VIOLET SUMMER ZINE ISS. 3
© 2015 Violet Summer Zine, All Rights Reserved. Published by: Mel Writes, LLC
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scamming The story you didn’t read this week. #AsToldByMelissa
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C OLLABORATORS
Melissa Henderson Melissa is a writer on a quest to make cool stuff. She loves telling stories, shopping, and traveling the world. She is currently working on her fashion marketing expertise and outchea getting her bag. Follow her on social @melspainn. More at www.melwrites.com
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Alexandria Greenwood Owner and Los Angeles native Alexandria Greenwood may be new to the retail space but she’s not new to giving back. The 32-year - old female entrepreneur founded Intuition.Lawith $500 and 5 products in June of 2016. Follow her on social @Alexandria.Greenwood
Nina Karnikowski Australian-based Travel Writer Nina Karnikowski’s career has taken her across the vast plains of Mongolia in ex-Russian military vehicles, through Moroccan deserts on the back of a camel, tramping through the kaleidoscopic streets of India. Follow her life @travelswithnina.
C OLLABORATORS
Brooke Ashley Hall Brooke currently works at a chic advertising agency in New York. She loves traveling to exotic places and dressing up. This year, she completed her advanced diver certification in Fiji, and embarked on a camping trip throughout Iceland. Follow her on social @brookeashleyh.
Malea Thomas Malea is a senior at American University. She is majoring in English Lit with a focus in Creative Writing. Since Malea was a little girl,working at fashion magazine has always been her dream job. This summer she is enjoying teaching in Miami and relaxing on the beach.
Mi Mi Chloe Park An intellectually curious traveler who resides in Brooklyn; Mi Mi grew up in the South of France and New York City. Currently, she works for the French Government Tourism Board and loves to document her experiences through the lens of a 35mm camera.
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www.melwrites.com
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www.melwrites.com
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Catching fresh scallops off the coast of Stykkishรณlmur. by
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Brooke Ashley Hall
77 & breezy
P. 10
Scammers
P. 12
The Violet Summer Madlibs
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Winter in Greece
P. 14
Intuition.LA
P. 16
Traveling Alone
P. 18
A Glamorous Nightmare
P. 22
Laina Raina
P. 24
How To Live Like A Parisian
P. 26
Trend Report
P. 28
Sanity Addiction Pt. 2
P. 30
Deshopping
P. 35
Credits
P. 36
FEA TURES
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breezy
“Finding beauty even in the darkness” I’ve developed a habit of using the view from my bedroom window to chill out. To hear the sounds of the outside in the darkness. Like that favorite spot to sit on your stoop, that favorite oversized hoodie to wear that brings comfort, smiling because it makes you feel good, it’s about going back to the basics. So we stepped out on that cold French beach, our feet digging slowly into the sand with each lazy step. It was well past midnight, when the whole town was sleeping and the ocean waves calmed down from roaring through high tide. We found peace, calmness, and beauty even in the night.
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scammer Everyone has experienced a time in their life when they have been cheated or wronged. Whether it was buying a fake Gucci wallet or staying at a shitty hostel while traveling abroad, life is full of adventure. Everything that is beautiful is not always good for you. People will believe anything as long as the story looks and feels real and that’s where a scam can live. Good prices don’t always yield good results. Individuals who fall into a scam think the deal is so good; it has to be true. It is a unique experience where you feel vulnerable when you realize everything that nice salesman told you was false! A scam takes place in the hood every day. Usually in the form of credit card fraud related to buying designer clothes or material goods. Growing up in Philadelphia, people would buy prepaid credit cards for a cheaper rate than the actual money on the card. A $100 in cash could get you $500 in a prepaid credit card if you knew the right person. The biggest scams are always in retail. Such was the case when a friend told me he got scammed into buying fake Armani Exchange jackets in Midtown Manhattan. It was during the holidays when people are the most vulnerable. He was on his lunch break when a man with a thick Italian accent approached him about directions to the airport and a story about trying to get rid of a set of “leather Armani Exchange” jackets because he 12
needed the cash to get back home since he maxed out his credit card. By the end of the hour long scam-pitch, my friend brought three fake Armani Exchange ( disguised as “Emporio Armani”) jackets for $300 because he thought he was saving so much money while helping out a frazzled foreigner who even had a fake business card from “Giorgio Armani” the brand. However, when he got home and examined his prized possessions, he noticed the tag said “EZ Collection” and they smelled weird. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in his head. He never heard of the “EZ collection” even as a former retail associate at Armani Exchange. Upon a quick Google search, he discovered that the jackets were fake and dozens of people have reported that these jackets were part of scam thanks to message boards like Reddit and a recent blog post on Gothamist. As a Brooklyn native, my friend felt salty AF. Not only was this the first time he got scammed, but he also lost $300 because he wasn’t going to wear anything fake and couldn’t sell it to anyone because the jackets would be sure to bring him “bad Karma.” In the end, it doesn’t matter how street smart you think you are; scammers are the most skilled artisans after the government. Beware of too - good - to - be - true deals. Don’t walk in public with your purse open and be aware of your surroundings at all times.
