KiK Magazine Issue 4

Natural Hair

& Honey king

Ma e h t n ul i

Mog

Teasea Bennett

HAIR BONDING

No Extensions Added

A Mother Daughter Hair Story

Opting out of

MISERY

Lexi with The curls FRIENDS WITH

The Ex

ISSUE #4 1

Contributors DR. VERONICA REID is

the owner of Beautiful Earth Natural Hair Haven (Salon and Hair Products) in Kingston and Mandeville, Jamaica. She answers this issue’s question to the editor in the Ask an Expert column.

CHÉNELLE TAYLOR

is the author of 50 Something Dates with17 Mr. Wrongs, which represents an anthology of factual experiences and lessons from herself, a single female graduate level professional, who has decided to be unwavering in her standards in the area of romance. She writes Opting out of Misery.

Join the Team 2

LAQUITA THOMASBANKS

has a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and is a certified Natural Hair Care Stylist. She combines her journalism skills and knowledge of natural hair by writing this issue’s article on Natural Hair & Honey.

GARTH WILLIAMS

is co-host of the morning programme, the KLAS Lifestyle on KLAS Sports FM89.

The vibrant communications specialist and broadcaster writes this issue’s Opinion piece entitled Friends with the Ex.

Submit your applications and articles to editor@keepitkinky.net.

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38

8

TEASEA BENNETT Feature

OPTING OUT OF MISERY

NATURAL 24 HAIR AND

4

30 LEXI ON THE COVER

HONEY

LEXI WITH THE CURLS Get Lexi’s Hair secrets here.

HAIR 16 BONDING

Contents

BAKERS-WOODE 46 Gh

22 HAIR AND NOW IN EACH ISSUE

54

FRIENDS WITH THE EX

Contributors / 2 Letter from the Editor / 9 Trends / 14 Ask an Expert / 28 Hair & Now / 22 Opinion Column / 54 Movie Night / 26

5

6

• Nicole Webster – Beauty Editor

• Diedre Callam – Editor-in-CHief

KIK MAGAZINE • Chantal Cato – Marketing Director

• Marsha Williams-MacCormack – Assistant Editor

Place Your Ad Here

Contact us at

marketing@keepitkinky.net

Letter from

The Editor

with countless options in my closet. I had the good, I just had to use them. The same went for friends. I’ve always wanted a few more friends but the quality of those I do have and realising their worth as I listened to the stories of those with many (friends) has led me to realise that with God, family and friends, I have all that I need.

I’ve always admired women who mix patterns and wear bold colours. I’d watch makeover shows but never have the courage to take the tips and incorporate them into my own life. Now, I’m not the type to go “What Not to Wear” on my wardrobe by throwing everything out. Yet, for the first in a long time, I went... shopping!

Yes, it’s a big deal since I rarely go shopping for a lot of iems but after my recent weight loss, I realised that I had fewer and fewer options in both my professional, church and casual wardrobe (which often overlap). No good. My 20s slipped by without me taking a lot of the risks that youth typically permits and I didn’t adequately invest in my spiritual and emotional health. I’m in my 30s now and taking control of my life has been challenging but... rewarding.

I’ve come to a few realisations that I probably knew on the surface but never truly internalised until now.

1. I have a whole lot more than I think.

Incorporating my desire to mix patterns left me FOLLOW ME ON

2. You’re never too old to reinvent yourself.

Shopping gave me a chance to really evaluate and reinvent myself & my relationships. Now, my outside now closely matches my inside.

Age is just a number and fashion sense and the enjoyment of life shouldn’t die with my 20s. Be overdressed. Be underdressed. Be anything you desire as long as you and your God are happy.

This Issue In this issue, Opting out of Misery and Friends with the Ex give good lessons that can be applied to revamping both erotic and platonic relationships. Get on trend and explore your creative side with new Trends, strengthen your relationships with those you love and who love you. All this is in the name of taking care of the inner and outer you. Please use this issue and not just an example of beauty, but as inspiration for your own living.

