WELCOME TO
An Ezine For Us By Us
the premiere issue Who do you look to?
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Bonjour Les Amis! A few weeks ago I woke up in the middle of the night with an overwhelming urge to delve into a magazine of some sort presenting the works of my peers in the design industry. So I reached over to my rosewood night stand a grabbed a few copies of the usual suspects such as Elle Décor, Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Verandah, blah, blah, blah and realized that there was no such thing. With all respect due to mainstream media, recent US census statistics revealed that of the 850,000 design practitioners only 4% are of African-American decent, 5.6% are Asian and 8.5% are Hispanic. Pardon me but I think that statistic is beyond startling.
Me in my “new mommy” haircut.
Yet the U.S. Federal Government Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditures Section, reports that Black America’s gainfully employed spend over $270 BILLION per year in home improvement related expenditures but building industry ‘s marketing efforts do not reflect this. How can this be? For an industry that exceeds $200 billion dollars annually, why is this demographic being ignored? Do Black Americans not own homes or use furniture, textiles or accessories? Do Black designers not specify them? As a gesture of goodwill, I am apologizing to everyone in advance for this sincere effort of uncovering this untapped market and full-hearted attempt to promote the under-represented in any facet of design. This magazine is a “labor of love”. So with no further “adieu”, I present to you, Le Rapport Minoritaire! Enjoy… Sincerely,
Tameka Pierre-Louis, Allied Member ASID Editor-In-Chief of Le Rapport Minoritaire
In this issue we will be exploring the African influence on fashion and interior design.
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And catching you up on who and what is hot in the home furnishings industry.
the african market
If you’re looking for a great African flea market to shop, try the Malcolm Shabazz Market in Harlem on for size. It is full of fabulous traditional African crafts and textiles. They have everything from hair-braiding boutiques and large selections of gorgeous carved wooden figurines to amazing fabric and handmade African-style clothes for the entire family. It is located at 52 West116th St., New York, NY 10026 near Malcom X Boulevard. It is generally open Monday through Saturday, 10am-8pm. If you live in New York take the 2/3 Train to 116th Street. See you there!
rooms that inspire
Retailer of the Month
Restoration Hardware has always been touted for its expensive yet unique door knobs and upholstered arm chairs. But as years have gone on, one can easily assess that the direction of their branding certainly hasn’t suffered in lieu of the economy and the pitfalls that their competitors have suffered with it. They are still very fashion-forward and have become an increasingly relevant alternative . But don’t just take our word for it.
people to watch
les arts Thelma Golden
This Queens native, who had wanted to work in the arts since the sixth grade, got her big break when the Whitney Museum of American Art hired her as a curator in 1991. But she made headlines with a controversial show, "Black Male," and earned a reputation for presenting challenging ideas. She serves on numerous international art prize committees and is a juror for nearly all of the public art commissioned in New York City. She traipses the world in search of new artists to champion.
"I still have the same feeling I had as a 15year-old traveling the city by myself going to exhibitions," she says. "At that time I was so moved by the experience of artworks, and it still happens, sometimes every day." Now that’s what we call “living the life”.
