Fashion EXchange: The David Micheal

I was fortunate in high school to meet and know some amazing people. I have the privilege of still being able to call them friends to this day. David Michael was as phenomenal then as he is now. However, now he is in a position to make things happen. I always admired him. He was and still is my personal fashion dictionary.

If there is one thing that I want readers to take from my blog, it is that you should always strive to be able to do, in life, EXACTLY what makes you happy. In high school David lived, breathed and manifested fashion. Fast -forward nearly five years and he is doing the same thing but on a scale that is similar to him, fabulous. This is my Fashion EXchange with the living breathing Fashion dictionary and ICON David Michael- designer, stylist and visionary---- Envy it.

How long have you been designing and making clothes?

I have been designing for as long as I can remember. I know it started in elementary school and has blossomed from there. I didn't start making clothes until high school.

What inspires you?
Hmmm...what inspires me the most is art. It's so magnificently wondrous and illustrates the inner workings if someone's imagination. Art transforms in prints, textiles, shoes, bags etc.

We know each other how has your style changed over the years. How did it start out? Why did it evolve?
My style has finally reached a stopping point!!! (Laughs)! In high school I started to experiment with A LOT of different styles; from preppy to rockstar and everything inbetween. My mother has always encouraged me to be my own person. And my sexuality had a lot to deal with the transformation. But that is always another subject for another day.

Magazines? Which ones do you read?

I read the usuals; Bazaar, Vogue, W, V and sometimes GQ! A lot of Sister 2 Sister.

Which designers do you like? Who do you emulate?

Sooooo MANY DESIGNERS! I love them all, but as far as my favorite designer, it would be Giambattista Valli. He just astounds me every time! Alexander the Great (Alexander McQueen) was one of my favs before he was so popular. I love Marc Jacobs (as everyone should!). Lagerfeld gets me every time! I own a few Lagerfeld items! In order to be a designer you have to understand that you will emulate others and sometimes I feel like I do. Innovators like McQueen were completely on another level and that ain't something I can compete with! I know my design estatic...lol

Where do you shop?

I live in Atlanta, Georgia and I shop at boutiques ALL THE TIME! I'm not a mall shopper my favorite is SickBoy Vintage in Tallahassee, Fl., 774 in Atlanta, Ga HAS THE HOTTEST STUFF when it comes to accessories! Little 5 points is the BEST place to shop for me! Stefan's Vintage and Junkman's Daughter are my favorite spots.

How do you feel about shopping in season?
I don't shop in seasons. It's too close to buying trends. I like classic staples that never leave me outdated. Classic silhouettes will never steer you wrong!

Style icons?

Hmmm...style icons....my mother and her 3 sisters are my overall inspiration. My aunt Vickie is a grandiose diva who always makes a statement with dashing jewelery. My aunt Verne was always elegant and pulled together right down to her Manolo. She never missed a beat. My auntie Frances showed off...period. There is a playfulness to her that I translate to clothes. My MOTHER! Ugh!!! What is there NOT to be said?! My mother's carefree bohemian nature translates into clothes! With her big natural hair and effortless chic persona! She is the epitome of CLASSIC COOL! In another life she was Carrie bradshaw, I swear.

What is your favorite piece of clothing?

My favorite piece of CLOTHING is a hot jacket! I dress in layers even in the summer months....so I tend to like the flexibility that jackets, cozies or just outerwear in general can provide.

Finish this sentence clothes should____________.

Clothes should express you as a person. They do exactly that for me...sometimes.

What do you think of my style?

Ju'Lia, you have always had a very simple style BUT you love extravagant statement pieces! Like your winter coats of fur or an ornate bag. Your style is very polished and refined! It's always just enough to make someone double take. I love it

Okay I am blushing!!! Describe your style.

My style...o boy...it's a mix of different things. I love different eras of fashion, when I get dressed up formally, I love the 1920's and 50's! But I don't like to be so tied down. So I don't dress up often! On an everyday basis...I really put on whatever. I tend to look like the art student I was or sometimes like I just left a summer music festival...I'm very bohemian all the time. Lol. It reflects my attitude on life.

