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.

Jourdan Dunn for Calvin Klein

s: á la Balenciaga/TFS

On the surface, this ad reminds me of a slightly less violent version of the DSquared2 ads that Naomi Campbell did with Linda Evangelista earlier this year. Instead of actively fighting, the girls kinds of look like zombies trying to waltz. That said, this is a really big step for Jourdan's career and I applaud it. I think her particular look fits CK's aesthetic perfectly. I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the ads.

The Row Creative Director Finds "Strong Black Woman" for Lookbook

From COACD

The Row's new Creative Director Alex Hawgood asked COACD to be involved in their latest look book. They wanted a strong black women....naturally Ataui Deng at Trump was given. Photos by Daniel King.

Not to detract from Ataui Deng's obvious beauty but I find myself bristling at terms like "strong black woman" being thrown around by creative directors. For one, what does that even mean? In my view it certainly isn't a particular look. This quote really makes me wonder who the other models up for consideration for this gig were. 

s: kahlilg/tfs

Ajuma Nasenyana Appears in Marc Jacobs F/W Ad

Jourdan Dunn in Yves Saint Laurent Fragrance Ad

s: models.com

With actor Vincent Cassel.
La Nuit de L'Homme Fragrance S/S 09

House of Dereon - Really?

Beyonce gets so much venom spewed at her on blogs that I feel I have to preface this post by stating for the record that I think she is a beautiful and talented young woman. Any negativity in this post is NOT directed at her but more at the design team that brought up this particular ensemble.

When I saw this HoD ad in Lucky magazine, it definitely caught my eye. First, because of the aforementioned loveliness of the model and luminous quality of her skin. Once I soaked that in and really looked at what Bey is wearing, I could not help but marvel at the creation:

A tie-dyed zip up belted peasant-sleeved shoulder revealing granny bloomer jumpsuit with brass button detail at the pockets.

To be fully appreciated, it must be said aloud.

Bey is in the water for this ad but is it swimwear? A pool-side lounging outfit (imagine the tan-lines)?Party wear? Lingerie? I honestly have no idea but it is definitely an eye-catcher.

What do you think? Has House of Dereon made a mark in the fashion world?

Peek at Arlenis Sosa ad for Lancome

What can I say, except that she looks gorgeous and I can't wait to see the rest of the campaign. Anyone ever use Lancome products? I seem to remember trying one of their Color ID foundations a few years back but not being impressed enough to buy it.

Source: Dominican Fashion Models

Oluchi Onweagba for Liu Jo "BottomUp" Jeans

This is an commercial for Liu Jo Bottom-Up jeans sure is...interesting. I guess the point is that the "shape enhancing" Italian jeans will give you a head turning black girl booty for a fraction of the cost of booty implant surgery.*

Well, as long as the booty you desire isn't too large. I mean, Oluchi has a great figure but her butt isn't exactly busting any seams.

*Afro wig not included

Liu Jo

Ayo for Banana Republic

I haven't been very impressed with Banana Republic clothing lately. To me it seems that they just put out the exact same cotton/silk blend tops and wide leg slacks season after season. This Spring, they're attempting to shake things up a bit by announcing that "spring gets spicy" on their website. "Spicy" to BR apparently means that one will see a lot of orange in the new collection of silk/cotton tops and wide leg work pants.

They've also debuted a new "City Stories" ad campaign featuring musicians and plan a flashy new website to go along with the promotion. I found the above photos featuring beautiful Afro-German singer Ayo in Lucky magazine this month.

Ayo really makes those Banana Republic togs look stylish and a bit bohemian at the same time. I particularly love the snakeskin belt and the print of the scarf she wears to cover her hair.

As of today, there isn't anything at the special site that BR has set up for the "City Stories" promotion but eventually, there should be some content that will include information about the nine artists chosen for the ad series and free music downloads.

In the meantime, here is Ayo perfoming "Down on My Knees" live:

CNN - Obama girl "look-alike" model in spotlight

S: Daylife, Viewimages

Apparently, Madison Avenue has discovered that regular old brown skinned black girls are cute. Jezebel reported earlier this week that ad agencies are scrambling to find Sasha and Malia look-alikes of a specific age and ethnicity (what does THAT mean, I wonder) to cast in commercials and print ads.

