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CGB DESIGNS: THE SPRING/ SUMMER & FALL 2018 MEN’S COLLECTION WWW.FUZIONDETROIT.COM
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Photo Courtesy of Pure Michigan
C ntents
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Our Obligations
A Black Man’s Obligations As A Father.
Power 2 our People A Leaf On A Bigger Tree!
For All Foodies
Automation and Artificial Intelligence Sparks The Need For Ongoing Education
Paparazzi Pics
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The Building of the Brand: C.Grantston Bullard
Grantston discusses the CGB Design Brand; Past, Present, and Future.
Behind the Scenes of March & April Photo Shoot.
FUZION MAGAZINE Fuzion Magazine will serve as the informational resource of choice for a public wanting to stay current on cultural events; social, economic, financial, parental, relationship matters, entertainment, fashion, legal and health issues. The common thread woven throughout our content is the concept of living a diversified lifestyle with ‘Fuzing’ our community together as one.
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FUZION MAGAZINE Fuzion Magazine-Detroit Team Publisher & Editor-In-Chief Coire D. Nichols Houston chouston@fuziondetroit.com Associate Publisher Deon Yates dyates@fuziondetroit.com Senior Editor Kimberly Allen Bradfield kabradfield@fuziondetroit.com
Assistant Editor Monique Guest-Schuh mgschuh@fuziondetroit.com
Toote Sweets Kitchen is closed on Sundays 24/7 other days, excluding holidays 48 hour turnaround time to make & ship Contact us with any questions
www.tootesweets.com tootesweets09@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/TooteSweets
Assignment Editor Kelly Terrell kterrell@fuziondetroit.com
Layout and Design Deon Yates dyates@fuziondetroit.com Web Development Norvell Molex Jr. nmolex@fuziondetroit.com Social Media Brieon Houston bhouston@fuziondetroit.com Photographers and Videographers Norvell Molex Jr. nmollex@fuziondetroit.com Michael Ragland mragland@fuziondetoit.com Mario Small msmall@fuziondetroit.com Advertising Sales Dawn Diaab ddiaab@fuziondetroit.com
Contributors
Darrell Dyer ddyer@fuziondetroit.com Operations Mechelle Dunbar mdunbar@fuziondetroit.com Deborah Oates doates@fuziondetroit.com
TREY BATTLE Local Freelance/ Ghostwriter who contributed to this issue of Fuzion Mag-Detroit.
HERMAN DAVIS
DANIEL BAXTER Daniel Baxter is the Director of Elections for the City of Detroit. In addition to running one of the nations largest department of elections with ensuring everyone’s vote is counted, he has a passionate love for his city and all those who reside in it. His column offers a variety of subject matters that he hopes will provide motivational thoughts and insight on ways of bettering our community. His email address is
“Herman Davis is The Greatest,” is synonymously known with our locally known businessman, civil rights, and political advocate. We are honored to have Mr. Davis as a contributor with his prolific inclusions and years of historical incites to Fuzion as the columnist of “Power 2 Our People.” Mr. Davis can be emailed at
dbaxter@fuziondetroit.com
hdavis@fuziondetroit.com.
