WORKING WITH A TEAM feat. SALON 22

model: SHAUNA BENNETT @Soul Artist Mgmt

ph. Tarrice Love

styling: Tarrice Love

hair & makeup: Salon 22

assisted: Tinnetta Bell

Shauna Bennett @Soul Artist Mgmt.

I have known hairstylist  Allison Myers-Person since our University of Memphis days. She use to be one of the models for a magazine me and my friends started called WHUT!. She also did some of the other girls hair weaves for photoshoots and  fashion shows. She's the proud owner of Salon 22 , an upscale salon located in Memphis, Tn.

She had recently joined the L'Oreal hair team and  wanted her portfolio to stand next to the other members of the  team... she  wanted it to have that "New York" flair so she called me to get my rates.

 

SALON 22 Owner: Allison Myers-Person and assistant hairstylist Dorcas Woodson

SALON 22

2965 N. Germantown Rd. Ste 121

Bartlett, TN 38133

Appointments: 901.382.7200

I don't often get the opportunity to work with hairstylist so i worked out a deal with Allison. If she was  willing to fly up and do hair, I would round up some good models and make "hotness" happen. I could use images with professionally styled hair. I love working with other artist and have the upmost respect for their craft. I jumped at the opportunity to create with other artist especially when we respect each other. People think I prefer working alone but thats not the case. Collaborating with other artist who are on the same page can make a project ten-times better. I am not in the position to compensate hairstylist and mua so out of respect i do as much as I can by myself. I hate when ppl try to get freebies  from me so i don't ask for them from others. I definitely was interested in working with a hairstylist because I was starting to run out of ideas with turbans, hats, and headwraps. I was also anxious to work with Allison again.... it has been over 10 years since I last saw her. I didn't feel like i was giving her a freebie because we  are friends and we both was giving and gaining from this  project.

model: AZULI PEETERS @Soul Artist Mgmt

ph. Tarrice Love

styling: Tarrice Love

hair & makeup: Salon 22

assisted: Tinnetta Bell

Azuli Peeters @ Soul Artist Mgmt

Once Allison confirmed that she was flying up with dates, I started thinking about what models to use. The only specification Allison had was that all girls have their own hair...no hair weaves or extensions. I called Soul Artist Mgmt. and requested every girl that was available. I also called Emarie Wiltz from Mint Model Mgmt because she was the first black girls i could  think of that didn't have a weave and was available. I called my friend Taj Reed at the last minute because  They wanted to include a guy with hair.

We basically had one full day to style and  shoot all the  models. Allison and Dorcas had less than 2 hours to break down each girl's hair and create 2 looks (including makeup, wardrobe and actual shooting time). Because of strict TSA rules about chemicals and liquids and time limits, they had to create every hair style with as  few  hair products  as possible. I also called my good friend Tinnetta Bell to assist for the day. I knew I was gonna need all the  help I could get in order for this  project to run smoothly.

Ludmilla Perignon @ Soul Artist Mgmt.

model: LUDMILLA PERIGNON @Soul Artist Mgmt

ph. Tarrice Love

styling: Tarrice Love

hair & makeup: Salon 22

assisted: Tinnetta Bell

Allison Myers-Person and Dorcas Woodson worked hard and  fast

For this project, since hair was the focal point, I insisted Allison take the creative lead and I would literally built wardrobe around her hairstyles. She wanted me to work my styling magic like we did in college so I snatched the curtains from the window and made the outfits for the girls. I also went to the bargain store in my neighborhood and bought "granny" support underwear as foundation pieces for the looks. I was inspired by the designs of Jean Paul Gaultier.

model: TAJ REED ( currently seeking representation)

ph. Tarrice Love

styling: Tarrice Love

hair & grooming: Salon 22

assisted: Tinnetta Bell

Allison giving Taj Reed a rocker hairstyle inspired by his  motercycle jacket

Taj Reed (currently seeking representation)

model: PIA BONGOLL @Soul Artist Mgmt

ph. Tarrice Love

styling: Tarrice Love

hair & makeup: Salon 22

assisted: Tinnetta Bell

follow Salon 22 on instagram - salon22

I hate long, drawn out photoshoots. It's usually hair and makeup that take the most time. I think Allison and Dorcas did an amazing job of managing the time for each model. Breaking down each girl's hairstyle they arrived with and  creating 2 new ones, doing their makeup for each look and creating wardrobe, we did a good job. Everything seemed to flow effortlessly. 

Working with Allison and Dorcas took me back to our college day collaborations. I miss having that "team spirit" energy of creating with other artist. Most of my experiences working with other creatives in New York haven't been the greatest. Technology has made photography accessible to anyone who can afford a camera and can learn from workshops and  tutorials think they are a photographer. They don't view photographers as artist anymore. So they tend to treat the photographer like a hired technician on the set ready to execute someone else's creative ideas. I worked too hard developing my creative talent to put it on the backburner. I would  hope  when people contact me to work on a project it would be because I bring more to the table  than my equipment. When I work on any project, I step through the door with everything I have so that we all win.  

I had a awesome time working Allison and Dorcas. I am glad they flew up here to work with me. I don't get the opportunity to work with female models as much as I would like, so I am thankful that Sarah Hamilton-Bailey and Lance LaBreche at Soul Artist Mgmt  trust me and my talent for sending some really great girls for  us to work with. I am glad that Taj Reed came thru as a last minute add-on because Allison wanted to include a male model. Whenever I need a pretty black girl with here own hair (not a weave), Emarie Smith always makes herself available for me. 

