Photograph by Ben Rollins
Atlanta natives Alex Belle and Isis Valentino met in 2012 while working at Poor Little Rich Girl, a now-closed vintage clothing shop in College Park. After discovering a shared taste for 1970s soul music, they formed their neo-soul and R&B duo, St. Beauty. Janelle Monáe signed them to her label, Wondaland Records, after catching one of their in-store performances. They plan to release a full-length album later this year.
Alex Belle
Favorite vintage era The 1960s and 1970s. I love the high-waisted pants, the patterns, ring tees. The music was so great: Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin.
Style icons Diana Ross in Mahogany. She wore those crazy pieces with such confidence.
Designer love Phlemuns. They have a vintage vibe I really love.
First concert Lupe Fiasco at the Tabernacle when I was 15. He did a backflip on stage!
Formative musical experience The first record I bought was B5’s “All I Do.” I still have a photo of me in front of a B5 poster.
Musical influences Santigold. The way she performs, it’s so minimal.
Beauty routine I love all natural stuff: black soap, shea butter, tea tree oil. There’s a company out of North Carolina, Good JuJu Herbal. They have a face moisturizer I love.
Ideal collaborator Pharrell for music and fashion.
Isis Valentino
Style icons Audrey Hepburn. You wear a black turtleneck and ballet shoes, and people feel like you’re doing something special.
Designer love I’m obsessed with Missoni and Edun; I love all the color.
First concert Kanye West’s Glow in the Dark tour.
Formative musical experience I started playing guitar at 14. The first song I learned was [the Troggs’] “Wild Thing.”
Musical influences When we first started writing songs, people said we sounded like Stevie Wonder—that’s how we got our name. He has a song called “Bird of Beauty,” and I wrote a song called “St. Beauty.”
Beauty routine I get my hair cut by J. Sari in Sandy Springs. She also does [local soul singer] Bosco’s hair.
Ideal collaborator Raphael Saadiq. He has this magic touch for updated soul.
Photograph by Ben Rollins
White hot
Isis’s Fender Stratocaster reminds her of the guitar Jimi Hendrix once played.
This article originally appeared in our August 2017 issue.
