A Day in the Life: Ford Fiesta "Inspired by Color" Competition with Constance White and Letoya Luckett

As a Jersey girl (who escapes to Miami often for vacation), I know the importance of a fabulous car! When I'm away from New York, my car becomes my accessory.

And never have I been so obsessed with a car until the Ford Fiesta. It's so cute---it feels tailor-made for me and my funky fashion sense. It comes in fab colors like yellow blaze to red candy metallic, which are super fun and stylish.

It's definitely the car I could see my friends and I hopping out of to head to the mall, the club, a restaurant, etc. And it's chic inside and out with cross-stitched interior to complement the bold exterior color.

But that's only the beginning. First, the Ford Fiesta is fuel-efficient, featuring a projected best-in-class highway fuel economy of 40 mpg.

Secondly, it has a feature that automatically syncs your IPOD to the radio, a class-exclusive push button start and a voice-activated, hands-free communications and entertainment system. Yes, the twenty-first century! You can control all of the following features in the car with your voice alone:

- Hands-free Calling

- Turn-by-Turn Directions

- 911 Assist™

- Music Search

- Vehicle Health Report

- Personalized Daily Info

- Business Search

- Real-time Traffic

- Audible Text Messages

Pretty cool, right?

To mark the launch of the first fashion-forward ride, Ford Fiesta invited yours truly to D.C. for "Inspired by Color," a competition to find a young, eclectic, cool college student to be one of five spokespeople for the car.

And boy, was it an adventure! Besides chopping it up with the amazing contestants (one of whom is charismatic, gorgeous and shops vintage, totally my favorite!), I was able to meet and interview three of my heroes, designer Mychael Knight and judges, style expert, Constance White and R&B sensation, Letoya Luckett! It was like the car version of American Idol!

Here's what Shawn Lollie, Ford Multicultural Marketing Manager, had to say about the competition, which challenged people to use their own personal style to connect with the colors and distinct features of the new Fiesta. 

"Our goal was to create a unique program that truly embodied the spirit of the Fiesta. The Fiesta has an expressive, vibrant design and we wanted to tap into those style attributes in a way that was relevant to our target audience while engaging them using platforms that are very much a part of their everyday lives."

Out of the 150 people that turned out for the casting call at Howard University in Washington, D.C, dressed in a Fiesta-inspired way, only five were chosen (three of which were my personal favorites!). Those five fashion-forward winners (below) now appear in the new television ad for Ford's all-new small car. Sounds like a dream, right? It was for them. 

The five fabulous winners!

One of the winners, Echoe with my favorite car

The Grand Prize Winner, Esosa

I was so happy to be a part of the process (which was like watching a reality competition before your eyes) from meeting the judges to chatting with my fave contestants. 

For the first part of the competition, hopefuls consulted Memsor Kamarake, an amazing stylist who was formerly Fashion Director of Vibe, for style advice. Memsor would add final touches to make their outfit look as polished and fashion-forward as possible in front of the judges.

Then, contestants would take part in a photo shoot and interview to showcase how they were inspired by the fashion-forward, fuel-efficient Ford Fiesta.

Then it was time to meet the judges. Check out my video interviews with two of the judges, eBay Style Director, Constance White, and R&B sensation, Letoya Luckett, below: 

Letoya Luckett

Constance White

How cool is "Inspired by Color" and the Ford Fiesta? For more, check out Vibe Magazine for a tie-in associated with the car that will run in print. Also, the car will be featured on BET's new fab show, The Travelista's! The lifestyle traveling duo will drive a 2011 Ford Fiesta as part of a custom webisode airing on www.bet.com. For additional info, visit www.fordurban.com.

Kisses,

Coutura

Photos Courtesy of Ford and The Urban Gentleman

A Day in My Life: Why Did I Get Married Too Premiere with Janet Jackson and Tyler Perry

Partying with Janet Jackson! Catching the movie with Maya Angelou! Sitting near Cicely Tyson! I've had quite the night, Glamazons, due to the star-studded Why Did I Get Married Too premiere that took place in NYC yesterday.

Despite the dreary, rainy NYC weather, the glitterati came out in sequined and sheer frocks, crisp suits, blazers and fitted caps (yes, Tyler Perry wore a blue Yankee cap and I love him for it) to celebrate the film. I wore a military jacket, my Jimmy Choo for H&M necklace, a black ruffled dress, a chain Chanel purse and leopard print boots. Fierce!

