Jr.
(Vibe) Nike Sportswear brings us the latest design from their Spring/Summer Roshe Run sneaker line.
With an extended swoosh from the heel to the toe box, these leopard spotted print kicks are definitely made to stand out. The black, pink and mint color scheme gives extra push to the famously simple, yet comfort shoe. One thing though: don't these kind of give you a Air Yeezy 2 steez?
You can order a pair online now via Titolo.
With an extended swoosh from the heel to the toe box, these leopard spotted print kicks are definitely made to stand out. The black, pink and mint color scheme gives extra push to the famously simple, yet comfort shoe. One thing though: don't these kind of give you a Air Yeezy 2 steez?
You can order a pair online now via Titolo.
Leading by Example: First Lady Michelle Obama
Vogue
At the start of a second term, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama talk to Jonathan Van Meter about their life as parents, their marriage, and their vision for America’s families.
One morning in late January, I am standing at one end of the grand red-carpeted corridor that runs through the center of the White House, when suddenly the First Lady appears at the other. “Heeeee’s comin’,” she says of her husband’s imminent arrival. “He’s coming down the stairs now.” The president is on his way from the residence above, and just a split second before he appears, the First Lady, in a midnight-blue Reed Krakoff sleeveless dress and a black kitten heel, slips into the tiniest bit of a surprisingly good soft-shoe, and then the two of them walk arm in arm into the Red Room to sit for a portrait by Annie Leibovitz. The photographer has her iPod playing the Black Eyed Peas song “Where Is the Love?” It is a mid-tempo hip-hop lament about the problematic state of the world. As the First Lady and an aide laugh together over some inside joke, the president starts nodding his head to the beat: “Who picked the music? I love this song.”
I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder
As I’m gettin’ older, y’all, people gets colder
Most of us only care about money makin’
Selfishness got us followin’ the wrong direction
A few minutes later, Leibovitz has the president sit in a comfortable chair and then directs the First Lady to perch on the arm. At one point, the First Lady puts her hand on top of his and, instinctively, he wraps his fingers around her thumb. “There’s a lot of huggin’ going on,” says Leibovitz, and everyone laughs. “You’re a very different kind of president and First Lady.”
See our animated video of Michelle Obama's best looks.
That they are. Put aside for a moment that they are the first African-Americans to preside in the White House, or that it feels perfectly normal to see the president enjoying a hip-hop song in the Red Room before lunch, or that the First Lady has bucked convention by routinely mixing Thom Browne and Alexander McQueen with J.Crew and Target, or that Malia and Sasha’s grandma lives with them upstairs, or that the whole family texts and takes pictures of one another with their smart phones. What is truly unusual about the Obamas is that, in their own quietly determined way, they have insisted on living their lives on their terms: not as the First Family but as a family, first.
First Lady of Fashion: See Michelle Obama's Best Dressed Moments
“He is a dad,” says the president’s senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, “and a husband, and he enjoys being with his children and his wife. He doesn’t have a father. He’s trying really hard to be a good dad.” Says former senior adviser David Axelrod, “This is conjecture on my part, but I have to believe that because of the rather tumultuous childhood that he had, family is even more important to him. It’s central to who he is. That’s why he’s home every night at 6:30 for dinner.”
Click through our archival slideshow First Ladies in Vogue.
The president and First Lady both seem to be in ebullient moods, and deservedly so. His surprisingly decisive reelection is now history; the tonally precise inauguration is ten days behind them. The First Lady, it must be said, is funny, and it soon becomes clear that she can’t resist an opportunity to tease her husband. The first real question I ask them is about the persistent notion among the Washington press corps that they—unlike, say, the Reagans or the Clintons—are somehow antisocial, that they don’t privately entertain enough at the White House, that they don’t break bread and smoke cigars and play poker with their enemies. When I joke that they might want to “put that idea to rest” once and for all, the president starts to answer, but his wife, whose back has gone up ever so slightly, cuts him off. “I don’t think it’s our job to put an idea to rest. Our job is, first and foremost, to make sure our family is whole. You know, we have small kids; they’re growing every day. But I think we were both pretty straightforward when we said, ‘Our number-one priority is making sure that our family is whole.’ ”
One morning in late January, I am standing at one end of the grand red-carpeted corridor that runs through the center of the White House, when suddenly the First Lady appears at the other. “Heeeee’s comin’,” she says of her husband’s imminent arrival. “He’s coming down the stairs now.” The president is on his way from the residence above, and just a split second before he appears, the First Lady, in a midnight-blue Reed Krakoff sleeveless dress and a black kitten heel, slips into the tiniest bit of a surprisingly good soft-shoe, and then the two of them walk arm in arm into the Red Room to sit for a portrait by Annie Leibovitz. The photographer has her iPod playing the Black Eyed Peas song “Where Is the Love?” It is a mid-tempo hip-hop lament about the problematic state of the world. As the First Lady and an aide laugh together over some inside joke, the president starts nodding his head to the beat: “Who picked the music? I love this song.”
I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder
As I’m gettin’ older, y’all, people gets colder
Most of us only care about money makin’
Selfishness got us followin’ the wrong direction
A few minutes later, Leibovitz has the president sit in a comfortable chair and then directs the First Lady to perch on the arm. At one point, the First Lady puts her hand on top of his and, instinctively, he wraps his fingers around her thumb. “There’s a lot of huggin’ going on,” says Leibovitz, and everyone laughs. “You’re a very different kind of president and First Lady.”
See our animated video of Michelle Obama's best looks.
That they are. Put aside for a moment that they are the first African-Americans to preside in the White House, or that it feels perfectly normal to see the president enjoying a hip-hop song in the Red Room before lunch, or that the First Lady has bucked convention by routinely mixing Thom Browne and Alexander McQueen with J.Crew and Target, or that Malia and Sasha’s grandma lives with them upstairs, or that the whole family texts and takes pictures of one another with their smart phones. What is truly unusual about the Obamas is that, in their own quietly determined way, they have insisted on living their lives on their terms: not as the First Family but as a family, first.
First Lady of Fashion: See Michelle Obama's Best Dressed Moments
“He is a dad,” says the president’s senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, “and a husband, and he enjoys being with his children and his wife. He doesn’t have a father. He’s trying really hard to be a good dad.” Says former senior adviser David Axelrod, “This is conjecture on my part, but I have to believe that because of the rather tumultuous childhood that he had, family is even more important to him. It’s central to who he is. That’s why he’s home every night at 6:30 for dinner.”
Click through our archival slideshow First Ladies in Vogue.
The president and First Lady both seem to be in ebullient moods, and deservedly so. His surprisingly decisive reelection is now history; the tonally precise inauguration is ten days behind them. The First Lady, it must be said, is funny, and it soon becomes clear that she can’t resist an opportunity to tease her husband. The first real question I ask them is about the persistent notion among the Washington press corps that they—unlike, say, the Reagans or the Clintons—are somehow antisocial, that they don’t privately entertain enough at the White House, that they don’t break bread and smoke cigars and play poker with their enemies. When I joke that they might want to “put that idea to rest” once and for all, the president starts to answer, but his wife, whose back has gone up ever so slightly, cuts him off. “I don’t think it’s our job to put an idea to rest. Our job is, first and foremost, to make sure our family is whole. You know, we have small kids; they’re growing every day. But I think we were both pretty straightforward when we said, ‘Our number-one priority is making sure that our family is whole.’ ”
Venus Williams has her sport wardrobe all lined up
NEW YORK (AP) -- You know the whole thing about a woman's prerogative to change her mind?Venus Williams can't do it — at least not when it comes to her tennis wardrobe.
She already knows that come August at the U.S. Open, she'll be wearing a black floral tennis dress, and for tournaments earlier in the summer, it'll be pink python prints. Williams wears almost exclusively her own line called EleVen, which she has helmed since 2007. Both looks are part of the fall collection, which Williams offered a preview of on Monday at a Manhattan photo studio. The spring collection that goes into stores later this month has some tie-dye prints, nautical stripes and a more painterly watercolor floral.
"When we are designing, I am narrowing down which ones I'm wearing. I have got to plan ahead. ... The retailers want to know right away which ones I'll be wearing," she says. This decisiveness works for her and her busy life, she adds. "I have to be effective with my time."
Last week, she was in South America playing in the Brazil Cup. Williams maintains a full schedule oftennis tournaments and appearances, although she did announce that she was diagnosed in 2011 with an autoimmune disease that slows her down.
Eventually, she'd like to take all of her tennis outfits — including the "grandma floral" skirt her mother made her for her first pro match when she was only 13 years old — and join them with the on-court wardrobe of her sister Serena for some sort of museum exhibit.
Williams, 32, says she absorbs trend reports and keeps her eye on the runways for ideas, but some things just don't translate to athletic clothes: the Victorian boudoir trend, for example. "Yeah, that one, with all the lace, didn't work for sport, and I'm not sure about menswear, either."
Designing EleVen has also made her more aware of what's in her closet, including a lot of white, black, green and floral prints. She steers pretty clear of purple and magenta, and it took her a while to warm up to red, orange and turquoise, but, Williams says, her collection can't be only her favorite colors and styles. "I'm loosening up."
She already knows that come August at the U.S. Open, she'll be wearing a black floral tennis dress, and for tournaments earlier in the summer, it'll be pink python prints. Williams wears almost exclusively her own line called EleVen, which she has helmed since 2007. Both looks are part of the fall collection, which Williams offered a preview of on Monday at a Manhattan photo studio. The spring collection that goes into stores later this month has some tie-dye prints, nautical stripes and a more painterly watercolor floral.
"When we are designing, I am narrowing down which ones I'm wearing. I have got to plan ahead. ... The retailers want to know right away which ones I'll be wearing," she says. This decisiveness works for her and her busy life, she adds. "I have to be effective with my time."
Last week, she was in South America playing in the Brazil Cup. Williams maintains a full schedule oftennis tournaments and appearances, although she did announce that she was diagnosed in 2011 with an autoimmune disease that slows her down.
Eventually, she'd like to take all of her tennis outfits — including the "grandma floral" skirt her mother made her for her first pro match when she was only 13 years old — and join them with the on-court wardrobe of her sister Serena for some sort of museum exhibit.
Williams, 32, says she absorbs trend reports and keeps her eye on the runways for ideas, but some things just don't translate to athletic clothes: the Victorian boudoir trend, for example. "Yeah, that one, with all the lace, didn't work for sport, and I'm not sure about menswear, either."
Designing EleVen has also made her more aware of what's in her closet, including a lot of white, black, green and floral prints. She steers pretty clear of purple and magenta, and it took her a while to warm up to red, orange and turquoise, but, Williams says, her collection can't be only her favorite colors and styles. "I'm loosening up."
Kelly Rowland doing what she does...
Rihanna Debuts Polarizing Clothing Collection For River Island... With Some Very Familiar Looks
By Tiffany Lee | As Heard On...
RiRi for River Island? Fashion experts gave a resounding eye roll upon hearing that the oft scantily-clad singer had designed an entire collection for the UK fast fashion brand (for us Americans, think somewhere between Forever 21 and Bebe). But the singer was nonetheless given a full fashion week treatment in London on Saturday with a well-executed runway show geared towards "sassy, young personalities". But it wasn't enough to satisfy fashion critics as the collection was hilariously described as "Fright Night in Kmart", while MTV thought it "hit the nail right on the head".
The singer said of her designs, “It’s a lot of me. I’m being very selfish, I designed every piece so I that can wear it. I think my fans trust my style and I think they’ll have fun.” And she was right: Turns out she already has worn some very similar looks from other designers.
In true fashion week, uh, fashion, the live-streamed show had viewers waiting almost an hour and a half to see the collection, and was meanwhile subjected to a dulling six-time repeat of Rihanna's behind-the-scenes videos. When the show finally started, Rihanna brought her own concert experience to the catwalk, showing on a five-tiered stage with a traditional audience set up and a soundtrack that included Jay-Z, A$AP Rocky, and of course, Rihanna’s own “Phresh Out The Runway”. The collection was quite palatable with 90s-inspired bold primary colors, floral prints, sheer dresses, cholo-buttoned blouses, jersey maxi dresses, crop tops, bra tops, shirts tied around the waist 90s style, scandalous meshes and bodysuits, body necklaces, lots of Angelina leg slits and plenty of visible nip à la Rihanna at the Grammys.
One particular sheer red dress was essentially the high street version of Rihanna's Azzedine Alaia dress that she wore to this year's Grammys. The two dresses were almost identical in color, both sheer, and with similar cross-strap tops. Another ensemble consisting of a tie-dyed cropped shirt and skirt was almost identical to a look by Jeremy Scott that she wore in her "We Found Love" video, complete with hair bandana.
But perhaps the biggest surprise about Rihanna's collection was that it lacked the more blatant raunch that critics and fans were expecting. ELLE's Fashion Director, Anne-Marie Curtis admitted, "OK, I’ll be honest; when I heard Rihanna was doing a collection for River Island, my first reaction was, 'Great, but not for me.' I'm a big fan of her music but my perception of her style was squarely rooted in the raunchy stage wear and street style that are synonymous with her image. How wrong I was."
Overall the collection is very accessible and on-par with what would sell well on London's high streets. Rihanna described the looks as "easy, laid-back, chick, flirty, but not very conservative. I think everyone can wear this line. It's not costume-y, not too sexy, it's just simple."
This isn’t the superstar’s first foray into fashion design. In 2011, Rihanna designed a capsule collection for Emporio Armani Underwear (surprise) and Armani Jeans consisting of a small, underwhelming set of graphic t-shirts featuring the singer’s face, denim simply stitched with RiRi’s “R” logo and a standard leather motorcycle jacket—not exactly groundbreaking.
Our consensus on Rihanna for River Island? If the price is right, or if the American dollar suddenly outweighs the British pound ten-fold, we'll buy it. Plenty of simple, versatile basics that can easily be transformed with accessories, shoe choice and hair style. But we'll be sure to wear a bra.
Rihanna for River Island hits stores on March 5.
[Photos: Rihanna at runway show: Danny Martindale/WireImage; Rihanna at the Grammys: Steve Granitz/WireImage; Model with red dress: Nick Harvey/WireImage]
The singer said of her designs, “It’s a lot of me. I’m being very selfish, I designed every piece so I that can wear it. I think my fans trust my style and I think they’ll have fun.” And she was right: Turns out she already has worn some very similar looks from other designers.
In true fashion week, uh, fashion, the live-streamed show had viewers waiting almost an hour and a half to see the collection, and was meanwhile subjected to a dulling six-time repeat of Rihanna's behind-the-scenes videos. When the show finally started, Rihanna brought her own concert experience to the catwalk, showing on a five-tiered stage with a traditional audience set up and a soundtrack that included Jay-Z, A$AP Rocky, and of course, Rihanna’s own “Phresh Out The Runway”. The collection was quite palatable with 90s-inspired bold primary colors, floral prints, sheer dresses, cholo-buttoned blouses, jersey maxi dresses, crop tops, bra tops, shirts tied around the waist 90s style, scandalous meshes and bodysuits, body necklaces, lots of Angelina leg slits and plenty of visible nip à la Rihanna at the Grammys.
One particular sheer red dress was essentially the high street version of Rihanna's Azzedine Alaia dress that she wore to this year's Grammys. The two dresses were almost identical in color, both sheer, and with similar cross-strap tops. Another ensemble consisting of a tie-dyed cropped shirt and skirt was almost identical to a look by Jeremy Scott that she wore in her "We Found Love" video, complete with hair bandana.
But perhaps the biggest surprise about Rihanna's collection was that it lacked the more blatant raunch that critics and fans were expecting. ELLE's Fashion Director, Anne-Marie Curtis admitted, "OK, I’ll be honest; when I heard Rihanna was doing a collection for River Island, my first reaction was, 'Great, but not for me.' I'm a big fan of her music but my perception of her style was squarely rooted in the raunchy stage wear and street style that are synonymous with her image. How wrong I was."
Overall the collection is very accessible and on-par with what would sell well on London's high streets. Rihanna described the looks as "easy, laid-back, chick, flirty, but not very conservative. I think everyone can wear this line. It's not costume-y, not too sexy, it's just simple."
This isn’t the superstar’s first foray into fashion design. In 2011, Rihanna designed a capsule collection for Emporio Armani Underwear (surprise) and Armani Jeans consisting of a small, underwhelming set of graphic t-shirts featuring the singer’s face, denim simply stitched with RiRi’s “R” logo and a standard leather motorcycle jacket—not exactly groundbreaking.
Our consensus on Rihanna for River Island? If the price is right, or if the American dollar suddenly outweighs the British pound ten-fold, we'll buy it. Plenty of simple, versatile basics that can easily be transformed with accessories, shoe choice and hair style. But we'll be sure to wear a bra.
Rihanna for River Island hits stores on March 5.
[Photos: Rihanna at runway show: Danny Martindale/WireImage; Rihanna at the Grammys: Steve Granitz/WireImage; Model with red dress: Nick Harvey/WireImage]
|
|
J.Crew Retires Michelle and Malia Obama’s Inauguration Outfits
By Rebecca Nelson
The most coveted fashions from the Presidents inauguration were also some of the most affordable. But the J. Crew pieces worn by Michelle and Malia Obama will no longer be available for purchase.
On Today, Jenna Lyons, executive creative director of the retailer, told Matt Lauer that J. Crew plans to retire the First Lady’s sparkly sash-turned-belt and First Daughter Malia’s plum coat.
“The lady day coat that Malia was wearing has been in our line for years, and we’ll continue that, but we’ll retire the color,” Lyons said. “We won’t do the color again, just out of respect for the First Family.”
The same goes for Michelle’s rhinestone belt, which Lyons pointed out is actually a sash. Lyons said J.Crew wants to let the First Lady “have that moment.”
“We won’t rerun that,” she said.
Because Michelle often wears pieces from previous seasons, Lyons explained, customers looking for the items they see her wear find they’re often not available. But the $265 sash worn by Michelle Obama, which had been featured on J.Crew’s website over an ivory gown, was sold out by Monday night.
The First Lady is a well-known fan of the label, and in the past, her appearances in their garments have created media and business buzz. In 2009, her green leather J.Crew gloves caused a sensation, crashing the retailer’s website. When she wore multiple J.Crew pieces in her 2009 Vogue photoshoot, the retailer dissected her “first look” on their website, marketing the cashmere cardigan, satin cami and tweed pencil skirt to customers as what “our first lady” wore.
Malia and Sasha wore colorful J.Crew coats at their dad’s first inauguration. While Malia stayed with the brand this Inauguration, Sasha stepped out in a purple Kate Spade coat. No word on whether her outfit will soon be off the racks too.
On Today, Jenna Lyons, executive creative director of the retailer, told Matt Lauer that J. Crew plans to retire the First Lady’s sparkly sash-turned-belt and First Daughter Malia’s plum coat.
“The lady day coat that Malia was wearing has been in our line for years, and we’ll continue that, but we’ll retire the color,” Lyons said. “We won’t do the color again, just out of respect for the First Family.”
The same goes for Michelle’s rhinestone belt, which Lyons pointed out is actually a sash. Lyons said J.Crew wants to let the First Lady “have that moment.”
“We won’t rerun that,” she said.
Because Michelle often wears pieces from previous seasons, Lyons explained, customers looking for the items they see her wear find they’re often not available. But the $265 sash worn by Michelle Obama, which had been featured on J.Crew’s website over an ivory gown, was sold out by Monday night.
The First Lady is a well-known fan of the label, and in the past, her appearances in their garments have created media and business buzz. In 2009, her green leather J.Crew gloves caused a sensation, crashing the retailer’s website. When she wore multiple J.Crew pieces in her 2009 Vogue photoshoot, the retailer dissected her “first look” on their website, marketing the cashmere cardigan, satin cami and tweed pencil skirt to customers as what “our first lady” wore.
Malia and Sasha wore colorful J.Crew coats at their dad’s first inauguration. While Malia stayed with the brand this Inauguration, Sasha stepped out in a purple Kate Spade coat. No word on whether her outfit will soon be off the racks too.
Diddy Debuts Sean John Spring Collection Via Instagram!
by Porsche Simpson
It’s tough being a media mogul.
Just ask Diddy.
The Sean John clothing designer didn’t even have time to put a fashion show together for New York Fashion Week, but of course that doesn’t mean we won’t receive a viewing of his Spring collection. He’s a mogul for goodness sake!
Which means one thing…he’s smart.
Diddy, Puffy, Puff Daddy, whoever changed the fashion game this season by sharing photos of his men’s Spring collection via Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. So, instead of packing 200 people into one room, 11, 670,054 will witness his fashion show online.
Shall we check out the duds?
Just ask Diddy.
The Sean John clothing designer didn’t even have time to put a fashion show together for New York Fashion Week, but of course that doesn’t mean we won’t receive a viewing of his Spring collection. He’s a mogul for goodness sake!
Which means one thing…he’s smart.
Diddy, Puffy, Puff Daddy, whoever changed the fashion game this season by sharing photos of his men’s Spring collection via Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. So, instead of packing 200 people into one room, 11, 670,054 will witness his fashion show online.
Shall we check out the duds?
|
|
The Sean John men’s Spring collection will feature printed long sleeve cardigans with button up closure that will allow men to “stay fly during the blizzard,” Diddy tweeted. Fans can also be on the lookout for the rappers new spin on the classic polo sweater.
|
|
Sam Fine Talks Fashion Fair
THE MAKEUP GURU TALKS ABOUT HIS WORK WITH THE ICONIC COSMETIC BRAND AND WHY BLACK WOMEN STILL NEED THEIR OWN BEAUTY COUNTER
(Ebony.com) Sam Fine is an artist. His canvas? The faces of some of the world's most gorgeous women: Vanessa Williams, Iman, Tyra Banks, etc. In his 1999 book Fine Beauty , the handsome Chicago native explained how sisters can create red carpet worthy looks in the comfort of their own homes and his follow up video, The Basics of Beauty, addresses common concerns amongst African American women and breaks down the tools and techniques needed to create flawless faces.
The celebrity beauty king is wearing another crown these says: Creative Director of Fashion Fair, the legendary brand created by Johnson Publishing Company founder Eunice Johnson. One of the exciting offerings marking the prestige brand's 40th year is the Sam Fine Fashion Fair Supreme Color Collection, which debuted last month. Here, we caught up with Fine to discuss the new line, his thoughts about working with such a storied company and why Black women still need a a makeup brand to call their own.
EBONY: First of all, congratulations on your signature line! This has got to be an amazing time for you.
Sam Fine: Thank you, thank you. You can’t be a person of color or a makeup artist without being familiar with Fashion Fair. I’m a kid from Chicago, so of course I’d know about the Johnson legacy. I was raised around it. It was the Johnsons, Oprah and Michael Jordan! I mean, come on! I had the pleasure of working with Eunice Johnson for Ebony Fashion Fair ads with a few top models. You don’t realize that you’re in the presence of an icon and a legendary trailblazer until it’s too late.
EBONY: That’s exactly how I feel right now!
SF: Whatever! [Laughs] Working with her was so fun; it is so engrained in my memory. It was such a big event for me. I just felt like it was like a homecoming, and things were coming full circle for me [since working with her in the past]. So you can only imagine how I feel about becoming the Creative Director at Fashion Fair...They could have gone and picked up a beautiful celebrity or a top model, but they came to an authority. That was a huge feather in my cap.
EBONY: What is the difference between being the creative director of a beauty brand and being a spokesperson for a brand?
SF: It is very different. I feel like, in many ways, I was a talking head before. [As a spokesperson] you don’t have a part of the product process. So this is really an opportunity to put my fingerprints down in a way. To be able to have the first co-branded collection that they’ve done, during their 40th year in business is major.
EBONY: What do you feel the Sam Fine Signature Collection is offering to women of color that other brands are not?
