Happy Friday!
Sorry for the late post, I’ve had a very busy morning. Why did you have a busy morning, Claire? Well, I’ll tell you.
Last night, I was delighted to get a text from my designer friend Malcolm Harris, alerting me to a forum discussion taking place today, subject: Blacks in Fashion. I quickly said “Sign me up!” and made my way over.
Upon walking in, I caught sight of many fashion notables. I’ll be honest, I almost lost my mind, I was in the company of such greatness.
Sitting right behind me were the following journalistic juggernauts:

Andre Leon Talley (far left), Teri Agins of the Wall Street Journal, Robin Givhan of the Washington Post (obscured), and Harriette Cole, creative director of Ebony Magazine. Oh yeah, and that’s Malcolm with the Peace Sign.
After I sat down, more and more people filtered in.
Tyson made an appearance:
Naomi Campbell (who actually ended up sitting right behind me!) offered her support:
Liya Kebede (gorgeous and so super nice) was in the house:
As was Iman…
Designer Tracy Reese…

Rachel Roy…
And Ebay Fashion Director Constance White!
It was truly an amazing showing, and I was excited to be there.
Industry veteran Bethann Hardison…
…took the floor as the moderator. She’s a former model, so her pet peeves centered around the “black model issue.” She hated that designers felt that having one black supermodel was sufficient; that people believe black women on covers won’t sell; that agents won’t represent black models; that designers are not conscious of diversity; and that blacks and others in positions of power don’t recognize a problem.

The talk revealed that the Fashion industry is extremely discriminatory and is also the only industry that is allowed to reject people outright based on color. Think about it: If a model sues Calvin Klein for not casting her, she’ll never work again. If a journalist sues a huge publishing house for not hiring her, she’ll have trouble getting published. In an industry based on networking, it’s best not to burn bridges…better to stay quiet and complicit (though that really doesn’t help the problem).

Doesn’t bode well at all for an aspiring fashion editor of color…

The forum was a bit mind boggling because the problem is complex: agents don’t search for black models because they don’t think they can sell; designers don’t book black models because they feel no need to; magazine editors don’t pick black models because, once again, they don’t think they’ll sell magazines. This is all a farce because we know black women like fashion (hello!) and spend freely. The problem is alerting the powers that be to our presence, beauty, and spending power. I mean, even Naomi Campbell revealed that she hasn’t been able to score a cover of British Vogue…and that the only reason she scored French Vogue was because her buddy Yves Saint Laurent threatened to pull all advertising if she didn’t get it. Yep, even Naomi Campbell has problems.

The conclusion of the talk was such: The group of highly influential people assembled (including Andre Leon Talley, Naomi Campbell, Tracy Reese, Constance White) would attend the next Council of Fashion Designers of America meeting to address this issue. Apparently Diane von Furstenberg (president of the CFDA) is game.
Stay tuned for developments…
Fashion figureheads are really trying to rock the boat (hopefully)!
Will anything change?
Smootches!
PS Of course I made my way over the Andre Leon Talley, and told him of my sincere desire to work at Vogue. He promised that we’d chat afterwards, but after the talk, he disappeared! Like…Casper. Is this part of the problem?
PSS Malcolm seems to think that the power to change things lies in the new generation, us. What do you think? Is there a problem in your opinion? Do you want to see more blacks in mainstream magazines? Or do we just want Suede back?

Happy Tuesday!

So the party took a lot out of me, and I’ve actually spent the past few days recovering. My attendance at fashion shows has been lacking, but no worries, Shameek and I plan to storm the tents again tonight. I’m going to a show that promises an appearance by Keisha Knight Pulliam (Rudy Huxtable). Fun!

So I’ve been taking lots of pictures of fabulous people of color—whether in the tents, or at outside venues big and small. Today, a serving of Real Style care of Baby Phat:

These young ladies looked retro chic with their stylish updos, and mixtures of vintage (floral tops) with modern influences (high waisted skirts)…
This Baby Phat employee was decked out in a Kimora Lee creation. I never knew Baby Phat made floor length strapless numbers, but I love the color…and her purse is a nice acccent.
These two industry ladies are casual yet chic. I love the young lady on the right’s kelly green dress worn over footless tights…
And of course Shameek couldn’t miss a photo opp! His friend looks cute in capris, shiny tank, and shawl. Notice how Shameek has multiple gift bags! lol!
Anyway the shows have been fun so far. Stay tuned for more Real Style and Fashion Show recaps.
Smootches!
PS Someone just forwarded me a super cute picture of a few members of the Full Throttle Crew. Call me nostalgic, but I just had to post.