Here's me in the cab with the glamazing Jeannine Amber, who works at ESSENCE Magazine. Sidenote: I died inside when she, and another editor who I admire, said they thought I was a great writer! So sweet =)

When I arrived, I was pleased to learn I was sitting in the forth row, next to my girlfriend, Candice Frederick, who has a fab movie blog you have to check out, Reel Talk. Click the link for an awesome review she did of the film.

Here's a shot of Tyler speaking before the film from my seat.

I was honored to be in a room with such legends as Maya Angelou, Cicely Tyson and Janet Jackson, as well as luminaries like Al Sharpton, Tasha Smith, Sharon Leal, Malik Yoba, Lamman Rucker, Gayle King, Jessica White, Lynn Whitfield, Blind Side actor, Quentin Aaron, Ashford and Simpson, Fabolous, Ice-T and Coco and more. And everyone looked ravishing! Here are pics from the red carpet:

Love the Yankee cap and blazer look on Tyler! P.S. His journey from homeless man to one-man empire is an endless source of inspiration for me.

Janet Jackson brought along her sister, Rebbie, to see what is arguably her best acting performance to date!

Is it me or does Jill Scott look glamazing?! Her dress accentuated her curves perfectly. And I live for that hair and told her as much at the afterparty.

Tasha Smith wore a red sequined one-shoulder number that was everything! She steals every scene she's in, and looks even more beautiful in person (what is her fitness plan? I need it for Spring)

The legendary Cicely Tyson was amazing in the film. So honored to be in her presence! 

The boys of the film, Malik Yoba, Richard T. Jones and Richard Jai White plus producer Roger Bobb

Boys being boys! Lamman Rucker and Richard T. Jones joking around on the red carpet

The legendary Ashford and Simpson showed up in all their black and leopard print glory

Lamman Rucker. Yum.

The gorgeous Sharon Leal in a lovely nude, sheer and embroidered one-shoulder frock.

Jessica White, what is this? Did you get out of bed and go straight to the premiere? And get your lingerie ripped in a cat fight on the way? I cannot.

The lovely Gayle King.

Fabolous made an appearance on the red carpet.

Terri Vaughn showed her support. I told her at the bar how much my Dad and I love her character on the Steve Harvey show. She's a riot!

The Blind Side's Quentin Aaron meets Ice T's Coco

The movie was just as exciting as the red carpet! I won't give away too much except to say it was an emotional rollercoaster, vacillating between bouts of laughter (Tasha Smith is hilar!) and moving dramatic scenes (Janet Jackson's performance is epic!). Prepare for plenty of twists and turns, new famous faces (like Cicely Tyson!) and an event that changes all of their lives forever. Click here for a full review.

It was such a great experience to watch the film with the director, writer and producer, Tyler Perry, and the actors and actresses that starred in it. We clapped to show our appreciation for emotionally-charged scenes, hilarious lines and even Tasha Smith's amazing bikini bod.

At the afterparty at the Bowery hotel, I made sure to tell them each how proud I was of their performance. Well, everyone except Janet Jackson.

For her, I was truly starstruck. (I'm a Janet Jackson fanatic. I can do the Pleasure Principle dance with my eyes closed and The Velvet Rope is one of my fave albums of all time!) And the fact that they were playing the Jackson Five in the background made it all so surreal.

I was barely breathing when she squeezed past me in VIP, which says a lot because it's hard for me to get starstruck. (The only other people who could move me are a reincarnated Michael Jackson, Oprah and Stevie Wonder...the latter two, I already met. Does this mean I'm jaded?)

I nearly fainted when Janet agreed to pose for a picture. Unfortunately, I hesitated and was immediately bumrushed and elbowed by photogs from every direction! Sideeye. See the pic I was able to get of Janet Jackson and the Why Did I Get Married Too crew (Tasha Smith and Michael Jai White) below in the VIP section.

While sipping Chardonnay from the open bar, and going in on chocolate brownies, I chopped it up with Jill Scott, who was rocking the coolest hairstyle, Lamman Rucker, who is even finer in person and remembered me from when we met at The Magazine (This clearly made my night!) and Mikki Taylor, who chatted with me about her exciting plans following her retirement after thirty years at ESSENCE Magazine.