According to branding expert David Rogers the reason for this is simple:

"The most visible, most exciting family in America is this beautiful black family and so people are ready and looking for those kinds of images," says branding expert David Rogers, adding that a lot of Americans want to identify and, "find some sort of connection with this family."

Now CNN reports that 6 year old Brooklynite Ariel Binns who "looks remarkably like First Daughter Sasha Obama" is cleaning up at casting sessions. If you'll recall, the first-grader was cast as a Sasha stand-in for the Harper's Bazaar shoot with Tyra Banks late last year.

There's no denying that little Ariel is adorable and personally, I am all for more brown skinned little girls being cast in advertisements. I've noticed frequently over the years that any ad with a black family usually has the parents toting around racially ambiguous children with them, especially little girls. Sweet face little girls with blondish ringlets are cute but so are girls with kinkier afro puffs and braids.

Other than being small, cute and brown, I don't think this child is not a ringer for Sasha at all. What do you think? Is the "Obama Effect" on pop culture just temporary or will it actually change the way many Americans view black families?

Ubah Hassan for Ralph Lauren S/S 2009

S: scanned by Luxx/TFS


The Somalian beauty's career has been taking off since the travel restrictions on her Canadian residency were lifted in 2007. Once that was out of the way she signed with Click and within a month of living in New York she got a call informing her that she was chosen to be part of last July's "black" issue of Italian Vogue. In a Glamour UK interview she remarked:

I still hate the word refugee. It’s associated with being a victim and I certainly don’t feel like a victim. But I’d be lying if I said it didn’t affect my career. For example, I couldn’t take part in Paris Fashion Week because I have no passport or birth certificate. I have residential status in Canada, but travel visas take up to two weeks to come through. But I’m just glad I’m able to make a living. My dad is so proud of me. There is still sadness in his eyes. I often want to tell him that he did his best, and though all the constant upheavals have been painful, none of it is his fault. At least we can get on with living again now. I often think people take freedom too lightly. Being able to pop across to another country for a holiday or go shopping for shoes are things I never take for granted.

I’ve often thought about returning to Somalia but I’m terrified of what I might find. Right now, the best thing I can do is draw attention to the country’s plight. And I hope that my example will give women from other war-torn countries some hope, and go some way to halt prejudices against asylum seekers. Not a day goes by that I don’t feel like the luckiest person on earth. I’m earning my own wage, living a happy life, traveling the world and meeting extraordinary people every day. I was given that chance. Some people might say that fashion is a shallow, frivolous business. You’ll never hear that from me.

Naomi Campbell and Linda Evangelista for DSquared2 S/S 2009

Another year has passed and Naomi Campbell doesn't appear to be slowing her stroll one bit. Coming off the heels of a successful campaign with YSL, Naomi and Linda Evangelista will be appearing in a series of combative ads (shot by Meisel of course) for DSquared2. Look for these to appear soon in a fashion rag near you.



Did you ever notice that Naomi always seems to have the most provocative placement when she's in editorials with other supermodels? Here she's about to open a can of serene yet effective whoop-ass on Linda. last February, she held Kate Moss in a choke hold on the cover of Paris Vogue...



...and was in full booty display mode for Vanity Fair (yeah Claudia showed hers too but that booty looked like it was created by Photoshop and she at least had fabric covering her legs.) The look on Naomi's face says "freak out with your cheeks out!"



Does the D2 ad remind anyone else a little of those Dutch Sony PSP ads that caused a lot of controversy?



That aside, I'd be fibbing if I said that I didn't like the Naomi/Linda photo. It takes me back to that episode of Dynasty where Krystal and Alexis got into that pool fight. I'm imagining that in this version, Naomi and Linda are fighting over the last Russian billionaire on Earth.

You know who's going to win, right? What do you think yeah or nay on DSquared2?

Source: models.com and Richard (thanks!)

ETA:



Source: blackangel41999, vogue.co.uk

Vintage Tadashi Ad

Anyone know who the name of this model?

Actress Serena Reeder - Lucky Brand Jeans

Lucky Brand Jeans' current ad campaign features eight "real people" who the brand believes personifies luck and serendipity. 

