Image via London Edition Hotel website
Nestled in London's trendy Soho, The London Edition Hotel draws you into its warm space. At once chic modern but opulent, the venue is a home away from home. Boasting fine dining in its Berners Tavern and cocktails in its Punch Room, the hotel is a great venue for London nightlife.
You can never go wrong with a red lip. There's something about a red lip that works for every look. I'm liking how my politician meets air hostess meets TV presenter look here gets pulled with this Maybelline look. There's something about a red lip.
The colours, the headpiece, the glasses, her air, the woman. Great piece by Jasmine Hortop. More of her work on Instagram at @jasminehortop.
I know that I like the packaging of Estee Lauder's Double Wear foundation. According to reviews it offers 24hour flawless coverage, light weight formula and is oil free. I like the sound of this too. It is all about finding your perfect shade. I'm intrigued to try it out.
More on Estee Lauder at @esteelauder
Don't you just love a piece that reminds you of the 90s? This faux fur hat has that feel. Doesn't it make you think of Jamiroquai and his dancing? The vintage piece plus my faux leather jacket make a good attempt at 90s band and I'm loving it. Anything that gives off that feel is a good thing.
Me at London Fashion Week. Photographer unknown. Featured on Fashionista.com
Is the sum total of an outfit equal to or greater than its individual parts? I like how the different parts of an outfit come together to create a whole. Take this hat, pair of trousers, sunglasses and blouse for instance... They are great on their lonesome but put together they create a new eclectic, a conjoined thing that only they can do well. I'm all about the new eclectic, I'm all about many parts coming together to form a whole.
Image of me. Photographer unknown.
I used to wear my experiences on my wrist. I used to wear my thoughts, my plans and where I'd been on my wrist. I used to wear my life experience on my wrist. I used to wear my memories on my wrist. My joys, my hopes, nostalgia on my wrist. I don't anymore. But I used to wear my experiences on my wrist.
Image via Bonang Matheba on Instagram.
Every so often someone just takes it to another level.
Every so often someone steps up and becomes inimitable.
Every so often someone changes the style game.
Every so often someone becomes a style star.
South African celebrity Bonang Matheba is one such star.
In this look she's encapsulating all of Hollywood's old greats. In this look she's proving why she's a style icon.
She never gets a look wrong, she never steps a style foot out of place. Always looking immaculate, Bonang Matheba is a style icon.
Follow the presenter's style adventures on Twitter and Instagram at @bonang_m .
#bonangmatheba #bonang
Self portrait by Kof4art.
Hello, thank you for granting this interview I hope you are doing well. I am quite intrigued by your photography and videos so I wanted to find out more about your creative process and the inspiration behind it.
I like your work. The end product of your photos is art like, particularly your self portraits. Would you say you are an artist and if not what would you consider yourself as?
I'd consider myself to be more of a photographer with an extended imagination than an artist with a stencil or paintbrush.
You have a thing for unexpected photos that err slightly on the random side which you then edit with bright contemporary pop art like filters. What makes a good photo to you, are you drawn to unexpected/random shots and if so why?
I mostly like to take pics of the subject or person when they don't look directly at the camera. I'd would ask them to look away and think what they are feeling, whether good or bad and when they're are ready for the shot, I instruct them to say "uh hmm" rather than say "I'm ready". Cos it will take that feeling away of what they were thinking briefly.
You seem to have a thing for repeating images in a pop art series style. What is it about this method that interests you?
The pop art series style has always grabbed my attention when I was younger. I think it was an image of Marilyn Monroe in pop art form that got my attention and I wanted to create that image on a friend or subject . To me It just shows power through colours while the person or subject just keeps still..
Self portrait by Kof4art.
One of my favourite pieces by your is your ‘Roarrr’ edit of a self portrait of you yawning as pictured above. There’s something fresh and contemporary about it. Please tell me about your creative thought process behind it.
Well it was my way of expressing anger and disappointment and it was a long weekend which I don’t want to go into too much detail but I was actually yawning with my hand covering my mouth and took the shot by accident then decided to see what effects I could use and decided to add the ROARR caption as it looked like I wanted to shout and swear in anger but covered my mouth to contain my emotions.
