Paul Walker: Gone Too Soon

Hello All,

This is a horrible way to end the month of November.  I am so sad today because Paul Walker, the actor who is best known as the undercover detective, Brian O'Conner in The Fast and the Furious film series,  passed away yesterday in a single vehicle car crash.  He was 40.  Besides being in The Fast and The Furious series, Walker was also known in films such as Varsity Blues, Takers, and many other films.  He also appeared in The Young and the Restless and other television shows.

Walker's modeling career started at two, and his acting career began in 1985 with roles in television shows such as Highway to Heaven, Touch By An Angel, and many others.  He was the face of Davidoff Cool Water for Men, and he was set to play Agent 47 in the Hitman reboot.  Walker lived in Santa Barbara, California with his dogs.  He had a daughter, Meadow, who moved from Hawaii to California with her mom, Rebecca, to be closer to him.

Young Paul Walker

I am so sad by this news because Walker was a talented actor, and very attractive man.  From his role in Varsity Blues to all of The Fast and The Furious series, I fell in love with him in every movie.  Not only that, I was super excited to see him in the Cool Water for Men magazine ads.  Hollywood and the modeling world will not be the same without him.

Rest In Peace Paul Walker.  Although you are gone, you will never be forgotten.

Until Next Time!

Charles Frederick Worth

Charles Frederick Worth is considered the Father of Haute Couture and the first fashion designer in the French fashion industry.  He was born in Bourne, Lincolnshire, England in 1825.  While in England, he worked at several prosperous drapery shops in London before moving to Paris in 1846.  He worked for Gagelin and Opigez, who were well known Parisian drapers.  He also married one of the shop's models, Marie Vernet, who was also his muse.

Worth would make simple dresses for his wife to model, and customers would start asking for copies of the dresses as well.  In 1858, he went into business with Otto Bobergh and established Worth and Bobergh. Worth's clients included:

•  Empress Eugenie

• Princess Pauline Von Metternich

• Catherine Waters

• Cora Pearl

• Virginia Oldoini, Countess di Castiglione

• Sarah Bernhardt

• Nellie Melba

Most of his clients travelled to Paris from other countries for his designs.  Much of his work is associated with the movement to redefine the female fashionable shape, removing excessive ruffles and frills and using rich fabrics in simple but flattering outlines.  Worth is credited as the first designer to put labels onto the clothing he manufactured.  Rather than let the customer dictate the design, he displayed model dresses at fashion shows four times a year. His patronesses would pick a model, which would then be sewn in fabrics of their choice and tailored to their figure. Worth was sufficiently fashionable that he had to turn away customers. This only added to his éclat. He completely revolutionized the business of dressmaking.  He was also the first of the couturiers, dressmakers considered artists rather than mere artisans.

Worth and Bobergh had shut down due to the Franco-Prussian War, but re-opened in 1871, without Bobergh, as the House of Worth.  Worth's sons, Gaston (founder of Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture) and Jean-Philippe, also followed in their father's footsteps.  When Worth died in 1895, his company continue to flourish under the leadership of his sons.

Designs from House of Worth

Until Next Time!!

Fashion to Figure

Hello All,

I haven't talked to my viewers out there in so long.  Although my laptop is still being checked out, I have been using the library at my local university.  The best part, I can still continue to use my creativity in fashion design and fashion illustration through Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.  I am happy about that, but I am still missing my electronic baby!

I recently shared a story with my community regarding plus-size fashion trends, and the websites that carry trendy, affordable clothing for plus-size women.  Although I am not in the plus-size category, one website in particular that I have fallen in love with is Fashion to Figure, www.fashiontofigure.com.  This website carries all of the latest fashion trends in clothing and accessories.  From color-blocking to peplum dresses, this site has the best fashion trends that will work well within your budget.

Color-Blocking

Lace

Prints

Peplum

Modified Sweatshirts and Jeans

Whether you are searching for the perfect garment for work, casual, night-out, or a special occasion, you will find it on Fashion to Figure.  The site also carries cute handbags and clutches, unique jewelry, colorful scarves, and chunky belts.  What makes this site even more amazing is the price.  You can easily create your look for under $50.  So if you are looking for a style upgrade, or something to add to your wardrobe, please check out this Fashion to Figure.  I know you will love it.

Until Next Time!

Yeezus Tour

Hello All,

I am a lover of Stylesight.com.  I view the website and blog often for trend research, as well as street style in fashion.  So when I saw the latest post on Stylesight's blog, I had to comment on it.

