COMPLEXD WOMAN: KRISTIE DANIELLE

Name: Kristie Danielle
Age: 23
Place of birth: Silver Spring, MD
Current residence: New York, USA

My ethnic background is made up of English, Polish, French and Native and African descent, but I see myself as an American. I think it’s a beautiful thing when various cultures, traditions and races come together. It helps to eliminate prejudice and encourages people to open their minds. I am a firm believer in oneness, we are all just human beings as far as I am concerned.

I co-own an eco-friendly online store called 9th and Fontain . We sell vintage clothing that we collected when travelling along the east coast and in the Philippines and Arizona. I also make and sell sustainable jewellery through the site. I have made pieces for Solange Knowles, Erykah Badu, and Christine Teigen.

Before we set up 9th and Fontain, my friend and business partner Julianka used to be my arch enemy…

…until I realised our personalities and style mirrored each other.

That is why through our business we promote female unity, peace, friendship, creativity, and green living. I also have a passion for creative marketing so I work with various marketing, music and magazine companies. My aim is to become an innovative marketing strategist.

I once read something somewhere that said you find your own style when it becomes as natural as breathing. I wear a lot of chunky shoes, big rings, tribal jewellery, long dresses, heavy velvet, snake patterns, sheer fabrics, midriffs, chokers, funky hats and bushy hair. I would sum up my style as the witches serpent sprinkled with pixie dust.

I love being a woman; we are the centre of the universe because we can carry and nurture a new life. We are peace and beauty and we can stimulate the artistic drive in men who often have us as their muses.

I am Complexd because I stay true to myself. The ability to love what I do, have my own opinions, my own tastes and dance to the beat of my own drum. I sometimes lose myself in relationships and work, but I’ve realised how important it is to spend time learning about and loving myself. I am who I am today and every day I am closer to becoming the woman I want to be.

October 18, 2011 | Posted in Complexd Women | Leave a comment

COMPLEXD WOMAN: EMILY HAWKINS

Name: Emily Hawkins
Age: 24
Occupation: Fashion PR Logistics
Current Residence: London, UK

I was born and raised in a tiny village called Pen-How in South Wales. There were no other children in the whole village so me and my older sister had to be creative and imaginative.

I work at a luxury fashion PR company in London. I studied design at university but always flourished more at the marketing and PR side.

After I graduated I moved to New York with no money, no friends and nowhere to live. I started off as an intern at the New York office of the company I now work for where I would deliver clothes to all the major publications on foot. It was such a buzz because fashion had always been my escapism since I was a child.

My personal style is very electric. One day I’m stuffing tulle up the shoulders of a vintage shirt for extra shape, and the other I’m putting a bag on my head!

The strongest people in my life have all been women. My mother is a warrior. I’ve watched her go through some tough times while maintaining a family, a profession and a smile, and a glamorous outfit. She is my sole inspiration and that’s what’s beautiful about women, we just keep going.

I am Complexd because I’m just a young woman with white hair trying to follow my dreams.

October 14, 2011 | Posted in Complexd Women | Leave a comment

COMPLEXD WOMAN: ANALISA NUNEZ

Name: Analisa Nunez
Age: 25
Place of birth: Moca, Dominican Republic
Current residence: New York

I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and me and my family moved to New York when I was eight years old. When I started elementary school I couldn’t speak any English. I only knew how to ask to go to the toilet and when I spoke with my strange accent, the kids would look at me like I had ten heads.

My mother worked extremely hard so that we could visit family back home every summer. I had an amazing childhood and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

I’m a freelance Visual Merchandiser. I’ve worked in Retail since I was 16 and found my true passion in the art and creativity that goes into designing windows and merchandising a shop floor.

I started out interning and doing projects for artists, photographers and department stores to build up my portfolio.

My personal style is tomboyish!

But sometimes I like to try new things and mix-match items.

Being a woman allows me to experiment, take risks, express myself instead of keeping my thoughts bottled up and bond with my fellow sisters.

I’m Complexd because I’m awkward, passionate and artistic. I can easily wipe away my tears and be myself again in my own little way. I do this by writing or sketching my feelings, ambitions and frustrations in my notebook. Sometimes I sketch for hours until I feel better. Then, I simply crumple up that paper and throw it away because I no longer need that feeling anymore.

October 11, 2011 | Posted in Complexd Women | Leave a comment

EDITOR’S DIARY: MY MOTHERS JEWELLERY BOX

Hands up if you go shopping in your mother’s jewellery box!

I needed some accessories to finish off my outfit this weekend, and just as custom jewellery is going through a vintage phase, I went searching in my mother’s jewellery box for silver and gold pieces. I found these gorgeous barrel earrings which went perfectly with my khaki-beige palette.

Photographed by Frederique Rapier 

The oversized linen jacket is also one of my mum’s treasures from Laura Ashley. It was perfect for the strange hot weather we had throughout the day which turned into a chilly afternoon.

Three other Complexd Women who go shopping in their mums’ jewellery box…

‘After rummaging around in both mine and my mother’s jewellery boxes, I found some really nice pieces that go with the whole boho theme’

‘When I was little, playing in my mother’s jewellery box was a favourite pastime. That was in the eighties so she had some great costume jewellery especially the really gaudy clip-on earrings’ 

‘ Go on a rampage for clip-on earrings, now available from your mother’s jewellery box’

October 10, 2011 | Posted in Editor's Diary | 1 Comment

COMPLEXD WOMAN: STUTTEE MEHRA

Image by Taybah Qureshi

Name: Stuttee Mehra

Age: 19

Place of birth: Ajmer, Rajasthan, India

Current residence: London, UK

I was born in a small town called Ajmer. I lived in different parts of India with my grandparents until the age of nine when my mother got a job in the UK.

Images by Phaldeep Ashan

I’m a full-time student at university and I do modelling and promotional work part-time. I would describe my look and style as feminine with a touch of preppy.

I love being a woman because we have brilliant communication skills and can express ourselves in so many different ways. I enjoy experimenting with interior designing, fashion and food.

Image by Taybah Qureshi

I am Complexd because I have been blessed to have people in my life that love and support me, but aren’t afraid to tell me where I’m going wrong.

October 7, 2011 | Posted in Complexd Women | Leave a comment