SF: I’m a makeup artist. I shop everywhere. I have three sisters and a mom at home--- I know what it’s like shopping for color and high-end pigments and formulas [for Black women.] I always tell my clients, “You have to remember: women of color are ‘color already’.” Everything has to blend in with their already deeply hued backdrop. What’s different about my collection is that it’s highly pigmented. I know we hear “highly pigmented” a lot from many brands. But, I’d like to think that anyone who knows my work, from Iman to Jennifer Hudson, knows that I don’t skim.
EBONY: Yes, we know you don’t skim Sam!
SF: This collection is definitely a reflection of that return to color and really, it’s Fashion Fair’s legacy! I still have eye shadows that I used on Tyra from Fashion Fair when she was 21, when they were going for strong blues and I couldn’t really find a blue eye shadow [for Black women.] This isn’t anything new to Fashion Fair, but I don’t think the industry often thinks about women of color. It’s 2013, and we’re still an afterthought. They don’t base their formulations on thinking, “Is this brown going to show up against Iman’s skin?” I’m taking that mindset to the lab when I create products. I’m filling in some of the gaps that I needed as a makeup artist.
EBONY: How do you feel the brand's longtime customers will react to your new line?
SF: You know, I still want to court her. She is my mom, and she is my sister. Of course, my mom’s sitting there saying, “I’m not going to wear purple eye shadow, Sam." I get that. But I don’t think I did anything that would offend or distance myself from [FFC's] existing consumer. There are clearly beautiful reds, like the Dynasty Red (lipstick), and beautiful berries.
EBONY: Where do you think Black women are in regards to our confidence with our beauty?
SF: I think that they’ve become more confident. When you look at Rihanna and Nicki Minaj; I mean these girls are wearing color in a way that I haven’t seen color shown before. When I came up working with Brandy and Tyra and Naomi Campbell, nude was all the rage. I don’t think that nude will ever leave us because it’s such a subtle statement, but when you have Rihanna and Nicki Minaj and other celebrities wearing strong colors, I think that does give us permission, in a way, to wear it. There’re also more cosmetic lines that are showing our faces. So I think that helps us to dream a little more, to find a different vision for ourselves. We’re able to see ourselves in a myriad of who we are.EBONY: I believe that makeup also allows you to become the person you want to be that day. I can feel punk rock; I can feel glamorous. You once said, “Makeup is a personality, and everybody’s personality is going to be a bit different.” How do you feel your signature line is speaking to the various personalities of Black women?
SF: We’ve got eight lipsticks and two quads. This is a small collection to begin with, so instantly I had to think about the dark lipsticks, the brown lipsticks, the nudes, the reds, the colors, and the vibrants. I had to think about matte shadows, shimmer shadows, iridescent shadows. I had to put all of that into one thing. It’s not actually average to see a quad with three different formulas inside. It speaks to versatility. Even the brown lipstick, the Cognac [shade], has flecks of gold in it that none of the other lipsticks possess. Each woman who would want to wear the red would want to wear it without any shimmer. But the brown, to me, is so flat; I wouldn’t want a woman to wear it that way. So I infused it with golden flecks. So there are a lot of little personal tweaks in here that speak to individuality. Which color do you wear, Melanie?
EBONY: I wear the Moroccan Spice and Pink Parfait.
SF: Oh nice! Moroccan Spice and Pink Parfait, to me, are indicative of the newness of the collection. It’s not that Fashion Fair doesn’t have vibrant colors, but every era has kind of “it” colors. I feel like those are two of the strongest trend colors in the collection, so it’s interesting that you gravitate towards the two of those: Moroccan Spice, the vibrant orange and then the Pink Parfait.
EBONY: It’s funny because I grew up watching my mother wear bright orange lipstick. She never really wore makeup, but she did not leave the house without her bright orange lipstick. So I think I kind of inherited that from her.
SF: We also have to remember that our mothers didn’t have foundation offerings and powder offerings in the way that we have them today. When we looked at our moms, it was always about a brow, or it was about a lip. They were participating in the best way that they could. That’s why Fashion Fair was really a beacon of hope for them, because they could go to a line that would embrace their beauty.
EBONY: It’s crazy to think that recent generations have been spoiled a bit when it comes to makeup.
SF: That’s part of our cosmetic history, we were raised getting perms in the kitchen; we know what burnt hair smells like. But with makeup, I don’t think our moms and grandmothers could pass that information down because they didn’t really feel armed with that kind of information.
EBONY: Where do you hope Fashion Fair will move forward to from this moment of re-invigoration?
SF: You know, it’s a legacy brand, so you look at where they’ve come from and where they have to go. Clarissa [Wilson], our president, often says that this is a brand that’s been asleep for a minute. The beauty of re-invigorating a brand this way is that everything’s new. Fashion Fair has more opportunity today to show you this and it leaves so much opportunity for bronzers, and color packages and technology that weren’t available before. So I look at Fashion Fair continuing its growth and stepping into its newness...It’s a wonderful opportunity for me. It’s a wonderful opportunity for the consumer who enjoys newness and feels that they are being spoken to with the colors that they can wear. It’s crazy because when you’re rushing hard to meet a deadline or working to create a new collection in no time, it’s easy to forget that you’re a part of a very special moment. And I’m just so grateful for that every day.
The celebrity beauty king is wearing another crown these says: Creative Director of Fashion Fair, the legendary brand created by Johnson Publishing Company founder Eunice Johnson. One of the exciting offerings marking the prestige brand's 40th year is the Sam Fine Fashion Fair Supreme Color Collection, which debuted last month. Here, we caught up with Fine to discuss the new line, his thoughts about working with such a storied company and why Black women still need a a makeup brand to call their own.
EBONY: First of all, congratulations on your signature line! This has got to be an amazing time for you.
Sam Fine: Thank you, thank you. You can’t be a person of color or a makeup artist without being familiar with Fashion Fair. I’m a kid from Chicago, so of course I’d know about the Johnson legacy. I was raised around it. It was the Johnsons, Oprah and Michael Jordan! I mean, come on! I had the pleasure of working with Eunice Johnson for Ebony Fashion Fair ads with a few top models. You don’t realize that you’re in the presence of an icon and a legendary trailblazer until it’s too late.
EBONY: That’s exactly how I feel right now!
SF: Whatever! [Laughs] Working with her was so fun; it is so engrained in my memory. It was such a big event for me. I just felt like it was like a homecoming, and things were coming full circle for me [since working with her in the past]. So you can only imagine how I feel about becoming the Creative Director at Fashion Fair...They could have gone and picked up a beautiful celebrity or a top model, but they came to an authority. That was a huge feather in my cap.
EBONY: What is the difference between being the creative director of a beauty brand and being a spokesperson for a brand?
SF: It is very different. I feel like, in many ways, I was a talking head before. [As a spokesperson] you don’t have a part of the product process. So this is really an opportunity to put my fingerprints down in a way. To be able to have the first co-branded collection that they’ve done, during their 40th year in business is major.
EBONY: What do you feel the Sam Fine Signature Collection is offering to women of color that other brands are not?
SF: I’m a makeup artist. I shop everywhere. I have three sisters and a mom at home--- I know what it’s like shopping for color and high-end pigments and formulas [for Black women.] I always tell my clients, “You have to remember: women of color are ‘color already’.” Everything has to blend in with their already deeply hued backdrop. What’s different about my collection is that it’s highly pigmented. I know we hear “highly pigmented” a lot from many brands. But, I’d like to think that anyone who knows my work, from Iman to Jennifer Hudson, knows that I don’t skim.
EBONY: Yes, we know you don’t skim Sam!
SF: This collection is definitely a reflection of that return to color and really, it’s Fashion Fair’s legacy! I still have eye shadows that I used on Tyra from Fashion Fair when she was 21, when they were going for strong blues and I couldn’t really find a blue eye shadow [for Black women.] This isn’t anything new to Fashion Fair, but I don’t think the industry often thinks about women of color. It’s 2013, and we’re still an afterthought. They don’t base their formulations on thinking, “Is this brown going to show up against Iman’s skin?” I’m taking that mindset to the lab when I create products. I’m filling in some of the gaps that I needed as a makeup artist.
EBONY: How do you feel the brand's longtime customers will react to your new line?
SF: You know, I still want to court her. She is my mom, and she is my sister. Of course, my mom’s sitting there saying, “I’m not going to wear purple eye shadow, Sam." I get that. But I don’t think I did anything that would offend or distance myself from [FFC's] existing consumer. There are clearly beautiful reds, like the Dynasty Red (lipstick), and beautiful berries.
EBONY: Where do you think Black women are in regards to our confidence with our beauty?
SF: I think that they’ve become more confident. When you look at Rihanna and Nicki Minaj; I mean these girls are wearing color in a way that I haven’t seen color shown before. When I came up working with Brandy and Tyra and Naomi Campbell, nude was all the rage. I don’t think that nude will ever leave us because it’s such a subtle statement, but when you have Rihanna and Nicki Minaj and other celebrities wearing strong colors, I think that does give us permission, in a way, to wear it. There’re also more cosmetic lines that are showing our faces. So I think that helps us to dream a little more, to find a different vision for ourselves. We’re able to see ourselves in a myriad of who we are.EBONY: I believe that makeup also allows you to become the person you want to be that day. I can feel punk rock; I can feel glamorous. You once said, “Makeup is a personality, and everybody’s personality is going to be a bit different.” How do you feel your signature line is speaking to the various personalities of Black women?
SF: We’ve got eight lipsticks and two quads. This is a small collection to begin with, so instantly I had to think about the dark lipsticks, the brown lipsticks, the nudes, the reds, the colors, and the vibrants. I had to think about matte shadows, shimmer shadows, iridescent shadows. I had to put all of that into one thing. It’s not actually average to see a quad with three different formulas inside. It speaks to versatility. Even the brown lipstick, the Cognac [shade], has flecks of gold in it that none of the other lipsticks possess. Each woman who would want to wear the red would want to wear it without any shimmer. But the brown, to me, is so flat; I wouldn’t want a woman to wear it that way. So I infused it with golden flecks. So there are a lot of little personal tweaks in here that speak to individuality. Which color do you wear, Melanie?
EBONY: I wear the Moroccan Spice and Pink Parfait.
SF: Oh nice! Moroccan Spice and Pink Parfait, to me, are indicative of the newness of the collection. It’s not that Fashion Fair doesn’t have vibrant colors, but every era has kind of “it” colors. I feel like those are two of the strongest trend colors in the collection, so it’s interesting that you gravitate towards the two of those: Moroccan Spice, the vibrant orange and then the Pink Parfait.
EBONY: It’s funny because I grew up watching my mother wear bright orange lipstick. She never really wore makeup, but she did not leave the house without her bright orange lipstick. So I think I kind of inherited that from her.
SF: We also have to remember that our mothers didn’t have foundation offerings and powder offerings in the way that we have them today. When we looked at our moms, it was always about a brow, or it was about a lip. They were participating in the best way that they could. That’s why Fashion Fair was really a beacon of hope for them, because they could go to a line that would embrace their beauty.
EBONY: It’s crazy to think that recent generations have been spoiled a bit when it comes to makeup.
SF: That’s part of our cosmetic history, we were raised getting perms in the kitchen; we know what burnt hair smells like. But with makeup, I don’t think our moms and grandmothers could pass that information down because they didn’t really feel armed with that kind of information.
EBONY: Where do you hope Fashion Fair will move forward to from this moment of re-invigoration?
SF: You know, it’s a legacy brand, so you look at where they’ve come from and where they have to go. Clarissa [Wilson], our president, often says that this is a brand that’s been asleep for a minute. The beauty of re-invigorating a brand this way is that everything’s new. Fashion Fair has more opportunity today to show you this and it leaves so much opportunity for bronzers, and color packages and technology that weren’t available before. So I look at Fashion Fair continuing its growth and stepping into its newness...It’s a wonderful opportunity for me. It’s a wonderful opportunity for the consumer who enjoys newness and feels that they are being spoken to with the colors that they can wear. It’s crazy because when you’re rushing hard to meet a deadline or working to create a new collection in no time, it’s easy to forget that you’re a part of a very special moment. And I’m just so grateful for that every day.
Michelle Obama covering 'Vogue'
By GABRIELLE LEVY, UPI.com
Famed photographer Annie Leibovitz, crew in tow, were spotted at the White House Thursday, prompting speculation that the first lady would be making her second appearance on the cover of Vogue magazine.
According to Washingtonian Magazine, photos of fashionista-in-chief Michelle Obama would likely appear in the March issue. White House reporters saw Leibovitz and company heading toward the Residence, where the shoot is expected to take place.
There's even some speculation that the spread could include a surprise visit from the president: Obama's schedule for Thursday had no public events, nor had he been spotted around the West Wing.
The Obamas are reportedly close with Vogue editor Anna Wintour, who was born in Britain but is now a U.S. citizen, and was one of the 2012 campaign's highest profile fundraisers for the president's reelection effort.
CBS News reporter Mark Knoller tweeted that a Vogue crew was spotted on the White House grounds Thursday, and that a rep from the magazine was on the press plane during the president's travels to Las Vegas earlier this week.
As for the magazine itself, they kept mum: director of communications Megan Salt would say only that "we never comment on rumors about future editorial."
The first lady previously appeared on the magazine's cover--also photographed by Leibovitz--in March 2009, shortly after Obama took office. She was, notably, wearing a Jason Wu dress, then just weeks after kickstarting the young designer's career with her choice to wear his gown at that year's inaugural ball.
Famed photographer Annie Leibovitz, crew in tow, were spotted at the White House Thursday, prompting speculation that the first lady would be making her second appearance on the cover of Vogue magazine.
According to Washingtonian Magazine, photos of fashionista-in-chief Michelle Obama would likely appear in the March issue. White House reporters saw Leibovitz and company heading toward the Residence, where the shoot is expected to take place.
There's even some speculation that the spread could include a surprise visit from the president: Obama's schedule for Thursday had no public events, nor had he been spotted around the West Wing.
The Obamas are reportedly close with Vogue editor Anna Wintour, who was born in Britain but is now a U.S. citizen, and was one of the 2012 campaign's highest profile fundraisers for the president's reelection effort.
CBS News reporter Mark Knoller tweeted that a Vogue crew was spotted on the White House grounds Thursday, and that a rep from the magazine was on the press plane during the president's travels to Las Vegas earlier this week.
As for the magazine itself, they kept mum: director of communications Megan Salt would say only that "we never comment on rumors about future editorial."
The first lady previously appeared on the magazine's cover--also photographed by Leibovitz--in March 2009, shortly after Obama took office. She was, notably, wearing a Jason Wu dress, then just weeks after kickstarting the young designer's career with her choice to wear his gown at that year's inaugural ball.
Youthful Approaches To Styling Your Hair
By Tara Fass Therapist and Mediator
My hairdresser Erika Schmidt has been getting to know and dare I say perfect my idiosyncratic and defiant curls for the last 20 years. In fact, the photo you see of me here was taken the day after she did my hair. For years my curls were my enemy, but no more. I can now say without embarrassment that I love my curls, or more accurately, I have learned to love them.
For the last decade or so our conversations tend to what I should and shouldn't be doing with my hair after the age of 50. While the dictum, "You get what you pay for," holds true here are a few tips a pro like Erika is suggesting to keep your hair do in play. What follows is her top four suggestions to, "soften and/or erase aging features:"
1. Don't get those bangs that little girls have. She's talking about the ones that cover and go across your whole forehead. The ones that don't blend or fit in with the rest of your hair in any way. Bangs like that are cute on children, she says. They are not pretty, sexy or attractive on an adult.
Erika's advice is to allow her to frame my face with a few curls. She cuts in a way with lots of layers to bring a few strands forward, up and back in a controlled messiness that includes some pieces that frame my face.
2. Don't go too shoe-polish dark with hair color that hardens you and creates a clownish look. Throwing a few highlights on top of my base color a couple of times a year is what I do along with discretely placed low-lights at my temples and roots. That is all I'll say, as color is a highly complicated process and an intensely personal choice. Chances are an experienced colorist will have some better ideas than your own.
3. Don't let your grey roots get too long. Roots are something that look better on younger women, maybe. The whole reason for coloring your hair is to not to let your roots show. When I can't get to Erika on time, she has introduced me to several different root cover sticks on the market. Have one handy, so that until there's time to have your roots done, your grey will be covered.
4. Cutting your hair short and like a man only brings your aging to the forefront. And we don't need any help in this direction. A better solution is to have a conversation with your hair stylist expressing your interest in a more maintenance free hair style. Short is not necessarily the answer. My 'go to' hair products are aloe straight from the garden and high quality coconut oil straight from the jar, as curls notoriously need a good deal of moisturizing and coaxing into place.
The truth is I value how my hair looks more than following clothing trends, which has become less of a priority over time, though I am getting ready to rethink that any day now. I value my hair presentation on par with my waistline, teeth and eyeglasses. Staying current with the upkeep of those things I'm good to go, in any company, and feel uber-confident even among my favorite and most stylish clothes-horse friends.
For me, looking respectable, but definitely not invisible, gives me an extra boost in mood and attitude that comes with a positive self-image that I look for every day. Though the people who know me well say my hair always looks the same - even when I think I'm having a bad hair day - knowing my hair is attended to adds to my day. Everything goes better if my hair is put together.
For the last decade or so our conversations tend to what I should and shouldn't be doing with my hair after the age of 50. While the dictum, "You get what you pay for," holds true here are a few tips a pro like Erika is suggesting to keep your hair do in play. What follows is her top four suggestions to, "soften and/or erase aging features:"
1. Don't get those bangs that little girls have. She's talking about the ones that cover and go across your whole forehead. The ones that don't blend or fit in with the rest of your hair in any way. Bangs like that are cute on children, she says. They are not pretty, sexy or attractive on an adult.
Erika's advice is to allow her to frame my face with a few curls. She cuts in a way with lots of layers to bring a few strands forward, up and back in a controlled messiness that includes some pieces that frame my face.
2. Don't go too shoe-polish dark with hair color that hardens you and creates a clownish look. Throwing a few highlights on top of my base color a couple of times a year is what I do along with discretely placed low-lights at my temples and roots. That is all I'll say, as color is a highly complicated process and an intensely personal choice. Chances are an experienced colorist will have some better ideas than your own.
3. Don't let your grey roots get too long. Roots are something that look better on younger women, maybe. The whole reason for coloring your hair is to not to let your roots show. When I can't get to Erika on time, she has introduced me to several different root cover sticks on the market. Have one handy, so that until there's time to have your roots done, your grey will be covered.
4. Cutting your hair short and like a man only brings your aging to the forefront. And we don't need any help in this direction. A better solution is to have a conversation with your hair stylist expressing your interest in a more maintenance free hair style. Short is not necessarily the answer. My 'go to' hair products are aloe straight from the garden and high quality coconut oil straight from the jar, as curls notoriously need a good deal of moisturizing and coaxing into place.
The truth is I value how my hair looks more than following clothing trends, which has become less of a priority over time, though I am getting ready to rethink that any day now. I value my hair presentation on par with my waistline, teeth and eyeglasses. Staying current with the upkeep of those things I'm good to go, in any company, and feel uber-confident even among my favorite and most stylish clothes-horse friends.
For me, looking respectable, but definitely not invisible, gives me an extra boost in mood and attitude that comes with a positive self-image that I look for every day. Though the people who know me well say my hair always looks the same - even when I think I'm having a bad hair day - knowing my hair is attended to adds to my day. Everything goes better if my hair is put together.
Solange Takes to Twitter to Rant Against the “Natural Hair Police”
by Black Girl With Long Hair
“Just taking a moment to rant against natural hair police” ~Solange Knowles
Solange had a lot on her mind last night as she took to Twitter to speak against naturals who have questioned the authenticity of her big chop and criticized her for rocking “undefined” looks all the time. Check it out;
I cut my hair ALL off 4 times in my life all for very different reasons….I only reiterate this because this is nothing new for me.
I’ve never painted myself as a team natural vice president. I don’t know the lingo and I don’t sleep with a satin cap…
However, I did noticed when I picked out my hair, I kept seeing feedback about needing a “twist out”. Connnnfesssioonnn: I HATE twist outs.
I dont want to talk about no damn hair…..no mo.
So what got Solange all fired up? A post on natural hair Tumblr blog Moderne Meid, which was itself summarizing a post from a DIFFERENT natural hair website that attracted some very uncomplimentary comments about Solange’s hair, including that it is not unique, and looks dry and unkempt (aka, not always in a twist out).
I think it’s very unfortunate that Solange is getting flack for DARING to rock her hair with the curls undefined. There are still quite a few women who feel that the only “acceptable” way to wear natural hair is to painstakingly define every ringlet, curl and coil — stretched styles and undefined fros be damned. I love that Solange prefers an undefined look. It fits well with her overall look and attitude, and frankly it’s quite beautiful.
Solange had a lot on her mind last night as she took to Twitter to speak against naturals who have questioned the authenticity of her big chop and criticized her for rocking “undefined” looks all the time. Check it out;
I cut my hair ALL off 4 times in my life all for very different reasons….I only reiterate this because this is nothing new for me.
I’ve never painted myself as a team natural vice president. I don’t know the lingo and I don’t sleep with a satin cap…
However, I did noticed when I picked out my hair, I kept seeing feedback about needing a “twist out”. Connnnfesssioonnn: I HATE twist outs.
I dont want to talk about no damn hair…..no mo.
So what got Solange all fired up? A post on natural hair Tumblr blog Moderne Meid, which was itself summarizing a post from a DIFFERENT natural hair website that attracted some very uncomplimentary comments about Solange’s hair, including that it is not unique, and looks dry and unkempt (aka, not always in a twist out).
I think it’s very unfortunate that Solange is getting flack for DARING to rock her hair with the curls undefined. There are still quite a few women who feel that the only “acceptable” way to wear natural hair is to painstakingly define every ringlet, curl and coil — stretched styles and undefined fros be damned. I love that Solange prefers an undefined look. It fits well with her overall look and attitude, and frankly it’s quite beautiful.
Gucci Gets Animated For 2013 Cruise Collection With Manga Artist Hirohiko Araki
by Jason Brooks for Global Grind Staff
The worlds of fashion and art have forever been closely intertwined.
Brands from Louis Vuitton to Stussy have worked with a wide range of artists to help with their promotions or even assist with the designing of a capsule collection for the brand.
And although high fashion may not go the "artist collaboration" route as often as streetwear does, Gucci could be the first high fashion company to collaborate for the New Year.
Japanese manga artist Hirohiko Araki has incorporated his character Jolyne Cujoh into a campaign for Gucci aptly titled "Jolyne, Fly High with Gucci."
Jolyne, the star of Hirohiko's renowned series Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, has a constantly changing appearance, and is featured here inheriting a mysterious treasure from her mother’s Gucci collection, setting off a fantastic fashion journey through a world of neon-tinted Italian renaissance architecture and unicorns printed in Gucci's "Flora" patterns.
VIDEO: Blake Lively Is A Golden Beauty In Gucci Fragrance Film!
If you would like to see how the entire story plays out, head down to your local Gucci boutique and view their cruise collection displays, watch the accompanying videos, and read the complete manga on the pages of Gucci’s Facebook or Japan’s Spur magazine.
Brands from Louis Vuitton to Stussy have worked with a wide range of artists to help with their promotions or even assist with the designing of a capsule collection for the brand.
And although high fashion may not go the "artist collaboration" route as often as streetwear does, Gucci could be the first high fashion company to collaborate for the New Year.
Japanese manga artist Hirohiko Araki has incorporated his character Jolyne Cujoh into a campaign for Gucci aptly titled "Jolyne, Fly High with Gucci."
Jolyne, the star of Hirohiko's renowned series Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, has a constantly changing appearance, and is featured here inheriting a mysterious treasure from her mother’s Gucci collection, setting off a fantastic fashion journey through a world of neon-tinted Italian renaissance architecture and unicorns printed in Gucci's "Flora" patterns.
VIDEO: Blake Lively Is A Golden Beauty In Gucci Fragrance Film!
If you would like to see how the entire story plays out, head down to your local Gucci boutique and view their cruise collection displays, watch the accompanying videos, and read the complete manga on the pages of Gucci’s Facebook or Japan’s Spur magazine.
