Entrepreneurship Highlight: Chef Marcus Samuelsson

January 19, 2021 by Leave a Comment

One of our three pillars at Pearl School of Modeling is entrepreneurship. We challenge our Pearls to create a business plan, implement it, and begin their business in their semester. We felt it important to add an entrepreneur highlight to the newsletter” to bring awareness to the numerous business owners that could positively influence our readers.

Marcus Samuelsson, Ethiopian-Swedish restauranteur, credits his love and appreciation of food to his childhood experiences. Growing up on the west coast of Sweden, Samuelsson spent mornings fishing for mackerel, crayfish, and lobsters with his dad and uncles. His grandmother taught him how to make apple jam, ginger snaps and pickled vegetables.  Inspired by his Ethiopian father and roots, Samuelsson developed a strong sense of the use of spices in food and desired to make fresh, affordable meals. He understood how hard the people of Ethiopia worked to survive.

He has had the distinct honor of being a guest chef for President Barack Obama. In 2007, Samuelsson won “Best International Cookbook”, and was featured on PBS and the Food Network, just to name a few accolades.  He has focused his efforts on his United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) endeavors, working toward immunization and curbing malnutrition for children throughout the world. 

Marcus Samuelsson is an award-winning chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, philanthropist and food activist. His most recent restaurant is New York City’s acclaimed Red Rooster Harlem. 

Follow him on Instagram: @marcuscooks or visit his website: www.marcussamuelsson.com

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Model Highlight: Adwoa Aboah

January 12, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Our Model Highlight goes to Adowa Aboah

Adwoa Aboah is a British fashion model.  Considered to be one of the most photographed people in the world, she has graced the covers of US, Spanish, German, Italian, Mexican, British, and Polish Vogue covers and Time Magazine. Aboah’s parents were fashion industry location scouts and photographers. Her sister Kesewa Aboah is also a model. She has walked for major brands like Fendi, Versus (Versace), Calvin Klein, Kenzo, Fenty x Puma just to name a few. In 2017 she was named British GQ’s “Woman of the Year”!

She is not only a model but an actress. She landed her first Hollywood role in Ghost in the Shell and has performed in numerous short films and videos. Due to her own personal struggles with sobriety, dyslexia, and depression, she created an organization in 2017 called Gurls Talk because she was concerned about the shortage of mental health resources for young women. Aboah suffered from her own struggles with sobriety.  In 2020, during the COVID-19 she created #CreativeTogether to connect people through creativity and combat some of the anxiety surrounding quarantine.

Aboah considers herself as an activist first, and a model second.

Follow her movement on Instagram: @adwoaaboah

Photo Credit: The Guardian, Models.com, The Jewelry Editor

Contributing Writer: Lauren Burford, VP of the Pearls

Filed Under: Beauty, Empowerment, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Designer Highlight: Cleah Murray

December 14, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Designer of the week – Cleah Murray 

             At the age of just nine-years-old, Cleah took her mother’s dress and redesigned it for herself.  Even then, she knew what she wanted to do with her life! She enrolled in and graduated from the Louisville Technical College of Merchandising and Design. Cleah’s avant-garde vision has allowed her to work as a designer, consultant, and an educator. She has been inspired by fashion from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s eras.

            Early on in her career, being a woman of color, Cleah found that she was not taken seriously. She said once she realized her worth and what she had to offer, the struggle became easy, but still not without struggle.

            Cleah started her business in Louisville KY and moved to Atlanta in 2000 and has been in business for over 25 years.  Her clients are celebrities, socialites, and fashionista’s. Her couture designs have been featured on the Red Carpet at both the 2011 and 2012 Grammy celebrations. She designs for the woman with impeccable taste who understands quality. She is known nationally as well as internationally and her specialty is custom clothing from ready to wear to bridal.

            Her criteria for success is waking up knowing that your day will be great regardless of your circumstances.

Visit her website at: https://cleahdesigner.com/

or follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter: cleahcouture

Call (404) 586-9729 or email:@cleahdesigner.com

Photo credit:

Contributing Writer: Gail Preddy, Secretary of the Pearls

Filed Under: Beauty, Fashion, Leadership Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Entrepreneurship Highlight: Caitlin Ann Gooch

December 14, 2020 by Leave a Comment
One of our three pillars at Pearl School of Modeling is entrepreneurship. We challenge our Pearls to create a business plan, implement it, and begin their business in their semester. We felt it important to add an entrepreneur highlight to the newsletter” to bring awareness to the numerous business owners that could positively influence our readers.
 
Caitlin Gooch is a Wendell, NC native who grew up on an 87 acre farm. Her father built a racetrack where he would allow horse races. She is the founder of Saddle Up and Read (SUAR), a nonprofit organization she began in 2017 when she learned the literacy rates in North Carolina were extremely low. Gooch partnered with her local library to create an incentive for young readers. She proposed that if a person checked out more than three books, she would enter them into a raffle and gift the winner with a free trip to her family’s farm to ride their horses. 
 
