Aryeé The Gem: Photo Credit- Andrew Salama With summer heating up, brace yourself for some hot yet inspirational new music by rising artist Aryeé The Gem. The singer/songwriter, who is signed to Saint & Citizen Music Group recently released the first single from her forthcoming EP. The spicy new song is titled “To It,” and we are definitely feeling the vibe. The single, which was written by Aryeé and produced by Trakmatik, is based on overcoming obstacles and finding the strength to handle your business  even as you work on building within yourself. It ..read more

Happy Mother’s Day to all moms! This year’s Mother’s Day “Woman to Watch” feature focuses on Raquel Riley Thomas, owner of An Officer and a Gentlewoman, LLC (AOAGWLLC) in operation for 12 years and with locations in Washington, DC and Atlanta, Georgia. I was curious to know what motivated her to start AOAGWLLC. Says Thomas, “In 2009, my then 3-year-old daughter Maria Raquel asked me a question that set me on a journey that culminated the company’s creation. She wondered why there were no princesses that resembled her, which prompted me to enter a pageant. Winning that competition motivated me ..read more

Black designers and Fashion-preneurs are a crucial pillar in fashion and are often leading the charge to make change in the industry. From Vanshawn Kayie Branch’s joyous color blocking to ArtMatic’ thought-provoking collections, Black-owned fashion labels are creating the trends while making bold statements. Below, a quick highlight on three notable names whose innovation and creativity are helping shape the fashion sector. Get ready for a powerful blend of patterns, bold colors, textures, and out-of-this-world design inspiration. Ready? Set. Follow. Vanshawn Kayie Branch Heralded for his thou ..read more

Upscale Magazine contributor Tara Merchant sat down to talk with Guy Wood, Sr. and Sharene Wood (formerly Barnett), the husband-and-wife team behind 5001 Flavors. The Woods, born and raised in Harlem, New York, established 5001 Flavors in 1992, a company dedicated to providing custom clothing and accessories, fashion styling and manufacturing for 31 years. Guy Wood, Jr., Kells Barnett, Tara Merchant, Sharene Wood, and Guy Wood, Sr. 5001 Flavors has gained “behind the scenes” notoriety as the “best kept secret” of award-winning fashion stylists, film, music video and television wardrobe st ..read more

Tickets are now on sale for the Third Annual Red Bow Tie Gala. The Unity J. McGill Foundation, in partnership with Upscale Cares, is hosting the Red Bow Tie Gala on Saturday, May 20, from 7:00 pm to 11:00 p.m. This event is set to offer opulence and a wellness and spa experience. It will be held at the Knock Music House on 1789 Cheshire Bridge Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia, 30324. Get set to enjoy performances, speakers, and get to know the philanthropists who will be in attendance. Women must wear red. Men must wear a red bow tie. Delectable delights and signature cocktails willl be available all ..read more

On Saturday, April 29, many notable celebrities and influencers gathered at the private birthday celebration for one of Atlanta’s elite women, Development Executive and TV/Film producer, Princess Banton-Loafters. Princess is the creator and Executive Producer of Real Housewives of Atlanta. She also is creator and Executive Producer of Ink, Paper, Scissors/BET, The New Atlanta/Bravo; and a pilot creator for Tru, Tower, Evolution, and other film production companies. Princess Banton-Loafters and friends dancing the night away (Photo: FreddyO) The private birthday gathering was held at Byredo in ..read more

Photo – Juston Follis | Unsplash Congratulations!  You two have decided to tie-the-knot!  You’ve announced your engagement to the world and have finally set a  wedding date.  Now what?  Whether you’ll spend $5,000, $50,000 or $500K, you’ll need to set-up a budget to stay on track of  finances.   Who’s Paying for the Wedding? One of the first things to establish is who will be handling wedding costs.  Traditionally, the bride’s family is expected to pay for the entire wedding.  But, today many modern couples opt to cover  — or at least pick up a ..read more

Ruth E. Carter Photo Credit: Kim Evans Photography NBAF hosted their 17th Annual Fine Art + Fashion Benefit sponsored by Neiman Marcus last Thursday at the http://atlantahistorycenter.com. The event brought together lovers of art and fashion and highlighted emerging designers of color through the annual Fashion Forward Student Design Competition. The 2023 Fine Art + Fashion honorees included two-time Academy Award-winning Costume Designer, Ruth E. Carter, Visual Artist Shanequa Gay, and Fashion Designer Busayo Olupona. Ruth E. Carter, Visual Artist Shanequa Gay, and Fashion Designer Busayo Olu ..read more

One of the best ways to move the needle towards equality is by amplifying the voices of the Black community and artists like Black fashion photographers. They’re not a trend, nor a new-ish phenomenon. Each BIPOC photographer on this list is already quite prolific, shooting magazine covers, releasing coffee table books, and lensing major ad campaigns. And the world is only starting to take notice. With a passion for fashion photography myself, I wanted to highlight a few BIPOC fashion photographers’ work I find distinct and iconic. Here are 3 photographers you need to follow.   Brandon Ras ..read more

Models curated by Catwalk productions, featuring signature pieces from ANT/DOTE. Photo credit -Deelite Photography Phot credit: Deelite The fashionable of Atlanta came out to celebrate the 75th year anniversary of Fashion Group International, Atlanta. The celebration was held at the beautiful Waldorf Astoria in Buckhead Atlanta recently. The affair featured a presentation about the fashionable and philanthropic history of FGI Atlanta, The evening began in the newly updated English Garden, with a cutting-edge fashion installation curated by Catwalk productions, featuring signature pieces from A ..read more