What a fabulous night! Be sure to check out the film when it debuts on April 2nd and comment here to tell me what you think.

In the meantime, here's the trailer. Enjoy!



Kisses,

Coutura

A Day in the Life: Elle Magazine and MTV's The City, Sonia Rykiel pour H&M with Chanel Iman

Hey Glamazons!

What a night. Ferocia and I are already tired and New York Fashion Week hasn't even started yet. The reason behind our sleep deprivation? A string of fabulous launches and parties that took place in the city yesterday evening, from the Guess by Marciano and Elle Magazine event to the Sonia Rykiel pour H&M knitwear launch.

Dressed in my Topshop military jacket, leggings and studded boots, I met up with Ferocia (in a cute ruffle top) at Sephora on Fifth Avenue to check out the limited edition Stella McCartney Stella perfume necklace (the perfect VDay gift! Ferocia will give you more on that later). After chatting with the fab PR rep and spraying on Stella (which smells amazing), we prepared to traipse through the NYC cold downtown for the Elle Magazine event.

Held at the Guess by Marciano store in Soho, the party drew out the glitteratti of the New York social scene. A handsome crowd of editors, bloggers, socialites and tastemakers mingled and sipped delicious cocktails (served by equally delicious and handsome waiters).

After breezing past the line, Ferocia and I walked inside and right into a taping of MTV's "The City." The MTV filming crew surrounded a gorgeous, fresh-faced Whitney Port (is she really that tall or am I really short?), her friend Roxy and...the sole reason I watch the show--Elle Magazine Creative Director, Joe Zee. I've followed Joe Zee's career for ages and think he's as talented as he is adorable. We took a picture together above. Don't you just want to squeeze his cheeks?

While MTV filmed, Ferocia and I made the rounds, running into some of our friends from POSHGLAM, MTV and Elle Magazine---and fans of the blog who we were so excited to meet! (P.S. if you ever see us out and about, please don't be scared to say Hi! We love to see the faces behind the comments).

Check out our pic with one of our fave publicists, Laura Hinds and Shaun Harrison of MTV. Yes, if you work in entertainment, wearing black is a requirement, lol. Fun times!

Next, we hopped into a cab and ventured to the Sonia Rykiel pour H&M knitwear launch. Held at Bobo, a swanky venue downtown, the party had a posh, Parisian vibe with dark, moody lighting and an intimate, well-dressed crowd. The party was hosted by Rykiel's daughter, Nathalie and celeb guests like Michelle Williams, Amanda Hearst and Leighton Meister and Kelly Rutherford of CW's Gossip Girl came out to show support.

Though I gave the knitwear a glowing Glamazon review last month, I found it to be even more chic, vibrant and wearable in person. I've got my eye on that pale pink sweater dress - very sexy sophisticate.

After seeing the clothes, we headed downstairs to check out a casually-dressed Chanel Iman spinning the tunes from Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" to Cheryl Lynn's "To Be Real." With her boyfriend by her side, she kept people moving nonstop on the dance floor (maybe a new Solange-esque side hustle is in her future?).

Though we could have danced all night long, Ferocia had a editor event for Salvatore Ferragamo's new Women's fragrance this morning, and I had an interview scheduled with Marc Bouwer (the talent behind the dress Beyonce wore to the Heat launch party) this afternoon. Not to mention, that we're storing up all the sleep we can before the runway shows start.

Still, it was a fabulous night totally worth the cold...and the perfect way to start what promises to be a fun-filled Fashion Week!

Kisses,

Coutura

Anna Wintour, Kelly Cutrone and Why Bitches Will Never Go Out of Style

Hey Glamazons!


Yesterday marked the debut of Kelly Cutrone's new Bravo show, Kell on Earth and today marks the launch of her new book, "If You Have To Cry, Go Outside...And Other Things Your Mother Never Told You." Her character, made famous on MTV's The City, is a melange of qualities made for TV stardom: she's a certified bitch, reminiscent of Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada and yet, she can be a kind and nurturing mentor as seen in her interactions with Whitney Port. 


With Cutrone as the star, the show promises to be full of bitchy, power struggles between cold, dehumanized bosses and hurried-looking assistants struggling with depression, insanity and bad hair days. Peppered with celeb sightings and New York Fashion Week shows, it's sure to be another addictive Bravo hit.


