Issuu

| I SSUE no 6

T HE ANNI VERSARY I SSUE

Wh at is t h e n ext st ep f or t h e Pillo? If someone asked me, ?what else do you have going on?? I can show them these other great products I have. I have a bunch of deals in the works now. NFL Kushion Pillos are coming soon, as I have a licensing agreement with the National Football League to patent them for its individual teams. I also am working on another Kushion called the ?S1 Kushion?, (for now) that you can speak commands into. There are some smaller, more lightweight Kushions that I am also coming out

in ven t ion s an d pat en t s? How m u st on e r em ain f ait h f u l w h en it appear s t h at t h in gs ar en?t m at er ializin g yet ? It is going to sound simple. Just do it. If you envision it, and believe it, you cannot see it on your own; it is coming from another place, deep down inside of you. God is saying, this is what I have for you. Don?t let your fear, because God did not give us the spirit of fear, distract you and keep you from seeing your next step. If you let fear dictate, fear will rob you Bird Man-Hip Hop Mogul

piano. Because those two pianos are connected. God will connect you with someone who is praying to invest in your gift. That is how these marriages work. It has all been vision, and God has aligned me with the right people to help me on the journey of fulfilling my dream. These investors understand that they are not investing in my Pillo, they are investing in Shelton McCoy! This has all been a vision of people, tapping me on the shoulder and asking me about my invention. Also, be open to receiving those blessings from God when they come, and they will come

Waka Flocka -Hiphop Artist

are some smaller, more lightweight Kushions that I am also coming out with. What is great is that it only takes three weeks to produce the Pillows. Wh at else ar e you w or k in g on ? I am putting up an eco-friendly community with Darryl Williams, President and CEO of Neighboring Concepts, called Shelton Beach, which will be the world?s first eco-community. It has seven-acres, a salt-water swimming pool, imported white sand, and we are building thirty, 1-2 bedroom, bungalow-like homes surrounding it. It will give the appearance of being in a place like Bora Bora. The First Lady of Congo also wants me to travel there to invest in my eco-community, and I am not sure what will happen next. My end game is to become an investor. I have to be a blessing to others because none of this happened based on my credentials. I also want to hit the circuit and talk to our youth, and share my story. Wh at advice w ou ld you give t o ot h er bu sin ess ow n er s r egar din g

of the gift God gave you. Step out on faith. God will put those opportunities in place for you. There is power in the unseen and unknown. If this is a pure vision that comes to you, you know it is from The Most High. You will have concerns but keep working at it everyday, and God is going to put those people you need in front of you. You will go see a Randy Jackson, who you think will be the face of your business, and you will get a tap on the back from behind, someone I did not see, and God will have the right person in place to assist you on your journey. Anything coming from lust, saying ?look at me, see what I drive?, materialistic thoughts are not of God. He will introduce you to someone; I call that person a crossroad. Everything has a crossroad. For every left there is a right; everything has an opposite. There is someone out there looking for something you can offer. For example, if you put two pianos in the room--- one all the way to the left and the other to the right--and play a chord on one, then walk to the other, that same note will resonate on that

in ways that you won?t expect them. Wh er e do w e f in d Th e Sm ar t Pillo or Ku sh ion ? Customers can go on my websites, www.kushion.com, and www.sheltonmccoy.com. For the readers, I have something for you; if you use my exclusive promotional code F1MCCOY, you will receive a $100 discount off of your order! Shelton McCoy?s dreams of having safe yet convenient technology has now become our reality. He is a shining example that faith, along with hard work and dedication will align us with divine opportunities to see our own ideas to fruition. Also, when that passion involves serving others, it is a guarantee that success will surely follow close behind. As technology advances forward, it is vital that we have someone like Shelton, who invents products that keep the health, safety, and comfort of the human race in mind. Take that discount code and ?Get a Pillo that could do both."

The Cur vy Girl

Four

Ways to Fier ce

Make Sure You Know The Fit Of Each Retailer.

n o i h s a F h g i H g n i r p S

Not every plus size brand will fit the same (just like straight sizes). While some brands DO have fit issues, knowing which brands are more junior cut, missy cut, or true to size is critical. This will help you navigate through the designers, retailers and boutiques!

Pull Tears (Create A Pinterest Board) Of Your Personal Style

Get Playful In Color

Oooohhh I am sooo here for the intensity of color for spring. I am looking forward to rich blues, blinding yellows, juicy oranges. AND bold and bright prints of all scales!

