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A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR

the hipster puppies book has been turned in to our very patient and forgiving editors. we earned a break. the pupsters have stolen daddy’s credit card and are going on vacation.

we’ll be back on AUGUST 2.

have a safe summer and don’t do any drugs we wouldn’t do.

~C

[photo of teagan via brianna k]

Posted at 9:52am   49 notes Permalink ∞

good fashion means occasionally dipping your scarf in the water bowl.

[photo via sari d]

Posted at 11:41am   84 notes Permalink ∞

shelley has some strongly worded tweets for m.i.a.

[photo via noah]

Posted at 12:17pm   113 notes Permalink ∞

no, gary, i will not give you a ride to the fucking farmer’s market

[photo via lisa j]

Posted at 10:54am   347 notes Permalink ∞

if this is as loud as this thing goes, i honestly can’t be in a band with you

[photo via christine f]

Posted at 11:09am   126 notes Permalink ∞

lola is 40% sure she saw band of horses at the williamsburg waterfront, and 100% sure she took “a fuckload of drugs”

[photo via kara p]

Posted at 9:48am   253 notes Permalink ∞

after about six months of deliberation, pineapple finally decided to name her mp3 blog “altered bones”

[photo via candi k]

Posted at 11:41am   110 notes Permalink ∞

theodore is against the g-20, he assumes

[photo alison l j]

Posted at 9:56am   206 notes Permalink ∞

mattie once cut karen o’s hair back in oberlin, honestly

[photo via justin r]

Posted at 10:44am   85 notes Permalink ∞

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

nothing at the farmer’s market tastes as good as licking yourself

[photo via alyssa c]

Posted at 10:55am   125 notes Permalink ∞

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

ugh, you own a car?

[photo via alexandra v]

Posted at 11:01am   120 notes Permalink ∞

Monday, June 21, 2010

tobin lives in portland and his dj name is “diablo choady”

[photo via joy v]

Posted at 10:18am   149 notes Permalink ∞

Friday, June 18, 2010

bowie clearly liked more beers than bands at this year’s bonnaroo

[photo via jodi g]

Posted at 9:31am   74 notes Permalink ∞

Thursday, June 17, 2010

truffles doesn’t know who drake is but is livid pitchfork gave him an 8.4

[photo tatiana f]

Posted at 9:38am   258 notes Permalink ∞

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

gracie complained the devo reunion is a crass cash-in—and still pre-ordered two copies of the new LP.

[photographer: sonja pacho // stylist: meg allan cole // art director: jen ng // owner: meg allan]

Posted at 10:04am   119 notes Permalink ∞

Monday, June 14, 2010

when brooks met romy from the xx he was so wasted that he made her sign a st. vincent album

[photo via jamie-james medina]

Posted at 10:21am   120 notes Permalink ∞

Friday, June 11, 2010

buddah considers a broken A string an “alternate tuning,” thanks

[photo via jane f]

Posted at 8:14am   199 notes Permalink ∞

Thursday, June 10, 2010

rocky has this book on his ipad too—and has read neither

[photo via rb]

Posted at 10:13am   139 notes Permalink ∞

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

chilli just heard what ariel pink sounds like

[photo via courtney c]

Posted at 10:14am   93 notes Permalink ∞

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*I notice a pattern emerging with black supermodels of today and the past, they tend to date and marry well and they also invest their money well. I once knew a black model (born in Compton) who didn't achieve supermodel status but worked on a regular basis on the European catwalks.

When she first started out, she had an edge, after spending considerable time working in Paris and Italy, she became polished, cultured and well traveled (she also learned languages) and became engaged to a millionaire doctor, despite the engagement, wealthy playboys and businessmen were in constant pursuit of her and she invested her money quite well after her modeling days ended.

NAOMI CAMPBELL:

Naomi Campbell has never had financial problems and she never will because she surrounds herself (like Halle Berry) with the right people. Not only does she continue to date rich but she also takes advantage of the money and investment tips given to her by rich boyfriends, wealthy associates and powerbrokers in the political arena.

Allegedly, like Baby (from Cash Money) and Condoleeza Rice (former Secretary Of State), Naomi also has her money invested in the oil industry (including oil rigs). This is how it works, according to a close friend who works in the oil industry. (Keep in mind, all investment opportunities are structured differently).

