Solange Knowles discusses breaking ties with Carol's Daughter in new issue of Lurve magazine
Solange Knowles discusses her decision to break ties with Carol's Daughter in new issue of Lurve magazine.
Solange Knowles discusses her decision to break ties with Carol’s Daughter in the new issue of Lurve magazine, in addition to posing for a funky fashion shoot. Knowles, who became a spokesmodel of the beauty brand in 2011, shared that she could not see eye to eye with the management team of the company regarding their natural hair messaging.
“I’m actually no longer a part of Carol’s Daughter, but throughout my entire time working with them, I was constantly fighting for the right message to be heard,” she told the glossy. “The message that, the way we wear our hair is a personal choice, there’s no right or wrong way; one way doesn’t make us more intelligent, or more superficial, and every one makes that choice for very different reasons.”
Indeed, how the fashion industry darling wears her afro has been a point of contention ever since she did the big chop, cutting off her relaxed hair and eschewing long, straight hair weaves.
Solange’s hair texture and methods of styling have been both lauded and criticized, leading her to make the assertion that she never intended to become a leader of the natural hair movement. She once ranted on Twitter, for instance, against those who described her natural hair as unkempt on blogs.
Solange took the occasion of her Lurve interview to clear the air surrounding the resulting scandal.
“I made some comments on Twitter recently about an article someone sent me that a young writer wrote about how much energy we are putting into other people’s natural hair. I thought it was really interesting, and in a lot of ways true,” the mother and fashionista said. “That is until I came across the part of the article that mentioned how certain commenters were debating on the texture of my hair in its natural state.”
Solange marveled at learning in the process that hair textures are finely classified by some in the natural hair camp. She did not appreciate the common practice of rating how people manage the relative tightness of their unprocessed coils.
“I really, truly was not even aware that there was a natural hair system in place to measure the texture of your hair,” the style star revealed. “At that point I thought to myself, ‘This is really kind of crazy… that these people know more about my hair than the human that even carries it!’ I went to my Twitter and sort of impulsively expressed that. I don’t regret it one bit but sometimes trying to put how you feel in an one-hundred forty character structure is not very successful. It sometimes comes off as ranty and aggressive, and that was not my stance at all.”
Now that Solange has separated from Carol’s Daughter, she certainly has more freedom from the dictates of how others think she should represent natural hair, a market the hair and skin care company is synonymous with.
In response to Knowles’ announcement that she is no longer representing the brand, company chairman Steve Stoute released the following statement to The Huffington Post over email: “Carol’s Daughter celebrates women who embody beauty by nature such as Solange. We value our relationship with her and the women we were able to empower by partnering with such an authentic spirit.”
While leaving beauty behind, Solange has extended her career representing brands into the clothing realm. She was just announced as the new face of Madewell, J.Crew’s more youthful collection. But her affinity for fashion and self-expression for the camera is nothing new. Knowles has appeared in many magazines, including French Glamour.
RELATED: Solange makes debut as the face for Madewell fashion line
Her spread for Lurve — in addition to dealing dish — further showcases the scion of one of pop culture’s biggest families as a playful muse. “Solange Knowles is showing off her sexy side in little black dresses and Dolce & Gabanna bodysuits as well as having a little too much fun with some lipstick,” one black celebrity blogger opined about the shoot.
Check out the hot and haute pictures of Solange Knowles for Lurve magazine.
Follow Alexis Garrett Stodghill on Twitter at @lexisb.