Fashion is artistry. Alexander McQueen, Karl Lagerfeld, Marc Jacobs, Giorgio Armani, Gianni Versace etc...all of them are the best in their media of choice. The list goes forever. Fashion to me is a walking canvas; a reverie if one's own imagination. Couture shows are my favorite because the show that fantasy, that creativity that tends to lack in ready-to-wear.

Are you tired of the term Fashionista?
The word fashionista is ok...I don't feel anyway about it. I just wished it was used properly.

What is your background in design?
Designing started at an early age. I taught myself. Once I started learning basic shapes I started to apply them to clothes...I haven't made anything in a while. I have been more on the styling side of the mirror. I like that better but I have six sketch books full of ideas so I'm getting back into it!

What was the first thing that you made?

The first thing I ever made was a pillow! Lol! But I made my Best Friend's prom dress in '06! But prior to that in '05 a lot of people wore my designs to prom. I wasn't as serious as I am now! So sadly I don't have any pics!

Five rules of fashion to live by?

Honestly, I don't have any rules...wait a minute, my biggest rule is to not buy into so many trends! I hate that! Trends are fabulous but if you buy too many, your WHOLE closet will be LATE (that means not fashionable)! But being stylish goes beyond clothes and shoes! I have a friend who owns her own cosmetics company, Tonnae Nicole Cosmetics. Check them out Ju'Lia at tonnaenicole.com, she opened up a whole new window as to being fashionable. Make-up is something a girl should have! You have to have the right make up to tie a look together. It's just like having the right shoes or necklace.

Pick one accessory?
One accessory...hmmm. That's a tough one...but I will say shoes. Only because you have to have shoes on your feet at all times. A bag is optional. Especially since there are so many other options like clutch wallets, mini skinnies and even fanny packs! Lol

I really love The Gap...I'm a very basic dresser and I feel my sexiest in a white tee. I love the fit of the clothes. That's about the only place I will go in a mall for myself.

What would you like to see change in fashion industry?

In the industry, I would love to see more black and I don't mean on a dress! I would love to see more of my sisters and brothers in ads or on the catwalk.

What do you define as urban fashion? Is there such a thing?

Urban fashion...hmmm. There is such a thing...and I don't care for it BUT obviously there is a market for it so someone likes it...

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years, I see myself up there with Rachel Zoe. I admire her soooo much! Scratch that, I want to surpass Rachel! She is just such an inspiration! I want to be a staple at Fashion Week, all of them! It's just so much I want to do. But I most assuredly would like my business (World of David Michael) to have blossomed from there. My heart is in design but my company shifts those gears in focuses on my true passion, wardrobe styling!

Do you want to have a line one day?

Eventually yes, I do want a line of clothes. I haven't thought of a name but whatever I choose it would reflect me. Of course I want to do a women's line but lately I have taken an interest in men's fashion. I feel like the younger generation (our generation) is a little more fashion conscious. And men are now crying out for a more fashionable realm rather than the cookie cutter things that seem to flood the market every season. We want more prints and not on a tie. We want more colors and not just in our Converse. I'm thinking that if I do it, I would want it to just be a boutique. No commercial chains or anything just one location. And I want to offer the best of the best, from costume jewelry to clothes. People take a certain pride when they know that what they are wearing is exclusive...but I must say if I do all this, the prices maybe a little up there. But it's a boutique, I can haggle a little! Lol


Radiantly Yours,

David Michael

New Beginnings: The life of an editorial intern at Sister 2 Sister Magazine!

Life in D.C. is amazing and I can honestly say that I know I am not getting the full effect. I have strict roommates but I am grateful for the place! At any rate, if I had to point out one thing I like, it would be the different personalities that I get to meet. The Washington D.C./ Maryland area definitely feels like the Mecca of black people right now. People seem to be really affluent here. It is refreshing, to not just see one type of group. There are college students; families, younger people and older people all nestled into the local Starbucks or Chipotle!!