Violet Summer Madlibs Grab a pen, a friend and ask them only what’s in parentheses in the paragraph below. at the end, read out the full story with their responses.
I was boarding a flight to Paris from Belgium when I spotted _____________( Would you rather be Khaleesi or Cersei?) in front of me. I tapped her on the shoulder with my _________________ (Android or Iphone?) and she freaked out on me. She thought I was her enemy’s claws. “My bad, sis!” I said. But it was too late! She went full blown Game of Thones. She started throwing stale_____________ ( macroons or croissants?) at me! The flight attendant ran over to break up the battle by throwing cold ______________ (matcha or cappuccino?) on both of us. “I am the ruler of this earth!” She screamed. I instantly went into a deep purple trance, and ended up following her to Paris. When we got off the plane. She gave me _____________water ( misting spray or hair spray?) to stay invisible as we went through customs. This is the_______ (number of times you bought your friends dinner?) time visitors have come to Paris and managed to get though the mean security gaurds. Can you blame them!? Paris is the most protected city in the world besides New York! So here I was following _______________( Would you rather be Khaleesi or Cersei?) and we were headed straight to Versailles. She said I had to get married to ________________( Would you rather kiss Future or Gucci Mane?). They were also her captives since he always had good ___________________( rosé or red wine?). When we arrived to Hotel Francois, I was exhausted and escorted to my very own (Would you rather sleep in a barn or garage?). How could I believe that being held captive was going to be fun? My hotel room was covered in ___________________( condoms or a IUDs?). 13
Greece
I made up my mind to spend winter in Greece to rekindle a love that I nourished online. It was forty degrees in November when I boarded a cheap flight. I was anxious and nervous and adrenaline flooded my bloodstream for 7 hours as I stared out of the window to the vacation destination. The last time I was in the country of Greek ancient mythology was with my boarding school friends a decade ago. This time it would be different. It would be to meet a guy I connected with in Italy a few months prior. We decided to meet in Athens, Greece. New York was killing me, and I had the vacation days off from work. When my (then) lover met me at the airport, we were both hesitant at first. All that talking online didn’t do our silence justice during the taxi ride to our Airbnb. I instantly knew something was up. He didn’t look like the guy I had met briefly in Italy. By the end of the first 48 hours together our romantic relations were sparse. It was unsettling. The fire I was hoping to feel was physically non-existent. After a while, I started to question the entire experience. Was I wrong for coming hundreds of miles across the Atlantic Ocean to feel something real, only to feel empty? I went through his Mac Book while he was in the shower and searched for my name. Nothing came up. I looked through his photos, he was a blond in all of them, but the person I had met at the airport was a brunette. Suddenly, an email popped up from his psychologist. “Call us immediately, you must take your medication before it’s too late!” 14
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35 MM CAMERA words by Melissa Henderson Photography of The Temple of Poseidon by Mimi Chloe Park
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INTUITION.LA Since Los Angeles native Alexandria Greenwood opened INTUITION. LA exactly one year ago, she has given away over $17,000 in support of black-owned and female-run businesses. She has sold over thousands of products and will be opening a new location at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach, CA this fall. To say she is building her empire by following her intuition is an understatement. Her loyal clients will buy up her store if they could. One eager customer purchased 20 of her custom scented candles, which is a testament to not only the uniqueness of her offerings but the quality of the goods. Whether you shop online via her live Instagram feed that showcases her expansive inventory from every client’s repost or wander into her boutique, you are destined to leave with something! The trendy online and in-store boutique carries everything you need to dress like your favorite celebrity without breaking the bank. “My shop is for women who use their intuition,” says Greenwood, who had her second wind at life when she founded her thriving store with just five hundred dollars to her name and five necklaces she purchased on clearance. “When I first started out, I would buy pieces on clearance and then flip them; I had no idea what 16
wholesale meant.” Now she buys quality and trendy items from all over the world, including customizing jackets and pants, tongue and cheek shirts that read “bougie” and “buy back the block. Her signature candle line has become a must-have staple item for every black home across America. Though her rise to success has undoubtedly paid off, Greenwood wants to focus on building and maintaining a loyal customer base. In the early days of Intuition.LA, if customers were to purchase a product online, she would personally deliver the item. Call her the retail version of Postmates, if a client bought a necklace for a hot date, she would hand-deliver the package on the same day and even style the customer on site. “I wanted to know my clients. When I didn’t have my storefront, I knew I would be missing that priceless in- person customer exchange that would keep them shopping at my store. So this was my way of making up for it.” After hours of chatting, I got the lowdown on what the fashionista has to say about Intuition.la’s inspiration and future expansion plans. VSZ: What was your favorite store growing up? AG: It was a mix between Fred Segal and Anthropologie. I loved Fred Segal they had a restaurant and had everything. (Continued on Page 36)
