ZAHA HADID

I am a great appreciator of beautiful things, but I have the amazing nack of never being able to remember/pay attention to an artist's name. I seen this building during my stint in Berlin.

My mate mentioned Zaha Hadid last night and after looking at her website I realised she was the BossLady who designed this beautiful building. The Iraqi wonderwoman has been making the world a better place for over 30 years. She has worked on all sorts of projects from sports arenas, products to residential. buildings Here's a few of my fave, but for the full magnitude of her works hop over to her website. 

 

SECRETS OF THE SUPERBRANDS

If like me you get excited about branding, marketing and general consumerism then check out Secrets Of The Superbrands on the BBC iPlayer, particularly the second programme which is all about fashion brands. Presented by Alex Riley, it gives a frank and clear overview of how brands market their selves with their clever trips to make us, the consumer, need it ALL. If you work in the fashion industry it's no big shocker but it does make you sit back and think how much of a sucker you can be.

WE HEART VICKY MCCLURE

I fell in love with Vicky when I first saw This Is England, then I became completely obsessed with her when This Is England '86 came out. I'm not gona pretend I've seen any of her other work which includes Five Daughters, A Room for Romeo and Filth & Wisdom. But are seeing her accept her BAFTA on Sunday for Best Actress (for her role in This Is England '86) I have decided that she is just splendid. She seems like a proper good lass and hopefully with this recognition we will see more of her on our screens in the future. 

If you haven't seen This Is England here's a clips, but to see Vicky at her best you have to watch the fight scene with here Dad- tissues necessary. Oh and watch the interview below to fall more in love with her.

BEYONCE THE SWAGGER JACKER- COPYS LORELLA CUCCARINI

So I said I wasn't gona address this issue but I'm a lil disturbed by it all. I genuinely LOVE Beyonce, with all my Diva, teenage, wana be a black Goddess heart but she's making it damn hard to keep up this unshakable love. First it was the Single Ladies video that was a blatant copy of a Bob Fosse routine and now the Billboard Awards performance. So the Italian performer Lorella Cuccarini did a very simlar performance last year at the Sanremo Music Festival, watch the video for the comparisons-

 

Beyonce has addressed the situation by saying "My makeup artist showed me the performance of Lorella Cuccarini a year ago, and it inspired me so much". As Lady Gagagogo told us so eloquently in her V magazine column, its OK to take inspiration from other's. But I think this is what we call Swagger Jacking not just being inspired. She worked with the same team that produced Lorella's performance so part of me kinda thinks they are to blame as they should have switched up the graphics more. What do you think? Swagger Jacker or inspired artist?  

TOPSHOP- SECRET STORE

So Topshop have done what they do best, some more amazing collaborations with the best young design talent from London and New York. The Secret Store sees them working with Meadham Kitchhoff, Nasir Mazhar and Emma Cook to name a few. Here are some of my favourite pieces, that are not only reasonably priced but also limited pieces. So no chance of running into any one in the same outfit, something I have fell victim to twice in the last few months (fuck shopping at H&M man!)

 

BILLBOARD AWARDS- NICKI MINAJ/BEYONCE

So our girl Nicki turned upto the Billboard Awards in this crazy, sexy, cool Mark Fast number. Personally lovin it.

Ri Ri went for a more toned down look in a white pant suit-

 

And the DC girls were all looking hawt!

So we laid into Beyonce the other day about the Run The World video but man did she shut us the fuck up! She killed it with this amazing performance before accepting her award Billboard Millennium Award (we'll just ignore the rumors that she stole the idea from Italian artist Lorella Cuccarini)-

TRIBES BY RENE HABERMACHER

From now on I will only date guys who look like this. I want's me a Warrior King. 

WE'RE BACK!

OK so after playing around with our new websites blog application, we realised that this was actually a hell of a lot better. So we're stayin here, nice to be back bitches.

SWAGGED OUT

BEYONCE- GIRLS (WE RUN THE WORLD) VIIDEO STYLING

So B is back! As I said before I'm not a fan of the new tune, and apparently I'm not the only one. The song has been selling pretty slowly and rumor has it that after a private album listening event last week, B & her pep's had an emergency meeting about the bad reception critics gave it.  So the pressure was on for B to deliver a killer video and  did she? Well kinda, a little bit, the video has some pretty sick parts and the styling is pretty good (not amazing but are B's videos ever?) but overall its, meh for me. Like meh don't really need to watch that again. After the teaser I was dying to see the video but it's just not quite hitting the spot. I like the fact that her choreography has taken a different direction but I also think that may be the problem, it's not as hard and fierce as we're used too. 

I do enjoy this lil army she has going on, but I wish they would have fought the evil boys, instead of rolling around the floor using their sexuality to weaken them. Not very empowering really.

This bit of the dance works well but is a little predictable and a tad boring. Dress by Pucci, boots by Sergio Rossi.

This bit and the one below are my faves- she looks strong like a BossLady and the styling is on point! The Gareth Pugh (a fave of B's) dress and shoes are incredible and work so well with the video theme.

 The nails are bad meaning good. Loving that all the celebs are stepping up their nail game- its giving me plenty of inspiration.

The Givenchy dress is an absolute beaut, it's from one of my fave Spring 2011 Couture collections. And it looks smashing on B! Not a fan of the Hyena's, not up for wild animals being used in music videos (don't like the lion they have in the vid either) even if they are scabby hyenas.

 Those dudes are fit- thanks B! Outfit by Norma Kamali.

So even with all these amazing elements the video still falls a lil short. Come on now B, we hate to think you're getting too old for this malarky?? Only kiddin girl, we got you! but your gona have to get your swagger back on point. These ladies might be able to give you some tips.

TEA TOWEL GANG

These guys are proper jokers, you need to listen a few times to catch the lyrics they say in the background like forehead-Rhianna. Anyway just watch and you'll see what I mean.

Go to their YouTube channel to see some more videos.

ISYS Archive

Loving this website,  it has lots of pretty pics and videos like the ones below, gan owa n have a neb.

 

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CROSS COLOURS

So I'm a bit too young to have experienced the whole Cross Colours era, but having came across the clothes later in life I gota say I have a lot of respect for the brand. Cross Colours was founded in the late 80's, inspired by that old chestnut Hip Hop. CC's message was clear- Peace & Love. Their clothes included slogan's such as 'Educate 2 Elevate' and 'Stop D Violence'. Messages that are just as relevant in 2011, it's just unfortunate that many brands don't have the balls to say something political/social for fear of not being perceived as fun and whimsical by the youth of today. But in fact the youth of today are intelligent, socially conscious and know all too well how fucked up their community/city/country is. Maybe it's time for a 21st Century CC, or maybe they could just come back? Please.

Check out the Cross Colours Facebook fan page for more images, which is where I swiped these from.

NICOLE SCHERZINGER-RIGHT THERE

I am loving Nicole's new tune, but Ive just watched the video you'd think she'd been styled by a ghetto Pocahontas. The clothes are fucking ridiculous, I mean what is this shite-

The only good styling in the video is the raggy plait thing-

I am liking that, just need to get me hands on some fake hair and the looks all mine. It reminded me of this post I spotted on Seriously...WTF website to make your own weaved/gold bracelet (well you gota have a gold bracelet to start with). I'm all owa the DIY look, think I'll make a necklace.