Agenda Magazine – First Take PR

September 14, 2022September 19, 2022

AGENDA Cover Models Coco Mitchell & Ty-Ron Mayes Talk “Career” on the Fashion Whisperer Podcast!

Coco Mitchell (Front) and Ty-Ron Mayes (Back) Cover Models

Supermodel Coco Mitchell dazzles on the front cover and celebrity stylist Ty-Ron Mayes shines on the flip cover of AGENDA magazine Issue 18. Both are mavericks in the world of fashion, gaining endless exposure and worldwide recognition. These fashion trailblazers have an engaging dialogue, offering hidden gems of knowledge, including how to thrive as people of color in a competitive industry. Coco Mitchell talks about her early beginnings as a model during her interview, and AGENDA’s editor-in-chief Kaylene Peoples shares how the Fashion Whisperer became a part of the magazine.

September 14, 2022 – Los Angeles, CA

“Coco Mitchell was part of that first wave of Black models who came onto the fashion industry, mainstream, and at a top level. We were all just making it up as we went along, fighting for contracts, fighting to be on the runway, fighting to be in ads, fighting for covers. It was a movement for visibility [and] for representation, because Black people were spending a lot of money buying the top designer labels [including] Calvin Klein jeans, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, and still to this day, Gucci. There was an unwritten call to start having Black people in some of these ads and some of these covers, and more representation that would match the dollars that were coming out of the fashion industry.”–Ty-Ron Mayes

It all started with a fortuitous encounter with Eileen Ford who planted a seed in the mind of the young unassuming school teacher Coco Mitchell. And after one year of teaching at a Catholic school, Coco followed Eileen’s suggestion and made a call to destiny. “I got discovered by Eileen Ford [of Ford Models] on the streets of New York City. She walked up to me and asked me if I had a book. I replied, ‘I have lots of books.’” Mitchell continues, “I just graduated from college, and I’m going to be a teacher. I start in two months.” During the course of this conversation, Eileen informed her that what she’d be making every two weeks as a teacher, she could make every 20-30 minutes as a model. And the “book” Ford was referring to, she explained to Mitchell that it was a book with her pictures in it—a model’s portfolio. –Fashion Whisperer Podcast

Since that phone call, Coco Mitchell has been on a continuous, lucrative adventure as a model, working with some of the most iconic designers and campaigns around the world in the last four decades. From being a Kelly Girl to walking the runway for the biggest fashion brands, the former elementary school teacher was featured in MADEMOISELLE, GLAMOUR, Italian and French VOGUE. Coco was one of the first African American models to be in THE SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SWIMSUIT ISSUE and has worked with Francesco Scavullo, Herb Ritts, Armani, Versace, Dior, Givenchy, Valentino, just to touch the surface of her illustrious career. And after her first modeling assignment in the late 70s, she hasn’t missed a beat and shares the title as one of the hardest working supermodels in the industry.

Coco Mitchell talks about the fit model:

“I was still so new to modeling that I didn’t know before I met Ralph Rucci that models did fittings. Ralph approached me at a restaurant, ‘Coco Mitchell, I would love for you to do my fittings.’ When I did a fitting, I fit my clothes for what I’m wearing in the show, not do fittings. I said to him, ‘I don’t understand what you’re talking about?’ He said, ‘I want you to fit my whole collection.’” Mitchell talks about how she expanded her career as a fit model for Badgley Mischka, Chado Ralph Rucci, Donna Karan, and others. She added, “You could make a quarter of a million dollars just doing fittings!”—Fashion Whisperer Podcast

Ty-Ron Mayes has styled over 150 magazine covers and countless celebrities, including Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum, Carol Alt, Iman, Adriana Lima, Tyson Beckford, Megan Fox, Eminem, Daymond John, Leelee Sobieski, Renauld White, M.J. Rodriguez, Ron Carter, Halle Berry, Michelle Rodriguez, Mariah Carey, Lauren Hutton, and others. He was the fashion consultant to Tyra Banks for America’s Next Top Model Cycle 20, and was not only on Cycle 21, but was appointed by Tyra as ANTM’s first Lead Wardrobe Stylist. His career as a celebrity stylist was officially launched by Francesco Scavullo and Sean Byrnes, where he styled Oprah Winfrey on several magazine covers. Mayes has styled international editions of VOGUE, HARPER’S BAZAAR, ELLE, MARIE CLAIRE, and COSMOPOLITAN magazines. He has works with many prestigious photographers, including David LaChapelle, Sante D’Orazio, Anne Menke, Udo Spreitzenbarth, Antoine Verglas, Mike Ruiz, Marlena Bielinska, Emin Kadi, Matthew Jordan Smith, Mark Borthwick, Marc Baptiste, Yu Tsai, Ezequiel de la Rosa, and Greg Gorman. Some of Mayes’s advertising clients are Stila Cosmetics, Maybelline, Miss Clairol, Clairol Beauty Collection, Iman Cosmetics, FUBU, and the Guess campaign. Designers with whom Ty-Ron has cultivated relationships include Custo Barcelona, Carmen Marc Valvo, The Blonds, Nicole Miller, Zang Toi, and Lie Sang Bong. And Ty-Ron Mayes was given the name, “The Super Stylist.”

AGENDA’s editor-in-chief, Kaylene Peoples, approached Mayes about his being on the flip cover of issue 18. Ty-Ron was initially featured in the magazine years ago when AGENDA (agendamag.com) was exclusively online. Peoples later featured Rick Genest (Zombie Boy), an editorial styled by Mayes, which appeared in the 2014 inaugural “print” issue of AGENDA Special Edition I: “Fall Is Fascinating.” In 2018, print issue 6, Mayes was featured in Fashion Trailblazers, a 14-page retrospective, titled, “Ty-Ron Mayes: An Inside View of His Fabulous, Fashionable Court.” Also, in that issue, Ty-Ron styled Supermodel Maria Borges for the cover story, as well as the fashion spreads with Kelly LeBrock and Phil Sullivan.

“Ty-Ron and I discussed his being a part of AGENDA’s team in 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic. We had a great synergy and tended to think alike when it came to fashion stories. I was delighted when he agreed to come on board. The Fashion Whisperer made its debut, and issue 12, ‘Generation Quarantine – Pandemic 2020 the Fashionable Response’ was our PSA, becoming the holy grail of that perilous epoch and now part of AGENDA’s time capsule. AGENDA was one of the pandemic’s first responders for the written word in a fashion and lifestyle print magazine, and helped to open dialogue for other fashion periodicals; and the fashion story, ‘Generation Quarantine,’ was pivotal during that time.”—Kaylene Peoples, AGENDA Editor-in-Chief

Mitchell and Mayes star in their own stunning fashion editorials. Ty-Ron styles both spreads, featuring clothes and accessories (for Coco Mitchell) by Versus by Versace, Zang Toi, Donna Karan, Salvatore Ferragamo, Carmen Marc Valvo, and Sam’s Army & Navy, photographed by Ezequiel de la Rosa; and (for Ty-Ron Mayes) with Roberto Cavalli, Alessandro Gherardeschi, Tahari, vintage Jean-Paul Gaultier, Eliza J., Christian Louboutin, Zars London, Tiffany & Co., Salvatore Ferragamo, and Versace, photographed by Udo Spreitzenbarth with makeup, hair, and grooming by Ty-Ron Mayes for Paper Faces.

“The fashion stories, ‘In Love with the Coco’ and ‘Ty-Ron Mayes – Fashion Whisperer’ are both compelling and wonderfully styled editorials that are beautiful additions to this highly curated issue of AGENDA, which is all about inclusion. Coco Mitchell has been on our radar for some time, her being our cover model is not only thrilling, but beyond ideal as we approached the current fashion season; and Ty-Ron Mayes living on AGENDA’s flip cover has been a long time coming . . . and way overdue!”–Kaylene Peoples

With prestigious campaigns with Thierry Mugler’s “White Sands,” Virginia Slims, Benson and Hedges, and countless television commercials, Coco Mitchell has spoken at FIT, Pratt, and the Phoenix Art Museum in conjunction with PAM’s “Chado Ralph Rucci” exhibit. Coco Mitchell is now consulting, coaching, casting, directing editorial shoots, and assisting those both established and emerging in their modeling careers, and continues to give back to the very community that has enriched her life in countless ways!