African-American women shouldn't have to defend hairstyles
Les Lester is a freelance journalist and author of the novel "The Awakening of Khufu."
Several years ago when I reported a story about an African-American woman who was getting flak about her hairstyle from her employer, I felt the issue of black hair represented the last frontier of African-Americans settling into the corporate lifestyle. But the recent firing of Rhonda Lee, a meteorologist for KTBS TV in Shreveport, La., for defending her hair on the station's Facebook page, proved my assessment was premature.
This on the heels of the Gabby Douglas Olympics onslaught, which saw the teen gymnast curtsy to public scrutiny and emerge with the standard European long-hair look.
Rhonda Lee, who sports a short, natural style, seems to have concluded that enough is enough. She says she was previously denied an interview with a station in California because the news director had advised her that her hairstyle looked "too aggressive." She says another station asked her to change her hair to make it more appealing to a mass audience.
KTBS, however, says it didn't fire Lee because of her hair. It maintains the reason was that she violated station policy that outlines how employees should respond to posts on its Facebook page, which is through a third party at the station. Lee contends there is no written policy and says she was not at a meeting where social media practices were discussed. The station says this was not the first time Lee had crossed the line and notes that KTBS also fired a veteran male news reporter who had responded to a post concerning sexual orientation.
The viewer who posted on Facebook, a white male, wrote that though "she is a nice lady" she needed to "wear a wig or grow some more hair." He went on to suggest that she looked like a "cancer patient."
Lee responded: "I'm sorry you don't like my ethnic hair." She wrote that she didn't have cancer. She said that "traditionally our [African-American] hair doesn't grow downward. It grows upward." She pointed out that while many black women use straightening agents, she didn't feel she needed to.
In a television interview with Soledad O'Brien, she said that racially sensitive issues need to be addressed by all of us. She explained that after the viewer's post had remained on the page for six days, she felt she needed to respond.
And I agree with her. African-American women should be able to wear their hair in keeping with its natural requirements. And given the history of the issue in this country, it needed to be addressed.
I'd love to see black women go back to more natural styles, like the Afro and braids. Straightening via hot combs and chemicals often damages hair, and the new trend toward weaving can get expensive.
From a historical perspective, black women and men in Nile Valley civilizations, like ancient Egypt, would simply cut their hair bald and wear braided wigs for special occasions. It's pretty hot in Africa, so long hair is not naturally functional for black people.
Rhonda Lee is the type of journalist we should applaud. Some issues are too important to simply sweep under the rug.
Several years ago when I reported a story about an African-American woman who was getting flak about her hairstyle from her employer, I felt the issue of black hair represented the last frontier of African-Americans settling into the corporate lifestyle. But the recent firing of Rhonda Lee, a meteorologist for KTBS TV in Shreveport, La., for defending her hair on the station's Facebook page, proved my assessment was premature.
This on the heels of the Gabby Douglas Olympics onslaught, which saw the teen gymnast curtsy to public scrutiny and emerge with the standard European long-hair look.
Rhonda Lee, who sports a short, natural style, seems to have concluded that enough is enough. She says she was previously denied an interview with a station in California because the news director had advised her that her hairstyle looked "too aggressive." She says another station asked her to change her hair to make it more appealing to a mass audience.
KTBS, however, says it didn't fire Lee because of her hair. It maintains the reason was that she violated station policy that outlines how employees should respond to posts on its Facebook page, which is through a third party at the station. Lee contends there is no written policy and says she was not at a meeting where social media practices were discussed. The station says this was not the first time Lee had crossed the line and notes that KTBS also fired a veteran male news reporter who had responded to a post concerning sexual orientation.
The viewer who posted on Facebook, a white male, wrote that though "she is a nice lady" she needed to "wear a wig or grow some more hair." He went on to suggest that she looked like a "cancer patient."
Lee responded: "I'm sorry you don't like my ethnic hair." She wrote that she didn't have cancer. She said that "traditionally our [African-American] hair doesn't grow downward. It grows upward." She pointed out that while many black women use straightening agents, she didn't feel she needed to.
In a television interview with Soledad O'Brien, she said that racially sensitive issues need to be addressed by all of us. She explained that after the viewer's post had remained on the page for six days, she felt she needed to respond.
And I agree with her. African-American women should be able to wear their hair in keeping with its natural requirements. And given the history of the issue in this country, it needed to be addressed.
I'd love to see black women go back to more natural styles, like the Afro and braids. Straightening via hot combs and chemicals often damages hair, and the new trend toward weaving can get expensive.
From a historical perspective, black women and men in Nile Valley civilizations, like ancient Egypt, would simply cut their hair bald and wear braided wigs for special occasions. It's pretty hot in Africa, so long hair is not naturally functional for black people.
Rhonda Lee is the type of journalist we should applaud. Some issues are too important to simply sweep under the rug.
Kim Kardashian: 'Kanye West has great taste in fashion'
Posted by Adam
KIM Kardashian loves her boyfriend’s style.
The reality TV star — who’s datingKanye West — says the rapper has influenced her wardrobe.
“I love his taste and I learned a lot just by the different stylists he introduced me to,” she said.
“But the hard part is when they leave and I’m stuck by myself because I sometimes find it hard to put clothes together.”
Recent reports claimed Kim is ruining Kanye’s career.
According to the New York Daily News, Kanye’s brand has been negatively affected by his relationship with the high-profile reality star — and he’s not happy about it.
Kanye has appeared on several episodes of Keeping Up with the Kardashians since he first hooked up with Kim and has joined her on several of her paid promotional appearances.
“His personal life is overpowering his music,” a source said.
“Every time he plays, people are wondering if Kim is going to be there. It’s not a good thing for him, especially if he wants to be taken seriously.
“He made it clear to her he doesn’t want to be on her show, but Kim gets upset so he caves in.
“He has been meeting with top-level music executives seeking advice. He’s not happy with the direction things have been going.”
The reality TV star — who’s datingKanye West — says the rapper has influenced her wardrobe.
“I love his taste and I learned a lot just by the different stylists he introduced me to,” she said.
“But the hard part is when they leave and I’m stuck by myself because I sometimes find it hard to put clothes together.”
Recent reports claimed Kim is ruining Kanye’s career.
According to the New York Daily News, Kanye’s brand has been negatively affected by his relationship with the high-profile reality star — and he’s not happy about it.
Kanye has appeared on several episodes of Keeping Up with the Kardashians since he first hooked up with Kim and has joined her on several of her paid promotional appearances.
“His personal life is overpowering his music,” a source said.
“Every time he plays, people are wondering if Kim is going to be there. It’s not a good thing for him, especially if he wants to be taken seriously.
“He made it clear to her he doesn’t want to be on her show, but Kim gets upset so he caves in.
“He has been meeting with top-level music executives seeking advice. He’s not happy with the direction things have been going.”
Overnight, Michelle Obama made black designer Laura Smalls a name to know
by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond
It was Thursday, September 6, 2012 when Laura Smalls received a voicemail from her mother that would ultimately have fashionistas and fashion bloggers alike frenziedly Googling her name.
“I think Michelle Obama has your dress on!” her mother reportedly gushed, having spotted the FLOTUS in a full-skirted, printed aubergine dress with a bateau neckline as she watched the closing night of the Democratic National Convention.
Smalls, who wasn’t home at the time, contacted her husband. “Take a picture of the TV!” Fashionista.comreports she told him. “My head was spinning.” Suddenly, Smalls had been catapulted into the mainstream on a very big stage.
The private designer expressed to theGrio via email of the heady moment, “I am highly honored and truly blessed that our first lady has chosen to wear my designs,” but wouldn’t say more about the process that led to her creating the custom piece for Mrs. Obama, citing “the utmost respect that I have for the Obama administration.”
In spite of the overnight spike in her brand due to national attention, Smalls is not new to the fashion industry.
In 1976 she graduated from the Parsons School of Design, promptly sold a small spring collection to Bloomingdale’s and Henri Bendel — and then nothing. In the season that followed, Bloomingdale’s opted not to buy her subsequent collection, and a new buyer had replaced her contact at Bendel’s. “I couldn’t even get an appointment,” Smalls told the Huffington Post.
Sobered by the experience, Smalls turned her attention to being a wife, raising her three children, and working as a staff designer. She spent the bulk of her career designing outerwear at Amerex Group, which owns the Jessica Simpson, Jones New York, and Nicole Miller lines, among others. Ultimately, Smalls rose from assistant designer to design director. “[Amerex] had become like family,” she said.
Ironically, it was the historic year that President Obama was elected the first African-American president of the United States that Smalls again took up her sketchpad for herself. With her children grown, Smalls began designing one-off pieces.
She was wearing one of her own designs at a gala event that Vogue’s editor-at-large André Leon Talley also attended. Talley’s interest was piqued to say the least. After showing him a few sketches, the influential fashion personality suggested that Smalls show at New York Fashion Week.
Talley does not get enough credit for the role he has played in bringing sunlight to young and unknown designers. His push has also brought attention to emerging designer Mimi Plange who has also dressed the first lady, collaborates with Manolo Blahnik, and recently was named “Designer of the Year International” during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in South Africa.
Of Talley, Smalls told theGrio, “[He is] a very discerning and a tough critic. He has an incredible eye and memory and will give his honest opinion if something needs to be corrected, or suggest how to make it better. Mr. Talley is one of the most brilliant and iconic people in the fashion industry today.” She added, “I would not have had the courage to pursue this dream of my own collection, if it had not been for his encouragement to try.”
The collection of thirty cocktail and evening dresses she created for New York Fashion Week, presented with piano accompaniment by none other than Valerie Simpson of Ashford & Simpson fame, was well received. As she slowly built a following of high-placed fans, Smalls transitioned from solely designing outerwear for Amerex to going into business for herself.
“I still have a relationship with them,” Smalls explains, grateful for Amerex’s support, as well as her husband’s, when she decided to venture into executing her own line. Managing a new start-up has had its challenges. “The process has been both exhilarating and daunting,” Smalls admitted, “with so many issues as a businesswoman to take into account from finance, to shipping, manufacturing production, managing people to work with you, etc. It has not been easy, as for many small design firms starting out.”
For this reason, Smalls is less concerned about what celebrities are wearing than she is about growing her core customer base — though she does list some celebs whose personal style resonates with her own. “Zoe Saldana, Marion Cotillard, Halle Berry, Kerry Washington, [and] Angelina Jolie,” are a few names she shared of women who would likely be at home in her designs. Smalls added about her target customer that, “she has a level of self-confidence and, I believe, a shared aesthetic either [with] a color I chose, a fabrication, print, or a silhouette that I am presenting.”
Smalls’ aesthetic is classic with a retro sensibility, extraordinary details, and whimsical flourishes. Inspired by a mix of design legends and more recent fashion icons, she counts Dior, Vionnet, Balenciaga, Matsuda, and Azzedine Alaïa among her biggest influences. “When I see someone’s work I admire, I truly study and absorb the execution of it. I loved Romeo Gigli’s work years back, how he mixed color and pattern and textures. His silhouettes on top of that were always a bit odd, but sooooooo gorgeous!”
Her diverse tastes resound with a diversity of women. “Fortunately, I have attracted a customer base with a broad age range and demographic, which I love. Case in point: Kourtney Kardashian,” she told theGrio, referring to the September 2011 issue of InStyle in which the reality star was photographed wearing a Smalls design she had purchased.
Smalls has experienced the high of selling her first collection as an ingénue designer, the disappointment of temporarily abandoning her personal design dreams for the security of a 9 to 5, and the elevation of having none other than the first lady wear her designs. Yet, for her it always comes back to the customer. Looking back on the many years she spent juggling responsibilities as a wife, mother, and designer, Smalls believes it gave her “an element of practicality.”
As she begins to conceive her Fall 2013 collection, Smalls has no hints to share just yet. “I am just starting the process… so I think it will be a surprise to me as well.” What will she say? “I am feeling a bit more tailored and elegant direction this time!”
Whatever the direction, Smalls reverts to her core design philosophy. “Even though designing starts with a dream… it has to work for [a] woman.”
We couldn’t agree more.
Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond is the author of the novel Powder Necklace. Follow her on twitter @nanaekua.
“I think Michelle Obama has your dress on!” her mother reportedly gushed, having spotted the FLOTUS in a full-skirted, printed aubergine dress with a bateau neckline as she watched the closing night of the Democratic National Convention.
Smalls, who wasn’t home at the time, contacted her husband. “Take a picture of the TV!” Fashionista.comreports she told him. “My head was spinning.” Suddenly, Smalls had been catapulted into the mainstream on a very big stage.
The private designer expressed to theGrio via email of the heady moment, “I am highly honored and truly blessed that our first lady has chosen to wear my designs,” but wouldn’t say more about the process that led to her creating the custom piece for Mrs. Obama, citing “the utmost respect that I have for the Obama administration.”
In spite of the overnight spike in her brand due to national attention, Smalls is not new to the fashion industry.
In 1976 she graduated from the Parsons School of Design, promptly sold a small spring collection to Bloomingdale’s and Henri Bendel — and then nothing. In the season that followed, Bloomingdale’s opted not to buy her subsequent collection, and a new buyer had replaced her contact at Bendel’s. “I couldn’t even get an appointment,” Smalls told the Huffington Post.
Sobered by the experience, Smalls turned her attention to being a wife, raising her three children, and working as a staff designer. She spent the bulk of her career designing outerwear at Amerex Group, which owns the Jessica Simpson, Jones New York, and Nicole Miller lines, among others. Ultimately, Smalls rose from assistant designer to design director. “[Amerex] had become like family,” she said.
Ironically, it was the historic year that President Obama was elected the first African-American president of the United States that Smalls again took up her sketchpad for herself. With her children grown, Smalls began designing one-off pieces.
She was wearing one of her own designs at a gala event that Vogue’s editor-at-large André Leon Talley also attended. Talley’s interest was piqued to say the least. After showing him a few sketches, the influential fashion personality suggested that Smalls show at New York Fashion Week.
Talley does not get enough credit for the role he has played in bringing sunlight to young and unknown designers. His push has also brought attention to emerging designer Mimi Plange who has also dressed the first lady, collaborates with Manolo Blahnik, and recently was named “Designer of the Year International” during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in South Africa.
Of Talley, Smalls told theGrio, “[He is] a very discerning and a tough critic. He has an incredible eye and memory and will give his honest opinion if something needs to be corrected, or suggest how to make it better. Mr. Talley is one of the most brilliant and iconic people in the fashion industry today.” She added, “I would not have had the courage to pursue this dream of my own collection, if it had not been for his encouragement to try.”
The collection of thirty cocktail and evening dresses she created for New York Fashion Week, presented with piano accompaniment by none other than Valerie Simpson of Ashford & Simpson fame, was well received. As she slowly built a following of high-placed fans, Smalls transitioned from solely designing outerwear for Amerex to going into business for herself.
“I still have a relationship with them,” Smalls explains, grateful for Amerex’s support, as well as her husband’s, when she decided to venture into executing her own line. Managing a new start-up has had its challenges. “The process has been both exhilarating and daunting,” Smalls admitted, “with so many issues as a businesswoman to take into account from finance, to shipping, manufacturing production, managing people to work with you, etc. It has not been easy, as for many small design firms starting out.”
For this reason, Smalls is less concerned about what celebrities are wearing than she is about growing her core customer base — though she does list some celebs whose personal style resonates with her own. “Zoe Saldana, Marion Cotillard, Halle Berry, Kerry Washington, [and] Angelina Jolie,” are a few names she shared of women who would likely be at home in her designs. Smalls added about her target customer that, “she has a level of self-confidence and, I believe, a shared aesthetic either [with] a color I chose, a fabrication, print, or a silhouette that I am presenting.”
Smalls’ aesthetic is classic with a retro sensibility, extraordinary details, and whimsical flourishes. Inspired by a mix of design legends and more recent fashion icons, she counts Dior, Vionnet, Balenciaga, Matsuda, and Azzedine Alaïa among her biggest influences. “When I see someone’s work I admire, I truly study and absorb the execution of it. I loved Romeo Gigli’s work years back, how he mixed color and pattern and textures. His silhouettes on top of that were always a bit odd, but sooooooo gorgeous!”
Her diverse tastes resound with a diversity of women. “Fortunately, I have attracted a customer base with a broad age range and demographic, which I love. Case in point: Kourtney Kardashian,” she told theGrio, referring to the September 2011 issue of InStyle in which the reality star was photographed wearing a Smalls design she had purchased.
Smalls has experienced the high of selling her first collection as an ingénue designer, the disappointment of temporarily abandoning her personal design dreams for the security of a 9 to 5, and the elevation of having none other than the first lady wear her designs. Yet, for her it always comes back to the customer. Looking back on the many years she spent juggling responsibilities as a wife, mother, and designer, Smalls believes it gave her “an element of practicality.”
As she begins to conceive her Fall 2013 collection, Smalls has no hints to share just yet. “I am just starting the process… so I think it will be a surprise to me as well.” What will she say? “I am feeling a bit more tailored and elegant direction this time!”
Whatever the direction, Smalls reverts to her core design philosophy. “Even though designing starts with a dream… it has to work for [a] woman.”
We couldn’t agree more.
Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond is the author of the novel Powder Necklace. Follow her on twitter @nanaekua.
Burrr! Gucci Mane Stars In LRG's Coldest Holiday Lookbook Ever
by Jason Brooks for Global Grind Staff
Burrr!
The holiday season may be getting a little colder thanks to LRG and Gucci Mane. For the 2012 Holiday season, LRG released a lookbook featuring Atlanta-based rapper Gucci Mane.
MUSIC: Gucci Mane And Rick Ross Throw More Shots At Young Jeezy On "Respect Me"
Dubbed "High End Lowlifes" the lookbook not only features Gucci Mane, but graffiti artist POSE, snowboarder Chris Grenier, and skateboarders Felipe Gustavo and Chico Brenes.
The real star of the lookbook is obviously the clothes, made up of denim, hoodies, pullovers, sweaters, button-downs, graphic tees, outerwear, caps and more.
The collection is available now at LRG retailers worldwide.
The holiday season may be getting a little colder thanks to LRG and Gucci Mane. For the 2012 Holiday season, LRG released a lookbook featuring Atlanta-based rapper Gucci Mane.
MUSIC: Gucci Mane And Rick Ross Throw More Shots At Young Jeezy On "Respect Me"
Dubbed "High End Lowlifes" the lookbook not only features Gucci Mane, but graffiti artist POSE, snowboarder Chris Grenier, and skateboarders Felipe Gustavo and Chico Brenes.
The real star of the lookbook is obviously the clothes, made up of denim, hoodies, pullovers, sweaters, button-downs, graphic tees, outerwear, caps and more.
The collection is available now at LRG retailers worldwide.
|
|
Keep Your Designer Handbags In Top Shape With These Tips From ShopRDR.com
Authentic designer handbags from such notable fashion houses as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Fendi can cost a pretty penny, but these staples of upscale style are crafted with quality and care that, when properly sustained, can last a lifetime. Today, Rodeo Drive Resale (http://www.shopRDR.com), premier re-seller of 100% authentic Louis Vuitton bags, Chanel purses, and Christian Dior wallets, offers expert advice in keeping your fashion investments beautiful.
Giving a designer bag the best shot at a long life means preventing stains as much as possible, and as fans of the world’s top designers know, dirt, oil, and sweat can quickly turn a one-of-a-kind Gucci shoulder bag into a spotty mess. Therefore, it is always a good idea to handle these luxury items with clean hands. Also, avoid placing it on the ground – for even a short while. The three-second rule is a no-go when it comes to high fashion, and at less than $20 bucks, a purse hanger makes the perfect luxury bag companion. Strong enough to hold most designer purses and bags, it literally hangs of the edge of the table, leaving your bag free from the millions of germs and grime just waiting to ruin its pristine finish. Additionally, having a leather bag conditioned about once a year is a good way to keep it from becoming too dry, said Rodeo Drive Resale co-founder Raya Jaffer.
Here are a few more tips:
1) The Inside Look: Cleaning the inside of a leather handbag can be done using a moist cloth and detergent specifically designed for use on fine apparel. As with the outside, spot-test any detergent before applying to ensure it agrees with the material. For lint, dust and other tiny particles that accumulate at the bottom of a bag, consider using a small vacuum or lint roller to remove debris.
2) Odor Removal: Leather handbags can develop an odor for a number of reasons. Fortunately, many of these unpleasant scents can be treated win an age-old home remedy of baking soda, which, when put in a container inside the purse for 24 hours, will act as an absorbent and leave the bag smelling refreshed. Similarly, crumpled newspapers, tea bags and coffee beans left inside a bag overnight have also been used to tackle unwelcomed odor.
3) Avoid The Temporary Fix: Bags that are used often are likely to acquire their fair share of scratches. Raya recommends investing in proper cleaning/repair before attempting to a temporary fix, such as shoe polish for leather bags. “Attempting to save a few bucks by fixing a major problem yourself can lead to a greater loss in the long run if the damage becomes irreversible,” she said. “A professional will maximize the longevity of an item and properly assess the best way to restore the purse to its original look.”
4) Say No To Paper: “Never apply cleaning products directly to your handbag. Never use paper towels or napkins to work a stain,” Joseph Hallak, partner of Hallak Cleaners, was quoted as saying in a 2010 interview on Stylelist.com. “A white towel is the ideal option. Also, when dealing with leathers, always test a small area with your cleaning substance to make sure there are no reactions.”
Rodeo Drive Resale (shopRDR.com) has built a reputation of providing amazing deals on handbags, clothing and accessories from the top designers of upscale fashion. The company offers a 100% guarantee of authenticity on each item sold, and works daily with a network of clients looking to buy, sell, or for consignment of their luxury goods.
ShopRDR.com loves high-end fashion, and believes finding a high quality, classic piece should be an easy, enjoyable -- and most importantly -- hassle-free shopping experience. For the finest in Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Prada, Gucci, St. John Knits, Christian Louboutin, Tiffany & Co. and more, visit RDR online athttp://www.shopRDR.com or call 1-888-697-3725. Also find shopRDR.com’s blog at http://blog.shopRDR.com.
Giving a designer bag the best shot at a long life means preventing stains as much as possible, and as fans of the world’s top designers know, dirt, oil, and sweat can quickly turn a one-of-a-kind Gucci shoulder bag into a spotty mess. Therefore, it is always a good idea to handle these luxury items with clean hands. Also, avoid placing it on the ground – for even a short while. The three-second rule is a no-go when it comes to high fashion, and at less than $20 bucks, a purse hanger makes the perfect luxury bag companion. Strong enough to hold most designer purses and bags, it literally hangs of the edge of the table, leaving your bag free from the millions of germs and grime just waiting to ruin its pristine finish. Additionally, having a leather bag conditioned about once a year is a good way to keep it from becoming too dry, said Rodeo Drive Resale co-founder Raya Jaffer.
Here are a few more tips:
1) The Inside Look: Cleaning the inside of a leather handbag can be done using a moist cloth and detergent specifically designed for use on fine apparel. As with the outside, spot-test any detergent before applying to ensure it agrees with the material. For lint, dust and other tiny particles that accumulate at the bottom of a bag, consider using a small vacuum or lint roller to remove debris.
2) Odor Removal: Leather handbags can develop an odor for a number of reasons. Fortunately, many of these unpleasant scents can be treated win an age-old home remedy of baking soda, which, when put in a container inside the purse for 24 hours, will act as an absorbent and leave the bag smelling refreshed. Similarly, crumpled newspapers, tea bags and coffee beans left inside a bag overnight have also been used to tackle unwelcomed odor.
3) Avoid The Temporary Fix: Bags that are used often are likely to acquire their fair share of scratches. Raya recommends investing in proper cleaning/repair before attempting to a temporary fix, such as shoe polish for leather bags. “Attempting to save a few bucks by fixing a major problem yourself can lead to a greater loss in the long run if the damage becomes irreversible,” she said. “A professional will maximize the longevity of an item and properly assess the best way to restore the purse to its original look.”