Diedre DIEDRE C. CALLAM PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

@DIEDRECALLAM

7

Opting

Embraci

By ChĂŠnelle Ta

My Solitude Today I sat quietly with a stranger.

He stared at me blindly with unassuming reverence; And in his silence I found power, In his void I found peace, And with eyes of stone he endorsed My understated strength and unyielding sophistication; 8

With a smile he reassured me that Joy would Always be within my reach, but Sorrow forever my shadow.

Today I sat quietly with a stranger who knows me well; For he is my solitude and I am, His company.

g out of MISERY

ing Solitude

aylor

I wish there was a reward for saying no to misery — for saying no to being self-absorbed, vapid, cowardly, misinformed, emotionally unavailable, insensitive,etcetera,etcetera.That, for the plethora of indisputably undesirable characters I reject, there would be exactly one Prince Charming waiting for me outside, with flowers to congratulate my triumph. Triumph that represents the sum total of my staying true to Self, being happy with Self and holding steadfast to standards… because they told me, “if you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.”

Unfortunately, there has been no reward, no Prince Charming waiting outside, and definitely no flowers. Doing the ‘right’ thing hardly ever gets noticed.

When you’re a single female, the world sees only your solitude, which of course is weakness or defect, instead of the understated strength and unyielding sophistication that IS your stride.

If only they could understand

that this aloneness that you have achieved, despite your innate desire for companionship, is far more interesting—and far more reckless.

I must admit that opting out of misery isn’t always easy. Accepting Mr. I’m So Wrong’s bul… ahem… bovine manure, will begin to look more and more appealing as you continuously attend events alone, get asked by even more inferior Mr. Wrongs - you know, those fly by night guys who feign interest and concern, and even character, just for the opportunity to get in your pants to ask this infamous question: “How comes you still single?” There’s all that moment when you receive unsolicited advice from random people people whose opinions about even the ills of this world wouldn’t move you. Indeed, you will second guess every “no thanks” you’ve ever said and every reason you’ve ever given.

It is especially hard when there is that one person you gave your heart to and they returned the favour by stomping all over it, 9

crushing ventricles you didn’t know you had. Then, as soon as you walked away, convincingly, they came running after you - still without the flowers!

The temptation to reconstruct the broken bridge is vast and crippling, like a surge of current that threatens to paralyze you. However, as my friend stated on social media recently, “if you love someone let them go…if they come back - RUN!” Unfortunately, we don’t all escape the claws of this temptation.

Some are willing to suffer through the white noise of an unhealthy relationship in the name of dependence, instead of embracing the quiet freedom of solitude. Lies, excuses and overcompensation are used to seal the cracks in a partnership that can ultimately hold no moment.

The tree, though rooted, is barren.

So then, how do we single women validate ourselves despite such unforgiving circumstances? We do it with our jobs, our children, our families, our Faith, our friends… but is it enough? It is never enough (at least at 20-something it isn’t). As I contemplate this I am reminded of the strength I find in 10

the following passage, written in the most beautiful of languages.

The words are insurmountable.

It speaks to a lesson that I truly believe is priceless. From “Letters to a young poet” by Rainer Maria Rilke.

Dear_____, As I read it now, in the great silence of these distances, I am touched by your beautiful anxiety about life...there is no one anywhere who can answer for you those questions and feelings which, in their depths, have a life of their own; for even the most articulate people are unable to help, since what words point to is so very delicate, is almost unsayable... But even so, I think that you will not have to remain without a solution if you trust in Things that are like the ones my eyes are now resting upon. If you trust in Nature, in what is simple in Nature, in the small Things that hardly anyone sees and that can so suddenly become huge, immeasurable; if you have this love for what is humble and try very simply, as someone who serves, to win the confidence of what seems poor: then everything will become easier

for you, more coherent and somehow more reconciling, not in your conscious mind perhaps, which stays behind, astonished, but in your innermost awareness, awakeness, and knowledge.

You are so young, so much before all beginning, and I would like to beg you, dear--, as well as I can, to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.