Ty-Ron Mayes is one of New York’s most sought-after celebrity stylists who not only dresses his famous clientele, but also models. Mayes has walked in the highly touted Blue Jacket Fashion Show for three years in a row.

“When I was asked by founder Frederick Anderson to be part of The Blue Jacket Fashion Show, I was super excited, because the charity itself brings awareness to the prevention of prostate cancer. This was an opportunity for me to join the men’s health movement. The Blue Jacket Show brings together celebrities from the fashion, sports, news, and entertainment industries to have a national conversation about the risks of this disease. This year the focus was on African American & Latin men in America who statistically are the highest documented incidence rates of prostate cancer in the world.” – Ty-Ron Mayes

Check out Ty-Ron Mayes and Coco Mitchell’s cover stories in AGENDA Issue 18: “Black Design Collective” (Digital & Print). To listen to Ty-Ron’s interview with Coco Mitchell, visit The Fashion Whisperer Podcast at agendamag.com. AGENDA is published by KL Publishing Group. (@agendamag)

Written by Sean McKenzie
E: firsttakepr@aol.com
First Take PR (https://www.firsttakepr.com)

August 26, 2022September 28, 2023

“Black Design Collective” Is the Focus of AGENDA Magazine, Issue 18!

AGENDA Issue #18 "Black Design Collective" Highights

AGENDA features Black fashion designers, NAACP Image Awards “Colors Behind the Look,” and more in this exciting issue of AGENDA. Melanie Wise, Udo Spreitzenbarth; cover models Coco Mitchell and AGENDA’s Fashion Whisperer Ty-Ron Mayes; SHROOMS the cookbook; Aaron Walton, AMATO Couture Menswear runway; Jurassic World Dominion, The 355; and Kaylene Peoples Fashion Talk complete the story of this 151-page book periodical!

Los Angeles, August 26, 2022

AGENDA has been putting a spotlight on Black design talent since their first feature with Black Design Collective’s Co-Founder, TJ Walker of Cross Colours in Issue 10. What followed was Geoff Duran (Issue 11), BDC Founder Angela Dean of Deanzign (Issue 12), Sergio Hudson (Issue 13), OTG Essentials by Okera Banks (Issue 14), Apotts and Epperson (Issue 15), Agnes Bethel Shoes (Issue 16), Renaldo Barnette (Issue 17); and Byron Lars, Octavius Terry-Sims of Groom, and Kevan Hall were all featured in AGENDA Collector’s Issue 3: Changemakers. The world was informed that there is a kaleidoscope of “all” colors that make up the artisans behind the clothes we love. After a long hiatus following the release of Issue 17, Couture Paper Doll’s, AGENDA’s contributing staff helped to create another packed issue, appropriately titled, “Black Design Collective,” a nod to this pioneering nonprofit, created to bring awareness, mentor, aid and elevate Black design talent.

Catching up to Issue 18, Black Design Collective, the 151-page book periodical heavily features Black designers, a milliner, beauty brands, and pop-up shops. On the cover is supermodel Coco Mitchell who helped usher in a new generation of Black American models. And on the back cover is celebrity stylist Ty-Ron Mayes, AGENDA’s Fashion Whisperer and America’s Next Top Model Wardrobe Stylist. Mitchell and Mayes are featured in breathtaking editorials shot by photographers Ezequiel de la Rosa and Udo Spreitzenbarth.

AGENDA interviews Tori Nichel (NBC Fashion Star) of Maison Black, Lisa McFadden Millinery, Byron Lars (Barbie) on his new collection by In Earnest, EPPERSON (Project Runway) and his latest fashion editorial EVOLUTION; and a recap of the NAACP Image Awards fashion event “Colors Behind the Look,” headlining with Kevan Hall (president of the Black Design Collective) and BDC designers EPPERSON, Byron Lars, BDC Co-Founder TJ Walker’s Cross Colours, and menswear designer Isaiah Hemmingway. Also featured this issue is “Emerge in Color,” a curated pop-up store headed by the Black Fashion Movement and Maison Black. This one-of-a-kind shopping event successfully launched at the Beverly Center in Los Angeles.

This intensely diverse issue also includes New York celebrity photographer Udo Spreitzenbarth and his traveling photo exhibition titled “Between Light & Dark”; The Swedish brand, Dagmar’s S/S 2022 sustainable collection; and AMATO Couture Menswear collection.

“Immune System Maintenance? Ain’t No Such a Thing!” is an article by wellness expert Melanie Wise of Wise Remedies. Sheryl Aronson (Arting Around) interviews Aaron Walton in “From Fashion Icon to Advertising Mogul, the CEO and Co-Founder of Walton Isaacson.” Fashion Archives presents a blast from the past with vintage Oscar de la Renta, photographed by Arun Nevader. And book reviewer Zac Baldwin critiques movies made from books, ranging from authors Stephen King to Dean Koontz. Universal Pictures and Amblin Productions presents Jurassic World Dominion and the backstory to the end of an era; and Universal Pictures in Association with FilmNation Entertainment presents The 355, an action film starring Jessica Chastain, Penélope Cruz, and Lupita Nyong’o, now streaming on Prime.

Beauty editor Shahada Karim reviews the products Beautystat, Mented Cosmetics, and Oui the People. And Karim gushes about her new cookbook, SHROOMS, a book filled with “healing” recipes, based on the medicinal qualities of mushrooms.

Fashion Talk was inspired by the film, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris.

“I just saw the film Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris. The film was set in 1957, about a maid who wants an haute couture dress. The movie triggered so many things in me. I would see a dress on the runway and covet it. Once, I attended a Carolina Herrera fashion show, and I saw this model in a gown that I had to have. To this day, I want that dress! Needless to say, it was way out of my budget. But I got how Mrs. Harris felt. Many of us are Mrs. Harris. That’s what high fashion is all about. Giving the fantasy that an outfit could change our lives. And creating a story with clothing, clothing that encompasses all the accessories, much like a finished painting. If Oscar de la Renta was alive today, I’d love to ask what inspired him when he created the perfect dress!” – “The Art of Dressing” by Kaylene Peoples, Fashion Talk

AGENDA Issue 18, “Black Design Collective” is sure to enlighten and entertain. You might heal an ailment, find a cute dress, or even buy a hat and a pair of gloves. But one thing is certain, you’re sure to enjoy the read . . . and don’t forget to shop Black! (@agendamag). Visit Agendamag.com/shop to purchase the digital magazine. AGENDA is published by klpublishinggroup.com.

Get your copy today of AGENDA Issue 18: “Black Design Collective.” Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BBXSTVGR

January 10, 2022September 28, 2023

Agenda Magazine Introduces Lita Cline as the Face of Their Paper Doll-Themed Issue, Styled by Ty-Ron Mayes and Photographed by Udo Spreitzenbarth.

AGENDA’s Editor in Chief Kaylene Peoples teams up with celebrity stylist Ty-Ron Mayes (Fashion Whisperer) and Photographer Udo Spreitzenbarth for this eye-popping New Years issue, featuring model Lita Cline, wearing the hats of Anat Fritz! Also featured are designers Victor (Vivi) Bellaish, Shai Shalom, Kobi Halperin; and the backstories of the paper dolls BrookLynn and the new collectible, Couture Paper Dolls by Glenna Gaffney.

January 10, 2022, Los Angeles, CA

Agenda, the multicultural fashion and lifestyle magazine, does it again with another packed issue. Inside the 147 pages includes viscerally beautiful photography by Udo Spreitzenbarth in the Queen’s Gambit-themed fashion editorial titled “Queen of the Night,” styled by Agenda’s Fashion Whisperer Ty-Ron Mayes. The unique beauty of Lita Cline is captured wonderfully as she models the crocheted hats from designer Anat Fritz. Fritz’s crocheted collection had long been in luxury boutiques and department stores throughout Europe well before the costume designer for Queen’s Gambit used her green hat to “. . . crown Anya Taylor-Joy’s head in that pivotal scene.”

