GILDED AGE: “Because my friends [are] the best-looking people in Atlanta, the most fashionable, it’s kind of like a generation of tastemakers that I’ve aligned myself with.”
“I’ve become infatuated with furs as of late,” Marquis Phifer says without a hint of irony. “I counted the other day, I have like 15.”
Creative Loafing writes: It’s not hard to find photos of Phifer on his five-year-old fashion blog, LateBoots.com, donning a chinchilla vest, custom-tailored denim, or a pair of Stubbs & Wootton velvet slippers while striking that elusive sideways pose his friends like to call “Phifer face.” But his sense of style — “casual luxury,” he says — is only a means to an end. Identifying that end, however, is the tricky part. It’s not that Phifer can’t define what he does, but it’s sort of his job to keep us guessing.
“People ask me that all the time, what do I do. And that’s a question I’ve never answered because it’s almost like, what don’t I do,” says the Morehouse College senior and business major. “I’m able to kind of do everything that needs to be done.” Marquis Phifer is a master of mystique if nothing else — but there’s always something else when Phifer’s involved, and it usually comes with a check attached. Lifestyle marketer: Check. Fashion blogger: Check. Stylist: Check. Socialite: Check.
In essence, Phifer’s “job title” is cultural translator. “Major brands don’t know how to talk to [us],” he says. “So I become the mediator between me and my friends, [who] are the consumers, and kind of bring the language down to a level where both parties understand each other.” CLICK HERE | for full article.
Solange Knowles, she roars out of the fashion speakers on the strength of her propulsive sense of style. Knowles dresses with enough frantic, quavering intensity to make you believe she really is crazy in love with fashion. In that cauldron of energy, Solange’s style is loose and sexy, gripped by emotions she can neither understand nor control. Her closet seems like a massive block party, with attending styles from the modern nouveau riche, Poetic Justice-long braid, and the Parisian women who actually knew Coco. Solange oozes charisma and has a fine catalog of what-to-wear. She has been serving the kids for awhile now, and her style gets better with time. Solange brings an electronica-tinged update on classic style and definitely has hipster tendencies. Perfect. Thank God somebody came to work. –>Inside Story
Having transitioned into a more self-mythologizing style, Marquis Phifér has gotten conceptual on you all: His fourth-year (or 5th) installment into the LateBoots brand offers two lifestyles, a collection of heartfelt hustles credited to Phifér in college and a idiosyncratic style credited to his “Prima Donna,” street ways–the more brash, male-empowering alter ego. Though some of the slow summers have thoroughly memorable wins, Phifér boasts his most adventurous hustle yet: life after college in New York. Another plus: The boy who blew up going all melismatic with the flashiest Bob Fosse-meets-rap bravado-moves woke up from the New Years party with a fashion hangover. Hosted at the private Houston home of Glytch Media President Terry Thierry, last night was like a gospel sanctimony and old-fashioned showbiz razzle-dazzle. Chic homes and small waist for twenty twelve. And we playin Jigga.
//Eurodisco New Years Eve 2012 With Prima Donna Phifér & Friends! –>Inside Story
Pictured with Jay-Z New Years Eve 2010 in Las Vegas just twelve months ago. And as the timepiece sacheyed to 12:01am Kanye became a fashion trending topic for the 2011 calender. No-No-No, this is more about your style of living oppose to clothes–lavish dreams, lookin clean, hella green. In this lifetime you either get it or not. Lifestyles are negotiable. Kanye West is my BEST for most things, no shit. Not shocked or gagged right. But before this year was over you knew Phifer had another Kanye initiave under his velvet shoes. I could careless about the others style. Kanye has delievered you trends next day express–everybody had it. Leather pant, Versace for H&M, shirt wrapped around the waist, the Givenchy tour clothes. If you take a gander at his style archives West gets ridiculously maximal, blowing past all the rules of hip-hop, even though, for the past half-decade, he’s been the one inventing the fashion rules. I’ve renamed Kanye, it’s Kanye Best. No West. Just Best. –>Inside Story
Kids on Crosby in the street drinking wine. I’ll show you how to do this son! Derek is so good to us. He needs an extra day or month on the calender. I am dying at this Women’s collection. Both Resort and Spring. Your closet should be dreaming. And with my whole being I support the creative minds behind these garments. Derek Lam‘s recent line 10 Crosby, named after the address of his company’s headquarters in New York, is a new collection inspired by the cool, downtown girls he sees around the neighborhood. Now you want to relocate right? This is what we call the proper adDress: Travel all across the city in colorful garments–Crosby in the Spring. Get into the collections my dear!
