Glamazon favorite, Letoya Luckett, has something new to celebrate. The R&B singer was just named the spokesperson for Luster's Smooth Touch product line and celebrated Wednesday night in the city with a chic soiree via Jonesmag.com.
Check out the box below - don't you love it? (She's obviously my fave DC member ;).
Wearing Nicole Miller and Christian Louboutin, the beautiful singer partied it up all night while guests, including Keyshia Knight-Pulliam danced to the hottest tunes out spun by DJ Beverly Bond and walked away with product giveaways and stocked swag bags.
Scroll down for pics and Luckett's fab impromptu shoot at the ESSENCE office earlier this week, and click here to read about Letoya's fave products and news on her upcoming album:
Work those red shoes, girl! What do you think of Letoya Luckett's new endorsement deal? Was she the right pick for the brand?
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 HowardUniversity 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.
Working at The Magazine, Ferocia and I come face-to-face with some of the smartest, brightest stars in the Fashion and Beauty industry. Once they inevitably succeed, you have the pleasure of having been a witness to their triumphant journey to the top. A.J. Crimson is one of those people.
At a young age, he's already accomplished what beauty industry-hopefuls dream of: He's a makeup artist for celebrities like Estelle, Fergie, Amerie and Letoya Luckett. He's worked on Vogue photo shoots like "A Brief Encounter," the fashion spread featuring Diddy. He is the co-founder of lip gloss line, Kissable Couture, with Forest Whitaker's wife, Keisha.And he recently directed his first video, Letoya Luckett's "Good To You." Oh and he can tear up a dance floor better than any man I've ever met!
For our ten-minute interview column, the beauty God opened up to me about working for Pat McGrath, partying at the Armani club in Milan and what it takes to get ahead in this business.
Coutura: First, thank you so much for speaking with us! You have the dream job every make-up artist wishes they had. Walk us through a typical workday in the life of the fabulous A.J. Crimson. A.J.: I normally wake up at about 6am, begin sending and checking emails, and organize my thoughts for the day. Especially if it’s a day where I know I’ll be on set. It’s staying in touch with my office all day through my crackberry. Lol! My laptop is always on standby for use when I’m on breaks. I try to take a meeting about my projects at least once or twice a week.
Coutura: Busy bee. Working in beauty is not easy, but it certainly is rewarding. When did you realize you wanted to work in this industry? How did you get your start?
A.J.: I think I have always had an eye for beautiful things, so my entry into the industry was effortless. It wasn't until I landed in Los Angeles that I really began to carve a niche for myself.
Coutura: Eventually you landed a job working with the legendary Pat McGrath! What was it like working for her?
A.J.: It was a surreal moment. The time spent wasn't long enough. I recall it was my first trip to Paris. I was living in Vienna when I got the call from my American agent asking if I could get there, Pat had a space for me. I didn't think I would make it on time so I almost didn't go. But I couldn't stand to think "what if"... so I just went with the mindset that on time or late I will get there. I will do a great job and will not be turned away. I ended up getting to Paris early, worked the Christian Dior fashion show, and got booked for 6 other shows that week.
Coutura: I commend how you were able to seize the moment! That mindset paid off. What advice would you give to up-and-coming beauty industry hopefuls on breaking in the business?
A.J.: Make your own breaks; never let your expendables get in the way of your dreams. Be careful how you use the word “reality.” Reality is what you make it!
Coutura: You've certainly made your dreams a reality. You are the youngest founder and designer of a luxury cosmetics line EVER with Kissable Couture, your lip gloss line with Keisha Whitaker. That's a huge accomplishment. Do you see any other beauty product lines in the future? Makeup? Lotion? Etc.
A.J.: Thank you. And yes, I'm currently developing [BeautyStatements]by ajcrimson.
Coutura: Keep us posted. I'm sure [BeautyStatements] will be as phenomenal as Kissable Couture. By the way, my fave shade is ELUSIVE, so sexy! What lip gloss colors from Kissable Couture will be hot for Spring?
A.J.: Our new shade GLAMOUR which is an exclusive for QVC. Available on Friday April 16th at 7pm!
Coutura: What are a few of your favorite beauty trends from the Fall 2010 runway?
A.J.: Color, Color, Color! The liner and definitely the bold lips.
Coutura: Name three beauty products you can't live without.
A.J.: Nutura Bisse - The Cure, Nivea- body lotion, Embryolisse. I love moisturizers!! Coutura: What are three beauty tricks of the trade you can share with us?