Kaylene Peoples, AGENDA Magazine's Fashion Whisperer Ty-Ron-Mayes — AGENDA Magazine’s Fashion Whisperer Ty-Ron-Mayes

Ty-Ron Mayes styled the shoot with designs & accessories from Calvin Klein, Rachel Zoe, Marc Jacobs, DKNY; and cosmetics by L’Oréal. Lita Cline’s eyes were made bigger than life with L’Oréal’s Infallible Eye Liner and Air Volume Mega Mascara. Ty-Ron Mayes also served as the editor on the shoot and did hair and makeup via Paper Faces, using Derma Blend Cosmetics.

Lita Cline - Queen of the Night in Agenda Magazine — Cover Model Lita Cline stars in “The Queen of the Night” editorial, photographed by Udo Spreitzenbarth and styled by Ty-Ron Mayes

Agenda’s January 2022 Issue #17, titled Couture Paper Dolls features Designer/illustrator Renaldo Barnette (by Black Design Collective), the creator of BrookLynn Paper Doll and comic book.

As a young child, Renaldo read every fashion publication he could get his hands on, but as early as he can remember, his first love was comic books and comic strips. As he pored through Millie The Model, Patsy & Hedy, Katy Keene, Betty & Veronica; Brenda Starr, Mary Perkins, Friday Foster, and Winnie Winkle, he was amazed by the illustrations. He credits these comics for showing him how to draw fashion. And in the case of Millie The Model and Winnie Winkle, he discovered that fashion was a real business.

Renaldo Barnette of BrookLynn Paper Dolls is featured in Issue 17 of Agenda Magazine

“I always wanted to see a comic book about a Black fashion model. I remember seeing Millie the Model’s friend Jill in 1966. She was one of the first Black characters in the Marvel Universe. And she was a Black fashion model from England. When I saw model Gayle O’Neil [in the mid-late 80s], I thought she looked like a doll, thinking she could be like a comic book. I had been toying with that idea for decades, and ten years ago, I gave her the name ‘BrookLynn’.”

“I am a recent collector of paper dolls. When I first moved to New York I had one paper doll book and the other a paper doll set. I had two published through Western. One was a bridal paper doll set, like a box set, and the other one was called Rock Stars. Those were two freelance jobs that my friend, the late great Bob Rausch, got me when I was in between jobs back in the late 80s.

Barnette talks about his favorite concept for his first BrookLynn Paper Doll book:

“It’s the makeover concept of how this plain school girl can be made over, like the way Audrey Hepburn was made over in Funny Face or Sabrina. Or the way Bette Davis was made over in Now Voyager. I don’t care about the height or size, if you find clothes, a great hairdo, and nice makeup, it can turn an ordinary person into the best-looking person they can be. And I’ve always liked that. It’s not just about being pretty, it’s about looking better.” —Agenda, Renaldo Barnette – Designer, Illustrator, & Creator of the BrookLynn Paper Dolls and Comics @itsallaboutbrookLynn

Artist Glenna Gaffney has created a new style of paper doll that she calls “Couture Paper Dolls.” Her collection ranges from “Fly Mom,” her Mewsick line with Prince/ Michael Jackson Inspired to her latest collection spurred by the 2021 MET Gala. What’s different about these dolls? They are not the traditional paper doll. Housed in a shadowbox, these dolls are dressed in Swarovsky crystals, sequin, feathers with intense bejeweling and meticulous hand-crafting right down to the hair, which is deceptively made from paper bags. Gaffney crafts her dolls to be one of a kind, and they are definitely couture-like. Each doll comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, and no two dolls are identical. Here she talks about one of her Couture Paper Dolls

Glenna Gaffney’s Couture Paper Dolls is featured in Issue 17 of Agenda Magazine

“Emerald Faye –Inspired by the girl who appreciates a long gown, dressing up elegantly and going to a social event. She strolls into her event with Swarovski crystal “blinging,” long hair flowing, making a gem of an entrance. The clothing is designed by Isaac Pineda. My desire is to work with different designers. I love collaborations, and Isaac Pineda is my first CPD collaboration. Isaac created the pattern and selected the fabric. I incorporated his vision with mine . . . and Emerald Faye was birthed from this process.” Agenda, Couture Paper Dolls by Glenna Gaffney – A Fashionable Collectible for the ‘Grown Up’ Little Girl! (couturepaperdolls.com)

Kaylene Peoples AGENDA Editor in Chief and Fashion Talk Journalist — Kaylene Peoples, AGENDA Magazine Editor in Chief and Fashion Talk Journalist

In the column, Fashion Talk, Kaylene Peoples does a historical retrospective of the history of the paper doll . . .

“One of the first instances of a doll made of paper was a Jumping Jack or a Pantin, where it originated in France in the 1700s. These dolls wore the high fashion of that time with only one outfit. So no changing the clothes. Like puppets or marionettes, they were created originally to mock the rich. At the end of the 1700s, fashion companies in Europe, particularly Paris, saw a huge opportunity to advertise their fashion through paper dolls, which started the practice of changing these dolls’ outfits. During this period, there were major advancements in printing technology, making mass production of these “newer” paper dolls accessible to more people at an affordable cost.

Peoples continues…

I am a grown woman, but I guess I will always have inside me that little girl who loves to play with dolls. As a Barbie collector, I have a new (micro) collection of paper dolls, and I want to explore more vintage paper dolls and cutouts. I discovered there are countless books with paper dolls available today that are very recent publications with fashion throughout history: First Ladies with Michelle Obama, Jackie Kennedy, Nancy Reagan; famous designers from Christian Dior to Valentino; Royal Brides from Meghan Markle to Kate The Duchess of Sussex; dancers, iconic celebrities, even torch singers. There were not as many superhero paper dolls as I had expected, but they do exist, mostly as collectibles . . . and trading paper doll cutout comics is a really big thing I learned. Comic Cons and various conventions around the world are where one can find these rare vestiges.”—Agenda, The Evolving Paper Doll, Proving that Everything Comes Back in Style

Highlights from Kornit Fashion Week LA 2021 #KornitDigital

Kobi Halperin:

Born and raised in Israel, Kobi studied and received his B.F.A from Shenkar College of Engineering and Design. Upon graduating, Kobi moved to New York where he became the Executive Creative Director at Elie Tahari for 13 years and the Executive Creative Director at Kenneth Cole Productions for 3 years. Inspired by his Eastern European roots and heritage, Kobi’s collections are marked by a warm feeling and handcrafted touch and workmanship that create a distinguished yet welcoming style aimed at “elevating the everyday”.

Shai Shalom:

A graduate of the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design, Shalom’s apparel is marked by meticulous tailoring and a keen eye for combining bright colors and materials. His designs cross a wide range of fine knitwear, sophisticated, slim-cut suits, cropped trousers and modern boat jackets.

Victor VIVI Bellaish:

The inspiration of the collection was tropical birds, mainly the Hoopoe, Israel’s national bird. Bellaish is fascinated by the bird’s feathers as a design element: the shape and structure composing a spectacular visual performance, which, accompanied by the silhouette, provides a feeling of uplifting flight. The collection stems from his journey researching textile history. Spirits of feminine strength and liberation beat at the heart of the collection, which is the product of a unique collaboration of the designer with Kornit Digital, which specializes in developing and creating systems for textile digital print.

Agenda magazine (agendamag.com) has been telling the story behind the story since 2004, continuing that dialog in its 17th year. And after 7½ years in print, the luxury magazine continues to publish coffee table keepsakes with engaging content and breathtaking photography. The January 2022-Issue #17, “Couture Paper Dolls,” is a 147-page glossy, and is available digitally and in print worldwide. Agenda is a KL Publishing Group publication. Visit agendamag.com/shop for more information. Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

November 11, 2021September 28, 2023

AGENDA Magazine Autumn 2021, Issue #16 Is the Reason for the “Fall” Season

Dionne Warwick’s concert review, Ty-Ron Mayes style picks for The MET Gala via digital art, Kevan Hall’s S/S 2022 show “Brushstrokes,” and Agnes Bethel shoes are just a few of the highlights featured in AGENDA’s Autumn 2021, Issue #16!