Gooch noted that 36% of the fourth graders in the state of North Carolina were reading at proficient or higher according to the 2019 Nation’s Report Card.  Gooch wanted to encourage reading amongst youth and has gone as far as organizing book drives and school-wide reading competitions. To date, she has raised more than $20,000 from donors around the world to help expand her services and open an in-house library and equestrian center.
 
Gooch is the mother of three young girls and wife to a member of the US Navy. She says she has her family’s full support. Although she no longer lives in North Carolina, she travels monthly to her family’s farm to continue her mission. She has been coined, “The Black Cowgirl” To learn more about her organization visit her site at: https://www.saddleupandread.org/
 
You can follow her on Instagram: @theblackcowgirl and @caitlin_gooch
 
Contributing Writer: Lauren Burford, VP of the Pearls

Photo Credit: Photographer-Stanford Moore of www.blackreignsmagazine.com, www.saddleupandread.org

Filed Under: Empowerment, Leadership Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Model Highlight: Ambar Cristal Zarzuela

December 8, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Our Model Highlight goes to Ambar Cristal Zarzuela

The 21-year old burst on the scene in 2019. Hailing from El Cercado, San Juan de la Maguana in Santo Domingo, Zarzuela is the first Dominican model to open for Louis Vuitton! Her natural afro was a major part of the show and it remains her signature style today. She was also one of four Afro-Latina to grace the cover of Vogue Mexico and Vogue Latin America’s September issue. Her most recent editorials include Vogue Japan and Vogue Italy.

She is currently represented by Ossygeno Modeling Agency, Next Model Management Paris, London, New York, and Milan. Fresh in her career, she walked for Versace, Chrusrian Dior,  Moschino, Chanel, Oscar de la Renta, and Michael Kors.

Zarzuela is very appreciative of her opportunities and understand the value of hard work. In an interview she stated, “I come from a very humble family in my country, my mother educated us by selling soft beans in our grapefruit neighborhood. Today I want all young Dominicans to not stop dreaming and to know that everything can be achieved with faith and a lot of work.”(ABC News)

Follow her on Instagram: @ambar_cristalz

Photo Credit: Louis Vuitton

Contributing Writer: Lauren Burford, VP of the Pearls

Filed Under: Beauty, Fashion Tagged With: , , , , ,

Designer Highlight: Carolina Herrera

December 1, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Carolina Herrera
 
Our designer of the week goes to Carolina Herrera, a Venezuelan fashion designer known for her exceptional personal style and for dressing various first ladies including Jacqueline Onassis, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama, and Melania Trump.

Born in 1939, in Caracas, Venezuela to her mother and a father who served as an officer in the Air Force later becoming the Governor of Caracus. Her socialite grandmother introduced her to the world of fashion, taking her at an early age to fashion shows and buying her outfits from Dior. At   young age she said “My eyes were accustomed to seeing pretty things”.

In 1965, Carolina began her career working as a publicist for Emillo Pucci, a close family friend. She began working at his Caracus boutique and moved to New York in 1980. She frequented the iconic Studio 54 and became known for her dramatic style. In 1981, her friend Diana Vreeland (Editor- In- Chief of Vogue ) suggested that Carolina design a clothing line. She took her up on it and had samples made in Caracus. She debuted her collection at Manhattan Metropolitan Club to critical acclaimed. Martha’s (a Park Avenue boutique) showcased her clothing in their prominent windows. After this initial success, she returned to Caracus and raised capital to fund a more formal launch. Her first runway show in 1980 included future supermodel Iman. Her company has been based in New York since 1980.

In 1995 a firm acquired the Carolina Herrera fashion business, retaining her as Creative Director. In 2008, they launched a ready to wear brand called CH Carolina Herrera. In 2018, Herrera showed her last line from her eponymous brand and handed Creative Directorship of the brand over to Wed Gordon.

Visit her website to shop her looks: https://www.carolinaherrera.com/us/en/

Photo credit: Carolina Hererra

Contributing Writer: Gail Preddy, Secretary of the Pearls

Filed Under: Fashion Tagged With: , , , , ,

Entrepreneurship Highlight: Tyla-Simone Crayton

November 29, 2020 by Leave a Comment

One of our three pillars at Pearl School of Modeling is entrepreneurship. We challenge our Pearls to create a business plan, implement it, and begin their business in their semester. We felt it important to add an entrepreneur highlight to the newsletter” to bring awareness to the numerous business owners that could positively influence our readers.

Meet Tyla-Simone Crayton, the 17-year old founder and CEO of Sienna Sauce. She and her family, originally from Brooklyn NY, created their own sauce and would sell chicken wings weekly out of their home in Sienna, TX. Miss Crayton conceptualized packaging her sauce at the age of 8. On August 17, 2017, Sienna Sauce formerly, Sienna Wings was established. 