Perhaps you do carry within you the possibility of creating and forming, as an especially blessed and pure way of living; train yourself for that but take whatever comes, with great trust, and as long as it comes out of your will, out of some need of your innermost self, then take it upon yourself, and don't hate anything. ...And it is not our acceptance of it that is bad; what is bad is that most people misuse this learning and squander it and apply it as a stimulant on the tired places of their lives and as a distraction rather than as a way of gathering themselves for their highest moments....If only human beings could more humbly receive this mystery which the world is filled with, even in its

11

smallest Things, could bear it, endure it, more solemnly, feel how terribly heavy it is, instead of taking it lightly.

But everything that may someday be possible for many people, the solitary man can now, already, prepare and build with his own hands, which make fewer mistakes.

Therefore, dear Sir, love your solitude and try to sing out with the pain it causes you. For those who are near you are far away, you write, and this shows that the space around you is beginning to grow vast. And if what is near

12

you is far away, then your vastness is already among the stars and is very great; be happy about your growth, in which of course you can't take anyone with you, and be gentle with those who stay behind; be confident and calm in front of them and don't torment them with your doubts and don't frighten them with your faith or joy, which they wouldn't be able to comprehend.

Saying yes to misery is easy.

Saying no is hard— it is the habit of prudent self-preservation, practised by heroines.

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13

TREN

MiXeD

What I love most about this t achieve easily, often not buyin wardrobe. Make those pin-stri work and a

Mixed patterns are one of tho but have little idea how to do the examples her and read the make this trend wearab

THE EASY WAY – Go for one piece with a neutral coloured print like beige and white or black and navy. These act like neutrals. You can pair them with just about anything and they will do work in your wardrobe for the office or the bar.

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THE SUBTLE WAY accessories that are be in similar or ex pattern to clothing. I as either a typical sub or an accent piece. It’ neutral or acc

Currently Trending

NDS

PaTtErNs

trend is the fact that you can ng a single new item for your iped pants do double duty at at the club.

ose things that we often see well. The truth - it’s easy. See e boxes to learn how you can ble at work or at play.

– Opt for shoes or patterned. They can xtremely contrasting In this way, the work btly neutral accessory ’s the same as having cent jewellery.

BOLD MOVES – This type of pattern mixing is for the bold. Go for either highly contrasting patterns in colour and size (you’ll get a colour blocking type effect) or opt varying patterns in similar colours to make pattern mixing a breeze. Always be confident. The stares will come.

All items from Nordstrom.com.15

HAIR BONDING No Extensions Added

A Mother-Daughter Hair Story

by Precious Homer-Williams

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My name is Precious Homer-Williams and I am 30 years old. I am mother to a smart, spunky and sassy 6 yearold named Nailah Newell. Currently, I am studying to take my Social Work licensing exam in August of this year and working hard in the social work field.

I work with homeless and chronically unemployed parents by coaching them towards self-sufficiency under the title of career coach. But I aspire to be a Licensed Social Worker in the near future.

Another passion of mine is styling natural hair.

It is very important to constantly teach my daughter to love her natural hair and all of its kinkiness because it promotes self-love and acceptance. It teaches her to take pride in natural beauty and to walk with her head held high. Through this upbringing I believe my daughter will also be able to build her individual perception of what ‘beauty’ is and what it means to her.

I transitioned to natural hair in 1999 and that was the best decision I could have ever made. I wanted to free myself from the world’s concept of beauty and create my own definition of what it is to be beautiful. In addition, 17

the damage of chemical usage throughout the years adversely affected my hair.

Since becoming natural I have become a huge advocate of embracing one’s natural beauty and my natural hair has been blossoming ever since.

Here is a brief synopsis of myself and my daughter’s hair care regimen: I try to use minimal heat on our hair and use sulfate free hair products.

We have utilized various oils such as olive, coconut, carrot, jojoba, organic moroccan argan, Jamaican black castor oil and others daily. We do hot oil treatments once a month or deep condition with Queen Helene’s cholesterol conditioner once a month.