LOS ANGELES, CA, November 09, 2021 (Original Source: https://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/486263/)

The weather’s getting colder and the days are growing shorter. Yes, autumn has always been synonymous with falling leaves and fashion. All over the world, fashion weeks showed their spring/summer 2022 collections, and AGENDA’s 151-page glossy has followed suit with runway, proudly flaunting Kevan Hall’s “Brushstrokes”—a huge hit on the catwalk in New York. For autumn/winter 2021 collections, Rains “Anticipate” puts on an intensely dramatic virtual show with a limited edition collection designed exclusively for their CGI runway; and Nehera AW 2021 “Meta” premiered a warm and inviting collection of fall favorites during Paris FW. Fashion spreads featured inside AGENDA include Naked Cashmere and the fashion editorial “12th Floor on 6th & Spring,” starring AGENDA’s cover model Claire Walters who co-stars with model Brooke Charlese. Ash Gupta’s VERIFIED features Billboard charting recording artist INAS X.

AGENDA’s Editor-In-Chief peers into plus size, pertaining to fashion and beauty trends as she writes about the fast-growing community of curvy, full-figured women and her plea for designers to meet the demand.

“Marilyn Monroe was actually a size 12. However, that size 12 is not accurate by today’s sizing charts. Nevertheless, she was celebrated for her curves. So, through the years, spanning from the early 1960s to 2021, a lot has changed. People are bigger, there’s no denying that. And even though it was a gradual process, the fashion industry sure took their dear sweet time catching up to this underserved demographic.”—Kaylene Peoples, Fashion Talk from the article, “Curvy and Proud of It: & They Call Me Plus Size”

Fashion Whisperer Ty-Ron Mayes reviews the recent MET Gala with a unique perspective via his own original digital art in “The MET Gala’s Cacophony of Americana.” Mayes focuses on celebrities including Kendall Jenner, Debra Harry, Jennifer Lopez, Iman, and others.

“I like to think of it as a high fashion rollercoaster full of highs and lows. Why? Because we tune in to experience The MET Ball for amazing couture, unusual fashions, and the spectacle we call “celebrity,” and have come to expect.” –Ty-Ron Mayes, Fashion Whisperer

For Black Design Collective, we meet Leslie and Justice Bessent who have taken luxury shoe design to new levels. In their interview, “Agnes Bethel: The Shoes That Create Experiences,” this power couple talks about what makes their company a standout.

“. . . one day I accompanied my wife as she went shoe shopping. She asked to see a pair by a designer (I will not name) and tried them on. She didn’t love them, but she did like them enough to consider the purchase. I, however, disagreed with her choice. I then bet her that I (a man who had never designed shoes) could do a better job; the stipulation was that if I did design a better pair, I would have to have them made for her. After that, all I did was design.” –Designer Justice Bessent, Agnes Bethel

Beauty by Shahada Karim talks bath bombs, a non-psychoactive broad-spectrum CBD, and muscle-soothing solutions. Esthetician Jennifer Christie lends her expertise in the quest for clear, unblemished skin in her article. And focusing on hair, Karim reviews the following products: Raintree, Innisfree, and Slip

For alternative health and wellness, an interview by Melanie Wise (Wise Remedies) titled, “Overcoming Chronic Health Issues with Anthony William, Part 2,” raises consciousness, stemming from this informative discussion. Part one of this three-part interview appeared in an earlier issue of AGENDA.

“Alternative medicine has become as successful as it is today, because you are told to remove processed foods; and that can move some people forward. But unfortunately, it doesn’t heal the root cause, because both conventional and alternative medical communities aren’t aware of the true causes of so many illnesses and symptoms.” – Anthony William

Iconic pop singer Dionne Warwick was recently in concert – that review is in this issue. “The amphitheater was packed with adoring fans on Friday, October 1st, 2021, when the legendary vocalist performed her show at the Hyatt Regency in Newport Beach, CA. Her fans sang along to the hit songs that created the singer’s legacy as one of the most iconic female pop vocalists of all time.” – “Dionne Warwick: Sixty Years Performing and Still Counting” by Sheryl Aronson, Arting Around

Zac Baldwin gives his review of DISHONOR THY FATHER, a novel by Mike Robinson & M.J. Richards; “The book is filled with inner dialogues of various characters, and is a unique murder mystery romance with the distinct virtue of surprising the reader on several levels.” States Baldwin. And AMBULANCE, a thriller directed by Michael Bay, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Eiza González is scheduled for release in theaters on February 18, 2022, by Universal Pictures. ELLE Magazine Celebrates their (27th annual) 2021, Women in Hollywood Presented by Ralph Lauren and Lexus, honoring several women, including Halle Berry, Demi Moore, and hosted by Eva Longoria.

Fashion Archives opens a time capsule of classic looks from way back when with designers (the late) Cynthia Rowley whose New York runway features top models from 2006-2007. Beauty Backstage with vintage Eli Saab is highlighted, along with Saab’s stunning fashion show from the past on AGENDA’s final pages.

AGENDA is the fashion and lifestyle magazine that has been telling the story behind the story since 2004, is a print and online magazine with a diverse readership, consisting mostly of women from various backgrounds, ranging from college age to 65 years old and beyond. AGENDA is credited for being the first online magazine to stream video and documentary-style interviews. In print since 2014 (including the Special Editions and Collector’s Issues), the magazine has consistently put out breathtaking coffee table keepsakes with content, including fashion, beauty, photography, interviews, entertainment, and more. AGENDA magazine is available in print worldwide! The multicultural fashion and lifestyle magazine has crossed continents, bringing a new perspective to the world of fashion and journalism. AGENDA’s Autumn 2021, Issue #16 has a 151-page count, is a full-color glossy periodical and is available in print and digital.

To learn more, visit KL Publishing Group (https://www.klpublishinggroup.com/category/agenda-magazine/) Visit https://www.agendamag.com (Social Media @agendamag)

August 2, 2021September 28, 2023

AGENDA Midsummer 2021 Issue Is Dynamic, Featuring Cover Model Lindy Flowers in “A Midsummer’s Daydream.”

165 pages of killer content features BDC’s Rodney Epperson & Aaron Potts, Verified’s Monica Dogra & BlacKkKlansman’s Kevin Willmott. We talk corsets, health, beauty, models & movies from best-selling books! Agenda Issue #15 packs a powerful punch!

Lindy Flowers, model, wife, and mother of two, is Agenda’s stunning cover model for the Midsummer 2021, Issue #15. She has graced Agenda’s cover once online, was featured in several fashion spreads, and was even Agenda’s spokes model before the magazine expanded to print. Flowers has walked in shows for Oscar de La Renta and Bill Blass, appeared in countless fashion editorials, as well as several magazine covers. This issue, she stars in “A Midsummer’s Daydream”—a swimsuit editorial that celebrates women. The all-female team for the shoot includes photographer Cathy Cunningham, wardrobe stylist Sabrina Feldman, makeup and hair by Alma Mahmood, and produced by Kaylene Peoples. The editorial was shot on location with swimwear ranging from La Blanca to Solid Striped. And Hailey Flowers, a dancer and Miss Junior Teen Nevada United States 2019 & 1^st Runner Up Miss California’s Outstanding Teen 2021, is featured in the editorial “Sun-Kissed,” making this a mother-daughter “fun-in-the-sun” collaboration.

“The great thing about the industry is it’s ever changing. When I started at 19, it was supposed to be a short shelf life, over by 25. There’s a whole group of fantastic models that has steered a path in terms of growing older. I think people can relate to models of all different ages and sizes now, whereas before, everybody was trying to fit into a size 0.” –Lindy Flowers, Agenda Cover Model

Photographer Ash Gupta debuts Verified, featuring Indian music sensation and podcast host Monica Dogra; and Manasvi is featured in Gupta’s “Out of the Woods” editorial.

In “Romanticism Redefined,” designer Rebecca Taylor previews of her Fall 2021 looks, “ . . . with resolved gestures, newfound romance manifests in eyelet, pleats, and embroidery in robust interactions.” –Rebecca Taylor

Beauty by Shahada Karim reviews May Lindstrom, SMD Cosmetics, and Bynacht in “Seasonal Skin Saviors”; Introducing a new line of incredible body creams and candles by Bond No. 9 in “Reintroducing Bond No. 9; and Agenda’s beauty editor explores the Rose Hermès collection in the article “Hermès and the Summer Flush.”

Melanie Wise sheds light on the importance of maintaining liver function in her article “Fight or Flight Mode Is Your Body’s Way of Saying CHANGE YOUR DIET!”