4) Say No To Paper: “Never apply cleaning products directly to your handbag. Never use paper towels or napkins to work a stain,” Joseph Hallak, partner of Hallak Cleaners, was quoted as saying in a 2010 interview on Stylelist.com. “A white towel is the ideal option. Also, when dealing with leathers, always test a small area with your cleaning substance to make sure there are no reactions.”
Rodeo Drive Resale (shopRDR.com) has built a reputation of providing amazing deals on handbags, clothing and accessories from the top designers of upscale fashion. The company offers a 100% guarantee of authenticity on each item sold, and works daily with a network of clients looking to buy, sell, or for consignment of their luxury goods.
ShopRDR.com loves high-end fashion, and believes finding a high quality, classic piece should be an easy, enjoyable -- and most importantly -- hassle-free shopping experience. For the finest in Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Prada, Gucci, St. John Knits, Christian Louboutin, Tiffany & Co. and more, visit RDR online athttp://www.shopRDR.com or call 1-888-697-3725. Also find shopRDR.com’s blog at http://blog.shopRDR.com.
The End Of An Era: Are Uggs Over?
By Lexi Nisita
If there's one thing that can polarize even the most apathetic sorts, it's the Ugg boot. Love 'em or hate 'em — everybody's got something to say. Sadly, when it comes to making money, that whole "any press is good press" thing doesn't really apply. Ugg's sales are down 31%, and the company has plans to slash prices (the boots currently start at $135 and run upward of $200 for some styles).
The brand has made numerous efforts to right the ship, including buying advertisement in a number of fashion publications to boost street cred and expanding the product line to include a variety of shoes, boots, coats, and more. And while an ad campaign featuring Tom Brady (and an unofficial endorsement from André Leon Talley) has boosted sales on the men's side, his influence still isn't enough to meet the bottom line.
We've always sort of assumed that Uggs would hang on in some form or another for years to come. After all, even in NYC, you'll still see plenty of pairs stomping around rain or shine. They're like Juicy sweat suits — there's always a market. But maybe it's just not big enough. What do you think? Can Ugg hold on to the Saturday morning set for a while yet?Should it?
The brand has made numerous efforts to right the ship, including buying advertisement in a number of fashion publications to boost street cred and expanding the product line to include a variety of shoes, boots, coats, and more. And while an ad campaign featuring Tom Brady (and an unofficial endorsement from André Leon Talley) has boosted sales on the men's side, his influence still isn't enough to meet the bottom line.
We've always sort of assumed that Uggs would hang on in some form or another for years to come. After all, even in NYC, you'll still see plenty of pairs stomping around rain or shine. They're like Juicy sweat suits — there's always a market. But maybe it's just not big enough. What do you think? Can Ugg hold on to the Saturday morning set for a while yet?Should it?
Miuccia Prada Never Wanted to Design Clothes
BY ALLY BETKER
After studying political science and mime in an effort to break from her family line of work (her mom ran a shop in Milan selling leather goods and accessories), Prada couldn't escape the lure of fashion. She told the Guardian, "To want to be a fashion designer was really the worst thing that could happen to me. I thought it was dumb and conservative [...] But my education at home pulled the other way, giving me a taste for beautiful things, an instinct for fashion. I adored that."
After studying political science and mime in an effort to break from her family line of work (her mom ran a shop in Milan selling leather goods and accessories), Prada couldn't escape the lure of fashion. She told the Guardian, "To want to be a fashion designer was really the worst thing that could happen to me. I thought it was dumb and conservative [...] But my education at home pulled the other way, giving me a taste for beautiful things, an instinct for fashion. I adored that."
ASK SHOPBOP: HOW TO WEAR CAMOUFLAGE
Look 1: Club Monaco jacket, Siwy shorts, Antik Batik bag, Marc by Marc Jacob booties. Look 2: Maison Scotch shirt, Paige Denim jeans.
I'm tempted by the camo pieces I've been seeing lately. How can I wear the look without looking like I'm off to hunt with the boys?
Camouflage sends a clear, decisive style message when worn well, but it’s a tricky print to work with. I have three general tips to keep your look rooted in fashion, not forest.
KEEP IT BALANCED
Balance the masculine look of camo with figure-flattering, solid color separates. Pair an oversized jacket back to cutoff shorts. With a utility pant, try a tight henley and a shrunken denim jacket. Fitted denim, shorts, and tight tees all have a place in great camo looks.
LOOK TO THE PAST
So many iconic looks have come out of punk, grunge and hippie culture. Look to these movements for some spot-on inspiration. Try an unexpected combo, like camo with eyelet or thermal, or go for a rock-chic look with low-rise skinny pants and a camo button-down shirt. Just remember to inject something personal so you avoid a costumed feeling.
BE CREATIVE
Keep your mind open and get in the spirit of invention! It’s amazing how versatile this motif can be. You might find that your camo shirt is a perfect match for a favorite wool pencil skirt or your sequin T-shirt. Add a piece of fun costume jewelry and you’re set.
--Loni
Camouflage sends a clear, decisive style message when worn well, but it’s a tricky print to work with. I have three general tips to keep your look rooted in fashion, not forest.
KEEP IT BALANCED
Balance the masculine look of camo with figure-flattering, solid color separates. Pair an oversized jacket back to cutoff shorts. With a utility pant, try a tight henley and a shrunken denim jacket. Fitted denim, shorts, and tight tees all have a place in great camo looks.
LOOK TO THE PAST
So many iconic looks have come out of punk, grunge and hippie culture. Look to these movements for some spot-on inspiration. Try an unexpected combo, like camo with eyelet or thermal, or go for a rock-chic look with low-rise skinny pants and a camo button-down shirt. Just remember to inject something personal so you avoid a costumed feeling.
BE CREATIVE
Keep your mind open and get in the spirit of invention! It’s amazing how versatile this motif can be. You might find that your camo shirt is a perfect match for a favorite wool pencil skirt or your sequin T-shirt. Add a piece of fun costume jewelry and you’re set.
--Loni
Massive Chanel bag in hula hoops wows on runway at Paris Fashion Week
Will fashion fanatics run circles around each other to get a hold of this oversized purse?
Chanel sent a model down the runway for its Spring/Summer 2013 Fashion Week wearing an enormous white quilted ‘purse,’ balanced artfully between two black hula hoops.
The bag itself, carried by a model in a swimsuit with the brand’s interlocking C logo, is constructed with the brand’s iconic quilted leather.
Ideal for that wealthy matron who is weary of carrying a simple canvas tote to the beach or to the pool.
The brand’s frantic spokespeople said they didn't have a price for the over sized accessory -- or the silver-bubble jewelry that all the models wore.
While the circular bag may not be practical to shoppers, some predict that its concept is a design winner.
“While this is pure fantasy, baby versions, with miniature circular straps, will surely fly off the shelves,” predicted the blogger Bag Snob.
Chanel sent a model down the runway for its Spring/Summer 2013 Fashion Week wearing an enormous white quilted ‘purse,’ balanced artfully between two black hula hoops.
The bag itself, carried by a model in a swimsuit with the brand’s interlocking C logo, is constructed with the brand’s iconic quilted leather.
Ideal for that wealthy matron who is weary of carrying a simple canvas tote to the beach or to the pool.
The brand’s frantic spokespeople said they didn't have a price for the over sized accessory -- or the silver-bubble jewelry that all the models wore.
While the circular bag may not be practical to shoppers, some predict that its concept is a design winner.
“While this is pure fantasy, baby versions, with miniature circular straps, will surely fly off the shelves,” predicted the blogger Bag Snob.
|
|
Versace Spring 2013 RTW
By ALEXANDER PATINO
After the explosive success of Versace for H&M and the welcome return to couture form with Atelier Versace, it appears Donatella’s newfound creative impetus has staked fertile ground in the ready-to-wear line, making for a fresh and spirited Versace girl, but one whose inherent carnality is always close at hand. That procrustean clinginess of the iconic Versace dress, that incessant form-hugging, gave way this season to tailoring and a loungy generosity. Still, turns out the Versace girl can have her organic and her rock-n-roll too.
There were dusty desert nude tones matched with liquid black leathers. Lingerie and tailoring made for covetable pieces like a pair of leather gym shorts that ended in panels of desert sand lace intermixed with circular leather petals. This lace appeared everywhere; even the suiting couldn’t be spared (that’s a good thing – the black jacket spliced with lace inserts at the sides looked smashing, and makes one wonder why the hell no one ever thought of that before.) An all-black trouser with black lace inserts on the sides should sell like hot cakes, if for the sole reason that it made lace, which has been used to death for seasons now, look like a refreshing conceit.
Short and flowy cocktail numbers with tie dye Medusa motifs were zesty, full of caprice. It wasn’t dripping in that man-eating sexuality that has defined the house for years. There was a happy resplendence – for a proof positive, Kati Nescher’s silver and gold strand cocktail dress should suffice. Nip-slips are foreign territory for Versace, and there were a few happening at this latest. This new Versace maven would take it all in stride. She’s always been one to wear her hair down, after all. That at least hasn’t changed.
see more here Versace Spring Collection 2013
There were dusty desert nude tones matched with liquid black leathers. Lingerie and tailoring made for covetable pieces like a pair of leather gym shorts that ended in panels of desert sand lace intermixed with circular leather petals. This lace appeared everywhere; even the suiting couldn’t be spared (that’s a good thing – the black jacket spliced with lace inserts at the sides looked smashing, and makes one wonder why the hell no one ever thought of that before.) An all-black trouser with black lace inserts on the sides should sell like hot cakes, if for the sole reason that it made lace, which has been used to death for seasons now, look like a refreshing conceit.
Short and flowy cocktail numbers with tie dye Medusa motifs were zesty, full of caprice. It wasn’t dripping in that man-eating sexuality that has defined the house for years. There was a happy resplendence – for a proof positive, Kati Nescher’s silver and gold strand cocktail dress should suffice. Nip-slips are foreign territory for Versace, and there were a few happening at this latest. This new Versace maven would take it all in stride. She’s always been one to wear her hair down, after all. That at least hasn’t changed.
see more here Versace Spring Collection 2013
|
|
Colonialist Chic? No Thanks, Dolce & Gabbana
By Lexi Nisita
We're starting to get tired of writing this disclaimer, but fashion is not exactly known for being the most PC of creative sectors. That said, it's still shocking when something so blatantly exploitative as these Dolce & Gabbana earrings makes its way down the runway — not in the least because we can hardly believe that nobody anticipated the inevitable backlash.
The luxury brand debuted a spring '13 collection that rested heavily on the laurels of a long-lost colonial era, complete with all the cartoonish, debasing, subaltern imagery that would make even your politically incorrect Grandpa think twice.
This collection looks pretty great from afar, and — without understanding the context of Dolce & Gabbana's references , those burlap-sack dresses and fruit cornucopias might even look a little quaint. It's when you zoom in that the problems arise. There is no creative interpretation or buffer between these earrings and the kind of lamentable, dated figurines you find in airport gift shops. These severed heads dangling from a pale-skinned model's ear are not fun or playful, but simply evocative of some of the darkest times in Western history. Somebody get Cornel West on the phone, because we're guessing he might have a few thoughts, here.
The luxury brand debuted a spring '13 collection that rested heavily on the laurels of a long-lost colonial era, complete with all the cartoonish, debasing, subaltern imagery that would make even your politically incorrect Grandpa think twice.
This collection looks pretty great from afar, and — without understanding the context of Dolce & Gabbana's references , those burlap-sack dresses and fruit cornucopias might even look a little quaint. It's when you zoom in that the problems arise. There is no creative interpretation or buffer between these earrings and the kind of lamentable, dated figurines you find in airport gift shops. These severed heads dangling from a pale-skinned model's ear are not fun or playful, but simply evocative of some of the darkest times in Western history. Somebody get Cornel West on the phone, because we're guessing he might have a few thoughts, here.
Victoria's Secret Geisha Lingerie Sparks Controversy
By Piper Weiss, Shine Staff | Fashion
It takes hundreds of employees, thousands of hours and millions of dollars to launch a mass market lingerie line. And one blogger to take it all down.
"I never thought they would pull the Geisha outfit," Nina Jacinto tells Shine. "I imagine there were a number of factors that went into that decision."
Two weeks ago, Jacinto, a 26 year old bay area blogger and non-profit development manager, most likely became one of those factors.
It all started here. "I saw a link to [Victoria's Secret's Go East] line on the blog, Angry Asian Man," she says.
"H ooray for exotic orientalist bull----," wrote the blogger who included a link to the "Asian-inspired" lingerie line's centerpiece: "The sexy little Geisha," a mesh teddy that comes with an obi belt, chopsticks and a fan.
Immediately Jacinto sat down to write a smart, insightful post on why she found the outfit, and the line in general, offensive. "It's the kind of overt racism masked behind claims of inspired fashion and exploring sexual fantasy that makes my skin crawl," she writes in article published September 6 on the blog Racialicious, a site for commentary on the intersection of culture and race.
"There's a long-standing trend to represent Asian women as hypersexualized objects of fantasy, " writes Jacinto. She also takes umbrage with the lingerie description as "your ticket to an exotic adventure" and the fact that none of the models for the collection are of Asian descent.
"The lack of Asian women here simply exposes the deep-rooted nature of the Orientalist narrative, one that trades real humanness for access to culture," she writes. "Besides, it can only feel sexy and exotic if it's on an "American" body-without the feeling of accessing something foreign or forbidden, there can be no fantasy."
One week after Jacinto posted her piece, the feminist website Bust picked up on the story.When the Bust reporter went to check out the teddy described in Jacinto's story, it had disappeared from the site. According to Bust, a Victoria's Secret rep suggested the teddy had simply "sold out." A week after that, the Frisky's Jessica Wakemen, wrote about the offending and mysteriously missing teddy in question. "Considering the complicated history of geishas, repurposing the "look" for a major corporation to sell as role-playing lingerie seems a bit tasteless," she wrote.
That same day, major news outlets like the Huffington Post began calling blogger backlash for Go East line a "controversy." The Daily Mail noted that the teddy and the Go East line in it's entirety had been removed from the company website and replaced with the main product page.
The company still hasn't released a statement or confirmed their decision to remove the line.
Maybe they're waiting for the backlash to blow over. Over on Twitter, the audience is divided on the issue of whether the Geisha teddy is offensive. "Can we please stop fetishizing Asian cultures?" asks one Twitter user. "I'd still wear it," adds another. On their Facebook page, a VS superfan asks when the line is coming to Australia. Don't expect it anytime soon.
Companies have their ear to the blogosphere and after hard-learned lessons they're realizing they're not immune to the power of a strong, and well-crafted opinion. In June, Adidas pulled it's plans to create a line of shackle sneakers after over 2000 commenters took to the company's Facebook page complaining of the racist tinges in the label's design. And last year, American Apparel's plus-size modeling contest was taken to task by a contestant who taught the marketing company a thing or two about women with curves.
Jacinto, meanwhile, has gotten a lot of responses from commenters questioning why she cares so much about some bras and underwear. "It's important that companies like VS know that capitalizing on a stereotype and on a culture is tasteless and offensive," she explains. "The messaging we insert in our culture shapes people's attitudes - so questioning clothing like this is important."
Questioning is one thing, seeing results in another. Whether or not VS confirms it, Jacinto's impact on a massive multi-million dollar line is obvious. But she's still sees room for improvement. "Their Cherry Blossoms line [another Asian-influenced VS line mentioned in her blog] still exists and still contains language such as "indulge in touches of eastern delight," she says. "The clothing itself may not be as overtly distasteful as the Geisha piece, but the language makes it troublesome to me. Surely there must be another way to advertise that line that doesn't exoticize Asian women."
"I never thought they would pull the Geisha outfit," Nina Jacinto tells Shine. "I imagine there were a number of factors that went into that decision."
Two weeks ago, Jacinto, a 26 year old bay area blogger and non-profit development manager, most likely became one of those factors.
It all started here. "I saw a link to [Victoria's Secret's Go East] line on the blog, Angry Asian Man," she says.
"H ooray for exotic orientalist bull----," wrote the blogger who included a link to the "Asian-inspired" lingerie line's centerpiece: "The sexy little Geisha," a mesh teddy that comes with an obi belt, chopsticks and a fan.
Immediately Jacinto sat down to write a smart, insightful post on why she found the outfit, and the line in general, offensive. "It's the kind of overt racism masked behind claims of inspired fashion and exploring sexual fantasy that makes my skin crawl," she writes in article published September 6 on the blog Racialicious, a site for commentary on the intersection of culture and race.
"There's a long-standing trend to represent Asian women as hypersexualized objects of fantasy, " writes Jacinto. She also takes umbrage with the lingerie description as "your ticket to an exotic adventure" and the fact that none of the models for the collection are of Asian descent.
"The lack of Asian women here simply exposes the deep-rooted nature of the Orientalist narrative, one that trades real humanness for access to culture," she writes. "Besides, it can only feel sexy and exotic if it's on an "American" body-without the feeling of accessing something foreign or forbidden, there can be no fantasy."
One week after Jacinto posted her piece, the feminist website Bust picked up on the story.When the Bust reporter went to check out the teddy described in Jacinto's story, it had disappeared from the site. According to Bust, a Victoria's Secret rep suggested the teddy had simply "sold out." A week after that, the Frisky's Jessica Wakemen, wrote about the offending and mysteriously missing teddy in question. "Considering the complicated history of geishas, repurposing the "look" for a major corporation to sell as role-playing lingerie seems a bit tasteless," she wrote.
That same day, major news outlets like the Huffington Post began calling blogger backlash for Go East line a "controversy." The Daily Mail noted that the teddy and the Go East line in it's entirety had been removed from the company website and replaced with the main product page.
The company still hasn't released a statement or confirmed their decision to remove the line.
Maybe they're waiting for the backlash to blow over. Over on Twitter, the audience is divided on the issue of whether the Geisha teddy is offensive. "Can we please stop fetishizing Asian cultures?" asks one Twitter user. "I'd still wear it," adds another. On their Facebook page, a VS superfan asks when the line is coming to Australia. Don't expect it anytime soon.
Companies have their ear to the blogosphere and after hard-learned lessons they're realizing they're not immune to the power of a strong, and well-crafted opinion. In June, Adidas pulled it's plans to create a line of shackle sneakers after over 2000 commenters took to the company's Facebook page complaining of the racist tinges in the label's design. And last year, American Apparel's plus-size modeling contest was taken to task by a contestant who taught the marketing company a thing or two about women with curves.
Jacinto, meanwhile, has gotten a lot of responses from commenters questioning why she cares so much about some bras and underwear. "It's important that companies like VS know that capitalizing on a stereotype and on a culture is tasteless and offensive," she explains. "The messaging we insert in our culture shapes people's attitudes - so questioning clothing like this is important."
Questioning is one thing, seeing results in another. Whether or not VS confirms it, Jacinto's impact on a massive multi-million dollar line is obvious. But she's still sees room for improvement. "Their Cherry Blossoms line [another Asian-influenced VS line mentioned in her blog] still exists and still contains language such as "indulge in touches of eastern delight," she says. "The clothing itself may not be as overtly distasteful as the Geisha piece, but the language makes it troublesome to me. Surely there must be another way to advertise that line that doesn't exoticize Asian women."
Louis Vuitton Fashion Jewelry Fall/Winter 2012 Collection
Written by Bengt Enrique
The new Louis Vuitton Fashion Jewelry collection reinterprets the Maison’s signatures in precious and playful fashion accessories.
Louis Vuitton’s cult themes are given unprecedented expression. The hinge and the famous S-Lock clasp, a precious legacy from the iconic trunks, are displayed in a silver-plated finish on a black lacquer resin bracelet and ring. Resin bracelets are crafted in multi-coloured guilloché metal or in tortoiseshell style. The collar and cuff – today’s must-haves – shine brilliantly.
The Maison’s tribute to Art Deco, a multi-strand necklace in graphic lines adorned here and there with metallic tassels, shiny spheres and other cubes inlaid with SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS crystals offers a thirties’ look for evening.
In a nod to the Damier motif, a grey and white resin bead necklace closed with a velvet bow is also available as a ring, earrings or brooch for a decidedly fifties style.
Through this new collection, all the know-how of French and Italian craftsmen is applied to an alchemy of materials and textures to beautifully enhance long necklaces, rings and delicate bracelets.
Louis Vuitton’s cult themes are given unprecedented expression. The hinge and the famous S-Lock clasp, a precious legacy from the iconic trunks, are displayed in a silver-plated finish on a black lacquer resin bracelet and ring. Resin bracelets are crafted in multi-coloured guilloché metal or in tortoiseshell style. The collar and cuff – today’s must-haves – shine brilliantly.
The Maison’s tribute to Art Deco, a multi-strand necklace in graphic lines adorned here and there with metallic tassels, shiny spheres and other cubes inlaid with SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS crystals offers a thirties’ look for evening.
In a nod to the Damier motif, a grey and white resin bead necklace closed with a velvet bow is also available as a ring, earrings or brooch for a decidedly fifties style.
Through this new collection, all the know-how of French and Italian craftsmen is applied to an alchemy of materials and textures to beautifully enhance long necklaces, rings and delicate bracelets.
Bracelet in metal, resin and lacquer. Bracelet in resin and lacquer.
Ring in metal and black resin. Bracelet in metal and black resin.
Long necklace in metal and Swarovski Elements.
Collar in golden metal. Bracelet in golden metal.
Long necklace in metal, lacquer and resin. Bracelet in metal, resin and lacquer.
Breastplate in metal, resin, cotton and Swarovski Elements. Ring in metal, resin, and Swarovski Elements.
The GQ&A: Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington walks like a cat strutting atop a high ledge. One foot in front of the other, lightly. Head pulled down, slightly. Eyes watching everything. There's an efficiency and effortlessness in his movement. He's like this when he enters the hotel room in New Orleans, where I am waiting to interview him. "Where should we sit?" he asks, and he walks to the window and pulls back the scrim, letting August's white-hot sunlight into the room. Washington, dressed in sweats and a Yankees cap pulled low on his head, drops in a chair and points at one beside him. I sit. We're like two men on the edge of a pier, staring forward, not really looking at each other.
Washington is in New Orleans filming his forty-second movie, 2 Guns, with Mark Wahlberg. He has played everyone from Malcolm X to Hurricane Carter and racked up two Oscars (Glory and Training Day), as well as starred in films as disparate as Philadelphia, Remember the Titans, Crimson Tide, and the forthcoming Flight. And yet what do you really know about Denzel Washington? (Other than the obvious fact that being 57 hasn't cost him a single step.) Thirty years after he introduced himself as Dr. Philip Chandler on St. Elsewhere, one of the most dominant leading men of his generation remains a very public mystery.
What's your first memory of being onstage?
I was around 7, 8, whatever I was. We did a talent show at the Boys Club. Me and another guy, Wayne Bridges—God rest his soul—he's the father of Chris Bridges, Ludacris. We decided to be the Beatles. So we went to John's Bargain Store and bought fake guitars and wigs and did "I Want to Hold Your Hand."
Is there an actor who has influenced you?
There's a scene in The Godfather II. De Niro's in a theater. And he's looking back. It's just a look. I don't think I've ever imitated another actor, but there's nothing wrong with learning from them.
What is the first movie that you recall?
King Kong. The Wizard of Oz was a big one. I remember Caged, these women in prison. I liked that one. But I wasn't a movie buff. Never thought about the movies. When I was in my teens, it was movies like Shaft or Superfly. I wanted to be like those guys. But I never thought about being an actor, ever. I wanted to be Jim Brown or Gale Sayers, not Sidney Poitier. When I started acting, there weren't any big black movie stars. There was a little Billy Dee Williams and some Richard Pryor. That was it.
Are there any roles you've turned down that you regret?
Seven and Michael Clayton. With Clayton, it was the best material I had read in a long time, but I was nervous about a first-time director, and I was wrong. It happens.
And you wanted a part in Platoon?
