It’s Fashion Week in New York City
and this is perfect timing to discuss some new clothing lines. These three
ladies I admire them not only for their talented acting abilities but also
because of how they have established a brand for themselves too. I admire them
demonstrating being classy, sophisticated, well poised, and groomed. They have
done some comedic roles, dramatic roles, and romantic roles as well. They know
how to transform themselves into different characters and they also know how to
attract people on the red carpet too.
All three have found a way to expand their brand and message with style
and beauty by developing their own fashion labels partnering up with well known
high fashion store brands to expand themselves with their own collections. Who
are these three ladies?
I
am talking about Gabrielle Union-Wade, Eva Mendes, and Alani Nicole
Vasquez-Anthony we know her by her stage and actress name, “La La Anthony”. These
three women have started beauty, cosmetic, and fashion labels all with the help
of teaming up with many well know designers and stores too. I am going to start
with Gabrielle Monique Union-Wade originally from Nebraska, Omaha, born October
29th, (she’s a Scorpio too lol), first she’s an actress who has starred in many 1990s comedies,
television shows, and film, “10 Things I hate about you”, “Bring it On”,
“Deliver us from Eva”, “She’s All That”, “The Brothers”, “Bad Boys 2”,
“Cadillac Records”, “Top Five”, “Birth of A Nation”, “Think Like A Man 1 and
2”,“Almost Christmas”, and BET’s “Being Mary Jane”, stars as “Pauletta Paul
/”Mary Jane Paul” a successful television news anchor on Satellite News Channel
who has to deal with the juggling family and a television show, her dating
life, and many other personal struggles too within the show. I love it because
it’s relatable, fun, hilarious, real, and I love the fact it has an African
American woman as a lead too. It’s
relatable because as a 30-something now who wanted to be a journalist/producer/writer
I can see what life can or could be like balancing it all too. Gabrielle has
had some incredible roles in her career ones that women of color want to see
themselves as a classy, beautiful, sophisticated, and well established woman. I
didn’t realize how much her image actually impacted me and many other women of
this generation too. How we need to be seen in society and on a day-to-day
basis.
Her
clothing line I love because it is targeting women of all shapes and sizes too.
Women can embrace wearing whatever clothing they feel comfortable in that is
catered to their size. In August of 2017 Gabrielle’s collection debut at New
York Company it has featured colors like mango salsa, fuschia, a royal blue,
exotic print, bandage dress, body con dresses, halter choker tops, flowy tops,
harem pants, and more that are sophisticated, classy, and are easy to dress up
and down. I love this because as a woman who is curvier and is not a size 0 I
love that I can find something that suits my personality, my body type, and I
know I am getting great quality. I love something that can make you look and
feel like a woman. It’s hard
sometimes today where you cannot find clothes that fit you and are tailored to
your sizes sometimes. So when I found out that these ladies were going to be
teaming up with different designers and stores I was excited to see what they
would be coming up with next. Gabrielle’ s clothing sizes run from a size 0 to size 20.
Which means you can get everything at great price from a size extra small to a
double x l. So women of all sizes can wear her clothing. Women have had nothing
but positive reviews on the collection and that’s always a great sign for
business, the designer, and the company too. Gabrielle also has a hair beauty collection called,
“Flawless” that you can find that is perfect for textured and relaxed hair too.
I believe when it comes to fashion
and clothing there are still many issues a lot of women face today. This is
important because recently I had a personal experience that made me more aware
of how being more curvaceous can affect women when they are shopping and even
models too. I have a lot of moments when you are aware of the pressure you feel
in society about your body image and shape. I applied for a job recently in
July for a part-time position. They needed a model for the job and I wanted to
take this position on because people told me ‘Why don’t you model” earn some
more income. Plus having a grandmother who did some modeling in her twenties
and thirties too it was always a great idea for me too.
I considered it I thought what the hell.
