It’s hard to imagine what the modeling industry would have been like without Pat Evans. Blazing an anomalous trail in a staunchly conventional industry, Evans was the first model to subvert that convention by atrophying one of the most prized signifiers of beauty and femininity: her hair. “Me and Grace Jones were ahead of our time,” she says with an air of certitude that can only come from that of an undisputed iconoclast. With over two decades in the modeling industry under her belt, it’s safe to say that Evans has seen and done it all. Her resume is impeccable: she has graced the pages of top magazines, ripped the runways at the world’s biggest fashion capitals donning haute couture from the most celebrated designers of our time, and was a stylist and make-up artist for icons such as Diahann Carroll, Cicely Tyson, Aretha Franklin, and Isaac Hayes. Respect her swag.
Williamsburg is quite a contradiction. Despite the small town Main Street aesthetic of the Brooklyn neighborhood, it has become a catchall hipster haven for art school dropouts, transient scabs, and self-absorbed bohemian types in above average tax brackets ravenously gentrifying the area. Yet with the social discrepancies whirling around him, Chaz Bundick seems pretty indifferent. It’s possible that his high-energy performance to a throng of sweaty revelers at New York’s nightlife stalwart Webster Hall the previous night has left him a bit lethargic. Or maybe he’s simply got music on his mind. “I’m seeing lots of influence from trance and house,” he says as a car whizzes by blaring the latest from Rihanna’s canon of hits. At 25-years old, he’s developed a keen sense of musical trends. He’s well aware that the times they are a-changin’. “People are getting more used to it on the radio, it’s becoming more normal to hear four-on-the-floor beats. Even hip-hop artists are using those beats. That’s helping people open up to electronic music.”
George grew up in south London. He de-constructs the world around him in a non-conformist way to produce art that shows the necessary truths of our society. He is heavily influenced by the experiences of his travels, which he uses to develop an abstract and objective view of his surroundings. It is often this ‘distance’ that becomes the subject and inspiration for many of his pieces. Check out An-Mag.com’s interview with George below.
I was never a fairytale type of kid. Sure, I enjoyed Brandy and Whitney Houston’s rendition of Cinderella, but there was something so unbelievable and tragically unappealing about those ‘happily ever afters’. That was until, ironically, I grew up. With all the troubles of today, fairy-tales provide a type of relief from the world that can suffocate us with tragic endings. The bad guys die, the prince is charming, and the princess always comes out unscathed. Those are just well-written daydreams from far, far away. Nothing is that peachy, but I decided every writer should get a chance to compose his or her own fairytale.
When I speak with Coco, one half of twin sunglasses designer Coco & Breezy the twin sisters are in the midst of preparation for the upcoming debut of their new line. When we last caught up with the duo, a year ago, they were at the starting point. Vogue features later, runway shows in New York and Paris later, everyone wants to be on Planet Coco & Breezy.
Langston Hughes alluded to a dream shivering up when deferred, like a raisin in the sun. More inspirational is what happens when a dream isn’t deferred, but taken with all seriousness. Nobody personifies that more than designer, Stevie Boi. Once a freelance model in New York, he took his dreams in his own hands and planted the seeds that resulted in a phenomenal sunglasses line called SB Shades. Superstars like Lady Gaga, Fergie, Jeffree Starr and more have all been caught rocking his shades and Stevie Boi is now branching out to accessories and anything else he can harvest in fashion. Now, that the seed of a dream is blossoming so quickly, it’s a wonder how I got to catch up with Stevie Boi and talk Grace Jones, style, and copycats.
My great grandmother recently passed away, she was one of the few heroes in my life and I always looked towards her for some type of peace and humor. We’d had no spats, but when it concerned music. Her record collection was massive. Billie Holiday, Chaka Khan, Marvin Gaye, Hall & Oates, Jennifer Holiday, Sarah Vaughn, Ray Charles. My grandmother had at least five-hundred records of classic soul and R&B tunes, and when I attempted to compete with her, I’d lose. Not just lose, but get berated with comments on why the music was not good. “There’s no soul. Where’s the fun? Where’s the mystery, Myles? Where’s the story? Where’s the personality?” She was right. There was none. Until one day, in my sophomore year of high-school I played a song I fell in love with a song called “Bonafied Lovin’” by Chromeo.
I don’t know about you but I for one couldn’t wait for the sophomore album from Speak Easy aka visual artist Sean Fahie. The new album, Coronas, Condoms & Cigarettes: The Musical Guide to Awesome Living is the follow up album from last years album Words Have Power and it continues where the last album left off, giving you that easy living feeling and powerful yet subtle messages that will inspire you throughout your day no matter what walk of life you come from.
aNed Kelly is a notorious Australian gangster considered a cold-blooded killer and is symbolic in Australia for political resistance. Think Scarface, but with a purpose. Grace Kelly is an iconic American actress that is known as much for her poise as her monologues. “I use to be obsessed with Grace Kelly. When I get married, I want to dress like her. She’s so gracefully chic. […] if i was a diva, I want to be that diva without the diamonds.” Iggy Azalea spiels about Ned Kelly over lushing about how much she misses meat-pies from her hometown of, Australia, and easily changes subjects to her love of Grace Kelly.
Speakerfoxxx is that woman, taking on the male-dominated world of DJing, doing it well, and not giving a fuck about anything else unless it’s on wax.
Jeremy Fish is a modern day Griot. Instead of West Africa, his storytelling stomping grounds are cities across the world where you can almost always find someone wearing a t-shirt he’s designed.
Known as one of the greatest actors of all time, there isn’t a role Denzel Washington has not tackled. Currently he is promoting his latest film, The Great Debaters staring actress Jurnee Smollett (“Eve’s Bayou”), Forest Whitaker (“The Last King of Scotland”) and Washington who also serves as director of the film.