You or an investment group invest anywhere from $1.8 million to $2 million in the oil industry (including oil rigs) and you are guaranteed a "high" a of $56-$58 million over a seven year period. This isn't a ponzi scheme but an great investment opportunity that's available on a very rare basis.

Naomi also had an agency (not advertised) that represented stylists and makeup artists in the entertainment and modeling agencies on an exclusive basis.

Supermodel Naomi Campbell rarely drives, she's usually driven in a Rolls Royce or limousine by a chauffeur/bodyguard supplied by her boyfriend. Surprisingly, she was recently spotted in France (Champs-Elysees) departing from a blue Lamborghini.

Few people outside of Europe know the following: In the 90's, Campbell developed "The Design House of Naomi Campbell."

Through this house, Campbell has created seven fragrances for women, most of which were released and sold in Europe exclusively.

The following fragrances were created by Naomi Campbell: In 2000 Campbell dropped, "Naomi Campbell," and "Naomagic." In 2001, Campbell introduced her third perfume, "Cat Deluxe," and in 2003 released "Mystery." A year later a fifth fragrance was made, "Sunset," and in 2005 another fragrance was released, "Paradise Passion." Campbell's latest fragrance is a new version of her Cat Deluxe perfume called "Cat Deluxe at Night."

Campbell is paid between $25,000-$50,000 per runway show.

IN RELATED NEWS:

Former model/actress Maria McDonald used to have food (her favorite meals) flown in from Switzerland to New York via a private elite air cargo.

McDonald was also known to hop a private plane enroute to the Swiss Riviera to view the Montreux Jazz festival on Lake Geneva.

McDonald remains close friends with Iman and Beverly Johnson. She says Johnson was very generous and helpful to her in regards to her career. When McDonald was just starting out, one evening Johnson called and asked her would she like to replace her for a Harper's Bazaar fashion shoot?

When McDonald arrived in Los Angeles, Johnson called the top modeling agencies and asked them to consider signing McDonald.

Despite both of McDonald's parents having brown eyes, all of the McDonald girls (4) have green eyes and their one brother has brown eyes, all of the girls are model types and stand 5'9 and up, the brother stands 6'7.

In her prime, McDonald often ran into Gia at auditions (the model who died of AIDS). She said Gia was often withdrawn and kept to herself.

"MODEL TRIVIA & UPDATES"

(Stunning TV Couple)

When actress/model Maria McDonald appeared on "Miami Vice," off set, strangers would often ask her if she was related to actor Philip Michael Thomas because they share similar features (they're not related). Others told them, they were a stunning pair. Maria will be appearing in an upcoming Tennessee Williams play in New York. One of Maria's sisters is Suze Lane, she had a smash disco hit in the 70's "Harmony," which was recently voted the number #2 dance record of all-time.

Model Maria McDonald (above) once said that Iman is very business savvy and smart. Iman proved her business savvy when she launched a successful and lucrative makeup line aimed at women of color.

Black supermodel Mounia (above) attained her supermodel status overseas. She equaled Naomi Campbell on the runway and she was a favorite of designers Versace and Yves St. Laurent. They considered her exquisite, elegant and classy.

Early in her career, Mounia showed up for fashion bookings (she wasn't booked for), before the day was over, she had the booking!

She is extremely business savvy with solid investments and she frequently travels between Paris and Martinique (where she owns a fashion boutique).

(UPDATE!)

Black model Mounia (above) was the first African-American model to write a book on modeling, "Princesse Mounia."

Mounia's actual name is Monique-Antoine, she felt that the unusual combination had power, granting her a special connection.

She worked as the airport in Fort-de-France as an announcer and she was also an on-ground hostess at Orly airport in Paris.

It wasn't until 1976, when an important American client withdrew her patronage from Givenchy after Mounia had modeled a suit before her, that Mounia was slapped in the face by the ugly realities of racism in the modeling industry.

Suddenly, she was forced to see that history was not separable from the present and that she was part of them both.

As she developed her career, Mounia began to work with designers other than Givenchy. They included Emanuel Ungaro and Karl Lagerfeld.

Lagerfeld, an iconoclast who did "not detest provocation" hired her to do Chloe and his own line. When he took over the design responsibilities at Chanel, he hired Mounia for that house as well.

She became the first Black model to present the Chanel collection.

It was her connection with Yves St. Laurent, however, which was to prove the most fruitful and long-lasting of her career. Not only was Mounia his star runway model for almost a decade, she was also propelled by Saint Laurent's fame onto the pages of fashion magazines around the world.