Use promo code: ZINE for 20% off your next purchase. www.intuition.la
TRAVELING ALONE By australian travel writer Nina Karnikowski www.travelswithnina.com So there I was. I’d just arrived in the yoga capital of the world - Rishikesh in India, where The Beatles famously found enlightenment – and already I was in floods of tears. I’d taken an 18-hour overnight bus there. It was old, it was cramped, it was overcrowded, and I barely got one hour’s sleep. When I finally got to Rishikesh, my tuk-tuk driver promised to take me to the ashram I was meant to be staying at, then dropped me in town instead. I’d lugged my swollen suitcase across the metre-wide Laxman Jhula bridge, crammed with beggars, motorbikes, cows, and hordes of Indian tourists, in the 100-degree midday sun. I reached the other side only to be told I’d have to take a seven-minute taxi to the ashram, that would cost me more than the entire overnight bus trip... And with that, the tears. Tears that didn’t manage to get me a discount on the taxi, but that did make me realize how much I needed the week by myself in that place of spiritual reflection. I’ve shed a lot of these kinds of tears over the past seven years. Ever since I launched into the travel writing world and started adventuring from Russia to India, Zambia to Morocco, Chile to Peru and beyond, all by myself. I call them the ‘lone traveler tears,’ brought on by those moments of fear, frustration, and loneliness that the solo adventurer so often feels. But, over time, I’ve started to cry less often. Because I’ve developed four golden rules that I use whenever I hit the road alone, to avoid being ripped off or taken advantage of. First up, I make sure that I always look confident, even when I’m not. If you look
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confused or afraid, people will pick up on that and take advantage of it. So even if you are lost, don’t pull out your map or guidebook in the middle of the street and start looking around aimlessly. Just keep walking like you look like you know where you’re going until you can find a discreet spot in which to pull yourself together again. Next, I always try to blend in, which often means dressing down. If you’re standing around with a fabulous turban, some printed palazzo pants, and chunky costume jewelry, you may get snapped by the local street press, but you’re way more likely to be a target for thieves or sleazy guys. So while you’re on the road, I’d suggest checking out the local women and trying your best to mimic both the way they dress and their behavior. Cover up in countries where it’s expected, and always veer towards conservative, just to be on the safe side. Thirdly, I always get to my destination before nightfall. Knowing where you’re going, and getting settled in so you’re not stumbling around in the dark with all your valuables strapped to your back, is one of the best ways to avoid ending up in scam city. Finally, I always trust my instincts. Women’s intuition is a real thing. So, when you get that feeling in the pit of your belly that it’s unsafe somewhere, or just that something isn’t right, don’t ignore it. Don’t walk down that dark street. Don’t get into that car. Don’t stay in that hotel. If your gut is telling you not to do it, there’s a reason. Always. Once you’ve made sure you’re doing it right and not getting scammed left right and center, solo travel can be liberating, rewarding and totally empowering. Not only do you get to do exactly what you want to do when you want to do it (you don’t have to indulge someone else’s love of sitting by the pool while you’re desperate to go off exploring, for example), so you can make it the trip of your dreams, not somebody else’s. You can also get more engaged with the world around you when you’re on your own. When we travel with other people, we often have our blinkers on. We’re so busy chatting with our travel buddy, commentating everything we’re seeing and doing, that we ultimately miss out on seeing and experiencing so much. Not to mention that often strangers won’t feel as comfortable approaching a group of people as they will a single person, which means we don’t get to meet as many people, either. As British travel writer Jonathan Raban says, “You’ve got to go kind of naked into the world and make yourself vulnerable to it [when you travel], in a way that you’re never going to be sufficiently sensitive if you’re traveling with your nearest and dearest on your arm.”By eating in restaurants by myself, traveling in buses solo or simply wandering around alone, I’ve overheard snippets of conversation, seen incredible sights, or met amazing people I would never have, had I been with someone else. Do I get lonely? Well yeah, sometimes. Eating alone is always a challenge, for example, although nothing a good book can’t fix. But I always see that twinge of loneliness as a little push from the universe to get out and meet someone new or to go inwards and make friends with a part of myself I hadn’t discovered before. Like last year,
when I pushed myself to do a high altitude five-day trek to Peru’s Rainbow Mountain alone. Once I’d reached the peak of that mountain, I found that a corner of my old story crumbled away, and I was no longer a shy and fearful child, but an adult woman who now, instead of escaping her fears, was a little more capable of pushing through them. And besides. Any loneliness you might feel is far outweighed by the sense of empowerment that solo travel ultimately leads to. Traipsing around a foreign city knowing that you’ve got this, that you don’t need anyone else to make you feel safe, secure or confident, is the best know there is. And once those tears had dried up in Rishikesh, and I’d taken the expensive taxi to the ashram and, with a whole week of solo meditation and yoga, I was I a bit better equipped in life to pause before lashing out, and not to be put off by the usual setbacks. *
Nina’s Bazaar
For product history and to buy, log on to www.travelswithnina.com/ninas-bazaar.