The "Yeezus Tour" is a 5-day pop-up shop which is located on Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles, right next to his fiancée, Kim Kardashian's Boutique, DASH.  It does not surprise me that he would have his pop up shop next to Kim Kardashian so they could both reap every type of fame possible, but what does surprise me is what is inside of this pop-up shop.

The shop houses baseball hats for $35 (shocking), sweatshirts for $80, tote bags for $20, and t-shirts
with the old Metallica logo from $35-50.  Why does he have the Metallica logo? No one will ever know.  What really surprised me was the Confederate flag was the inspirational motif of this collection. He even took it s step further by hanging actual Confederate flags around the shop, with the caption, "I AIN'T COMING DOWN!" To me, this is very offensive, and quite crazy for West to have this flag as a major motif in his collection.  To every person of color, the Confederate flag shows a sign of segregation and racism.  If West actually knew his history, he would not baste his collection on this flag, but knowing Kanye, it is another publicity stunt.  If you want to view the pictures of the collection, please go to http://blog.stylesight.com/travel/los-angeles-yeezus-tour

If you actually want to travel to LA to see this collection, by all means, go ahead! The world is free.  If you do not want to travel to LA, or attend one of West's concerts, you can view his collection on the Pacsun website, www.pacsun.com.

Until Next Time

Sad

Hello,

I hope all is well.  I have been quite sad for the past 3 days.  Sunday morning, I was working on some sketches, and then went to bed.  Later that night, I opened my laptop, only to see that it would not turn on. I called HP, but found one rep to be very rude! After looking for more solutions on Google, I took it to my cousin the next day. The crazy thing is that after putting Adobe Suite CS4 on my sister's computer so I can continue working on illustrations, her laptop did the same thing as mine! So now, there are two laptops in my household, with Adobe Suite CS4, to be inoperable!  Am I jinxed? Are my fingers cursed? Is it that every computer I touch freezes?

I am frustrated because I have work to finish, and I am unable to continue because of this issue. What makes it worse is that I am in an area where no one has ever heard of Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop, there is no computer available with this software, and I am afraid that if this is not fixed, I will not be able to create my magic. I pray this can be fixed because there is no way I can afford another computer! It is not in my budget right now. Help!

I need to breathe, pray again, and have faith I will be back in business!

Until next time!

New Illustrations

Hello All,

I know it has been a while since I posted something.  I have been super busy living in my creativity.  It is awesome doing something you love.  My loves are fashion, art, and illustration, and to have the talent to use all three creative genres at once is amazing.  While I was away, I started doing fashion illustrations of some of my favorite celebrities.  Here are three illustrations I have already finished.

Sanya Richards-Ross

Tamar Braxton

Toni Braxton

I am currently working on a fashion illustration of RuPaul.  I will post it when finished.

Also, I am in a art/design competition.  If possible, I would like for you to vote for me.  Here is the link:
 http://www.tallenge.com/vote/vote0.aspx?vid=1441a121-4607-4a3a-8765-94d01f4f6b06.  Thank you in advance.

Until Next Time!

Rick Owens RTW Spring 2014

Hello All,

I know I am a couple of days late posting this, but I have been so busy.  If you all follow fashion, like I do, you will know that Paris Fashion Week (PFW) is going on.  One collection I was excited to read about is Rick Owens RTW Spring 2014 collection.  I have always been a fan of Rick Owens and his designs.  He has impeccable skills when it comes to design and construction, but this Spring collection that he showed for PFW had me taken by surprise when I read about it on Women's Wear Daily (WWD).

Owen's signature color for all of his collections is black, but what excited me about this collection was that instead of using models, he used women from four American college step teams, the Zetas, Momentums, Soul Steppers, and Washington Divas to step down the runway in his collection!  Each young lady look like warriors in Owen's garments, each stepping and dancing, and also purposely making angry faces.

Being a member of an African-American sorority, I am very familiar with the step teams.  According to Owens, "step teams are an American phenomenon!" Step teams are a huge deal in America, especially in the South.  It is tradition for schools, colleges, and churches to have a step team.  What I really love about this show is that he put real women in his collection.  None of the women look like a size 0-2, they are all healthy, beautiful women.

If you would like to read more about this collection, it can be found on Women's Wear Daily.  Here is the link: http://www.wwd.com/runway/spring-ready-to-wear-2014/review/rick-owens

Until Next Time!