Actress Lauren London covers the current issue of Fearless magazine. The star of BET’s ‘The Game’ also doubles as the editor of the digital edition. She dishes about the care and maintenance of her hair, which grows from her scalp. She also discusses motherhood (she has a son by rapper Lil Wayne), stardom, her next movie role and more.
Photos by Steve Kay
It seems like everybody was on board with Kim Kardashian’s Met Gala outfit except for the general public. First, Kanye West spoke out in Kim’s defense during his performance at the event and now the man responsible for the outfit is defending his actions.
Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci, the man behind Kim Kardashian’s unforgiving floral dress at Monday night’s Costume Institute benefit, has defended his choice of gown for the pregnant star.
The cochair of the Metropolitan Museum of Art event, fashion’s biggest night of the year, said he thought Ms Kardashian looked ‘amazing,’ in his maternity design.
‘People can say what they want,’ the 38-year-old told WWD. ‘To me, pregnancy is the most beautiful thing in the world, and when you celebrate something, you give people flowers. . . She was the most beautiful pregnant woman I dressed in my career.’
via Daily Mail
Sheri Crawley noticed a strong change in her daughter’s behavior as she entered kindergarten. Not only was Laila Crawley becoming more isolated at school, but she also began commenting that she wanted the same blond hair that her classmates had — Laila was also one of a few Black girls at her Michigan school. Realizing that Laila was struggling with her identity, Crawley and her husband, Corey, began thinking of ways to address the situation.
Around that time, Crawley noticed a CNN four-part series on the infamous 1940s Doll Test, which revealed that most children are biased against brown-skinned dolls when given a choice.
So in 2010, the couple created the “Pretty Brown Girl.” The product line of brown-colored dolls rapidly became so popular that it is sparking the “Pretty Brown Girl” Movement. Consequently, the Crawleys eventually launched the “Pretty Brown Girl” Foundation, offering workshops, products, and events designed to help girls of color realize their self-worth.
According to the Pretty Brown Girl website’s official mission statement:
Our mission is to encourage girls to celebrate the beautiful shades of brown skin all over the world while inspiring positive self-esteem and confidence. Our approach is to provide an engaging platform for the subtext that most girls of color live within throughout their lives. This subtext often effects their world view, careers, life choices, and relationships with others as they mature into adults.
Today, there are churches, schools, and mentoring groups that have used a “Pretty Brown Girl” program to promote the idea that brown is beautiful. To find out more information about “Pretty Brown Girl” dolls, go here. Continue reading
We love Easter Sunday style — especially when it comes courtesy of the Obama ladies!
Malia and Sasha Obama showed off their personal styles once again on Sunday while attending Easter service at St. John’s Episcopal Church with their parents.
Malia, 14, opted for a classic fit-and-flare dress in a black and white striped pattern. The high school freshman added a pop of color with a bold purple cardigan. A pair of black ballet flats completed the look. And good thing she did — had she worn heels Malia would have definitely towered over the First Lady and even the President. This lady is growing up so fast!
Sasha looks like she’s also experiencing a growth spurt. The 11-year-old, who is almost as tall as her sister, stepped out in a color-blocked coral and black frock (very Easter egg-ish) paired with a matching polka dot cardigan. We’ve noticed that the tween is starting to become the breakout fashion star of the Obama sisters, thanks not only to her bold fashion choices but also for her festive accessorizing. On Sunday, she slipped on a statement necklace and blue ballet flats. Trés fab!
Keeping in step with her lovely girls, The FLOTUS also looked amazing. Michelle opted for a white-and-grey Prabal Gurung ensemble, which we’ve seen her don a few times before. If anyone knows how to repeat an outfit and make it look fresh, it’s our First Lady — and we love it!
If you don’t know by now how stylish the Simmons sisters, Angela and Vanessa, are then you need to catch up because they have been style stars for quite some time now. Angela Simmons, who actually studied at The famed Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, is ready to put on her clothing designer hat and let the world see her creations. Angela stated…
I’m so excited to share the first video for my Angela by Angela Simmons collection. I’ve always wanted to create a fashion line and it’s finally happening. Check out a sneak peek of my collection.
Well love muffins, you heard Miss Angela… check out the short teaser that gives us a quick glimpse at the collection. Let us know what you think!
The topic of racism in the fashion industry has reared its ugly head one to many times over the past several months. There was that ELLE France gaffe, Dolce & Gabbana’s mammy-esque designs and the recent blackface scandal with Numéro magazine. These instances and more remind us that the post-racial society that some like to think we live in is simply a hope and not reality.