From left: Lauren from Stereohyped, Chandra from Hourglass Events, Calcie from the JI Group, The Fashion Bomb Diva (me), Jen from The B-Life Blog, and Carla from Boutique Finesse. Cute!
Stay tuned for out next event! The B-Life Blog is having a celebration in January…I’ll keep ya posted:)
PSS If you love the portraits, need to take headshots, or have an event you’d like photographed, get in touch with my photographer Casey Noel. He took all those great red carpet shots. Visit his website www.cnoeltravelandphoto.com.
PSS Take a moment to remember everyone who perished in the September 11th attacks.

“My Umi said shine your light on the world/Shine your light for the world to see/My Abi said shine your light on the world/Shine your light for the world to see…”–Mos Def, ‘Umi Says”

Hey Guys!
So my party was such a hit!

Yup, that’s me in a Mimi Turner dress from Pieces Boutique, and jewels by Sisu. I’m silly…and was so excited about the night.
Katra was packed to the brim with all my urban fashionistas and fashionistos…


…the DJ was spinning the hot beats, the liquor was flowing, and tons of people came out to support!
My sponsors were there looking fabulous:

Jen from the B-Life Blog looked hot in a ruched fuchsia freekum dress…

Lauren from the blog Stereohyped was party ready in a sequined mini dress, and she brought along her equally beautiful sister Tia, who writes the blog Shake Your Beauty.

Calcie from The JI Group came prepared in a tailored jacket and v-neck shirt…

Chandra (left) from Hourglass Events looked super cute in an off the shoulder top, shorts, and hot purple pumps…
…and Latisha, Colin (far right), and other representatives from Pieces Boutique lit up the red carpet in fierce, fashionable frocks.
Friends and fellow bloggers also rolled through in their flyest:
Naki from the blog Style Chile was sweet enough to show up…

Michelle (far right) from Seasoned to Perfection came with friends to support…
Fashion week buddy Shameek (right) made an appearance…
and lots…
and lots…
of readers…
friends…
fans…
and the like…








…were bomb enough to show up and have a great time!
Check out more pictures and the slideshow here.
It was a great, memorable night, and I want to thank everyone soooooo much for coming! I was super busy, so I apologize if I couldn’t stop and spend time with everyone. But now that you know who I am, please feel free to come and say ‘hey’ if you see me around the way.
The party was such a success that I might make this a bi-annual thing (every fashion week)….
More on that later!
Smootches!
PS Almost forgot: Tracy Reese and Baby Phat were so much fun!
The ethnic models were representing like no other in various shades and builds…

Tracy Reese Spring 2008

Baby Phat Spring 2008
…it was beautfiul!
Baby Phat was chock full of celebs:
Star Jones was sitting directly across from me, taking notes for some reason…
Of course Russelll Simmons was in the house…
And gourgeous Bahamian model Shakara came with her boo.
I had a chance to snap pix with a few fashion stars:

Me with Nole Marin, a prominent fashion editor and stylist… And yup, that’s me with Nick Cannon and Selita Ebanks. Ms. Jay is in the background. Hilarious! I look like a greaseball next to Selita, but the pic is funny:)
Also, if you’re interested, I taped the final walk..but like an idiot, I didn’t realize that even though the video looked fine to me, it shows up sideways. So just tilt your head until I can figure out how to make it right side up…

Sorry guys! I tried to give you the feeling of it all… Fashion week has been amazing so far. Just a few more shows this week until it’s all over. So much fun!
PSS Special thanks to Hourglass Events, The B-Life Blog, Stereohyped, Pieces Boutique, and the JI Group for helping me throw my bash! Many thanks to Rum Cake Fairy for providing delicious cakes and Trace Magazine and Boutique Finesse for donating items for our goodie bags. Shout out to expert photographer Casey Noel for the amazing red carpet shots. And lastly, much love to my girls Margaret, Stephanie, and Kim. You’re the bomb!

Cute.
You might be wondering: What’s the difference between a tent show and a smaller show? Well for starters, this one was held in a super cool loft space…
…and instead of everyone jockying for seats, most people stood to the side or sat wherever they could find an open nook. Bonus: the attitude-y/ ‘what are you doing here’ vibe was totally nonexistant.
So if you don’t know about Telfar, he was raised in Liberia, and describes his clothing as “simplexity” i.e. he uses simple materials to make complex clothing with unexpected silhouettes and details.
A few looks from last night’s collection:

Telfar goes for a sporty vibe with a twist. He sticks to a neutral color palette of gray, white, black, and brown, and works with fabrics like cotton, jersey, and voile. While his clothes may look like standard gym issue at first glance, details like pockets, draping, hoods, and bunching at the legs, arms, even the back….
…set this line apart. Telfar wasn’t your average show, which is why it was amazing.
As fun as it was, I’m plunging back into the melee today with shows by Tracy Reese, Max Azria, and ooooh…Baby Phat. For once, I just might have to give you a weekend update!
And, guys, if you’re in NYC, last call…