tastemakers
Sheila Bridges is arguably one of the most influential AfricanAmerican interior designers of our time . But don't take our word for it, her resume speaks for itself. Bridges is co-founder, president, and CEO of one of the most successful interior design firms in the country. As an entrepreneur, she opened Sheila Bridges Design, Inc. in 1994, which has grown into a $1.5 million company. Bridges is among House Beautiful magazine's list of America's Most Brilliant Decorators. She was also named America's Best Designer, by Time magazine and CNN in 2001. In addition, she is the author of Furnishing Forward: A Practical Guide to Furnishing for a Lifetime, published in May of 2002. Bridges was born on July 7, 1964, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is the daughter of a dentist and a teacher. She earned her
sociology degree from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1986. Bridges had decided on two things--to live in New York and to work in advertising. She did move to New York; however, her intention to be an account executive at Ogilvie & Mather, an advertising firm, did not work out. She was unable to land that job or any other advertising position. She then underwent additional training as a buyer for Bloomingdale's, a retail store. After three years, she decided to change careers. While remaining at Bloomingdale's, she attended Parsons School of Design in New York City, where she earned a degree in interior design. Bridges also traveled to Florence, Italy, where she studied Italian art. Bridges began working for an architectural firm during the day and completed her degree at night and on weekends. Prior to opening her own interior design business, Bridges was employed by Shelton, Mindel, and Associates and Renny B. Saltzman Interiors, Inc. Both firms engaged in residential and commercial projects. Bridges decided she wanted to launch her own interior design business. In a biography provided by Sheila Bridges Design, Inc., it was noted of Bridges that "her primary motivations to launching her own company was a desire to
provide resources and design services to African-Americans. Her goal is to introduce a generation of clients to the value of good design and the importance of interior environments that reflect one's own cultural history." In 1993 Bridges moved into a landmark apartment building in Harlem, New York, where her interior design ability was put to the test. This was where she would utilize everything that she had learned and create her own living space. In addition, one of the spacious seven rooms had been designated as her home office. Since that time, her apartment has been featured in several magazines. She opened Sheila Bridges Design, Inc. in 1994. Then in 1999 she opened Sheila Bridges HomeAntiques store, in Hudson, New York--the store has since closed. Her success in the interior design industry is a result of her approach. In an interview with USA Weekend, Bridges said, in reference to her decorating technique."The spaces I design should represent who my clients are or aspire to be, not who I am or aspire to be." The New York Times noted that Bridges "recommends striking a balance between old and new, upholstering antiques in today's fabrics.“ Bridges has had her share of well-known clients. She was hired by former President Bill Clinton to decorate his 8,300 square foot New York offices in 2001. Some other famous clients include
author Tom Clancy, computer software giant Peter Norton, former Motown Records president Andre Harrell and music mogul , Sean"P. Diddy" Combs,. Sheila then shifted her focus to a broader audience, specifically first time furniture buyers and individuals in their twenties and thirties. In her book, Furnishing Forward: A Practical Guide to Furnishing for a Lifetime (2002), she offered practical advice on how to purchase furniture that would stay with them for years to come. In an interview with Homestyle magazine, Bridges explained the book's title: "My philosophy is furnishing with the future in mind." Bridges's book offered useful ideas for individuals who enjoy decorating on their own, or are not able to hire a professional decorator. Her diversified portfolio prompted comparison to Martha Stewart. Indeed, Bridges has often been called "the black Martha Stewart." However, Bridges does not agree with such a comparison. For example, as she explained to Catherine McGrady of USA Weekend, "I don't want to show people how to make a lampshade or sew their own drapes." What Bridges does instead is offer people practical suggestions on how and where to find a lampshade that will perfectly suit their decor. Her empire currently amasses over $5M in revenue anually.
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soirees
LRM did not attend this lovely event but we definitely will next year. So in the meantime, please take a look at the fabulous people who did.
(Above Right) Kimberly Ward of PinkEggshell.com along with fellow designers/ bloggers Deena Parham and Beth Smith.(Bottom Left ) designer Suzanne Kazler presents her wonderful line of products while (Bottom Right) Barbara Barry shares her wisdom.
(Above) 2011 Hampton Designer Showhouse Gala, (top left) room by By Hickory Chair , (bottom left) Joy Tribout , (above right) lifestyle expert and restaurateur Bev Smith.
This year's Hampton’s Designer Showhouse was a 12,000 ft. newly constructed residence designed with a distinct 'south of the highway feel.' Sited on an oversized 2.4 acre parcel. It overlooked an expansive protected reserve and horse riding fields, guests were whisked off to the grounds by shuttle bus. Upon arrival they were given full access to the seven bedroom suites, 9 full baths, three half baths, a two story living room, and one butler's pantry. The estate also included a ravishing 1,500 sq. foot 2-story pool house .
editor’s pick
New York Time’s best-selling author, Ayaan Hirsi Ali's , shares her compelling memoir in her book, Infidel, which traces her journey from Mogadishu, Somalia, to the Dutch Parliament and beyond. Lisa Shepard Stewart is an award-winning author and designer who specializes in using African fabrics . Among writing regularly for various trade and consumer publications, she has demonstrated her projects and techniques on HGTV, the Discovery Channel and DIY network. The renowned author has a large following for her crafting and quilting techniques, her amazing how-to project books, African Accents, Global Expressions, and On The Go!, She also organizes retreats & special events internationally, and has one coming up at the fabulous Jackie on the Reef in Negril, Jamaica. April 25-30, 2012. Alek Wek shares her lie’s story about her inspiring journey from her impoverished roots in the Sudan the glitz and glamour of New York and Paris. All of these fantastic books are available through Amazon.com. Get your copies today!
