Every year I like to celebrate by hosting a giveaway. This year I’m a day late, but I’m truly psyched about this one. Bellas – allow me to introduce you to Fairwinds, a unique jewelry collection by Rachel Roy. The collection is a collaboration between Rachel and Fairwinds Trading. Every item has been hand-crafted in Africa by a female-owned business.

This clutch was made in Tanzania, using local fabrics.

These gorgeous earrings were made in Rwanda, featuring beads made in a paper layering process.

This bracelet is made from shredded woven paper, using traditional Rwandan techniques.

Right now, Rachel Roy’s Fairwinds collaboration is available at rachelroy.com and select Macy’s stores and macys.com, and the collection compliments Macy’s Rwanda Path to Peace collection of amazing baskets — which is also made by Fairwinds Trading!

I reached out to Rachel to learn more about the collaboration.

Afrobella – What inspired you to collaborate with Fairwinds? Was this a kind of collaboration you’d dreamed of for a while?

Rachel Roy: One of my goals has always been to help women achieve better lives through financial freedom and independence – that, to me, is about creating job opportunities. Partnering with Fairwinds was a natural choice and to be able to provide and sustain jobs in Africa is essential – the work that Fairwinds does is inspiring and it was a natural partnership.

Afrobella: So far there are three beautiful items from this collaboration – what’s next in store?

Rachel Roy: We will continue to offer seasonal items integrated into all product categories: Sportswear, Jewelry, Shoes and Handbags. Materials used will include handcrafted beads made from varnished paper and woven materials from recycled fabrics and cloth indigenous to different regions in Africa.

Afrobella: What are your hopes for the women of Fairwinds, and for this fashionable collaboration?

Rachel Roy: My hope is that this collaboration and my work with the organization will not only support these women and their families but raise awareness for women in Africa as well as the larger issues – nutrition, education and health care.

I’m delighted and honored to offer an exclusive giveaway of Rachel Roy’s complete Fairwinds collection — clutch, earrings, and bracelet!

All you have to do is leave a comment and let me know — which is your favorite Fairwinds item, and how do you plan to rock it? — comments will be open until March 12!

Good luck!

Oh and click here to join my Facebook fan page. And are you on Twitter? Click here to follow me!

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1. Afrobella’s Rachel Roy Giveaway!
2. Belated Birthday Candles
3. Rachel Roy Giveaway Winner!

“When we look at you, we see a true American Cinderella, on the threshold of a brilliant new career. Precious is but the first of many adjectives coming your way. And they are all great. Congratulations, Gabby Sidibe.”

Even though Gabourey Sidibe didn’t win Best Actress tonight at the Oscars, I am sure she was thrilled to bits just because of what Oprah said. What an incredible moment.

And I didn’t see The Blind Side — so I’m unwilling to cast judgment on a film I haven’t yet seen. But I thought Sandra Bullock’s speech was everything an Oscar speech should be. Gracious, funny, touching, respectful, memorable. Well said, Sandy.

Related posts:

1. Oprah And Good Hair
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This was an epic Oscar night for black actresses, and an epic Oscar night for plus size women. Before the ceremony much ado was made of Gabourey Sidibe’s Oscar dress possibilities — blisteringly and brilliantly covered by Erica Kennedy, author of the funny, fierce Feminista and Bling: A Novel. The phenomenal Kate Harding outlined Gabby’s red carpet history and her prospects. And tonight she came through in blue Marchesa festooned with diamond-like appliques.

I didn’t love the dress, but I think Gabby was resplendent and her MAKEUP was to DIE for. Whoever did the makeup, holla at a bella because I want the deetz!

Mo’ Nique also looked resplendent in blue. She wore blue as an homage to Hattie McDaniel — to read a beautiful tribute to Oscar’s first African American winner, read Rita Dove’s poem, via 55 Secret Street. And when she won, the tribute she gave to Hattie McDaniel was truly stirring. Mo’Nique had her face as beautifully beat as evah, and she rocked the hell out of that ruched dress.

The one-shoulder trend was big (I’m not a fan, IDK #shrug). Mariah worked it.

As did Queen Latifah — and I liked the blinged out baby pink look – Queen is always so regal. She just makes me smile whenever I see her on the red carpet!

Anika Noni Rose looked adorable and fresh faced as always, something about her personality just seems so approachable and endearing to me! She looked super pretty and worked the night’s other trend — strapless, with a lush, full skirt.

