Have you seen the Spring/Summer Collection from the London design house PPQ of Mayfair? The runway was SICK! It featured great styling with an insanely fabulous cast of black models. Models including Sessilee Lopez, Kinee Diouf, Jeneil Williams and Kaya strutted the catwalk adorned in braid embellished Nefertiti buns and the season’s most sought-after trends in geometric/tribal prints and polka dots.

Here’s a little background on the brand from their website.

In east London, 1992, Amy Molyneaux and Percy Parker created fashion label PPQ, and with it came the inimitable style that continues to set the beat for London’s fashion drum today. From the early days there were zeitgeist design moves; PPQ spearheaded the drainpipe jean revolution dressing music maker’s including Peter Doherty, and the label’s signature smock dresses and mini, modern cocktail gowns became fashion insider staples. Fashion’s best kept secret inevitably rolled off tongues and on to London Fashion Week’s official show calendar to showers of success. Today, the design duo compose cutting-edge collections in a spectrum of vivid colours, strong shapes, bold prints and elaborate fabrics to a fanfare of today’s style icons and artists including Agyness Deyn, Kirsten Dunst, Sienna Miller, Rihanna, Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, Daisy Lowe, Alexa Chung, Adele, Peaches and Pixie Geldof, Little Boots, Ben Grimes and Portia Freeman.

Marrying music with style, PPQ also run a record label, 1-2-3-4 Records, with acts including Whitey, The Bishops, The White Sport, Trafalgar, Objects and Cosmetique. 1-2-3-4 Records hosts an annual festival in Shoreditch, London, which fast became a UK summer festival highlight.

A few of Mane & Chic’s top picks from PPQ’s Spring/Summer 2010 collection.

VeraBella writes…

I’ve been on the creamy crack for quite sometime now, since age 12. During college I did a bit of research (YouTube, blogs, and forums), but because of the normal inhibitions of dominant societal views of straight European hair I continued to make excuses and relax my hair. Finally I decided my senior year in college to not care about the status quo. I threw apprehension to the wind and decided to have my mom chop my hair off so I no longer had any relaxer in my hair. It was Christmas Eve 2008 and she was more nervous than I was… after a quick hair wash, with a shaky hand she cut off my locks, I touched my curly baby tendrils took a few pictures, gave myself a pep-talk and haven’t looked back since.

The reactions from my friends were mixed, some loved it, some hated it, and some even decided to voice their opinions… and got told off if I didn’t like what they said. However, most people had positive things to say, however through all of the opinions, stares, accolades, and mixed reviews the greatest lesson I’ve learned thru my hair journey is self worth and appreciation for the curves of my face and the uniqueness of my features; which are often times overshadowed by straight limp hair.

Anyone considering it I encourage to take the plunge! You won’t regret it, and if you do… protective style (weave, wig, braids) it up until you do. Because one thing I do know is with the creamy creak off your hair it’s bound to grow healthy and long eventually.

Favorite products…
Aussie Moist Conditioner and coconut oil

Hair care regimen…
Usually I co-wash my hair every couple days and leave in a little conditioner, towel dry it and add a little coconut oil to seal the ends. At night I twist the hair up in about 6-10 twist and fluff in the morning.

Favorite natural hair style…
The curly Fro-hawk!

Shauntae writes…

Six years ago, I would spend $60 dollars or more on my addiction to upkeep my spike haircut. It became so bad that I would take a split shift to make my hair appointment. Then one day I ran it to my coily delight. His dreads right above his shoulder captured my eye. Strand by strand, I began to chop my hair in prayer to become his heartbeat. As I chopped my hair, I began to be free. Releasing the natural beauty, that God had given me. Just like a flower, our love began to grow. As his hair swung past his shoulder, my hair began to reach to the heavens. This natural love six years later produced a blessing. Oh no, I am not worried about what folks might think of me. I am released to wear my hair any way I want. It is no longer my weakness but my strength.

Meet Bee who currently resides in Nigeria, in her own words…

On Going Natural
I had my first relaxer at the age of 8 or 9. It was left in for too long and ruined my hair and I had to go to a barber and shave off what was left! Somehow, the trama of looking like a boy for half a year didn’t keep me from relaxers. About three years ago I finally stopped. I decided I was curious to see what my hair really looked like. I was convinced my hair genes could not take much more damage for long.I stopped during a summer stateside. Dropping in at Nigerian weddings, no one cared if I was transitioning or not. By the time I got to Nigeria, the story changed. Now, if I go out with my natural hair, men, women and children of all ages stare and I can’t walk through without getting ‘Auntie do you want to make your hair appointment?’ calls from hairdressers.