Source: Barbara Summers

(PAT EVANS)

Black model Pat Evans was a trailblazer. Her bookings increased significantly when she shaved her head and went bald. During the late 70's and 80's, Evans was a top model. She appeared in all the major black magazines and she also received exposure in skin care and makeup ads.

Evans and Isaac Hayes caused a stir when they were often photographed walking down the street with gleaming bald heads in full length furs.

Evans also posed for album covers, most notably, the Ohio Players (above).

After Evans' retired from modeling, we heard she became a teacher.

A famous quote from Pat Evans that appeared in Essence Magazine: Evans herself was a bold as her personal style. She sent tongues wagging when she criticized the racist attitudes in the industry and predatory photographers. She said that modeling would never be an "open" profession for black people until there were more black owned agencies, products, magazines and above all "black owned minds."

Former Halston supermodel Alva Chinn was the first African-American woman to purchase a Ferrari (in cash) in the United States; her Ferrari was red.

Fashion designer Oscar De La Renta (3rd photo) is the godfather of black model Alva Chinn's son. De La Renta also adopted an African American son who is now his spokesperson.

(BLACK MODEL BREAKTHROUGH-VERSAILLES)

For black models, the defining moment of change took place at Versailles on a date to remember: November 28, 1973. For the first time ever, a group of Black American models-no longer isolated, individual stars-walked off an unusually opulent runway and onto the pages of history.

The scene was set: The stage of the Opera House at the Sun King's imperial chateau. Five American fashion designers were invited to show their work along with five French couturiers. The home team: Pierre Cardin, Christian Dior, Hubert de Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent and Emanuel Ungaro. The American visitors: Bill Blass, Stephen Burrows, Halston, Anne Klein and Oscar de la Renta.

Although the numbers were even, the match seemed to favor the Europeans. They were, after all, playing on their own court.

But, the American designers had a secret weapon, Black women. African-American women were the surprise element, the shock troops on the runway. Billie Blair, Alva Chinn, Pat Cleveland (above), Norma Jean Darden, Charlene Dash, Bethann Hardison. Barbara Jackson, Ramona Saunders and Amina Warsuma.

The most dramatic moment came when Bethann Hardison stalked down the runway in a tight-fitting yellow silk halter by black designer Stephen Burrows. Hardison held a floor-length train by a tiny ring on her pinky, wrote reporter LaVerne Powlis. "When Hardison made reached center stage, she made a dramatic turn and haughtily dropped the train. The audience exploded in a frenzy of approval. They stomped, screamed and tossed their programs into the air.

According to NY Daily News photographer-Bill Cunningham: "The bejeweled Paris audience was stunned by the showmanship of the black models from America. The aristocrats were even thrilled."

Fashion was never to be colonized in the same ways again. And Black American models, who had moved over the previous 25 years from near invisibility to grudging recognition, now commanded center stage, never again to be ignored.

Alva Chinn described the Versailles gala as a gift from God. Our side was so simple. We didn't have props and things, we just had us.

Norma Jean Darden added, "Stephen Burrows stole the show. People were just clapping for days."

Charlene Dash said simply: "We killed them!"

The Black girls led the Americans to such and overwhelming uncontested victory that one important American socialite present at the gala enthused: "Not since Eisenhower liberated Paris have the Americans had such a triumph in France."

Source: Barbara Summers

"FASHION SENSE CONTINUED" (KHADIJA)

Khadija (above) originated from Nairobi, Kenya. She was a beauty queen (Miss Africa) and in 1985 she went to London to do the Miss World pageant where she selected as an finalist.

A photographer called her up and suggested that she go to Paris to meet fashion designer Yves St. Laurent.

Her debut with Saint Laurent led to the cover of Cosmopolitan (above). She received tremendous exposure and won an exclusive makeup contract with Saint Laurent cosmetics, the first transracial line to feature a Black model and the first to be named after an individual (Khadija).

Unfortunately, in the 1980's, people wrote nasty letters because a black woman represented this line. Sales went down and the line didn't last long.

At her peak, Khadija generated $350,000 per year in income.

In the 1990's, Sonia Cole (above) was a huge runway star in Europe, the United States and Japan.

Before her success, she worked at Caesar's Palace dressed as Cleopatra. She walked around handing out money to big winners, giving directions, greeting people and posing for photos with tourists.