We use Shea Moisture deep cleansing shampoo once a month, but also utilize the raw shea butter moisture retention shampoo and restorative conditioner as needed. Last but not least, I normally give myself and my daughter simple yet stylish protective hairdo’s.

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“

I always try t use minimal hea on our hair an use sulfate-fre hair products.

Realistically, I know that one day my little lady will approach me with questions regarding how others get their hair to be so straight. I’m aware that there is a possibility that she may want to experiment with these straightening chemicals.

However, I will not allow her to experiment with chemical straighteners until she is between 14 and 16 years of age. In the event that she ends up actually trying a relaxerv, trust me, it will not be long before she comes back to the natural side of things.

.

to at nd ee

.�

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Enter to Win

2 pieces from Racky’s Hair Accessories All you have to do is:

ENTER NOW

1. Like Racky’s Hair Accessories on Facebook.

2. Find this image (here) on Facebook and comment, “I want Racky’s Hair Accessories.”

3. Subscribe free to KiK Magazine by clicking here to sign up.

This Giveaway ends September 1 at midnight EST and is open to anyone with a Jamaican mailing address.

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WHO to WATCH

TONISHA Managing Director

Ganzi Jamaican designer, Tonisha is the Managing Director and lead designer for Ganzi Fashion. She fuses the ease of everyday fashion with couture style to produce fun and wearable clothing.

Tonisha plans to merge casual everyday ganzi type materials with natural materials like coconut into her Ganzi designs.

Find her on Facebook

@ShopGanzi

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Hair &

22 Photography

by KiK Magazine

& Now

Submit your pictures to editor@keepitkinky.net23

Natural Hair

& Honey H

by Laquita Thomas-Banks

oney naturally attracts and holds moisture. It is also a natural antiseptic and contains antioxidants. Honey is packed with vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, sulphur, iron, zinc and vitamins B1, B2, B3, which aid in hair growth. It can be added to conditioners, rinses and pomades.

Several honey hair recipes contain a mix of honey and olive oil.

Honey (pre-poo) treatment: Mix honey and olive oil in equal parts, distribute on hair, put on your shower cap and let sit for 30 minutes before rinsing and washing.

Honey Pre-Wash Treatment from Deecoily of Nappturality. com: Use this before shampooing to condition the scalp and repair 24

damaged hair.

She suggests that you use it regularly if your hair is dry or ends are split. You will need 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of honey, 5 drops rosemary, lavender or geranium essential oil, a small cup, a ceramic or glass bowl, a small stainless steel spoon, a plastic shower cap and a comfortably hot towel.

In a cup sitting in hot water, warm the olive oil and honey (or use the microwave but be careful not to scold yourself). Stir in your choice of essential oil and mix well. While the mixture is still warm, apply it all over your hair, massaging well into your scalp.

Cover your hair with the shower cap (or large plastic bag) wrap the towel around your head and leave on for 10-15 minutes.

For severely damaged hair, she

suggests that you leave the mixture on up to 30 minutes.

Remove the towel and shower cap, and wash your hair with a mild or baby shampoo.

Hair Conditioner: Mix 2 Tablespoons of honey with 1/2 of a fresh avocado and 1 Teaspoon of coconut oil. Massage into hair and leave on for half an hour.

Works beautifully for dry and damaged hair.

Hair Loss Potion: To the scalp, apply a paste of hot olive oil, one Tablespoon of honey and one Teaspoon of cinnamon (powder).

Keep on for approx. 15 min. and then wash the hair.

Remember to let the mixture cool before pouring over your hair and do not rinse. Follow with a leave-in conditioner and style.

A tablespoon of ACV - apple cider vinegar - can also be added to this mixture.

Hair Rinse: Try this hair tea recipe as an after shampoo rinse for added shine and to retain moisture. Steep two tea bags in two to three cups of water and let cool (try green tea, chamomile, rosemary or your favorite). After the tea cools, remove the tea bags and add one teaspoon of melted honey.

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Movie Night

THE BUTLER

This American historical drama should be watched by all. The movie starring Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey is directed by Lee Daniels and written by Danny Strong.

Cecil Gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House while the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events affect his life, family, and American society.

