RIP Octavia Saint Laurent

From The New York Times:

R.I.P. Octavia Saint Laurent
By Horacio Silva

The world is a decidedly less chic place this week with the passing on Monday of the legendary transgendered beauty Octavia Saint Laurent, who won hearts and an honorary place in the pantheon of the fabulous with her star turn in Jennie Livingston’s 1990 voguing documentary, “Paris Is Burning.” Octavia, who later changed her name to Heavenly Angel Octavia Saint Laurent Manolo Blahnik before settling on the more recession-friendly Octavia Saint Laurent Mizrahi, will be remembered not only for her encyclopedic knowledge of feminine allure — her deconstruction of the many of the looks of Paulina Porizkova in “Paris Is Burning” should be required viewing for every drag artiste in training heels — but also for having lived a glamorous life worthy of tens across the board.

Beyonce: I am....the new Pat Boone

Christmas is a time to be thankful for freedom, health, love, and friendship.

It is also a time to remember those who are less fortunate, or are no longer around to celebrate the holiday.

This Christmas, please think of JonBenet Ramsey. This Christmas is the 12 anniversary of her murder. She would be 18 years old if she were alive today. We will never know what woman she would have been....

Would she have been an entertainer like Beyonce? Beyonce and JonBenet have many parallels. They both have mothers who encouraged them to perform in provocative costumes. Beyonce performed on Star Search as a child. JonBenet competed in beauty pageants as a child.

Also, like JonBenet, Beyonce has a mother who dressed her up in provocative tacky clothes to perform in.

Beyonce Knowles is a cipher - she can be whatever you want her to be: Star Search contestant, girl group member, girl group leader, solo artist, superstar, girlfriend, wife, daughter, sister, Diana Ross, Deena Jones, Sasha Fierce, model, dancer, actress...............

Beyonce has always confused me, and left me cold. Her mother would dress her in tacky revealing costumes, yet she she wanted to be seen as a chaste Christian.

When Vanity sang "Nasty Girl" she sang "I'm looking for a man to love me, Like I've never been loved before. I'm looking for a man that'll do it anywhere,Even on the limousine floor.".

When Beyonce sang her version of " Nasty Girl" she sang: "These men don't want no hot female that's been around the block female, you nasty girl. Shakin' that thang on that man, lookin' all stank and nasty. Swore you look cute girl in them dukes, booty all out lookin' trashy. Sleazy put some clothes on, I told ya. Don't walk out ya heezy without clothes on, I told ya. You nasty girl, you nasty, you trashy. You classless girl, you sleazy you freaky.".

Her image didn't match her message.

Today, Beyonce has a couple of new tricks: performing in Gareth Pugh outfits - copying the moves Bob Fossse choreographed for Gwen Verdon, and some dancing new moves from choreographer Jonte.

I am not impressed. Beyonce is merely mimicking the postures and carriage of the Legendre fierce children of New York, as seen in Jennie Livingston's "Paris is Burning". Pop stars bringing the style of a minority safely to the white American masses is an old story. Pat Boone took the songs of Little Richard and homogenized them in the 1950's.

In 2009 I am lookign forward to more freedom, originality, peace, creativity, inspiration, and positive energy!

Agyness Deyn and Beyonce wearing Gareth Pugh:


JonBenet Ramsey:

Paris Is Burning:

Walk it out Fosse:

Jonte:


Single Ladies:

Single Ladies + Single Man + Fosse:


Cubby dances to Beyonce's Single Ladies Video:


Single Ladies (BIG GIRL REMIX)

Speaking truth to power

Question of the day: Why are there no critical fashion magazines? There are many answers - email your best answer to James@WomenManagement.com.

Q:Why do I love a Cathy Horyn so much?
A:Because she tells it as she sees it, from her unique perspective. Cathy speaks truth to power in the New York Times

Every day I see so many uninspired fashion editorials. Even worse than that are editorials which are so blatantly inspired by recent editorials. It is one thing to copy elements of Herb Ritts' lighting for an editorial, it is quite another to make a career of mopping Bill King's style.

Paris is Burning (Dir:Jennie Livingston)says a lot aboout honesty, and living your life with dignity. It also defines two ways to speak truth to power: shade & reading.

Shade came from Reading. Reading came first. Reading is the art form of insult. When you are Reading someone you get in a smart crack, and everyone laughs. When you find a flaw and exagerrate it- then you've got a good Read going.

Shade is when I don't tell you you're ugly, but I don't have to tell you your ugly - Because you know your ugly - and thats Shade.

-Dorian Corey