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Janovic Pro Center East Harlem (btw 1st & Pleasant Aves) 455 E. 116th St New York, NY 10029 (212) 860-3400
mavericks
Norma in her studio.
Who is Norma Sklarek? Some would say that she was the first registered black female architect in the U.S. and first black female Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. Others would say that she was the first black woman to form and manage an architecture firm – Siegel, Sklarek, Diamond – the largest woman-owned and woman-staffed one in the country. Which is true but she is all of that and then some. With a career that spanned over 30 years, she designed several large-scale projects, including the American Embassy in Tokyo and a terminal at Los Angeles International Airport. The woman is bad, y’all! Born in 1928 in Harlem to parents of West Indian heritage. This “around-the-way girl” then
moved to Crown Heights in Brooklyn when she was a child where she attended primarily white high schools in the New York public school system during the 1930s and 1940s. As she contemplated college and her future direction, she realized that the professional career options open to women during that time were rather limited. As an “A” student, her father. suggested that she pursue studying architecture which she admitted “knowing absolutely nothing about but it seemed to embody each of her interests. The thing that makes her such a “maverick” to LRM isn’t necessarily her achievements- although it is a prerequisite. The thing that made her a “no brainer” was the fact that even though there were very few African Americans in her field- it did not deter her. Now that is a maverick!
innovateurs Tracey Reese
Born in Detroit, Michigan, on February 12, 1964. Tracey Reese’s mother, Pat, who also happened to be a modern dance teacher, enrolled Reese and her two sisters in weekend enrichment classes at the city's art museum. She honed her talent for sewing from the women in her family who often liked to hold contests to see who could finish an outfit first. The loser had to pay for fabric, and the rest they say “is history”. Through friendly competition Reese garnered a sense of direction for a career in fashion. She often jokes about it by saying, "Although I generally won," she joked in a past interview with Essence magazine, "I still spent every dime I had buying fabric.”. But her success is definitely not a game. Not even by a long shot.
Today, Tracey ranks as one of the fashion industry's most successful African-American women whose realm is not relegated to the runway. In a business where few designer labels seem to make it past their fifth anniversary, Reese has two clothing lines, TR and Plenty, which have been sold a Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, and various other top retailers since the mid-1990s. Her company's sales topped $12 million in 2003 and launched a Plenty-the home label within that same year. Tracey’s success is a testament for her knack in knowing what women will buy. She once stated "I don't want to design a skirt just because a skirt is needed to go with a particular jacket... "The skirt itself has to make you want to buy it.“. Go girl!
design tv
Not to be confused with Million Dollar Listing, which is about realtors – Million Dollar Decorators follows five distinguished LA-based interior decorators as they furnish the homes of the rich and famous. Be prepared to “grab your pearls”, honey because this juicy show doesn’t disappoint with it's glamorous cutthroat world!
The show is literally like an Architectural Digest on steroids. And one of the decorators is actually who Karen from Will and Grace was based on. (Hint: my fav- Mary McDonald). She also happens to have a great book out called, Mary McDonald: Interiors and a line of lighting available through lumens.com.