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Printer R &L Color Graphics Inc 18709 Meyers Detroit, MI 48235 313-345-3838 www.randlcolor.com Fuzion Magazine-Detroit PO Box 21564 Detroit, MI 48221 Phone and Fax: 313-397-3118 www.fuziondetroit.com ISSN: 1552-7123 Advertising and Content Info@fuziondetroit.com Fuzion Magazine-Detroit is a Division of CDN Communications, LLC © 2018
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C.Grantston Bullard: The Working of Building the Brand By Coire Nichols Houston CGB Designs has been in existence for over three decades. In addition to designing luxury furs, leather, and imported fabrics as part of his brand; he also creates eyewear, footwear, leather goods; handbags, totes, messenger bags and even custom made recycled crystal chalices including exotic wooden pipes. There are many people involved in building any brand. Each brings their own specialty and talents to bring the brand to life. Grantston has carefully crafted a group by of exceptional local artists, planting their seeds within the umbrella allowing them to grow individually, artistically and monetarily within the evolution of this first owned and operated African American luxury retail platform for the masses. Much like many of the artists in the music industry, Grantston reclaimed his label from the manufacturers who were doing most of his mass production and distribution. It was during his transitional period between Chicago and Detroit while on hiatus from garments, that he was introduced to Richard Golden of D.O.C. (Optometry) known for his “Sexy Spec’s” eyeglass line. This chance encounter was made possible through a fellow colleague and friend Rufus Bartell, a local businessman and owner of neighboring Simply Causal Clothing Store. Golden was seeking someone to manage one of his stores. Apprehensive because of his years of experience in fashion, it wasn’t until speaking with Bartell in detail that he was informed that D.O.C. was a company grossing over one hundred million in revenues and this could be a profitable opportunity. Laughing, Grantston said,
“Well, I can meet with them!” They found that he was overqualified, but had a subsidiary (of D.O.C.) called City Eyes, which was their high-end collection of eyewear. Grantston was hired to open City Eyes stores around the country where he would receive residual income from them. He later discussed his creative side and not just his sales and manufacturing ability with the owners. For it to really make sense (financially), Grantston needed to design a collection of eyewear and that was something he was interested in doing because being in the outerwear business - your seasonal right? This would take him through all four seasons.
After being promoted to Creative Director for the City Eyes campaign at the Eastland Center store, sales escalated making that location the leader nationally with the Cartier line of eyewear. Of course, this caught the attention of Cartier from which he was visited by the Vice President of the company. “He came down and saw what I was doing and then licensed me to design and do aftermarket for Cartier where they would send me their diamonds. I was using local jewelers to set the stones and metals. I would use my lens shapes and then they would issue them a brand-new appraisal based on the work that was done. The result, custom eyewear designs by C. Grantston Bullard!” This was the introduction to what has now become the CGB Chameleon Eyewear Collection. After finding flaws in the designs with the glasses sold through City Eyes, Grantston designed and engineered interchangeable
01 CGB leather deerskin overnight bags $1400.00
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CGB Platinum Chameleon eyewear with black diamonds with interchangeable transitions lens. $2200.00 wearing a CGB Italian Lamb pea coat with elephant ears collar.
All frames have interchangeable lenses.
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CGB Gold rimless frame with channel white diamonds with Bordeaux Aviator lens. $2600.00
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C.Grantston Bullard
CGB Award Winning
Priceless!
platinum bridgeless drill mount frame, with white diamonds and channel setting. $3600.00
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CGB Chameleon eyewear platinum rimless drill mount with white channel settings with white diamonds and an aquamarine transition lens. $2,000.00
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designers,” stated Grantston
lenses for his collection which would allow his customers to purchase the frames and switch the lenses. “I met this talented metalsmith (Kalom McClore) and started to work with him. As I illustrate the jewelry (for the frames) he creates the molds,” Grantston said. Like most eyewear companies the frames are already set. Upon selecting your frame and lenses, you have a choice of white, canary yellow or chocolate diamonds. Perhaps, your feeling rubies or emeralds. You can change the gems to correspond with the tint in the lenses to customize your eyewear. “The price points range from $600 to $20.000 because you can place whatever size stones you want on the frames. The’re custom made and come ready to wear. If you like the frame the way it is, you buy it and walk out the door!” says Grantston laughing. While two of his handbags can be seen in our issue, he offers quite the variety of exotic skins all made with handmade custom embellishments by local metalsmith Kalom McClore. Just like Versace uses themes of Greek and Roman mythology with the head of Medusa on most of his brand, both Grantston and McClore have chosen to embrace the ideas of Ancient Egyptian artifacts and African royalty as theirs. McClore’s “KaM Dynasty Collection,” which falls under the CGB Design Collection, consists of sculptured pieces in stainless steel to platinum with any gemstone that exists. With the CGB collection, some of the custom handbags made with crocodile skins will have 14-carat gold crock heads and diamond or ruby eyes (depending on the color of the bag) as part of the ornate details found on the zippers, handles and even the feet of the bags. “Kalom also works with us when it comes to our buttons on our clothing and the hardware that goes on our bags. These are all precious metals, silver, and gold. All of the bags are produced in the hills of Florence, Italy where we’re using the same artisans as your top luxury
