Africa Takes the Runway

Sudanese Model, Ajak Deng
Photo courtesy of Vogue Australia

The Runway's newest darling is African born model, Ajak Deng. Hailing originally from the Sudan, Deng is an Australian transplant and is currently the favorite on the runways for the House of Lanvin and Louis Vuitton.

Rising from a traumatic childhood, Deng's mother died in a refuge camp in Kenya and she fled Sudan at the tender age of 12. The remainder of her family moved to Australia in 2005. Deng is in good company on the catwalk, her mentor is supermodel Alek Wek, whom she met when they did shows together. In an interview in Vogue Australia's March 2011 issue, Deng talks of realizing her dream when in 2010, she walked the runway for Valentino's couture show.

With her deep, chocolate skin and rocking a striking platinum blonde TWA, Ajak Deng is a unique and refreshing addition to the fashion industry and is the epitome of Cultural Chic.


Photo courtesy of Shadders.net

Punta Brava 2 Residence: Making Black and White Pop with Color

The additions of strategically placed pops of color always add an air of excitement to any interior.
This beautiful abode located in Costa Brava, Catalonia, Spain was designed by Barcelona-based studio DNA Barcelona Architects.

 

All Photos courtesy of Freshome.com

Natural Hair Beauty: Solange Knowles

The epitome of Cultural Chic...

Solange Knowles in her apartment as shot by
Garance Dore
Photo courtesy of Coco & Creme

WE LOVE YOU...

AUGUST 9,1963 - FEBRUARY 11, 2012
Photo courtesy of autumnleeonline

Designer Showcase: The Shadowplay Jewelry Collection

Discovery, discovery, discovery! One of the things I love most about being a fashion and style blogger. You are constantly searching for other creatives to showcase and give a special shout out to. And every once in a great while, you find something that is especially unique in it's style and concept. Such is the Shadowplay Jewelry Collection.

Shadowplay is the baby of designer Heather Goldberg. Her inspiration comes from such natural entities as spiderwebs, oceanic aragonite, and those things mystical and not readily visible to the naked human eye. Delicate hand dyed yarn finely interwoven with Swarovski crystals make up the ethereal quality of Goldberg's creations.

Shadowplay is a culmination of Goldberg's "desire to create beautiful, one of a kind, hand-crafted pieces with consciousness to materials and their origin in mind." The calming beauty of crystalline waters. Hints of color from glistening stones on the ocean's floor. These are the elements that inspire the quiet elegance of Shadowplay.













All photos courtesy of Shadowplay

P.S. Please check out Shadowplay's Lookbook which has beautifully executed illustrations of the collection.