SEPTEMBER 1999   |   ARCHIVES

AFRO TIME

For a while now I have been thinking of going Afro and finally with all the bohemian chic that have been displayed by all the fashion magazines, I thought that this is the right time for me to bring the Afro back. RIGHT ON!! The first time I unveiled it was at the MTV Awards 9/9/99 The response was tremendous!! Of course, I had it coloured my signature red which borderlines on orange. All the girls, Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige and Lil Kim, raved to me about it. And all the boys of MTV couldn't take their eyes off me!!!! But, you know at its first outing it was not still quiet an Afro and it took shape naturally after a couple of days, and by the time Saturday Night Live 25 party came around..it was a full blown asskicking Afro!! I think it looks absolutely modern. What do you think??

MILLENIUM SUPERMODELS

Vogue chose 13 supermodels for their Millenium cover for November 1999!! and I was honoured to be one of them....the others were Lauren Hutton, Patti Hansen, Lisa Taylor, Paulina, Giselle, Claudia Schiffer, Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Carolyn Murphy, Stephanie Seymour and Amber Valetta. It was photographed by legendary photographer Annie Leibowitz. We had so much fun gossiping, exchanging numbers and stories and plain catching up. I have retired from modelling in 1989 and it just brought back memories of backstage at fashion shows. I wouldn't want to do it everyday but for one glorious day it was pure fun to hang out with the girls again!!

NAMES PROJECT AIDS MEMORIAL

I attented an event that was so powerful that it left me floored -- Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt!!! Started in 1987, it has remained one of the world's most recognized and visceral symbols of the Aids pandemic. With over 80,000 names on the Quilt, this unique and profound memorial connects communities, families and friends by illustrating the diversity of the lives lost to the Aids epidemic. At a time when over half of all new HIV infections are occcuring among African- American families, the need for information, confronting taboos, and having open and informed discussions has never been as great. I found the Quilt to be a moving testament and profoundly touching.

For more information about the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilty, please visit http://www.aidsquilt.org. For this and other charity links, visit my Charity Links page.

HOT TICKET

The model search for the Faces of IMAN/UK 2000 is a huge success!!! We have finally selected 7 finalists which we will choose 4 winners. The event will take place in London on October 15th, 1999 at BARKERS department store from 4-6 pm!!! When I was last time in London I did a photoshoot for The Evening Standard--leading London newspaper--their carnival issue and here I would like to share with you some of the photos which are in the Photo Gallery. Thanks Mike, they look beautiful!!!

HONEY GIRLS AND HOOKS DREAMS

One of my favourite new fashion magazine is HONEY.......HONEY is for the new school. The girls at Honey describe it as -- brown, sweet, sticky, thick and pure -- a distinctly urban, female, wonderful feeling!! Joicelyn Dingle, editorial director, Kierna Mayo, editor in chief and Julia Chance, beauty editor came to visit me and have lunch which lasted thru the afternoon!!! We talked about cosmetics, hair, men, fashion and who's hot and who's not! To quote an LL Cool J lyric," Honey got flavor and it just don't stop!"

One of my dearest friends, writer and femminist, Bell Hooks had an all "girls" birthday party at Emma Amos, African-American painter's home. Academic intellectuals, fashion girls, artists and writers were among this great mix. After a wonderful brunch and a serious blueberry pie, the afternoon conversation got heavy and silly...just as we like it!!! But the highlight was the viewing of Emma's paintings - in the style of Romare Bearden--simply glorious and yet thought provoking!!!

HAPPY TO BE NAPPY

After seeing my new Afro, Bell Hooks sent me her new children's book, Happy To Be Nappy!! I loved it!! It's so sweet and beautifully illustrated by Chris Raschka. After so much hair debates, she puts it so nicely and proudly for young black girls to just tease them out, hold them up to the light and coax them into art!! Yeah, that's right......I AM HAPPY TO BE NAPPY!!!!

IMAN 1631

Omikron: The Nomad Soul, the computer game which David and I participated in, is launching this month....here's some information about the game and my character. Click the image below to see character sketches for Iman 1631. For more information, go to http://www.nomadsoul.com

(images courtesy of BowieNet/Omikron)

Omikron: The Nomad Soul is a futuristic 3D-action adventure experience that is truly unique. The gamešs ambitious storyline and gameplay elements transcend the narrow confines of traditional gaming genres. At the start of the game, the playeršs soul is projected into this universe, in a body he does not know and for a reason he cannot fathom. From that point on the player will have to talk, investigate, fight, drive, shoot, ride and explore his way to the conclusion of the game: deliverance from this strange dimensionŠ

Omikron does not only feature David Bowie as himself but as a character called Boz (the Virtual Being). Bowie contributed his voice and allowed a graphic fantasy rendition to be made of himself for the role. He is creating the original music for the game with Reeves Gabrels (co-writer) and will be playing in sevreal bars in the city along with his virtual band played by fellow musician Gail Ann Dorsey.