…come to my party on Saturday!
It’s just gonna be fun. No stress, no drama, just good ol fashioned fun! RSVP to fullthrottleparty@gmail.com
Smootches!
PS After the show, I ran into designer Malcolm Harris and we kicked it for a while (even did a little party shoe shopping). Don’t know who he is?? Really!?! Well, he’s the Creative Director for the made-to-order fashion brand Mal Sirrah. I wrote about him here. You should also check out his blog (yes!) Cut, Sew, and Blog (www.cutsewandblog.com). He’s the bomb y’all!
PSS Duh, Real Style. So I’m going for ‘different looks’ in these pictures, and the guests at Telfar didn’t dissapoint. I ran into Regina…
…a model booker who struck me with her quirky steeze. I appreciate how her chunky gold chain stood in contrast to her demure haircut and bookish glasses. Slap on some tights with boots…chick is stylish in her own way.
As a booker, of course I had to ask her about the ethnic models issue. She revealed that she had booked two models for the Telfar show, and said that it all, “Depends on the girl and the desire of the designer. It’s a combination of things.” So perhaps in order to see ethnic models we need more ethnic designers showing at Fashion Week?? Hmm…a whole ‘nother issue. Maybe Malcolm can weigh in…

“There was a turning point where you had many girls working at once, and it looked like things were going to change; we all had high hopes. But then things regressed. Now it seems like all that hard work we did has not changed anything. It’s really hard to wake up in 2007 and accept that we shouldn’t push the door open again. We can’t shut our mouths any longer.”–Naomi Campbell

Hey readers,
So Kenya Hunt, an editor for New York Metro, wrote a huge article yesterday on the dearth of ethnic models on the catwalk. She says, “While browsing through the women’s boards of the top New York agencies listed on Models.com, few represented more than two black, Latina or Asian models. South Asian women were represented by exactly one model, Ujjwala at IMG, while some agencies such as Supreme management had rosters that were entirely white.”
Inspired, I decided that this time around, I’d pay attention to exactly how many ethnic models I saw strutting down the runway. Is there truth to the rumor?
Last night my homie Shameek and I hit up the Nicole Miller and LAMB shows.
I love Nicole Miller’s clothes; it seemed that drab beige is her pick for spring…

…though she jazzed it up with splashes of celery/citron and paisley.

While her clothes were elegant, she only had one black model…


And Shameek noted that she was skinnier than the rest. Are stakes so high that ethnic models have to be twice as skinny to walk the runway???
Next up was LAMB, which was a ZOO. Diddy was sitting front row. I tried to get a picture, but was soooo far away that my picture is indeed laughable…

…Ha!
Shameek and I both loved LAMB’s avant garde meets streetwear vibe. Gwen’s show featured jackets, dresses, and separates in patterns like plaids…


…and herringbone….

…but this time around, she really represented with two models of color…


…Chanel Iman being one of them.
Hmm…not sure how shocked I should be. Are we at the point now where we accept discrimination and don’t say anything about it? Is this a non-issue?
At any rate, it’s going to be an interesting Fashion Week if my focus is on ethnic models. Hopefully there’ll be something to cover!
Smootches!
PS Of course, I’m going to give you Real Style from the Tents every day! My pic today is of Shawn Wright and Randal Jacobs…

…writers for the site www.fashionwindows.com. Their look is very 80’s…from Shawn’s large Moschino bag and glasses to Randals collared preppy shirt, sweater, and cutoffs.
So, what do you think? Are they FaB (Fashion Bomb)?

Hey Guys,
So Fashion Week is on and poppin! I peeped BCBG’s show…

… this morning and caught a glimpse of Ciara and Ashlee Simpson sitting front row…

…Can you see ’em? Ciara has a hat on and Ashlee has long blond tendrils. They’re both turned talking to each other (or avoiding the camera lens of everyone in there).
Anyway, the show was cool…yet sort of so so. The clothes lacked anything really avante garde or quirky and the color scheme, for the most part was sort’ve bla. I didn’t bother taking pictures with my ghetto camera…you can get better pix online at nymag.com! But the excitement was definitely in the air for one of the very first fashion shows of the season. I’m juiced!