Indian brass serpant bangle
Indian Kolhapuri Sandals
Rajasthani Embroidered Jacket Gold Sequinned Bollywood Scarf 20
A GLAMOROUS NIGHTMARE Fashion fan fiction by Malea thomas
Red lights. Gold lights. Yellow lights. Shine bright like diamonds. Now, dim the lights. Silence cell phones. This could only be Paris, France. The show was about to begin. Grace, a young journalist’s beady eyeballs were super glued to the stage. On stage, the model’s black Jimmy Choo heels clicked loudly along with long dresses that draped the bodies of the six-foot tall models, and every detail of the show was perfection. Their long, blonde hair swayed back and forth, and the silver glitter gleamed on their faces. Grace wore a Prada dress from last year’s collection, and she was desperately trying to wear the dress instead of the dress wearing her. She wore some designer heels who’s name was too difficult to pronounce and was equally as hard to walk in. The audience stared in awe as the beautiful models displayed their luxurious ensembles from the top fashion designers. She took in every moment as if it were her last, and she watched the fierceness in each diva’s eyes. She sat in the front row and scribbled furiously. The friction of the tips of her fingers wrapped around her pen while she tried to convey the majesty of the upcoming fall trends and her eyes analyzed everything. Writing was her outlet—a place where she could not be judged. She lived in the pages and spirals of her notebook. The nooks and crannies, the scratch marks and folds—they were her home. In the audience, Grace glanced over while she was taking notes and saw her all-time favorite magazine Creative Director, Ann Bella. Grace thought, now is my chance to talk to her. She moved through the crowd of journalists and editors. Every corner was filled with chaos, but Grace kept moving until she was right next to her. She paused for a few moments because she was trying to get her words together before she opened her mouth. You got this. “Hi, my name is Grace. You are my biggest inspiration. I would love—” “Your never make it.” Ann stared at her for a split second and then looked back at the fashion show. Grace’s shoulders sunk in a little bit. “Ann, I love—” “Your wearing a dress that is a couple years old. You’re irrelevant.” 22
Grace slowly turned and walked away. Her head was down and her dreams were crushed. Did that really just happen? Instantly, her eyes tiered up and a couple ran down her face. Grace moved her way close to the exit and decided she was going to leave the show early. Grace walked outside and there were cabs lined up. She jumped into one. “Can you take me to my hotel? The address is 70 Av. des Champs-Élysées,” Grace said. “Pas de probleme, mademoiselle,” said the cab driver said. Grace closed her eyes. She envisioned her younger self. When she was in the fourth grade with her two pigtails, she use to read her favorite magazine at night curled up in her bed. She always dreamed to be just like Ann Bella. And then, she quickly opened her eyes, and she mumbled, not no more. After she paid the man, Grace stumbled out the cab and walked to her hotel room. She threw off her dress, took off her make-up, and climbed into her king bed. Grace stretched and rose from her bed as the sun-rays beamed through her cream curtains. She took a hot shower then she put on her favorite blue destroyed jeans and light blue sweater. She sprayed her signature Dior perfume and gathered up her belongings into her Tory Burch tote bag and headed out her room. She walked towards the front desk so she could check out but a headline caught her eye from The Daily Front Row Press. She skirted over to the News Rack with her bags in her hand and picked up the newspaper. It was an article. But it was not just any article; it was an article about the fashion show she left early yesterday night. Grace eyes widened and she wondered did something happen? Was there a fight? She sat down in the hotel lobby and she read the headline of the story. It was talking about the Creative Director, Ann Bella. Ann had scammed young editors to write her stories for the magazine. Grace’s mouth dropped because she admired Ann Bella every since she was a little girl. The “heated conversation” spread all the newspapers, magazines, tabloids, and blogs. Ann Bella’s career 15+ years in publishing was over. Her credibility was dead. In the article, it said, “She is now completely irrelevant from the Fashion Industry. The magazine is done with her.” Grace laughed and murmured sounds familiar? Ha, look who is irrelevant now. At least my name is not tarnished. Grace rose from her seat and checked out so she would not miss her flight back home. It was one hell of a trip. ****
The former CEO of Chanel, Maureen Chiquet, is creative, playful and witty and she also doesn’t give out advice so don’t ask. But she will sell you on her new book “Beyond the Label” which is about her time and journey leading up to the greatest role in any fashionista’s dream: being the boss of Chanel. On a raining Tuesday night, IVY, The Social University, hosted a very French cafe chat with the dewy-skinned American turned Parisian on how to lead a luxury brand to be worth $6.2 billion. “I sat at the head of the table with ten other men who were primarily all French” the former CEO bragged. Beyond the Label is essentially about stories and fluffy ideas about Ms. Chiquet’s time getting to know the French culture while working in marketing and then getting recruited as a headhunter to work at Chanel. From the book, you’ll get the intimate details of her twenty-something ordeals, like her experience witnessing her roommate soak in a bathtub, while having a conversation with a male friend and smoking cigarettes. This seemingly glamorous vision left a lasting impression on Ms. Chiquet, who thought it was so French. When I asked her about why she even decided to include this in her book at the IVY Happy Hour Hour, she responded, “that was when I realized