There are hundreds and thousands of brands and labels out there that spoil us for choice when it comes to our image. One thing that’s lacking however in the market for urban/eclectic chic is jewellery. Most of the jewellery found to suit our tastes are from high street clothes shops. Think about Ernest Jones, H Samuel, De Beers, they’re all suited to taste for the more sophisticated and ‘normal’ woman. The only jewellery I seem to find these days that suits my taste is either very old retro/vintage jewellery from market stalls and charity shops, or of course ethnic jewellery which is very hard to get hold of unless you wanna book a flight to a destination in Asia or Morocco.

In the last few years I’ve found myself just settling for the odd treasure I find in high street shops, which requires careful and consistent keeping up with the new stock that comes in. This can be frustrating. As much as I love the odd bargain from Primark’s jewellery section, the bangles especially (I do find the odd gem in there from time to time) there aren’t many brands that produce jewellery I could keep for the rest of my life, as with a cheap price comes cheap quality, most of the jewellery doesn’t last for more than a few years.

If you have a bit of cash you’d like to invest in some real jewellery that will actually last, something with value, that isn’t just of a plain and boring design suited for the norm there are some great designers out there. I found this brand, although pricey, I absolutely love their collection and see their pieces as a good investment. I must give it to them, they source their jewellery very well from tribal groups all over the world including India, China, Africa, Thailand, the Pacific, Afghanistan, Nepal and South America. Think Erykah Badu, artistic, bold, ethnic and funky!

The happy go lucky world of abstract shoe designers Irregular choice have been leading the market in kitch for sometime now. From the practical office worker to the downright impractical dominatrix heel the team at Irregular choice have something for everyone. Check out their website, even just to see some wacky designs.. sure you’ll catch the bug.

http://www.irregularchoice.com/

AGENT B

I came across this brand completely by accident whilst looking for some tribal patterned leggings. Australian designer Natalie Wood created the brand not just for fashion, but for those who appreciate art, music, popular culture, and nature. Inspired by animals, ancient mythology, the planets and psychadelic symmetrical patterns, the brand isn’t just a fashion statemement like most other brands, its simply a statement. True style comes from within, and expressing oneself as individuals. Personally for me, I love this brand as it pretty much somes up my love for animals, nature, tribes, psychadelic symmetrical patterns and the planets.

Something else clothing is available from Urban outfitters and Asos.

With London fashion week in full swing, a lot of the trends this season are a lot more contemporary than previous years… The best example of this is Topshop Unique’s antlers that were seen on the London fashion week catwalks. We didn’t think it would take long before the native look that us hippies have been rocking would start to wear off onto the mainstream. Over the last couple of years we’ve seen the mainstream fashion outlets slowly but surely turning more and more native. All of a sudden it’s ‘cool’ to look tribal. Could it be that urban chic is slowly but surely evolving fromcommercial hip hop honey style to something a bit more imaginative, meaningful and artistic…? And now the question is, when people were wearing bright colourful shades and neon 80s outfits only a year ago is this narnia earth mother native vibe being represented on the streets because Topshop told us so? As kroarohawks, we know that glorifying Gods creation like the native americans do with their costume is more than just a fashion statement…

Imagine describing a state of being passionate. Words like enthusiasm, zeal, fierceness, spirit even energy are mentioned. If these qualities can be found in any one, Ibrahim Yaqut Abdel-Baaith could surely fit the bill. As unique as his name, Ibrahim is an upcoming actor who has established himself as a thespian–a maestro of the arts, while solidifying a career as a top male model. His daring sense of style, his magnetic swagger, his strong rooted ideas or his charming sense of humor can be to blame for his long lasting success in the fashion industry. He insists that he is living his dream, not pursuing it, therefore he emanates such youthful exuberance that it’s nearly addictive. Life hasn’t always been harmonious for Ibrahim, being a native Philadelphian and having his in & outs with street life. A high academic achiever nonetheless, Ibrahim overcame the stereotypical path many urban youth followed and made it a point to face any challenge. He got his first break in being chosen out of thousands in a nation-wide model search. That’s all it took for major agencies to recognize him and expressed great interest in his all-american, edgy look and personality. After graduating high school, Ibrahim came to New York to visit over 30 modeling agencies and to attend Pratt Institute’s open house. The rest is history. Ibrahim has appeared in over hundreds of commercial and high fashion ad campaigns, editorials, catalogues and catwalks. A wide variety of clients such as Old Navy, Abercrombie & Fitch, Marshall Fields, K-Mart, Marc Ecko, Kangol, Mecca, Indigo Red, Calvin Klien, Columbia Records, Macy’s, American Eagle Outfitters, Nordstroms, Target and MTV made him a regular amongst print advertisements and department store campaigns. He’s also been featured numerous times in GQ, L’uomo Vogue, XXL, Vibe, The Source, Stuff and Essence magazines. He’s graced the catwalks from NY to Milano for Armani, Nautica, Vivienne Westwood, Tommy Hilfiger, Sean John, Miguel Androver, Custo Barcelona, Enyce, MTV’s fashionably Loud, and celebrity fashion shows for the NBA. Among some of his achievements was his nomination as “Top Male Model” alongside Tyson Beckford at the 2003 Urban Fashion Awards. Ibrahim has also been featured in many music videos for artists such as Destiny’s Child, Rah Digga, Q-Tip and GhostFace Killah. He’s had the pleasure to work close with an endless amount of household names, some of whom he cares to mention like Winky Wright, Beyonce, David LaChapelle, P-Diddy, Michael Kors, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Tracy McGrady, 50 Cent, Slick Rick and Russel Simmons. At the present he has a print campaign and commercial running for Polo Ralph Lauren’s line for JC Penny titled American Living, airing during the Oscar’s. He also appears on Project Runway and MTV’s special for the making of the Sean John runway show.