Each of the participants has a page on the official Lucky site with a photo gallery, biography and downloads. Bucket List actress Serena Reeder is the black girl in the bunch. In her video she talks about her "lucky break" audition for a movie. 

She's a very pretty young lady but the hippy drippy fringe vest they put her in is something I cannot abide.

Yasmin Warsame in Winter Banana Republic Ad Campaign

Beautiful Somalian model Yasmin Warsame is the sole brown face in the latest series of Banana Republic ads. In them she's paired with a white male model which marks the first time I can recall seeing an interracial romance themed ad from BR. It's kind of interesting to me that the last time Gap Inc. (owner of BR and Old Navy) did this kind of high profile ad it was also with an African female model (Nina Keita) paired with a white male model. I'll be honest, this kind of ad always gets my attention but I'm curious about what you think? Is it progress or more tokenism?

Angela Bassett for Olay Quench Body Lotion

I'm beginning to think that cocoa butter must be the "other" creamy crack when it comes to black women. The battle against ashy starts pretty early on. I still remember my mother rubbing down my legs with Vaseline before leaving the house to keep that rolling in powdered donuts look at bay.

It seems now that, in response to the sales of rival Vaseline's cocoa butter skin care line, Olay has extended the Quench moisturizer line to include cocoa butter enthusiasts.

Beautiful and ageless Angela Bassett is the spokesmodel. I just hope this formulation doesn't have those tiny light reflecting particles, I hate the way that glittery stuff looks on my dark skin.

ETA: So I picked a bottle of this up at Target yesterday and it does contain those pesky little sparkles, though they are not as noticeable as they are in the original formulation. The scent different too, sweeter probably because of the cocoa butter. I've always really liked this lotion so now that it is not as glittery, it will probably become a staple.

Vintage D&G ad - Moesha Lewis

September 2008 - ELLE Magazine - Ad Review

For some mysterious reason, Jessica Simpson's last appearance on the cover of ELLE was one of their best selling issues ever so the magazine is trying to strike gold again with the big September issue. I don't personally care for the woman but I really don't understand who approved the styling for this cover and the spread inside. I've never thought Simpson was drop dead gorgeous but she's not ugly either, and probably deserved better photos than the unflattering half-deer/half-trout treatment that her face received here. Even the clothes are ugly. But I digress...let's get down to the ads in the issue:

The ads featuring black people seemed to fall into a few categories: The Good, The Celebrity,  The Weird, and The Ugly. Let's start with something positive:

The Good: Sure, a handful of ads in a magazine boasting hundreds of ad pages isn't anything to write home about but the ones below featured actual models (don't strain your eyes trying to find Jessica White in the Maybelline ad.)

The Celebrity: Halle Berry has more pictures in this issue than any black model. Poor Kerry Washington looks a little sad in the Movado ad but I don't blame her, I felt the same way when I saw her in "Little Man."

The Weird:

I don't care that he has a line of hair extensions and has two black women in his ad, there's no way I'd ever let Ken Paves touch my hair.

As for Kimora (at least I think that's Kimora laying on the bed) she's been a little heavy handed with that Photoshop gun lately. She's airbrushed herself into Chanel Iman in this advert.

Speaking of airbrushing...

The Ugly:

A lot has already been written about this Loreal ad featuring someone who looks like Beyonce. I myself had to do a double take when I saw it. It seems to go against the concept of celebrity endorsement to make the celebrity in question unrecognizable. Of course this happens all the time in the media. Black girls who look black aren't aspirational but apparently black girls who look white are.

Which brings me to this Clinique ad. I found it interesting that this stark white ad for what I'm assuming is a bleaching cream underlined the portion of text that says it is for "all ethnicities." I guess an underline is cheaper than a big flashing arrow that reads NOW EVERYONE CAN BE WHITE! Now, as a dark skinned person, I am very aware that things like insect bites, scratches and acne leave dark marks on our skin and that not everyone who uses a lightening cream is doing so out of self-hate but c'mon Clinique! If 99.9% of your products don't mention "all ethnicities" why highlight it on this product?

ETA: This editorial called "Women on the Verge" that features model Moesha. Is it just me or is she the spitting image of Nina Keita?