That and Full Metal Jacket. They were like, "Well, [Kubrick] doesn't send out his scripts." I was like, "Well, then what do you want me to do?" Platoon, I wanted to play the part Willem Dafoe played.
Do you have any code you live by?
I read from the Bible every day, and I read my Daily Word. I read something great yesterday. It said, "Don't aspire to make a living. Aspire to make a difference."
In some ways, you're a cipher. There's not much you put out there.
But that's not my job to put stuff out there. Sidney Poitier told me this years ago: "If they see you for free all week, they won't pay to see you on the weekend, because they feel like they've seen you. If you walk by the magazine section in the supermarket and they've known you all their life, there's no mystery. They can't take the ride." My professional work is being a better actor. I don't know how to be a celebrity.
So if they want to see you that way--
I've got my own things that I will and won't do, but it's not because I "carry the weight of the African-American something" or whatever. I can't. I'm an actor. First of all, I don't take myself that seriously. I take what I do seriously, and I try to do a good job.
You've worked with Gene Hackman. Any other titans you want to shoot with?
All of 'em. Anybody whose last name ends in an o. De Niro. Pacino. I cut my teeth watching them. Going back to the idea of learning things from other actors—Laurence Olivier was an outside-in kind of guy. He'd find a handle, something on the outside. The Method guys were inside-out. I use a little bit of both. For Mo' Better Blues, I'll pick up a trumpet. Not "Oh, what is the emotional innards of a jazz musician?" Hurricane? Start boxing. Sometimes it starts on the outside. Sometimes on the inside.
When the Denzel biopic is made, what would an actor need to have in his performance to make you say, "He got me"?
That suggests I know what it is, and I don't want to know what it is. That's part of the mystery. It is what it is. I don't go, "I gotta make sure I put some of that Denzel Washington-ism in the movie." I don't want tricks. I don't want to lose my mojo.
When you were playing Malcolm X, you said one of the things that helped you "get" Malcolm was noticing that he was always pointing.
That was one of the keys. It wasn't the key. He does a lot of that. And he didn't say "against," he said, "a-ginst." So I started throwing in extra "a-ginst"s, because it made me feel like I was in rhythm.
When you met with Frank Lucas before American Gangster, what were you, as an actor, looking for?
The answers. I found a guy who can knock people off. How do you act that? When we were working on Man on Fire, [director] Tony Scott* sent me a tape about the Iceman, the guy that killed all of those people. Later I saw this footage of a young girl getting shot. She didn't do anything but drop. It's morbid fascination, but that's what I'm looking for. That's what I did in Training Day. After I get shot, there's no last speech. I want that reality.
Training Day has become a new classic.
A lot of credit goes to Antoine Fuqua, the director. He brought the gangster aspect into it. The script was more like a 2000 version of a Lethal Weapon kind of guy. That line "King Kong ain't got nothin' on me"—I made that up. The character's ego, he just did not think he could lose. That was his problem.
Your father was a Pentecostal preacher.
Yes. I went every Sunday as a kid, so I can relate to the people who don't like it because there was a time when it was a job. We all go through our rebellion.
I read somewhere that you said you once felt yourself being filled with the Holy Spirit.
That was thirty years ago, at the church I still attend. The minister was preaching, "Just let it go." I said, "I'm going to go with it." And I had this tremendous physical and spiritual experience. It did frighten me. I was slobbering, crying, sweating. My cheeks blew up. I was purging. It was too intense. It almost drove me away. I called my mother, and she said I was being filled with the Holy Spirit. I was like, "Does that mean I can never have wine again?"
I look at Mitt Romney with his spirituality, and he's chosen not to talk about his faith.
Yeah, he hasn't even brought it up.
But if he just said, "Here's my path," I would love to hear it.
When I see him, he's always uncomfortable. You can see that uncomfortableness. Forget about his being Mormon. He hasn't said anything about his faith.
Was it hard being the son of a preacher?
As a child, no. He wasn't a taskmaster, but there were certain things you couldn't do. He had his own church, and it was a long Sunday, because you had to be there all day.
Why did your parents divorce?
You'd have to ask one of them. Why do people separate?
They never told you....
We didn't have a sit-down. They're a different generation. I didn't ask—you just assumed. For lack of love, or whatever their reason. I never asked. What else would I want to know? I didn't see it coming. But I wasn't looking. I was 14.
And then you were estranged from your father for a bit?
I was away in private school. And my mother came and said, "Go get your keys, we don't live in our house no more." So between 14 and 18, I lived with her until it got to be too much to handle. [laughs] Then I lived with him. And he kicked me out. He said, "You're just bad."
Then what?
It all kind of came together around the time that I started acting at Fordham. I was 20 and had a 1.8 GPA, and they were going to throw me out. So I took a semester off. And I remember standing in front of the army recruiting office like, "I don't want to go in the army." I started acting because I had done a lot of work with kids. I was at a YMCA camp. And we did a talent show for the kids. And this guy said, "You looked like a natural up there." So I said, "Let me try to act." That was September of '75. And my senior year, '76, I got an apartment on 310 or 312 West 93rd. Just roacheseverywhere.
Is it true your first professional on-camera work was a Fruit of the Loom commercial?
I remember something to do with Fruit of the Loom, but I don't think I got that. I did a Mrs. Paul's fish sticks. And I did a Burger King with Jeff Daniels. Or was it Mrs. Paul's fish sticks with Jeff Daniels? That was '77.
Your father died as you were working on Malcolm X.
I was flying to New York to meet with Spike, and when we landed my brother was there. The first thing I thought was Mom died. And he said, "Dad had a stroke." That was April of '91, and he died in August. We started shooting around the time that he died. [pauses] I never shed a tear for my father. That sounds like a book or a song. I never did all through the funeral and all that. There was no connection.
Were you angry with your father when your parents split?
First of all, he worked two or three jobs. So I didn't see him that much. Uh, the things I did, like sports and things, he wasn't really... I guess being a spiritual man, or just because he had to work so much, I didn't see him. My mother didn't see me, either—the things I did, the sports and that. Because they were working. It wasn't like it's been for our children, where you take them to all their events. It was a different time. Once they were separated, I was in school. So 70 percent of the year, I was away. In the summer, I wasn't looking to track him down. I was ready to hit the streets. So you just kind of fade.... Not to say that I didn't love him like a dad. But we didn't play ball, those types of things. Next thing you know, you're at college.
Did he disappoint you?
I didn't think of it that way. Everyone I grew up with didn't have a father. I had a father. My father was a decent man. He was a very spiritual man and a gentleman.
What do you see of your father in you?
I'm more like my mother. She is the toughest woman. She's 88.
Did you bring any of your father into Malcolm X?
Absolutely. Preaching is preaching, be it Malcolm X or... I don't want to generalize and say "the black church," but there's a certain style. And growing up with that, I understood it. Same could be said just for the fact that my mama owned a beauty shop. There was great drama in there. [laughs]I remember certain cadences in the way my father would set up certain things. And when I would hear Malcolm X, I would say, Oh, he sets it up the same way. It's a rhythm. It's almost music.
Tell me about your first job.
I was a paperboy. I was maybe 9. I faded on that quick. There's no money in it. I was 11 or so when I started in the barbershop. That was great theater. Professional liars in a barbershop. There were a lot of father figures in there. I was there with grown men. You know, saying grown-men things. Listening to men talk and lie. I learned to hustle. If you came in, I looked at you like money. Okay, you've got good shoes? You might have a few dollars. I had a little side hustle where you brought your clothes on Saturday; I'd take them to the cleaners and deliver them at the end of the day. Fifty cents here, a dollar there. I was 13 and buying my own clothes. Working in that barbershop, learning how to tell stories...I learned how to act. [laughs] I miss it. I really dug that independence. My oldest daughter—I see her digging her independence. She doesn't like me talking about it, but she's working with Tarantino.
On Django Unchained?
Yeah. I can see myself in her.
That's funny she's with Tarantino, because you had that feud with him on Crimson Tide over what you called his racist dialogue he added to the script.
Isn't that interesting how life goes? But I buried that hatchet. I sought him out ten years ago. I told him, "Look, I apologize." You've just gotta let that go. You gonna walk around with that the rest of your life? He seemed relieved. And then here we are ten years later, and my daughter's working with him. Life is something.
What did you feel when Whitney died?
Whitney was my girl, and she had done so well in recovery. And that is the toughest part about addiction.
Were you friends still?
Not "talk every month" friends, but I talked to her from time to time. And that was a monster drug that got ahold of her, it was a mean one. You can't go back to that one. Nobody beats that. I look at people—and I don't think I'm speaking out of line—Sam Jackson, I've known for thirty-some-odd years, he was down at the bottom. And he came all the way back. And when he cleaned up, he never looked back. But he can't have that beer, because it might lead to the tough thing.
Whitney was such a sweet, sweet girl and really just a humble girl. You know, they made her this thing. She had a voice, obviously, but they packaged her into this whole whatever, but she was really just this humble, sweet girl. Me and Lenny [Kravitz], we were talking about her yesterday, and it's more of an example to me or the rest of us to keep it together. I was listening to her song "I Look to You." It's prophetic. Maybe I'm speaking out of line. Maybe she thought she could have one. And then the next thing you know, her body was betraying her. She didn't know that her body was aging quickly. She couldn't take it. Your body can only take so much. Some people survive [Hollywood and fame], and some people don't.
How do you think Obama fits in now?
Well, the story's not told yet. He's in the beginning of the third quarter. I don't know what his legacy is yet. He's the first—that's a part of it. Like Jackie Robinson. But it just wasn't the first game; it was lasting the whole thing.
Would you ever go into politics?
No. I'm an independent. In some ways I'm liberal, and other ways I'm conservative. We get so locked in on "you have to be this or that." It's ridiculous. I'm not a liberal or a conservative completely. Who is? Or why do you have to be? You assess the pros, the cons, of both sides and you make an intelligent decision.
How did you feel about Obama endorsing same-sex marriage?
What did he say about it?
He said he was in favor of it. That he didn't oppose it.
What does that mean? [laughs]
It's the political way of saying, "I support it."
You know, I think people have the right to believe what they want to believe. And people have the right to disagree with it.
If you had one thing to say to African-American readers of GQ, what would you say?
Take responsibility. One of the things that saddens me the most about my people is fathers that don't take care of their sons and daughters. And you can't blame that on The Man or getting frisked. Take responsibility. Look in the mirror and say, "What can I do better?" There is opportunity; you can make it. Whatever it is that you choose, be the best at it. You have an African-American president. You can do it. But take responsibility. Put your slippers way under your bed so when you get up in the morning, you have to get on your knees to find them. And while you're down there, start your day with prayer. Ask for wisdom. Ask for understanding. I'm not telling you what religion to be, but work on your spirit. You know, mind, body, and spirit. Imagine—work the brain muscle. Keep the body in tune—it's your temple. All things in moderation. Continue to search. That's the best part of life for me—continue to try to be the best man.
Washington is in New Orleans filming his forty-second movie, 2 Guns, with Mark Wahlberg. He has played everyone from Malcolm X to Hurricane Carter and racked up two Oscars (Glory and Training Day), as well as starred in films as disparate as Philadelphia, Remember the Titans, Crimson Tide, and the forthcoming Flight. And yet what do you really know about Denzel Washington? (Other than the obvious fact that being 57 hasn't cost him a single step.) Thirty years after he introduced himself as Dr. Philip Chandler on St. Elsewhere, one of the most dominant leading men of his generation remains a very public mystery.
What's your first memory of being onstage?
I was around 7, 8, whatever I was. We did a talent show at the Boys Club. Me and another guy, Wayne Bridges—God rest his soul—he's the father of Chris Bridges, Ludacris. We decided to be the Beatles. So we went to John's Bargain Store and bought fake guitars and wigs and did "I Want to Hold Your Hand."
Is there an actor who has influenced you?
There's a scene in The Godfather II. De Niro's in a theater. And he's looking back. It's just a look. I don't think I've ever imitated another actor, but there's nothing wrong with learning from them.
What is the first movie that you recall?
King Kong. The Wizard of Oz was a big one. I remember Caged, these women in prison. I liked that one. But I wasn't a movie buff. Never thought about the movies. When I was in my teens, it was movies like Shaft or Superfly. I wanted to be like those guys. But I never thought about being an actor, ever. I wanted to be Jim Brown or Gale Sayers, not Sidney Poitier. When I started acting, there weren't any big black movie stars. There was a little Billy Dee Williams and some Richard Pryor. That was it.
Are there any roles you've turned down that you regret?
Seven and Michael Clayton. With Clayton, it was the best material I had read in a long time, but I was nervous about a first-time director, and I was wrong. It happens.
And you wanted a part in Platoon?
That and Full Metal Jacket. They were like, "Well, [Kubrick] doesn't send out his scripts." I was like, "Well, then what do you want me to do?" Platoon, I wanted to play the part Willem Dafoe played.
Do you have any code you live by?
I read from the Bible every day, and I read my Daily Word. I read something great yesterday. It said, "Don't aspire to make a living. Aspire to make a difference."
In some ways, you're a cipher. There's not much you put out there.
But that's not my job to put stuff out there. Sidney Poitier told me this years ago: "If they see you for free all week, they won't pay to see you on the weekend, because they feel like they've seen you. If you walk by the magazine section in the supermarket and they've known you all their life, there's no mystery. They can't take the ride." My professional work is being a better actor. I don't know how to be a celebrity.
So if they want to see you that way--
I've got my own things that I will and won't do, but it's not because I "carry the weight of the African-American something" or whatever. I can't. I'm an actor. First of all, I don't take myself that seriously. I take what I do seriously, and I try to do a good job.
You've worked with Gene Hackman. Any other titans you want to shoot with?
All of 'em. Anybody whose last name ends in an o. De Niro. Pacino. I cut my teeth watching them. Going back to the idea of learning things from other actors—Laurence Olivier was an outside-in kind of guy. He'd find a handle, something on the outside. The Method guys were inside-out. I use a little bit of both. For Mo' Better Blues, I'll pick up a trumpet. Not "Oh, what is the emotional innards of a jazz musician?" Hurricane? Start boxing. Sometimes it starts on the outside. Sometimes on the inside.
When the Denzel biopic is made, what would an actor need to have in his performance to make you say, "He got me"?
That suggests I know what it is, and I don't want to know what it is. That's part of the mystery. It is what it is. I don't go, "I gotta make sure I put some of that Denzel Washington-ism in the movie." I don't want tricks. I don't want to lose my mojo.
When you were playing Malcolm X, you said one of the things that helped you "get" Malcolm was noticing that he was always pointing.
That was one of the keys. It wasn't the key. He does a lot of that. And he didn't say "against," he said, "a-ginst." So I started throwing in extra "a-ginst"s, because it made me feel like I was in rhythm.
When you met with Frank Lucas before American Gangster, what were you, as an actor, looking for?
The answers. I found a guy who can knock people off. How do you act that? When we were working on Man on Fire, [director] Tony Scott* sent me a tape about the Iceman, the guy that killed all of those people. Later I saw this footage of a young girl getting shot. She didn't do anything but drop. It's morbid fascination, but that's what I'm looking for. That's what I did in Training Day. After I get shot, there's no last speech. I want that reality.
Training Day has become a new classic.
A lot of credit goes to Antoine Fuqua, the director. He brought the gangster aspect into it. The script was more like a 2000 version of a Lethal Weapon kind of guy. That line "King Kong ain't got nothin' on me"—I made that up. The character's ego, he just did not think he could lose. That was his problem.
Your father was a Pentecostal preacher.
Yes. I went every Sunday as a kid, so I can relate to the people who don't like it because there was a time when it was a job. We all go through our rebellion.
I read somewhere that you said you once felt yourself being filled with the Holy Spirit.
That was thirty years ago, at the church I still attend. The minister was preaching, "Just let it go." I said, "I'm going to go with it." And I had this tremendous physical and spiritual experience. It did frighten me. I was slobbering, crying, sweating. My cheeks blew up. I was purging. It was too intense. It almost drove me away. I called my mother, and she said I was being filled with the Holy Spirit. I was like, "Does that mean I can never have wine again?"
I look at Mitt Romney with his spirituality, and he's chosen not to talk about his faith.
Yeah, he hasn't even brought it up.
But if he just said, "Here's my path," I would love to hear it.
When I see him, he's always uncomfortable. You can see that uncomfortableness. Forget about his being Mormon. He hasn't said anything about his faith.
Was it hard being the son of a preacher?
As a child, no. He wasn't a taskmaster, but there were certain things you couldn't do. He had his own church, and it was a long Sunday, because you had to be there all day.
Why did your parents divorce?
You'd have to ask one of them. Why do people separate?
They never told you....
We didn't have a sit-down. They're a different generation. I didn't ask—you just assumed. For lack of love, or whatever their reason. I never asked. What else would I want to know? I didn't see it coming. But I wasn't looking. I was 14.
And then you were estranged from your father for a bit?
I was away in private school. And my mother came and said, "Go get your keys, we don't live in our house no more." So between 14 and 18, I lived with her until it got to be too much to handle. [laughs] Then I lived with him. And he kicked me out. He said, "You're just bad."
Then what?
It all kind of came together around the time that I started acting at Fordham. I was 20 and had a 1.8 GPA, and they were going to throw me out. So I took a semester off. And I remember standing in front of the army recruiting office like, "I don't want to go in the army." I started acting because I had done a lot of work with kids. I was at a YMCA camp. And we did a talent show for the kids. And this guy said, "You looked like a natural up there." So I said, "Let me try to act." That was September of '75. And my senior year, '76, I got an apartment on 310 or 312 West 93rd. Just roacheseverywhere.
Is it true your first professional on-camera work was a Fruit of the Loom commercial?
I remember something to do with Fruit of the Loom, but I don't think I got that. I did a Mrs. Paul's fish sticks. And I did a Burger King with Jeff Daniels. Or was it Mrs. Paul's fish sticks with Jeff Daniels? That was '77.
Your father died as you were working on Malcolm X.
I was flying to New York to meet with Spike, and when we landed my brother was there. The first thing I thought was Mom died. And he said, "Dad had a stroke." That was April of '91, and he died in August. We started shooting around the time that he died. [pauses] I never shed a tear for my father. That sounds like a book or a song. I never did all through the funeral and all that. There was no connection.
Were you angry with your father when your parents split?
First of all, he worked two or three jobs. So I didn't see him that much. Uh, the things I did, like sports and things, he wasn't really... I guess being a spiritual man, or just because he had to work so much, I didn't see him. My mother didn't see me, either—the things I did, the sports and that. Because they were working. It wasn't like it's been for our children, where you take them to all their events. It was a different time. Once they were separated, I was in school. So 70 percent of the year, I was away. In the summer, I wasn't looking to track him down. I was ready to hit the streets. So you just kind of fade.... Not to say that I didn't love him like a dad. But we didn't play ball, those types of things. Next thing you know, you're at college.
Did he disappoint you?
I didn't think of it that way. Everyone I grew up with didn't have a father. I had a father. My father was a decent man. He was a very spiritual man and a gentleman.
What do you see of your father in you?
I'm more like my mother. She is the toughest woman. She's 88.
Did you bring any of your father into Malcolm X?
Absolutely. Preaching is preaching, be it Malcolm X or... I don't want to generalize and say "the black church," but there's a certain style. And growing up with that, I understood it. Same could be said just for the fact that my mama owned a beauty shop. There was great drama in there. [laughs]I remember certain cadences in the way my father would set up certain things. And when I would hear Malcolm X, I would say, Oh, he sets it up the same way. It's a rhythm. It's almost music.
Tell me about your first job.
I was a paperboy. I was maybe 9. I faded on that quick. There's no money in it. I was 11 or so when I started in the barbershop. That was great theater. Professional liars in a barbershop. There were a lot of father figures in there. I was there with grown men. You know, saying grown-men things. Listening to men talk and lie. I learned to hustle. If you came in, I looked at you like money. Okay, you've got good shoes? You might have a few dollars. I had a little side hustle where you brought your clothes on Saturday; I'd take them to the cleaners and deliver them at the end of the day. Fifty cents here, a dollar there. I was 13 and buying my own clothes. Working in that barbershop, learning how to tell stories...I learned how to act. [laughs] I miss it. I really dug that independence. My oldest daughter—I see her digging her independence. She doesn't like me talking about it, but she's working with Tarantino.
On Django Unchained?
Yeah. I can see myself in her.
That's funny she's with Tarantino, because you had that feud with him on Crimson Tide over what you called his racist dialogue he added to the script.
Isn't that interesting how life goes? But I buried that hatchet. I sought him out ten years ago. I told him, "Look, I apologize." You've just gotta let that go. You gonna walk around with that the rest of your life? He seemed relieved. And then here we are ten years later, and my daughter's working with him. Life is something.
What did you feel when Whitney died?
Whitney was my girl, and she had done so well in recovery. And that is the toughest part about addiction.
Were you friends still?
Not "talk every month" friends, but I talked to her from time to time. And that was a monster drug that got ahold of her, it was a mean one. You can't go back to that one. Nobody beats that. I look at people—and I don't think I'm speaking out of line—Sam Jackson, I've known for thirty-some-odd years, he was down at the bottom. And he came all the way back. And when he cleaned up, he never looked back. But he can't have that beer, because it might lead to the tough thing.
Whitney was such a sweet, sweet girl and really just a humble girl. You know, they made her this thing. She had a voice, obviously, but they packaged her into this whole whatever, but she was really just this humble, sweet girl. Me and Lenny [Kravitz], we were talking about her yesterday, and it's more of an example to me or the rest of us to keep it together. I was listening to her song "I Look to You." It's prophetic. Maybe I'm speaking out of line. Maybe she thought she could have one. And then the next thing you know, her body was betraying her. She didn't know that her body was aging quickly. She couldn't take it. Your body can only take so much. Some people survive [Hollywood and fame], and some people don't.
How do you think Obama fits in now?
Well, the story's not told yet. He's in the beginning of the third quarter. I don't know what his legacy is yet. He's the first—that's a part of it. Like Jackie Robinson. But it just wasn't the first game; it was lasting the whole thing.
Would you ever go into politics?
No. I'm an independent. In some ways I'm liberal, and other ways I'm conservative. We get so locked in on "you have to be this or that." It's ridiculous. I'm not a liberal or a conservative completely. Who is? Or why do you have to be? You assess the pros, the cons, of both sides and you make an intelligent decision.
How did you feel about Obama endorsing same-sex marriage?
What did he say about it?
He said he was in favor of it. That he didn't oppose it.
What does that mean? [laughs]
It's the political way of saying, "I support it."
You know, I think people have the right to believe what they want to believe. And people have the right to disagree with it.
If you had one thing to say to African-American readers of GQ, what would you say?
Take responsibility. One of the things that saddens me the most about my people is fathers that don't take care of their sons and daughters. And you can't blame that on The Man or getting frisked. Take responsibility. Look in the mirror and say, "What can I do better?" There is opportunity; you can make it. Whatever it is that you choose, be the best at it. You have an African-American president. You can do it. But take responsibility. Put your slippers way under your bed so when you get up in the morning, you have to get on your knees to find them. And while you're down there, start your day with prayer. Ask for wisdom. Ask for understanding. I'm not telling you what religion to be, but work on your spirit. You know, mind, body, and spirit. Imagine—work the brain muscle. Keep the body in tune—it's your temple. All things in moderation. Continue to search. That's the best part of life for me—continue to try to be the best man.
|
|
Kerry Washington vs. Jessica Biel — Fashion Faceoff
By Rebecca Detken | A-Line: Celebrity Style
Guess what? It's time for another good 'ol fashion faceoff! And Jessica Biel and Kerry Washington are the two lovely ladies who happen to find themselves going head to head in this week's who-wore-it-better battle.
Biel, who we'll soon be able to call Mrs. Justin Timberlake, stepped out in the Christian Dior Resort 2013 frock first at the 2012 ESPY Awards in July. The "Total Recall" actress looked almost ballerina-like in a white version of the dress — clearly, she's got wedding bells on the brain — which accentuated her tiny waist. A retro ponytail, Nicholas Kirkwood shoes (featuring a fun neon yellow heel), and a huge diamond engagement ring completed the 30-year-old's simple-yet-chic ensemble.
