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VAGRANTEditor-In-Chief

Tomik Dashtdash@vagrantmag.com

Contributing PhotographersJosh Geyer

Ahmad Barber

Graphic DesignAhmad Barber

VAGRANT is looking for creative people for future projects. Writers, photographers, hairstylists, wardrobe stylists, and MUA’s inter-

ested in being involved in creative endeavors, please send writing samples or portfolios to info@vagrantmag.com

Photographers with editorial submissions please contact

submissions@vagrantmag.com

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Make Way for the Golden Child!

14 LURE

18EMERGING FROM THE SHADOWS

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RAW

PRINTBLOCKING

FASHION'S FUTURE

DESIGNER PROFILES

The change in the foliage, the leaves that crunch under your feet, the breeze without the humidity, and of course the many Fashion Week’s that kick off all over the globe… What isn’t there to like about September? As we launch into the fall we bring with us the excitement that comes with fall fashion. I don’t know about you, but I always have so more fun getting dressed when I get the opportunity to layer and drape things in as many ways as possible. Hell, I’ve already started shopping for my boots! VAGRANT is carrying that same excitement over into this issue with trend reports that will let you know what direction some of your favorite designers are steering you in for the coming months. Also, although Fashion Week is just about to begin in New York, we just finished ours here in Atlanta, and VAGRANT writer Christopher J. Morris brings you a report from the front lines on how it went and where he thinks our local industry is headed.v You’ll also have to check out the photo shoots that we’ve chosen to highlight in this issue. Our readers asked for it, so we gave it to you. Men! Our cover shoot, by photographer Josh Geyer corresponds to our event that we are holding for Fashion’s Night Out…”Raw”. In the same way that VAGRANT keeps you ahead of what’s happening in art, music, and fashion, our event is going to bring it to you live. We’ll be having an art exhibition, live performances, and of course runway shows from the crème de la crème of Atlanta’s creative talent pool. We couldn’t ask to be moving in a much better direction that we are at this very moment. Hope you enjoy!

Tomik DashEditor-In-Chief

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Natalie GurleyLevi SamplesStacy HarveyThree FM Photography (Neisha)Thema GravesDrew OrtizBerry MilesJalia ArmstrongRebecca ShapiroFashionablemags.comNadine HardyRebecca Parker

MeMo J AtlantaTracey FortuneTim Michael ScottDeelite PhotographyDavid RichardsonDaniel HallShanita SimsRobert PlessDenise BleyAfriyie PokuMichael Elliot

VAGRANT Magazine would like to offer a special thanks to the

following people who helped make the increased forward momentum of

this publication possible through Project VAGRANT.

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A tall order of southern charm from a young gentleman born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia is what you get upon meeting Rahbi. His pleasant and enchanting personality is like his offbeat attire and undefinable music. His album “Golden Child” isn’t just an album, but an entire com-plex concept that reaches far beyond the simplistic formulas of current music trends.

Q: After hearing your music I definitely see the comparisons to Rick James, Prince, even Cameo and Klymaxx. Do you feel pressure to perform or stay in the realm of the legends you’ve been compared to?

I think the pressure would come if I was focused on trying to be those artists, but I can only be me and that’s what I focus on. I focus on what makes Rahbi feel good and happy. And I think naturally the comparisons are made because all of it is just energy that continues to evolve and revolve. The common thread of all of us to me is that we all have strong desire, sexual energy, and we keep it funky. So there is no choice but for those comparisons to happen, but we do all have our own special things that make us distinctive.

Q: Your music seems to encompass everything from art to fashion. Where do you draw your inspiration from?

I pay attention to everything I see, taste, touch, feel, smell… but one of my biggest inspirations to me is musical theater. In musical theater the idea comes first, from that idea you have to cast the perfect actress, costume, music… so my songs are ideas first and everything else comes in after that idea is formed. I come from a theatre company that put on original musicals so that’s how I was introduced to theatre. “A Township Is Calling” was done by Freddy Hendrix Youth Ensemble of Atlanta is one of my favorites. Freddy was so instrumental in my career. I would not even be writing my own songs if it weren’t for Freddy. In the theatre company we had to create everything ourselves.

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Q: The title of your album is ingenious. What is a golden child and how do you birth one?

