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Tahj Mowry How This Disney Alumnus Achieved The Amazing Feat Of Staying Out Of Scandal While In The Spotlight
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On The Cover TAHJ MOWRY Words CHRIS LAW Photography ALBERT LOMAN Fashion CHRIS SANDFORD Grooming SONIA LEE COVER SHOT: Rings TRITON Watch NIXON Sweater and Pants PERRY ELLIS
TEAM BLEU
THE BLEULIFE GROUP
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
DÉVON CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON
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CHRIS SANDFORD ERICA VAIN
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DOMINIC BIELAK
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CONTRIBUTING FASHION EDITOR EUROPE FASHION EDITOR
RONÇOIS FRANCOIS SEAN AZEEZ
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CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE
ALBERT LOMAN GREG VAUGHAN OTHELLO BANACI TERRENCE MIELE ROBIN MARSHALL MARCUS INGRAM PRINCE WILLIAMS AMY ANAIZ TONY RYSK ROWAN DALY
RANNON HARRIS (CHICAGO - MIDWEST)
EVENT PRODUCTION:
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DANIELLE YOUNG EVAN MAJORS DOMINIQUE CARSON CHERESE WEEKES
INTERNS TERENCE MCNEALY, JOCELYN MERCADO, LAWRENCE PITTS, CHAE LIN LEE, RHESA BERNAL, SHAMECA LYWOOD, HENOCH BELLANTON
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BOMBSHELLBYBLEU EDITOR EBONY ALLISON CONTRIBUTORS GLAMO, TANYKA RENEE, CATAANDA J, LONDON BURNS, MATIA PEEBLES, CORINNE CUTTINO
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Bleulife Media & Entertainment Inc. | 119 West 24th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10011 | E-Mail: info@bleulife.com | Online: bleulife.com Printed in Canada. Opinions expressed by advertisers, columnists, feature writers or other contributors are not necessarily the opinions of Bleu Magazine or its staff. All advertisements, photographs, text or illustrations are published with the understanding that the advertisers are fully authorized to have secured proper consent for the use thereof. Bleu Magazine shall not be held responsible for any errors, loss, expense or liabilities on advertisements accepted after the deadline. Publication of the name or photograph of any person or advertisement in Bleu Magazine is not to be constructed as an indication of sexual orientation of such persons, advertiser or organization. Partial or complete reproduction of an advertisement, news article, feature or photograph from Bleu Magazine is strictly prohibited as Bleu Magazine is a registered trademark. A $25 or 1.5% (whichever is greater) fee will be charged for all NSF checks. All rights reserved.
PUBLISHER’S LETTER
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen How’s everybody doing tonight? I’d like to welcome to the stage The lyrically acclaimed I like this young man, because when he came out He came out with the phrase he went from ashy to classy – I like that So everybody in the house give a warm round of applause for the Notorious B.I.G, The Notorious B.I.G, Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for him y’all! Sky is the limit and you know that you keep on Just keep on pressing on Sky is the limit and you know that you can have What you want, be what you want “SKY’S THE LIMIT” NOTORIOUS B.I.G. FEAT 112
Here we go again - another issue of Bleu. This time there’s new meaning. This is the first issue created after we celebrated our 10-year anniversary. For most this would be the time to pat ourselves on the back and say “job well done.” Unfortunately, we still have a lot of work to do. Bleu was created out of the necessity to create more diverse and inclusive images of Black and Brown men. There was a void in the media; print, television, and digital of stories that told the whole story, not just the stereotypes. That mission is as relevant in these troubling times as it was 10 years ago. Yes, it is absolutely true that #AllLivesMatter, however for too long Black and Brown people were not included in the all. So initiatives like #BlackLivesMatter have to exist to hold the society at large accountable. How do we do our part? Well, we continue to give you what we feel the world really looks like. Diversity is not a just an initiative for us - it’s our DNA. Sit back relax and enjoy our latest Bleu. We will be here for another 10 years and beyond. To do the work. To challenge stereotypes. To push for inclusive media.
DÉVON CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON
FOUNDER AND GROUP PUBLISHER @DEVONISBLEU
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CONTRIBUTORS
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OTHELLO BANACI
L.ADONIS FRANK
Othello Banaci is a Photographer and Visual Storyteller from the D.C area specializing in fashion and commercial media. He started his career in fashion production which led to his debut as a photographer/cinematographer at MBFW. Since then, his work has been featured in NYLON, Complex, Huffington Post, Washington Post, and The Fader.