In August, Washington, 35, sported the same Dior design in pink — perfect for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's 2012 Installation Luncheon in Beverly Hills. Soft curls, bright magenta lips, and pointy nude Christian Louboutin "Pigalle" pumps rounded out the "Scandal" star's pretty-in-pink look.
This is a tough decision, as both women look gorgeous in the girly frock. But, for me, it all boils down to the color. While Biel is stunning in the crisp white dress, the pink version just pops a little more (thanks in part to the red stripe, which accentuates the frock's voluminous skirt) and complements Washington's skin tone nicely. Don't get me wrong — Biel is certainly a stunner — but I'm declaring a victory for Ms. Washington this time around. Who do you think won??
Biel, who we'll soon be able to call Mrs. Justin Timberlake, stepped out in the Christian Dior Resort 2013 frock first at the 2012 ESPY Awards in July. The "Total Recall" actress looked almost ballerina-like in a white version of the dress — clearly, she's got wedding bells on the brain — which accentuated her tiny waist. A retro ponytail, Nicholas Kirkwood shoes (featuring a fun neon yellow heel), and a huge diamond engagement ring completed the 30-year-old's simple-yet-chic ensemble.
In August, Washington, 35, sported the same Dior design in pink — perfect for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's 2012 Installation Luncheon in Beverly Hills. Soft curls, bright magenta lips, and pointy nude Christian Louboutin "Pigalle" pumps rounded out the "Scandal" star's pretty-in-pink look.
This is a tough decision, as both women look gorgeous in the girly frock. But, for me, it all boils down to the color. While Biel is stunning in the crisp white dress, the pink version just pops a little more (thanks in part to the red stripe, which accentuates the frock's voluminous skirt) and complements Washington's skin tone nicely. Don't get me wrong — Biel is certainly a stunner — but I'm declaring a victory for Ms. Washington this time around. Who do you think won??
|
|
Lil Wayne Debuts Trukfit At S.L.A.T.E. In Las Vegas
by Roman Wolfe
(AllHipHop News) Rapper Lil Wayne debuted his Trukfit clothing line at S.L.A.T.E. earlier this week in Las Vegas.
S.L.A.T.E. is an annual, curated gathering of progressive streetwear labels from the skate, surf, art and music communities.
Lil Wayne’s Trukfit booth featured hi-tech mannequins with 3D video mapping technology, designed by Pearl Media.
After Trukfit’s debut at S.L.A.T.E, the rapper and friends celebrated at 1 0AK Nightclub at The Mirage in Las Vegas.
Once there, Lil Wayne took his passion for skating to a new level – he built a custom skate ramp inside 1 0AK.
In addition to skating on the ramp with Stevie Williams, Lil Wayne, Tyga, Mack Maine and producer Detail hit the stage inside the club and performed a few tracks.
Check out some flicks below:
S.L.A.T.E. is an annual, curated gathering of progressive streetwear labels from the skate, surf, art and music communities.
Lil Wayne’s Trukfit booth featured hi-tech mannequins with 3D video mapping technology, designed by Pearl Media.
After Trukfit’s debut at S.L.A.T.E, the rapper and friends celebrated at 1 0AK Nightclub at The Mirage in Las Vegas.
Once there, Lil Wayne took his passion for skating to a new level – he built a custom skate ramp inside 1 0AK.
In addition to skating on the ramp with Stevie Williams, Lil Wayne, Tyga, Mack Maine and producer Detail hit the stage inside the club and performed a few tracks.
Check out some flicks below:
|
|
THE COLLECTOR: Beverly Johnson
SHE'S ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC BLACK SUPERMODELS OF OUR TIME, BUT DID YOU KNOW ABOUT HER FASCINATION WITH THE ART WORLD?
(EBONY.COM) Everything is coming up Beverly Johnson: a wonderful run of her reality show "Beverly’s Full House" on OWN, the launch of a branding partnership with Frederick’s of Hollywood for her latest beauty line, and a feature role in the new HBO documentary,About Face: Supermodels Then and Now. Johnson has not only held the everlasting look, she continues to possess a fastidious eye for the ways in which every woman is iconic.
The keen, trend savvy business mind stands out from the exclusive club of supermodels with her ability to recognize and shape the sensibilities of women of diverse ethnic identities across generations. If you were to notice the details of her Desert Springs, California home, you might wonder if some of her magic stems from her love of art, or a gift of being young and cosmopolitan in the '70s and '80s.
In the midst of the whirl of projects that command her schedule, Johnson is looking forward to joining the board of the Palm Springs Art Museum this fall. As she considers her journey to leading arts patronage, she looks back to living and befriending in one New York City’s great golden ages.
“At the time, I did not realize that I was part of a group that was going to produce so many great artists. Now I look back on who they were, and they had such a spirit,” Johnson considers as she describes falling into collecting art by virtue of who her friends were. “I was just growing up in the era. We’d go to see Keith Haring or Peter Max, who I remember had his studio on Riverside Drive [Harlem, New York].”
True to the stature of an icon, there are mixed notes of nonchalance and awe in the way Johnson describes a lifestyle where you hang with your friends, they happen to be Haring, Max, Leroy Neiman orAndy Warhol, and you spend the night laughing, dining and painting together. “You didn’t know they were going to be famous. We went to a lot of parties together. And when it was your birthday, they’d give you a painting with a personal note on the back.”
Among her memories was acting as a muse for her then-boyfriend,Berisha, a celebrated artist/sculptor from Albania whose works are among her personal collection. No matter which of her friends she was hanging out with she notes, “They lived really big and really full. They were so passionate. It was always intense. They lived life to the fullest.” In review of Johnson’s life, living life in its complete immensity has to be a point of commonality.
Johnson describes a gift from artist Richard Bernstein as a transformative moment in her appreciation for art. “He was a part of the Andy Warhol factory and a great artist in his own right. He found this picture of me and made this amazing painting. And it turns out it was inspired by a photo of myself I really did not like. But I just loved the painting. It was funny.”
Her home is now an art lover’s paradise—a mix of works by iconic artists and emerging ones she has discovered while attending art fairs in Los Angeles. These days she takes inspiration in developing her art collection from the likes of collectors Helene Galen and Richard Weisman. A lover of artists including Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso, Johnson describes her art taste as “classical.”
Connecting the effect of these artists on her perspective, she shares thoughts on their focus, “The way Keith dressed, Andy Warhol’s hair—everything was art. I remember how they made their entire life art.”
The keen, trend savvy business mind stands out from the exclusive club of supermodels with her ability to recognize and shape the sensibilities of women of diverse ethnic identities across generations. If you were to notice the details of her Desert Springs, California home, you might wonder if some of her magic stems from her love of art, or a gift of being young and cosmopolitan in the '70s and '80s.
In the midst of the whirl of projects that command her schedule, Johnson is looking forward to joining the board of the Palm Springs Art Museum this fall. As she considers her journey to leading arts patronage, she looks back to living and befriending in one New York City’s great golden ages.
“At the time, I did not realize that I was part of a group that was going to produce so many great artists. Now I look back on who they were, and they had such a spirit,” Johnson considers as she describes falling into collecting art by virtue of who her friends were. “I was just growing up in the era. We’d go to see Keith Haring or Peter Max, who I remember had his studio on Riverside Drive [Harlem, New York].”
True to the stature of an icon, there are mixed notes of nonchalance and awe in the way Johnson describes a lifestyle where you hang with your friends, they happen to be Haring, Max, Leroy Neiman orAndy Warhol, and you spend the night laughing, dining and painting together. “You didn’t know they were going to be famous. We went to a lot of parties together. And when it was your birthday, they’d give you a painting with a personal note on the back.”
Among her memories was acting as a muse for her then-boyfriend,Berisha, a celebrated artist/sculptor from Albania whose works are among her personal collection. No matter which of her friends she was hanging out with she notes, “They lived really big and really full. They were so passionate. It was always intense. They lived life to the fullest.” In review of Johnson’s life, living life in its complete immensity has to be a point of commonality.
Johnson describes a gift from artist Richard Bernstein as a transformative moment in her appreciation for art. “He was a part of the Andy Warhol factory and a great artist in his own right. He found this picture of me and made this amazing painting. And it turns out it was inspired by a photo of myself I really did not like. But I just loved the painting. It was funny.”
Her home is now an art lover’s paradise—a mix of works by iconic artists and emerging ones she has discovered while attending art fairs in Los Angeles. These days she takes inspiration in developing her art collection from the likes of collectors Helene Galen and Richard Weisman. A lover of artists including Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso, Johnson describes her art taste as “classical.”
Connecting the effect of these artists on her perspective, she shares thoughts on their focus, “The way Keith dressed, Andy Warhol’s hair—everything was art. I remember how they made their entire life art.”
Zoe Saldana Covers Gotham Magazine, Talks Style Influences And Fashion Ancestry
(HUFFPOST) Wearing a satin Givenchy jumpsuit and a pearly white smile, actress Zoe Saldana posed for the cover of the September 2012 issue of Gotham magazine.
In March, Saldana confessed in an exclusive interview with HuffPost’s Latino Voices that despite her big screen success she wasn’t able to a land the cover of “any” magazine she fancied. That month, Saldana became the first face to grace the cover of Cosmopolitan for Latinas, a new magazine that primarily targets a Latino audience.
"There are a lot of magazines that are still sort of... that only cater to a certain demographic and only put certain people on their covers," she added. "And that's fine -- I never lose hope that one day certain big magazines can broaden their exposure of what is an American face," said the half-Dominican, half-Puerto Rican actress at the Cosmopolitan for Latinas launch party.Well it seems that Saldana’s face has managed to capture the eye of Gotham. The magazine asked the star of the upcoming movie “The Words” about the inspiration behind her sense of style.
“My grandmother and great-grandmother were seamstresses their whole lives, so when my grandmother moved to New York in the ’60s, she worked for design houses throughout the city,” Saldana told Gotham. “She really loved fabrics and textiles, so it was natural to my family. Fashion wasn’t like a religion to us, but it is in my ancestry. It was never about luxury; it was about art.”
Speaking of the 1960s, Saldana also recently caught the eye of casting directors for the Nina Simone biopic. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actress replaced Mary J. Blige as the iconic jazz singer-songwriter in the forthcoming Cynthia Mort film. But not everyone was happy about the decision -- many Twitter fans hoped Brooklyn-born actress Adepero Oduye would win the role.
Check out the clips below of Nina Simone performing “Ain’t Got No, I’ve Got Life” and Saldana singing along with “Crossroads” co-star Britney Spears.
In March, Saldana confessed in an exclusive interview with HuffPost’s Latino Voices that despite her big screen success she wasn’t able to a land the cover of “any” magazine she fancied. That month, Saldana became the first face to grace the cover of Cosmopolitan for Latinas, a new magazine that primarily targets a Latino audience.
"There are a lot of magazines that are still sort of... that only cater to a certain demographic and only put certain people on their covers," she added. "And that's fine -- I never lose hope that one day certain big magazines can broaden their exposure of what is an American face," said the half-Dominican, half-Puerto Rican actress at the Cosmopolitan for Latinas launch party.Well it seems that Saldana’s face has managed to capture the eye of Gotham. The magazine asked the star of the upcoming movie “The Words” about the inspiration behind her sense of style.
“My grandmother and great-grandmother were seamstresses their whole lives, so when my grandmother moved to New York in the ’60s, she worked for design houses throughout the city,” Saldana told Gotham. “She really loved fabrics and textiles, so it was natural to my family. Fashion wasn’t like a religion to us, but it is in my ancestry. It was never about luxury; it was about art.”
Speaking of the 1960s, Saldana also recently caught the eye of casting directors for the Nina Simone biopic. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actress replaced Mary J. Blige as the iconic jazz singer-songwriter in the forthcoming Cynthia Mort film. But not everyone was happy about the decision -- many Twitter fans hoped Brooklyn-born actress Adepero Oduye would win the role.
Check out the clips below of Nina Simone performing “Ain’t Got No, I’ve Got Life” and Saldana singing along with “Crossroads” co-star Britney Spears.
African-American women talk about embracing their naturally textured hair
Written by Donyelle Davis
The debate over Olympic gold medal gymnast Gabby Douglas’ hair shouldn’t come as a surprise. The controversy surrounding her ’do, which some African-Americans thought was poorly-styled, speaks to how passionate the topic and imagery of black hair has historically been within the culture.
The debate over Douglas’ ponytail certainly got more ink because of the Olympics, but at the same time, social media sites were debating Oprah Winfrey’s decision to wear a natural hairstyle on the September cover of her magazine, O.
In Rochester and across the country, more African-American women — including powerhouses such as Xerox CEO Ursula Burns — have embraced “au naturale” hairstyles, abandoning more popular relaxed styles.
Once seen as an anti-assimilation declaration, “going natural,” or no longer chemically straightening one’s hair, is coming full circle as a less radical and increasingly popular trend among African-American women, who are embracing their naturally “kinky” or “tightly-curled” manes instead.
“Natural hair, to me, in a way, is a political stance,” says Delores Jackson Radney, co-owner of Kuumba Consultants, who has worn her hair without chemicals for more than 20 years. “It says that we can be beautiful in our natural state.”
Contrary to what many young black girls think today, Radney believes there is nothing wrong with looking different from the European standard of beauty often emphasized in magazines and on television.
“Whether it’s my big lips or my nappy hair, I never thought any of that was negative,” she says. “Every way that we are is beautiful and attractive, and we need to accept that about ourselves.”
Traditionally, black women have used a chemical cream called a permanent relaxer to physically change the wave patterns of their hair from curly-textured to straight. Another, less permanent, method of loosening tightly-curled hair is running a hot comb through it.
“Straightened hair became associated with freedom, civilized and professional, while kinky hair became associated with wild, uncivilized and bondage,” says Kijana Crawford, associate professor of sociology at Rochester Institute of Technology, about the historical significance of hairstyles in black culture. “Relaxers and straighteners were often deemed necessary for black women to get professional jobs in corporate America.”
The 1960s and ’70s ushered in a new movement for African-American hairstyles, one in which many black women abandoned straightening procedures and wore their hair naturally in afros, cornrows, braids and, in later decades, dreadlocks.
“Many African-Americans began to use their hair to make political statements and to show their African ancestors and blackness through the diaspora,” Crawford says.
These Afrocentric styles fizzled out with the introduction of the Jheri curl in the ’80s and the popularity of hair extensions in the ’90s.
Rochester cosmetologist Joan Davis recalls a time, during the late 1960s, when she attended beauty school and natural black hair was unfamiliar to those outside of the culture. She says, at the time, local beauty schools did not know anything about styling or treating African-American hair.
“They asked a Caucasian girl to wash my hair. When she did it, she was scared to death,” Davis says. “They were trying to understand African-American hair.”
Now, local cosmetology schools are taking the initiative to learn about black hair care, especially black hair in its natural state, Davis says. She also encourages black women with relaxed hair to try transitioning to natural hair, because it is healthier than relaxers, weaves and braids, which, if used improperly, can cause chemical burns and damage to the scalp.
“There is versatility with natural hair,” she says. “You can wear it straight, you can wear an Afro and however else you want to wear it.”
In recent years, YouTube videos and Internet blogs have become a main source of information for many women considering the change, says Debora McDell-Hernandez, coordinator of community programs and outreach at the Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester. Hernandez, a Rochester native, cut off the relaxed portions of her hair last September, leaving a one-inch Afro, which has grown much longer since.
“There are some people who love it and think it looks absolutely great. There are times I get stares of disapproval,” Hernandez says. “You have to be confident in what you’re doing.”
Hernandez said she has experimented with relaxed and natural styles throughout her life and believes that, for her, her current hairstyle is a healthier choice, not necessarily a political one.
“Obviously, your hair is a part of your identity and plays a role in how people view you and how you view yourself, but I also think it’s beyond that,” she said. “I don’t think your identity is necessarily limited to how you choose to style your hair.”
The debate over Douglas’ ponytail certainly got more ink because of the Olympics, but at the same time, social media sites were debating Oprah Winfrey’s decision to wear a natural hairstyle on the September cover of her magazine, O.
In Rochester and across the country, more African-American women — including powerhouses such as Xerox CEO Ursula Burns — have embraced “au naturale” hairstyles, abandoning more popular relaxed styles.
Once seen as an anti-assimilation declaration, “going natural,” or no longer chemically straightening one’s hair, is coming full circle as a less radical and increasingly popular trend among African-American women, who are embracing their naturally “kinky” or “tightly-curled” manes instead.
“Natural hair, to me, in a way, is a political stance,” says Delores Jackson Radney, co-owner of Kuumba Consultants, who has worn her hair without chemicals for more than 20 years. “It says that we can be beautiful in our natural state.”
Contrary to what many young black girls think today, Radney believes there is nothing wrong with looking different from the European standard of beauty often emphasized in magazines and on television.
“Whether it’s my big lips or my nappy hair, I never thought any of that was negative,” she says. “Every way that we are is beautiful and attractive, and we need to accept that about ourselves.”
Traditionally, black women have used a chemical cream called a permanent relaxer to physically change the wave patterns of their hair from curly-textured to straight. Another, less permanent, method of loosening tightly-curled hair is running a hot comb through it.
“Straightened hair became associated with freedom, civilized and professional, while kinky hair became associated with wild, uncivilized and bondage,” says Kijana Crawford, associate professor of sociology at Rochester Institute of Technology, about the historical significance of hairstyles in black culture. “Relaxers and straighteners were often deemed necessary for black women to get professional jobs in corporate America.”
The 1960s and ’70s ushered in a new movement for African-American hairstyles, one in which many black women abandoned straightening procedures and wore their hair naturally in afros, cornrows, braids and, in later decades, dreadlocks.
“Many African-Americans began to use their hair to make political statements and to show their African ancestors and blackness through the diaspora,” Crawford says.
These Afrocentric styles fizzled out with the introduction of the Jheri curl in the ’80s and the popularity of hair extensions in the ’90s.
Rochester cosmetologist Joan Davis recalls a time, during the late 1960s, when she attended beauty school and natural black hair was unfamiliar to those outside of the culture. She says, at the time, local beauty schools did not know anything about styling or treating African-American hair.
“They asked a Caucasian girl to wash my hair. When she did it, she was scared to death,” Davis says. “They were trying to understand African-American hair.”
Now, local cosmetology schools are taking the initiative to learn about black hair care, especially black hair in its natural state, Davis says. She also encourages black women with relaxed hair to try transitioning to natural hair, because it is healthier than relaxers, weaves and braids, which, if used improperly, can cause chemical burns and damage to the scalp.
“There is versatility with natural hair,” she says. “You can wear it straight, you can wear an Afro and however else you want to wear it.”
In recent years, YouTube videos and Internet blogs have become a main source of information for many women considering the change, says Debora McDell-Hernandez, coordinator of community programs and outreach at the Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester. Hernandez, a Rochester native, cut off the relaxed portions of her hair last September, leaving a one-inch Afro, which has grown much longer since.
“There are some people who love it and think it looks absolutely great. There are times I get stares of disapproval,” Hernandez says. “You have to be confident in what you’re doing.”
Hernandez said she has experimented with relaxed and natural styles throughout her life and believes that, for her, her current hairstyle is a healthier choice, not necessarily a political one.
“Obviously, your hair is a part of your identity and plays a role in how people view you and how you view yourself, but I also think it’s beyond that,” she said. “I don’t think your identity is necessarily limited to how you choose to style your hair.”
GRIND: A Bathing Ape 2012 Fall/Winter Collection Editorial
Style ⋅ by James Skerman
GRIND magazine introduces various different styles from the 2012 fall/winter collection by A Bathing Ape. Select leather, check, knit and camo pieces are all particular focuses, as well as collaborations with British duffel coat manufacturers Gloverall, independent hand knit specialists Inverallan, and veteran shoe company George Cox. The highlighted A-2 leather jacket has been constructed from horse leather and features a contrasting satin 1st Camo lining. Japanese retail has been set at ¥187,740 JPY (approximately $2,400 USD). This season will also see new check and woodland camo colorways standing alongside the more traditional versions. Items from the A Bathing Ape 2012 fall/winter collection are available now at BAPE stores worldwide.
GRIND magazine introduces various different styles from the 2012 fall/winter collection by A Bathing Ape. Select leather, check, knit and camo pieces are all particular focuses, as well as collaborations with British duffel coat manufacturers Gloverall, independent hand knit specialists Inverallan, and veteran shoe company George Cox. The highlighted A-2 leather jacket has been constructed from horse leather and features a contrasting satin 1st Camo lining. Japanese retail has been set at ¥187,740 JPY (approximately $2,400 USD). This season will also see new check and woodland camo colorways standing alongside the more traditional versions. Items from the A Bathing Ape 2012 fall/winter collection are available now at BAPE stores worldwide.
|
|
Kelly Rowland Tells Us The Most Awesome Thing About Being The Ambassador For A Luxury Brand
Linette Lopez
We've always wondered what it must be like to be a brand ambassador...
We envisioned a legion of attendees whisking us away to exotic locations to model products in front of adoring crowds. Awesome.
This week we learned that it's actually something really close to that.
R&B star Kelly Rowland just launched her own design of watches with luxury Swiss watch maker TW Steel. The colorful pieces have oversized faces and elegant looking bands — and that's important, but what's just as important as design is the roll-out.
It has to be huge.
That's why we found ourselves in a massive suite in New York City's trendy Standard Hotel with a gorgeous view facing northern Manhattan.
Business Insider, and an army of excited reporters, was waiting for Rowland to give us a few moments of her time. Black-clad PR people buzzed around in head sets calling names and giving directions. They offered the reporters water (still or sparkling of course).
Eventually, we were ushered into a sunny room with Rowland. She sat calmly, smiling. It took her no time to explain how and why she started working with TW Steel.
"I used to look at my dad's watches and say 'I wish I had one of those,'" she explained. She was attracted to heavy, oversized men's watches from an early age, so when the opportunity with TW Steel arose, she jumped at the chance to add a feminine touch and make the style her own.
That's all well and good. But what everyone really wants to know is... how are the perks (aside from tons of free merchandise, of course)?
"The best part is that they ship me everywhere," Rowland said excitedly. "I just opened a store in Hong Kong. When I found out I was going there I couldn't believe it...'I'm going to go to Hong Kong?' I thought... I'm a bit spoiled by y'all."
Even her interaction with her fans has changed, Rowland said. Now she gets to see them wherever they are and interact with them in things like online giveaways (she has one coming up soon).
It's a winning relationship for everyone involved. TW Steel gets a great face with name recognition, and Rowland gets increased visibility before her upcoming album (coming "at the end of this year," she said — she doesn't like to get specific).
The party TW Steel held for Rowland in the Standard's uber exclusive Boom Boom Room wasn't half bad either. Think: Fireworks over the Hudson and an open bar.
Jealous?
We envisioned a legion of attendees whisking us away to exotic locations to model products in front of adoring crowds. Awesome.
This week we learned that it's actually something really close to that.
R&B star Kelly Rowland just launched her own design of watches with luxury Swiss watch maker TW Steel. The colorful pieces have oversized faces and elegant looking bands — and that's important, but what's just as important as design is the roll-out.
It has to be huge.
That's why we found ourselves in a massive suite in New York City's trendy Standard Hotel with a gorgeous view facing northern Manhattan.
Business Insider, and an army of excited reporters, was waiting for Rowland to give us a few moments of her time. Black-clad PR people buzzed around in head sets calling names and giving directions. They offered the reporters water (still or sparkling of course).
Eventually, we were ushered into a sunny room with Rowland. She sat calmly, smiling. It took her no time to explain how and why she started working with TW Steel.
"I used to look at my dad's watches and say 'I wish I had one of those,'" she explained. She was attracted to heavy, oversized men's watches from an early age, so when the opportunity with TW Steel arose, she jumped at the chance to add a feminine touch and make the style her own.