But it highlights a deeper issue I've faced several times in my career.


If pushed to the limit, I can certainly be a bitch. Exhibit A: If you mess with my siblings, I turn into a tiger with an insatiable desire to beat you into submission (not physically, but you know what I mean). But in general, I'm a friendly, warm, even giggly person.


I like to have fun and get along with people---and my work ethic is very much internally-driven (and kind of psychotic, I would stay at the office until the wee hours night after night) so bitching at me won't make me work any more diligently or effectively. It will only make me resent you. And me being bitchy, when unprovoked, just doesn't come off real (imagine Beyonce trying to curse, something to that effect).


My boss at The Magazine blamed my aversion to 'bitchiness' as a sign of my naiveté. A legend in the the industry, she had worked in Fashion for years at every major publication in the business. She'd styled every celeb from the latest 'It' Girl on the cover of Elle to the old Hollywood royalty that grace the pages of Vogue. She had every photographer worth his weight in film on speed dial. And according to her, she didn't get there by being nice.


Our theories clashed one day when I was fulfilling a last minute request to get robes for a celebrity to be featured on the cover. I had already called in robes and gotten them cleaned, but this celebrity only wore Tommy Hilfiger, a delightful little detail the production team discovered and shared with me the day before the shoot.


So like any trained journalist, I put the harassing skills I learned at my town newspaper to use. I started calling and emailing incessantly to get the robe to our office by 5pm to be sent to LA, which means the messenger would have to pick it up on a rush by atleast 4pm. The Tommy PR guy, who I adore fondly, was doing everything he could to get the particular robe to my office, including calling stores to borrow it (since it wasn't in the showroom). But when I gave my boss an update, she didn't think he was moving fast enough.


She told me to send him an email demanding that we get the Tommy Hilfiger robe right away or all hell (a la Kell on Earth) would break lose. Ugh...okay. I channeled my inner bitch and sent him a message that relayed the urgency and inadvertently, my desperation. I copied my boss, pressed send and proceeded to get back to panicking.


Ten seconds later, literally, my boss calls me in her office. The production manager is there, too. She tells me to sit down and close the door. She folds her arms. Her eyes are glaring and the air in the room is suddenly thick. My mind is racing. Did I remember to pack extra garment bags? Pick up the Ralph Lauren? Give her layout instructions to the Art Director? Order flowers for the Gucci PR Coordinator that just had a baby? I'm near panic attack when she finally begins her rant.


And it's about...my email?


For ten minutes, my boss, who curses out at the minimum one person per day, chastises me about my use of the phrases like "please," "I would appreciate," and "as soon as humanly possible." (According to her, the appropriate word was "NOW!") That was not the way to get ahead in this business and thank God she was there to teach me that now. The production manager, who had become a pseudo-celebrity working in the industry since the 1960's, agreed wholeheartedly. I couldn't have been more confused.


Fast-forward to another job I did writing for a TV show. On Day One, I have the quintessential eager beaver attitude of a new worker, introducing myself to everyone, engaging in small talk and connecting over shared loves of Karl Lagerfeld, Law and Order: SVU and Cold Stone ice cream. And then, I meet my boss. She seems totally normal at first. Long legs, beautiful, silky hair, a cheery voice and a razor-sharp mouth. She likes my writing style and energy and it seems like we are definitely going to hit it off. And then she pulls me to the side and tells me, "Don't take it personal if I say or do bitchy things to you. I'm not evil, just serious about my work."


Well, fortunately for her, I've dealt with a string of bitches in my fashion career and totally know not to take it personal (or rather, respond professionally and firmly and then cry privately in the bathroom). So it wasn't her command that bothered me. It was the tone. She said it as casually as her request to always respond rapidly to the PR people. As if handling her bitchiness in the right manner was simply a job requirement.


So I started thinking about my new boss, my old boss and Tommy Hilfiger-gate...about Anna Wintour, Nina Garcia and Kelly Cutrone....and about how there are few, successful women in this industry who aren't widely regarded as bitches...and I wondered, do we need to be bitches to be successful?


Fashionistas, Beauty Girls and working women in general, what do you think? Fellas, do you have to be tough to be taken seriously? Discuss.


Kisses,


Coutura

A Day in the Life: I Heart Ronson for JCPenney Summer BBQ Bash

Hey Glamazons!