I MUST say, Zoe Saldana may have worn my second most favorite dress of the night. I am a fool for purple and that dress absolutely took my breath away when she came down the stairs during the ceremony. Look how excited she is to be wearing it!

For Oscar night, I love a little over the top drama. Which is why I loved Nicole Richie’s dress.

She looked fierce. Sleek. A little severe. Very Hollywood. Gorgeous!

But my FAVORITE dress of the night was worn by Rachel McAdams. Look at her. She knows she looks amazing. Beyond gorgeous!!

Who wore your favorite Oscar look of the night?

** all photos from Oh No They Didn’t

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1. Oscar’s Bellas
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I gave a long overdue shout out to one of my besties in the beauty blogosphere, Julia of All About the Pretty. I’ll tell ya, I touched her arm when we were at Fashion Week in September…her skin is like silk and velvet and all things soft and sumptuous because of the body scrub she’s been doing for years now.

Some of the hubbub and criticism of Vogue Italia’s new additions have died down, since Vogue Italia’s editor in chief wrote her rebuttal (in which she quoted ME! In Rachel Zoe’s words, I die!) And also, the announcement that the legendary Bethann Hardison is now the editor-at-large of Vogue Black quieted some naysayers.

Some of the hubbub has died down, but not all. And my attitude towards it can best be described as resigned bemusement.

I realized something recently — almost every website I write for has a variation of the word black in the title. Black Voices, Black Atlas, Afrobella, and now Vogue Black. It’s not that I’m exclusive about what I write about, I’m just passionate about celebrating our unique beauty.

Most of the time, when I read criticism of the sites I write for, it’s from white supremacists who are mad that black people have their own channel on the teevee and are living in the White House and going on fancy vacations and whatnot. To paraphrase. So I was kinda surprised that this time, the shrill voiced outrage was coming from women of color — about the fact that Vogue made a site dedicated to black beauty. I’ve come to the conclusion that I must be clueless.

To me it’s like – hey! Vogue’s catching up to what I’ve been doing since 2006! But to others it’s like how DARE Vogue create a channel just for us! Why separate us into another channel? The 1950’s are over! Thanks for setting us back * insert number of years*, Vogue! SMH! And if you admit to liking it even a little bit, people accuse you of having a “separate but equal mindset.”

I’ve seen articles online where it’s that serious. And I just don’t feel that way.

I don’t see Vogue Black as some kind of intended honor bestowed unto our people by the high priestesses of fashion. Please. I don’t see it as an attempt to neatly corral our beauty thereby throwing us a wacktastic bone while keeping regular Vogue the same as it ever was. I see it as a new initiative that’s beginning to find its look and find its voice, that is celebrating a range of black beauty and focusing on our celebrities and cultural icons. Big stories from Vogue Black also appear on the front page of Vogue Italia, and I hope to see more integration of articles from Vogue Black, Vogue Talents and Vogue Curvy on the main Vogue Italia website. The future is still wide open and bright, as far as I see it.

We’re at a fascinating crossroads in the black fashion world. On one hand, Vogue — the quote-unquote “world’s most influential fashion magazine” — is giving black beauty its own spotlight for the first time in the brand’s 118 year history. On the other hand, we’re seeing sad times as we face the apparent demise of the historied and celebrated Ebony Fashion Fair, which has brought high fashion to black women for half a century.

I guess it’s obvious, I’m biased because I’m contributing towards Vogue Black. But I gotta tell y’all, I am optimistic. I believe that this another step towards some long overdue changes. But enough about what I think… I’d like to hear your thoughts.

Vogue Black is here. What would you like it to be? What kinds of articles and photographic inspiration would you want to see? Do you have any constructive criticism to share?

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1. Say Hello to Vogue Black
2. Vogue Italia Comment Love!
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Since I moved to Chicago, my spa writing has slowed down some, but I’m about ready to get back into it. I’ve had the opportunity to experience some amazing Chicago spas. Here are my favorites thus far, so next time you’re in town (or if you live here) you’ll know where to go!

The Red Door Spa. The Red Door is one of the most recognized symbols of luxury in the world. The Michigan Avenue location offers classic Chicago excellence and experienced staff. The ambiance can be best described as established. Pristine, white accented with red, soft lighting and coolers filled with cucumber water in the relaxation room, and plush treatment rooms.