Watch the Trailer

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Place Your Ad Here Contact us at

marketing@keepitkinky.net

27

Advice Column

ASK

Q Q

Dear Doc,

an

t r e p x E

with Dr. Veronica Reid

A

A

&

I have had medium-sized locs for about 3 years and love them dearly but they are thinning at the roots. I get them palm-rolled about every 3-4 weeks at the salon. My hair is type 4 and very very thick and kinky which should be the perfect texture for locs so I don’t understand the problem. Should I comb out my locs? I h ave also considered combing them by twisting and sewing them together so that they’re thicker. I really do not like how thin my roots look and the parts between my locs seem wider in the front so my scalp is always showing. Help me please!’

– Locs Lover

Dear Locs Lover, If you are going to combine your locs, do not use thread, a skilled loctitian can seamlessly combine your locs using just the loc needle.

However, there are a range of reasons that your locs are thinning at the roots and you should investigate this before you take any further steps. Some hair loss patterns are hereditary or simply because of an inadequate diet and these are the first things you have to investigate.

However, some hair loss occurs when we handle the hair too much.

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The reason dreadlocked hair flourishes is because the hair is left alone the majority of the time and hair that is usually shed remains twisted into each loc. If your hair is being twisted excessively or you are wearing tight ponytails, these will also put stress on the scalp and may lead to thinning. Too much twisting (after the starting stage) causes thinning at the root section. Additionally, wearing the hair tightly banded and not removing the bands for several days can cause thinning at the point of contact with the band (this is any type of band, not just rubberbands). You shouldn’t leave your locs banded in the same spot from more than two days if you want to avoid thinning. You can alleviate this stress by wearing the hair up on top of the head most of the time and not pulling the hair so tight, by palmrolling less frequently, or doing looser styles when you go to the salon.

Second, sometimes thinning occurs because the locs have grown so long that the sheer weight of them puts stress on the root section. The longer your hair grows, the more it weighs, and the more stress it puts on your scalp. Remember that dreadlocks hold all the hair that would have normally been shed. They are heavy (and even heavier when wet). As your hair grows longer you need to manipulate your hair in a way to put less pressure on the scalp.

Finally, a loc with a thin root section is going to break. You can temporarily solve the problem by twisting another loc in with the thinning one, but if you do not tackle the underlying cause of the problem you will continue to have thin roots. – Dr. Veronica Reid

ASK A QUESTION

Send your questions on any topic to editor@keepitkinky.net.

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Lexi with The

A Fearless Natural En

Lexi Felder, best known on the internet

as “Lexi with the Curls,” is a 28-year working as a Digital Marketer for a popular online website who lives in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. When asked why she went natural in 2003, she said, “I always wanted to see my natural hair texture since I was young.

In 2003 there was no “BC” or “going natural”. No one talked about it then.” That’s why she started her Youtube channel and blog in 2008 and 2009 respectively.

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KiK: Why did you decide to blog

about your hair?

didn’t see anyone Lexi: At the time on YouTube, I maybe someone with hair my texture so I figured and would like to would have similar texture to me see my videos.

KiK: What do you enjo

y about the blogging

?

Lexi: It’s an outlet for m e. I can’t bother my boy friend or my mom (relaxed) a bout some new produ ct that provided an awesom e twist out.

curls

njoying Her Curly Hair

atural ? n g in e b t u o b a rt a best p KiK: 1. What is the aturals? n ll a r fo e ic v d a f o e 2.What is one piec

ble a g in e b e v lo t s ju atility. I Lexi: 1. The vers nd a r e th o n a ly r u c , e day to do a big fro on air h l ra tu a n ’s e n o y r 2. Eve straight the next. r hair to u o y re a p m o c ’t n is different so do anyone.

Keep reading to learn more about Lexi’s reigmens.

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e n i t u o R r i a H y l r u The C

KiK: What is your curly hair routine?

Lexi: In the summer I like to wet my hair at least every couple of days. For wash and go’s I fully detangled my hair in the shower.

