Q.U.E.E.N. by Janelle Monae

Janelle Monae just released the song and video Q.U.E.E.N. If I had to sum it up in three words it would be:

• "mod-lishous"
• funky
• revolutionary

When I first heard her album Archandroid a couple years back I was blown away. But when I first saw the short film "Many Moons" that's when I fell in love with her!  Unlike a lot of artists these days, her music videos directly relate to the song being featured. I personally think her doing this makes for a more well rounded artist. 

The video Q.U.E.E.N is primarily in black and white (which may be a metaphor on how plain and simple the message is or how the world is "black and white"). Some of her first opening lyrics pretty much introduce the "thesis" of the song:

"They call us dirty 'cuz we break all your rules down

And we just came to act a fool, is that all right (Girl, that's alright)

They be like Ooh, let them eat cake          
But we eat wings and throw them bones on the ground"

Them be fighting words against the  "the man" don't you agree? 

"She who writes the movie owns the script and the sequel." 

Throughout the song she references revolutionary women such as Queen Nefertiti and Harriet Tubman. I think Janelle Monae is making her point clear that like these women, she won't be "put in a box" and the song is to encourage people to not only be themselves, but truly be the best they can be. 

"Even if it makes others uncomfortable

I wanna love who I am

Even if it makes other uncomfortableI will love who I am"

 

Fighting for freedom always seems to be weaved into all of Monae's songs. 

Whether it's sexual freedom:

"Am I a sinner with my skirt on the ground?"

or religious freedom:

"Hey sister am I good enough for your heaven?
Say will your God accept me in my black and white?"

Monae is on the front-lines for self-empowerment. 

So the bottom line (hahah it literally is here in this post...get it? :P) is that Monae is an inspiration to me. 

P.S. I also admire her wearing suits all the time. I suppose by wearing them she's not only making a fashion statement but making a statement on breaching the standard like Marlene Dietrich did back in the 1930s. 

I honestly could write about each line in Q.U.E.E.N but I had to remind myself this isn't a book, it's a blog! ^_^.

SupPosen I met Zac...

Zac Posen's Pre-Fall collection was shown at the 32 annual San Fransico Ballet Fashion Show Luncheon at the Fairmont Hotel.  Sacramento Fashion Week PR Manager Maria Serquen and I attended, and we had the time of our lives. We loved the luncheon format, which was a fresh difference from the evening parties that are more serious and tiring after a long day at work. 

With 500 well dressed attendees and large than life chandeliers, it was a extravagant visual display!

Although the clothes on display were formally listed as part of a "Pre-Fall" collection, I felt the collection could work any time of the year.  

I personally loved the purple-hued dresses, but at the end of the day I couldn't say I just liked one. There was no such thing as a "plain" Zac Posen. Each one was an eye catching shade or an exquisite cut. 

After the luncheon Zac Posen did a meet and greet on the third floor of Saks Fifth Avenue where people could see his clothes up close and even try them on with his help. 

(If you scroll back up  you'll see I took a picture of this one on the runway :) )

Not only did I get to meet Zac Posen but I made some friends too! This gal Khyuen and I knew we'd be pals when we saw that we had the same Kate Spade bangle! 

So while these two (above) didn't know each other I felt that they should because the both seemed to radiate color! 

As soon as I walked into the luncheon earlier that day the first thing I saw was the yellow checked Louis Vuitton dress/bow and matching shoes. I tried to keep my cool but I started to do little jumps up and down when I pointed her out (discreetly) to Maria. If you haven't seen the collection it's from the Spring/Summer 2013 collection ....please go over to youtube right now and look it up...the models come down a friggin' escalator! Here's the link. 

...and here's Zac Posen and I. Just so you all know, I've printed this photo out and just need to frame it now. Meeting him was so inspiring. I felt like I was at an art gala and he was kind enough to share his work with us AND talk with us. It made a huge impression on me. I'm probably not the only one to say this...but he made me feel special. 

This woman (I didn't catch her name...she left too quickly!) told me she worked with Zac when he was 23 years old and is a friend of the family. 

I approached her asking where she got her outfit and she said she laughed saying she got the all seeing eye bag from a random vendor on the street and made the dress herself! Such creative couture! 

A couple of people tried on pieces from Zac Posen's collection. Man, can he make a dress! The yellow one below was one of my top five for sure. Who could say no to canary yellow and little seed shaped beads? 

All in all it was a dream. I like to think about this experience at night when my eye lids shut and my mind replays great experiences (they are the best kind of re-runs). 

But...wait! There's more!

:) According to WWD, Zac plans to return to the West Coast in the fall. I'd buy a planner just to pencil that date in! ^_^ See you there?