The New Noir: Fatima Siad for Schön! Magazine Issue 29

Fatima Siad's stunning editorial for Schön! Magazine is beyond gorgeous. The "New Noir" celebrates the timeless allure and elegance of "black" colored couture and accessories. 

I love seeing models of African descent dressed in couture for fashion editorials because I only see them wearing sportswear when they are featured and nothing exudes elegance than seeing impeccably dressed women in Haute Couture. Photographer Ed Maximus captured her beautifully and that is why I call her Baby Iman because she is elegant to the core! 

The New Noir: Fatima Siad for Schön! Magazine Issue 29  

Photography: Ed Maximus

Styling: Raymond Gee

Hair Stylist: Seiji Uehara 

Beauty: Nicole Jay

Currently Loving: Destination Iman

I follow Rachel Zoe on Tumblr and this info rolled through my dashboard so I had to click and check it out. i Likey!

Fashion icon and mogul Iman has launched her own online magazine, Destination Iman, where we can get a few pointers in the latest beauty products and style that her brand and other brands have to offer the stylish woman.

Have I finally found something that speaks to me---the woman over 40 who is sophisticated, aware, fabulous and has her own identity? While other magazines, either print or digital start off catering to the established and mature women, they quickly abandon us once we build up their brands and revenues in favor of a more youthful market thus rendering us invisible and insignificant.

Can a woman find one that can thrive and coexist with her younger peers on a respectable level?? Anyway, I love what I see thus far and will bookmark her site.

You can follow Destination Iman or connect with Iman at the following places: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Tumblr.

Photos: Destination Iman

A Glamtastic Flashback: Iman, Gail and Peggy for Revlon's Polished Ambers Collection 1978

Revlon's Polished Ambers Advertisement, circa 1978, featuring Iman, Peggy Dillard-Toone and Gail Kendrick.


While looking through a stack of Essence magazines from the 1970's, I came across these beautiful Revlon ads featuring some of my favorite models from that era. Every one is familiar with the iconic Iman and some may know of Peggy Dillard-Toone, but I'm sure there aren't that many who are familiar with Jamaican born beauty Gail Kendrick, unless of course you too are from this era and admired these women. I did a little editing to give them an artsy edge, enjoy!

















The iconic Iman.

Photos: From My Own Archives

The New and Improved Fashion Fair Cosmetics Brand

One of Fashion Fair Cosmetics latest advertisements.

Fashion Fair Cosmetics has named Sam Fine as their newest Creative Makeup Director and I'm sure he's got great ideas in store for the brand. Like I said before in a post about Fashion Fair Cosmetics, I still buy the brand because it works for me and I buy them all from Chanel on down because each brand has something that I like. For Fashion Fair it's their cream to powder and lip sticks. Most younger women prefer brands like MAC and so on, but since my skin is richly hued I find the best products in IMAN Cosmetics, Cover Girl Queen Collection and thre Black Radiance Collection. I've got to give it to Linda Johnson Rice for having her best friend on board the JPC,  because Desiree Rogers is a marketing genius. 


Photo: Fashion Fair Cosmetics
Source: PR News Wire

GLAMOUR: THE MOVIE

Glamour - The reality behind dreams

The story of a Zanzibari girl from a conservative Islamic family who wears a Hijab, but dreams of being a supermodel. Ironically the first picture ever taken of her was taken by a tourist on the streets of Zanzibar as her family was so poor and conservative that her parents didn’t ever take her picture. When she sees herself in a picture for the first time she dreams of doing it for the rest of her life and aspires to be a model one day.

I definitely want to see this movie because of it's compelling story line that most of us know to well, the idea of leaving home to stake out your claim in a foreign land. For me, I couldn't wait to live overseas and many models from the USA, the Caribbean, South America, Central America, Asia and Africa wanted to go to the center of the fashion world: Europe.

The Models who have made a name for themselves whose lives possibly mirror this movie.

Azzedine Alaïa Returns To Paris Fashion Week

One of the biggest names in the fashion, Azzedine Alaïa is set to show at Paris Fashion Week after previously showing his collections to only a select few fashion insiders in recent years. The Tunisian born, Paris based fashion designer said he plans to show a series of semi-couture pieces during the start of Parisian haute couture fashion shows which takes place between 4 and 8 July of this year.