I leave on a little conditioner and then put in my product of choice. While its still wet, I take a paddle brush and go through it in sections to clump my curls together. I prefer to air dry. In the summer, I will ride to work with the windows down. Another thing I do sometimes is put my hair in two buns (like huge Bantu knots) and secure. When I get to work I take it down and my curls are still clumped.

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Straight Ha

ir Routine

KiK: What is your straight hair routine?

Lexi: I deep condition my hair and make sure it is fully detangled.

I like to sit under the steamer too. I then blow it out in small sections. As soon as its blown out, I straighten using a ceramic iron in small sections.

KiK: Aren’t you afraid of heat damage?

Laxi: Not afraid. It’s just hair. Hair grows back. I do, however, make sure I don’t use ultra high heat to prevent heat damage.

But I’m not one of those people who gets my hair straightened or straightens my hair and prays for it to revert. I just use safe practices prior so that I don’t have to worry. But I am always aware that any type of heat can alter my hair texture.

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e n i t u o R ured Hair

Colo

KiK: It seems that you’ve coloured your hair quite a bit. Do you do anything different when you have lightened your hair colour?

Lexi: Some people are afraid to colour their hair because it is

said to be very damaging. I haven’t done anything differently.

I condition it like I normally would. I do sometimes try to use conditioner for color treated hair though. Lightening hair can and most likely will alter your hair texture a little bit. Depends on how light you go.

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Lexi on Pro

tective Styl

ing

KiK: Do you do a lot of protective styling?

Lexi: Yes!! I love extensions. They give me a nice break. I also did box braids last year and LOVED them!

KiK: So is protective styling your secret to long hair growth?

Lexi: No secret really. Honestly, I just think it has alot to do with genetics. I don’t do anything special to my hair or scalp. I believe hair growth has to do with genetics and health and not any product or pill. You can retain more length by taking care of your ends though.

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k c i r T s ’ i Lex KiK: What do you think is the trick to maintaining beautiful, healthy-looking hair?

Lexi: I think the trick is to keep it clean and moisturized. Moisturizing the hair is key!! It shouldn’t look dry at all. There are so many affordable products to keep your hair looking healthy and shiny. But the base is most important- cleansing and conditioning. a

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37

RĂŞvelling with

Teasea Benn Mogul in the Making

38

Advice Column

nett

PHOTOGRAPH BY DIEDRE CALLAM

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M

any under 35s are trying to excel at running their own business but Teasea Bennet teamed up with her designer brother, Duane Bennet, before the entrepreneur wave began to start RĂŞve Jewellery & Accessories in Kingston, Jamaica. They beat the odds of failing at your first business without many of the resources that young people today enjoy to became one of the most successful businesses concerned with local jewellery design in Jamaica. Teasea is the Director of Marketing, Sales and Public Relations.

It helps that she has a fantastic product to sell.

Her brother, Duane, is the Director of Concept Design and Production.

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RĂŞve Jewellery

Brother and sister duo, Duane and Teasea Bennett

KiK: Tell us about Rêve.

Teasea: RÊVE Is French for dream. The mission and vision is to become legendary by establishing a successful organization that is world renown as an authentic and original Jamaican Jewellery and Accessories brand synonymous for quality, design, originality and luxury.

KiK: What was the original inspiration behind Rêve?

Teasea: We both grew in a home with parents who where small business owners. Both my brother and I wanted to have our own business but honestly never “dreamt” of working together.

After returning from Europe I yearned to start my business while my brother was expressing his innate talent through the Arts specifically jewellery. I saw his tremendous talented and showed my support by wearing his “experiential” designs to work.

Both staff and guests became seriously interested and started 41

42

RĂŞve Jewellery Showroon

offering money to “own” these unique and beautiful hand-made pieces! It was like we were in the dark and a light suddenly came on! I was a budding Marketer and my brother was the budding talent. We had a serious meeting because we realized we were each born with our god given talent to each do what we did best but as a dynamic team.

So I made the decision to resign my job and start our true destiny…entrepreneurship with my brother! Thus we went into work mode and Rêve was born.