While working a casino hosted-private party, Cole met Bill Cosby. He asked her what she really wanted to do and she told him: "I want to go to Paris to model."

Within two weeks of meeting Cosby, Cole was in Paris (with her husband) doing shows.

The rest is history!

BACKSTORY: (PAT CLEVELAND-RUNWAY QUEEN)

According to supermodel Janice Dickinson: "Pat Cleveland (above) was one of the greatest runway models ever!  When she moved, she painted the air around her with the clothes-a veritable riot of living color."  She was Halston's favorite model!

Author and former model Barbara Summers described Pat Cleveland (above) as the model who dominated the stage, "the stage belonged to her." Flights of fantasy were her specialty. Airy, winged spins and long, liquid gestures were standards in her repertoire. Impossibly ethereal, she could, as model Rene Hunter said, "tell a story in a dress."

Pat also spoke fluent Italian and liked to frequent outdoor European cafe's that served freshly squeezed orange juice.

Pat says, "My aunt was a dancer with Katherine Dunham. When I was five years old, I used to dance with her, too."

"My great aunt was Josephine Baker's Sunday school teacher. So I always heard these stories about this little girl who went away to Paris and never came back. And that's what my plan was."

"During my modeling years, I was looking for fun. I used to go out dancing at Le Club and Cheetah because I had the right clothes. If you want to get famous, dress up! Yes, fame was on my list. I had to get out and get famous because those people were the ones who were having all the fun."

Pat recalls of the more intense days spent traveling with the Ebony Fashion Fair in the mid-60's.

"I was in a bus in Arkansas not long after those little girls got killed in the church. People were throwing bombs around our hotel. Disgusting things would happen.

Another time we were pulling out of Arkansas, and the Ku Klux Klan were coming, and they were throwing things at our bus with flames and fire, trying to kill us. I'll never forget that.

They didn't want to hurt us, they wanted to kill us because of our color. People threw rocks at us because we were Black. They tried to rape this one girl. It's so awful to see what can happen.

PAT CLEVELAND & STERLING ST. JACQUES

Pat Cleveland (pictured above with late designer-Halston) and Sterling St. Jacques had become so popular and famous on the NY party scene; including Studio 54 that several magazines did interviews on them; including "After Dark," magazine. They also created a stir at the "Black & White," ball in New York with their sophisticated dance and runway moves.  They were also in demand on the European dance circuit and were very popular in Champs Elysees and they were a hit at Halston's masquerade ball.

After a fashion show in Paris, the legendary Josephine Baker was so impressed with Pat Cleveland that she went on record as saying, "If my story is ever brought to film, I want Pat Cleveland to portray me, she even resembles me."

In Paris, Pat was roommates with Donyale Luna (above), the first black women to grace the cover of Vogue. Luna became so popular in France. Four French boys would camp outside of her apartment each night and follow her throughout the day. When she wore a dress with a long train, the boys would walk behind her, carrying the train of her dress. Luna died in 1979 of an accidental pill overdose in Rome, Italy.

Pat would go on to marry a multi-millionaire Park Avenue executive. They have homes in Italy and Switzerland. In the summer, you can find them relaxing on their luxury yacht.

Pat has a son who stands 6'5 and her daughter is 6'0.

I left America the first time and said I wasn't coming back until I saw a Black model on the cover of Vogue. It took me a long time. In 1974, that's the year I went back.

Just living it up in the South of France or taking off with backpacks and going to Egypt. The opportunity to see the world is definitely there.

"You have to keep your fantasies alive. If you think you can be something, go for it. If you think you can go somewhere, try. You have to be a bit bold.

Darnella Thomas was the first African-American woman to model for the "Charlie," ad campaign. One day, while she was shooting a fashion catalog, she said to herself, "This is boring, I need something else, something that's really stimulating."

A friend on Wall Street was into coal tax shelters and he had coal mines in Kentucky. He told Darnella if she was looking to get out of modeling, he could set her up in business-brokering coal.

Darnella got a chance to go into some coal mines. She says, "You had to crawl down there. Some people went in and got scared, and they had to be taken out, but I was fine."

"It was really exciting. We even visited the Department of Defense. We got our first contract through the Southern Alabama Power and Light Company for 25,000 tons of coal."

Darnella did very well financially in this industry.

Source: Barbara Summers

Former model Grace Jones has defended infamous New York City nightclub Studio 54, insisting "moderation" was always practiced by its patrons.