I got an AMAZING massage by Nadia Essat, who got REALLY deep with the technique. She also gave me some great life advice (for example, drink more water! Which I really really need to do). Flori Lupu, the manager of manicures, was so sweet and friendly and wonderful. If you’re going to the Red Door, ask for them by name. I promise you’ll have no regrets. I really enjoyed the glamorous old-school Chicago vibe of the Red Door (it’s right across the street from The Drake! Which may give you an idea of the ambiance and kind of clientele). But I must say, it’s not ideally shaped for a spa party — you won’t be facing your friends, it’s more of a one-on-one with the manicurist kind of thing. I’d recommend it for private indulgence, but if you want to round up a group of girlfriends and get mani pedis, I’d advise you to go to Bucktown.

Spa Soak in Bucktown manages to be both luxurious and funky. Maybe it’s the staff — you’ll probably see some really cool Chicago chicks with tats and piercings offering massages and manicures here. The manicure room is vibrant, fun, and SO perfect for a big party! When I came here I was having visions of bridal showers and girlie afternoons. Spa Soak has a fab manicure room but they’ve got an incredible range of facials. Hoping to return sometime soon to experience one of those!

For a spa that has a truly unique, serene and calming ambiance, you need to check out Allyu Spa in Rivernorth. From the moment you walk in, this environmentally friendly spa will take your breath away. The decor, the set up, the ambiance… it is just absolutely lovely. It’s a place where your spirit can truly feel centered and at peace. The center of the spa is a meditation tent, a space so serene and spiritual, it’s almost difficult to describe. Despite the meditative vibe at the spa, the manicure room is still a pleasure, and it’d be a great place to have a group of friends gather for a pedi party. The pedicure with the sugar scrub was absolutely amazing.

The spa I most recently had the pleasure of experiencing was the Ruby Room in the Ukranian Village on Division. I went there to review acupuncture for SpaWeek.com, so keep an eye out – next week a big post to come! The Ruby Room is like no other spa I’ve ever been to. It’s really more of a healing center, but you can get everything from a haircut to a eyebrow shaping to a colonic to acupuncture to crystal and tarot readings here. It’s all about enhancing your internal and external beauty. If you want to experience insight about your soul after you get streaks in your hair, this is the place to go.

Look out for a much longer review of my Ruby Room amd Spa Week experience SOON, and you should get familiar with SpaWeek now. It’s taking place April 12 to 18!

If you’re dying to get your spa on next week, check out the deal days at SpaFinder.com, to find $50 treatments from March 8 to 14 at spas in your neck of the woods!

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1. Chicago! Come for Cocktails and Conversation!
2. We Rocked Chicago!!
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When it comes to songs that offer than aural healing I’ve been desperately needing, it has nothing to do with genre or a particular artist. It’s entirely a lyrical thing. And sometimes it’s just the chorus that lifts me up.

This post is about to get random! Are you ready?

5. Deliver Me From My Enemies by Vivian “Yabby You” Jackson.

I wrote a longer post about this song for the Game Well and Truly Over blog’s 2010 Music Project. And it’s true, I really do need to listen to this song at least once a week. The horns, the rhythm, the harmonies all intoxicate me. But the lyrics say it ALL.

Deliver me, oh my God, from my enemies.
Oh I? plea unto thee, to guide me.
Cause me to hear thy love and kindness in the morning.
For in thee do I trust, cause me to walk in thy way
For I lift up my soul right up to thee,
Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God,
Thy spirit…it is good. Lead me in uprightness.

Yabby You passed away this year, after a brain aneurysm. His musical legacy will never be forgotten by fans of roots reggae music.

4. One Day I’ll Fly Away by Randy Crawford.

I said it before and I’ll say it again – Randy Crawford’s voice does things to me. There’s such a distinctive quality to it. One Day I’ll Fly Away is so beautiful to me. Despite the fact that the song is about leaving a relationship behind, it’s just the chorus and her soaring voice in the song’s bridge… Listening to this song at the end of a hard day gives me everything I need.

3. Shake it Off by Mariah Carey.

Ooooh, Mariah. Although I can’t get with her near-constant half nakedness, she can craft a song that delivers the goods and then some. Shake it Off is a sassy modern day, brand-name dropping dismissal to a lover, but the chorus totally lifts my spirits. When I’m struggling to get my mood back up where it should be, this track does it everytime.

2. Ain’t No Stopping Us Now by McFadden and Whitehead.

The quintessential 70’s disco upliftment track! The beat is mellow but still makes me wanna dance, and the lyrics are so perfect in every way. This song is so perfect for the times when the negative energy of others threatens to infect you. Brush them off. Hold your head high. And let this song take you onward and upward. If you’ve ever been held down before, I KNOW you refuse to be held down anymore!