During a recent trip to Chicago, he partnered with Aston Leather who manufactures leather for luxury brands such as Ralph Lauren and Joseph Abboud. Aston Leather has a private signature label with Saks Fifth Avenue and yours truly CGB Brand will be a part of the Alston Leather family of leather goods. Not to add Aston Leather manufactures for Coach Handbags and Leatherwear which is known to come with a lifetime warranty on their goods. He shares, “So now I think I’ll probably be the first African-American brother with luxury goods with a lifetime-warranty (on his products)!” The pricing of the bags can range from $400 (as seen in the spring line-up) up to $8000. Grantston’s original purpose for going to Chicago was to attend and participate in the International Luxury Outerwear Expo which is comparable to New York Fashion Week for the fur industry. We at Fuzion Magazine are pleased to announce and share as you hear it first, “I solidified a licensing and design deal with a company called AnnaModa, an Italian company based in the United States. They are a fur manufacturer that specializes in the high-end luxury portion of the fur business with Sable collections, Chinchilla, Black Llama, and Stone Martin. These are garments with price points starting from around $10,000 up to $200,000 each. They will be labeled by CGB Designs.” Now that I have established the building of the brand applicable to the fur, leather, and eyewear portion of CGB Designs, the fabrics for his garments are equally important if not the most. Another key figure of CGB family is local and nationally renown artist Fel’le. Most notable for airbrush designs which can be seen anywhere from paintings in galleries to murals on buildings to include even motor vehicles. As the owner of The Fel’le Gallery also located on The Avenue of Fashion, he brings the
art component to the textile division of CGB. As Grantston explains, “I draft the imagery for the for the textiles depending upon the theme, the individual or the concept. He basically steps on top of it with his airbrush photorealism and brings it to life. He’s the premiere artist we’re working with, and the textiles allow us to produce our own fabrics particularly in silk and interpret that into the garments, in the linings for our bags and coats in addition to scarves and other accessories.” As seen on the April cover of Fuzion, our model J. Cobb, he adds, “The mummy silk is a sample or a preview of our own textiles division, and this is part of the CGB Haute Couture collection.” The mummy silk shirt is available for both men and women and like the one photographed on our cover, are custom and made to order. If you like this piece, you’ll be pleased to know that this is only one of 30 to 40 CGB textiles that are created in-house, so you’ll have plenty of selections to choose from. You too can live a life of luxury by visiting and supporting C. Grantston Bullard Designs, located at 19132 Livernois Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. Call (313) 367-2057 to schedule a personal consultation or visit their website www. grantston.com. Follow them on social media: Facebook and Instagram.
To find out more and the future of CGB Designs stay tuned for FuzionVizion’s Foxworth Report, Hosted by Edward Foxworth on a local television station near you or visit www.fuziondetroit.com.
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SEXY ISN’T A SHAPE IT’S AN ATTITUDE WWW.FUZIONDETROIT.COM
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ON THE COVER Black and Gold CGB Haute Couture Egyptian Mummy Silk Custom Shirt $1200.00. CGB 14KGold rimless frame with Chanel White Diamonds setting with Bordeaux Aviator lens $2600.00.
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Our Obligations I am a 53-year-old African American native Detroiter, married and the proud father of four darling daughters. I often find myself thinking about my girls’ future and what the world will have to offer now that they have left the nest. At their ages 31, 25, 22, and 17, in addition to becoming a Grandfather, I am confident that they are beginning to fully grasp onto the realities of the world we live in today.
By: Daniel Baxter
But after taking a second look, I realized it speaks in-depth furthering my obligation as a father to my girls. My role is not merely to leave a modicum of wealth but, more importantly, leave a legacy that they can take pleasure in.
“I must utilize my God-given gifts and talents to make Detroit and the world a better place.”
must continuously portray a spirit of excellence in case some wayward youth is fed up with the intangible television role models that he or she has attempted to emulate and is willing to give me a try. Yet, I must be eager to speak positive thoughts and give quality time to not only my girls but also to their peer group.