Title: Beyonce’s Creative Director, Jenke-Ahmed Tailly is welcomed. With no official background check available for public viewing–I’m hesitant to report his online resume. So I will politely decline in doing so. But let’s not lose focus here, this series is about the FASHAWN! And tapping into the ego. It works for me. As the curtain lifts for “the creators” to perform, and coming off a string of much-publicized style choices for King B’s “4″ album (cue his memorable appearance on “Year of 4″ documentary). Tailly is undoubtedly a monarch of style (even his tag-along fashion moments with Shala Monroque is so “Big Pimpin”). Girls run the world. But who runs the girls? –>Inside Story
In my most Southern accent, everybody knows: I meet Fonzworth Bentley through Coltrane Curtis–you know us Morehouse brothers gotta stay together. Bentley is somewhat of an advisor, I’ll hit him up sporadically whenever I need advice or a kick in the…he keeps me grounded consistently reminding me to stay focus—and in school. “I expect big things from you”-His words, or it was something like that lol. But BC (before connections) I’ve always always always loved Fonzworth’s style, it’s like he inaugurated the dandy gentrification into the hip-hop industry. Although Bentley is known for his colorful flare, well, America’s Perfect Gentlemen is now apart of the Marriage Group. Today’s typical hip hop artist generally lives a very fast and “on the go” lifestyle, working 24 hours a day it seems, and remaining single and/or divorced in their personal lives. G.O.O.D. Music’s Fonzworth Bentley drops knowledge on how he balances a marriage with “Benjamin Button” star, Faune Chambers and his music/movie career.
–>Inside Story
Investing in yourself is the #1 GIFT OF ALL TIME. This book highlights the fact that some of us are a walking business. Carefully craft your name, brand and image, in return make money. And that’s just by having a good idea. This item is the classic bestseller that taught the business world that safe is risky; very good is bad; and above all, you’re either remarkable or invisible. In 2002, Seth Godin asked a simple question that turned the business world upside down: What do Starbucks and JetBlue and Apple and Dutch Boy and Hard Candy have that other companies don’t? How did they confound critics and achieve spectacular growth, leaving behind formerly tried-and-true brands? Godin showed that the traditional P’s that marketers had used for decades to get their products noticed-pricing, promotion, publicity, packaging, etc.-weren’t working anymore. Marketers were ignoring the most important P of all: the Purple Cow. –>Inside Story
This item was made popular à la Kanye West 2010. The Cartier Love Bracelet (styled L⊝Ve, with the horizontal line inside the letter “O” alluding to the bracelet’s locking mechanism) is a famous piece of jewelry designed in 1969 by Aldo Cipullo for the French jeweler Cartier. Unlike traditional bracelets, which are either wide enough to slip them over the hand onto the wrist or can readily be opened in order to put them on, the Love Bracelet is designed to be opened only using a special screwdriver that is supplied with every bracelet. The screwdriver allows for the bracelet to be “locked” onto one person while the “key” is kept of another as a symbol for their commitment to the relationship. An iconic luxury classic, the Cartier Love Bracelet has a high entry price. The retail price for the classic 18k yellow gold locking Love Bracelet retails in the thousands at $5,575 per bracelet. Some of Cartier’s Love Bracelets with diamonds or ceramic can exceed $9,000-$37,000. Now do you see why I’m such an advocate for the progressive nouveau riche upstarts; civilians who are out here moving their own cash, or cashing checks. The ones who rather marry their dreams than to play house with no address. This shit is real! Cartier Love Bracelet comes at #2.