1. Bless Me by Garnett Silk and Sizzla.

Few reggae vocalists did it better than Garnett. This song is exactly what I was talking about in my post about lyrical therapy. In the Caribbean, sometimes there’s no divide between religious music, and the music that gets the party started. I love the balance of Garnett Silk’s original track, countered with Sizzla’s mournful chanting. And that refrain pops into my head whenever I feel weak and stressed. Bless me, bless me so that they can’t curse me. Garnett Silk left this world far too soon. RIP.

Those are the songs that helped me get over this week! What songs help you get through, when times get rough?

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3. Throwback Thursday — One in a Million

If you’ve been reading my blog for the past few months, you already know I have much love for Luvvie and Karyn, founders of The Red Pump Project.

This month is a big month for them — not only does March mark the awareness-raising non-profit’s first anniversary, but March 10th is also annual National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

So March 25th, please join us at the Bottom Lounge (1375 W. Lake St. Chicago). The event will begin with a happy hour at 6:00pm, and the Rock the Red fashion show beginning promptly at 7:00pm. There’ll be special guests of honor and some of your favorite bloggers will be in attendance.

My friends at The Red Pump Project are still seeking sponsors for this event, so if you’re interested, e mail sponsorships@theredpumpproject.com.

If you’re in Chicago, please come and celebrate a fabulous and fashionable evening with us! Click here for all the details — early bird tickets are just $20!

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For Black History Month I was invited to speak at the University of Notre Dame by an amazing student group called Shades of Ebony. These girls were so inspired, so brilliant, so genuine…being around them made me yearn for academic life and that kind of environment of constant mental stimulation. Erdina Francillon, the current president of Shades, is the opposite of me in college. She is motivated, ambitious, organized, and amazing. I can’t wait to see what she does after she graduates!

Shades of Ebony planned a special event for Black History Month, titled BeaUtiful. The idea was to discuss and celebrate black beauty. The event was thrown by and for the members of Shades, and the intention was to also reach out to young girls from the community of South Bend, Indiana — girls from local high schools and even a few middle school girls came out despite the intense cold and deep snow, to participate in the event. My friends at Carol’s Daughter and Dr. Miracles very generously donated gift items for the girls who participated.

BeaUtiful was intended as a multifaceted event. Outreach to the girls of the community, a chance to speak and consider some of their own self-esteem and self-worth issues, and a chance to inspire (and in turn, be inspired by) each other.

I was brought there as a special guest speaker, along with amazing artist Dawn Okoro. Dawn’s art is incredible just on the computer screen. In real life? Oh WOW. I just want to decorate my whole living space with her work. Click here to buy prints!

We were both asked to deliver speeches about what inspired us to do what we do, and what beauty means to us. I shared my background, my ideas about the beauty icons who have inspired me, and my suggestions for living a life that’s filled with beauty.

It was an incredible experience for a few reasons. First, I was just honored to be invited to such a prestigious institute of learning. And second, this was a big first for me. Please be gentle. This is the first public speaking I’ve ever done.

As you can hear from the response, they liked me. They really liked me! The feeling of that applause at the end…I can’t quite put it into words. It was a very, very proud moment. Could this be the beginning of a new chapter, where I do more public speaking appearances? I hope so. I feel so much less fearful than I did in the past.

Unfortunately my camera died during Dawn’s speech. So I uploaded the part that I managed to capture here.

Before our speeches, we were assigned into groups — I sat with two members of Shades of Ebony, and there were four high school girls and a middle school girl at our table. Some of these girls are experiencing things I can hardly relate to — seeing abuse in their families, getting into physical fights with boys at school, running the risk of getting suspended because of their own behavior. One particular girl who sat with me, was like a tightly closed fist at the beginning. She barely offered monosyllabic responses. She seemed so angry and tense. But after our talk, after the speeches, we broke into groups again – this time in a more intimate setting. And I do believe we had a breakthrough. This same girl wanted to share her experiences, and we were able to give her advice on how to deal with the conflicts at school that were jeopardizing her education. I know we were able to help that evening. I just hope the lessons are still resonating, and that she is now going to school with her head held high.

That’s how I celebrated Black History Month, and I can’t thank Notre Dame and ALL of the members of Shades of Ebony enough. It was an honor to meet all of you, and spend time with you on your beautiful campus.

