ALLURE Magazine: Beauty is Diverse

The April 2017 issue of Allure features three models on the cover...three models...no celebrities!!! Hallelujah!!! 

"Our skin is so much more than a reflection in the mirror. Our skin is the metaphor that defines how we’re seen—and how we see ourselves. 41 women of color to tell the story of their lives through their skin—and skin tone. Because our skin can be both a vulnerability and a defense. But most importantly, it can be a source of celebration. " ~via @allure

Models Janiece Dilone, Aamito Lagum and Imaan Hammam make for a stunning cover featuring our diverse skin tones. 

Shout out to my girl Tiffany of the fabulous blog "Beauty is Diverse" for being an inspiration to so many women when it comes to highlighting the beauty and style of various models and women of color. 

Take a hint Essence, VOGUE, Harper's Bazaar, etc...I'm (I think we all are) sick of the celebrity covers! If magazine publishers want to know why their sales are so low, here's your answer...we don't care for the celebrity covers unless they feature someone we like and they can't be repetitive covers of the same celebrity every three months. 

The best thing they can do is to feature diverse models on the covers of their magazines with accompanying editorials and their magazine sells just might pick up.

Photography by Patrick Demarchelier

Winnie Harlow for L'Officiel Italia Magazine September 2015

Top Model Winnie Harlow is doing her own thing and I'm elated. While most are celebrating the September 2015 issues with the usual celebrities, they can add top model Winnie Harlow to the stellar bunch.

Winnie's L'Officiel Italia magazine cover was shot by Richard Burbridge and styled by Nicola Formichetti.

Photo Credits: Richard Burbridge

What's Haute Now: Roberta Narciso for VOGUE Portugal & Joan Smalls for VOGUE Japan

The "quiet one" as I like to call her: Roberta Narciso has landed a Afrolicious editorial in VOGUE Portugal's DEC/2012 issue. 


Rasgos De Luz Model: Roberta Narciso
Photographer: Pedro Ferreira
Stylist: Paul Macedo

And the number one model in the world: Joan Smalls has landed the January 2013 issue of VOGUE Japan.

Photos: Vogue Portugal/Vogue Japan

HER NAME IS SOLANGE! SOLANGE WOW'S IN ES MAGAZINE

It keep's getting better and just this morning I bemoaned the fact about how much I missed living in Germany and I log onto tumblr and see this gorgeous photo on EFF Yeah Solange's page I had to see more. Some of the international magazines have the best fashion editorials and even magazine covers for that matter because they don't feature celebrities ad nauseam like the American, British and Canadian do. Anyway, Solange Knowles is once again building up her portfolio with one fabulous editorial after another and this time she sizzles in the London Evening Standard's-ES Magazine in a gorgeous editorial.









Read it all here.





Thanks to Eff Yeah Solange for the info. Follow her and Solange by clicking on their names.
Photos/Source:ES Magazine

Ataui Deng and Flaviana Matata For MACY'S

Spring is definitely in the air when you walk in some of your favorite stores and your eyes land on ad-campaigns featuring some of your favorite models.

Ataui and Flaviana shine brightly in these campaigns for Spring. MACY'S along with several other retailers get it right when they feature models of diverse backgrounds in their advertisements and catalogs.


Photos:MACY'S

Georgie Badiel For Rivista IO Donna

As I stated earlier, the American issues are lacking this month in inspiration and it takes the Europeans and the Africans to bring in some beauty. Georgie Badiel is stunning in her African inspired editorial for the Italian magazine IO Donna donning looks from Burberry's African inspired collection to newcomer Stella Jean. Read the rest here and check out the editorial here.










Photos:Lydia Gorges/Jens Schmidt para Rivista IO Donna

FATIMA SIAD FOR MARSHALL'S SS 2012 CAMPAIGN

While out and about this weekend my family and I hit the malls and the shopping centers in search for bargains to wear for the upcoming warmer weather. While at the check out counter at Marshall's my daughter told me to look up at the huge poster of Fatima Siad staring down at us. Yes, it was Fatima in an ad campaign for Marshall's and my cashier even knew who she was.

Last year it was Atong Arjok  who was featured in their Spring and Summer campaign now this year it's Fatima along with three other models wearing the latest in summer trends. I'm proud of Fatima because she proves once again that you don't have to finish first in order to shine and shine she has by walking in several designer fashion shows and snagging some of the top advertising campaigns. I started to pull out my phone to snap a photo, but instead I told my daughters that I'll go straight to Marshall's for the photos and of course they had them.

While shopping at some of my favorites stores, I also noticed Ataui Deng for Macy's, Jasmine Tookes for Sephora, Grace Bol for NARS, Fatima for Target, Ajak Deng for Macy's and also Tomiko Fraser Hines for TARGET.

