Imagine a night, which combines beauty and heart; art and fashion; giving and good vibes. Well, not only can we imagine it, we’ve witnessed it.

Saturday May 4^th, marked the fourth edition of Heels & Heart wearable fashion show, and the theme? The Environment. With proceeds benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada, we at KA are feeling this cause.

Donna Saker led the guests through an evening of fashionable delights. The designers, which include Wendy Boode, Nancy Ventura, Mayumi Imura, Andreanne Gravel and many, many more, stunned the guests and judges with their art deco fashion pieces and competed for the top 3 designs. The looks were judged based on the use of materials and the creative vision.

The winners:

- Casey Watson

- Cynthia Brault

- Mayumi Imura.

The evening successfully raised over $3000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada, bringing the total fundraising efforts to over $6,500.

Here is a glimpse of the three winning pieces – Photos by Pazit Perez

On May 12th, 2013, 2TwentyGirls and hundreds of people gathered at the Boat People Fundraising Gala in Montreal to remember the millions of Vietnamese who fled the country to escape political oppression and their story of deprivation and hope, fear and resilience. Some made it to a safe land, but more than a third were buried at sea.

With the support of KA Magazine, 2TwentyGirls presented an abstract yet memorable NEVIK fashion show that tells the story of the Boat People. One after the other, the models walked onto the stage to the rhythm of ASHLEY KING’s music, recreating images of the Boat People walking in circles and singing sad songs. Subsequently, the models gracefully fell into the powerful water and hungry natural forces. The bodies laid beyond reach and evoked images of separation, death and the sea claiming many lives, waves after waves.
Fortunately, as the sky comes to its darkest, the sun also starts to rise. The model in an elegant bright yellow NEVIK gown, representing hope and the sun, guided their way out of the darkness of the sea. She also symbolizes all the reasons for which we must be courageous and look forward.
War has no beginning and no end. Today, it’s no longer a battle against communist persecution, but a battle within. It’s a conflict between traumatic memories of a distant past and a haunted present that Boat People face. Now, it’s our turn to fight. We are the voice of the Boat People as well as the voice of the many Vietnamese Canadian who attempt to understand their parent’s past.
The past of our parents are difficult for us to perceive sometimes, but as time goes by, their past deeds seem so much more grand and fantastic than before. It’s amazing to think that children of the Boat People went on to become professionals with amazing smiles, passion, amazing talents and admirable dreams. On this amazing journey, 2TwentyGirls helped to raise over $115,000 for the Vietnamese Boat People Museum, honouring our parents and many others on the same boat.
Be with us.
Be the change you want to see in the world.

ASHLEY KING – BANG BANG

www.ashleykingmusic.com

Why such a big team you ask? These design power-houses are preparing to redefine luxury-living with The Grove at Grand Bay residences. Upon completion of the towers in 2014, the project will seek LEED Certification Silver designation, the first such structure in Coconut Grove.

Tickets available at the door 20$:

KA – Can we say “Grace under pressure”; Flying in from the District of Columbia (first lady Michelle Obama make-up in the East wing) to be waiting outside of the hotel room where held up inside is a somewhat angry Chaka Kahn — and then being scheduled to fly out to do the make-up of Oprah Winfrey — How do you hold it down? 

DR – Sometimes I am not in my own home for weeks at a time and it’s tiring, but I know it is the nature of the industry. I usually travel to wherever my clients are, you just got to do what you got to do. In the end I am always ecstatic to see how my clients radiate at their events, films and shoots. My job is really rewarding and the bonds that I get to create with my clients are quite amazing.

KA- What was making Ms. Chaka Kahn so upset that day that only the talk of tennis and shopping could calm her down?

DR – That is something I cannot share. I always keep what my clients say in confidence – it’s what makes our bond so special. I can lend my ear to them and be their support system whenever they need it. In the case with Chaka, I was aware of what her favorite things were and knew that if I talked about them I could help her relax.

KA- You seem to create a bond with your clients; an almost therapeutic release – do you feel that you’re there as a support for these very powerful women, that in some cases the whole planet seem to look to for their support?

DR – As I mentioned, I am always there for my clients, I lend an ear whenever my client needs someone to talk to and to come extent it is therapeutic. I work with some of the most influential women in America, women who the world turns to for guidance and support. It is an honour being there for them and I can say that I learn a lot in return.