KiK: What did you do before getting involved in Rêve?

Teasea: After graduating University, I Teasea left Jamaica to live and work in France for a year, returned to Jamaica and worked briefly as Marketing and Sales asst. in a prominent Hotel in Kingston while Duane was a student enrolled in Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in Jamaica majoring in Goldsmithing (jewellery making).

KiK: What is your role at now?

Teasea: Describe a day in the life of running Rêve. My role involves the demanding tasks of research, development, management and retailing. We own and operate a jewellery showroom and boutique in Kingston Jamaica so outside of my core duties of marketing and sales development there is the demand of management on the retail aspect of the business.

Duane also has the demands of manufacturing, design and production; it’s the more technical and “hands on” part of the business operation. We both are constantly reviewing and researching innovative ways of establishing a system that is learnable.

KiK: Rêve has international reach and that is very hard for a Jamaican brand to achieve. How did you grow the business in such a short time?

Teasea: The Rêve brand is truly blessed, the company has really made its mark in creating designs that are truly high quality, exquisite, luxurious and 43

chic all at one go. We are both passionate about the roles we naturally lead in the business and many others have come to share that perspective. We playfully dubbed our loyal customers and supporters as Rêvellers. They span from celebrities to the fabulous “fashion forward individuals”!

Some of the Rêvellers include Cherine Anderson, Kelly Rowland, Lance Gross, Queen Ifricia, Nia Long, Raven Simone, Trya Bank’s America Next Top Model (which featured the Rêve COUTURE designs) members of TOK among others who have helped to impress the Rêve brand in the minds of many. Rêve have garnered many local and int’l awards and have participated in local, regional and international Fashion events and shows such as Miami, Chicago and London Fashion Week, USVI fashion Week, CFW and SWJ

KiK: It was a bold move to go into the family business.

Teasea: How did you know that you made the right decision?

It came naturally…we both developed and built on what we 44

each love…naturally. For me it’s the love of people, travel, fashion and marketing for my brother it’s love of the Arts; both visual and performance Arts such as rich Cultures, music and even food!

KiK: Rêve is in the beauty industry but you have started an annual Wellness Festival that is now in it’s 2nd year. Why did you begin the festival?

Teasea: We get love everyday from our family and friends and our Rêvellers. We wanted to give back in a way that stays true to the Rêve brand and our combined passions that resonated to people in a deeper way. We pitched the concept and it was well received so we started. In 2012, the 1st festival saw almost 500 partons and had over 67 int’l countries streaming live from the venue on the day of the event.

The Rêve Wellness Festival is set to be an annual event that will celebrate the Rêve brand and the Rêvellers. It’s a free event that showcases Rêve endorsed other leading local brands outside our own. It includes Rêve Jewellery and Accessories, local

producers, designers, Artists, Authors and Musicians. There is live Reggae music, local cuisine, top local designer brands, lots of giveaways, sales, break-out lifestyle sessions and much more.

This year our break-out sessions will be featuring a yoga session and a natural hair talk from the island leading brands in those respective fields

KiK: Fantastic. So, what can we expect from Rêve in the next ten years?

Flats or heels?

Ideally flats but my alter-ego is definitely HEELS lol.

Teasea: We hope with the continued guidance and protection of God, only bigger and better! We will be expanding in the summer of 2013 by selling directly on-line and participating in more regional and int’l events.

We want to expand into int’l reach by partnering with leading int’l boutiques and industry players.

Curly or straight (hair)?

Curly

Regarding the Rêve Wellness Festival, we are looking to have it twice a year…one in Jamaica and one in Canada.a

Currently reading?

Eckhart Tolle “A New Earth”, Favourite gadget?

Teasea: not into gadgets, prefer cooking.

Favorite recipe?

I Iove baking. I make a great pineapple upside down & rum cake from scratch. No cake mixes around here!

Favorite chill spot?

Negril west end during the sunset!

Best advice ever received.

A previous mentor said, “Don’t expose your ass unless it’s covered Teasea!” LOL.