That's all well and good. But what everyone really wants to know is... how are the perks (aside from tons of free merchandise, of course)?
"The best part is that they ship me everywhere," Rowland said excitedly. "I just opened a store in Hong Kong. When I found out I was going there I couldn't believe it...'I'm going to go to Hong Kong?' I thought... I'm a bit spoiled by y'all."
Even her interaction with her fans has changed, Rowland said. Now she gets to see them wherever they are and interact with them in things like online giveaways (she has one coming up soon).
It's a winning relationship for everyone involved. TW Steel gets a great face with name recognition, and Rowland gets increased visibility before her upcoming album (coming "at the end of this year," she said — she doesn't like to get specific).
The party TW Steel held for Rowland in the Standard's uber exclusive Boom Boom Room wasn't half bad either. Think: Fireworks over the Hudson and an open bar.
Jealous?
Spotted: Rapper.. Eve
Eve looks GORG while she visited the MAC Cosmetics store in the Washington, D.C. area to commemorate M.A.C. Viva Glam sales raising $250 million for people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.
Tamanika from “A Fendi Bag & A Bad Attitude” Launches her Fendi Bag Tee’s
It was the Who’s Who among the style Fashionista’s and Fashionist(o)’s of New York City as our very own Fashion writer for BPDR Tamanika launched her very own “A Fendi Bag & A Bad Attitude” tee’s a couple of weeks ago in Ruia NYC in New York with the help of Touch of Pink Public Relations.
Invited Guest (Bloggers, The press, Friends and family) got a chance to few “A Fendi Bag” tee’s (which will drop in September during NY Fashion week) while enjoying the catering sponsored by Feisty Flavors, cupcakes from Chelsea’s cupcakes and drinks provided by Seagram’s Smooth not to mention the other sponsors involved in this event including: Plush Pink, Pop chips, Clipa, Couture Cupcakes, Travalo, Porta Pocket, YouTonics, Anabel New York, GUAM Beauty Mud, Heidi D. Cosmetics, Morinda Bioactives FIT bars and Porta Pocket.
Take a look below at this wonderful event where the stylish New Yorkers network and enjoy swag bags while attending #AFendiBagLaunch. View more photos (here)
Don't forget to check out AFendiBagandABadAttitude.com
Invited Guest (Bloggers, The press, Friends and family) got a chance to few “A Fendi Bag” tee’s (which will drop in September during NY Fashion week) while enjoying the catering sponsored by Feisty Flavors, cupcakes from Chelsea’s cupcakes and drinks provided by Seagram’s Smooth not to mention the other sponsors involved in this event including: Plush Pink, Pop chips, Clipa, Couture Cupcakes, Travalo, Porta Pocket, YouTonics, Anabel New York, GUAM Beauty Mud, Heidi D. Cosmetics, Morinda Bioactives FIT bars and Porta Pocket.
Take a look below at this wonderful event where the stylish New Yorkers network and enjoy swag bags while attending #AFendiBagLaunch. View more photos (here)
Don't forget to check out AFendiBagandABadAttitude.com
|
|
|
|
Steal: Vanessa Simmons’s 2013 Miami Mercedes Benz Swim Fashion Week Virgos Lounge Mollie Wrap Skirt
by Faith (Fashionbombdaily)
Vanessa Simmons debuted her Rose by Vanessa Jean lingerie line at 2013 Miami Mercedes Benz Swim Fashion Week. For the occasion, she paired a criss-cross bandeau top (most likely from her line) with a $68 Virgos Lounge Mollie Wrap Skirt and those coveted $650 Olcay Gulsen Ankle Strap Pumps.
Vanessa Simmons debuted her Rose by Vanessa Jean lingerie line at 2013 Miami Mercedes Benz Swim Fashion Week. For the occasion, she paired a criss-cross bandeau top (most likely from her line) with a $68 Virgos Lounge Mollie Wrap Skirt and those coveted $650 Olcay Gulsen Ankle Strap Pumps.
Ten fabulous fashion books
1. Dior Couture by Patrick Dermarchelier
It’s Christian Dior. It’s couture. The End. Edited by mega photographer Patrick Demarchelier this book is filled with hundreds of black-and-white images of models and celebrities in exquisite Dior gowns. It’s coffee table candy at it’s best.
Advertisement: Story continues below
2.True British: Alice Temperley
I absolutely love the jacket of this book. No matter you may feel about the Queen and her empire, the Union Jack is one of the all time great flags. In this book, much-loved British designer Alice Temperley shares her favourite images and gives the reader an inside look at her design process and inspirations. But really it’s all about that jacket.
3. Kate Moss by Mario Testino
Their relationship – lens to model – is one of the most celebrated in fashion history and much of the reason Kate Moss and Mario Testino have become household names. This book is visually awesome with beautifully curated images chronicling nearly two decades of photographs. There’s everything from candid polaroids to epic editorial shoots. If you love Mossy then this is a must.
4.Gucci: The Making Of
Celebrating 90 years of the Italian fashion label this book looks so fabulous on the coffee table. The glossy black and iconic three stripe is piece of art. Edited by current Creative Director Frida Giannini it’s a visual tribute to Gucci’s heritage filled with over 600 extraordinary images.
5.Ralph Lauren By Ralph Lauren
He wrote the rules on the American Sport genre. On merchandising. On fashion as a lifestyle. This book has long been a favourite on my coffee table because the images are just so fabulous – you get lost in the Ralph story. It’s a personal memoir peppered with countless Lauren personal photos and iconic images. A whopping 500-pages (it weighs a tonne) this book is the ultimate gift for the person who has everything.
6.Daphne Guinness By Valerie Steele and Daphne Guinness
Daphne Guinness is to the world of haute couture what butter is to bread – the perfect companion. Except that Guinness would never actually eat butter for fear she might not fit into what is one of the most extraordinary personal couture collections in the world. Curated by Valerie Steele as an extension of the exhibition shown at MFIT last year. This book is like salted caramel – decadent, special and very moreish.
9. Marisa Berenson: A Life in Pictures
Edited by Steven Meisel this book contains work from every significant photographer of the last century including Andy Warhol, Irving Penn and Helmut Newton. It’s a visual memoir of the beautiful Berenson (I could look at pictures of her all day) and charts her life story from modelling in the 60’s to acting in the 80’s. It’s full of snapshots you’ll want to frame.
10.The Impossible Collection of Fashion By Valerie Steele
Valerie Steele is a fashion nerd. Literally. With a Ph.D. from Yale University she is the Director and Chief Curator at MFIT (The Museum Fashion Institute of Technology) in NYC. The book comes in a divine clamshell case that’s so pretty you almost won't want to open it. Inside is her edit of the top one hundred, most iconic dresses of the last century. It's peppered with quotes and observations from fashions finest and most cerebral. Did I mention the clamshell case?
It’s Christian Dior. It’s couture. The End. Edited by mega photographer Patrick Demarchelier this book is filled with hundreds of black-and-white images of models and celebrities in exquisite Dior gowns. It’s coffee table candy at it’s best.
Advertisement: Story continues below
2.True British: Alice Temperley
I absolutely love the jacket of this book. No matter you may feel about the Queen and her empire, the Union Jack is one of the all time great flags. In this book, much-loved British designer Alice Temperley shares her favourite images and gives the reader an inside look at her design process and inspirations. But really it’s all about that jacket.
3. Kate Moss by Mario Testino
Their relationship – lens to model – is one of the most celebrated in fashion history and much of the reason Kate Moss and Mario Testino have become household names. This book is visually awesome with beautifully curated images chronicling nearly two decades of photographs. There’s everything from candid polaroids to epic editorial shoots. If you love Mossy then this is a must.
4.Gucci: The Making Of
Celebrating 90 years of the Italian fashion label this book looks so fabulous on the coffee table. The glossy black and iconic three stripe is piece of art. Edited by current Creative Director Frida Giannini it’s a visual tribute to Gucci’s heritage filled with over 600 extraordinary images.
5.Ralph Lauren By Ralph Lauren
He wrote the rules on the American Sport genre. On merchandising. On fashion as a lifestyle. This book has long been a favourite on my coffee table because the images are just so fabulous – you get lost in the Ralph story. It’s a personal memoir peppered with countless Lauren personal photos and iconic images. A whopping 500-pages (it weighs a tonne) this book is the ultimate gift for the person who has everything.
6.Daphne Guinness By Valerie Steele and Daphne Guinness
Daphne Guinness is to the world of haute couture what butter is to bread – the perfect companion. Except that Guinness would never actually eat butter for fear she might not fit into what is one of the most extraordinary personal couture collections in the world. Curated by Valerie Steele as an extension of the exhibition shown at MFIT last year. This book is like salted caramel – decadent, special and very moreish.
9. Marisa Berenson: A Life in Pictures
Edited by Steven Meisel this book contains work from every significant photographer of the last century including Andy Warhol, Irving Penn and Helmut Newton. It’s a visual memoir of the beautiful Berenson (I could look at pictures of her all day) and charts her life story from modelling in the 60’s to acting in the 80’s. It’s full of snapshots you’ll want to frame.
10.The Impossible Collection of Fashion By Valerie Steele
Valerie Steele is a fashion nerd. Literally. With a Ph.D. from Yale University she is the Director and Chief Curator at MFIT (The Museum Fashion Institute of Technology) in NYC. The book comes in a divine clamshell case that’s so pretty you almost won't want to open it. Inside is her edit of the top one hundred, most iconic dresses of the last century. It's peppered with quotes and observations from fashions finest and most cerebral. Did I mention the clamshell case?
NYC's 30 Under 30: Meet Gotham's Game-Changers
By Annie Georgia Greenberg, Kristian Laliberte,
Photographed by Dan McMahon
The Musical Muse: Solange Knowles
By now, you know we have a full-fledged crush on Solange Knowles. Part DJ, part songwriter, part singer (and one hot mama to son Julez), and all artist, she's got that undefinable mixture of soul, authenticity, and, yes, unabashed style, that keeps us coming back for more and more. Did we mention daring? Knowles identifies her proudest moment, leaving her record label and management company, as "a big and scary leap that I feel like I had to take in order for me to be happy and define success on my own terms." And define she did — Knowles has a new song coming out soon ("I'm very excited!"), is rocking the turntables at high profile events around the world, and dabbling in various fashion projects. Her favorite song of the moment happens to be Cam'ron's "What Means The World To You." "The girls verse on that song is KILLER," says Knowles. "What woman doesn't care about her money, her dough, her hair, her nails? Owww!" Knowles recognizing the power in those lyrics…well, that's just another Solange Owww moment for us.
Hair by Sera Sloane Bishop, makeup by Erin Green and Tiffany Patton.
By now, you know we have a full-fledged crush on Solange Knowles. Part DJ, part songwriter, part singer (and one hot mama to son Julez), and all artist, she's got that undefinable mixture of soul, authenticity, and, yes, unabashed style, that keeps us coming back for more and more. Did we mention daring? Knowles identifies her proudest moment, leaving her record label and management company, as "a big and scary leap that I feel like I had to take in order for me to be happy and define success on my own terms." And define she did — Knowles has a new song coming out soon ("I'm very excited!"), is rocking the turntables at high profile events around the world, and dabbling in various fashion projects. Her favorite song of the moment happens to be Cam'ron's "What Means The World To You." "The girls verse on that song is KILLER," says Knowles. "What woman doesn't care about her money, her dough, her hair, her nails? Owww!" Knowles recognizing the power in those lyrics…well, that's just another Solange Owww moment for us.
Hair by Sera Sloane Bishop, makeup by Erin Green and Tiffany Patton.
Fur Fury: PETA Attacks Olsen Twins for $17K Fur Backpack
(laist.com) Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's $16,900 backpack made from motley patches of animal fur has become the target of the famously (or infamously) relentless People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
Hairy-Kate and Trashley, also known as the Trollsen Twins, according to PETA, received the 2012 Council of Fashion Designers of America Award earlier in June for their work with The Row, an award which prompted PETA to attack. Here's what the People had to say about the bag in a statement to Ecouterre:
If it looks like a troll and acts like a troll, it's probably a Trollsen Twin—or someone wearing one of their new $16,000 totes, which are made from the fur and skins of innocent animals.What the Olsens lack in creativity, they try to make up for in shock value. Sadly, it's the foxes, calves, and alligators—who often have the fur ripped off them while they are still conscious and able to feel pain—who pay the dearest price.PETA even dedicates an interactive "Trollsen Twins" portion to their website where netheads can dress up the former "Full House" stars in "fatal fashion."
The nearly $17,000 bag, which is part of The Row's pre-fall 2012 collection, has succeeded in making one very noteworthy friend, celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe. Ecouterre says Zoe "hailed it as a pre-fall staple that combines both 'comfort and class'" on her blog, The Zoe Report. "Coupled with a blush blouse, skinny jeans, and a bold boot, an of-the-moment backpack will bear the weight of your everyday essentials with elegance and ease," wrote Zoe.
A black-alligator version of the backpack launched in 2011 for a tidy $34,000.
Hairy-Kate and Trashley, also known as the Trollsen Twins, according to PETA, received the 2012 Council of Fashion Designers of America Award earlier in June for their work with The Row, an award which prompted PETA to attack. Here's what the People had to say about the bag in a statement to Ecouterre:
If it looks like a troll and acts like a troll, it's probably a Trollsen Twin—or someone wearing one of their new $16,000 totes, which are made from the fur and skins of innocent animals.What the Olsens lack in creativity, they try to make up for in shock value. Sadly, it's the foxes, calves, and alligators—who often have the fur ripped off them while they are still conscious and able to feel pain—who pay the dearest price.PETA even dedicates an interactive "Trollsen Twins" portion to their website where netheads can dress up the former "Full House" stars in "fatal fashion."
The nearly $17,000 bag, which is part of The Row's pre-fall 2012 collection, has succeeded in making one very noteworthy friend, celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe. Ecouterre says Zoe "hailed it as a pre-fall staple that combines both 'comfort and class'" on her blog, The Zoe Report. "Coupled with a blush blouse, skinny jeans, and a bold boot, an of-the-moment backpack will bear the weight of your everyday essentials with elegance and ease," wrote Zoe.
A black-alligator version of the backpack launched in 2011 for a tidy $34,000.
Yves Saint Laurent Changes Its Name to Saint Laurent Paris
Come fall, Yves Saint Laurent will do away with the most unpronounceable part of their name (surely to the relief of all the salespeople who have endured customers bungling the word for years — "Yives? Vess?"). Anyway, the label is renaming itself Saint Laurent Paris, according to WWD, as part of a larger branding overhaul spearheaded by new creative director Hedi Slimane. The new name will go into effect by the time that Slimane's first collection for the label hits stores for spring 2013.
What will become of the brand's current initials, YSL, which make up the label's logo (and is what most people call it these days)? Apparently that's sticking around in some capacity, although the specifics are unclear. In other words, the future of that poor little Y seems uncertain at best. How quickly the name change will catch on is another question. "SLP" is hardly a catchy, distinctive set of letters, and vaguely calls to mind SJP, or the word "slop," or SLC Punk. Without further ado, we defer to Sesame Street's ode to Y. Happy Thursday, everybody.
What will become of the brand's current initials, YSL, which make up the label's logo (and is what most people call it these days)? Apparently that's sticking around in some capacity, although the specifics are unclear. In other words, the future of that poor little Y seems uncertain at best. How quickly the name change will catch on is another question. "SLP" is hardly a catchy, distinctive set of letters, and vaguely calls to mind SJP, or the word "slop," or SLC Punk. Without further ado, we defer to Sesame Street's ode to Y. Happy Thursday, everybody.
Empire girls interview
Let’s talk about reality shows, FASHION, girl talk... THE TEA ladies as we had a chance to meet up with the "Empire Girls" themselves at Bishops& Barons in New York City to talk about EVERYTHING! Check out below our “Girl Talk” on with Adrienne Bailon ( Cheetah Girl, Actress, Singer & songwriter) and Julissa Bermudez (Steve Madden Spokes Person, Actress, BET Correspondent, etc).
Well ladies, first and foremost, I want to say "Thank You" for the interview. We were actually very excited; it's very rare that you get two young ladies with ethnic backgrounds being portrayed on TV in a positive light. So we're really looking forward to the premiere.
At some point there's got to be a change. You know what I mean? I think what's dope about it is that there is a little something for everybody. Even if you want to tune into that. Amazing. ~Adrienne
How did you two become friends? Did you know each other before the industry or within the industry? Let's go!
Well we met almost 10 yrs ago and it was thru the industry because we would get invited to the same events, we would always cross paths. But when we really became best friends is when we did a movie together for MTV called "All You've Got" where she [Adrienne] starred opposite Ciara. ~Julissa
And that's where we connected. We were able to laugh at ourselves. We have very similar sense of humor. We bonded on the set of that. We like moved all her wardrobe into my trailer. Hanging out laughing~ Adrienne
I played her cousin in the movie. It was like a cameo. And it was really the best cameo because I got a friend out of it [for life?]!~Julissa
First of all, let me just ask you about your shoes because they are siiick (Adrienne had on Givenchy & Julissa had on Burberry). I'm a fellow shoe whore! I write for MissMean Shoe, the Examiner, BPDR and for my site & we (my readers) would like to know all about your "Shoe Obsession".
This one's the worst (points at Julissa). THIS one loses sleep on the Internet, [buying] shoes! ~ Adrienne
How many shoes do you [both] think you own? Let's get some numbers dropping on that.
Well, let's be clear. I go around the country and I host all the Steve Madden in-store appearances, so my Steve Madden count alone is minimum SEVENTY. Easy. Just his stuff. ~Julissa
I don't have as many as her. So I'm going to stick with. Hmm...It's actually really hard for me to find shoes. For people that don't know, I actually where a size 4. Christian Louboutin it fits, but a lot of my shoes aren't gon' fit. But hey, I gotta make it do what it do! But I have a really small foot so it's hard for me to find shoes. I think I have about 70 pairs of shoes~ Adrienne:
So what defines your style?
I would definitely say mine is a little more classic with a trendy, Bohemian twist. I like to add some classic pieces and then, again, throw in a trend. A trend that fits for my personal style because not all trends are going to be great trends but- I would definitely say to sum it all up it would be "Classic with a trendy, bohemian twist!"~Julissa
I'm so LES with the way I dress, in the sense that, yo! I'm a straight up cha cha queen. I like to pile on jewelry. You know, there is a sense of gaudiness to my look and I like that. I'm Latina, I am, very feminine but at the same time I'm from LES so sometimes I will have on a beanie with a dress with a leather jacket on and you just never know. It's very unexpected but that's very the "Lower East Side" in me ~Adrienne
That's one of the perks of being from NY though! You just say "Hey, I'm from New York. You don't get it but I do!"
Exactly! People be like "Damn, that's so tacky" and I'm like "What? I'm a cha cha queen!"~Adrienne
Whoever doesn't get the New York sense of style or essence that you can really bring to your wardrobe, I think is going to pick up a few things from watching our show because you are getting a chance to see New York City through the eyes of two New Yorkers. She's from Lower East Side ~Julissa
If somebody asks what I look like today, I'll be like "Oh, I'm Spanish Harlem. Somebody's drug dealer’s wife today". And that's my inspiration. I be like, "Oh, today I'ma be a drug dealer's wife". But it definitely is something, something funny, but it's a look ~Adrienne
Ok, so I have to ask. You ladies have definitely allowed your fans to basically have a lot of access into your lives. Including you (Julissa) I remember you were engaged at one point and (Adrienne) of course, your cameo on "the show" with a certain "you know who', my question is this, "What is it exactly that you learned from being in front of the cameras that you might not want for your reality TV show? And will you allow your fans to get into your personal lives again?
I mean, even before I even started this process, I've given my fans and the people who followed me up until this point, doses of my personal life. Obviously when I was engaged, it was to somebody who was also in the spotlight. That, you'll get to see on the show as well. I won't give too much away, but I definitely touch on that. And, I think the biggest part about it all is that, the personal part of my life that I would like to display is the part where people can relate so that they see that "celebrities" are just like them. And um, we have our things that we have to tackle and our issues and our ups and our downs, especially in this business, you'll see that on the show for sure! ~Julissa
Some of the things that I've learned was um, not worrying what people think. You know and I think that for me, that was a good deal. I've done a lot of work where I felt like, you know like even on, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, it wasn't my show. It was you know, 5 minutes here, 5 minutes there. Now this is a show where I have to open up and I think that can be really scary because you're going to be judged. And at the end of the day, I'm comfortable with who I am, and I know that I'm so normal and like, so regular, that it hopefully will be something that girls can relate to and see but at the same time it was difficult. And I think people also see my struggle with love ~Adrienne
Don't forget to catch Empire Girls tonight on STYLE @ 9pm
Well ladies, first and foremost, I want to say "Thank You" for the interview. We were actually very excited; it's very rare that you get two young ladies with ethnic backgrounds being portrayed on TV in a positive light. So we're really looking forward to the premiere.
At some point there's got to be a change. You know what I mean? I think what's dope about it is that there is a little something for everybody. Even if you want to tune into that. Amazing. ~Adrienne
How did you two become friends? Did you know each other before the industry or within the industry? Let's go!
Well we met almost 10 yrs ago and it was thru the industry because we would get invited to the same events, we would always cross paths. But when we really became best friends is when we did a movie together for MTV called "All You've Got" where she [Adrienne] starred opposite Ciara. ~Julissa
And that's where we connected. We were able to laugh at ourselves. We have very similar sense of humor. We bonded on the set of that. We like moved all her wardrobe into my trailer. Hanging out laughing~ Adrienne
I played her cousin in the movie. It was like a cameo. And it was really the best cameo because I got a friend out of it [for life?]!~Julissa
First of all, let me just ask you about your shoes because they are siiick (Adrienne had on Givenchy & Julissa had on Burberry). I'm a fellow shoe whore! I write for MissMean Shoe, the Examiner, BPDR and for my site & we (my readers) would like to know all about your "Shoe Obsession".
This one's the worst (points at Julissa). THIS one loses sleep on the Internet, [buying] shoes! ~ Adrienne
How many shoes do you [both] think you own? Let's get some numbers dropping on that.
Well, let's be clear. I go around the country and I host all the Steve Madden in-store appearances, so my Steve Madden count alone is minimum SEVENTY. Easy. Just his stuff. ~Julissa
I don't have as many as her. So I'm going to stick with. Hmm...It's actually really hard for me to find shoes. For people that don't know, I actually where a size 4. Christian Louboutin it fits, but a lot of my shoes aren't gon' fit. But hey, I gotta make it do what it do! But I have a really small foot so it's hard for me to find shoes. I think I have about 70 pairs of shoes~ Adrienne:
So what defines your style?
I would definitely say mine is a little more classic with a trendy, Bohemian twist. I like to add some classic pieces and then, again, throw in a trend. A trend that fits for my personal style because not all trends are going to be great trends but- I would definitely say to sum it all up it would be "Classic with a trendy, bohemian twist!"~Julissa
I'm so LES with the way I dress, in the sense that, yo! I'm a straight up cha cha queen. I like to pile on jewelry. You know, there is a sense of gaudiness to my look and I like that. I'm Latina, I am, very feminine but at the same time I'm from LES so sometimes I will have on a beanie with a dress with a leather jacket on and you just never know. It's very unexpected but that's very the "Lower East Side" in me ~Adrienne
That's one of the perks of being from NY though! You just say "Hey, I'm from New York. You don't get it but I do!"
Exactly! People be like "Damn, that's so tacky" and I'm like "What? I'm a cha cha queen!"~Adrienne
Whoever doesn't get the New York sense of style or essence that you can really bring to your wardrobe, I think is going to pick up a few things from watching our show because you are getting a chance to see New York City through the eyes of two New Yorkers. She's from Lower East Side ~Julissa
If somebody asks what I look like today, I'll be like "Oh, I'm Spanish Harlem. Somebody's drug dealer’s wife today". And that's my inspiration. I be like, "Oh, today I'ma be a drug dealer's wife". But it definitely is something, something funny, but it's a look ~Adrienne
Ok, so I have to ask. You ladies have definitely allowed your fans to basically have a lot of access into your lives. Including you (Julissa) I remember you were engaged at one point and (Adrienne) of course, your cameo on "the show" with a certain "you know who', my question is this, "What is it exactly that you learned from being in front of the cameras that you might not want for your reality TV show? And will you allow your fans to get into your personal lives again?
