In 1946 model and entrepreneur Ophelia Devore started Grace Del Marco, the first model agency in America to focus on ethnic talent…
By way of her company, Devore identified and nurtured the careers of several household names, including Diahann Carroll, Richard Roundtree (Shaft), and Cicely Tyson.
Like Bethann Hardison, Ophelia Devore was an activist for black inclusion in the fashion industry. Her courage and initiative helped pave the way for models of today!
Fab intern candidate Suzy got us thinking about home decor, and what better time to add some whimsical (and budget-friendly) romantic accents to your abode than Valentine’s Day?
Hey Fashion Bombers! Vuitton here with a red carpet edition of Hot! or Hmm for the Grammy Awards. Some kept it haute while others left us scratching our heads. Let’s take a look: Jennifer Hudson wore a fabulous origami pleated RM by Roland Mouret dress with suede navy Louboutin pumps…
…she looked amazing and her performance and award only added to her fabulousness. Do it Jenny! Kim K was saucy in this cute Toni Maticevski number with silver Louboutin slingbacks…. …I think she looked hot! And her makeup gets two thumbs up. Leona Lewis chose this Randi Rham nude dress for the festivities… Something about it makes me go Hmm...maybe it’s because the dress is too close to her skin and hair color? Queen Latifah presented an award in a navy blue strapless flapper style dress… …She looked beautiful. She rarely disappoints.
Our friend Fanny was there in this sequined halter… …I’m actually not mad at this dress. Fantasia stepped it up a notch, and her shoes are pretty dope! LeToya Luckett stunted in this fuchsia number with a multi-colored python clutch and sky-blue Louboutins… …Cute look, and that necklace is to DIE for! Solange made an appearance in this canary yellow cocktail with a vintage Chanel purse and Pierre Hardy open-toed heels… …She definitely looked cute, but I’m getting more Hmm…than Hot! I expected more from Solange!
Songstress Estelle wore this Bernard Chandran dress with Giuseppe Zanotti open-toed booties to go for a more edgy look on the red carpet… The chunky necklace is haute, but you can’t really see it because of the shoulder detail of the dress. Hmmm… Jordin Sparks wore this embellished floor grazer by Arizona based designer Debra Davenport… I like the silhouette of the dress, but something about the pattern makes me go Hmm… Vanessa and Angela Simmons looked cute and springy in their dresses… …loving that bright yellow, Vanessa!
And lastly Keyshia Cole vamped it up in this black, semi sheer gown… Hair and makeup were en pointe, but I’m not feeling this dress. The fit leaves a bit to be desired, and the sheer overlay makes me go Hmm… Maybe if the dress were shorter I’d be sold…
What do you guys think? ~Vuitton
PS Red Carpet Regular Rihanna was noticeably absent. Hmmm…
The ladies weren’t the only ones bringing it lat night! A few Fashion Bomb guys came out with their swagger on point: Chris Tucker looked pretty dapper in his suit….
…fellas, take note: with 2 or more buttons on the blazer, leave the last button undone! Jay-Z brought the flyness…. …loving this, and the tinted glasses are a nice touch. Snoop Dogg and his wifey hit up the carpet… …things that make me go Hmm…? This suit. It’s too shiny, and the pants don’t seem to be tailored. But I gotta give him props for giving us a less pimped out look. Ginuwine came out of hiding in a velvet suit… …I love a velvet blazer, but the entire suit makes me go hmm… If he went with a regular pair of black dress pants that fit properly, he would’ve been hot! Jamie Foxx rarely does wrong as he displayed last night with his daughter Corinne… …This blazer is the bomb! And the slightly pointed toe shoe is everything! Fly factor is up! T.I. never leaves home without his main squeeze, Tiny……He kept it dope with a more casual look, and I’m feeling it.
You know the night wouldn’t be complete without Mr. “Martin Louis the King Jr,“Kanye West himself……didn’t see him on the red carpet, but I’m loving his black Louis Vuitton sneaks with his suit. Young Jeezy kept the fly train on the tracks in his ensemble… …I love the fact that he went for a navy blue tie instead of a black. Two thumbs up! T-Pain and his sunglasses were also there……veering off the fly tracks completely, but this might be the tamest I’ve seen him on the red carpet. I like the scarf!
And lastly, LL rolled through… …He looked dapper, but the cut of the jacket made me go Hmm… Too long maybe? Looks a little preacher-esque.
What do you guys think?
~Vuitton
Veronica Webb was the first black model to land a major cosmetics contract.
A Detroit native, Veronica was spotted on the streets of New York City by a makeup artist. Her modeling career took off from there, as she soon became a spokes model for Revlon, walked for Chanel, Alaia, and Todd Oldham, and appeared on the covers of Vogue, Elle, and Essence.
Source
A gifted writer and television personality, Webb was editor-at-large of Interview Magazine, a columnist for Paper magazine, and a co-host on Bravo’s Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style.
Keep up with her current projects on her website www.veronicawebbisode.com.
~Vuitton
A new red carpet trend popped up this weekend at the GRAMMY Awards Salute To Clive Davis…
…eye-catching bright colored dresses! Fantasia went for glam and gorgeous in a strapless purple sweetheart… Keyshia Cole shined in a maxi citron wrap… And Erica Reid was vibrant in a burnt orange navel grazer… Want to get a head start for spring? Try these frocks for under $100: 1. Jodie Bow Dress, $49.50. 2. Alice + Olivia Floral Poof Dress in Orange, $99. 3. Crest & Fall Cover Up, $88. 4. Julie Brown Hudson Dress, $81.
So I ran into the following young men while out and about one weekend…
…after chit chatting with them, I found out they’re no regular guys–they’re actually pretty big male models who have walked for Givenchy, Prada, and Versace.
Homeboy on the left is Harlem’s Dominique Hollington…. …and sizzler on the right is Brooklyn’s Shawn Sutton…
…Caliente!
These two are shooting stars.
What do you think of their off the catwalk style?
New York Magazine reports that industry veteran Teri Agins was recently fired from her post as fashion editor for the Wall Street Journal...
It seems the Journal was forced to significantly downsize its fashion department due to sluggish ad sales.
Teri’s exit is a true loss for the industry. A brilliant writer, she covered the fashion business for over ten years, authored a great book called The End of Fashion, and represented one of only a handful of women of color who reported on fashion for major newspapers.
It’s disheartening to think that someone so talented could become a casualty; but it seems no one is safe in this recession. I’m sure Ms. Teri will bounce back better than before! Until then we young journalists still have Robin Givhan and Andre Leon Talley to follow and aspire to.
