Together, Carissa iRAWniQ and Vernon "Spacekid" Carter make up the up and coming Hip Hop/Pop/Electro duo Flying Without Wingz. The group was awarded "Next to Blow" at the 2009 Grand Rapids Hip Hop Awards. Carissa and Vernon both shared a passion for music since their childhood. They didn't take their musical abilities to the next level until early 2009, when they both realized they wanted to take the next step and create their own unique sound.
And create a unique sound is exactly what they did. Their music mixes elements of hip hop, rock, dance, and electro into an amazing style that is truly all their own. If their music is unlike anything you've ever heard, then their style is really unlike anything you've ever seen. These two realize the importance of a fresh image in the music industry today. "Style and fashion are kind of like a resume for us. You see it before we even open our mouths." If their style is their resume, then they are hired!
iRAWniQ is sartorially inspired by androgyny, and lists Missy Elliot, Kelis, Amber Rose, and Omaryha MOta Garcia as her fashion influences. She told me, "I think androgyny on the right person is sexy. It goes beyond the stereotypes that women need to show skin to be beautiful."
V.Carter has an eccentric fashion sense. He mixes it up with different designers like Abstraxx, LRG, and Proof, and experiments with color blocking. "I'll wear weird colors like purple, red, and blue with a gold backpack. And if people look at me like I'm crazy, then mission accomplished." V.Carter lists Pharrell, Andre 3000, and Lupe Fiasco as his fashion influencers. They both said that Premier and All City Kicks are their favorite local GR Boutiques.
So where do these talented musicians and GR Style Icons get their inspiration? "Our creativity comes from within." These two are inspired anything and everything, and list music and nature as two big influencers. "We love taking approaches that others may overlook. There really is no right answer. We are two people with extremely imaginative minds."
I chose Carissa and Vernon as Style Icons because they are first and foremost true to themselves. Trends go out the window with these two, they just wear what feels right. "We created a word to describe our freshness." they told me during our photoshoot, "It's 'expialidesh'! If no one quite understands our style, that's okay. It may just be intentional."
Here are the photos from the June 2010 GR Style Icons shoot (Shot by me, and 100% styled by Carissa and Vernon.)
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