Highlights:

I went to a happy hour and I took a few pictures. I felt like I was at the club. The “lounge” was over flowing with people. It was really fun because the majority of the people there were in my age range. So it is just nice to see 22 year olds with jobs unwinding from a weeks long worth of work. One time for people with jobs, yayyyyyyy!!!

Other highlights

I went to a roof top party at 3p.m. and like happy hour it was over flowing with people. Sadly I never made it to the roof. I stayed in the AC!!

Pictures in the next post!!!!

Internship highlights

*That is a picture of my desk. The other pictures are of the office!!

They are still letting me write!!!! Check out the website for my articles and many other awesome stories on the Web site, for the latest updates on your favorite stars. I still love the job. Two- minute- honest-open conversation, this internship has been a really positive experience for me. It has shown me that while there are people in this field, who will play off your insecurities and tear you down if you allow it, that it is still a wonderful profession to be in. My goal in life is to be able to do the things that I enjoy. Coming back to this has shown me how much I enjoyed it. It’s not reporting class, which in my opinion can find an error in a Pulitzer Prize winning piece. You get correction and you keep moving. So anyway other high lights, I have been transcribing interviews. I can’t say with whom because that will ruin the surprise for other people and the competition but the people were cool. Transcribing took forever though.

Another highlight, we had an office meeting to brainstorm ideas for an upcoming issue of the magazine and they actually likedsome of my ideas, ten points for me. I am super excited about that!!! So yeah, I feel like I am a super lucky intern. I get to write, offer input that is used at meetings, transcribe interviews, create interview questions and then whatever else they ask me to do. Considering what I hear about other internships, this is amazing!!!! Crazy thing is I had to be encouraged to apply. Much thanks to that person for that!!! You live and you learn.

Much Love Folks

My cell phone for the most part is my camera!!! I need batteries for my camera LAME excuse. However,I am being honest!!


****The Mia's sends her love as well!!

Fashion EXchange: Young, Black, Stylish

When I think about fashion, I think about the many definitions that we seem to have for it. For some, fashion is about keeping up with the trends and some how making it your own. For others, fashion is so much more than the latest trends. For those “others,” fashion is a reflection of what is going on in their heads, another extension of oneself. When I think about what is stylish and fashionable, my first thought is that the person’s clothing has to tell me something about them. I think the pieces I like to wear (when I make the effort, which is changing Back to the Basics aka cute at all times) demonstrates that. I like for my pieces to have a story. I also like for my pieces to be glamorous, despite my shy disposition, I like standing out.

INSERT TRISTEN SAMPSON HERE!!!

I have known dude for a long time. We attend different schools now. I am sure that he has matured but when I send him text messages and he replies with, “What’s up hoodrat?” I feel like Tristen is still the same. If there were one thing that I can say has drastically changed, I would say it his style. I feel like where he is now, and I enjoy watching the change, is a clear reflection of who he is, which is unique. I had a chance to ask him a few questions and I have to admit that I walked a way feeling a little enlightened. I find that hilarious because I remember being one of his friends, who use to poke fun at him for how he dressed. Well, not so much how he dressed, really just the skinny jeans. We did not know how he found those back then. However look at it now, you have rap duos stepping out in skinny jeans. Tristen was and remains to be, ahead of his time. This is my attempt to call out the rest of the fellas and tell you that maybe this kid is on to something!

The biggest point that I feel he made was that, there was a time when black men were more experimental with their clothing and didn’t have to deal with their sexuality being called out. Where did that go? So, this is me doing my community service. Fellas it is ok to like fashion. It is REALLY ok to be different. At the end of the day just make sure that in every thing that you do, it is a clear reflection of you. So here is the interview with the most stylish, straightest black guy I know.


Describe your style. What does it say about you?