“Our largest expenditure of energy on a daily basis is our food. The more chemicals that we eat, the more processed the food is, and the more energy it takes to break it down. One of the easiest ways to get the body to right itself is to decrease the energetic load of digestion. Once you do that, suddenly and magically it goes “ooh . . . let me fix this and let me fix that!” And you’ll find that the whole system tends to work better.” –Melanie Wise, Wise Remedies

Zac Baldwin reviews a series of movies made from best-selling books—authors include Stephen King, David Baldacci, and Elmore Leonard.

“I waited with trepidation for the movie The Princess Bride to finally be made. It took a long time, but wow was it worth it! It captured the essence of the book, the humor, the unusual and riveting characters, and of course true love.” –Zac Baldwin, Book Reviews

Sheryl Aronson (Arting Around) interviews BlacKkKlansman’s Academy Award-winning screenwriter Kevin Willmott.

“Growing up watching award shows with my mother and having the fantasy that one day I was going to win an Oscar, was my dream. When it actually happened, I felt the privilege of it, because there are many great artists who have never won. It also opens up opportunities but gives you newfound responsibilities. You have to be willing to take things to the next level. That’s the most important thing it has meant for me. I felt it was a great privilege to have won an Oscar for a movie that I believed in. That’s something a lot of people don’t have an opportunity to do.” – Kevin Willmott, Academy Award-Winning Screenwriter

The Black Design Collective features designers Aaron Potts (APOTTS) and former Project Runway contestant Rodney Epperson (EPPERSON). In their interviews, they talk about their inspirations, as well as their creations in the interviews “APOTTS: Designed to Make Us Take Pause” and “The REBIRTH of Epperson.”

Celebrity stylist Ty-Ron Mayes talks about athleisure wear and new ways to style sweatshirts in “The Sweatshirt Goes Next Level Fierce!”

“From Balenciaga to Givenchy, sweatshirts have leveled up. Once upon a time these sweatshirts used to be just super comfy tops for college kids and sports enthusiasts, but today’s sweatshirts are more glamorous then ever.” – Ty-Ron Mayes, Fashion Whisperer

The Midsummer 2021 issue has a frenzy of fashion with runway from Milan, Berlin, and Jakarta (British Council), featuring designers Hugo Boss, ThreeOnes, Xevi Fernandez, Outsiders Division, and Intoart x and John Smedley’s capsule collection. Fashion Archives opens Agenda’s time capsule with runway from the past (2013) by Sally La Pointe and (2012) Made in Africa by Arise, featuring top African designers, including images from pop vocalist Leona Lewis, photographed by Arun Nevader.

Fashion Talk by editor-in-chief Kaylene Peoples authors a historical retrospective that delves into the practice of waist training in “Corsetry & Morality: The History of Tightlacing”:

“When I watch shows like Bridgerton where corseting is its own character, or the film Moulin Rouge with Nicole Kidman who suffered a broken rib from tightlacing, why aren’t I phased? Because I, like so many women, see the value in corsetry—after all, they do shape the body. Of all the snake oil being peddled today, it is the one accessory that follows through on its claims—wear it and look amazing! As far as waist trainers, the modified corset, they are body drill sergeants that train our waists to behave. They smooth our bulges and boost our self-esteem. So, the big question is whether to corset or not to corset . . . the choice is yours. Either let it all hang out or tuck that tummy in and leave to everyone else’s imagination what’s underneath! –Kaylene Peoples, Fashion Talk

About AGENDA:

The fashion and lifestyle magazine that has been telling the story behind the story since 2004, is a print and online magazine with a diverse readership, consisting mostly of women from various backgrounds, ranging from college age to 65 years old and beyond. Touted as ‘the intelligent read,’ Agenda is credited for being the first online magazine to stream video and documentary-style interviews. In print since 2014 (including the Special Editions and Collector’s Issues), the magazine has consistently put out breathtaking coffee table keepsakes with content, including fashion, beauty, photography, interviews, entertainment, and more. Agenda magazine is available in print worldwide! Visit https://www.agendamag.com (Social Media @agendamag)

The multicultural fashion and lifestyle magazine crosses continents, bringing a new perspective to the world of fashion and journalism. Agenda’s Midsummer 2021, Issue #15 has a 165-page count, and is a full-color glossy periodical. Listen to Podcasts for extended interviews of Rodney Epperson and Lindy Flowers at https://www.agendamag.com/category/podcast. Agenda is published by KL Publishing Group.

March 14, 2021September 28, 2023

Agenda Collector’s Issue 2021: “Changemakers” Shines A Floodlight On Women And People Of Color

Mar 15, 2021 (AB Digital via COMTEX) — The multicultural fashion and lifestyle magazine makes a statement as its editorial team incorporates Women’s History Month and Black History Month together in Agenda magazine’s “Changemakers,” featuring WITH HER FIST RAISED (the biography of Dorothy Pitman Hughes) as the lead story. Other features include the first Black male supermodel Renauld White, the first Black supermodel with albinism Diandra Forrest, playwright/actor Levy Lee Simon, women’s suffrage activist Susan B. Anthony; the work of celebrity photographer Michael Benabib, and the Black Design Collective’s Kevan Hall, Byron Lars, and Octavius Terry-Sims.

This is a world that has created holidays for every month and nearly every one of the 365 days in the Gregorian calendar. And based on each individual’s preferences, choosing which holidays are the most meaningful, and keeping them all “straight” can be daunting. However, two very significant months are very near and dear to Agenda magazine’s heart — February for African Americans and March for Women. In “A Letter from Your Editor,” Kaylene Peoples gives us insight on what sparked the idea for “Changemakers.”

“We’ve come a long way … or have we? That is a question that is always up for debate. As a woman in a man’s world, this saying is useful. Women have made strides over time, and particularly in the early 20th century. We won the right to vote. Then we won seats in Congress, and now we are the Vice President of the United States. A victory is a victory, right? However, as a nation, America is coming to the equal rights game a little late. Other countries have had women as chief executives for a while. Then there is another little problem: Race, and why do we still have the divide.

I started working on this collector’s issue with the thought of focusing on Black History Month. Then, I thought again. Oddly the two “minority” celebrations in our Jim Crow nation just happen to be adjacent: February (the short month) reserved for African Americans and March (on its tail) for women. Aren’t we fortunate to have our own month! All sarcasm aside, focusing on race and focusing on gender should be a moot point by now, yet it isn’t. The decision to combine the two months made more sense to me. And instead of calling it “Black this” and “Women that,” the title, ‘Changemakers,’ made the cut. Agenda Collector’s Issue 2021: ‘Changemakers’ is here to celebrate the achievements and ongoing pioneering of trailblazers, who just happen to be women and people of color!” – Kaylene Peoples, Editor-in-Chief of Agenda Magazine

“Changemakers” is filled with great stories and interviews, beautiful fashion editorials, and some surprises. From two “firsts” in the world of supermodels to activists, playwrights, book reviews, photography; beauty, health, and humanitarianism, the 2021 collector’s issue is not only exciting but interesting and informative.

Here’s what’s in the issue:

With Her Fist Raised: Dorothy Pitman Hughes and the Transformative Power of Black Community Activism

This biography was written by Professor Laura LeeAnn Lovett, a historian and author of other relevant books on women and race issues. Lovett talks about the process of completing her book about the life of Dorothy Pitman Hughes who is the co-founder of Ms. Magazine with Gloria Steinem, an effective civil and women’s rights activist, the first to start a child daycare center, and a former Miss America Franchise owner. Here’s what Laura had to say in this interview.

“I’m really hoping that we go back and rethink what we know about history and reassess our assumptions about African American women and feminism. Dorothy is somebody who is self-made, who figures out what she needs to do, and figures out community needs and does it; she created the childcare office and program for the whole city. I think that understanding that the importance of that message of ‘you can do it, that what is possible comes from the community’ is really the most important part of this book, about her life, and what I take away from learning about her. — Laura L. Lovett, Author

An Unexpected Advocate: Susan B. Anthony Is Still Relevant Today

Susan B. Anthony is a well-known historical figure that fought her entire life for the suffrage movement, as well as being an abolitionist who played her own part in the civil rights movement. This article is a historical retrospective on this Quaker-turned-activist.

“We might question why a woman who was born in 1820, and a Quaker nonetheless, would champion such a dangerous cause, bound to deliver reverberating backlashes. We might even consider the fact that she had no real resources other than the support of her parents; exampled by them removing her from the school that wouldn’t teach girls math and placing her in an educational program that offered her equal learning.