Photos: Marshall's

Le Look Du Jour: Julia Sarr-Jamois MFW

Unapologetic and over the top opulence with a twist is how to best describe Julia's style.

What's not to love about Julia?



Photo:BFA

The Cover:Joan Smalls For VOGUE ITALIA

Lovely, just lovely!

The beautiful and stylish "Top Model" Joan Smalls covers the March issue of VOGUE Italia. The editorial 'A Haute Mess' and cover was shot by the legendary Steven Meisel. Make-up is by Miss Pat McGrath and styling by Fashion editor Lori Goldstein. Read about the cover story over at VOGUE Italia.




Photos: VOGUE Italia/Steven Meisel

Rock Worthy: Tata-Naka

While scrolling through ELLE UK'S  website for a little inspiration I came across the designs of Tata-Naka which literally took my breath away. I don't know if it was the gorgeous Afro's or the gorgeous colors of the fabric used to create this stunning collection, all I know is that I was in awe of what I saw!

Tata-Naka is owned by the Georgian-born British twin sisters – Tamara and Natasha Surguladze, in memory of their collective childhood nickname. The sisters moved to London in 1996 and are graduates of Central St. Martin.

Check out the rest of the collection here and their website here for more inspiration.


Photos:ELLE UK

White Haute: Top Models Marihenny Rivera and Shena Moulton for VOGUE ITALIA Feb 2012

Marihenny Rivera and Shena Moulton make summer heat easier to take in all the latest looks from the 2012 spring collections in bold white captured by photographer Pierpaolo Ferrari for VOGUE ITALIA.
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Check out the rest of this gorgeous editorial here.
Source/Photos: VOGUE Italia

Le Look Du Jour: Yaya DaCosta

Why try to fit in when  you can stand out in your own unique beauty and an eye-catching color!

Another one of my favorites when it comes to personal style is Yaya DaCosta. To me Yaya is the epitome of a woman who exudes confidence and an innate beauty that compliments any thing that she wears. Long before the so called turban trend became le style she was already wearing them. It doesn't matter whether she's rocking her massive Afro, a pouf of coils and ringlets or even her colorful head wraps, Yaya DaCosta simply rocks!

Jourdan Dunn, Anais Mali and Jasmine Tookes Present Fresh Looks For Spring In the March Issue of W Magazine!!!

This season find inspiration in gorgeous prints and fantabulous accessories instead of something in sherbet colors which spell frothy and sweet. Giovanna Battaglia did what she's known for as a fashion stylist when she styled this shoot for the March issue of W Magazine featuring Jourdan Dunn, Anais Mali and Jasmine Tookes to a T. Welcome to fabulous! Welcome to bold color! Welcome to innate style! You rock ladies!

Source: Models of Color

Le Look Du Jour: Graziel Cardoso for Carol Baretto

Brazilian model Graziele Cardoso looks gorgeous in this dress from Carol Barretto designs. I wonder does she ship to the USA?




Photo: Carol Baretto

A Glamtastic Flashback Captured By Irving Penn for VOGUE Italia 1980

I can honestly say that these women were an inspiration to me because I was a teen when they were at the height of their modeling careers and everything wasn't hyped up by Popular Culture  like the way it is now and I haven't just discovered them. In retrospect, I was influenced by a diverse group of women of African descent and not by one example of what Black Beauty is and was.

My Inspirations: Peggy Dillard-Toone, Jennifer Brice and Romney Williams captured by Irving Penn.

I can count several of these women who inspired me to look my absolute best from my own stylish Mama, her glamorous friends and the women who I saw in the earlier issues of ESSENCE magazine and then after the Black Is Beautiful movement of the late '60s and '70s when they first started appearing in the mainstream publications.

Jennifer, Tracey, Romney and unknown.

Tracey, Peggy, Jennifer and Romney

Marcia Turnier, Marcia McBroom, Barbara Smith, Romney Williams, Billie Blair, Amina Warsuma, Charlene Dash, Jennifer Brice, Bethann Hardison, Tamara Dobson, Tracey "Africa" Norman, Jany Tomba, Naomi Sims....the list is endless. I thank them and my Mom for instilling in me such a strong sense of self.

I've  known that Black Is Beautiful all of my life! I'm not blinded by self-hatred which doesn't allow me to see my own beauty and that of our people and that's the only validation that I need!

Photos: Irving Pennmoney

What's Haute Now: Awa Ceesay for D la Repubblica

 

Bonjour l'Afrique!

Who says you can't lust after all of these beautiful colors. Model Awa Ceesay of IMG Models Paris moves you in an eclectic African inspired editorial wearing the latest looks from the SS/2012 collections for the Italian publication D la Repubblica N#777.

Photos|Source