Dawn Okoro – you are amazing, and it was such a pleasure to share the experience with you, and to get to know you as well!

Thank you to Carol’s Daughter and Dr. Miracle. The girls were so excited and ecstatic for their gift bags!

Thank you Notre Dame, for inviting me and hosting me so graciously.

I hope that this is just the beginning. It’s a year away, but already I’m thinking about fresh ways to celebrate Black History Month next year!

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3. Home Depot Black History Month Giveaway!

With all the craziness of the past week or so, I forgot to close this giveaway. Thanks to the few of you who entered, your responses were all so heartwarming!

Without further ado, the winners are:

liberationtheory

Henr aO.

circa1978

Congrats!! I’ll be in touch with you to get your $25 Eden Fantasy’s gift certificate on its way. Hope you get yourselves something fun!!

And if you didn’t win this one, keep reading — I’ve always got another giveaway up my sleeve!

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I’m a contributor to Vogue Italia’s new site, Vogue Black!

*cue fireworks and the chorus of Hate Me Now*

And I’m not the only one! Andrea of Fly is also contributing to Vogue Black, and Gabi of Young, Fat, and Fabulous is contributing to Vogue Curvy, the new destination for full figured fashionistas.

For me this all began last November with an exciting e mail. And I kinda feel like I’ve been holding my breath the whole time. I didn’t tell my friends, or most of my family. And if you know me, you know HOW HARD THAT WAS. OMG.

Now finally, I can exhale and share the happy news.

When I was originally approached, it felt like someone told me I’d won the lottery or something. And today, to see it’s actually come to fruition…it’s amazing and overwhelming.

Vogue Black launched just yesterday and clearly the site’s got some kinks to be worked out. I have nothing to do with the photos or layout chosen for the posts — I’m sharing and creating original content and it’s as much of a surprise to me to see what photos accompany my words, as it may be to anyone else. Author bios haven’t been posted yet. The posts right now are very photo-heavy and content-light (as my friend Claire of the Fashion Bomb correctly pointed out). But it’s up, and I may be biased but I think it’s awesome. And of course, already the blogosphere is full of opinions about it.

The Cut wrote a particularly cutting post on the topic, questioning the separation of curvy and black beauty from the mainstream. That’s a lot of the criticism I’ve been reading — why does Vogue Italia feel the need to separate into different channels?

My answer is, because throughout the history of fashion, black and curvy has been overlooked. We deserve our own spotlight. Of course, ideally black beauty and full figured beauty would be part of the mainstream – BUT IT’S NOT. Someone please share a link from The Cut about plus size fashion bloggers or black beauty bloggers. Please. I’d love to read it. Because I’ve been reading them for a minute and I’ve never seen one. And who’s to say that material from Vogue Black or Vogue Curvy won’t make it into Vogue Italia? For me as a reader, I think it’s refreshing to find a channel that exclusively caters to what I’m looking for — beauty and fashion inspiration that relates to my reality.

Clutch Magazine just did a great post about this titled Are Black Fashion Bloggers Being Ignored? and I can honestly say that the answer is yes. I think black beauty and fashion bloggers have been just as marginalized and overlooked as black designers and models have been. And we are here, we care about beauty and clothes and hair, and we’re a purchasing market that’s being underserved and unappreciated. It’s amazing to me that Vogue Italia has made this move, when American Vogue and British Vogue don’t seem nearly as engaged. It kinda blows my mind that all of this has come from a country that I’ve never been to, so far away. Note to self – plan trip to Italy ASAP!

All I can say about today is, we’re living in interesting times. Already people are blowing up my inbox and my Twitter page with questions, already some are throwing shade (I see y’all!), and already an interview with me has been posted on The Glamazons blog about today’s news! It’s some kinda wonderful. And I am making sure to be thankful for ALL of these blessings. As Mama Bella told me this morning, “Ask God to guide you in what you say and do, in every minute, every hour of every day.”

I am, mom. And I will continue to do my best to make you and Dad proud!

I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Vogue Black. I sincerely applaud Vogue Italia for making this forward-thinking decision, and I hope it isn’t a symbolic, brief act. I believe that this is just the beginning, and I really hope that it leads to beautiful, big opportunities for all of my sisters in the beauty, fashion, and lifestyle blogosphere. I’m BEYOND excited and honored to be one of the first to be featured. Now let’s see — who’s got next??

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1. Bellas! My Second Vogue Black Post is Up
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3. Afrobella Meets En Vogue!