As soon as I got the invite for the I Heart Ronson BBQ at the Piers, I knew I couldn't miss the event! Of all the JCPenney lines (including Fabulosity), I Heart Ronson is the most meticulously executed and expertly designed. On August 20th, I had the pleasure of attending the star-studded event with Beautylicious and Michel (who both have amazing blogs you should absolutely check out) and it was as fun as I expected.

We thoroughly enjoyed the music, which included a performance by Mark Ronson, the free drinks, the It-girl celeb sightings (Alexa Chung, Hillary Duff, Mischa Barton, Zoe Kravitz (who I adore!)) and the beautiful view of the Hudson river. The food left something to be desired but who cares when you're bbqing on a pink I Heart Ronson grill? Exactly.

Zoe Kravitz looking adorable as usual!

The Ronson family - too cute!

The socialite du jour Genevieve Jones was there.

Mischa Barton made an appearance in a black and pink floral ensemble.

It-Brit girl Alexa Chung showed up to the festivities.


Yours truly having a glass of wine overlooking the Hudson.

They even had a closet for editors where you got to choose one piece from the Fall collection. I snagged the paisley print dress and Beautylicious scored a chic, boyfriend striped cardigan (see both in the first image below). Can't wait to wear it during Fashion Week! The whole collection is amazing---sophisticated, effortless chic with a vintage feel. Check out the rest of the Fall 2009 looks, available at select JCPenney's stores for next to nothing (seriously, the price range is $15-$72).










Kisses,

Coutura


Photos: Starpulse.com. Nitrolicioius.com.

A Day in the Life: Vogue September Issue Premiere

Hey Glamazons!

Just in time for Fashion Week, The September Issue, premiered last night at the MOMA museum in NYC. The documentary followed Vogue for nine months as they created the September 2007 issue, which sold 13 million copies and weighed in at 2 kilograms. Whoa. As every magazine junkie knows, the September issue is the single, most important issue of the year for fashion books. And as fashion books go, Vogue is the bible.

I'm always curious to compare the behind-the-scenes chaos at other magazines to ours as the closing of any issue---especially September---finds me sleep-deprived, depressed, hungry, drained and lifeless. I'm sure they'll be plenty of insider magazine moments that relate to my everyday existence from nerve-racking, finger-biting meetings with the editor-in-chief to celebrity tantrums and breakdowns on photo shoots. Rumor has it there's a lot of tension between Anna Wintour and Vogue stylist and former model, Grace Coddington (who reportedly argue about whether the photographer's stomach (below) needs retouching; aren't the sickly thin models enough?!).


Critics promise that's it's filled with more drama and controversy than "The Devil Wears Prada." Can't wait to see it! A who's who of the fashion industry saw the film yesterday at the star-studded premiere and naturally, they were dressed to the nines. On the guestlist? Fashion royalty Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Phillip Lim, Rachel Roy, Tory Burch, Zac Posen, Jason Wu and Vera Wang. Celebs Chanel Iman (and boo), Renée Zellweger, Sienna Miller, Cassie, Diddy and Diddy's car.

Check out the red carpet pics below and let me know if you're planning to see the film when it opens in NYC on August 28th and everywhere else September 11th.

Queen Anna Wintour hit the red carpet with Sienna Miller wearing a Thakoon dress

Renée Zellweger looked sickly in Carolina Herrera.

Fashion gods, Carolina Herrera and Oscar de la Renta

Rachel Roy always looks so regal and radiant. And love that Michael Kors statement, chain-link necklace.

A newly blond Jessica White. What do you think of the hair color? Not a fan. The bandage
shoes are glam though (Just bought a pair of Manolos like it I can't wait to rock during Fashion Week!!)

Diddy being very divo on his car - he knows how to make an entrance.

Chanel Iman looks every bit fashion goddess in a Versace mini (and loving the neon heel on those sandals). She brought her boyfriend along - so cute!

Diddy, Cassie and the adorable Zac Posen, whose fashion show made my life last season.

Yes! Cassie is winning these days! The black jumpsuit with plunging neckline and killer pumps are

so tough-luxe! The neon pink nails add the perfect, feminine touch. Love it!

Still don't know how to feel about that cut though...it just looks odd.

Kisses,

Coutura

Photos: Vogue.com. Concreteloop.com.