Miss Crayton’s vision is to have her chicken wing-style sauces become a household name and have a business that will be passed down through generations. She has been more than resourceful, raising nearly $200,000 through crowdfunding investors and an additional $45,000 through pitch competitions. Not only is her brand important to her but her education also.  Miss Crayton balances homeschooling and takes additional business classes because she believes in constant learning. Her motto is, “Never be afraid to ask questions”. She befriended Shark Tank star and billionaire Mark Cuban who is also an advocate of lifelong learning and has helped Crayton with business advice. 

Her products have been featured on Essence, ABC, NBC, CBS, Inside Edition and more. 

Visit her website: https://siennasauce.com/ or Follow her on Instagram: @siennasauce, @ceosauceboss

Contributing Writer: Lauren Burford, VP of the Pearls

Photo Credit: Voyage Houston & Sienna Sauce

Filed Under: Empowerment, Leadership Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Model Highlight: Mika Schneider

November 25, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Our Model Highlight goes to Mika Schneider

This French-Japanese beauty is making her mark on the fashion scene. Described as tranquil, self-disciplined, and sure, Mika Schneider debuted at Prada Spring/Summer 2020 last Fall. Make no mistake, although a newcomer on the scene, she is no stranger to modeling. Schneider’s mother modeled in Japan.

Schneider began modeling in Japan but was not scouted. Schneider was discovered on Instagram after her mother took pictures of her and sent them to the agencies she knew had good reputations. Her father works for an international company so she has moved most of her life and has adjusted to traveling. She learned to speak Japanese, French, English, and Russian! 

She’s already landed opportunities with Tom Ford and Louis Vuitton and has done a few editorials. She is currently signed to Bon Image. Here are a few words of wisdom from the model regarding her life in the industry, “It’s not stable – you travel, you can work hours and hours one a day and not work four days after. It’s unpredictable. But it’s also exciting because you never know.” (Twenty Minutes with Mika Schneider-Paris Edition).

Follow her on Instagram: @mikascnhdr

Photo Credit: The Fashion Spot, Anne of Carversville, & Leah Cultice

Contributing Writer: Lauren Burford, VP of the Pearls

Filed Under: Beauty, Fashion Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Designer Highlight: Jerry Lorenzo

November 17, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Jerry Lorenzo
 
     Jerry Lorenzo is the founder of Fear of God, a luxury street wear label that was founded in 2012. He was born in Sacramento, California in 1977. After studying at Florida A&M University, he moved to Los Angeles, California to obtain a Master’s in Business Administration from Loyola Marymount. He worked in retail in the stockroom at Diesel while studying for his MBA. Lorenzo went on to manage corporate sponsorship for the LA Dodgers and then worked in marketing for a sports agency in Chicago. In 2008, he returned to Los Angeles where he was a successful party promoter. There he formed relationships with people in the fashion, sports, and entertainment industry.
 

     Despite having no formal training in fashion, he decided to change career paths after becoming a father by setting up his own clothing line. He used $14,000 of his own money to launch his first collection. His debut collection was a success, and he was summoned to Atlantic City to share some of his pieces with Kanye West. A relationship was formed, and he went on to collaborate with West on several other projects.

     Early influences ranged from 90’s Hip-Hop to Grunge. His style is known as fluid casual; a wardrobe that allows one to move seamlessly through the consistent inconsistent times we live in. For instance, a man might go to the gym, carry a blazer with him, and then from there, go to a meeting.

His celebrity clientele includes former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick to Beyonce. He has also designed clothes for Justin Bieber and Kendrick Lamar’s tours. With no external investors, Fear of God, is completely independent.

Follow him on Instagram: @fearofgod # jerrylorenzocollection # jerrylorenzo

Visit his website at: www.fearofgod.com

Photo credit: Lifestyle.com

Contributing Writer: Gail Preddy, Secretary of the Pearls

Filed Under: Beauty, Fashion, Leadership Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Entrepreneurship Highlight: Candace Marie

November 17, 2020 by Leave a Comment

One of our three pillars at Pearl School of Modeling is entrepreneurship. We challenge our Pearls to create a business plan, implement it, and begin their business in their semester. We felt it important to add an entrepreneur highlight to the newsletter” to bring awareness to the numerous business owners that could positively influence our readers.

Candace Marie is the former social media strategist who spent ten years in the corporate world before creating her own social medial consultancy company for luxury brands. Candace endured systemic racism and found herself working harder than her peers who were not black. To help other black people navigate the corporate world, Candace created Black in Corporate. Black in Corporate is a mentorship program; a virtual space for black professionals to receive mentorship, relief, guidance, and support from professionals of all backgrounds. Candace wanted to provide an avenue for black professionals who many not normally have access to a mentor, to have a resources as their dispose. 

Black in Corporate launched November 1, 2020. If you are interested in applying to the Black in Corporate mentorship program click here: or, visit the site on your own: https://www.blckincorporate.com/virtual-mentorship

You can follow her on Instagram at: @blckincorporate @marie_mag_

Contributing Writer: Lauren Burford, VP of the Pearls

Photo Credit: CFDA, Business Insider

Filed Under: Beauty, Empowerment, Leadership Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,