Directoire Table Lamp by Mary McDonald $550.00
Tyra Banks was born December 4, 1973 in Inglewood, California to two doting parents. Her father Don, was a computer consultant and her mother, Carolyn, was a medical photographer, laid a foundation for Tyra that would later make her a force to be reckoned with. At the age of 17, Banks metamorphosed into the tall, curvy, caramel-skinned and green-eyed beauty that we all love today. Befor she sashayed along the runways of Paris onto numerous magazine covers Tyra’s first attempts to find a modeling agency were met with rejection and discrimination. She remembers how one agency told her that she looked "too ethnic" and another said that it "already had a black woman and didn't want another." Then finally in 1990, while still in high school, Tyra landed a contract with Elite Model Management, the largest modeling agency in the world. Later that year, she shot her first print piece
changing the game for Seventeen magazine. After graduating high school in 1991, Banks enrolled at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, but decided to forego attending when Elite offered to send her to Paris for high-fashion runway modeling. There she gained notoriety and went on to work in Milan, London, Tokyo, New York and Paris where she booked 25 runway shows in 1991, an unprecedented feat for any newcomer in the industry. By the mid-1990s, Banks began to gain weight, a forbidden sin in the world of rail-thin clothing models. Unwilling to starve herself to achieve the desired physique for high-fashion models, Banks decided to return to the United States and switch to swimwear and lingerie modeling, where curvier models are more welcome. "I made my living being 20 or 30 pounds heavier
Room by designer, Susan Fenelly
For Inquiries: (410) 822-9001 Each franchise is independently owned and operated.
than the average model," Banks says. "And that's where I got famous. Victoria's Secret said I sold more bras and panties than anybody else, and I was traipsing down that runway with 30 pounds more booty than the other girls." She later became the first black woman to appear on the cover of GQ as well as the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. A year later, she became the first African-American woman to appear on the cover of a Victoria's Secret catalog. She signed lucrative contracts with both Cover Girl and Victoria's Secret, becoming a staple of both companies' advertising campaigns and runway shows. Tyra Banks has been named multiple times to People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People list. In 1997, she received the prestigious Michael Award for Supermodel of the Year, and she has also won two Teen Choice Awards for Favorite Supermodel. But ironically it was her television appearances on shows like The Fresh Price of Bel Air, starring Will Smith, that gave Tyra her breakthrough. She is now the creator and host of the one of the world’s most successful reality television show franchises, America's Next Top Model, co-creator of True Beauty, and host of her own talk show, The Tyra Banks Show. It has been running for 15 seasons and continues to draw enormous television audiences globally. The show's most famous moment came in February 2007, shortly after several unflattering pictures of Banks in a bathing
suit surfaced in tabloid magazines. In true diva fashion, Tyra marched onstage wearing the same bathing suit and told critics to "Kiss my fat ass!� Aside from all of that, Tyra has worked extensively to help young women deal with self-esteem issues. As early as 1992, when she was only 19 years old, Banks funded a scholarship to help young black women attend her alma mater, the private Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles. In 1998, she wrote Tyra's Beauty Inside & Out, a book aimed at inspiring young women, and a year later she founded TZONE, a foundation aimed at developing teenage girls' independence and self-esteem and has recently launched her own web-magazine, Type F as a continuation to that issue. We wish her continued success!
le prodigy Malian textile designer and calligrapher Aboubakar Fofana, lives and works in the UK and has spent more than twenty years studying and developing dying techniques during his time in Japan and France. Fofana operates a workshop in Mali, where he produces a stunning collection of bed covers and table linens with a mix of ethnic influences. His passion for indigo plants and natural dyes has led to a revival of the use of the indigo plant in West Africa. For purchasing information, visit the design collective Design Africa or his website. Fofana has also shown his work at ABC Carpet & Home in New York.
le fil
The summer is over but you still can add Lelesso's gorgeous "Korogocho Ballet Flats" into your show arsenal. These exquisite hand made shoes are made in Kenya's third largest slum by the Bidii Shoe Market Initiative, which aims to empower the shoemakers of the area to improve their access to the domestic market. This move not only brings their employees allowing them the opportunity to get out of poverty but it gives the world the chance to rock their beautiful shoes. It doesn't get much better than that! Lalesso was formed by designers Olivia Kennaway and Alice Heusser after a holiday to Lamu Island off the north coast of Kenya. Olivia and Alice say that they are “children of Africa and have been wrapped in its beautiful fabrics since birth”. After studying fashion design together in Cape Town the pair were saught off to harness the magical beauty of the East African ‘khanga’, also known as ‘lesso’ to create the vibrant and care free summer fashion that we enjoy today.
So you can be fabulous all while also doing some socially good by supporting a worthwhile cause. You can cop these flats by visiting their site at www.lalesso.com.