During her modeling days, the singer was a regular fixture of the 1970s hot spot, which became known for sexual activity and rampant drug use that occurred after hours.

But Jones maintains the discotheque was a far more civilized place than its notorious reputation suggests.

Jones claims she had wilder nights at Big Apple gay bar the Paradise Garage-because venue bosses allegedly provided partygoers with drugs instead of serving liquor.

She adds, "At the Garage, there was a big bowl of whatever concoction they had there. The Garage was the club that opened at four, with a blend of juices or something and they used to spike it with acid and stuff. Because actually they didn't have a liquor license so you know, hey let's put acid inside!"

Renowned modeling scout Claude Mohammed Haddad had an exceptional eye for potential models.

"I went to New York," he says, "I found Grace Jones, the one black girl, in an elevator. She was coming down from an agency. She looked so angry.

She said, "They don't like black people in this country." I said, come to Paris.

Grace arrived in Paris and became a success!

(THE WOMAN WHO HELPED CREATE THE BLACK MODELING INDUSTRY)

Madame Ophelia DeVore (above-both photos) is an institution. She was not only the first model of color in the 1940's but she used the power of the media via her fashion column in the Pittsburgh Courier to showcase black models. Although the major New York City department stores had never done so before, they lent her clothes for Black models to wear in photographs in the paper.

Doing what no others had done before on such an ambitious level, she took it a step further by refining skills and expanding into public relations, fashion shows and television. She took the black modeling industry to its zenith.

"I started putting on contests so the models could get experience walking on a runway and on stage to develop stage presence."

DeVore was the teacher, agent and promoter.

In 1959, and again in 1960 and 1961, her protege's were crowned Queen of the International Film Festival in Cannes. Cecilia Cooper was the first Black woman to win. When she won, she had the seat of honor over all the top movie stars. According to Madame DeVore, "UPI (the wire service) almost died because a Black American had won the title." Devore models LeJeune Hundley and Emily Yancy won in succeeding years.

Source: Barbara Summers

BACKSTORY:

Madame DeVore began modeling at the age of 16. As a fair-skinned African American, Madame Devore gained contracts throughout Europe. In 1946, determined to create a new market for non-White women in the U.S., Madame DeVore would establish The Grace Del Marco Agency.

In the agency's early days, it was a stepping stone for countless household names; Diahann Carroll, Helen Williams, Richard Roundtree, Barbara McNair, Cicely Tyson and others. Racism was rampant in New York’s fashion business and the Grace Del Marco Agency was one of the few places non-White models could gain work.

Her agency's shows took place in churches, college campuses, and in the ballrooms of the Diplomat and Waldorf-Astoria hotels. Like many non-Whites in the mid-twentieth century, DeVore’s breakthrough came in Europe; specifically through the French fashion world.

The initial impact took place at many of the Cannes Film Festivals during the 1950’s and 1960’s. Madame Devore also seized media for business equity by co-hosting ABC’s Spotlight on Harlem. Her intensity to "make it" demanded relentless dedication and work ethic; enough to cause her a heart attack while still in her twenties.

In the agency's later years, it was renamed Ophelia DeVore Associates, and then the Ophelia DeVore Organization. In 1985, DeVore broadened her enterprise globally to include Swaziland as a client, and published her late husband’s newspaper The Columbus Times.

"Her specialty is polishing black diamonds (models)," declared one newspaper article.

Due to her business acumen, she has served as consultant to many of America's Fortune 500 corporations. DeVore has received more than 200 awards and honors from corporate, political, educational, governmental and social agencies.

It was already bad enough that the Ford Modeling agency was nicknamed "The White House," but agency head Eileen Ford put her foot in her mouth when she told the author of "Skin Deep," that a book about Black models would be a short one.

Barbara Summers' is a former Ford model who proved Eileen Ford wrong. Summers traveled to three continents to do research for this book and she doesn't disappoint.

Summers' also provides interesting and insightful information on black model Donyale Luna.

By the end of the 60's, Naomi Sims (who we featured last week) was earning $1,000 per week and now Sims wasn't alone.

When Donyale Luna (above) was asked where she hailed from, she answered, "I'm from the moon darling."

Her feline looks and wild behavior made her a sensation in London and Paris.

Although she was the first black model on the cover of British Vogue, her career was cut short. She died in a clinic from an accidental pill overdose in 1979. She was 33.

Source: "Model," by: Michael Gross

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