Supermodel and cosmetics guru Iman has announced IMAN Cosmetics’ partnership with Mataano, the chic fashion design label with a global flavor. Mataano, founded by Somali twin sisters Ayaan and Idyl Mohallim, will debut its new partnership during their Fall 2012 runway show with IMAN as the lead sponsor.

The young inspirational fashion designers got their break into the fashion world at only 20-years-old. They launched Mataano in 2008 hoping to show the world a new diversity of style. Their designs in the women’s ready-to-wear category are a break from traditional African style. Mataano uniquely represents a mix of Somali and American heritage to create a blend of culture and has found its place among the fashion elite.

“I saw in the twins the drive and inspiration I had at that point in my life.  Our shared Somali background and creative visions are a natural fit,” Iman, CEO and Founder of IMAN Cosmetics said in a press statement.

As part of the new partnership, the Mataano founders will become brand ambassadors for IMAN. They will also work with the brand to assist with future global events, Fashion Week shows, a limited editorial color collection and IMAN’s Fall 2012 campaign.

“It’s an honor to represent and have the support of a makeup giant like IMAN Cosmetics,” Idyl Mohallim said in a statement. “IMAN Cosmetics is about providing options for all different shades of skin and acknowledging and addressing variety in beauty and cosmetics.”

Her sister, Ayaan, also stressed the importance of ensuring that their runway models represent the diversity of Mataano’s brands and that the support of IMAN would assist in completing that look.

We’re confident this is just the beginning of a successful and thriving partnership,” Iman added. “I’m grateful to have reached a certain point in my life and career where I can inspire young, motivated women to follow their dreams, take a risk, and never accept defeat.”

Latest Moguldom Media Group Property Approaches 4 Million Pageviews/Month with Nearly Twice as Many Pages per Visit as Essence.com

Moguldom Media Group, an innovative new media company, has scored another hit with MadameNoire.com, the latest addition to its popular digital network. Created as a premier digital destination for savvy, upwardly mobile African-American women, the site fosters conversation and community by providing news, discussion, and advice pertinent to the realities of black mothers, career women, fashionistas, and intellectuals. The site drew over 3.6 million pageviews in September, and is on track to reach nearly 4 million pageviews for the month of October (Quantcast). Launched in June 2010, MadameNoire.com has already attracted a depth of visitor engagement beyond even veteran black media brands with 14 global pages per visit during the last month (Quantcast)—nearly double the 7.1 global pages per visit achieved by Essence.com over the same period.

MadameNoire.com continues a long winning streak for Moguldom, which has put traditional African-American media brands on notice with fast-growing, high-profile properties such as Bossip.com, HipHopWired.com, and AtlantaPost.com. MadameNoire.com is staffed by professional journalists whose backgrounds range from major mainstream media like MSNBC to veteran black media organizations such as Essence. While other sites underestimate the interests of black women and favor fluff over substance, MadameNoire.com is unafraid to address mature issues like marriage, divorce, single parenthood, health, and obesity as part of its balanced content. The site’s honest, often courageous and debate-sparking articles have drawn notice in media outlets including Ms. Magazine, Clutch Magazine, AOL Black Voices, MSNBC Contributor, Touré, and radio stations such as Atlanta’s V103 and Sirius XM 169, who have referenced Madame Noire extensively.

MadameNoire.com’s unique vision and strong following among black women make it a powerful channel for marketers seeking to reach this key audience. African-American buying power increased more than 55 percent between 2000 and 2008, when it reached $913 billion, and is expected to reach  $1.1 trillion by 2012 (Nielsen). Given that black women control the pocketbooks in many black households, MadameNoire.com’s core audience wields exceptional influence over where and how this money is spent.

“African-American women deserve a digital experience that respects their intelligence as well as their interests,” said MadameNoire.com Senior Editor China Okasi. “We enjoy lifestyle and celebrity features as much as anyone else, but today’s black women also want issues of substance to be part of the mix. By meeting their demand for balanced content and provocative conversations on the topics that matter to our community, we plan to make MadameNoire.com the most trafficked and profitable digital brand for African-American women by the end of 2011.”

Said Marve Frazier, Chief Creative Officer of Moguldom Media Group, “It has been exciting to see how quickly MadameNoire.com has been embraced, with our pieces often becoming trending topics on Twitter and being shared thousands upon thousands of times on Facebook. This enthusiastic reception proves that our editorial vision for the site is on-target as we work to establish a great digital brand for a new era of strong, upwardly mobile African-American women.”

