Filed under: Style Spotter

KANYE WEST'S OWN SUNGLASSES BRAND

(Kanye in a pair of Ksubi sunnies)

Hip-hop lovin' fashionistos have eagerly been anticipating the arrival of rapper Kanye West's Pastelle clothing line.

The trendsetter, who inspired a legion of fans including Jay-Z to rock an Arabic scarf a' la Jesse James style, will begin with the release of Pastelle sunglasses as part of his collabo with Australian brand Ksubi. West has been a fan of the company himself having rocked their shades to shows for quite some time. "I love the sunnies Ksubi has produced over the years. It is an honor to collaborate with them."

"Sunnies"?

Co-created by head designer George Gorrow, the pair will drop limited-edition gold frames for $2,000 in October. What a price tag! Clearly he's not thinking about his core audience. Somebody's spending a little too much time in Japan lately...

BLACK GIRLS WILL RULE VOGUE

Major fashion mag VOGUE ITALIA is currently shooting an issue featuring all Black girls. That's right, all Black. Editor-in-Chief Franca Sozzano told VOGUE UK, "Nobody is using Black girls. I see so many beautiful girls and they were complaining that they are not used enough". Entirely photographed by Steven Meisel, the July 2008 issue will also feature Iman, Liya Kebede and Chanel Iman, to name a few. They'll continue to feature other under represented ethnic groups in upcoming issues. Hopefully other print pubs will follow suit stateside.

The cover star? Not the blackberry weapon-wielding Naomi Campbell but newcomer Jourdan Dunn. The 17 year-old fellow London native who was discovered there in 2006 has been the talk of the industry ever since she walked an impressive 75 shows this past spring even for Prada who hasn't used a Black model, (Naomi) since 1997! Will Jourdan Dunn be heir to Naomi's throne?

VIVICA SEARCHES FOR NEXT TOP STYLIST

Actress/producer Vivica A. Fox is set to host a new reality show for VH1 which will debut on the network this summer. "Glam God with Vivica A. Fox" is a style search with contestants competing to win in three major categories-hair, makeup and wardrobe. Slated to begin taping next month, the eight-episode series ends with the ultimate stylist winning $10,000 and a chance to style an A-list celebrity. Fashion cues from Vivica? I'm not too sure.

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  Rihanna is one of the newest faces of CoverGirl cosmetics. She signed on in December of 2006, stating: "I've loved makeup and dreamed of being a CoverGirl since I was a little girl." She has also recently endorsed Venus razors for women.

  VALERY HACHE/AFP, Getty Images

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  Beyonce represents for L'Oreal. The singer signed a five-year contract for $4.7 million in 2004 that requires her to work 10-12 days a year. I, too would be smiling.

  Carlo Allegri, Getty Images

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  Gabrielle Union signed on to endorse Neutrogena products in 2004. Great skin is the foundation of stunning beauty, and she proves it.

  Seth Browarnik, WireImage.com

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  Halle Berry has been a Revlon spokesperson since 1996. Other women of color featured in Relvon campaigns include Lucy Liu and Eva Mendes, but none other has had Halle's staying power.

  Francois Mori, AP

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  Kerry Washington has appeared in ads for H.I.P. (High Intensity Pigment) cosmetics for L'Oreal, the first campaign in her contract. Kerry says of her endorsement: "It's really exciting for me to be one of the faces of L'Oreal and to be working with a company that has historically represented so many different kinds of women with different kinds of skin color."

  Frederick M. Brown, Getty Images

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  Queen Latifah has her own make-up line called 'CoverGirl Queen Collection.' The Web site for her line features tools to help you match colors perfectly to your skin.

  J. Vespa, WireImage.com

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  Iman, after thirty years in the fashion and beauty biz, now has her own super-successful make-up line: Iman Cosmetics. Launched in 1994, her line features foundation available in 16 shades geared towards women of color.

  Iman Cosmetics

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  Veronica Webb was the first black model to receive an exclusive contract from a major cosmetics company. Her Revlon contract lasted from 1992-95. You can now find her flexing her fashion expertise as a co-host on 'Tim Gunn's Guide To Style.'

  Tana Lee Alves, WireImage.com

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  Iman, Beverly Johnson (right) and Louise Vyent (not pictured), all black models, appeared in a ground-breaking ad for Revlon in 1989. Before the '90s, black models appearing in make-up ads was very rare.

  Ron Galella, WireImage.com

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  Tyra won a CoverGirl make-up contract in 1997. This is also the year that she covered Sports Illustrated by herself, a first for an African-American woman.

  Frank Micelotta, Getty Images

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: Lifestyle, Style Spotter

By TaraSimone, Special to BlackVoices.com

My infatuation with fragrance began as a young girl playing dress up at my mother's vanity. It was the mid 1980s and I danced in the mirror with a belted over sequin top and my mother's high heels sliding on and off my tiny feet. Sitting before her collection of crystal and bejeweled bottles containing elusive liquids ranging in shades from soft amethyst to deep amber, I would pretend to be grown and beautiful...just like her.

Delicate floral fragrances embody the many facets of motherhood...feminine, passionate, joyful, engaging and intriguing.

For those last minute shoppers, you can just grab the following scents -- and for all moms -- from the one who holds it down at work to the "fly" mom to the new mom to the grand dame of them all, the grandmom.

TaraSimone is a floral and event design expert and owner of Barbara's Flowers, an innovative flower retail boutique located in Harlem, New York. Barbara's Flowers offers clients extraordinary blossoms with a plethora of design choices. For TaraSimone, the concept is simple - "We should create our environments as the stage on which flowers, food, music and art entertain and enrich our lives. www.harlemflowers.com

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.