I am currently obsessed with Carine Roitfeld. Like, I love that she has an edgy signature style. She slays the midi pencil skirt paired with daring blouses and killer heels. While I won?t copy her look head to toe, I remain inspired by it and am finding how this rocks out for me. I even have a Pinterest board of other ?s whose looks have me thinking!

An Eye For Detail

One way to add a bit more tude or interest to your look? The details and finishes of your look- whether it be the belt, jewels, or even the buttons on your jacket. Think the clutch, the shoe, and the glasses you rock. They are JUST as important to your overall look!

Photography by: The.TZ.Studio

MEET LEVEL 21'S NEW

CREAT IVE By: Davit a Collins

DIRECT OR Innovat ive, Fashionable, & Inspiring

Michael Lopez-Bond

s with most publications, Level 21 Magazine is forever evolving. W hile the brand expands, there are many aspects of the business that shift to accommodate operations, marketing and merchandising needs. In addition to Internet, social media, and their upcoming talk show Level 21 TV, it is vital that our branding stays consistent throughout each media channel. Recently, I sat down to talk with Michael Lopez, Level 21 Magazine?s newly minted Creative Director, who will be the driving force behind the Level 21 vision.

You can?t just say you want to be a designer, you have to be a designer. 21

MEET MICHAEL Whereareyouf romoriginally? I am originally from Brooklyn, NY, but I was raised in historic Coney Island. People do not know this, but I was initially born in Denver, Colorado. I moved from Denver to Brooklyn when I was two years old, so I do not really remember much about Denver. I pretty much stayed in Coney Island up until high school. W hat made you decide to get into the Fashion Industry?

Tell usa bit about your backgroundin Fashion. It was a series of events that lead up to my decision to go into Fashion. Initially in high school, my friends and I would airbrush, cut, and sew clothes because we wanted to create our own style. I really was focused on branding and marketing, and making sure that the business was legitimate. I appreciate how my friends pushed me in that direction; how they said ?we really need to have our own logo, our own style, and our own target audience.?I was more interested in the business aspect of things, not so much the artistry.

I eventually grew a passion for Fashion. But at the time, my designs were more urban. Then, I began to hang around some friends who were into high fashion. I traveled around, and then moved to Tennessee. There I met some photographers and models, which have been on the high fashion scene as seen in Vogue or W magazines. And it opened my eyes, and revealed to me that this is attainable, especially coming from an ethnic background. So, we began putting together mood boards to get this collection done.

Initially when I wanted to be a fashion designer, I was thinking ?cut, sew and painting?clothing. Until one day I just woke up and asked myself, what does the community have?The community did not have a ?preppy?line, a high-end line that is not Ralph Lauren, or Polo. Everyone that I knew locally made custom dresses, or if it were anything else the focus wasn?t on the brand. It was about creating whatever ?off the wall?garment that looked good. I wanted to create a brand where people recognized my logo, my editorials, my images and still associate them with high fashion. I?d still produce images that could go inside of a Vogue, W W D, or W type of magazine.

I met with a friend, and he stated, ?you can?t just say you want to be a designer, you have to be a designer.?Then, he introduced me to a room full of amazing fashion people. And he said, ?W hen you go into this room, you will say you are a designer from now on, because whatever you tell them, they will believe what you say. Now that they believe you, you have to back it up.? He went on to say ?you have to

to do your research, and find your features. I will help you do that?And that is how my business started. I was super nervous, but I went in there and said that ?I am a fashion designer, and I am launching my first collection soon?. The rest is history. There are things in my life that happened that I feel strengthened my emotional passion for fashion. To make a long story short, I had a friend who was a major fashion designer, who motivated me to launch W orld of Cashmir. He passed away. Right after his passing, his sister and I got together and worked on the collection. We decided what we were going to do, and what the collection was going to look like. And I haven?t slowed down since, and that has not even been an option to me.

What challengesdidyouencounter along your journey, andhowdidyouovercome? I have encountered insecurity, since I did not have the educational background, nor the financial backing that other brands had. Despite this I felt blessed to have the amount of support from people from the beginning. There are people I haven?t spoken to in about a year or so that I could instantly call and we can continue where we left off: making business decisions and closing deals, because we never lost communication. I traveled a lot! It was a gift and a curse. It was a gift, because I was able to reach out and network with so many cultural people. I was able to go back and forth to New York, go back to Tennessee and to Atlanta doing so many different things. But it hindered me because I did not have the foundation to say that someone knew me for an extended period of time.

