After two crazy years, ON BLACK STYLE (the final product of my creative research project) is live. Please talk a moment, check it out and share with whomever. I would love to hear your feedback! More blog posts to come but for now … http://onblackstyle.com/ Continue reading
As Rod Stanley of Dazed and Confused explains, the Smarteez are “too young to really remember the struggle for apartheid, they’re less politicised and claim that their ‘struggle’ is now one against blandness and conformity – to them, it’s all about partying, self-expression and challenging stereotypes.” In a similar vein to the Sapeurs of the … Continue reading
Excerpts from the pictorial book Gentlemen of Bacongo (2009) by Daniele Tamagni: “The Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes, otherwise known as La SAPE, is one of the world’s most exclusive clubs. Members have their own code of honour, codes of professional conduct and strict notions of morality.” “In the Congo ‘elegance’ is very … Continue reading
This is not directly related to my MRP but incidents like these (i.e., the representation and exoticization of African fashion in mainstream fashion, issues surrounding the cultural appropriation of African fashion and culture etc.) are areas for further research. Continue reading
See previous post: Street Style Profile Part 1 | Questioning Authenticity and Street Style See my Pinterest for more inspirational street style photography. Continue reading
New York Fashion Week for the Spring/Summer 2013 season just finished and according to Jezebel, it was the most racially diverse season ever when counting the models that were used. “For the second time ever (and the second season in a row), white models actually comprised just less than 80% of the total model pool. … Continue reading
When it comes to thinking about street style and authenticity, I have more questions than answers. To start, Ted Polhemus explains the concept of authenticity and street style in his book Street Style: From Sidewalk to Catwalk (1994) as such: “The Street is both the stage upon which the drama unfolds and the bottom line … Continue reading
This isn’t directly related to my MRP but I still find it interesting to think about … When I started studying at Ryerson, I became interested in the ways in which individuals use fashion as a tool to construct their personal identity. For me, hair is a fascinating part of fashion and black identity. I really … Continue reading
On Black Style: The Blog 