In 1863, together Susan B. Anthony, Matilda Joslyn Gage, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton founded the Women’s Loyal National League, which orchestrated the largest petition drive in United States history up to that time; they collected close to 400,000 signatures in support of abolishing slavery. In 1866, they initiated the American Equal Rights Association, which campaigned for equal rights for both women and African Americans. This is what led to them publishing [the newspaper] The Revolution.” – Kaylene Peoples, Agenda

The Black Design Collective’s new president Kevan Hall, and new BDC members Byron Lars and Octavius Terry-Sims inspire us to consider buying Black. The Nielson Ratings reported that Blacks spend annually upwards of 1.7 trillion dollars, buying clothes and accessories. This piece of information has spurred a community of designers that promote, market, educate, mentor, and raise money for this nonprofit and fashion collective.

Agenda interviews the three designers:

Kevan Hall – Changing the Face of Fashion Retail with the Black Design Collective

“Who knew that when 2020 came around, a pandemic would hit like it did? We immediately shifted into gear as to what we could do to help our designers sustain their businesses, so we started doing a series of workshops. And these workshops were to help our folks figure out how to get a PPP Loan, Unemployment Insurance as an independent designer or contractor eligible for unemployment, where usually self-employed people couldn’t get it. They needed to know how they could get grants.” – Kevan Hall, President & Celebrity Designer

Getting to Know Byron Lars as he talks Barbie and Celebrities

Byron Lars prior to designing Black Barbie collectibles for Mattel,“I was on a very shallow level with Barbie and not on a soapbox about inclusion, but I learned it was really meaningful. All those white dolls all those years, and the ones they just copied on a Black doll with none of the colors and sensibilities really had nothing to do with us.”

On designing for celebrities,“I don’t really put the celebrity moment ahead of my average customer, because it really does come back to the experience that you’re having. It just so happens that it’s their job to be public luminaries. And other peoples’ jobs are more about putting this dress on and crushing that meeting, because mama’s looking good! You know what I mean? It really is pretty much the same charge, whether in the public eye or not.” — Byron Lars, Fashion Designer & Barbie Collectibles

There’s more than meets the eye with designer and CEO of GROOM.

“I am currently writing an autobiographical self-help memoir, detailing all my different lives from Olympic hopeful; getting married on the 2014 Grammy Awards; being a singer songwriter with two albums; and now a celebrity fashion designer.” – Octavius Terry-Sims, Designer

Levy Lee Simon: Odyssey of a Harlem Artist

Award-winning playwright, actor, and director Levy Lee Simon talks about his three pandemic-related projects in his ‘Arting Around’ interview with Sheryl Aronson.

“I would like for people to support live theater during these difficult times, and have a different kind of experience in addition to watching Netflix and Amazon Prime. It is very interesting watching plays on Zoom and seeing the actors in these little boxes. And very soon the audience is caught up in the drama of the play. The solo performance was my debut, and I promise … I hoped I didn’t bore the audience. The response overwhelmingly has been that I didn’t.” – Levy Lee Simon

Book Reviews

Milk Run is a novel by Zac Baldwin that is thrilling, has fast-paced fiction with not one, but two female leads; and Passing Myself Down to the Grave: A Woman’s Rise from Darkness is a memoir by Sheryl Aronson — an exposing personal journey through breast cancer, surviving, and coming out on the other side.

Looking at Music Royalty Through the Lens of Michael Benabib

Michael Benabib is a celebrity photographer who has photographed the most iconic musical artists in the world, including Michael Jackson, The Fugees, Miles Davis, and more. Agenda highlights some of those rare, captured moments.

“I set up my lights, and I tried to take a picture that told a story by showing the board in the studio. Miles [Davis] was great, and was really interested in what I was doing. He asked about my technique, the camera I was using, and he wanted to see all the Polaroids. He was just totally involved. It was a great experience for me.” – Michael Benabib, Re-quoted from Thelastmiles.com

Beauty by Shahada Karim

It’s all about self-care with reviews of products by African American female business owners in the following reviews. “Danessa Myricks and the Beauty of Color,” “Gavin Luxe and the Sensual Sense,” and “EPARA: The Science of Beautiful Skin.”

Getting Back to Basics with Regards to Women’s Health

When it comes to health, Agenda has a discussion about women’s wellness with Melanie Wise of Wise Remedies in this candid conversation …

“When I train people for injury rehab or other reasons, I’m not looking for lifetime clients. I want to teach them what they need to know and get them out the door. I want people to be in the driver’s seat of their own health. I don’t want to be their cheerleader, and they don’t need a cheerleader, what they need is good health.” — Melanie Wise, Wise Remedies

Fashion Whisperer Ty-Ron Mayes produces three timeless editorials

“Celebrating Renauld White, a Living Legend and Stylish Trailblazer”; “The Nomadian,” featuring model Jean-Mary Aubourg; and Diandra Forrest’s “Blonde Noir, the First Black Supermodel with Albinism.” Included in Forrest’s editorial is an eye-opening and consciousness-raising interview.

“I think it’s been long overdue for us to be looked at as the unique beauties that we are. A lot of the times in the entertainment business, people with albinism have been portrayed as something supernatural or odd or freakish-looking, and I love that we are being seen in a different light.” — Diandra Forrest

Agenda pays tribute to those who’ve been the first to achieve or those who’ve changed history. Throughout the entire magazine, Agenda magazine spotlights Kamala Harris, Angela Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Halle Barry, Sidney Poitier, Tuskegee Airmen, Toni Morrison; Donyale Luna, Harriet Quimby, Shirley Chisolm, Ruby Bridges, Lauryn Hill, Marguerite Higgins, Sandra Day O’Conner, Barack Obama, Kathryn Bigelow, The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, nicknamed the “Six Triple Eight, Angela Davis, and honoring those anonymous activists who did their part to help bring forth equality!” A changemaker, simply put, is anyone who is taking creative action to solve a social problem—first, by actively tackling that social problem demonstrates they are motivated to act!

“There is no going back, there is only moving forward.” – Melinda May, S.H.I.E.L.D.

Agenda Collector’s Issue 2021: Changemakers is available in print and digital.

Featured on Talk Agenda Podcast are interviews with Black Design Collective president Kevan Hall, Byron Lars, and author of With Her Fist Raised Laura L. Lovett.

To Listen to Talk Agenda

Agenda Collector’s Issue 2021: “Changemakers” is sponsored by Bella Composers.

ABOUT AGENDA:

Agenda is the fashion and lifestyle magazine that has been telling the story behind the story since 2004. Agenda has a diverse readership, consisting mostly of women from various backgrounds, ranging from college age to 65 years old and beyond. Touted as ‘the intelligent read,’ Agenda is credited for being the first online magazine to stream video and documentary-style interviews. Since the very first Special Edition “Fall Is Fascinating,” in 2014, the magazine has consistently put out breathtaking coffee table keepsakes with content, including fashion, beauty, articles, photography, interviews, reviews, historical retrospectives, commentary, entertainment, and more. Agenda magazine is published by KL Publishing Group and is available worldwide!

February 9, 2021September 28, 2023

Artemis Women In Action Film Festival Honors “The Artist” for their Sixth Edition, April 22nd-25th, 2021

Announcing the Sixth Edition’s Official Selections with a solid focus on the artist for the 2021 film festival. The edition will be screened virtually; and joining sponsors AGENDA Magazine and Bella composers is Presenting Sponsor Wise Remedies and Prize Sponsor.

The excitement is brewing as filmmakers and musicians prepare to see their works stream live virtually for the sixth edition of the Artemis Women In Action Film Festival (AWIAFF). Every edition, the momentum builds, and despite 2020 events, Artemis approaches the finish line with some of the strongest talent on the independent playing field. Artemis is a festival that has been associated with industry luminaries such as actors Tom Cruise, Melissa McCarthy, actor/producer/festival sponsor Paul Feig, director Kimberly Pierce, and many in the stunt/action design community. Artemis will be offering an exciting and interactive celebration. Festival-goers will enjoy well-scripted storylines with powerful characters in narrative features, documentaries, shorts, and more. AWIAFF offers affordable, all-access tickets that include all events, including screenings, panel discussions, Q and A’s, award presentations, and networking opportunities, available from the comfort of your home (or viewing party) to imbibe and experience all of the excitement for which this festival is known.