Fashion is all about having the right team of people who are on the same page. I don't have that yet, but i'm building toward having a powerhouse of creatives that are ready to change the game.

I MADE THIS pt.1: LITTLE BLACK DRESS

model: JOENI POU (dna model mgmt south africa)

ph. Tarrice Love

styling: Tarrice Love

Model Joeni Pou had stopped by to visit me before heading off to Capetown, South Africa to do some work and I was inspired to create photo magic..... I did a quick sketch of a dress on an envelope on my desk. Before she arrived I was watching the Thierry Mugler Spring 2012 fashion show. The designs had these really interesting cutouts. I took a black oversized t-shirt and made an interpretation of the  Mugler look in about 15 minutes.

Thierry Mugler Spring 2012 Collection

model: JOENI POU (dna model mgmt south africa)

ph. Tarrice Love

styling: Tarrice Love

My grandmother was a seamstress and taught me and my little brother how to sew. I would take clothes apart and hand sew them back together. I studied and  read almost every book about fashion that  the Memphis  public library had available. When I started shooting fashion images in Memphis, Tn, their weren't any stylist and few clothing designers in the area. I took all of my knowledge and available resources and "made it work!"  

Being in NYC, stylist and designers are all over the place but my access to them is limited. I didn't want my ability to create amazing work to hinge on needing others to make it happen, so i started collecting garments from the neighborhood Goodwill and i whipped out my "good" scissors and started customizing things for my photographs. 

The best part about creating things for my photos is that they are tailored to the individual i'm shooting. One of a kind pieces for them. After the photoshoot, i usually destroy them to keep from being tempted to reuse them on someone else.

NEW FACE: FILIP HRIVNAK @ Soul Artist Mgmt.

I had an opportunity to do a portrait session with fashion's new face Filip Hrivnak. He is represented by Soul Artist Mgmt. in New York, M Mgmt. in Paris, and I Love Models Mgmt. in Milano.

Filip has walked international runways for designers like Givenchy. He appears on the cover of men's fashion magazines like Seventh Man and Vogue Hommes International cementing him as a hot model on the rise. 

With his uber cool look and his engaging personality, it's no surprise that this guy is one of the new faces to watch out for. I'm very excited about everything that is happening for Filip and look forward to seeing more great things happen...#returnofthesupermoddel

GOTTA GET ME A PAIR OF LVL XIII

Seandon Roberson was  one of the  first  models  I worked with I moved to New York. Even though he's no longer a model, he still will flex and pose for my camera. He is currently the Marketing Director for an awesome  new line of luxury footwear called LVL XIII. After seeing one pair of the shoes up-close, I asked  Seandon to bring a few  pairs  for me to photograph for this story.

LVL XIII (pronounced Level 13) is a luxury shoe brand founded by Antonio Brown—a former accountant who worked for a luxury doll manufacturer, the Alexander Doll Company. LVL XIII represents a luxury lifestyle brand that specializes in high-end shoes that utilizing top grade leathers and exotic skins.

This unique collection of footwear has caught the attention of celebrities like musicians Chris Brown and Jason DeRulo, who wore a pair on Good Morning America, rappers Nas and Jim Jones, supermodel Tyson Beckford, and athletes like New York Knicks player J.R. Smith and Kroy Biermann of the Atlanta Falcons. Actors Nick Cannon, Tracey Morgan, Jason Sudeikis, Chris Tucker and Tristan Wilds have been seen in them too.

I tried on a pair and they made me feel like i should be on stage .... like a superstar. :)

for more info about the shoes you can contact Seandon at sean@lvlxiii.com. For shoe purchase online lvlxiii.com or carbonbazaar.com

.... BEAUTY IS DIVERSE.

Despite it being Black History Month and all the attention on the ny fashion week runways, little has changed. After crunching the numbers on 148 shows, it is reported that of 4,621 looks, only 985 were worn by models of color. That means that of all the models who walked this past week, 78.69% of them were white. While that number is slightly smaller than last season, it still hovers around 80 percent, which has been roughly the percentage of looks worn by white models for the past six seasons.

another low-blow was the March 2014 issue of Details Magazine featuring the top male models and no one of color was included. 

( no Tyson Beckford, Rob Evans, David Agbodji,Armando Cabral, or Corey Baptiste....)

 When i was  growing up in the 80's and 90's ELLE Magazine was my first choice when i could get  the money up to buy a fashion magazine. It was one of the few magazines that i could find that displayed a broad diverse beauty. they thought of its readers on a global scale.

What i don't understand is that its 2014 and we live in a global accessible world  and we are still fighting for diverse representation in the fashion world. Why is it so hard to see a broader representation of beauty? Back in the 80's and 90's ELLE Magazine did an excellent job of showcasing women of color instead of treating European standards of beauty like its the template of beauty. Back then diversity seemed effortless. Now it seems so deliberate and forced. 

I would love to see the industry showcase broader ideas of beauty in a seamless way that feels genuine.... WHY IS DIVERSITY SO HARD?

One of the must see fashion shows during New York fashion week back in 1995 was Todd Oldham. He was notorious for featuring a variety of the best models and they were a diverse mix that didn't seem forced. They looked like  the  graduating class of the most beautiful women in the world.

also check out fashion designer Azzedine Alaia who has always showcased diverse beauty.......

"AZZEDINE ALAIA" BY ELLEN VON UNWERTH from Diane Pernet's ASVOFF on Vimeo.