KA - We are and have been in Fashion and Publishing for over 28 years and to say that we have seen our fair share of bad make-up, especially on black women by professional artists is an under statement – Yet, you create a flawless glowing natural look time after time. For instance, the First Lady Michelle Obama’s TIME Magazine (2009) cover shot and Oprah Winfrey’s O covers. How did you develop such a “soft” touch?

DR – I am an artist and I look at each woman’s face as a canvas. The appearance of softness comes from gradating different colours: from dark chestnut to burnt orange to peach to  apricots and yellows. By blending a variety of colours I can create depth and highlight certain features on a woman’s face.

KA - You transform women with your shading and contour magic, but as well you have been going through a personal transformation of your own. How goes the battle and what was the advice that you received from Michelle Obama that pushed you to the task?

DR – So far I have lost 325 pounds – I was 565 pounds at my heaviest. Michelle Obama was definitely influential in my transformation. What Michelle said, and it’s really stuck with me, is that this isn’t something I’m doing just for the present moment, but something that will benefit me ten years from now. I would tell her that I was in a lot of pain from working out and she reminded me that I was doing this to live longer.  I gifted myself with a gastric bypass on my 40^th birthday and I have had to readjust my eating patterns since then. I need to eat healthy foods and eat my meals very slowly. I am really content with where I am now in my life, but it has definitely been a challenging journey. My bones are damaged from carrying so much weight. I’ve had two hip replacements, as a matter of fact, one quite recently. I’m still walking with a cane, but I’m getting stronger everyday and pretty soon I won’t need it. When I am on tour I try to get myself to the gym to do cardio for at least 30 minutes a day and when I am at home I have a personal trainer that I work with for strength training.

KA – You have had someone very close to you battle cancer recently, how has this affected your view of life and beauty?

DR - When a person first hears that they have been diagnosed with cancer, they can have either one of two responses. They can become scared, recluse and would want to give up. Then there are those who want to appreciate each moment and check things off their bucket-list. Once my mother was diagnosed with cancer she embraced life and did everything that would allow her to live longer. I did what I could do in my power to help her fulfill her list. I took her to meet Oprah at her final show and she was also my date for the Christmas party at the White House, where she got to meet the Frist Lady and the President. I did my mother’s make-up for these special events and brought out her natural beauty and radiance. It gave me great joy knowing that I helped make her feel so good around people, which pushed her to live a longer life.

KA - How do you balance the fact that the ladies that you are beautifying are possibly hands down, some of the most recognizable faces in the world — the list reads like the top ten literally of recognized faces. How do you make sure that what you do is only enhancing this beauty? 

DR - Before I start working with a client, I talk to them individually about what they like and what they don’t. I develop a mental list of do’s and don’ts, from there my clients trust me enough to do what I do because I am a professional. They know that I’ll only enhance their natural beauty, not cover it up. For example, Chaka Khan loves her freckles so I make sure to never hide those. I listen to what she likes and play up her eyes and lips – she loves red lips. I do make-up according to the event that my client is attending – make-up for photoshoots is always done much softer than make-up for the stage. When I do my clients make-up I do it lightly and if my client wants me to add anything, I can always enhance it by deepening the look to bring out their features even more. It’s always easier to add to a light look than to remove the make-up and start again.

KA - You have created NATURALCEUTICALS: a lifestyle product line with names like: Limelight hair gloss/center stage hair gloss/Spotlight hair gloss/freeze frame … it seems that this line is heavily influenced by your close affiliation to the celebrities you work with. How did this line all come about? 

DR - I have always loved taking good care of my hair and skin. When I was growing up I would take household products such as oatmeal, lemon juice, avocado, cucumbers and played with essential oils to create my own home remedies that would benefit my hair and skin. As an artist, I was always mixing products from other lines, combining them to achieve the right look for my clients. Then I decided to create my own line. I’m very excited to have OOH Lifestyle launch late spring. It will be available in select professional salons across Canada. Stay tuned on www.oohlifestyle.com for updates on the official launch date, visit our Facebook page OOH Lifestyle, and follow us on twitter @OOHLifestyle @derrick4draf.

KA - Which product is your favourite in the line?

DR - My favourite products in the hair care line are: Hair Milk Debut, SWAG and Limelight.