I reflected on the world when I was a youngster (not that long ago) and found that it was a lot less confusing. Rarely did I hear or read about kidskilling-kids and in a post 9/11 world, always being threatened with the acts of terrorism in addition to thoughts of escalating war. A game of baseball is seldom relived because the playgrounds in Detroit are desolate. As I search through this maze called life for the answer that will best show me how I can help my girls develop, become positive contributors to society and make life better in Detroit, I have found no more significant source than the Holy Bible. The scripture that speaks to my concerns is Proverbs 13:22-”A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children.” When I first read this passage, I concluded that my obligation to my offspring was mere to leave them some money and property, all things material.
In doing so, I must prepare them for the future and equip their generation as well. What sense would it make for me to leave each of my girls one million dollars and ten acres of land if they could not enjoy it because the world was in disarray? More specifically, I must utilize my God-given gifts and talents to make Detroit and the world a better place. I must be willing to give back to all the communities that contributed to my growth and development. I
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I know that, through Christ, who gives me strength, I will succeed in meeting my obligation as a father to my four girls. As a result, the legacy that I leave will be secured for many generations because Detroit’s future has just become brighter. What about you? What is your obligation? What can you do to make Detroit a better place?
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COMING SOON: MID-TERM ELECTIONS Who will be the next to lead Michigan? You have the power to make the difference – Vote!!! GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY August 7, 2018
GUBERNATORIAL GENERAL November 6, 2018
Federal, State and Local Offices will Appear on Both Ballots.
Stay tuned… DETROIT DEPARTMENT OF ELECTIONS For more information: detroitmi.gov/elections
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Reversible Turquoise and Black Micro Leather Jacket $2400.00. CGB Chameleon eyewear. Platinum rimless drill mount with Chanel White Diamond setting and Aquamarine transition lens $2,000.00.
New Zealand Lamb Peak Lapel Reefer Coat $2400.00. Formal African Super Wax Custom Dress Shirt, Bandy Collar with the King’s Jaguar Print (traditionally worn by the king or the chief of the tribe) $375.00.
Model Top: J Cobb Model Right: Bill Beaver Photographer: Norvell Molex, Jr. WWW.FUZIONDETROIT.COM
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Power 2 our People
A Leaf On A Bigger Tree Herman Davis It’s just another morning on South Christian Hills Drive in Rochester Hills, Michigan. A black child missed his school bus and tried to walk to school but gets lost. He rings the doorbell of a neighbor, and the neighbor gets a gun. The homeowner is a retired Detroit fire fighter who pulls out his gun, fires but misses. THANK GOD HE MISSED! As terrible as this crime is, I want to focus in on something few talks about anymore. John Engler changed the hiring practices of the City of Detroit. He made it so that Detroit had to hire people to protect and serve who don’t live in the city, and this was a slippery slope. Soon Dave Bing, was elected Mayor (2009-12) and at the time resided in Franklin, MI. Currently, we have a Mayor who lived in Livonia, MI, while the many in his administration live somewhere else. What this means is that we have people making decisions for our neighborhoods who don’t have to live with their decisions. The Mayor says he cares about Detroiters, and those that he hires care about us, but this former Detroit firefighter pulling the trigger says something else. To put it bluntly, these carpet baggers see Detroit as nothing more than a cash cow they can milk for every drop. When you see what is happening downtown, and nothing happening in the neighborhoods, it’s because they are spending money on the Detroit they inhabit. Photo Credit: Steve Redick
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The retired Detroit firefighter obviously doesn’t like black people. In fact, he dislikes black people so much that he shoots at the child who steps on his porch to ask directions. This was not a Detroit child; this was a child from his community. Folks who can’t respect the culture, don’t need to work in a city that is 88% black, with folks from every country in the world. Think about this? That fire fighter was in our fire house, riding our fire trucks every day, putting his life on the line, drawing his pay, and yet, he didn’t like us as far as he could throw us. Black folks put their pants on one leg at a time, like everybody else. There are as many, if not more white kids smoking dope as black kids in this country. Statistics show that it is our (black) kids who are more often targeted for punishment, our kids who are arrested, our kids who don’t have good representation, and our kids who end up incarcerated, or end up on the news, but our kids are not inherently bad. WE MUST STOP TELLING THAT LIE! And what happens when we get out of Detroit? This child’s mother tried to provide her child with an opportunity to go to the same schools that look like this racist man.
