Kozmo and Anna’s elements of style

What thrills our imagination, inspires our admiration, captivates our spirit? Beautiful and imaginative people, provocative art, a sensuous and savory meal, groove on a rhythm, enter an ambiance; we are thrilled and inspired.

In recognition of this thrill and this mystery, we express our delight with people comfortable in their style, beauty, and creativity. We explore and define this concept of style and what it means to us.

We honor people that have style, beauty, presence, and groove with the coveted Anna and Kozmo High Style Award. If you've received one of these awards, it's because we think you're cool. x

Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say and not giving a damn.

                                      Gore Vidal

Style is not something applied. It is something that permeates. It is of the nature of that in which it is found, whether the poem, the manner of a god, the bearing of a man.
It is not a dress.

                                                Wallace Stevens

Style is as much under the words as in the words.
It is as much the soul as it is the flesh of a work.

                                                Gustave Flaubert

Style is the substance of the subject called unceasingly to the surface.

                                      Victor Hugo

Fashions fade, style is eternal.

                                                Yves Saint Laurent

One arrives at style only with atrocious effort, with fanatical and devoted stubbornness.

                                                Gustave Flaubert

Fashion is always about sex. But then, what is sex after all? It’s self-expression.

When in doubt, overdress.”

Vivienne Westwood quoted by Fred Vermorel in Vivian Westwood

Coolness and Funkiness

Funky. From the Ki-Kongo, lu-fuki, meaning positive sweat - praise for the integrity for someone’s art.

Tutu - Yoruban for cool - generously appropriate, giving aesthetic pleasure.

“The use of the concept cool among the Yoruba people of Africa is precisely the same as the use as popularized by jazz musicians in New York forty years ago – another usage that’s remained constant with us. Said one Yoruba informant to Thompson, ‘coolness is the correct way you represent yourself to be a human being.’

“In his remarkable book, Flash of the Spirit, Thompson writes; like character, coolness ought to be internalized as a governing principal for a person to merit the high praise, ‘his heart is cool.’ (okan e tutu). In becoming sophisticated, a Yoruba adept learns to differential between forms of spiritual coolness ….. so heavily charged is this concept with ideas of beauty and correctness that a fine carnelian bead or a passage of exciting drumming may be praised as ‘cool’.

“Coolness, then, is a part of character …. to the degree that we live generously and discreetly, exhibiting grace under pressure, our appearance and our acts gradually assume virtual royal power. As we become noble, fully realizing the spark of creative goodness god endowed us with ….  we find the confidence to cope with all kinds of situations. This is ashe. This is character. This is mystic coolness. All one. Paradise is regained, for Yoruba art returns the idea of heaven to mankind wherever the ancient ideal attitudes are genuinely manifested.

“Coolness doesn’t mean coldness. Cool art is passionate art.”

Michael Ventura quoting Richard Farris Thompson. Hear That Long Snake Moan. 1985. Progressive LA Weekly.