Prêt-À-Poundo: Style Guide — 'Wax Doll, Rag Doll'
This week, we highlight our Okayafrica Dan-Nguere Tees. This rendering of an ancient Dan-Nguere tribal mask takes on psychedelic dimensions when Marcus ofRockers NYC gets his design on it. In this style guide, you'll discover two imprisoned dolls. They're pretty and make us think of an old 60's french tune called "Poupée de cire, Poupée de son," bySerge Gainsbourg, sang by France Gall. Composer/singer Gainsbourg was known to fill his lyrics with double meanings, wordplay and puns. Music journalist Sylvie Simmons thought that it was about "the ironies and incongruities inherent in baby pop" and "the songs young people turn to for help in their first attempts at discovering what life and love are about are sung by people too young and inexperienced themselves to be of much assistance, and condemned by their celebrity to be unlikely to soon find out."
Photographed by Rae Maxwell
We thought of Gainsbourg because of the contrast between the beautiful models and the way you can't really reach out to them — but even more because the song's title, which can be translated to "Wax Doll, Rag Doll," reminds us of Madame Tussaud's pieces. They seem pretty and simple but there's a real darkness when you look deeper at the pictures. What about an African doll, what does it suggest to you?
*Okayafrica Dan-Nguere Tee-shirts
When fashion meets art photography, it's a real challenge for your eyes and mind. In the first place, fashion photography displays clothing, jewelry & accessories featuring women's body embellishments (make-up, hair, nail art). Photographer Rae Maxwell doesn't conform to conventional notions of fashion. Maxwell creates her own statements through her eyes with freedom and imagination. Spring peak flows through Al Malonga's style, Afi Bijou's hair and Michela Wariebi's chief makeup ideas. These pictures deserve to be seen in an exhibition, printed in a larger format. You might be surprised how many things will appear to you if you look closely.The other designers/brands involved include Sachin + Baby, Ted Baker, Fennimas, C. Spot Designs, Diane Von Furstenberg, Milly, Theory, Cornelia Guest and Aqua.
"Spring reminds me of something ethereal and soft, colorful and pastel, light and whimsical. The head pieces were definitely something I wanted to play with. In NYC, where people love costumes and dress- up, a touch of fantasy with feathers and ribbons is always acceptable... Wearable outfits for dolls and fairies". - Al Malonga
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