Essence Sept 2011 Black Stylistas

Here is a behind the scenes video of a fashion shoot from the Sept 2011 issue of Essence. It profiles gorgeous, confident women of color who are currently shaping the fashion industry. Shot by one of my fave photogs Henry Leutwyler.

On a Kylie Trip

I love 'Slow' and I found this great remix. Kylie masterfully delivers in her showgirl costumes and smoldering sensuality which has helped her dominate pop music for decades.

  Kylie Minogue - Slow (Avant Hard Remix) by Avant Hard

The Toledos: Drawn Together

Of my many years as a fashion show producer I had the pleasure of briefly working with the Toledos. This was back in 2008 when  Isabel was assigned as CD to the classic women's label Anne Klein. They were magical to watch as they worked seamlessly, tirelessly and effortlessly together as a unit. They were the most gracious in their manners and would humorously break into nostalgic stories of NYC back in the 80s. Here are a few of my favorite sketches from Ruben's work over the years.

Grace Jones: Belle Noir

No words need to be said.

Almodóvar's Muses: Sexy and Dangerous

I've always appreciated the heroines of Pedro Almodóvar's fims, they always possessed a certain kind of allure that kept you fixated. What I loved about them most , besides wearing the most killer skin tight outfits, was that they were never afraid to get their hands dirty if any shady situation arose.

Musicians with killer natural hair

Here are a few of my favorite musical darlings who rock out their mane completely au naturel.

Corrine Bailey Rae

Amel Larrieux

Esperanza Spalding

Janelle Monae

Jill Scott

Jill Scott

Melanie Fiona

Shingai Shoniwa

Antonio Lopez/The One and Only

Taking a moment to salute Antonio Lopez, a fashion illustrator extraordinaire and bon vivant. Originally from Puerto Rico, Lopez moved to New York at the age of seven and studied at FIT as a young adult. He quit school when he got a job at WWD and later moved on the The New York Times. During that time he met his creative partner in life Juan Ramos and immigrated to Paris. Upon arriving to Paris he started working with Karl Lagerfeld and entered the glamourous jet set circle of the time. With a a painterly quality ( inspired by Leger,Wesselman and Dali) and a keen eye for what a sophisticated woman should embody, Lopez dictated elegance through his sketches. Here are a few of my favorites.