KA - Which product is a must have or combination of products?

DR – Hair Milk Debut, SWAG and Limelight is the best combination. I use SWAG to maintain silkiness in my hair, Debut Hair Milk for moisture and Limelight to seal the cuticle, blocking in the nourishment and moisture into my hair.

KA – How important is charity in what you do – how do you “give back”?

DR – To give back is to honour those who have given to you previously. It encourages kids to do the same and to grow up with a good set of values. I love to make people happy and this happiness comes through service – it’s my humanitarian way of giving back to the community. I started my own non-profit OOH Foundation. I go visit shelters with groups of other artists and stylists. We talk to young people who’ve dropped out of school, women who are looking to get back into the workforce. We teach them the importance of a polished appearance and how make-up, hair, and good hygiene play a role in this.  

KA - What is currently on your playlist?

DR - I am a fiend for gospel music! As a Christian, hearing this kind of music helps inspire me. It moves me deeply. One of my favourite songs right now is “Turning around for me” by Vashawn Mitchell. I also really like Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and “Rumor has it”. But when it comes to working out, there’s no better song than Beyoncé’s “Run the world” to get me moving faster on the treadmill!

KA –  What book(s) are you currently reading?

DR – I’m currently reading “The purpose driven life” by Rick Warren. I like to read one chapter a day and really reflect and learn how to live life with purpose.

KA - Who is Derrick Rutledge?

DR – I am an artist.  I’m a strong person who has overcome a lot of hardship in life, but I never give up. I’m a person who loves life, people, and entertaining others. I am an exquisite cook who watches the Food Network religiously and loves to laugh with friends. I am also a dancer, I used to tap dance and I took jazz as well. Now that my hip has been replaced, I’m ready to show the world my other passion. One of my goals is to be a contestant on Dancing with the Stars – to be the first make-up artist on the show! Finally, I am a man who values honestly, loyalty, and creativity. I live my life according to these values. 

The double volume Family room is located on the first floor and the 7m high full sliding glass walls facilitate maximum cross ventilation whilst also opening up the entire internal living space unto the outdoor deck. Lighting for the house are predominantly energy saving T5 tubes, LEDs and compact fluorescents. The house has full home office capability with Cat5 fibre-optics and broadband connections./ The swimming pool and koi pond are located at the two extreme north-south ends and provide evaporative cooling for the house. Blackwater is treated in the onsite sewerage treatment plant and the recycled water is used for garden irrigation. A composting yard treats all the household organic and garden wastes and provides high grade compost fertilizer for the vegetable and fruit gardens. All new trees and plants are tropical natives that are generally maintenance free and suitable for the Malaysian climate.

This is only the beginning of what is beautiful about the home, the photos will speak for themselves. The future of a new, green-designed, Earth.

Architects: ArchiCentre

Location: Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Architect In Charge: Tan Loke Mun
Civil & Structural: Jurutera Perunding TSSC
Landscape: Tan Loke Mun
Contractor: Atlantic Builders
Year: 2012
Photographs: Lin Ho

KA MAGAZINE: is pleased to announce its second edition of SOUL COLLECTIVE NIGHT OUT, Thursday April 25th at Peopl Social Club, MTL. Soul Collective, is a series of events; showcasing hands down some of Montreal’s most talented live artists. Headlined by the uber-gifted Ms.ASHLEY KING (Buddhafish Music & KA Magazine). Ms. King releases her third album summer of 2013, entitled BIRDS VS. MONKEYS. Along with her “scratch” dj, DJ Jovie J (Toronto), she will perform previews from her upcoming album, such as her popular mash up of Bang Bang and Ghetto Supastar with surprise guest artist. Also performing will be Soul Artist ALAN PRATER and band Cafe Soul – As well as Dj JOJO FLORES.

THE CONCEPT: A gathering of the most stunning fashion-conscious guests, luxury partners and great live music – all in a soulful ultra-cool setting. The SOUL COLLECTIVE NIGHT OUT series, is an affair happening on the last Thursday of every month, in collaboration with Collectively Beautiful. If you don’t know – now you know – SOUL COLLECTIVE NIGHT OUT is the place to be.

ONLINE TICKETS and VIP TICKETS are SOLD OUT! Tickets available only at the door.

www.kasoulcollective.com