Queen Latifah Talks HSN, Hair & Movie Ideas - StyleList

We first fell in love with Queen Latifah on "Living Single." If it wasn't for that show, we may never have moved to NYC, or worn boxy red sweaters over leggings. Since her sitcom days on Fox, we've followed Queen's career as she's gone from rapper to singer to actress to model and now, clothing designer. Her line, Queen Collection, will debut on HSN in late August.Queen Latifah for HSN. Photo via Jemal Countess/Getty ImagesWe were lucky enough to gain an audience with the Queen and talk to her about the lifestyle brand she's developed for the veteran Home Shopping Network. Including everything from handbags to jeans to scarfs to hair extensions, her collection tops out at $300.When she walked in the room, we weren't sure whether to curtsy or challenge her to a beat-boxing contest -- at a towering 6'3" in heels and with perfect posture, she's very regal. But something about her also makes her approachable -- she laughs and jokes easily, which makes us think she's always up for having a little fun.Turns out, designing clothes is what is tickling her these days. Drawing from inspirations like Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, and Michael Kors, Queen developed an American lifestyle line that she herself is excited to wear, and excited to share.Queen Latifah modeling her collection. Photo via Jemal Countess/Getty ImagesBut why sell her wares on HSN when there are so many other feather extension outlets?"They understand what the Queen Collection can be as a brand. They understand that we can sort of marry who we are because we have the same ideals. We respect our consumer -- we don't look at them as dollar signs, but as human beings who care about what they wear. We treat women with respect. I just watched the network, watched them launch other brands, and I'm like, 'they get it.'""Get it" they do, indeed. Reaching 96 million homes, their net sales were up 15 percent for the first quarter. We certainly did our part to contribute to the company's growth -- we think our late-night vacuum purchase was an appropriate and fruitful way to spend a sleepless Sunday night.Photo via Jemal Countess/Getty ImagesWhat we think makes HSN so enticing and we'll admit, kind of fun to watch, are the indomitable hosts who have extraordinary amounts of energy and somewhat unsettling charisma. Their smiles! Their earnestness! We buy into Feather hair it hook, line and vacuum. So is Queen nervous for her appearance?"What I don't know, I'll be learning. I'll be taking as much tutelage as I possibly can get."She's thinking of calling up some old pals for advice."I'll call up Mary and say, 'Mary, what happened when you were on the TV that time?' Maybe I'll call Mariah ... just get some tips from people who have been on the network and have been very successful with it."We would die to know what a conversation about HSN would be like between Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige and Mariah Carey -- we're hoping at some point they'd break into song. We came to our senses, though, and had to know about her glowing skin. What's her secret?"Rita Owens and Lancelot Owens. They are my parents. They made me and my skin. That's really it."But her parents didn't give her the hair she wanted, hence the hair extension collection, right?"Obviously I wear hair extensions. All my friends do, some less quality than others. I just wanted to bring the great quality of hair I get to the masses. There will be clip-ons, sew-ins, they'll come in different ways."We wondered if she's had to amp up security, seeing as thieves have been robbing salons and manufacturers of their expensive human hair extensions. Apparently, Queen hadn't heard the news."Are they jacking Hair extensions them? I have a script coming my way with that, that's actually something quite interesting. Ain't jacking my weave! They trying to jack a sister's weave right off her head, I don't think so."Well, not exactly. We explained that they're going into salons, with guns, and stealing tens of thousands of dollars in human hair wigs, weaves and extensions."Criminals know how to take things that are valuable. Period. But it's scary because, come on! It's what the ladies like to wear. Rob the diamond store, but don't take the weave. It's terrible. But it's such a huge business, and where there's money, there will be someone who will jack your weave."If a movie hits theaters in 18 months about a Newark, NJ, salon owner being robbed of his weaves, you may have us to thank. In the meantime, you can look out for Queen's jazz/R&B album that's dropping in four months, and of course, her appearance on HSN slated for August 27. Are you interested in Queen's HSN collection?