Everyone is a golden child but everyone doesn’t know it. The first trimester is called “fun”. It represents the freeness. In the beginning of life everything is carefree. You’re smoking, drinking, having sex, and nothing is wrong with that because it’s all a part of growth. But there is something wrong with it when it’s done irresponsibly. Part 2 is “conception/deception”. This is where you learn that some of that “fun” wasn’t neces-sarily healthy for you, and from that is a conception of a new life that is going to take form. From those situations you figure out your purpose, whatever it may be. You find yourself in themes. Part three, “Hello World”, is the rebirth of you. I am not saying I’m the chosen one, I’m saying we all are the chosen ones and when you get in line and find your balance everything falls into place.

Q: Your sound and even presentation of your music is so different from mainstream music. Do you ever feel the need to become more streamlined?

Each trimester has its own feel. I think that people will be surprised with what they hear. Trimester one is a lot of what they’ve heard before. Whatever they are looking for whether its r&b or classical they will find it somewhere on the albums.

Q: What is the prince of the “playground”?

A lot of people don’t know that I am also an afterschool teacher. I work with 3rd-5th graders and I teach musical theatre. The concept actually came from me being on the playground with the kids and I saw that they were so creative. You couldn’t tell them that they weren’t kings and queens or battling with swords because in their minds all of it was true. So I feel that on the playground is where creativity peaks. We all have that power, but we lose it when we get older and are introduced to other people’s ideas of what they think. I’ve found if you just hold on to that creativity that we once had as children on the playground, everything will be lovely and we will keep that freedom. That’s why people say Rahbi is “a big ol’ kid”! I definitely don’t want to lose that.

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I’m one of those ridiculously superstitious people who believe in all kinds of omens, includ-ing the ones that they make up, and so when I heard that Lure (of the Fifth Group) was opening on my birthday, I knew it was going to be a good sign. I feel like the two key components of a good birthday are good drinks and really good food, and Lure really didn’t disappoint.

They’re one of the few places in Atlanta (and the only true Western restaurant) to fea-ture shochu prominently in their drink list. For those unfamiliar with the Japanese distilled beverage, it’s the most similar to vodka. I have a few personal issues with shochu (being Korean and all - soju was first!), but that’s all for another day.

I decided not to opt for a cocktail and instead went with a prosecco they had on tap. (What? Prosecco on tap? It’s a recipe for disaster, a beautiful disaster.)

As for the menu, I feel like one of Lure’s strong points is the shared plate menu. Though I’m aware that plate sharing isn’t something that’s necessarily embraced by American (or much of the western hemisphere), it’s straight up my alley. I love the opportunity to taste all points of the menu without having to consume the contents of each plate. With items like shrimp scampi and scallops (both items ordered), this menu is truly ideal for groups who are comfortable enough to share.

But hands down, my favorite dish of the night was the Georgia rainbow trout (with head attached). The only times I’ve ever been served a fish with head in tact is at a Korean restaurant in which my family members and I have to fight over who gets the head. For those of you who have been so blissfully unaware, the fish head is the tastiest part of the fish. (This is not up for debate. Seriously. I will have to duel you if you disagree. And the fish head is going to give me the virility to beat you.) It’s so easy to over-salt a fish like this at restaurants, and I was so happy to discover that Lure didn’t go overboard.

The only part of the menu that I felt was a bit bland was the dessert menu. The offerings were quite traditional (brownie sundae, various types of ice cream, cheese plate, etc.) and noth-ing really stood out to me. While the blueberry cream pie was good, I was more impressed with the meal itself, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

1106 Crescent Ave.(404) 817-3650http://lure-atlanta.com5:30pm - 10:00pm (dinner only, for the time being)

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PHOTOGRAPHY: AHMAD BARBERMODEL: IANSTYLING: DEMANTI BRYANT

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PHOTOGRAPHY: Josh GeyerStylist: Tomik DashModel: Mitchell Robinson of Click Models of Atlanta

By: Tomik Dash

This past February I went to New York Fashion Week to view the Fall/Winter 2012 collections, and in my spare time, I stayed at my laptop to follow the shows that occurred later in London, Milan, and Paris. I noticed so many exciting new trends and have been anticipating September’s arrival so that I could share them with everyone. The one trend

that caught my eye most was the heavy use of prints. Tribals, geometrics, florals, and many other types of prints dominated the runways in a major way, and in my opinion this trend could not be any more welcome. Mainly because I am so sick of hearing everyone still say how they are color blocking! It’s been 4 years since color blocking exploded

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on the forefront of fashion and it’s about time that we gave it a rest so that we can start hav-ing some fun in other areas.