stuff about my sexuality and being comfortable with my body.” What struck me about this woman was her ability to be funny and vulnerable in a way that I had never seen businesswomen who are often serious. I was baffled when Ms. Chiquet confessed that she had to use her “feminine leadership qualities” to succeed in her role as CEO. “I cried many times in the conference room,” she told the audience with a confident smile. “I didn’t go in thinking I was going to command control of the groups, set strategy... Because that wasn’t going to fly in a room full of seasoned corporate men. You think you would go in with this “I am a vision,” type of mindset. But I had to use my feminine leadership qualities.” I had to be vulnerable… These are the things that helped me establish my credibility.”As of 2017, there are 32 female CEOS at Fortune 500 companies and apparently ( according to Fortune.com) this is the highest number of estrogen in the boardroom in a 63- year history. I bet very few of these women would admit to crying in meetings to get what they want. So to be honest Ms. Chiquet’s confession stuck with me after the chat. I went home and googled “the life of Gabrielle Chanel” to figure out what made this white girl from Missouri so appealing to big businessmen and if Gabrielle Chanel would agree with feminine leadership qualities. I came across a video directed by Karl Lagerfeld depicting Coco in her early days when she first opened her store in Paris with the help of male admirers. It was funny to watch a black and white video of a frazzled Chanel who was just in it to sell hats and make clothing. I bet she cried many times when she felt overwhelmed. I bet she pouted in her best red lipstick to get the financial backing from these male admirers. But in 2017, there is no amount of pouting or crying that I can do to get what I want. Being pretty doesn’t lead to much - not even a modeling contract. Perhaps, crying for some women yields more benefits. And maybe crying is a republican, aristocratic personality trait? Because Democrats surely can’t afford to cry in this culture. I cried when I was trying to plea for a job I thought I wanted, but the decision was already made. No amount of feminine leadership characteristics wasn’t going to get me magically paid in full. 24
lainarauma
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Her Instagram bio reads: “I sell my panties for money.” So I got her thoughts on life as a designer. Turns out, she loves bikinis, Duh! Go inside our conversation. VSZ: Describe Laina Rauma? LR: Why don’t you describe it for me? hahaha jk. I honestly would just say, ME. It’s what I wanna wear. Or what I want my alter-ego to wear. It’s sexy, fun, relaxed, clean, obnoxious, etc etc.. I think it’s pretty cool. haha. For ladies who have a lot of fun getting dressed. Like a sport. Who’s your inspiration? ME. Legit. I inspire me to be better. When I’m feeling shitty, I’m motivated to change it. When I feel amazing, I WANT MORE! What is your spring collection about? The Spring Basics are really just that. I will always be a sucker for a pastel and the fabric is amaaaazinggggg. Any plans for the summer? WORK! Seriously... I’m boring af.
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HOW TO LIVE LIKE A PARISIAN Make Paris Perfect Apartments your next vacation.
Photos from my spring 2017 travels in Paris ( left) and the garden of Versailles (right).
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Imagine living in Paris like Naomi Campbell in the 90s for a few days while on vacation. A hotel may always be convenient and hospitable, but an apartment that doesn’t scream cheap Air B n B is so much more alluring. Thanks to Paris Perfect Apartments, anyone can live like a Parisian for a few hundred dollars and a suitcase full of cute clothes. That’s why on my second trip to Paris this year, I opted for a place I could call my home away from my cozy Harlem apartment. I booked a “Pinot” apartment on their website www. parisperfectapartments.com, and a few weeks later I was pulling up to a very French old apartment building, distinguished by an oversized green door with a brass knob handle at the center. It was located on Avenue de la Bourdonnais, a few blocks from the Eiffel Tower and steps from La Seine. I got on the small two person occupancy elevator and made my way up to the 5th floor. At first glance, the decor of the apartment was very French: chandeliers were hanging from the dining room area, the living room and the bedroom, candelabras were also positioned in almost every corner, and an espresso machine in the kitchen. Of course, there were two balconies with French window doors with views of the long tree - lined fancy street. I felt right at home with the wine left on the table for my relaxation. I turned on the television to watch Fashion TV and got ready for a night - in with the city of croissants and silk negligees. Not only was my apartment chic, but it also came well stocked with everything a fashionista needs to feel her best on vacation. I did my best loads of laundry with that washer and dryer unit - there was a drying rack in the bathroom where I hung out my clothes before pressing them. My black knits never smelled and looked so fresh and restored. Instead of going out for dinner at another brasserie, I scheduled a cooking class because I wanted to make my own Croque Madame. The team at Paris Perfect Apartments encourages home cooked meals and guests. You can book cooking lesson with a top rated chef through their site and it even comes with a tour of a local French market. Cooking in French was my favorite experience of all the museum tours and vintage stores I visited that week. It was a connection to the culture I would never get cooped up in a lame hotel, and I surely wouldn’t be able to dance on a balcony while watching the sunset to a glittery and magical Eiffel Tower. For more about my experience with Paris Perfect Apartment, go to: www.parisperfect.com/blog.