Equipped with a Pratt bachelor’s degree in illustration and film making and with no end in sight for his road to success, Ibrahim left New York to pay dues grinding it out in Hollywood. Rarely seen is a young ethnic male who can break into the acting industry and book a lead principle role in a Disney Channel film. Entitled “Life Is Ruff” he co-stars with Disney child stars Mitchel Musso and Kay Panabaker and popular TV actor Mark Christopher Lawrence. Along with booking principle roles in national TV commercials such as McDonald’s, Target, Macy’s, Denali, Old Navy and JC Penny earns his position as a union actor. Over the years, clients have been known to consistently rave about how much fun it is to work with him and how delightfully intellectual and articulate he is. Ibrahim is known to enthusiastically assist different clients and photographers in creating the image of a lifetime, by being the actor that he naturally is. Not only is he an inspiration to other models, but he is a live example of how rewarding it can be to live out your dreams and desires without exceptions. “It is not the accumulation of extraneous knowledge but the realization of the self within that constitutes true progress,” is the mantra he lives by. Being a practitioner of many genres of art (martial arts, painting, writing, film, dancing), Ibrahim starts to create his own projects by shooting documentaries, starring and co-directing short films, and painting large canvases live in various venues! While gracing the pages of our favorite magazines, live painting and MMA fighting balances his free time and energy, making him a well-rounded, passionate force to be reckoned with.

He was one of my favourite fashion designers/muse of all time and was a true artist of his own kind. His surrealist style was a breath of fresh air to what we see on the catwalks these days.

The 40-year-old committed suicide just days after the death of his beloved mother, Joyce, last Tuesday. His death comes just days before the start of London Fashion Week and weeks before he was due to unveil his new collection at Paris Fashion Week on March 9.

Born in the East End and the son of a taxi driver, McQueen got his training in tailoring in Savile Row, eventually making suits for Prince Charles, and won the distinction of being named British designer of the year four times between 1996 and 2003.
He went on to be awarded the CBE, as well as being named International Designer of the Year at the Council of Fashion Designer Awards.
McQueen became the ‘enfant terrible’ of the fashion world after he was famously discovered by Isabella Blow, who was fashion director of Tatler. He went on to be named head designer at Givenchy in 1996, succeeding John Galliano, before joining forces with Gucci, who bought 51 per cent of his company.

Posts on his Twitter page reveal he had been battling with grief after his mother died last Tuesday.
On February 3rd, he wrote: ‘I’m letting my followers know the my mother passed away yesterday if it she had not me nor would you RIP mumxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx…
Moments later, he added: ‘But life must go on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!’
Then on Sunday, he said: ‘Sunday evening been a ****ing awful week but my friends have been great but now i have to some how pull myself together and finish with the HELLS ANGLES & PROLIFIC DEAMONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!’

Alexandra Shulman, editor of Vogue, said: ‘Lee McQueen influenced a whole generation of designers. His brilliant imagination knew no bounds as he conjured up collection after collection of extraordinary designs.
‘At one level, he was a master of the fantastic, creating astounding fashion shows that mixed design, technology and performance and on another he was a modern-day genius whose gothic aesthetic was adopted by women the world over. His death is the hugest loss to anyone who knew him and for very many who didn’t.’

French artist Fafi lends her innovative style in a follow-up spring and summer women’s collection with adidas Originals. In a look at her footwear releases for this season, they once again incorporate some of her iconic imagery over some of adidas Originals’ most popular women’s styles. The collection will hit stores worldwide in March; however, some pieces are already availabe in parts of Asia and Australia.

Looks like the Autumn(Fall)/Winter 2009/2010 will be a dandy one. Think British aristocracy, high collars, ruffle & bow blouses, cropped slim-cut jackets in both double or single breast, waist coats & tailored vests, fob chains, frock and tail coats, high-waisted jodhpurs and brooches.

The term Dandy refers to young attractive male suitors around town who would attend high profile social events in the 1700s in the hope of winning the affections of affluent women, usually attached to rich powerful men or who had inherited large estates. The aim was to take a rich womans estate from under their husbands nose. They would then squander those estates and move on to the next. A cuckold was a term used to define a man whos wife was sleeping with a dandy (The Cuckold is a bird that steals other birds nests).

In other words, a Dandy is an old school male golddigger.

Obviously all of us don’t look like supermodels or want to walk around looking like British gents cos the catwalk told us so. It’s all about using elements of the dandy look. I hate to follow fashion trends. The key to style is making it your own. Don’t be fashions bitch, make fashion YOUR bitch.

A photoshoot for Russian Elle last year. An owl and a Japanese model with a blonde mohawk & Frida Kahlo eyebrows. Nice.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this seasons key look is all about oversized sweaters, jumpers and cardigans. Its a key wardrobe item for cold wintery times and looks great whether you’re going for a nomadic or a dapper look. The great thing about this look is that you can smarten it up with some fitted trousers, leggins,  or skinny jeans, some boots or pointy evening shoes. For a more urban nomad vibe you can wear one with different colours/patterns teamed with a chunky scarf and lots of layers along with some chunky boots.

AGENT WHITE