People who have trouble deciphering how to duplicate runway trends at home often ask me, “Do you think that all of the things that you see in fashion shows can actually be worn in real life?” You have to remember, the runway is a production. When you take away, the hair, the makeup, the extreme accessories, and the size 0 model, you are left

with individual garments that can hang in your closet just like everything else that is in there already. You may not be the type of person to walk out of your door in a head-to-toe pat-terned suit. But the blazer and simple pair of pants might look exceptional on you! Remem-ber that you are watching a runway “show” and you really have to deconstruct everything that you see in order to figure out how it can make sense in everyday life.

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One of the more polished designers of his generation, Charles Lynch draws his inspiration from both architecture and art. “I love simple, chic, sexy, and body conscious clothing. I’ve always been an artist. I fell into fashion from drawing prom dresses and dif-ferent things for friends. I also love prints and patterns and mixing different textures. My clothing is designed for a specific type of woman; she loves to be sexy and loves to have fun. I design clothes from the way I would dress if I were a woman. It’s fifty percent me and fifty percent my client. Glamour! The glamour of fashion is everything to me. I love the contribution from the stylists, photographers, models, and designers. I see designers and stylists both as creators, designers just build a look from the ground up, and we construct the entire garment. Stylists just take things further.

For me what’s in this season is color and prints. I love so many things its hard to choose. But I love color, prints, and patterns. As much as I love glamour what’s out for women is the red bottom shoe. I love it, but its become too much of a standard right now. It’s gone beyond be-ing stylish, it’s become a necessity. Polo boots for men are also out. I really admire Vera Wang and Oscar De La Renta. I’ve always admired his classic take on American fashion and Vera Wang’s construction and use of fabrics. I feel like Stella McCartney is my celebrity competition. We’ve been on the same wavelength for the past few seasons now.

Producing a collection pleasantly reminiscent of Tom Ford’s fall 2012 offering, Charles found inspiration in the bond girls and his idol, the ever-fabulous Grace Jones.“I was really inspired by the movie A View to a Kill with Grace Jones and my love for the Bond movies. I wanted to take that element of sex and add black and neon’s with lots of leather.

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Though her entry into the industry was somewhat accidental, Anastasia Southwick found her the transition from culinary mastermind to out-spoken fashion designer very natural. Her chic yet comfortable design aesthetic puts her a step ahead.

“It was more of an accident. I signed up for cooking classes in school and ended up with design courses. I always knew that I could sew, but had no idea I would have a passion for design. All these hoochie-mama dresses are fine, but I want women to be comfortable. My stuff is very streamline but functional and comfortable. I’m inspired by a lot of music and lyrics. A collection I did for spring 2012 was inspired off of Trey Songz Ready album. I had woven pieces of silk and knee-length sheath dresses. You have a little sex in there but I’m focusing more on the silhouette.” Whether she’s creating a storm in the kitchen or meshing fashion and music on the runway, Anastasia creates excitement wherever she lands. Following her instinct more than the forecast of seasonal trends, she proves that you don’t have to follow the crowd to be relevant. “I don’t follow trends and I don’t look up what’s new in fashion.For me personally, my fashion addiction is shoes. Being a plus size woman I don’t always feel like trying on clothes, so I go for shoes. I have a closet full.

I’d like to see plus size clothing be more youthful. Stuff for plus size girls is so old looking. I want it to fit right and it should look current.I love Tom Ford. He’s the designer for me. He always knows what to do and how to do it. Its hard to design for men, its so limited. Its easier to be creative with women where as with men you have to be aware of the gap between gay and straight men. A straight man might not want to wear certain things. Tom is very versatile when it comes to men’s and women’s fashion.”

Her fall collection is no exception, as she puts together a strong offer-ing of pieces that are as fabulous as she is. “My collection incorporates a lot of industrialism. I recycled some pieces here and there. I like to use things that look good. There are a lot of exposed metals. I’m also really big on quality.

