From “Gasoline Books” to “In Glam we Trust”: An Interview with the Creator of This is Glam

When I called Ivirlei Brookes, the creator, executive producer and host of This is Glam, I was prompted with Jazmine Sullivan’s, “I’m not scared of lions and tigers and bears…”The next voice I heard was that of a kindred Cleveland brown girly girl who has been dreaming up vision boards of the glam life in the form of her, “Gasoline Books” since she was a child. A self-made collage of articles she’d write to cutouts from Vogue, Ivirlei’s gas books were the “fuel to keep her going.” When she made her way to Atlanta in hopes for a singing and songwriting career, she found herself more fascinated with visuals rather than vocals. Ivirlei knew that a transition was in order.

With a ceaselessly fur-clad Grandmother (even to the grocery store) and a mother who industriously discovered a full Chanel suit at a thrift store, Ivirlei is from a matrilineal tradition of glamour. The creator and editor-in-chief of The League Magazine and today, the woman behind the first production from Q3030, a digital media network and distributor of online programming was revealed amid an insightful and largely giggly chat. Ivirlei is about the business of sharing the “in glam we trust” lifestyle with women who look like her.

Clutch: Who is Ivirlei and how did your interest in fashion and beauty come about?
Ivirlei: I moved to Atlanta to be a singer and songwriter. I was writing and recording and realized I was way more interested in the styling and the photo-shoots. My whole life I’ve been a magazine fanatic. I would write articles about the other singer when I should be recording. I was obviously not in the right area.

I’ve always had these sketchbooks. I would cut a bunch of pictures out of magazines, clue them into the sketchbooks and write articles to inspire me. It’s like a diary but there were pictures and designs. I had 6 or 7 books filled up and called them “Gasoline Books.” While singing, I would continue to work on my books. They were all about fashion, beauty, staying confident and even dealing with haters. They became something that I could rely on like a vision board, my fuel to keep going. My sister encouraged me start my own magazine and I started The League Magazine in 2007. I turned The League into an urban women’s magazine. I put the ‘blackest’ Black girl in it and everything that applies to us, showing us in a positive light. By chance, a friend of mine told me that Marq Sears, the owner of Q3030 really loved the magazine. Marq pushed me to turn it into a show.

Clutch: Tell us about your vision for This is Glam and why this show is catered to urban women?
Ivirlei: My vision for This is Glam is to focus on all designers and products but to it gear to an urban perspective. We want to be an online resource for everything style and beauty giving you an honest view. We’ll feature experts in the industry and women in the Luxe Mob. The Luxe Mob is a group of up and coming urban women in all creative fields. It’s a sisterhood and network for women based all over the country. We hope to get to the point where we have over 100,000 women. Most of the Luxe Mob will be featured on This is Glam.

Clutch: I watched the first pilot and I loved it! There are other online shows like the new B. Scott Show that are catered to the online urban community. But you have a distributor through Q3030. This is super clever and brings a sophistication to online media. Why webisodes? Why do you think online media is such a timely power move right now?
Ivirlei: Whenever I wanted to learn how to do a smoky eye, I would go to YouTube. There are hundreds of tutorials, but I found a lack of videos catered to urban women. The webisodes are short, quick and to the point and you’ll learn something new. I could have easily went into my bathroom with my laptop and applied some makeup, but This is Glam is an entire production with original content. I wanted to be viral because so many young women are looking for this.

Clutch: Do you have plans to shop the series to television networks? If so, what would be your ideal network?
Ivirlei: Yes, and this is the goal for most of the shows that will be on Q3030. Marq wants to produce the shows, build a following and then approach networks.

I would love to be featured on the Style Network, I’m a big fan. It lacks a lot of urban content and I think This is Glam would be a good fit.

Clutch: Why should women in the urban community watch This is Glam? What kind of shows and features can we look forward to?
Ivirlei: All of the content is based around us. Even though I’m a host and I created the show, I’m still a viewer. It’s an honest show and I won’t feature anything I don’t believe in. We want to introduce our demographic to new designers and new beauty trends. We’re planning to feature celebrities and celebrity stylists to talk about their personal style. We want to go shopping with them and discuss their beauty tips, giving viewers the real deal. I don’t see a limit to This is Glam. The pilot season is a test-drive. We encourage viewer feedback, so please send comments.

Clutch: Well, since Ivirlei is all glam, what’s in your Clutch?
Ivirlei:
Nars Blush in “Craze”
Demeter for Women “Pure Soap” cologne spray
Mac “Oh Baby” Lip-glass
Trident gum
Maybelline “Great Lash” mascara
1409 Perfume roller
Flash drive
Z Gallerie Business cardholder
Mac Bronzing Powder Compact
Nature Made vitamins
Advil
True Blue Spa lotion
iPhone and money, of course!

This is Glam webisodes posts every Monday. The next show will focus on hair! For more information on This is Glam please visit www.thisisglam.com and follow Ivirlei @ twitter.com/Ivirlei.