Model, business executive and fashion icon, Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid was born on July 25, 1955, in Mogadishu, Somalia. She is sometimes described as her native land's most famous export. Discovered by photographer Peter Beard on the streets of Nairobi, she quickly became an ambassador for the stunning and exotic beauty of Africa to the American public during her meteoric rise. In the 1990s, she launched her own line of ethnic cosmetics and has since expanded her beauty empire into fashion with her clothing and accessory line available through the Home Shopping Network. Her fabulous story begins in 1973 when she was 18 and a student of political science at the University of Nairobi. She also worked as a translator to help pay her tuition costs. Photographer Peter Beard, a wellknown figure in the fashion world, saw her one day on a street in Nairobi and was captivated by her long neck, high forehead, and gamine grace. He began following her, and finally approached her to ask if she had ever been photographed. "The first thing I thought was he wanted me for prostitution
the legendary of naked pictures," Iman recalled laughingly about that day in an interview with KnightRidder/Tribune News Service writer Roy H. Campbell. "I had never seen Vogue. I didn't read fashion magazines , I read Time and Newsweek. But when Beard offered to pay her, she reconsidered, and asked for $8,000, the amount of her college tuition, $8,000 where Beard agreed.
deal with Ivax, a Miami-based drug and cosmetic company. She retained control of the company still, but her line was given a sales staff and distribution network. The following year, it grossed $30 million.
In 1994, Iman launched her own line of cosmetics for women of color. She had long been frustrated by the paucity of products for black skin. "I would go to cosmetics counters and buy two or three foundations and powders, and then go home and mix them before I came up with something suitable for my undertones," she said in an interview with Black Enterprise. Iman's first year as a cosmetics mogul coincided with an aggressive move by Revlon and other major cosmetic companies to capture that segment of the market as well. Many of these giants launched their own lines aimed at women of color, or expanded their existing product range. Still, the Iman Collection sold an impressive $12 million worth of products the first year, and in 1995 she agreed to a
Beard shot rolls of film of Iman that day, and took them back to New York with him. He then spent four months trying to convince his "discovery" to move to New York and begin modeling professionally. He even leaked items to the press about her fantastical beauty, and exaggeratedly claimed that she was descended from African royalty and that he had "found" her in the jungle. Another story alleged that she was a goat herder in the desert. When Iman finally capitulated and flew to New York, dozens of photographers greeted her at the airport. A press conference that day initiated her into the vagaries of celebrity and fame. "I was very surprised and offended that they could be so gullible to believe that all Africans come out of the jungle," Iman told Campbell. "Somalia is a desert. I had never even seen a jungle. And I was even more insulted when they started asking the questions and talking only to Peter because they thought I did not speak English and I could speak English and five [other] languages. The girl ain’t no dummy, y’all. She then signed on with modeling agency Wilhelmina, where she began a career on haute-couture runways and in the pages of fashion magazines such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. She was instantly a favorite with designers and editors alike, and was one of first models in her day to be successful in both print and on the runway. French couturier, Yves Saint Laurent, even devoted a collection to her, "The African Queen," and one of the most famous images of her career was a shot of her
striding down a Paris runway in a Thierry Mugler design with a leashed leopard at her side.
Married to the legendary rock star ,David Bowie. In 1992, she became a mother for the second time at the age of 44 in the summer of 2000, but that is just one of many boundaries that the enigmatic entrepreneur and social activist has broken in her lifetime. The Washington Post once declared that Iman “broadened the definition of beauty…made earthiness sensual and “helped to transform fashion into entertainment and models into personalities.” Iman is by all means- the truth.
model citizen
Alek Wek has been the face of ad campaigns for companies ranging from Coach to Michael Kors to Nars and has worked the runways on behalf of designers such as Diane von Furstenberg and Christian Dior. Yet her defining moments extend beyond the runways of New York, Milan, Paris, and London. The humble of Sudan now resides in Brooklyn in all of her fabulousness. Here’s her story.