I mean, even before I even started this process, I've given my fans and the people who followed me up until this point, doses of my personal life. Obviously when I was engaged, it was to somebody who was also in the spotlight. That, you'll get to see on the show as well. I won't give too much away, but I definitely touch on that. And, I think the biggest part about it all is that, the personal part of my life that I would like to display is the part where people can relate so that they see that "celebrities" are just like them. And um, we have our things that we have to tackle and our issues and our ups and our downs, especially in this business, you'll see that on the show for sure! ~Julissa
Some of the things that I've learned was um, not worrying what people think. You know and I think that for me, that was a good deal. I've done a lot of work where I felt like, you know like even on, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, it wasn't my show. It was you know, 5 minutes here, 5 minutes there. Now this is a show where I have to open up and I think that can be really scary because you're going to be judged. And at the end of the day, I'm comfortable with who I am, and I know that I'm so normal and like, so regular, that it hopefully will be something that girls can relate to and see but at the same time it was difficult. And I think people also see my struggle with love ~Adrienne
Don't forget to catch Empire Girls tonight on STYLE @ 9pm
Anika Lee Thompson Launches ALTernative Natural Hair Products for Black Women
Anika Lee Thompson
ALTernative 100% Natural Hair Products
New product launches are often met with an element of anticipation, a dash of imagination and a healthy dose of expectation. And that adage stayed true to form at the Ryan Foster Salon for the ALTernative natural hair products line introduction in Philadelphia recently.
Anika Lee Thompson, the salon’s proprietor and the line’s creator greeted guests warmly and enthusiastically, as scores of clients, colleagues and well wishers packed into the uber cool salon with natural brick walls and high gloss wood flooring. Thompson stole away from the soiree to speak withrolling out regarding the product line and what she hopes it will accomplish for African American women who choose to go au naturale. –roz edward
What does the product line consist of?
It consisits of the STR8 AWAY SUFLE. 10DRIL and OLIVETTE. Our products allow your hair to go back to their natural textures, like a curly or a coiled texture or women can wear a completely straight look with the STR8 AWAY SUFLE.
What should women who women who want to grow their hair use?
Honestly, nothing really grows your hair. Hair grows a quarter of an inch to half of an inch a month. Good, healthy eating habits, consistent hair maintenance and not using too much heat and staying away from tension like braids or anything constrictive to your hair will prevent breakage and promote growth.
What makes ALTernative different from all of the other hair products available?
I make it myself and every product is stamped with love. With most products you have to use one [solution] to make your hair curly or another chemical solution to make your hair staight. With ALTernative you have the option of either style with the same product. There isn’t another product on the market that does what we do.
Are your products cost effective?
Yes. In a two ounce jar of STR8 AWAY SUFLE you get 70 applications. That may seem unrealistic but out videos and customer testimonials prove that it’s true. With the 10DRIL women only need to use a dollop to get the results that they want.
Is natural hair more difficult to care for?
Not at all. We as black women don’t really have a relationship with our natural hair.
We’ve gotten so far removed from what really is our natural texture, that when we see new growth we think it’s nappy and we cover it up. We have accepted that European facade for what is ‘good hair’ but as African American women we have the most beautiful texture of all and we shouldn’t be running away from that look. So with ALTernative we make it simple to get and maintain your natural look.
ALTernative 100% Natural Hair Products
New product launches are often met with an element of anticipation, a dash of imagination and a healthy dose of expectation. And that adage stayed true to form at the Ryan Foster Salon for the ALTernative natural hair products line introduction in Philadelphia recently.
Anika Lee Thompson, the salon’s proprietor and the line’s creator greeted guests warmly and enthusiastically, as scores of clients, colleagues and well wishers packed into the uber cool salon with natural brick walls and high gloss wood flooring. Thompson stole away from the soiree to speak withrolling out regarding the product line and what she hopes it will accomplish for African American women who choose to go au naturale. –roz edward
What does the product line consist of?
It consisits of the STR8 AWAY SUFLE. 10DRIL and OLIVETTE. Our products allow your hair to go back to their natural textures, like a curly or a coiled texture or women can wear a completely straight look with the STR8 AWAY SUFLE.
What should women who women who want to grow their hair use?
Honestly, nothing really grows your hair. Hair grows a quarter of an inch to half of an inch a month. Good, healthy eating habits, consistent hair maintenance and not using too much heat and staying away from tension like braids or anything constrictive to your hair will prevent breakage and promote growth.
What makes ALTernative different from all of the other hair products available?
I make it myself and every product is stamped with love. With most products you have to use one [solution] to make your hair curly or another chemical solution to make your hair staight. With ALTernative you have the option of either style with the same product. There isn’t another product on the market that does what we do.
Are your products cost effective?
Yes. In a two ounce jar of STR8 AWAY SUFLE you get 70 applications. That may seem unrealistic but out videos and customer testimonials prove that it’s true. With the 10DRIL women only need to use a dollop to get the results that they want.
Is natural hair more difficult to care for?
Not at all. We as black women don’t really have a relationship with our natural hair.
We’ve gotten so far removed from what really is our natural texture, that when we see new growth we think it’s nappy and we cover it up. We have accepted that European facade for what is ‘good hair’ but as African American women we have the most beautiful texture of all and we shouldn’t be running away from that look. So with ALTernative we make it simple to get and maintain your natural look.
Gucci City Series footwear and accessories collection
Luxatic.com
Gucci have decided to input the London landscapes into a series of footwear and different accessories named the City Series. One the occasion of the Olympic Games to be held in London, they’ve been decked with a whole array of Olympian colors. Their coloration puts them aside any regular footwear, considering that people prefer darker and more subtle tones.
Won’t matter if you’re a London-born and grown folk, or if you’re a simple tourist, a pair of such nice sneakers would do you well. The Gucci London City Series includes large leather duffel and tote bags, black and white Gucci City watch, a pair of high top sneakers and sunglasses that feature UK colors red and blue, on the lenses.
The mark of London’s main points of interest is clearly visible on the package. They’re pretty much visible and distinguishable. Gucci’s main internet page can inform you further.
Won’t matter if you’re a London-born and grown folk, or if you’re a simple tourist, a pair of such nice sneakers would do you well. The Gucci London City Series includes large leather duffel and tote bags, black and white Gucci City watch, a pair of high top sneakers and sunglasses that feature UK colors red and blue, on the lenses.
The mark of London’s main points of interest is clearly visible on the package. They’re pretty much visible and distinguishable. Gucci’s main internet page can inform you further.
|
|
Designer Spotlight: Imperial clothing
Tell me a little about yourself. Where are you from?
Steven Thesier, born & raised in East Flatbush of Brooklyn.
What are your inspirations and where do you get it from?
I would say there are multiple that tend to attract attention fashion wise. Entertainers like J. Cole, Pharrell, Chris Brown, Big Sean & Diggy Simmons come to mind in terms of what they wear, how they ensemble an outfit together and their overall look. I would say my love for clothing came from my upbringing. Coming from a poor family, it hurt me to see my peers in the latest attire and I was stuck wearing what my parents could afford. Since my early teens when I was able to get little summer jobs here and there I started to develop my own fashion identity and purchase things to stand out in my own way.
How do your clothes (brand) differ from other designers?
I like to classify my brand as luxuriously urban. Which in many ways is considered an oxymoron given most people do not consider anything fancy or luxurious about urban wear. My line is a mesh between luxury/royalty with casual wear.
What do you think is your strengths and weaknesses in the art of fashion?
My strength is my willingness to get better at my craft. My hugest battle in my life was trying to find my “thing”. That one skill that you are good at and pursue endeavors with it. Nothing made me happier when one weekend I just opened Photoshop and threw some stuff together and saw the feedback I got from my peers.
I would say my weakness is my overall knowledge of fashion and the fashion industry. I majored in computer science in college so while I still loved fashion I wasn’t fully committed to it where I was attending FIT. But that is where my strength covers my weakness, with the determination I have to obtain success I can cover my lack of knowledge with research, networking and putting myself under the fire.
What matters to you most as a fashion designer?
I think to sum it all up in one word is impact. I want to change the culture that I see now. Based on how the youth or even people around my age wear, they have gotten lazy. Your outfit is supposed to represent who you are and your personality. What does it say when you walk around with mesh pants and Polo boots?? I don’t know whether you going to the gym or getting ready for a snowstorm. I hope the impact my line can potentially have will change that.
What are some of your fashion goals?
The three words my clothing line revolves around are integrity, influence, & impact. I want to bring integrity back to urban fashion. Just walking in my own neighborhood, I like to say I see clones; everybody is wearing the same exact thing. I hope my line changes that by bringing something different, I can boost individuality and creativity.
What advice do you have for aspiring fashion designers?
Be authentic. Stay true to yourself and your vision and what you want your line to portray.
Be optimistic. There is NO easy way in gaining success when you are trying to be an entrepreneur in any category. There are more days of darkness than sunlight, but as long as you remain focused and hungry any goal can be reached.
Be opportunistic. In these days of social media, not only is it easy to promote with apps like Instagram, Path & Tumblr, with the extremely popularity of Facebook, Twitter, etc. you can always stay up to date on fashion shows, festivals, social networking events, etc.
Be relentless. The only way to see any sort of success is to work at your craft as if it is life or death. This means a lot of sleepless nights, your laptop being your best friend, an almost unhealthy dedication to it and in the words of Kanye West, “…sunglasses and Advil…”.
Where can our readers find out more about you and your work?
Specialty items/models can email [email protected]
Sample ideas www.facebook.com/ImperialCC
Online store www.imperialclothes.bigcartel.com
Steven Thesier, born & raised in East Flatbush of Brooklyn.
What are your inspirations and where do you get it from?
I would say there are multiple that tend to attract attention fashion wise. Entertainers like J. Cole, Pharrell, Chris Brown, Big Sean & Diggy Simmons come to mind in terms of what they wear, how they ensemble an outfit together and their overall look. I would say my love for clothing came from my upbringing. Coming from a poor family, it hurt me to see my peers in the latest attire and I was stuck wearing what my parents could afford. Since my early teens when I was able to get little summer jobs here and there I started to develop my own fashion identity and purchase things to stand out in my own way.
How do your clothes (brand) differ from other designers?
I like to classify my brand as luxuriously urban. Which in many ways is considered an oxymoron given most people do not consider anything fancy or luxurious about urban wear. My line is a mesh between luxury/royalty with casual wear.
What do you think is your strengths and weaknesses in the art of fashion?
My strength is my willingness to get better at my craft. My hugest battle in my life was trying to find my “thing”. That one skill that you are good at and pursue endeavors with it. Nothing made me happier when one weekend I just opened Photoshop and threw some stuff together and saw the feedback I got from my peers.
I would say my weakness is my overall knowledge of fashion and the fashion industry. I majored in computer science in college so while I still loved fashion I wasn’t fully committed to it where I was attending FIT. But that is where my strength covers my weakness, with the determination I have to obtain success I can cover my lack of knowledge with research, networking and putting myself under the fire.
What matters to you most as a fashion designer?
I think to sum it all up in one word is impact. I want to change the culture that I see now. Based on how the youth or even people around my age wear, they have gotten lazy. Your outfit is supposed to represent who you are and your personality. What does it say when you walk around with mesh pants and Polo boots?? I don’t know whether you going to the gym or getting ready for a snowstorm. I hope the impact my line can potentially have will change that.
What are some of your fashion goals?
The three words my clothing line revolves around are integrity, influence, & impact. I want to bring integrity back to urban fashion. Just walking in my own neighborhood, I like to say I see clones; everybody is wearing the same exact thing. I hope my line changes that by bringing something different, I can boost individuality and creativity.
What advice do you have for aspiring fashion designers?
Be authentic. Stay true to yourself and your vision and what you want your line to portray.
Be optimistic. There is NO easy way in gaining success when you are trying to be an entrepreneur in any category. There are more days of darkness than sunlight, but as long as you remain focused and hungry any goal can be reached.
Be opportunistic. In these days of social media, not only is it easy to promote with apps like Instagram, Path & Tumblr, with the extremely popularity of Facebook, Twitter, etc. you can always stay up to date on fashion shows, festivals, social networking events, etc.
Be relentless. The only way to see any sort of success is to work at your craft as if it is life or death. This means a lot of sleepless nights, your laptop being your best friend, an almost unhealthy dedication to it and in the words of Kanye West, “…sunglasses and Advil…”.
Where can our readers find out more about you and your work?
Specialty items/models can email [email protected]
Sample ideas www.facebook.com/ImperialCC
Online store www.imperialclothes.bigcartel.com
|
|
Designer Louboutin hits back in red sole lawsuit
LONDON (AP) — Would a red-soled stiletto by any other name than Christian Louboutin look as sweet?
Certainly not for the French shoe designer, who passionately defended his court battle to protect his famous glossy red-soled shoes Monday.
Louboutin was in London to open a museum exhibition marking his brand's 20th anniversary, talking to reporters about his inspirations and his rise to global success. But he also hit out at fellow French fashion house Yves Saint Laurent and its parent company PPR, whom he is suing for trademark infringement in a U.S. federal appeals court. A panel of judges has yet to issue a decision.
"What PPR does via Yves Saint Laurent is breaking my trademark, which I find incredibly offensive," Louboutin told The Associated Press.
Louboutin's lawyers have compared his shoe trademark to a similar one held by Tiffany & Co. for blue boxes — sparking a wider debate on whether a designer can own a color.
The 49-year-old designer, dressed in a red tweed jacket, jeans and steel-toed leather shoes he designed himself, argued that his rivals are wrong to accuse him of trying to monopolize the color red.
"I do not own a color. I own a specific color in a specific place," he said of his distinctive soles.
A lower U.S. court had rejected a request by Louboutin to stop the sale of YSL shoes that are red all over, including the soles.
Louboutin shoes are one of the world's most recognizable fashion items, and have been worn by celebrities from Angelina Jolie to French first lady Carla Bruni. The most popular style is 5 inches high.
"Shoes are objects of pleasure," Louboutin said — though his high heels are famously uncomfortable to wear.
Low heels can sometimes be attractive, he said, but comfort is clearly not one of his priorities.
"I am not against comfort, but I don't like the idea that my shoes are evocative of comfort," he said.
But he wouldn't go so far as to endorse foot surgery — nicknamed "Loub-jobs" after his shoes — that aims to ease the pain of wearing high heels.
"Frankly, it's probably not a good idea," he said.
The retrospective exhibition at London's Design Museum traces Louboutin rise from a teenager fascinated by the feathered costumes of Paris's cabaret showgirls to his stints at YSL and Chanel to setting up his first boutique in 1991. It also includes creations designed for a 2008 exhibition with director David Lynch which examines shoes as fetish objects.
Louboutin considers Kate Moss to be his English style icon, but said Queen Elizabeth II would be an interesting and challenging customer.
"She's a woman, she's a queen, she's a full concept," he said. "She is such a symbol."
The retrospective show runs from Tuesday to July 9.
Certainly not for the French shoe designer, who passionately defended his court battle to protect his famous glossy red-soled shoes Monday.
Louboutin was in London to open a museum exhibition marking his brand's 20th anniversary, talking to reporters about his inspirations and his rise to global success. But he also hit out at fellow French fashion house Yves Saint Laurent and its parent company PPR, whom he is suing for trademark infringement in a U.S. federal appeals court. A panel of judges has yet to issue a decision.
"What PPR does via Yves Saint Laurent is breaking my trademark, which I find incredibly offensive," Louboutin told The Associated Press.
Louboutin's lawyers have compared his shoe trademark to a similar one held by Tiffany & Co. for blue boxes — sparking a wider debate on whether a designer can own a color.
The 49-year-old designer, dressed in a red tweed jacket, jeans and steel-toed leather shoes he designed himself, argued that his rivals are wrong to accuse him of trying to monopolize the color red.
"I do not own a color. I own a specific color in a specific place," he said of his distinctive soles.
A lower U.S. court had rejected a request by Louboutin to stop the sale of YSL shoes that are red all over, including the soles.
Louboutin shoes are one of the world's most recognizable fashion items, and have been worn by celebrities from Angelina Jolie to French first lady Carla Bruni. The most popular style is 5 inches high.
"Shoes are objects of pleasure," Louboutin said — though his high heels are famously uncomfortable to wear.
Low heels can sometimes be attractive, he said, but comfort is clearly not one of his priorities.
"I am not against comfort, but I don't like the idea that my shoes are evocative of comfort," he said.
But he wouldn't go so far as to endorse foot surgery — nicknamed "Loub-jobs" after his shoes — that aims to ease the pain of wearing high heels.
"Frankly, it's probably not a good idea," he said.
The retrospective exhibition at London's Design Museum traces Louboutin rise from a teenager fascinated by the feathered costumes of Paris's cabaret showgirls to his stints at YSL and Chanel to setting up his first boutique in 1991. It also includes creations designed for a 2008 exhibition with director David Lynch which examines shoes as fetish objects.
Louboutin considers Kate Moss to be his English style icon, but said Queen Elizabeth II would be an interesting and challenging customer.
"She's a woman, she's a queen, she's a full concept," he said. "She is such a symbol."
The retrospective show runs from Tuesday to July 9.
Street Style: Eclectic Cool
Cultural events like the African Film Festival and Brooklyn Museum's First Saturdays always draw the coolest creative types. These ladies are fashion rule makers and breakers, pushing the edge in mismatched prints and contrast colors. They simply wear what they feel without regard to the season's hottest trends, and we love them for it! Check out these artsy ladies here.
By Celia L. Smith with Photography by Hannan Saleh
By Celia L. Smith with Photography by Hannan Saleh
|
|
|
|
IS THE MARILYN MONROE TREND A GOOD LOOK FOR BLACK WOMEN?
cocoandcreme.com
You would think Marilyn Monroe was still alive and gracing the big screen the way admiration for the actress and model has withstood the test of time. If there’s one woman whose reign as a classic beauty hasn’t let up, it’s her.
Her curves have been the symbol of voluptuous beauty for the modern-day plus-sized woman, her hair proves the age-old saying that blondes have more fun, her unending sexiness has given women liberty to let their skirts blow in the wind and not care who sees, and now it seems more than ever, she’s even become a beauty icon for black women.
Thinking about Nicki Minaj and Brianna Perry who both recently dropped tracks titled “Marilyn Monroe,” and the countless celebs like Rihanna and Amber Rose who’ve emulated her look, I had to ask a friend who’s obsessed with the star what the deal is. Marilyn is beautiful and all but if we’re talking about a standard of beauty we could actually aspire to, she would not be it no matter how much skin and hair dye money can buy. As expected, my friend pointed out Marilyn’s gorgeous features and when I said, what about Lena Horne, she commented that as beautiful as Lena was, she wasn’t known for her beauty in the same way. She argued people talked more about what Lena Horne did than how she looked, and said Marilyn had a seductiveness that appealed to the masses. I argued that that appeal was no coincidence and brought Josephine Baker, a black woman who exuded sexiness, into the picture, which only led us into a long, heated discussion about why these black icons of beauty didn’t get the same shine as Marilyn, and which ended on the note, does it even matter?
In a lot of ways it doesn’t. The image we have of Marilyn Monroe was as much a character to Norma Jeane Mortenson (her birth name) as it is to us now. Who wouldn’t want to put on a bright red lip and a cleavage bearing dress with pearls and feel like a sex kitten, but the underlying reasons women of color are looking to Marilyn instead of our own iconic beauties cannot be denied. Of course Lena Horne, Dorothy Dandridge, and Josephine Baker haven’t achieved the same level of admiration for their beauty as Marilyn, they were far ahead of their time racially, and the amount of success they garnered considering the era of their fame is remarkable. But let’s not act like Marilyn was doing anything more than they were innately, she just had the blonde hair and the white skin to do it in the mainstream. Can you imagine the reaction if Nicki Minaj decided to repay Madonna the favor of having her dress like Marilyn Monroe in her “Give Me All Your Luvin’” video by asking her to dress like Lena Horne for her next set? My friend tried to say it’s not just Marilyn’s looks that appeal to her, it’s her confidence and fearlessness, but I can’t imagine anything more bold than playing in venues where you can’t walk in the front door or staying in a hotel where you’re not allowed to use the pool.
I think the appropriation of Marilyn’s look gets a pass because she represents old Hollywood mystique, glitz, and glamour, but if we were to talk about black women today dressing like Scarlett Johansson for example, it would be a serious cause for alarm. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with playing dress-up and celebrating the beauty of the woman that Marilyn Monroe was, but it’s important that in doing so, that celebration doesn’t get to the point of upholding a white standard of beauty as being better than anyone else’s. I can’t imagine black women who were around to witness the beauty and grace of Lena, Dorothy, and Josephine overlooking that to praise and resemble Marilyn, and I don’t think we should either.
Her curves have been the symbol of voluptuous beauty for the modern-day plus-sized woman, her hair proves the age-old saying that blondes have more fun, her unending sexiness has given women liberty to let their skirts blow in the wind and not care who sees, and now it seems more than ever, she’s even become a beauty icon for black women.
Thinking about Nicki Minaj and Brianna Perry who both recently dropped tracks titled “Marilyn Monroe,” and the countless celebs like Rihanna and Amber Rose who’ve emulated her look, I had to ask a friend who’s obsessed with the star what the deal is. Marilyn is beautiful and all but if we’re talking about a standard of beauty we could actually aspire to, she would not be it no matter how much skin and hair dye money can buy. As expected, my friend pointed out Marilyn’s gorgeous features and when I said, what about Lena Horne, she commented that as beautiful as Lena was, she wasn’t known for her beauty in the same way. She argued people talked more about what Lena Horne did than how she looked, and said Marilyn had a seductiveness that appealed to the masses. I argued that that appeal was no coincidence and brought Josephine Baker, a black woman who exuded sexiness, into the picture, which only led us into a long, heated discussion about why these black icons of beauty didn’t get the same shine as Marilyn, and which ended on the note, does it even matter?
In a lot of ways it doesn’t. The image we have of Marilyn Monroe was as much a character to Norma Jeane Mortenson (her birth name) as it is to us now. Who wouldn’t want to put on a bright red lip and a cleavage bearing dress with pearls and feel like a sex kitten, but the underlying reasons women of color are looking to Marilyn instead of our own iconic beauties cannot be denied. Of course Lena Horne, Dorothy Dandridge, and Josephine Baker haven’t achieved the same level of admiration for their beauty as Marilyn, they were far ahead of their time racially, and the amount of success they garnered considering the era of their fame is remarkable. But let’s not act like Marilyn was doing anything more than they were innately, she just had the blonde hair and the white skin to do it in the mainstream. Can you imagine the reaction if Nicki Minaj decided to repay Madonna the favor of having her dress like Marilyn Monroe in her “Give Me All Your Luvin’” video by asking her to dress like Lena Horne for her next set? My friend tried to say it’s not just Marilyn’s looks that appeal to her, it’s her confidence and fearlessness, but I can’t imagine anything more bold than playing in venues where you can’t walk in the front door or staying in a hotel where you’re not allowed to use the pool.
I think the appropriation of Marilyn’s look gets a pass because she represents old Hollywood mystique, glitz, and glamour, but if we were to talk about black women today dressing like Scarlett Johansson for example, it would be a serious cause for alarm. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with playing dress-up and celebrating the beauty of the woman that Marilyn Monroe was, but it’s important that in doing so, that celebration doesn’t get to the point of upholding a white standard of beauty as being better than anyone else’s. I can’t imagine black women who were around to witness the beauty and grace of Lena, Dorothy, and Josephine overlooking that to praise and resemble Marilyn, and I don’t think we should either.