Little did I know that reality hit me again when I realized that unfortunately
you really have to be what these people are looking for too. I applied for the
job it was under Elie Tahari and they requested a woman who was between 5’6-5’8”
she had to have a curvy fit body type, now what I didn’t know until they re
edited the job post adding a size 6 come on ladies
have an open mind next time. They wanted someone with a size 6 pant size. They
called me back and liked my photo but didn’t consider me because I wear a size
10 and can squeeze into a size 8 dress too. I thought okay that’s fair I am not
what they want. I felt a bit upset but thought you know what maybe I am not
supposed to be the right person for that job. However it has made me even more
aware of the fact how models feel when they are trying out for auditions or
need to try on clothing too.
How you feel a
pressure to be thinner, more waif- like, instead of embracing their curves. So
when I saw these clothing lines it just made me excited they are going to have
women from all different shapes and sizes jumping up to buy their
clothing. This is a dream come
true where we don’t have to be drastic we can still have some meat on our bones
or “junk in the trunk”. We should always be able to feel like I am an original I don't have to be like the woman in front of me or sitting next to me. I can be different, embrace the skin I am in, and I love who I have become too.
The next two
ladies I salute and applaud these two for them because they also define that it’s okay to be
curvy and know the struggle is real sometimes. Eva Mendes (starred in “Out of
Time”, “Hitch”, “ Cuban-American born actress from Miami, Florida born March 5th,
is a gorgeous actress, model, businesswoman, and mom of two girls Esmeralda and Amada . Eva teamed
up with New York & Company to develop her brand of clothing. She also
became the creative director of CIRCA Beauty products currently sold at
Walgreens and online. Her clothing definitely reflects the woman’s Latin
American roots, her glamorous and sophisticated side. I love the clothes
because it’s something you can wear to work, on a date, to a party, or wherever
you may want to be. It has pastels lavenders, dark evergreens, then peaches,
corals, and bright colors so you can dress up her clothes and dress it down
too. Love these looks because the prices, quality are amazing, and every
customer who has purchased online or in the store gave her 5 stars all the way.
The last person is
Alani Nicole Vasquez-Anthony from Brooklyn, New York she was born June 29th
you know her as Total Request Live “vee-jay” host, actress, producer, business woman, and author, to
her two books, “The Power Playbook” and “The Love Playbook”, she’s been
featured on hit television series, “Power” on Starz, and has a cosmetic line,
“Motives”, and now two clothing lines, “Fifth & Mercer” and now Lord &
Taylor’s collection, “La La Anthony Collection” under Levis. She teamed up and
reached out to Tommy Hilfiger and was immediately connected to get her clothing
line up and running. She wanted something that would appeal to women of all
sizes, shapes, and love a great pair of jeans. I have talked about La La on my
blog previously when she debuted her first book and her hit show, “La La’s Full
Court” she made a name for herself. I always love when people can have a spot
and just boom they blow up doing something you never expected to see them doing
at all. She earned the whole Lord
& Taylor department store window display on Fifth Avenue which is pretty amazing as someone
who worked there and saw the ins and outs of what happens behind the scenes. I am telling you this
is a huge and big deal when you make it on Fifth Avenue. It’s a big deal because so many
tourists, customers come down to shop and window shop at the department store.
So it’s pretty amazing to see how people can see the girl on MTV, VH-1 host has
blown up and made it on Fifth Avenue too. La La’s bomber jackets, jeans
everything runs on a size 0 to a size 24 I did my homework and saw some of the
jeans myself in person too. So when she says she has your size I can vouch for
that yes she has your size. So make sure you stop by Lord & Taylor
department stores.
For more
information on these fabulous ladies follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and
Instagram. Visit http://www.newyorkandcompany.com
, http://www.motivescosmetics.com
, http://www.lordandtaylor.com , http://www.circabeauty.com, and http://www.flawlesshair.com
for more information on their
clothing line, beauty, and cosmetic products.