About Moguldom Media Group

Moguldom Media Group is an innovative multimedia company that develops and manages premium digital publishing brands that capture the pulse of divergent segments of African-Americans. Our leading brands are leveraged on multiple media fronts such as online video, mobile, radio, and social platforms such as Twitter.

She walks into a room and people take notice.  They are intrigued, not necessarily because of her physical attributes, but instead by her self-assurance. She has an aura about her that screams ‘if you don’t know me honey, you should’…

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(PRNewswire) — The NorthStar Group is pleased to announce the official national launch of JONES Magazine. In addition to the launch of the magazine, the newly redesigned website JONESMAG.com has gone live, providing readers an interactive 360 degree experience.

JONES Magazine initially launched as a regional publication in 2005 under the creative direction of founder and Editor-in-Chief Tracey Ferguson. “The magazine appeals to stylish and chic multicultural women and serves as a premier shopping guide,” shares Ferguson, who is thrilled about JONES becoming a national brand. From fashion to food to distinctive travel destinations to the best in home design, JONES is the go-to guide for a sophisticated consumer.

Recognizing the success and increased demand for JONES Magazine among women outside of the Houston area, founder Tracey Ferguson teamed up with famed attorney and publisher L. Londell McMillan of The NorthStar Group, who furthered Ferguson’s dream by taking JONES to national prominence.  The national premiere issue, now available in-stores and on newsstands nationwide features supermodel Veronica Webb on the cover. “JONES is a fresh and exciting women’s brand across TV, web, and print. It speaks to today’s fashionably-forward women who know what they want.  I’m thrilled to kick-off the national premiere issue of the magazine as its cover model,” says Webb.

With the first national issue of JONES Magazine hitting newsstands, it was only fitting to revamp the complementing website and further expand the reach of JONES. “JONESMAG.com targets savvy African-American and multicultural women who aspire to live or are living a fashion-forward lifestyle. We are setting the tone for what is hot now and what will be on trend in a 360 degree experience from print to online,” says Qianna Smith, JONESMAG.com Managing Editor.

The site provides the type of personalized experience and content that appeals to this audience, with expert advice and commentary on hair, beauty and fashion, as well as useful information on shopping, travel and events. JONESMAG.com engages the reader through a customized shopping experience, articles, commentaries, photo galleries, video and blogs. From reviews of new and exclusive travel destinations to candid interviews with fashion’s elite, JONESMAG.com will provide readers with editorial features that address their lifestyle. “We have designed a truly unique destination with content that offers the reader not only information, but a glamorous place of escape with each visit,” says Smith.

Additional highlights from the site include a “What’s Haute” Shopping Guide, which will not only inform women of the hottest trends but, more importantly, enable readers to instantly purchase these hand-picked must-have items. The site will also give readers an exclusive glimpse into the making of the magazine with behind-the-scenes video content, backstage photos and outtakes, and insider interviews. In addition, readers will be privy to the advice of noteworthy guest bloggers such as Beverly Johnson, the first African-American supermodel to grace the cover of Vogue, and Eugena Washington, finalist from season 7 of “America’s Next Top Model.”

About JONES Magazine

JONES is a national luxury lifestyle publication. The mission of JONES is to serve as the premier luxury shopping and lifestyle resource for African-American and multicultural women. Since 2005, JONES magazine has catered to fashion enthusiasts who share a penchant for what’s hot, new and yet-to-be discovered. From fashion to food to distinctive travel destinations to the best in home design, JONES is the go-to guide for a sophisticated consumer in print and online.

About JONESMAG.com

JONESMAG.com is the ultimate online insider’s shopping guide for women who know better. Our revamped website serves as the No. 1 destination for multicultural women to gain experiences that will push their look and fashion-forward lifestyle to the next level. Get your daily dose of fashion, beauty, shopping, events and travel advice tailored just for you at JONESMAG.com.

About The NorthStar Group

The NorthStar Group is a publishing, marketing and consulting firm specializing in music, entertainment, sports and corporate initiatives. Founded in 1997, The NorthStar Group represents some of the nation’s leading African-American celebrities, entertainers, websites and magazines including JONES Magazine, Black Girls Rock! and ARISE in North America.