BOTH OF THESE DESIGNER WILL BE SHOWING AT VAGRANT MAGAZINE’s FNO:raw

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For any fashion week in any city, there is an excitement in the air before it even occurs. There’s an air about the people who love fashion. People are thinking of what to wear as well as talking about the designers they will be able to see. For any true fashion fan, Fashion week is when fashions finest come together collectively to see what to expect in the coming season. They are looking for innovation, what colors are used, who they will see in attendance, rather who others are wearing. I have been lucky enough to have gone to some of the greatest fashion weeks, I believe, in some of the greatest cities. I have experienced LA Fashion Week as well as New York Fashion week. I consider myself among the major fashion fans. When I find myself getting ready for any fashion week I have a spirit of expectancy in seeing some of the greatest designers of our time. Whether known or undiscovered talent. This year I had the innate plea-sure of attending Atlanta International Fashion Week. I had not been in some time and was expecting great things as I had seen before. I am usually the boy in the back running around assisting designers with models or sewing girls in dresses. This year I was able to sit and watch after some time away from being able to go to AIFW. I prepared myself as normal. Picking from an array of outfits and finally coming to a decision on a dark denim shirt, leopard print bow tie, straight leg khaki pants and red oxfords. I was hugely excited because I was put on the VIP list with an all access pass to the fashion event in which I

was greatly appreciative of the opportunity. On my way to the event I was wondering what it will be like. Wondering if it will compare to the fashion weeks I have attended before. They are not all the same and different in their own ways, I had such an expectancy since missing out on the fashion weeks of past in Atlanta. Wondering what I had been missing for some time now. In arriving to the event I was already surprised in walking up to the location at 200 Peachtree St. There was a red carpet and you could look right through the glass windows into the show. People gathered around outside to see what was going on. As if children excited to see a famous star. The onlookers treated as if they were kids in a candy store. I walked up to the table after walking the red carpet and gave my name. I was found on the list along with my plus one. But it was as I entered the event that I noticed the beauty of the location. The venue used had a chandelier hanging, the media at the end of the runway awaiting every look as well as those who love fashion sitting in the seats. I had expected every seat to be filled but it was not. When I went to ask one of the workers working AIFW where I should sit she saw my all access VIP pass and told me to wait patiently so the she could put more seats up in the front row so that me and my guest could sit down. She even said I was supposed to receive a pink wrist band to indicate to security and those working that I was meant to be in the VIP seating. We stood there waiting for about five to ten minutes and began to become

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BY: CHRISTOPHER J. MORRIS

turned off at the event in its entirety. We finally were able to be seated and tried to enjoy the show. I watched as those on staff still were adding seating for more VIP individuals. In all of the fashion weeks I have attended, and or worked, I have never seen people having to add seating for those who were meant to sit on the front row. In most fashion weeks you buy your tickets to the show in advance and there is only a certain number of front row seating available to those who are not celebrities or considered the ‘elite’ in fashion. Very few are lucky to sit on the front row. Usually it is because they know the designer or they are an up and comer as many seek to be. After viewing three to four of the collections I was turned off by it all. The indi-viduals surrounding noticed pins in garments as well unfinished hems. I, in some way, felt embarrassed for the designers. People were expressing how unorganized they felt this fashion week was.

Wondering why they had to wait to be seated and inquiring who would allow designers with unfinished garments to even grace the runway.After hearing it all, as well as noticing what they were speaking of, I went ahead and tried to enjoy myself but I could not. I truly only enjoyed one designer, an African American male, whose garments to me were exceptionally done and executed. The color he used as well as the pleating done in the dresses he made. My favorite of them all was a red dress that the detailing of the pleats was simply amazing. I soon after left only because when the intermission came in the show I once again heard people and their dislike of how unorganized they felt this event was. Even with New York Fashion Week I have heard peoples dislike of shows but never that it was unorganized. No one has ever used “unorganized” at any fashion week I have attended. Maybe this would be a good opportunity for those involved in AIFW to take this into consideration. People who plan fashion week’s plan months in advance. They give a limited amount of VIP seating for those of fashions elite. There is always media on the red carpet as well as inside the shows. They even inspect garments before showing unless the designer is one they have worked with before. Never have I seen before uneven hems or undone garments at any fashion week. Designers are the artists that use clothing as a canvas while those who organize the shows are the architects we designers need in order for the show to be organized and run smoothly. Those who have organized shows before understand what it takes for a show to be run as well as making sure that any imperfections are never seen. My hope is that the next time this “un-organi-zation” is taken into account and is perfected. That AIFW takes a fine tooth comb through every area making sure it is all done in a spirit of excellence.

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