When Elle magazine chose Alek Wek for the cover of their November 1997 issue, they were taking what many other fashion magazines considered a risk. To have a dark-skinned African girl on the front cover theoretically did not sell issues. However, the result, turned out a monumental reader response with letters-to-the-editor from women and men ecstatic about seeing the standards of beauty in fashion redefined. When Alek appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show to promote her book, Oprah commented, "If you'd been on the cover of a magazine when I was growing up, I would have had a different concept of who I was.“orn in Southern Sudan, Alek was raised as a part of the Dinka tribe. At fourteen the civil war forced her to flee to London with her younger sister, where they were later joined by their mother and siblings. It was in London, at a street fair, where Alek was discovered. She launched a career in modeling that has since named her: "Model of the Decade" by trend-setting i-D magazine; one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" in May of 1999 as well as one of the "50 Most Influential Faces in Fashion" according to i-D and Frank magazines. Alek's influence extends far beyond the fashion world and societal concepts of beauty. She spoke at the International Black Caucus Foreign Affairs as a member of a panel, which included Hillary Clinton, Congressman Daniel Payne, Danny Glover and many other distinguished speakers. Alek has also served on the advisory board for the U.S. Committee for Refugees. She speaks regularly in New York at local public schools to bring attention to the famine in Southern Sudan and to educate children on the importance of nourishment, in addition to helping to launch the Bracelet of Life campaign in conjunction with Medicins Sans Frontiers/Doctors Without Borders. Beyond that she has also worked closely with AIDS awareness benefits, children's charities and breast cancer research.
Advertisers are equally attracted to Alek's presence. Her past campaigns include Clinique's Happy fragrance, Ralph Lauren, Jean Paul Gautier, Banana Republic, Joop, Nars, Issey Miyake, Moschino, XOXO Jeans, the Gap, Ann Taylor, and Michael Kors. Alek also appeared in Coach's "Most Influential People" campaign. She has worked with the most talented photographers including Steven Meisel, Mario Testino, Bruce Weber, Herb Ritts, Annie Liebovitz, Arthur Elgort, Michael Thompson, Ellen Von Unwerth, and Steven Klein. Alek has also appeared on the covers of prominent international magazines including Elle, i-D, Dutch, Essence, Russian L'Oficiel, London Style, Deutsch, New York magazine's Fashions of the Times, as well as the Sunday Style Times issue.
Alek has remained in constant demand on the runway circuit for such top fashion houses as Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Christian Dior, Gucci, Fendi, Jean Paul Gautier, Vivienne Westwood, Chanel, John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan, and Helmut Lang. In her free time she has turned to another passion: design. She has combined what she has learned from her years in the industry with her natural artistic ability to create a line that is a true reflection of her. Judging by the enormous success of her special line of handbags (Alek Wek 1933); Alek is poised to become a force to be reckoned with on both sides of the fashion business.
diva supreme
Model and fashion mogul, Kimora Lee Perkins was born on May 4, 1975, in St. Louis, Missouri. Simmons to an African-American father, Vernon Whitlock, Jr., and Japanese mother Joanne Perkins. At the ripe age of 11, Kimora's mother enrolled her in a modeling class where two years later, Kimora was awarded an exclusive modeling contract from Chanel. The newly 14 year old teen then moved to Paris to work under the famous Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld. After closing one of Karl Lagerfeld's haute couture shows as a child bride, Kimora Lee became a sensation within in the industry. Soon after, she forged a close friendship with fellow Chanel model Tyra Banks and became a muse of Lagerfeld. Kimora, along with three other models, were dubbed "the four Karlettes."
At the age of 17, Kimora Lee met 35-yearold, Russell Simmons, after a runway show during New York Fashion Week. After their meeting, he sent her a large bouquet of flowers. The couple started dating onagain-off-again for several years. In 1998, however, love won out where Kimora and Russell married at St. Bart's. Kimora Lee Simmons‘ fashion design career started shortly after marrying Russell. Her husband had begun creating baby clothing from his Phat Farm clothing line. Kimora Lee then took the project on herself, and Baby Phat was created in 1999. She was named creative director and president of the line,
(clockwise) Kimora in her home in Saddlebrook, New Jersey. Kimora and Tyra during their years as young models in Paris. Kimora and her beautiful children in a promoshot from her ever popular series “Life In The Fab Lane” on Style Network.
taking it from baby t-shirts to a full line of urban women's wear. In January of 2004, Kimora and Russell sold the apparel and licensing of the Baby Phat and Phat Farm brands to Kellwood Company for $140 million. As a result of the sale, the couple started expanding the line, including the Simmons Jewelry Company, which included the "Diamond Diva" line. That same year, Kimora Lee and her husband signed a deal with Coty, Inc. to create a line of women's fragrances under the Kimora Lee Simmons brand. The couple also signed with Vida Shoes International to create a line of women's shoes under the Baby Phat line. In 2007, Kimora Lee Simmons was promoted by Kellwood to President and Creative Director of Phat Fashions, which covered both Baby Phat and Phat Farm. She is noe “keeping the stylished girls wellheeled” as the new president and creative director of the popular shopping destination website, JustFab.cm. Not bad for a girl from “the Lou”. Love her!!!
