Raid Your Boyfriend's Closet!

It's award season, Grammy week, full moon...The vibe in town is upbeat, but low key.
I hit a few Grammy Suites and got a pleasant surprise at Akoo, holding court at Thompson, Beverly Hills, a boutique hotel in the heart of 90210. Sleek, modern, very mid-century hipness, Thompson BH is just the sort of sexy location for a Grammy week mixer and informal showing of a rapper's clothing line.
Akoo, which stands for A King of One's Oneself," is a fresh approach to contemporary lifestyle apparel designed by T.I., Grammy Award winner and nominee.
T.I.'s personal style is as modern as the Thompson BH. He's a real performer. He clearly understands he can transform himself from down and dirty rapper to the red carpet runway with clothing, cuz GQ named T.I. to their annual list of the "10 Most Stylish Men In America!"
Military details, denim, preppy themes and vintage American flair give the collection a classic feeling, timeless without looking retro. You'll see what I"m talking about when you check out the stuff. Chicks are going to be raiding their boyfriend's closet or buying it for themselves.

*Stylists and media contact info:
Mashariki Williamson
mashariki@thechambergroup.com


Check out T.I.'s video for Dead & Gone ft. Justin Timberlake



I did a fashion segment for Dick Clark's The Other Half daytime morning show called, Borrowed from the Boys. I put together a grouping of classic things from menswear that women can and do wear. I pulled from American Rag Cie, Jetrag, Macy's and the Goodwill and included a dark navy blue velvet sportcoat, a red plaid tie,a brown suede poorboy cap and a rock and roll t-shirt in the mix.

*I didn't take pictures on the set that day, but here's a tearsheet from a layout I styled and art directed with a focus on men's white shirts.



There's a vignette of short stories called "Tipping the Velvet," an innuendo alluding to some girl on girl action. It's about an innocent ingenue who discovers a world of cross dressers in the tightly corseted world of the 1890's. The costumes are terrific for a period piece and the female characters are cleverly played.