Vintage W Magazine Spread: Spring Break

Before it became just another "celebrity in pretty clothes" monthly, W Magazine used to feature some amazing editorial work. This one was shot by Bruce Weber and features the once in demand Gerren Taylor and a model I haven't seen a lot of lately, Jaunel McKenzie. Enjoy! Thank you Rubydon for unearthing these photos :) This has got to be one of my all-time favorites!

Editorial: Spring Break

Magazine: W Magazine April 2004
Models: Jaunel McKenzie, Jessica White, Gerren Taylor, Payton Champage, Natassia Schmeidt, Victoria Brito

Models With Natural Hair: Fayruz Abdiaman

I just love her haircut. I think this particular shape is so versatile. Fayruz is signed with Sutherland Models in Toronto.

Jourdan Dunn - Mom to Be

Vogue.com broke the news on their site with an article filled with suggestions on what the 19 year old supermodel in the making should wear in the coming months. Dunn is reportedly due to have a son in December which means that we probably won't see much of her during Fashion Week this fall.

Reaction to Dunn's pregnancy seemed overly judgmental on message boards this morning with some people expressing "disappointment" that the teenager (who is also a legal adult with a steady income) is pregnant.

For the record, lots of models start families very young. I hope that after the birth of her son Jourdan's career will continue to flourish, like supermodel Natalia Vodianova, who also gave birth to a child at age 19 with much less finger wagging.

Solange Does The Big Chop

I don't generally pay much attention to Beyonce's little sister but I have to admit I was a little surprised to see this photo of her sporting a TWA (teeny weenie afro) this morning. The girl may not have the chops, looks, or appeal of her older sibling but she's definitely proved that she's gutsy for stepping out of the shadow of Bey's lace-front and letting the sun shine down on those follicles.

Sigh.

Anytime I see a picture of a woman with super short natural hair like this I miss the days when I sported the style. I can still remember how good it felt the first time I took a shower with my new 'do and felt that warm water pouring over my scalp.

Now if only Solange could record some music to match the fierceness of her new look...

Jada Pinkett Smith on the Cover of SHAPE

A bit much on the Photoshop don't you think? Jada has a nice figure already, I don't know why the editors felt the need to do this. The water looks computerized, her skin doesn't even look real and the head looks like it came from another photograph.

s:Brown Sista blog

2008 Worst Selling Women's Magazines: Not a Black Face in the Bunch

Vogue
Best-Selling Cover: Keira Knightley (559,000 copies)
Worst-Selling Cover: Rachel Weisz (276,000 copies). Gwyneth Paltrow was a close second with 310-350,000 copies.

Vanity Fair
Best-Selling Cover: Angelina Jolie (504,000 copies)
Worst-Selling Cover: Katherine Heigl (314,000 copies)

Elle
Best-Selling Cover: Victoria Beckham (413,000 copies)
Worst-Selling Covers: Carrie Underwood (253,000 copies)

Glamour
Best-Selling Cover: Jessica Simpson (775,000 copies)
Worst-Selling Cover: Nicole Kidman (460,000 copies)

Cosmopolitan
Best-Selling Cover: Scarlett Johansson (2 million copies)
Worst-Selling Cover: Jessica Simpson (1.5 million copies)

W
Best-Selling Cover: Angelina Jolie (78,000 copies)
Worst-Selling Cover: Hilary Swank (27,000 copies)

InStyle
Best-Selling Cover: Eva Longoria-Parker (889,000 copies)
Worst-Selling Cover: Anne Hathaway (585,000 copies)

Marie Claire
Best-Selling Cover: Women of “Sex and the City” (440,948 copies)
Worst-Selling Cover: Jennifer Connelly (191,000 copies)

Harper’s Bazaar
Best-Selling Cover: Lindsay Lohan (213,000 copies)
Worst-Selling Cover: Drew Barrymore (120,000 copies)

*Blackfolk Appearing on Above Magazines in 2008

Vogue 4/08 Gisele/LeBron James

Bazaar 9/08 Tyra Banks

ELLE 6/2008 Rihanna

Cosmo 3/2008 Rihanna

IN Style 8/08 Rihanna

IN Style 2/08 Halle

IN Style 11/08 Beyonce

8/09 US Vogue - Worth a Look

Vogue's annual age issue, like the shape issue can be pretty hit or miss. This year's issue features a cover story on supermodel Christy Turlington which I still haven't gotten around to reading yet. The rest of the issue is filled with the typical Vogue editorials, beauty articles and profiles. Nothing to get too excited about but there are a few high points that make the issue worthwhile.

#1 Liya Kebede

She only gets a one photo and three paragraphs but the copy mentions her children's clothing line and her charitable work with the WHO and her recent honor by the Gordon Parks Foundation. The accompanying photo shows Kebede (her handsome husband in the background) wearing a stunning red Thakoon dress.

#2 Anna Cleveland

She may not make the same impact that her mother, 70s top model Pat Cleveland did in her heyday but Anna has been making an impression on the runway, booking shows with Zac Posen, Caroline Herrera and DVF.

#3 Pat McGrath

The always in-demand makeup artist shares her "must have" list of products and makeup tips. She keeps her own routine simple with a solid skin care regime, soft neutral colors and of course, mascara. She's worked behind the scenes on many makeup launches but I'm hoping that she launches her own line one of these days...or at least releases a makeup book.

#4 Shingai Shoniwa of The Noisettes

Shingai is as stunning as she is talented. When I got their first CD from the library a year ago, it was in constant rotation on my iPod. There was a time She and her band are currently promoting their second CD "Wild Young Hearts."