Kimora Lee and Russell divorced in 2008. The couple claims they had actually split some time before that, but continued to work together. The divorce was finalized in January of 2009. After which she later began dating model and actor Djimon Honsou. The couple is now married and living in Los Angeles with their three children.
Jamie Drake “Tiger Den” Rug in Raspberry/Coffee
what’s poppin’?
Racial prejudice in the fashion industry has long persisted due to tokenism and sheer ignorance. In the past, casting agents would only hire one black girl per show and those who were hired were typically stereotyped by being dressed up in African garb. However, the physical landscape of fashion has already begun to change, thanks to the energies of Adiree Consulting, a premiere fashion PR Agency. Adiree opened its doors in 2009 after the Nigerian born owner, Adiat Disu, was laid off from her job at IBM. It was then that she realized that it was better to create her “own thing” rather than depend on anyone else. Now fast-forward to three years later she has carved a niche exclusively producing the most highly anticipated fashion show rivaling the annual Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York. AFWNY, African Fashion Week New York, features
various established and up-and-coming fashion designers from the African Diaspora. Check the web to support next year’s itinerary.
Adiat Disu and her team from the Adiree Fashion Agency.
AFWNY is a fabulous annual event that gives the public the opportunity to view new and upcoming fashion from the world’s most talented designers from Africa. Its producers, Adiree, describe the luxury multi-day event as a platform that includes runway shows, vendor exhibitions and industry networking events that have the sole purpose of raising awareness of the African Fashion/Entertainment professionals in New York and Tri -State area. More specifically, buyers and industry influencers are invited to review to the lines to distribute in the market. What a fantastically noble cause?!
local vendors
The Fabric Mill 219 South Service Road Plainview, New York 11803 Hours: Monday - Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Phone: 516-465-6400, Fax: 516-248-8791 - email: info@fabricmill.com
visionaries
Nigerian-born, Duro Olowu is all about prints- renown for his floral, floaty, chiffon print dresses, he has dressed everyone from the suoer model, Linda Evangelista to the First Lady, Michelle Obama and then some. His designs are influenced by the culture of his hometown of Lagos and the vivaciousness of London. Duro initially began his professional career as a lawyer before delving into fashion. In October of 2004 he launched his first self-titled spring collection to rave reviews. A true romantic at heart, he told the press that the collection was inspired by a theme of ‘love and joy’. How sweet? His signature "Duro" dresses, with the empire waist billowing and the vivid prints, caught the eye of US and British Vogue where he eventually went on to win the coveted "New Designer of the Year" in 2005 at the British Fashion Awards. He recently relocated his design studio from London to New York where he nows resides with his wife, Thelma Golden, the Artistic Director of the Studio Museum of Harlem. .
Burberry Prorsum Africa has had many moments in the fashion sun. According to a 2009 New York Times article describing clothing from that summer season, “African style is a drumbeat through the clothes and accessories.” They insist that “surprisingly it isn't about the ethnic…(that it is) instead of the sculpted geometric shapes of Africa and its rich spicy colors that are the strongest forms of identity. Whether it is the bright hues of Lanvin or the leopard dresses of Dolce & Gabanna, African themes have long been echoed throughout European brands for years. Well, “the drum beat continues. The most dramatic examples can be seen in the tribal fabrics offered by the Burberry Prorsum with its use of bold prints in African
our swagger palettes and geometrical patterns and the sassy silhouettes of Gwen Stephanie’s LAMB. The influence does not stop there, with continuous colonial influences used by Ralph Lauren, through his brilliant use of muted colors in stone gray, desert sand beige and hints of military khaki, mainstream fashion has repeatedly conjured up multiple lines that are uniquely African. Even accessories varying from necklaces with a faintly tribal feel to the use of multiple bangles or wide Africa has been and will always be the “cradle of chic”.