SUSTAINABLE lit and chic af STATE OF MIND designer ev bessar’s firebird
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Upgrade your style to match your hustle. Thanks to the return of the fanny pack or “waist purse” your hips will get a lot of play this year, and that means dresses will take on a new structure and extra layer. Don’t worry about leaving your purse at the bar because fanny packs will stay right by your side. Don’t you dare diss the chic aesthetic of a fanny pack! Ditch that vinyl and polyester pouch from your summer camp days because fanny packs look better this season. They come in leather, suede, and can even transition into a shoulder bag if you choose. The fanny pack also has a new chain strap that makes it fancier and easier to wear. They are perfect for dance parties and glamping hikes. It’s no joke trying to hold your bag and your coordination as you jump over random muddy puddles and rocky downhill terrains. Fashionistas love wearing them across the chest. Even Kendall Jenner was spotted wearing a small leather Chanel fanny pack with jeans. Fanny packs are for the downtown or uptown IT girl who knows how to match prints with prints, rock Adidas Stan Smiths, and take the subway to the beach. To find a cute and chic fanny pack, shop the looks on the next page from Rag & Bone, Moschino and Melissa Shoes. Browse how to wear the look by using the hashtag #fannypack or #waistpurse.
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10 Style Notes
Look fab in a fanny pack. Forget shoulder straps, bring on the comfort and classy vibes of a waist purse. top picks:
Sanity Addiction Pt. 2
words by: melissa henderson
In May, the universe led me to the South of France with my new business partner, Kiara. We had been planning the trip for a few weeks, and the last stop to our destination was Hotel Francois. It was an old property set alongside the Atlantic Ocean on the Bay of Biscay and is the original vacation home of princess Marquisa St Claire and Prince Kareem of Nigeria. Since 1849, this imperial palace was a token of Prince Kareem’s love for his wife. Once known as Villa Marquisa, the property became a Hotel in 1956 when the Nigerian royalty wanted to embark on their European journey. They would make a stop at their Diamond business in London then take the train to Paris to the South of Versailles. Their thriving diamond business charmed Parisians to come to Nigeria to own exclusive pieces that glistened like the natural oil the country also harvested. The villa has since hosted some of the world’s most prestigious black writers, fashion designers, and political aficionados of the Caribbean and various countries along the Ivory Coast. Kiara and I thought it was an honor to be hosted by the hotel after slaving away in our factory for the entire summer. 30
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I had recently quit my job at an upscale restoration company because I simply had enough of inhaling dangerous chemicals, ridiculous fashion drama, and laughable paychecks. So when I arrived to the South of France on Rail Europe with a yearning for the beach, a little bit of jewelry business and relaxation, I didn’t think I would find myself at the same beach escape that Josephine Baker use to frequent. In the heart of Basque Country, little did I know I was in for the ultimate escape. It was a Monday around 11 AM when I arrived at the palace along the edge of the sea. The journey took five hours, and with each moment the French landscape became warmer dryer, and more exotic. I got my first glimpse of Hotel Francois and all its grandeur when our taxi came around the corner of a small street and revealed a royal palace fit for black excellence. As the sun hit the purple-and-cream-colored seaside villa, it radiated a power that one can only experience in person. I had arrived in paradise. The concierge staff greeted me at the gates with welcoming gestures; they took my bags and ushered me to the front desk. The hotel’s aroma smelled like Princess Marquisa’s wedding fragrance. The brass key that opened the room was attached to a vintage orange fringe keychain. If luxury is all in the details, then this is just a simple accessory that made each moment of my stay memorable. By the time I checked in, Kiara had logged onto Connections, a site the combined all social media networks, dating sites, and shopping sites into one platform. She was desperate to find a hot international vendor so she could gain Visa Sponsorship and be the bi- continental girl she always hoped to be. The African - American blonde wig wearer was single but always in some dramatic, unhealthy relationship. She blamed it on her African - American heritage. Her good genes gave her ahuge ass, tiny waist, and natural abs. Deep down, she was lonely and enjoyed our business relationship. We often shared suites because it was closer to move around with our separate spaces. Our rooms joined even though we had separate entrances with keys. It was easier to look out for each other this way. Plus we had separate balconies overlooking the ocean and town. It was breathtaking. I ran over to the windows and drew back the drapes to reveal a vista that took my breath away. While I left Kiara to her matchmaking, I scanned my email inbox; my eyes fixated on an email from my colleagues. We were all waiting to get paid from an international vendor. I was owed $20,000 thanks to my shitty business habits of having lenient payment terms. There were twenty threads by the time I chimed in on the subject of the vendor getting its own hashtag on Twitter. The hashtag had even made the All Things Considered segment on National Public Radio. As I munched on the dish of fresh strawberries that guest services left on my hotel room’s dresser, I read the email like a gossip column! “I didn’t get paid yet. It’s been two months since I submitted my invoice,” one angry designer exclaimed. “The managing director isn’t answering my emails,” another annoyed tailor wrote in a separate email.