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Barkers-Woode Gh Nina Barkers-Woode is a young designer from Accra, Ghana with a lot of ambition. Her interest in the fashion industry started at a young age. Living in Ghana, she enjoys being exposed to the beauty of nature and different people.

Nina says,

“Our country and culture allows us to explore different tribes and view women and beauty in many different ways. I was also blessed to have the opportunity to travel, which has expanded my view of beauty of a women and different textures and styles. I started fashion school after trying my hand at political science in Legon. I started at Vogue Style School of Fashion and started my journey within the fashion industry. I started working and developing my brand and began Love April now Bakers-Woode Gh 2011.”

Barkers-Wood Gh, operates as a designer and retailer of apparel and accessories for women in Ghana and internationally. It offers ready-to-wear clothing for women, leather goods, and accessories. It embodies today’s woman with the marriage between sophistication and sexiness which allows her to step into the world, where ever that might be feeling and looking confident.

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The pre-collection you just viewed came out in April and has a strong focus on the African woman. The inspiration came from the rich history and love for African culture. The collection has a strong vintage feel to it which you can see through the different pieces.

Collaborating with local artists highly influenced our fabric choices, It was the pool of creative minds that inspired them to use unique tribal prints.

“We feel that each print and texture of fabric is different in their own way.

Each individual tribal print is printed on chiffon fabric. This diversity welcomes an irreplaceable vintage feel to all our pieces."a

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FRIENDS

THE EX

by Garth Williams

I

ran into an ex-girlfriend some time ago. This was our first time seeing each other in about 2 years. The break-up was “clean” (mutual) and we maintained contact via Facebook; you know, happy birthday and merry Christmas. We’re both now parents and we compare ‘parental notes’, but our online exchanges never go deeper than that. Our face to face encounter was a little different from online. I’m not gonna get into what was so “different”, but it made me think a lot.

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She and I shared memories that made us laugh and cry. We’ve taken those experiences and moved on.

Given that our break up wasn’t “bitter” we felt it would have been ok to remain friends or at least just maintain a ‘civil interaction.

Neither of us was the proverbial “heartbreaker”/”dumper”.

Opinion Column

I must admit that I felt a little weird (jealous) when she told me about her pregnancy. Thought to myself “dat coulda been my child if things were different.” We were friends before we went down the relationship path but we’ll never go back to that friendship we had. When we chatted yesterday, lots of confessions came forth.

Things like how we both reflect on the amazing sex we had and how particular perfumes/colognes or even music triggers a flashback.

As much as we’re ‘friends’ now, we won’t ever really confide in each other. How would we tell each other that we’ve got a hot date lined up soon or that we’re going to Hedonism for a wild weekend with the new lover? It would just be weird. I figure we could share other details with each other but, new lovers and mates are always going to be a sensitive issue.

Remaining friends seems to provide us with the security blanket that we’ll always be in each other’s lives but just in a different way.

We check on each other once in a while to find out how we are, but we never actually KNOW how we really are.

A certain level of passion and sexual desire still exists between

us. After all, that wasn’t the reason for the breakup. This is a recipe for disaster but we’ve decided that we wouldn’t go back there, but oh Lord do we want to. I wouldn’t mind one night of unbridled “goodbye” sex, for old times’ sake. I’m confident she feels the same.

Leaving the past behind is hard, but I’m glad we don’t see each other in person often. Otherwise we’d end up just lingering in each other’s lives and that would make it harder to move on. It’s almost like keeping one foot in the past, and another struggling to go forward.

I believe it’s a better idea to leave things with pleasant memories of the other person, rather than potentially doom a civil relationship.

In a perfect world, the ideal would be for exes to succeed at being friends.

But in this world where bitterness, jealousy, passion, and human nature exceed reasoning and rational thought, it’s impossible in most cases to remain friends with an ex.a MORAL OF THE STORY Unless you were best of friends before you broke up both agreed to breakup, are both comfortable with either of you seeing new people and have a policy of total honesty, it’s best to leave the friendship behind… along with the memories. n

This article is written by Communications Specialist and Broadcaster, Garth Williams

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