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Solange Knowles is arguably the coolest woman on the planet. You only have to take a quick glance at her Instagram feed (@saintrecords) for proof. She had the world's coolest wedding, has all the fiercest new music artists on her own personal record label, oh and her older sister is certified Queen. Now as she's launched as the new face of Michael Kors for 'The Walk', their first-ever street style campaign, ELLEUK.COM talks to Solange about her love of poetry, her idyllic 30th birthday celebrations, and her inherent nomadic spirit.
So who do you take your style cues from?
So many people, places and experiences...some of my style icons are Erykah Badu, Bjork, Kate Bush, Lauryn Hill, but I'm also inspired just as much by my friends. My friend Melina (a video director) and Armina Mussa (an artist and project manager for Saint Heron) have incredible style. It's truly about the woman and what they reflect and represent and the magic they posses that inspires me stylistically.
Which artist most inspires you?
I'm extremely inspired by the colors and textiles of Mark Rothko, Donald Judd, Toyin Odutola, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, the textures of Nick Cave sculptures—and the list goes on and on and on. Contemporary art shapes the way I see the world so much.
What is your favorite book you've read in the past year?
Claudia Rankine's "Citizen" really blew my mind. A friend of mine in Marfa, Texas, who owns the bookstore there gave it to me as an anniversary present and it is truly a beautiful, honest, and poignant book of poetry about black existence. I just lent it to a friend actually, but it's the kind of book you want to read a few times to really let the words resonate...
Favorite place you've ever travelled to?
That's impossible to answer! Each trip has such distinctive memories that are sketched into who I am and have become today. Some of my favorite trips were my honeymoon in Bahia, my 30th birthday in White Sands, New Mexico, Dakar Senegal, and sailing in Croatia. Travel is truly my passion. I grew up on the road dancing as a dancer for Destiny's Child, which really cultivated a nomadic spirit in me.
And what's your favorite place in New York?
Miss Lily's, hands down...When I was 13 I visited Jamaica, and I've been back every year since, sometimes two or three times a year. The culture really left a mark on my soul, so much so that when I was in my teens I studied a lot of Rastafarianism philosophies and became a vegetarian for four years. I also adopted a lot of the stylistic components in my first album. Miss Lily's reminds me of that time, and of the paradise Jamaica is... It's a little slice of it right in Manhattan. The energy and music and vibes there are always right on.
Solange Knowles is the new face of Michael Kors's 'The Walk', the brand's first-ever street style campaign showcasing fall's chicest handbag styles.