A.J.: 1) I love to add moisturizer to foundation for a great light spring summer foundation.
2) Use a wedge sponge placed behind the eye lash against the lid when applying mascara. This helps prevent ruining eye makeup.
3) Give dull eye shadow more pop! Lightly wet the tip of your brush swirl in eye shadow and apply!
Coutura: Great tips! Besides taking over the beauty industry, you recently directed your first music video, "Good to Me" by Letoya Luckett. Congrats! What was that experience like? [Ed Note: Scroll down to see the video.]
A.J.: Thank you! OMG I loved directing Letoya in this video. I thought I would be nervous but I wasn't. It’s just like working on one of my photo shoots that I produce. I know what I want when I see it. I have to get the shot in a certain time frame so the pressure is always on. The editing process was longer, but I loved seeing the possibilities. It was awesome! I love Letoya and everyone at MBK for giving me the opportunity. I'm really happy that Letoya’s fans LOVED IT!
Coutura: I am a huge Letoya fan and thought the video was so cool! What is your favorite music video of all time?
A.J.: Well I don’t know that I have a favorite video of ALL time, but I really liked Madonna’s – “Vogue.”This was just a great video in the 90's. It was just a different video. The quality was crisp and I loved the black and white concept. The song was so alluring!
Coutura: Vogue is, and forever will be, a classic. Lol. What do you think of Madonna's heir, Lady Gaga video, Telephone? And by the way, I'm in love with Estelle's video, Freak!
A.J.: I love Gaga and the creativity of the video. I love that she pushes the boundaries, even if sometimes it is way overboard. But that’s why we keep watching and that’s what makes her great. I saw so many great references in this video. She raised the bar for music video quality, anticipation, and delivery. Everyone I know was waiting at 12:30am to see this video and was talking about it the next day. Whether they liked her or not!
I had the best fun working on “Freak.” I was able to paint Estelle in full on body paint. Artists don’t usually have the opportunity to do that. We did gold glitter lips and painted a mask on the dancers. It was one of the most visual videos I have worked on with an artist. We were able to have fun and get dirty!
Coutura: Speaking of having fun and getting dirty, I love that you're a bicoastal social butterfly, hanging out in NYC and LA. What are your favorite restaurants/clubs in both cities?
A.J.: I love Soho house in New York in the summer. I also LOVE Juliet for dinner, Chef Kyle Williams is amazing! For breakfast I can’t get enough of Mikes in Brooklyn. My favorite club in New York, I would have to say I spend many nights at GreenHouse. SL is going to be popping this summer! Maybe I’ll make a cameo when the weather is better. I really wish I could just fly to Milan every weekend and go to the Armani club. I have so much fun every time I go!
As for LA, brunch at the four seasons is a must and they have the best waffles. For dinner, I would have to say Katsuya. I love their version of Chinese chicken salad clubs. I have to be honest; I really don’t go to clubs in LA. After you've been to a NY party or one in London, Paris, or Milan, there is no point. LA is my place to relax, have fun with friends, and enjoy a private party in the hills, which are always invite only so start building those relationships. Lol!
Coutura: LOL! So celebrity clients. A music video. A successful luxury cosmetic line... and it still feels like your career has just begun! What's next for AJ Crimson?
A.J.: I'll be hosting makeup classes - April 24th in NYC, April 25th in Philadelphia, May 1st in DC, and May 2nd in ATL. I am also working on my book and will continue to work on my blog!
Give the gift of beauty this season with luscious lip gloss!
Whether you're surprising your beauty-addict best friend/girlfriend or treating yourself to something fabulous, Kissable Couture's new Smooches II set is a holiday beauty must-have!
Founded by Keisha Whitaker (Forest Whitaker's wife) and beauty god, A.J. Crimson (responsible for Letoya Luckett's fab purple lips in her lastest video, "Regrets," - see above, I'm obsessed!), Kissable Couture delivers the best in beauty trends---and Smooches II is no exception.
All the trends of the season, from purple (perfect for holiday parties) to shimmery gold (perfect for, ahem, under the mistletoe), are available in this must-have set.
And guess what? DISCOUNT ALERT! Glamazon readers can snag this irrestible set at an exclusive discount - 25% off!
Use discount code: Glamazons at www.kissablecouture.com while supplies last.
Consider it our gift to you. =)
Check out the kissable set below, which includes: Elusive, David, Solstice, Awakening and Tyler.
Oh and the purple lip A.J. Crimson did on Letoya Luckett was sooo GLAM I included her latest video, "Regrets." (I love the song too!) Check it out!
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