- It's getting really hard to articulate these days, but I'd say it's something along the lines of 'downtown coffee shop minimalism.' I've never actually thought about how I might be perceived by a random onlooker, but I hope 'youthful' + 'fun' are two words that might come to mind.



I have always liked your style. Do you feel like it has changed over the years? How so?



- I guess this is where I say thanx, huh! I feel like I've come a long way in a short amount of time. The whole idea of fashion + style didn't concern me until the latter years of high school. It was very experimental, hit and miss, not having a clue but committing to an idea regardless. College has allowed me to filter and condense all my influences into something tangible and coherent. I also think having a working knowledge of fashion, past + present, has helped in my development, it's hard to make sense out of clothing when you don't bother to do your h/w.


What is your favorite piece of clothing?


- I have a genre of tee's that I professionally nicknamed my 'ride or die' t-shirts, which I'm really quite fond of. They're super thin on the verge of see-thru, solid colored tees, w/ big stretched neck openings, and they fit slightly over-sized. They're usually made from a brushed pima cotton, or cashmere blends. I call them my ride or die t-shirts because you can have a filthy dirt-nasty night out on the town, crawl home drunk, ball it up, throw it in the corner, then wake up the next morning, put it back on, throw a jacket over it, and be out the door. I kinda live for them.



Where do you shop?


- I'm pretty much an exclusive online shopper w/the exception of a few H&M pit stops throughout the year. I'm a big fan of a site called gilt.com, it's a members only type deal, so it took a while for me to get ushered in, but it's been magic ever since. It's potentially just like attending a designer sample sale, except via the inter-webs. Each day they offer up a new collections by high ranking contemporary designers. It's the only place to get the garments that you physically saw on last season's runways, for a somewhat reasonable price. Honorable mentions go out to openingceremony.us and barneys.com because their co-op range is pretty killer.....and ebay. ebay is dope.



Do you think there is a stigma that comes with being fashionable as a guy? Why or why not?


- Of course. Naturally you are going to encounter those that think your world is automatically full of candy cane, gum drops and licorice sticks and they'll completely strip + discredit you of all masculinity, but on occasion you'll have those who commend your efforts. It get's old, and then you get over it. At the end of the day, you develop a pretty flame resistant air of self confidence. There is always a positive aspect.


What do you think about urban fashion?


- I think urban fashion means a lot of things to a lot of different people. If we're talking eclectic city dwelling street wear, then I'm all for it, but I don't care so much for hip-hop inspired urban wear.


Do you think there is a belief that black guys should dress a certain way? Why or why not?


- Over the past few decades I think black culture has really narrowed the scope of what is acceptable for a modern day black male in terms of fashion. As a result, there is limited amount of individualism, because of the fear of being ridiculed. If you take a look back at black artist who were at the forefront of the soul/rhythm and blues movement like the Commodores, Earth Wind and Fire, The Isley Brothers, and who can forget bead laden Rick James, they all approached fashion from such an uninhibited place, and it's kind of sad to see that we've lost that and even frown upon it today.


Do you think that will change one day and when?


- Probably not, but I do believe that a descent amount of acceptance is obtainable.I think when people like Kanye and Jay-Z, who hold credibility within the black community, vocally speak about their admiration and respect for fashion, it definitely changes minds and opinions.


Why are you so cool?


- Every now and then, some random person on campus will walk up to me, and say something about how they've been admiring my style throughout the years, and it wrecks my brain each and every time. It's crazy to think that at a university where I am one blob out 55,000, I've somehow found a way to carve out an niche of my own, without even being consciously aware. The best part is when it's some husky gangsta' looking mofo that pays me a compliment.....has to be the closest I've ever come to feeling cool.


What does you wardrobe consist of?


- Fairly simple non-fussy stuff, all in black, white, cream, navy and grey, loads of grey. Usually just lots of loose layered tees w/out graphics, tailored trousers, blue blazers, above the knee shorts, knitted cardigans, and a variety of boots.