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EXTRA! EXTRA! THE UGLY TRUTH ABOUT DE-SHOPPING | We all are guilty of buying an item, wearing it out with the tags on and then happily returning it to get our money back. This practice is called de-shopping. Expensive gowns are bought and then returned because a fashionista can only be seen wearing it once. Professional scammers often steal expensive accessories like Louis Vuitton bags and return them for store credit or gift cards. Deshoppers are skewing retail revenue numbers by the millions each month and huge department store giants, like Macy’s, are suffering because of their lenient return policies. According to the National Retail Federation, by the end of 2015, there was an estimated $15.9 billion fraudulent and abusive returns made in the overall retail industry that garnered over $200 billion in revenue that year. Although companies like Saks Fifth Avenue and Macy’s have some of the most open return policies, it’s hurting their profits in the long run. Macy’s department stores are closing around the country because they just can’t keep up with the changing landscape of retail that’s heavily driven by the digital space. We are living in the age of consolidation. Shoppers want to buy, wear it, and return it because a new trend pops up every day. That’s why Rent - The - Runway is thriving: they are making money off of the deshoppers. People who just need an outfit for a special occasion and don’t think twice about returning it. Call it sustainable. But retailers are getting played. Dry cleaners will even clean clothing with tags still on it! Return policy: What s tarted out as a marketing campaign has become a hugggee problem that is the ultimate demise of brick - and - mortar stores. But as emotional shoppers we won’t stop returning things. It’s our inherit nature of acquiring and recycling things.
“Mel!” Kiara called from the room next door. I dozed off for a few minutes on the love seat. I was exhausted from reading about all the drama taking place in the US. “I am meeting up with this guy I just connected with on Linkedin. He’s an architect from Liberia, and we’re going to talk about my dream office space, “ she informed me. I looked up from staring out at the ocean from my balcony entrance. “Is this record breaking networking time for you?!” I responded sarcastically. Networking and doing all the smooching required for conducting business the Anglo Saxon, Trump - ish, activity was insanely annoying to me now that I was running a million dollar business on my terms. I just didn’t see the point with my lifestyle. I was a few weeks away from getting married at the courthouse with a guy that treated me like an actual Queen. I didn’t need to talk to anyone who wasn’t important to me. Kiara’s agenda was why she was the head of client relations in our business. We were in the South of France to do business - my priority was figuring out where my vendor’s check was, finding a new creative director, and production warehouse by the beach. Kiara’s agenda was getting laid and spray tanned. (yes, black girls tan, too). “ Hello, Melanie! Snap out of jet lag?! Listen, I’m going to get wine and cigarettes from the convenience store a few blocks away. The guy I’m meeting is also bringing green and samples of his marble. Be back soon. Try to get into a better mood.” Kiara knew me so well, and she wasn’t afraid to read me to thilf and back if I needed it. We’d been through a lot doing business that was sometimes janky. She would be gone for at least four hours which gave me just enough time to take a long shower, call the US, and get ready for dinner. But I ended up passing out again on the love seat for a few hours again. The room was just too dreamy not to feel totally at peace and go to sleep. I awoke to the sound of moans coming from Kiara’s hotel room. After being away from home for a few weeks, I longed for the daily intimacy my partner would shower me with as romantic as it was normal. I didn’t mind Kiara’s sexual escapades. I was living vicariously through her social life when we were abroad on business and she loved it. That’s why she left the door open that connected our rooms. I reached for my phone to look at the time and saw that my screen was littered with notifications from social media, two missed FaceTime calls from my lover, and bank announcements. It was 10:30 PM. I got up from the velvet vintage Louis Vuitton sofa in my silk robe and quietly tiptoed to the door to the pathway of the moans. There she was getting it on with some tall, dark and middle aged Afrocubano. I started to get aroused at this very act. This trip was more like a fantasy than an actual business proposition and speaking of such Kiara made eye contact with me as she was in reverse cowgirl position. How adventurous! I smirked as she signaled me to come over but I flirted back in hesitation. Even though I ventured into her personal space, it was my intention to pour a glass of rose that was open on the nightstand. I wasn’t going that far. I knew my older twenty-something limits. Besides, sex was normal, and I didn’t want to cock block on her session. After all, we were in Europe; not some nude resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