So there are several black designers showing this season–Stephen Burrows, Tracy Reese, Kimora Lee, and Rachel Roy–but one you may not have heard of is Kai Milla, also known as Stevie Wonder’s wife:

A native of Washington D.C., Milla studied fine art and design at the Corcoran School. She was a freelance art director before meeting Stevie in 1999, and was inspired to start her line in 2003 after seeing a John Galliano for Dior Couture show in Paris. In an April 2007 Harper’s Bazaar article she says, “When I saw what John Galliano did, the energy of the show was so inspiring. I saw what fashion could be. I had to do it.”

A quick look at her Fall 2007 looks, and I’m instantly impressed by the fluidity, and classic shapes with a twist at either the neck or sleeves:

Love the simple color palette and how she plays with proportion, whether by the use of belts or varying hem lengths… Hopefully I can check out her collection next Monday!
Smootches!
Fashion News and What Nots:
*The Fashion Bomb is in today’s Women’s Wear Daily!!!

Click to Enlarge
I’ve made my mainstream debut in an article about bloggers at Fashion Week! Check out the article here.
*Guy Trebay discusses why Fashion matters.
*Eric Wilson reports on knockoffs.

Mail Bombs.
Allons-y (Let’s get it):
Reader Eisha is a huge Rihanna fan, and wanted to know the make of this sea foam dress….

…she wore to last year’s Fashion Rocks.
Doing a quick search, I found that the dress is from Zac Posen’s Spring 2006 collection…

..It’s not in stores, but if you want something similar, I’d say that this $100 Adrianna Papell Bead Babydoll Dress comes close in color…

And this $178 Sequin Grecian Halter Dress (also by Adrianna Papell)…

…comes close in design.
Good luck!
Next up, Erin says, “I love to wear dresses and skirts in the summertime, and I don’t want to stop with fall. Can you recommend some great fall dresses to carry me through the season?”
I love a good sweater dress for cooler temps, and you can never go wrong with a shift dress in a seasonless wool. If you’re looking for a summer to winter transition piece, a wrap dress always looks great with a cardigan thrown over. And don’t forget a nubby tweed! My picks:

Top Row: Calvin Klein Belted Sweater Dress, $118, www.nordstrom.com; Adore Dress, $98, www.guess.com.
Bottom Row: Collection Sharkskin Belted Shift Dress, $188, www.lizclaiborne.com; Tahari by ASL Belted Wrap-Style Dress, $128, www.macys.com.
Rock ’em with some stiletto boots or spectator booties with tights. You’re good to go!

Next up, in an e-mail titled, “Show the big girls some love” reader Pamela says, “Im a full figured size 20/22 very attractive and professional young lady living in the ATL… I’m shaped kinda like a pear/apple (lol) with a somewhat undefined waist ( I have attached photos of myself for you to judge, I’m the first one, in yellow)…”

“I already know about the empire waist tops and dresses along with A-line cut skirts, dark boot cut denim and wide leg trousers. I shop Lane Bryant and some times Torrid but a big girl gets no love you know that!!! With that being said, would you put together some variations of looks for the FASHIONABLE PLUS SIZE WOMAN not them big sheets..I’m talking about cute stuff which I know you have no problem doing. It would be greatly appreciated.”
Hey Pamela! I show big girls love! Not sure if you remember this post by Pretty Girl (another voluptuous reader), but she said:
“…I used to work at Macy’s and I couldn’t believe how many figure flattering pieces I found there, I still shop there especially during their sales and Christmas season. If you are on a budget then places like JCPenney (Bisou-Bisou line comes in plus sizes and is super stylish and affordable), Old Navy, Ashley Stewart, The Gap and Bitten (at Steve and Barry’s) by SJP are great options. If you can basically spend what you want on clothing then we big girls really have options. There’s Monif C, who is mostly know for her convertible dress that can be worn 22 different ways, Curvation by Queen Latifah, Size Appeal, Igigi, A-light, Kiyonna, Curvety, Sosienna, and Torrid. You can find all these boutiques online and some have brick and mortar locations…”
Out of all the sites she mentioned, I feel that Monif.C (www.monifc.com), while expensive, has some of the most fashionable looks for plus sized divas:

From pretty printed tops to mini dresses and club ready show stoppers, they’ve got you covered! If their prices are too steep, I also found the following:

Top Row: Bisou Bisou® Print Wrap Dress, $50, www.jcpenney.com; INC International Concepts® Woman Scoop-Neck Baby-Doll Dress, $99, www.macys.com.
Bottom Row: Suzette Wrap Top in Brown, $29, www.igigi.com; MICHAEL Michael Kors Houndstooth Swing Jacket, $170, www.nordstrom.com.
Hope that works for you!

Lastly Monica was interested in knowing the designers of dresses a few TFB readers wore at the white party:

So if you’re reading, write on in!
Smootches!
PS Have *great* long weekends!