Every time I went to a different city, I would see what I call ?fashion juggernauts?, people who are in charge or have built their brand up in a specific area. I feel as though those platforms are not meant to allow others succeed past a certain level. They want to see people succeed, as long as they are not surpassing them. I have a business to build a platform for others, and I have ambitions to grow my following in so many areas and so many different cities. But I saw this as a struggle because I did not have the money to pay people what they wanted to get paid. See, I was used to getting paid a certain amount as a designer, but then I moved to the South where that?s not the norm. It was a huge struggle dealing with different cultures and different people, while being true to myself, my brand and elevating as a designer, before opening doors to everything else I do in the Fashion Industry.

HowdidyoucomeupwiththenameWorld of Cashmir, andtell uswhat isits signif icance?

It is so much that goes into that name. Initially, the name of the brand was Cashmir, not W orld of Cashmir. I went into my closet thinking, what do I want my brand name to be?W hat will be my niche?And as I was going through my father?s closet, whom I was visiting with at the time, I noticed he had these vintage cashmere ?Cosby?sweaters. I thought that they were so cool, and that I had to borrow some of these sweaters. So, I was able to wear these sweaters, and my father was wearing them years before I was born! The quality was still good, and if you were to go out and buy cashmere sweaters today, you would pay hundreds, sometimes-even thousands of dollars for them!

So I realized that the quality never changed, and it was an expensive, timeless brand. Actually, I asked myself what did I want my brand to represent?And it was everything that sweater represented. It was timeless, it would not lose its value over time, and it was detailed. And so I named my brand Cashmir. It was first an urban collection, based off the concept that ?it?s merely cash so go ahead and spend it?.

As I grew, transitioned, and hung around different types of people with different audiences, I changed the brand name to Cashmir. ?MIR?is derived from the Kashmir goat reference in the Bible. So, it has a biblical meaning to the name. As I dug deeper into the meaning of ?MIR?the Russians were the first to attempt to land on the moon, and the name of their rocket ship was The Mir!

Although they never made it, I believe they were the first to strive to attain greater at that time. That is what I strive to do as a creative. I also used MIR, because in Russian it means ?peace?. That is the Cashmir brand. I take several different elements, and several different art pieces and put them all together under one brand. So MIR is a concept that I am creating with Level 21 Magazine that will also appear in other publications as well.

Whowouldyouconsider a musef or your designs? I don?t have one particular muse, because I get inspiration from so many different places. I feel as though where ever I travel, I get inspiration from people interacting in their own habitat. There is a collection that I am currently working on, that brings me to Soho, NY. I just go to Soho and just watch people. I had an important meeting at the Soho House, which I was early for, so I literally watched people my age come out of business meetings going back and forth. I just imagined them wearing my own designs, in that setting and what destination they would be going to. I may see someone who may say, ?OMG I

love your look.?But I would not do too much to deviate from their personal style. So if I work with a model, I will style them based on what I have seen them wear already. I am the type of person who may not have consistent contact with a model for about a year, but then call them one day and say ?I came up with a collection that fits you. Let?s work.?

Youmentionedthat youdressedclients. Can youtell usmoreabout that?Any celebrity clients? I have been blessed with the opportunity to style people, but not as a stylist. People would approach me as a designer to style or create pieces for someone, not knowing the difference between a designer and stylist. For example, I have been asked to create custom pieces for different artists and celebrities for their events. It has been great, because it shifted me in the direction I wanted to go. I had the opportunity to design a piece for a collection for Sevyn Streeter when she signed her record deal, and promoted her first single with Chris Brown. I had an amazing piece that I had the opportunity to design for Bruno Mars. I love his image, and music so I designed a Hawaii-inspired piece. I also designed a piece for Elle Varner. I love her music. I was asked as Creative Director to come on set for certain projects and I am excited to say that those pieces I made were their brand and style, as well as, mines.