#5 Jenny Lumet

Vogue profiles the upper crust homemaker turned sought after screenwriter. Lumet, the black/Jewish daughter of Sidney Lumet and granddaughter of screen icon Lena Horne wrote last year's critically acclaimed "Rachel is Getting Married" and is currently working on a script about race at Brooklyn's International High School. Her own view on race, she shares, were influence heavily by her grandmother whose participation in the Civil Rights Movement nearly ended her career.

July Italian Vogue Supplement Dedicated to Black Barbie Dolls

It's not exactly on par with last July's "black" issue of Vogue Italia but it is interesting. This month's Italian Vogue includes a supplement issue that traces the lineage of Mattel's black Barbie dolls, from "Francie" (launched in 1967) and 1980's first official black "Barbie" named doll to current incarnations.

The Cut thinks this is a cleverly timed cross promotion for Mattel's new line of black "So In Style" dolls created by Stacey McBride-Irby.

I'm no collector but I do love looking at the dolls. The "So In Style" models are pretty cute even if they only seem to have one body type.

S: Youtube, Vogue UK, The Cut

ETA: More pics at Jezebel

Vogue Korea - August 2009 - Naomi Campbell

Photographer by John-Paul Pietrus

s: kanna

Meh.

Ariel Meredith for Diesel Intimates & Underwear

At first glance these look like something a Terry Richardson devotee would have shot for American Apparel. I guess Diesel is trying to jump feet first into the "edgy" underpants market.

I honestly don't know what to think of these. The phrase that keeps coming to my mind is "Girl, you need to call your people to come and get you!"

Don't get me wrong, Ariel is beautiful and has a great figure for lingerie but personally speaking, I've never fantasized about at clothing optional party where I'm the only chick present in the shot and a white guy who looks like European Jesus rubs lotion on my belly. Call me old-fashioned. There are more photos at the Diesel site featuring two white female models in their skivvies but their booties are unmolested.

Source: Diesel & kahlilg/tfs

Iman Poses with Oldest Daughter Zulekha Haywood

S: Myspace/TFS

Just posting this pic because I always wondered what Iman's oldest daughter looked like this days. I've only ever seen one other photo of her and in it she was still a very young. Zulekha is Iman's daughter from her first marriage to NBS star Spencer Haywood and from the looks of it, has grown up to be a very beautiful young woman.

Thandie Newton Wears Matthew Williamson Resort

s: Rosemary/State of Bliss/Style.com

I wouldn't wear this dress myself but I think Thandie looks good in it. I can't decide if I like the shoes or not.

Jourdan Dunn Shooting Ads for Maybelline

This pic I found via TFS, taken from Jourdan's Twitter. It's a behind the scenes photo from the ads she is doing for drugstore cosmetics giant Maybelline. I have no idea what the timeline is or when we'll start seeing the work but good for her, hopefully she'll be more center stage than some other black models Maybelline uses for its print work and commercial ads.

OT: En Vogue to Star in Reality TV Show?

From ONTD:

The group, which is comprised of Dawn Robinson, Terry Ellis, Cindy Heron-Bragg and Maxine Jones, are cementing their return to the music scene, after a lengthy break, with a new album later this year.

Now, they want to give fans an insight into their 20th anniversary reunion by documenting their trials and triumphs on TV.

Dawn Robinson says, “It’s just another venue to get our music out there. The industry has changed. It’s not just about getting a record deal anymore. It’s about exposure.”

Terry Ellis adds, “Twenty years in the business is a long time and we’ve had a lot of fun in the process, but there’s also been some ups and downs and we’d like to share some of that.”

I'm not a big fan of scripted "reality" TV* or the cadre of completely useless people who become famous for appearing on it but I would be so in to watching an En Vogue show. I loved watching and listening to those beautiful brown skin women, back in the day they were more affirming than anything in a magazine for me. I hope this gets picked up and I hope it's not by BET.

*With the exception of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, which I know is trash but it just amuses me so much.

More Arlenis Ads for Lancome

From the Dominican Fashion Models blog. These look like in-store promotional ads, I'm still waiting to see the magazine ads. I think the photos are quite beautiful, I just love her thick eyebrows.

Vintage Covers: Beverly Peel and Claudia Mason on British Vogue

s: Angel Lover/TFS

January, 1992

I still remember the first time I saw Beverly Peele. I was in my high school library and saw her on the cover of Seventeen magazine. I must have run to the store after school to buy that issue! I probably followed her career more than Naomi back then. She was a stunner.

Claudia Mason is definitely a face I remember from that supermodel era but I didn't pay as much attention to her. She revealed late in her career that her agency pressured her to identify as Latina or Italian instead of biracial (her father was black and her mother white.) I always thought the revelation was somewhat interesting since other fair skinned biracial models of her day (like Kara Young) seemed to work high profile gigs regularly but honestly, nothing surprises me about this industry.

Who were your favorite models by bygone eras?

Beyonce (and Mama) Set to Launch 'Sasha Fierce' Junior Clothing Line Inspired by Thierry Mugler

Left: Thierry Mugler's inspiration for Beyonce's tour costumes

Right: Beyonce and Mama Knowles' re-interpretation for the back-to-school set

Because there ain't no money like more money, Beyonce and Co. are expanding their House of Dereon label to include a juniors named after Bey's alter ego called 'Sasha Fierce.' The oddly timed line is a re-interpretation of the edgy garments that designer Thierry Mugler designed for Beyonce's latest tour and will include a full range of products from sportswear to handbags and accessories. The clothing itself will be pared down, serving as a backdrop to highlight the more over-the-top jewelry, sunglasses and shoes.

Source: WWD