L. Adonis Frank Brooklyn Born Mogul in the making & entrepreneur is steadily creating a name for himself in the event world & nightlife scene. The 29 year old Mixologist has worked hard to establish a following through his many talents. Adonis is an award winning Mixologist Acquiring the nickname “The Starrtender” along his epicurean journey, mixing, consulting & Managing at many of Nyc’s hot spots such as Milk River, La Marina, 40/40 club & Sweet Brooklyn to name a few.
DANIELLE YOUNG
ALBERT LOMAN
Danielle Young is a seasoned journalist and content creator with a strong affinity for social media. When she’s not rubbing elbows with Oprah, Idris Elba or Angela Bassett, you can find her sipping a iced chai latte and lifting up those in her village and beyond. Danielle has always been attracted to storytelling and uses her gifts to tell the stories she cares about the most, which includes Black culture, feminism and entertainment.
“Hailing from Marietta,GA, Albert Loman is a fearless young man with big dreams. With experience in Acting, Albert recently took a leap of faith and decided to make the transition from in front of the camera to behind the camera. “I knew that I had an eye and a vision beyond what I could do in front of the camera and I wanted to express that” -Albert. In a short amount of time Albert has accomplished a lot.
TERRENCE MIELE
RONI FRANÇOIS
Terrence Miele discovered photography when he was 14-years-old and never looked back. He attended Rochester Institute of Technology and Salzburg College graduating with a degree in Photographic Arts and Sciences. He is based out of New York City with a client list that includes New York Times magazine, Fortune, Village Voice, Sony, Absolute Vodka, Vibe, Twisted Records, Nervous Records and Newsweek.
I am an experience image consultant, with 7+ years in the industry, who specializes in creating and defining standout fashion moments and effortless style for my clients. I believe the way a person presents himself or herself appearance-wise can have a meaningful impact, not only on they way they are perceived, but also the opportunity that come their way. My passion is to guide my clients towards a consistent “look” perfectly suited to their personality, lifestyle and goals, that make a statement every-time and will help strengthen their image as a powerful player in their respective industries.
MAGAZINE
BLEUMAGAZINE.COM @BLEUMAGAZINE
FA S H I O N | H E A LT H | C U LT U R E ENTERTAINMENT | ART
SOLED UP
Each season triggers the desire for a wardrobe upgrade. The season change can make it difficult to decide what shoes to wear day to day. Luckily, Bleu has picked out some looks that are fresh and totally wearable for fall. PHOTOGRAPHY TERRENCE MIELE FASHION CHRIS SANDFORD
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SOLED UP
FEIT Military Hiker $800 Available at Feitdirect.com, FEIT retail stores, and Mr. Porter
NOBIS X SULLY WONG-HI Black $350 Us.nobis.com
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GROOMING’S MAJOR KEYS As the temperature drops and the seasons change, now is the perfect time to update your bag or cabinet with products that will help you look better, keep your skin healthier, and help prevent future skin problems.
5 SCOTCH PORTER FACE LOTION This lightweight moisturizer will hydrate and soothe your dry skin, without making it look oily or heavy.
PHOTOGRAPHY RAMON MARTINEZ
$15
$40
1 POWER BRUSH BY THE ART OF SHAVING
Whether or not you are clean-shaven or a member of the beard gang, taking care to prevent of ingrown hairs is a necessity. When it comes to solving this issue, we recommend the Power Brush.
2 THE ART OF SHAVING PRE- SHAVE GEL The Art of Shaving Pre-Shave Gel prepares the beard for a close shave that leaves the skin feeling clean and fresh.
$25
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3
AMERICAN CREW 3 N 1 TEA TREE
AMERICAN CREW DEFINING PASTE This defining paste helps add texture and definition to your hair giving it a natural looking hold suitable for all lengths leaving a matte finish.
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MAGAZINE
$18
This three-in-one product is convenient as it cleanses and conditions the hair and skin for up to 6-8 hours; it clears breakouts, kills germs, and leaves the skin feeling soft with a refreshing scent.
$24
6 NIVEA MEN MOISTURIZING FACEWASH This light, easily absorbed SPF 15 lotion protects every day against sun damage and moisturizes to relieve dry, wind burned skin. Protective lotion enriched with vitamins and moisturizers and is oil-free so it won’t clog pores.
$5
7 NIVEA MEN SENSITIVE COOLING SHAVE BALM This perfume and alcohol-free product cleanses the skin thoroughly without aggravating sensitive skin, and the vitamin E and chamomile helps protect the skin.
$6
8 SCOTCH PORTER FACE WASH This low-foaming face wash is made of magic—with Charcoal, Licorice and SP’s secret Skin Renewal Complex, cleansing and rescuing dry skin without wreaking havoc on your skin’s natural pH balance.
$18
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