Howexcitingit istobethenewCreative Director f or Level21Magazine!?Howdoyou f eel about that?Can youtell uswhat youhave accomplishedsof ar in your newrole? I am ecstatic. I was really familiar with the magazine prior to this. I never thought about the opportunity until it was presented to me. I

met Tempestt, the CEO of Level 21 Magazine, and we just ended up clicking in a meeting that we were both in for a client that I had. We really impressed each other with our talents, and I am really excited to be onboard. She gives me a lot of freedom and does not try to put me in a box, which I love about her. The whole team is amazing, and I am honored to have a team who supports me and admires my work. I hope that I have accomplished putting things in perspective. One thing I can say is that I am proud of my brand and everything that I have accomplished, so I could be a reference point for the magazine. I will focus on structure building and I look forward to accomplishing more.

What doyouhopetoaccomplishwiththe Level 21Brand? I want to take Level 21 to another level, even taking it to Level 22! I want to be able to break down barriers in the fashion and entertainment industry. So, with my background I would like to streamline that, on the PR level. Recently we worked with Claudette Ortiz (formerly of the group City High and R&B Divas LA). In the future, I would like to help with choosing the right photos, but selecting those that the magazine normally wouldn?t so Level 21 could be exposed to a different market.

What shouldwelook out f or thisyear?What f utureprojectsareyouworkingon? Right now, the main thing is getting back to myself. I think last year, I took an entire year off my brand to help others, so I want to get back to my brand. I?d like to help other brands on a case-by-case basis. I want to create packages that are reasonable to

entrepreneurs. Another project I am working on is called Emerge, which is a model talent agency that is developmental. This agency was put in place to prevent models from going through the unnecessary challenges that other models have gone through. Some don't understand the marketing aspect of the industry. So, it will be more for consultation purposes. I have partnered with The.TZ.Studio , They have a passion for young models.

We have a booking agent now, who is amazing and experienced. I am also very excited to get into more collection pieces. I am currently working on a collection using Black Diamond. So the theme is going to be anniversary pieces that will be black diamond. I am also working on a purse and wallet (accessories) collection, as well as, more Cashmir Designs. Those are the main things that have my primary attention right now.

Howdopeoplecontact you? I have a website, www.worldofcashmir.com. Also I am very personable. So for any major affairs, I can be contacted on Instagram @worldofcashmir FB: W orld of Cashmir. I am also a fan of video chatting. If someone wanted to reach me I would not mind exchanging numbers and video chatting, or if I am in the same city meeting with them. Sometimes when people try to reach me on the website, they have to go through several channels of communication with my team. I have a huge team based out of several different cities, so they help me to filter out what needs to be prioritized. Michael Lopez is quite accomplished! Having the vision and dedication, he was able to take a mere idea and catapult it into a successful career in Fashion. Taking personal tragedy and other life lessons and utilizing them as tools to guide him on his journey to entrepreneurship, Lopez has been able to launch several other businesses, and therefore able to penetrate many aspects of the industry. Lopez is both a style and entrepreneurial chameleon. W ith his extensive background with PR and branding, we are confident that he can catapult the Level 21 brand even further into the stratosphere.

Welcome to the Level21 Family!

W hat was it like coming back into the spotlight? When I wastouringwithCity High, we weref amousbut I still hada senseof privacy. I couldwalk intothegrocery store andshopwithout peoplereally recognizing me. Wehadf ans, but our f acesweren?t plasteredeverywhere. Wecouldleavea show andthen goon withour lives. Theinternet andreality TV havechangedthat. People recognizeyour f aceandthat makesit hard sometimes. Youhavetoalwaysbeon point whereever yougo. I enjoy it, andI amnot complaining, but f ameisjust dif f erent now f or me. Speaking of Reality TV, do you regret your decision to do reality TV? No, I don?t regret it all. Beingon R&B Divaswasdif f erent than anythingI thought it wouldbe. I wassurprisedtof indit was

very structured. I wasworriedabout havingmy lif eandmy kids?livesexposed, but it wasall very organized. (smilingshe adds) Weactually hada schedule. It wasa blessingover all. It wassoamazingtowork witha groupof talentedwomen that I had admired. I didn?t really knowthecast bef ore I joinedtheshowandit wasa great experiencetoget toknowthem. Theshow openedsomegreat doorsf or me. Since returning to the industry you have also had the chance to work with Tyler Perry. W hat was it like? I learneda lot whileworkingwithhim. His teamisvery prof essional. Hehasreally