Melanie Wise, Founder/Director of AWIAFF states,

“We’ve always done live events, brick and mortar. Observing 2020, what really stood out to the Artemis team was the need for this edition to focus on celebrating the talent of our filmmakers, musician/composers, and screenwriters.” – Quoted from Agenda, “Artemis Women In Action Film Festival Goes Virtual and More for 2021”

Melanie Wise continues,

“We are going to securely stream all of the official selections. We won’t be selling individual tickets, but rather, we will be selling very reasonably priced all-access passes. We will have some interactive panels and other cyber events, and do an online greeting, so everyone can get together in cyber space and toast one another. That will be open to all the official selections and any of the Artemis fans and supporters who would like to participate. Artemis has built its own streaming platform, [as well as] partnering on a platform or two. Last year, festivals came to the table doing their virtual events, making it a highly adaptable, highly designable way of doing a festival.”

This Sixth Edition continues with the tradition of strong women characters, announcing its official selections for narrative features, documentaries, shorts, screenplays, songs and compositions with a landscape of artistic work that continues in the form of independent and unconstrained creativity. Past festivals have brought incredible talent to the table with the diversity of topics and indomitable strength of characters and physicality being consistently represented in this year’s official selections. The 2021 edition focuses on the “creatives,” making this year’s festival all about the talent!

Melanie Wise talks about this year’s entries.

“As with every year, we always get an extraordinary variety, in terms of narrative, documentary, feature, shorts, but also we have an amazing range, from comedy action to drama. There’s just absolutely thigh-slapping stuff to serious stuff to some really cool pieces of history. We have a film about the old USO tours, and the women who’ve traveled overseas for US Troops—really great pieces of history. This is the part of the festival that always makes me very excited, very pleased, and very proud, because we are showing pieces of history that really shouldn’t be unknown. We also will have amazing films that challenge social issues. Amazing stories of people positively reshaping perceptions of self-value, stepping outside comfort zones to redefine the human condition in ways that do leave “the place” more beautiful. Wise adds, “We work really hard to come to the table and offer a program where we’re not pushing agendas, except that of showcasing positive, powerful women… we always have. And this year is one where it is completely about the talent because it’s virtual. We will be stripping some aspects of the festival, and we are going to work very hard to make every creator shine.”

Bella Composer’s Kaylene Peoples talks about the music part of the festival. “Women Powered Music” is about female intention and inclusion. Women have been composing and going unrecognized or ignored forever, really before the last century. And even then when you consider the number of studio films that have been produced, won Oscars, how many of those movies hired a female score writer. I applaud those women who broke through and actually have that career. There are female orchestrators, even some conductors, but we are definitely in the minority.” Peoples goes on to say, “The Fifth Edition in 2019, was astronomical and even more eye-opening. For our inaugural music competition, there was an overwhelming response with composers from all over the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia, who not only had scores in studio films, but symphonies performed and recorded with world class orchestras in many styles, including neo-classical, jazz, and more. What made this moment even more eye opening was the women that traveled to the festival last edition from Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, and from all across America just for the chance to be recognized. And wow, they are the most phenomenally talented composers and musical artists I had the honor to meet. Peoples Concludes, “This music competition is so needed. The world is filled with incredibly talented women composers and it’s about time we paid attention. If you are a female composer, please consider submitting your scores. It’s time for the world to know you exist!”

Bella Composer – AWIAFF Sponsor of Women Powered Music

Here are the Artemis Women In Action Film Festival’s Sixth Edition Official Selections:

FEATURES

A Deadly Place

All Earthly Constraints

Beyond Driven

Christmas in Baghdad

Firewoman

Intercessors

The Broker

The Meeting

Uprooted

Where We Disappear

SHORTS

10 Minutes For A Pound

A Blossom in the Night

A Girl from Parsian

A Woman’s Touch

Ally 3000

America

Bagheera

Barbell Snatch

Blessing

Boy Eats Girl

EmBlem

Fast and Faster

Fayettenam

Fellowship

Glass Darkly

Gozde The Fighter

Have It All

Hunted

If I Rise

Inner Self

Kara the Invincible

Life, Boat, Home

Moment

Naretoi

Now You See Us

One Moment(s)

Pure

Resurfacing

Rose & Raven

Rueful Warrior

SADAF

Scenic Fights Presents: My Fight Tresa Man

Sensei Fran Kicks Ass

Seven: The Short Film Combating Domestic Violence

She Who Wasn’t Tamed

The Fastest Woman of All Time

The Suicide of Lillian Sellers

Therese

Twin Turbo

Violin Scratches

Warriors of Education

What Didn’t Kill Me

You Too

SCREENPLAYS

Bells on Wheels by Thomas Heinonen

Between the Flames by Tishia Malone

Feather by Johanna Juntunen

Girl Hunters by John Saunders

Heard by Maureen Sasscer

Private Thompson’s Secret War by Gina DeAngelis

Ripley of Valor by Thoren Syndergaard

Roses and Rattlesnakes by Colin Simpson

The Hardest Hit by Sam Jeurgens

The Reckoning by Neil Marshall

Then and There, Here and Where by Esabella Strickland

Undercard by Dylan Kilgour

Warpaint by Helen Taylor

SONG FINALISTS

“Alleluia” | Erin Beute

“Alone with Bees” | Connie Lansberg

“Body Communion” | Toni Short

“Fade” | Fay Gauthier

“Fear, I Got Nothing for You” | Toni Short

“Make It Better” | Deborah Hurwitz

“My Amazing Grace” | Debra Gussin

“No Fight” | Elizmi Haze

“What Do You Say” | Floyd Music

COMPOSITION/SCORE FINALISTS

“40 Years One Night” | Giya Rushidat

“Boy Eats Girl” | Christy Carew

“Cowboy Boots” | Nikki Morgan

“Farewell” | Jaime Pangan

“Ganna Sorbat” | Ganna Sorbat

“In Trouble” | Monica Hodnett, Callie Day

“Molecules” | Maria Rago

“Piano Fantasy” | Deborah Offenhauser

“Spirit Vision” | Margaret Brandman

“Streetlight Dancers” | Kasey Crawford

“You know, I get the view from the moon every year. A lot of people show up, and they just watch a few things or they have a film in the festival. But when you get to see a broad field of content, and when you get to see the gravity of the stuff that’s presented, that’s where I think it gets very interesting. The most common compliment we get at the festival where people literally walk up to me is “I’m so inspired.” I think that’s my favorite compliment of the festival, because I think the whole point of it is to inspire people. And it doesn’t matter if you’re a woman, a man, or a dog. We all need to be able to look out through life with a lighter lens.” – Melanie Wise, Founder/Director (Quoted from Agenda, “Artemis Women In Action Film Festival Goes Virtual and More for 2021”)

The Artemis Women In Action Film Festival is happy to announce the following sponsors: Wise Remedies, Agenda Magazine, Bella Composers, Keslow Camera, and others.

ABOUT THE SPONSORS

WISE REMEDIES:

Premium quality, handcrafted herbal remedies now available online. Committed to creating unadulterated, effective products, boosting natural defenses and addressing foundational issues. All plant materials are either certified organic or custom wild crafted, never altered with heat, radiation or freezing temperatures; liquid extracts are made with Non-GMO alcohol, processed to remove gluten, using dried herbs and distillation, spanning six weeks to six months. All teas and powdered formulations are excipient-free (filler free). For two decades, Wise Remedies has taken great pride in creating products that are the purest and most powerful they can offer!

Visit the Wise Remedies website to see their complete catalog of products.

AGENDA Magazine:

The fashion and lifestyle magazine that has been telling the story behind the story since 2004 is in its third year as a lead sponsor for the Artemis Women In Action Film Festival. A print and online magazine, Agenda has a diverse readership, consisting mostly of women from various backgrounds, ranging from college age to 65 years old and beyond. Touted as “the intelligent read,” Agenda is credited for being the first online magazine to stream video and documentary-style interviews. In print since 2014, the magazine has consistently put out breathtaking coffee table keepsakes with content including fashion, beauty, photography, interviews, entertainment, and more. For AWIAFF Fifth Edition, Agenda Collector’s Issue titled “Artemis Women Kick Ass!” featured honorees Jeannie Epper, Daniela Ruah, and Dot-Marie Jones on the cover and chronicled that year’s festival’s events. Agenda magazine is available in print worldwide!