What is your most unique piece?

- I have this sickly amazing harness for my keys which goes up my back and across my torso. it's the perfect combination of both form and function.


What do you like to see girls wear?


- Nothing in particular, but it helps if its quietly interesting.


What is your favorite style for girls?


- I tend to like the more androgynous stuff. the whole grungy, 'I don't know if she took a shower this week', but she still looks amazingly put together kind of thing.


Who are your favorite designers ?


- Proenza Schouler....for no other reason than the fact that they just make cool shit. They're a womens wear label but I always find myself staring at their stuff wondering how I can capture the essence of their clothing with menswear pieces. I'm also a big fan of Kris Van Assche, Trussardi 1911, Marni, and 3.1 Phillip Lim


What is one piece that every guy should have? Jacket, shoes what?


- I've always kinda believed that the sole initial purpose of clothing was to shield us from the elements, and anything above and after that is just fair game. Hence, I believe every guy should carry a sense of humor and a little bit of self assurance in their front pocket.



What influences your style?


- Stylelikeu.com hands down the best place for inspiration. There is something impeccably appealing about seeing creative people in their own personal spaces, and allowing them the time to verbally articulate their own aesthetics. I waste hours of valuable pro-active time on that site. No bueno.

This is a really great fashion blog that I came across for guys!!
The Urban Gent

What is my style: They say I am a dreamer....but I am not the only one

So I took a quiz today about my style. I was bored and I generally don't have too much faith in quizzes but this seemed to be spot on!! So I just thought I would share, being that sometimes people find it hard to attempt to describe my style this is the basics of it.






You Are Romantic
Things aren't worth much to you unless they have some personal meaning or a foothold in the past. For you, objects in the material world have a spirit that they carry with them, so you gravitate towards vintage clothing and jewelery. You are very sensual and feminine, and the way things feel is as important to you as how they look. You're not particularly interested in current styles because your reference points are timeless, but when you think of trends, you tend to think in terms of century rather than season. You often have a signature color or hairstyle that you're loyal to, and perhaps even known for. You are a dreamer, and you often think of clothing as a costume.

Style role models include Winona Ryder, Nicole Kidman and Helena Bonham Carter.



Read more: What's My Style? http://quiz.ivillage.co.uk/cgi-bin/uk_beauty/tests/mystyle.pl#ixzz0v1uKddPW

New Beginnings: The life of an editorial intern at Sister 2 Sister magazine

So, I am in my second week at my internship. I love it. It is an amazing opportunity. Prayers are always welcome. My everyday responsibilities include: writing a few articles (thank ya Jesus), transcribing interviews and letters to the editor, clerical work (telephone, mail, etc), writing up interview questions and doing research and whatever else I am told to do. I am really happy about the opportunity and I am learning a lot about interviews, editing and just the magazine world. The plan Stan is to learn as much as I can, while I am here. So with that said, I will have updates about life in the D.C./ Maryland area. I hope you enjoy the reads.



I haven't taken any pictures yet,(booooo bad journalist), but I will. I promise. I am going to try to figure out how to post the little mini-articles I have written on here as well! The funny thing about it is EVERYONE who knows me has been so supportive. I really appreciate it. I have had a rough year and this experience and support has been a wonderful remedy. What I really love are the late night text messages from none other than my mom, we will call her B.Sams, about what I should write about the next day. I definitely want to talk about the entire atmosphere of D.C. though. It is very different than what I am use to. Hopefully this weekend I can take a few pics and post them online to document the entire experience. Also your girl is close to Howard LOL enough said!!! They really do have a beautiful campus. I will take some pictures of that too.


My next post on New Beginnings should have lots of pictures of D.C. and Maryland and a description of my day. I am just saying that as a reminder to myself. Highlights thus far? I got to speak to the owner of the magazine Jamie Brown and she is really nice. Deitrick Haddon called the office and I wrote up some questions for some upcoming interviews!!!