I eventually made my way to my room and decided to fall in love with the interiors. It was decorated in Tribal style furnishing from the days of King Kareem, which included dark brown chestnut wood with maroon and deep red velvet embellishments. There were several crystal chandeliers; one on the ceiling as the primary source of lighting and one that framed each side of my bed. I imagined a young beautiful Maya Angelou vacationing in this very room and getting inspired by the smell, the furnishings, and the desires brought on by the vast blue sea. I opened my laptop and worked on the analytics of one of my upcoming digital campaigns, a lifestyle video game. I had been designing the characters, location, and clothing for the past two years and it was finally coming to fruition. I had managed to bring on advertisers from all different backgrounds, including the diamond owner who managed this very hotel. I sent a few emails and then called my lover across the world who was also privy to working long hours as a professional. I loved that part of our relationship. I was so over the “Melanie - who - doesn’t -respect - herself - phase - that - she - binge - drinks - and -gives - corny - dudes - her - time.” Something in my life clicked, and I’m pretty sure it had to do with getting older and thinking about my future. For now, my in-real- time porn desires sufficed, and I was ready for bed. I brushed my teeth, took my vitamins and meditated with this app on my phone. By now, Kiara and her meeting were asleep given the noise that subsided. So I closed the door and felt asleep with a pillow between my legs. When I awoke the next morning, it was 8 AM. The sun was shining, and the beach looked good for a run. Before I took off to catch some rays, I went over to give Kiara a heads up. I was sure the professional left since I had awakened to a door slam in the middle of the night, which usually marked the end of a one- stand exit. However, Kiara or her mystery man weren’t in bed. I walked swiftly over to the bathroom quarters and didn’t hear the shower running either. The phone in the hotel room rang, and I ran to the nearest phone in the bathroom. “Oui?” I said out of breath. “Melanie! Come get me; I’m in the back of - ahh!” Kiara’s voice was abruptly cut off by screams and dragged to the background as another guy got on the phone. “I need $300,000 in 84 hours or your friend will be trafficked to the Albanian mafia by boat leaving from La Ferme. Call me back in exactly 8 hours for an update. +01 984 9847. “ He said in a deep Russian accent. “Hello!?@?!?” Who the fuck are you?” I said. He didn’t seem like the Afrocubano from last night. But then again, he uttered less than five words to me, how could I possibly figure out his bluff? I went into a panic but remember why I was on this team and how we broke through to our financial freedom to become devastatingly chic millionaires who still wear pieces from Joyce Leslie. I ran over to my suit case, grabbed my automatic gun, bullets out of my makeup bag, and shoved it in my purse. I put on my heeled boots, glossed my lips, threw on my leather jacket and got ready to take back my business partner. In this world, nothing surprised me. *
What’s the inspiration for your boutique Intuition.LA? At each stage of my store, I want it to always feel like a boutique. Old school shops had everything- think 90210. Donna and Kelly had everything. Growing up in the 90s, I use to shop on Melrose because boutiques were cool. I have to be ready for people who want to mix and match. And you’re heading to South Bay Galleria, what is that mall like? I remember dreaming about of owning a store in the South Bay Galleria. My mother would drop me off at the mall in the mornings and pick me up on her way home from work. Girl, we would shop all day. So this dream has come full circle. My store will be located in a space that use to be occupied by Nine West! That’s amazing! Congrats! What stores are your inspired by with today’s offerings? I love J.Crew and Zara. I love Anthropologie because you can get your kitchen supplies and your clothes at the same store. However, I’m trying to create an environment where you can be chic and not be broke. What key pieces will shoppers always find on your racks? A classic white tee shirt will always be available at Intuition.LA. Turbans and color head scarves will always be in my collection as well. You’ll always find jewelry. I wear jewelry more than I wear underwear. You’ll always have the candles because they are custom designed to my scent. Tell me about these candles. The candles are a luxury. My first collection of 4 candles is called “The Black Beverly Hils.” Each candle is named after a black neighborhood, Leimert Park, Baldwin Hills, View Park, and Ladera Heights. They are all soy based candles that come in upscale luxury packaging that feels and smells expensive. You mentioned you give away 10 percent of your profit. What is your mission for charity? Since I’ve started my company, I have given away over $17K to black female owned businesses. My grandparents instilled in me the power of giving back, so 10 percent of my profit will always be set aside for this cause. I get about six scholarship applications per day, and I go through them when I can and reach out to the businesses that speak to me the most. All you have to do is email info@intuition.la with your business information and goals. At the core, what do you hope to convey with your product offerings? Affordable fashion doesn’t mean cheap. I want these young girls to know that luxury can be affordable.
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Violet Summer Zine: Issue 3 Social Instagram: @violetsummerzine www. melwrites.com for more travel adventures & writing products. Tag us in your summer beach pics #violetsummer. credits This page: sweater and denim skirt by IntuitionLA; Cover Page: pink jacket by DKNY, distresseddenim by Fashion Nova, black sweater by H&M, black boots by Otte NY; Page 27: From right: Urban Outfitters, Moschino and Melissa Shoes Fanny bags.
WRITER’S NOTE: Violet Summer Zine is highly suggestive chick literature written by Melissa Henderson and her closest and most trusted colleagues, friends, and family. Each issue focuses on a topic that is not mainstream and aims to shape the viewpoints of millennials and anyone associated. Thanks for reading!*