Visit Agendamag.com for details.

BELLA COMPOSERS:

Created by Kaylene Peoples, an award-winner singer/instrumentalist, composer/arranger, and conductor, Bella Composers offers women new opportunities, self-expression, empowerment, and employment in the world of classical, neoclassical, and other traditional musical genres by showcasing their compositions through live performance, film, new media, and more. The Bella Composers Women Powered Music Competition is the first of its kind, representing women composers from across the globe. Participating for a second term as the curator of the music portion of Artemis, Bella Composers continues its mission for inclusion by celebrating the talents of this underserved demographic.

Visit Bella Composers to learn more.

KESLOW CAMERA: Keslow Camera houses the Industry’s finest technicians and continues to design and inspire unique high-quality accessories that are unmatched by its peers. This pioneering atmosphere creates an energetic and positive employee environment, fostering unparalleled customer service and experience, providing the best service and ensures unparalleled product quality in the Industry: https://www.keslowcamera.com/

ABOUT Artemis Women In Action Film Festival:

Artemis Women In Action Film Festival was founded by Melanie Wise and Zac Baldwin, two filmmakers with a long time love of female-driven action films. Wise and Baldwin have produced shorts and features, focusing on female action projects. They saw that the genre was loved by audiences around the world, despite the fact that studios for many years claimed female action films were box office poison. In 2014, the idea of Artemis was born with the intent to create a space where these types of films could play for audiences with an unsatisfied hunger of female-driven action films. And for the Sixth Edition, Artemis is proud to include for the second year women-powered music: AWIAFF 6th Editon, Bella Composers

January 26, 2021September 28, 2023

Carol Alt Turns Sixty & Turns Heads on the Cover of AGENDA Magazine!

Agenda magazine announces “Comfy Cozy,” the Winter 2021, Issue #14 with supermodel/actress Carol Alt on the cover.

This issue celebrates Alt’s milestone birthday as she arrives at 60 years old. Being that the Agenda reader is a diverse group of people, and catering to a mostly female demographic with varying age-ranges (from 25-65 and beyond), this issue speaks to ageism and demonstrates that age is really just a number.

Ty-Ron Mayes, the fashion editor and wardrobe stylist for Agenda’s featured editorial, is responsible for orchestrating many of Alt’s covers in her modeling career. And now as the Fashion Whisperer, Mayes has curated a beautiful, “ageless” fashion editorial “The Carol Alt Factor: Sensational at Sixty,” featuring looks by Versace as one of the many designers featured in the spread. The Fashion Whisperer Podcast, Episode 3 is an engaging interview led by Ty-Ron Mayes as he speaks candidly with Carol Alt about her career, her loves, and how she gives back. They also delve into the changing world of modeling and social media. To listen to the podcast, visit: https://www.agendamag.com/fashion-whisperer-carol-alt-factor/

Agenda Editor-in-Chief’s Kaylene Peoples titled the issue “Comfy Cozy,” based on the current pandemic and stay-at-home orders. Issue 14 is filled with pajama-inspired runway, and winter-appropriate designs with designers Major Minor, NEONYT, and Rachel Mills. Peoples’s Fashion Talk column sets the tone for the entire issue with her historical retrospective: “Pyjama to Pajamas: The History of Sleepwear.”

“Since most people I know are on lockdown, I am sure that I am not the only house-bound person existing in her loungewear. It only seemed fitting to title this issue “Comfy Cozy,” and create the aesthetic to match its theme.” – Kaylene Peoples, Agenda Editor-in-Chief

Even Black Design Collective designer Okera Banks furthers the point with OTG Essentials’ convertible yet comfortable garments.” Beauty by Shahada Karim has the following articles: “Cold Weather Care,” The pandemic Files, Maskne,” and “Beauty and the Pandemic: Zoom-Ready!” Karim also interviews Susannah Sprague-Lerma in “The ‘Joyfull’ Way to Go Vegan.”

Agenda has always had great content, and during COVID 19, finding topics that will resonate during these challenging times has been the number one goal. Within these 137 pages are articles, interviews, and reviews about overcoming challenges, helping people, lifting spirits, and more. Sheryl Aronson (Arting Around) interviews (Ovation Award-winner) choreographer Janet Roston about her wildly trending video (over 2.2 million views and growing), You Can’t Stop the Beat – Hairspray Finale Spectacular. Roston’s video was created to raise money for The Actor’s Fund – COVID19; and actor J.D. Lewis talks about The Actors Lab forging ahead with the use of Zoom.

Melanie Wise (Wise Remedies) interviews Dr. William Gibbs, who has cured those people suffering from chronic pain. Nichole Galicia (Defiance, Django Unchained) is interviewed by Ty-Ron Mayes about her career and her charity, The Orchid Foundation; Nichole has been changing the lives of young ladies by teaching them valuable life skills. Zac Baldwin reviews New York Times Bestseller Home by Harlen Coben; and the nonfiction novel about one man’s journey on the quest for spiritual understanding, The Solo Traveler by George Harris. Baldwin reviews classic films made into book series in his article “Binge-Reading: When Binge-Watching Is Not Enough.” Other features include an interview with podcaster Hammond Chamberlain of Beyond the Playlist and the Universal Studios film News of the World, starring Tom hanks.

Ash Gupta’s Face of the Season puts a spotlight on Russian-born model Elizabeth Rush. Runway Competitions include L’Oreal Professionnel “Style & Color Trophy” in collaboration with Rinda Salmun; and ESNE Designer Showcase. In closing, Fashion Archives, features classic designs from the not-too-distant past (Olympus Fashion Week 2007 in New York).

To learn more about the Agenda Winter 2021 issue 14, “Comfy Cozy,” visit www.agendamag.com/product/agenda-winter-2021-issue-14-comfy-cozy/

Okera-Banks-OTG-Designs — Okera Banks of OTG Designs

Agenda is published by KL Publishing Group.

November 10, 2017September 28, 2023

AGENDA October 2017 and Marc Mennigmann – The Hands Project

Marc Mennigmann | hands-project.de | November 10, 2017

Online Mention:

“When I was at the Warwick Bass Camp 2016 I met Kaylene Peoples, a recording artist and Editor in Chief of Fashion & Lifestyle Magazine AGENDA. We did a nice interview which was released in the first monthly print issue of the Magazine, October 2017. Here is the complete interview.” Marc Mennigmann, The Hands Project

“HANDS” BY MARC MENNIGMANN

From the magazine:

THERE’S TRUTH IN BLACK & WHITE

Interviewed by Kaylene Peoples | Responses by Marc Mennigmann

Photographer Marc Mennigmann from Isalon, Germany, documents in the rare medium of black and white film. He uses a Leica Mononchrom, which is not only a complex camera, but is known for its rich optics that cater to alternative mediums in photography. Mennigmann chooses to spend his time capturing his subjects in their rawest form, bringing out their essence and exposing a vintage grittiness only seen in rare instances today with the explosion of digital color photography. A purist in the deepest sense, he has started a project called HANDS. Marc has spent hours photographing the hands of famous musicians around the world, and the simplicity of a black and white photograph does his subjects the most justice.

(This article includes the hands of Bunny Brunel)

Please read more from the original source: http://hands-project.de/2017/11/10/hands-featured-agenda-fashion-lifestyle-magazine/

October 19, 2017September 28, 2023

AGENDA Magazine Available Now in Print!

Agenda magazine is pleased to announce a much-awaited new print magazine! First, the Special Edition annuals, then the Fitness Couture Collector’s Issue . . . all Agenda magazine. We have downsized from 232 pages to a 114-page monthly glossy, published through KL Publishing Group, and presented to you this October just in time for Halloween.

Agenda October 2017, is the first monthly print issue from agendamag.com. It is a fashion and lifestyle series, spotlighting designers, runway, editorials, and fashion discussion with the focus on global fashion. Featured in this glossy magazine are designers and fashion runway from Sydney, Moscow, Paris, and Berlin.

Original Source: http://www.agendamag.com/agendas-first-monthly-issue-available/