taught mehowtobeon point. (laughingshe goeson) Youcan?t bea minutelate. Hereally caresabout hisemployeesandhisteamdoesa great jobof casting. They arenot just talented people, but goodheartedpeople. In all the hundredsof peoplethat work f or him, I haven?t met oneperson that I didn?t like. There arealwaysgoodpeoplearound. I?vebeen f ortunateenoughtowork withthemon plays, aswell as, f ilm. Tyler makessurehispeople aretreatedwell sowecan f ocuson thework at hand. On and off the screen, Claudette is a true hustler. After her divorce from Ryan Toby, a member of her former group City High, Claudette faced rough times as a single mom. Despite her previous fame, the divorce caused her to shift into a season of financial struggles; including dealing with foreclosure and being unable to provide for her kids. She ultimately found herself, like so many single moms, applying for social services. Down, but determined not to stay there, she began taking on new opportunities to get by. Claudette taught herself to be a chef and became a certified personal trainer. Taking care of her family was her top priority. She has always been willing to do whatever it took to provide for them. Her family is her place of peace and joy, and you can hear the cheer in her voice as the conversation deflects to her family and personal life. How did you get into cooking? I got intocookingbecauseI enjoy cooking f or thoseI careabout;toseethejoy on their f aces. I havegiven somethought tohavinga cookingshow. Maybeoneday in thef uture. I just lovetobebusy. I couldnever just sit around. Beinga singlemom, youaretheone that your kidsdependon toprovidef or them. I guessmy f ervor comesf romwantingtomake suremy children haveeverythingthey need. My oldest is12, andI alsohavean 11and 8-year-old. They aremy world, andI woulddo anythingtomakesurethey haveeverything they need. (Happily, sheadds) anda f ew thingsthey want too!

STRENGTH HEALING TRIUMPH

DRESS DESIGNER MONIQUEA RENEE

Is it hard to balance being a single mother in the entertainment industry? I couldn?t doit without my support system. It wouldbealmost impossiblewithout thehelpof my f riendsandf amily. Youhaveto havepeopleyoucan trust. Do your kids want to follow in your footsteps? I think becausethey grewup aroundit, they knowa lot morethan other kidsmight. They areawareof what I doandunderstandhowit?s done. They eachhavetheir own gif tsandtalents. They arestill so young. What I really want f or them istobewhat Godnaturally hasf or them. W ith her career reaching new heights, Claudette is happy about the journey life has taken her on. She has grown wiser and more mature with each new opportunity. Although her career is blooming, Claudette has managed to remain grounded. She doesn?t take anything for granted and refuses to let fame come at the cost of her family.

Yes, I makeall my decisionsbased on what?sbest f or them. It hastobe that way, they just simply come f irst. And what about marriage, do you see a future Mr. Ortiz in your family? Despitewhat othersmight say, I really enjoyedbeingmarried. There isa misconception that my last relationshipwascrazy anddif f icult andit wasn?t. Don?t believewhat you readonline. Our relationshipended, but it wasgoodandwearestill good f riends. I wouldlovetoget married again. What I won?t doisget divorcedagain. Claudette is extremely selective when it comes to choosing the next man she will share her life with. W ith good reason. The pain of the past is something she never plans on repeating. I wouldlovea hardworkingman. Onethat isbothspiritual and passionate. Hemust bealsobe compassionateandlovekids. Most importantly hewill valuef riendship rather than control. A man shouldbe a man, but heshouldalsobegood withmepursuingmy dreams. He won?t mindmy scheduleor my occasional needtobuildthings. He

will bea balancetome. The conversation continues, and soon we find ourselves talking about Claudette?s first love, music. Are you working on an album now? I amalwaysworkingon music. Musicisin my heart. It isnatural to me. I amalwayscreatingsomething. I wasnever lookingtobea superstar in music. If that happens, if God willsit f or me, then I will takeit. For me, it hasalwaysbeen about my love f or music. I amin a season of lif e nowwhereI can makemusicbecause I enjoy it, andthat?snice. I will alwaysreleasethingsf or my f ans. I don?t havea set dateon thealbum, but it?scoming. W hat advice would you give to young girls dreaming of music careers? If I wastalkingtoyounggirls comingup, I wouldtell themto watchtheir money. Learn toinvest it, or get withpeopleyoucan trust to helpyoumanageit. I wouldalsotell themtobuilda brandtocreate longevity f or themselves. Music

T ar r i ce L ov e Ph o t o gr ap h y