16 He is paying for his home, and his car, and everything he has off my tax dollar. LET THAT SINK IN! Detroiters are paying that racists bills, his pension check. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired of seeing black children with so much potential devalued! I am tired of seeing our schools devalued. I am tired of seeing our neighborhoods devalued. And who is making the decisions about our schools and neighborhoods? Folks who don’t even LIVE HERE! I am tired of our voting rights disenfranchised by Emergency Management, while these RACISTS come in here and get paid off our backs.
Photo Credit: Detroit News
Kids in Detroit need jobs. Why do we need racist folks to drive in from everywhere to work for the city? This shooting is just one leaf on a tree. The macrocosm of the attempted murder of this STUDENT, is that carpetbaggers like this man come in to make money off Detroit, and Flint, Benton Harbor, through the machinations of structural racism and corporate greed. They create chaos in our schools, create chaos in our city halls, and take our lives for granted over and over. They destroy what we value, and in their actions. They not only hurt black people, but they hurt poor whites too. STRUCTURAL RACISM IS REAL! Imagine if a Detroit resident could run for Mayor in Rochester Hills and come back home to his house and shoot at white children who step on his porch. IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN. Emergency Management, redlining, gerrymandering, public asset destruction and criminal justice tilt justice away from us. A black child should not have to put his life at risk just to get to school.
All we ask for is simple things: -clean water -quality schools -a living wage -the right to vote We are in this struggle together. It may sound clichĂŠ, but if we learn to treat other people the way that we want to be treated, the world will be a better place. Humbly Herman,
Reprinted and edited for Fuzion Magazine-Detroit posted on Facebook April 13, 2018
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good mood Blue Cashmere Jacket with Orange Short Tail Python Skins on Old English D and Sleeves $850.00.
TOP: Black Tupac Italian Lamb Utility Jacket $1750.00. LEFT: Red and Black Paper Linen Shirt $275.00. Straw hat with Silk band $85.00. WWW.FUZIONDETROIT.COM
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Automation and Artificial Intelligence
spark a need for ongoing education By Trey Battle
As technology and global competition grow, employees must increase their skill sets, especially as employers look to automate more and more jobs. In regions like Boston, D.C., Chicago, Seattle and San Francisco, McDonald’s has unveiled self-order kiosks inside the restaurants. As a result, tomorrow’s workforce will need to learn what it takes to rise in the company quickly or be prepared and agile enough to change careers. In either case, making that transition will require education and training! APEX Leadership Academy, a training company, founded in 2016 by Entrepreneur Edward Foxworth, offers several workshops available to employers, in an online or a face-to-face format. There are self-paced and onsite workshops like Goal Setting for Career Advancement, Understanding your Personality for Maximum Productivity,
and Mastering the Employee to Manager Transition. “While having money is great, in many instances, it is no match for intellectual capital,” says Founder and CEO Edward Foxworth III. “Having up-to-date knowledge and cutting-edge skills, especially in one’s field can provide career professionals with a competitive advantage and exposure to limitless opportunities for growth.” Necessary for adopting a mindset focused on lifelong learning and growth requires a commitment to personal development outside of work. This concept, however, is an uphill battle, as many are willing to spend continuing education or allocated training dollars from the employer but are less inclined to swipe their credit card to pay for conferences or workshops.
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“As a B2B organization, APEX Leadership Academy is focused on customizing workshops that meet the needs of tomorrow’s workforce, and we are excited about launching in Detroit”, says Mr. Foxworth. Visit www.pexleadershipacademy. com for more information.
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For More Information Visit: www.yourpremiertravelservice.com Novi, Michigan
+1 [248] 259-2715
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Fuzion’s Ra chel Yugin g!
ckson in Model Lisa Ja d Cashmere Double-Face 0 & Fox $2200.0
with It’s a Wrap a & Lisa, Models Lis nica Coire & Mo
Paparazzi Pics
Behind the scenes of our March/April Cover Photo Shoot
Model J. Cobb Just Chillin’ r., Coire, Grantson J rantston Monica &G
Model Lisa Jackson, “Next change please?”
Fuzion Team &Grantston
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Grantson & Model Bill Beaver, “Chopping it Up!”