The Phifer Pick’s Shop: 25 Days of Christmas Gifts #2 Cartier Love Bracelet
Product Details: Cartier has offered the Love bracelet in 18k yellow gold, 18k “pink” (rose) gold, 18k white gold and in platinum. Some bracelets are offered with diamonds in place of or in rotation with the screw-motif. Ceramic details and special colored precious gems have been offered as well. Cuff versions that do not close or lock are also available. Image is Cartier 18kt Love Bracelet(s) worn by Kanye West. Available at Love.cartier.us
#2 Marquis Phifer
Back by popular demand, the editor of LateBoots has created an all-new guide to giving extraordinary gifts this season. Celebrate the holidays Phifer countdown-style. What’s catching the eyes of P in the new series The Phifer Pick’s Shop: 25 Days of Christmas Gifts –highlighting the top twenty five Christmas essentials and selections. Shop Phifer goodies, twenty five items that the discerning gift giver should add to their Christmas list. This item is one for the boyzzz. In true Christian Louboutin fashion, these Tasselissimo Men’s Flat are definitely a conversion piece that will go unnoticed. I. die. Christian teamed up with the House of Lesage to create the perfect tassels for this unique loafer. Wha wha. Hands down, the most interesting pair of Louboutins I’ve seen. And want! I’m thinking graduation day shoe! Exclusively overdone. I want something, anything, with this many tassels. The low-key beige suede is the perfect match keeping the style wearable. The material choice works year round. These work for both casual and dressed up situations. Shop away boys. Christian Louboutin Tasselissimo Men’s Flat comes at #3.
The Phifer Pick’s Shop: 25 Days of Christmas Gifts #3 Christian Louboutin
Product Details: These loafers are offered in a beige colorway and designed with premium suede with a series of tassels on the upper. Collection classique, color beige, material suede. Available at Christianlouboutin.com
#3 Marquis Phifer
Christmas in Georgia: Ello ello ello ello feeling what some only know. Experiencing the beauty of mountain air from my birth place. Moo-moo’s and gallops exiting my block. And when I crank she roars down the windy country roads — I call her big red. One hand in the air if Christmas is your one excused day off. As young as yesterday, on the 5th floor I can see the world go around below me. There is no key to my game — Only dead fish swim with the stream. Your job is to make something happen. When they must do something and you are the best available champion, it’ll get done. To keep a handle on this I am anchored. One more week and I can take a nap for 15 minutes. This is not for commercial usage. I was just in the neighborhood and I thought this would be fun. Off to the races.
I found my four leaf clover,
Sham Shirley
Back by popular demand, the editor of LateBoots has created an all-new guide to giving extraordinary gifts this season. Celebrate the holidays Phifer countdown-style. What’s catching the eyes of P in the new series The Phifer Pick’s Shop: 25 Days of Christmas Gifts –highlighting the top twenty five Christmas essentials and selections. Shop Phifer goodies, twenty five items that the discerning gift giver should add to their Christmas list. This item is the Alexander Wang Zoro Angular Acetate Sunglasses with silver metal corners #ALessonInOffBeatChic! Treat your eyeballs to some eye candy with these spectacular specs. No one does off-duty model style better than Alexander Wang! Fashionistas worldwide love this. Aside from his clothing lines, his bags are legendary, his shoes are the definition of urban cool, and—mark my words—his Zoro Angular Acetate Sunglasses are going to be iconic. These non-traditional retro-style sunglasses are making a grand re-entrance. Alexander Wang Zoro Angular Acetate Sunglasses comes at #4.
The Phifer Pick’s Shop: 25 Days of Christmas Gifts #4 Alexander Wang
Product Details: Black acetate angular-frame sunglasses with black lenses. Alexander Wang by Linda Farrow sunglasses have exaggerated silver metal corners and come in a designer-stamped black hard case. Available at Net-a-porter.com