What are you currently working on work wise. Any interesting series or work in progress?
I would like to invest in an SLR camera later along the line and discover what skills I could learn and adapt. I would like to get out more and take images of buildings that may have character or carry some history. For now taking shots randomly then adding an effect to it ,is what I enjoy ..
Self portrait by Kof4art.
What is currently inspiring you and why? It could be any reference.
The interviewer and a special friend of a lady who has motivated me to take more expressive shots. Kente cloth and wooden carvings has always got my interest when I have travelled to Ghana, West Africa . It is the colours on the cloth that seem to bring warmth and comfort inside me and I'm usually not into loud bright colours but the kente cloth seems to stand out if it is displayed in another country on a person or object that could add more character or vibrancy..
Who are your favourite artists and photographers? What is it about their work that inspires?
Not my favourite but for now its some of Andy Warhol pop art , the Campbells soup image. Something so ordinary that has gained widespread attention that inspires me to make anyone or any object come to life. Also a friend of mine who has a page called Far More Advance has also inspired me to take more shots.
Image edit by Kof4art.
What is the future looking like for your work? Art, photography wise, what are you hoping to achieve? Any goals and plans?
Definitely would like to do more photo shoots of people , places , create a collection. Want to play more with lighting and shadows on a person that shows off their expression. Also for fun, won't mind creating and directing a video . Always had that itch to produce and direct a short film especially as I am a car enthusiast and just love them in motion.
I don’t want to make all of my photography sombre or moody so I may put up some random humorous shots and hopefully display on social media..
On a last note... Please finish this sentence. Art is...
Expansive , open to anything that creates a reaction . An emotion.
The end.
I would like to thank Kof4living for the interview. See more of his work on instagram at @kof4art.
There are beauty products and there ARE beauty products. I love Glossier by Emily Weiss , Beyoncé loves Glossier. The beauty and skincare brand was recently worn by the artiste to the Grammy. Right now my beauty counter is currently craving their Milky Jelly cleanser. Suitable for use on both dry and wet skin, this is the cleanser of all cleansers. It takes makeup off dry skin and cleanses wet skin. Need any more persuasion, Glossier's Milky Jelly cleanser is the one to go to.
More on the brand at Glossier. Com
A lot going on in this outfit. So many sums to the part of this outfit. So many things screaming "look at me in this outfit". Too many prints and textures in this outfit. Some negative comments had in this outfit. Still got nothing but love for this outfit.
New York Fashion Week. New York.
He said I looked like a model, I thought he was the best dressed photographer I've seen.
Gotta love a picture of a picture. Always have. So I got photographed by the loveliest professional photographer at a fabulous event which I was covering for Very Good Light, a male website edited by the fabulous David Yi. Now imagine my surprise when my photo of his photo was this glossy. He patiently waited for me to take it as well.
I live for that forever piece. For that piece that I know I'm going to wear forever. The only rule by which I shop is asking myself if it can be worn in more than one way. I wonder if I'm going to wear it forever. If the answer to this question is yes then I know it is a must get. In the feature below by Grazia Magazine, I state this rule by which I shop. What are your forever pieces? What rules do you shop by? Are you going to wear them forever?
Grazia Magazine. Feature by Hannah Almassi, image by Phill Taylor.
For as long as I've known life has been better lived in a headwrap. They tell stories of culture, people, things and the experiences collated along the way. Here I'm wearing a headwrap with pink lips and a fun print. The fringe makes it interesting. I like that it feels retro but modern all at once. Life is better lived in headwrap.
Some people just have that 'it' thing. Some people are just with an innate star factor. Some of the celebrities I've worked with just have that 'star' factor and it is such a pleasure to see it unfold. One such celebrity is Tolula Adeyemi. The actress and model just has that 'star' factor. Image of Tolula Adeyemi wearing Ana Sekularac and diamond earrings by Jessica McCormack.
I was born in The Gambia by way of Ghana. I have wanderlust. I suffer from the desire to see new lands and new people. I speak by way of texture. I see in vivid tongue, the hue so rich you wonder if it will blind you. My name is Marian and I wonder where your people are from. Image by Hannan Saleh.