Hair Care Regimen
I’m low key. I keep my hair in ‘protective styles’. This translates to twists under a wig, in extensions or in a scarf. I’m a stickler for cowashing with one flavor or another of Suave conditioner once a week, I use shea butter when I twist and a bar of Dudu Osun soap instead of shampoo. When I style my hair in twists, I like to faux-hawk it up. Otherwise, I’d have to say I’m a fro-girl.

Favorite Products
Sauve conditioner and shampoo, Dudu Osun soap – Its not specifically made for hair, but it works so well, it might as well be. Natural (local) shea butter, olive oil and water. Once I get back stateside, I’m sure I’ll blossom into a full-fledged product junkie.

More Bee…
www.yungbe.blogspot.com
www.fotki.com/whoiamisme

Do you love a hair product that most people always hate on? What is it and why do you love it so much? Why do you think other people don’t like it? Share in the comments.

Erykah Badu’s new video for the song “Window Seat” has the internet abuzz. Did you see it? She said in an interview with DallasNews.com that “Window Seat” is about liberating yourself from layers and layers of skin or demons that are a hindrance to your growth or freedom, or evolution.” Click here to read her interview with Hunter Hauk of DallasNews.com. She says that this was a spontaneous guerilla-style video shoot. So those aren’t extras you’re seeing and everything you see it REAL. Could you imagine how liberating it must have been to really do that?

Here’s a link. What do you think? Would you ever do something like this? Could you?

I just finished watching Kelis’ new video, Acapella. It was super creative from the concept, the hair, the makeup and I especially love the end. Very cute! I’ve read a lot of blogs that hate on her new hairstyle, but I love it. It’s different. Everybody will be on it 3 years from now. I notice that about Kelis. She’s one of those earlier adapters and what she did 5 years ago is what people are just beginning to do now (mmm…Rihanna). Her styling may never be mainstream, but it’s always edgy and highly entertaining. Love her. Watch the video for yourself below.

Have your bad experiences with hair stylists made you afraid to go to salons? How long has it been since you’ve been to a professional? Do you miss having someone else do your hair or are you just fine doing it yourself?

By Kai Chic

I’m not officially supposed to be taking photos until next week: April 4, 2010, but that’s Easter. Actually me doing this now has nothing to do with Easter. I just felt like straightening my hair. My last update was 64 days ago on January 22… I usually wait 90 days or every 3 months. Last time I was a few weeks late. Since July 4, 2008 was the day I did my big chop (ending a nearly 2 year long transition), I usually update/straighten and do length checks on the 4th of January, April, October and July.

The photo on the left is January 2010 (64 days ago) and the one on the right is today, March 27.

I do length checks on straight hair to make sure my hair is growing and not breaking. It’s also much easier for me to weed out split ends when my hair is straight. It’s also just cool to see how far I’ve come. It’s hard to see length retention/growth on natural hair with the shrinkage, so it’s fun to straighten every once in a while just for a change and to check on things. On January 22, the longest point of my hair reached 9.5″ from the nape of my neck as indicated by the tape measure and today it measures a little over 10.5″ that’s about 0.5″ per month and that’s my average. Everything appears to be on schedule.

With everybody cutting their hair a la Rihanna, it’s been kind of hard to stay disciplined and keep growing, but I stay on path because I have a mission. I’m used to having the edgy medium length hair cuts and highlights and all that other stuff, so I get bored with my hair. I get bored with a lot of things in general. I am an Aquarius… I’m like the wind. In college I switched my major about a million times, tried to do the law school thing, grad school, art school, portfolio school, spent thousands of dollars on turntables and equipment when I wanted to be a DJ… the list goes on. Well, today is a milestone for me, I officially started Mane & Chic in April of 2007 and for me to say I’ve done anything for 3 years is a HUGE deal. My favorite part is meeting all of you fly chicks and hearing your stories. You inspire me to keep at it and motivate me on many levels. I guess the reason I keep doing it is because of you. I really have no desire to grow my hair past that 14″ mark as of yet, but with shrinkage who knows. In a natural state, my hair still curls up to shoulder length. I want to grow it out until the end of 2010 as a personal challenge, but after that who knows what I’ll do.

For some it’s just hair or it’s just fashion, but for me it’s like a sisterhood. No, it’s not all about having long hair and designer clothes. That’s so superficial. I choose to grow out my hair long because it’s a challenge and it takes a lot of discipline. I figure if I can do this, I can be more consistent about other goals I have for myself. It’s been quite difficult for me on a mental level, hair is a very personal thing. Personal style is a very personal thing. It’s how the world sees you. It’s soul deep: having a connection with other women that share your frustrations, your loves and your experiences. I just think hair is one of those things that reminds us we are one and that we need each other to grow and share. I’m really inspired by the women I feature in Featured Curls, Curls Next Door and all the women I see in passing. I do hope you’re as inspired and you enjoy Mane & Chic as much as I love sharing it with you.

Cheers,

Kai