Alaïa has dressed many of worlds most stylish and high-profile women, from Grace Jones, Tina Turner, Naomi Campbell and Michelle Obama, to name a few. His clothes highlight the body, like a second skin that emphasizes a womans curves. Azzedine Alaïa never disappoints the women who love him with his ever changing array of clothing and accessories. I can't wait to see this collection.

The Best of the 2011 MET BALL

Last night's Costume Institute Gala Met Ball 2011 was supposed to be inspired by the work of Alexander McQueen, to me it was anything but. I wanted to see drama and the decadence that McQueen was known for as a designer and I hardly saw any of it.

Those who wore McQueen stayed true to form and I'm sure there were other women who were wearing McQueen that we didn't see due to the medias obsession with popular celebrities who we often see plastered all over the place.

Personally, I get tired of seeing the same people over and over again. Sure, some of those same celebrities who are guilty of this offense are featured in this photo, but they gave the event a little "wow" factor if nothing else.The Costume Institute Gala was often a must see event, now it's been hijacked by popular culture much like everything else has.

And On A Final Note...

...On the fashion runway, there's nothing like the finale and everyone remembers Alber Elbaz's for Lanvin finale from last years runway in which five gorgeous models sauntered down the runway in gathered and draped printed silk jumpsuits. The most significant part of the whole show stopper was that each look was a beauty unto itself.

From left: Ajak Deng, Jeneil Williams , Ataui Deng, Jourdan Dunn, Melodie Monrose

Check out these fab finales from years past featuring the worlds top models of their eras.

 

Circa 1990's

"Kirat, Iman and Amalia circa 1980's"

I just love seeing the finale after a fierce collection. Don't you?

Which designer is going to have one fierce finale that will have us all talking about it?

STRIKE A POSE: ESTELLE

WHO: Recording Star Estelle

Where: Tribute To The Models Of Versailles 1973 At The MET.

Once A Super Model Always A Super Model...

...Icon, Mogul, Beauty, Mom...Iman.

Check out the rest of the beautuful photos and interview at Harper's Bazaar. Be sure to tune in tonight because she is also the host, along with Isaac Mizrahi, of Bravo's The Fashion Show. Gorgeous!
(Photos: Mark Seliger)

One To Watch: Fatima Siad

My daughters like to hide their magazines from me before I read them and I do the same thing to them when it comes to my favorite magazines. I tossed the Cosmopolitan aside because I know longer read it since every article is rehashed from earlier editions. I found the July issue of Marie Claire and flipped through it and was happy to see Fatima Siad in a six-page fashion editorial and she looks fantastic.

Ever since I saw Fatima on ATM I started calling her "Baby Iman" because she resembles the iconic and uber fabulous Iman to me. I can see her career finally taking off because she certainly has "the look" of the fabulous models of the past and the alluring beauty to boot.

"I love this photo and the coat."

On a personal note, I would have loved to see her on the cover, but we all know that "Models" don't grace the covers of fashion magazines anymore because they've been replaced by what ever entertainer is the most popular at the time and this time it's Taylor Swift.

"She is certainly rocking this coat."

All of the photos of the shoot were taken by James Macari.

"Here I am wearing my favorite team jersey."

Now on to the 2010 FIFA World Cup...All I can say is that I wish I was there. I love soccer and this is a sport where everything stops in most of the countries that I've lived in. There is nothing that compares globally to this game and this is a game that brings so many people together regardless of background. After four years of  waiting, the World Cup is finally in South Africa. When I see this happening on the continent, it tells the world that Africa is showing the world it's potential as a world player and this makes me proud.

Sometimes I get so excited about a game, especially when some of my favorite teams are playing that I have to turn to another channel in order not to fall out. Soccer is not as popular as say the NFL because American men look at soccer as being strictly for the kids and for women/girl teams, but this is a serious sport that has yet to catch on here. I've got my thoughts about who will probably win, but I'll wait until the time comes to see who will be in the finals. If you want to see "Eye-Candy" then check out the men who play soccer on a global level.