Africa’s presence has become almost inescapable on the runway. Adiat Disu of the Adiree Fashion Public Relations Agency says that their goal is to facilitate people being able to wear their head wraps out grocery shopping versus just to church. They also want to encourage people to constantly use it and not just consider African designs as costumes but truly embrace it and wear it on an everyday level.
LAMB
Lanvin
Available on HSN.com
Things to Cop
Bennett Sofa by Ethan Allen. Chinese Garden Seat available at Harchow.
Lacquered Alter Cabinet by Pearl River. African wax pillow by Amania at Home.
Michiel van der Kley's AfricanSwamp chairs with s metal frame, Plantation chair by Ralph Lauren Home, Desert Rose hand crème by L’Occitaine En Provence.
summer fancies If you need a quick menue for entertaining at home Serve up some amazing hot wings From Hooters and Follow it with a Refreshingly tasty yet inexpensive bottle of Fragolino wine by Nando. Then let them dab the corners of their mouths with some fabulous napkins by Hammocks and High Tea.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and according to BlackDoctor.org “African-American females experience higher death rates from breast cancer than any other racial or ethnic group.” This is partially due to African-American women tending to have more aggressive tumors. The fact is not meant to scare you, but it is meant as a wake up call. he 47-year-old broadcaster announced on air in the summer of 2007 that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, but she kept many of her emotional and physical challenges she faced under wraps. Now, Roberts is opening up about her ordeal in a ‘Nightline’ special airing Wednesday and a new book, ‘From the Heart: Eight Rules to Live By.’ In fact, African-American women are diagnosed with breast cancer less often than White women but they're more likely to die from it. Educate yourself and women you know on risk factors, discover ways to reduce the risk of breast cancer, learn how to give yourself a breast exam, and help to fight breast cancer. And remember, if you are over 40 years of age, it is important to schedule an annual mammogram.
The Witness Project is a screening and prevention program for African-American women. To learn more, call 845-3383. The Witness Project provides educational information about early cancer detection through stories told by breast and cervical cancer survivors in churches and community settings. The "Jewels in Our Genes" study aims to analyze the DNA of African-American women, in an effort to find breast cancer genes that answer the question of why the disease is more prevalent in some families.
They need African-American women who are survivors and those who never had cancer to take part in the study. For more information about the study, call toll free (888) 444-0354. Get yourself tested today.
my love affair with ralph lauren
It all started with a tie… Recently, I had the profound pleasure to look at Oprah Winfrey’s new series “Life Class” where she reviewed the episode when she interviewed the American fashion icon, Ralph Lauren and was so inspired by the story of how he began his career. Being the undisputable “the king of glamour” that he is, it was refreshing to learn how Ralph came from THE very humble beginnings as it were to become who he is today. Born the youngest of four children to Jewish immigrant parents in the Bronx. Ralph went to Baruch College where he studied business, although he dropped out after two years. He then served in the military for two years as well. He did not attend fashion school but worked for Brooks Brothers as a salesman. In 1967, with the financial backing of Manhattan clothing manufacturer Norman Hilton, Lauren opened a necktie store where he sold ties of his own design, under the label "Polo." He later purchased the name from Hilton where he quickly catapulted into fame winning various accolades in the fashion industry before successful licensing HIS brand. His company went public in 1997.
I am recalling all of this to say, that if Ralph, coming from the meager beginnings that he did, can go into a filed having no formal education and be able to go on to do the great things that he is doing- why can’t I? I realize that that may sound like a bit of a stretch to a few of you out there but that is what I drew from it. Not only has he inspired the aesthetic of many home furnishing retailer, Ralph Lauren, has inspired a little black girl from South Carolina to just go for it, chile! And that I am. Le Rapport Minoritaire is a labor of love for me and I am dedicating it to others like my self in the design industry who dare to just “go for it too”, so I can then write about You as well.
Until the next time y’all…
Who do you look to? TM
A Subsidiary of Mme. Pierre-Louis Design Group 2011 TM