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STYLE

MANBAGS

The Man Bag "If you can’t beat em' . . . join em". This is a phrase that definitely seems to be holding true for the man bag phenomenon. They are everywhere you go from the streets of NYC to the strolls of L.A..; no matter where you are it is not uncommon to come across someone carrying a man bag.

These short handled, large sized masculine colored bags seem to have made their place in mainstream fashion. Even Kanye West and Terrance Howard have been photographed sporting them. From couture to urban wear - with bags varying from Louis Vuitton to Puma - ideally it seems that there is a bag for everyone whether you are a white collar worker or an athlete . . . everyone except me.

As open minded as I am to the rising trends and the merging of Western definitions of masculinity and feminine in fashion, I am still not completely buying into the idea of the man bag. My rational has less to do with how awkward it seems for a man to be pumping down the street with a handbag and more to do with the question of . . . ‘What do I need it for?’ Traditionally women carry everything in their bags: feminine products, snacks, books, sani wipes, make up, gum, mints, fragrances, keys, phone and anything else they can fit in there. But on the flip side, men (regardless of their sexuality) have been conditioned to not carry much more than keys and a wallet (and now a cell phone and iPod). If I did have a man bag I wouldn't know what to put in it . . .

This is just my opinion. But obviously the fashion Gods (like Andre Leon Tally) and much world of fashion grossly disagrees with my sentiments.

JAMES WINSTON UNDERWEAR CONTEST WINNER - Keyontyli Goffney

I am very masculine in my work life and around my boys, but sometimes I have the urge just to wear a thong or silky lace material under my jeans. I am a very smooth curvy guy and I love the way my body feels when I'm in something sexy from a catalog . . . it's like they were made for me & I'm the only male model daring enough to show/pull it off. I like to walk on the wild side/ cliff's edge if you will when it comes to my underwear and swimsuits... Well, to make a long story short I guess I celebrate my freedom & sexiness in my underwear (Out loud, to myself - hidden underneath). LIVE in your underwear!!!

SixxFoota

For almost a year now I have had my eye on this young lady as she begins to make her place in the world of fashion with her clothing line Sixxfoota. Anita Watkins is the CEO and designer behind this high-end clothing line for men and women of lengthy proportions that was launched in 2005.

It does not take very long after meeting her to become infected by her contagiously warm and positive nature. It is clear that Anita is passionate about self-empowerment, especially as it relates to girls and young women.

She states, “We are more than a concept brand that creates cutting edge, high-quality garments. With Sixxfoota, we seek to remove the issue of exterior image and look inwardly, promoting self-love and love of community; our main objective is to remind men and women to honor every aspect of their personality. And for us, giving back is key to that. Therefore, we create specific products for sale, as part of our “love heals” campaign, in which a percentage of the proceeds will aid various organizations, specifically those related to empowering girls and young women.”

Sixxfoota contains a broad range of outerwear, blazers, classic trousers, reversible shirts, skirts, halters, and bustiers in luxurious wool fabrics, linens, and skins, including Italian lambskin, fox, rabbit and chinchilla.

Most recently Sixxfoota showed at the Thurgood Marshall Front Row Fashion show and shocked and awed the audience with her line as the models pumped across the catwalk to the song Ramalama Bang Bang. Since many of our African American men and women are on the taller side, it was clear that they appreciated the dynamic and high quality designs specifically customized for them. Not to say that there are not labels that design specifically for tall African American men and women, but there are very few high fashion designers who keep this in mind. Sixxfoota is shaping up to be the next best thing in African American high fashion since they have captured the attention of an audience that was previously not tuned into high fashion. This newfound success is attributed to the fact that Sixxfoota has cleverly incorporated the urban trends of the moment into the timeless elegance of couture. We’ll be keeping our eye on Sixxfoota in the seasons to come!

Thurgood Marshall

In New York City there are several annual charity/fundraiser events that have begun to slowly ascend to heights of such social events of the season like the annual UNICEF Snowflake Ball. It is clear from this year’s event that the Thurgood Marshall Front Row Fashion Show is well on its way to becoming one of the foremost African American annual charity/social events of the year.

During his introduction after managing to pull himself away from the bustling poparazzi as he posed for photo opportunities with Fonzworth Bentley and Sway; Dwayne Ashley President and CEO of TMCF stated that:
"The Thurgood Marshall College Fund is privileged to honor extraordinary designers and honorees who have paved the way for African-Americans in fashion. We look forward to the annual Front Row Fashion Show as an opportunity to exhibit and salute the talent and creativity of remarkable people who serve as role models to our students."

During the 2nd annual Front Row Fashion Show (which doubly acts as a charity event and a salute to African American Fashion Designers) this years host Lynn Whitfield rode on the heels of last year’s host (Iman) and did a fabulous job introducing the presenters of the evenings honorees Teri Agins (Senior Special Writer, Wall Street Journal and Author), Jeffrey Banks (Fashion Designer), Fonzworth Bentley (Fashion Designer and Author), Pat Cleveland (Pioneer Fashion Model) and Renauld White (Actor and Model (first African-American man on the cover of GQ magazine).

In the spirit of the ready to wear NYC Fashion Week in February and September, Front Row Fashion is presented by American Airlines and Moet Hennessey and co-sponsored by: Ashley Stewart, Booz Allen Hamilton, ING, Mercedes-Benz, Miller Brewing Company, Wachovia and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. This year the event took place at the massive Roseland Ballroom where the upstairs was reserved as a VIP section for press and special invited guests who mingled before the show began. Downstairs in the main ballroom, a formidable 5 foot high and 100 foot long runway stretched across the floor for the models of the featured designers to strut their stuff.

The evening’s designers included samples from the spring lines of designers Jeffrey Banks, Stephen Burrows, Roger Gary, Shaka King, b. michael, Douglas Says, Sixxfoota, Ashley Stewart, Walmart and Edward Wilderson of Lafayette 148 New York. The concept of incorporating fashion into the evening comes with the hope that the exclusive presentation of African American fashion designers who have paved the way in fashion will bring together some of the country’s best known fashion industry elite, their celebrity clients and supporters along with many African-American business, community and thought leaders for this relevant and fabulous evening of charitable responsible.
The evening went off without a hitch and maintained every bit of class, style elegance and pride that it proclaimed to convey in all of its press materials. Hopefully this event will continue to grow and draw attention to the need for us to support the financial needs of our youth who are seeking to expand their knowledge through the pursuit of a college education. UNEQ Magazine looks forward to the 3rd annual 2008 Thurgood Marshall College Fund Front Row Fashion.

*The Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Inc., named for the late U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice, was established in 1987 and represents 47 public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) located in 22 states with a population of well over 232,000 students. Over the last 20 years, Thurgood Marshall College Fund has awarded more than $68 million in scholarships, programmatic, and capacity support, enabling over 6,000 students to attend public Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Thurgood Marshall College Fund also provides internship programs and joins corporate and foundation partners in providing leadership training and support to students preparing for undergraduate and professional schools. Thurgood Marshall College Fund is a 501(c) 3, tax-exempt organization.