One of fashion’s top models, Chanel Iman, is supporting that notion with a candid omission about her experience dealing with racism within the fashion industry.
Our friends over at Clutch spotted an interview with the 22-year-old beauty that was conducted last month for the Sunday Times Magazine. In the article Chanel is asked whether race is truly an issue in the industry. Her response comes as no surprise (at least not to us):
“Yeah, most definitely. A few times I got excused by designers who told me ‘we already found one black girl. We don’t need you anymore.’ I felt very discouraged. When someone tells you, ‘we don’t want you because we already have one of your kind, it’s really sad.”
We’d say so. When is this kind of tokenism going to be replaced with employing the right person for the right job? Chanel also talked about those who have spoken out about diversity and acknowledged the beauty of women of color.
“I appreciate designers making a strong statement that black women are beautiful. Black women like fashion. And when there’s more diversity on the runway, it makes our world more inclusive.”
However, sadly the percentage of black models at New York Fashion Week is on the decline–dropping from a dismal 8% to a pathetic 6%, in just one year.
Even fashion heavyweights like Vogue Italia editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani and photographer Steven Meisel, who support and encourage diversity are met with roadblocks.
“I’ve asked my advertising clients so many times, ‘Can we use a black girl?’ They say No. Advertisers say black models don’t sell,” Meisel told The Times Sunday Magazine.
Tell that to legendary models like Naomi Campbell and Iman who are still landing major campaigns and running empires after over half a century of success in the industry between them.
Nevertheless, it looks like fight for racial acceptance rages on.
Spotted @ BLACKVOICES
Michelle Obama is gracing the cover of Vogue‘s April 2013 issue. Shot by photographer Annie Leibovitz, the FLOTUS dons a a midnight-blue Reed Krakoff sleeveless dress and winning smile that’s become the face of our nation.
In the cover story, she discusses the importance of family. “Our job is, first and foremost, to make sure our family is whole,” she tells the fashion mag. “You know, we have small kids; they’re growing every day. But I think we were both pretty straightforward when we said, Our No. 1 priority is making sure that our family is whole.”
Michelle also reveals what she has learned from her husband President Barack Obama who began his second term a few months ago. “Well, patience and calm I’m borrowing. Or trying to mirror. I’ve learned that from my husband, that sort of, you know, ability to not get too high or too low with changes and bumps in the road. . . to do more breathing in and just going with it. I’m learning that every day. And to the extent that I’ve made changes in my life, it’s just sort of stepping back and seeing a change not as something to guard against but as a wonderful addition. . . that can make life fun and unexpected.”
Read the full article here and check out the photo spread from the issue on the next pages.
Photo Credit: Vogue
In an industry that tends to employ primarily well-known, inaccessible celebrities as the face of its campaigns, airbrushing them to the point of no return and making unsubstantiated claims about their products, it is always nice to see a woman who is not famous be honored for her contributions to society in addition to having her beauty recognized. Remember honorary CoverGirl Talia Joy Castellano, the adorable 13-year-old who used makeup (exceptionally well, just look at that eyebrow arch) as a “wig” for her cancer? Well, now we’ve got 18-year-old Alexis Harris, who is exactly the type of role model we should be touting as the face of a major beauty company. Fortunately for us (and her), she was named an honorary CoverGirl on The Ellen Show yesterday.
Harris is a University of Texas-San Antonio student who, in addition to having received her Associate’s Degree before finishing high school — suddenly, I regret having had senioritis up until I turned 18 — is the CEO and founder of the S.M.I.L.E (Students Making Impacts in Lives Everywhere) Movement. The movement was established last year “to bring forth young leaders of our generation,” an excellent cause, in my opinion, since our generation tends to be viewed as the we-seriously-care-about-nothing group. S.M.I.L.E. runs food drives, makes inspirational videos and collects clothes for those in need.
The reveal on Ellen was done in a fantastic/emotional/normal TV-reveal way: Harris had no idea she would be receiving the honor and was simply sitting in the audience until Ellen began leading out Harris’ family members. She then played a video of Harris’ submission to CoverGirl’s contest in which she discussed being raised with her three brothers by their military-employed mother and being unable to recall the last time she had spoken with her father, but has nevertheless been able to follow and attain many of her dreams. Harris, all teary-eyed — and it’s difficult not to get weepy yourself when you see the video – then goes up to accept her award.
Now, she is $20,000 richer and has had her excellence and devotion to others recognized, as well as her gorgeous smile and face. Congratulations, Alexis Harris! You are a winner in a dozen and a half ways, and I hope you feel like one.
Spotted @ THE GLOSS
