Rising African fashion brand FAMS NG is here with a lookbook for its TOWUNMI collection which won the creative designer the Menswear designer of the year award at the recently concluded Nigerian Student Fashion And Design Week (NSFDW).
The One I Desire collection FamsSS19
The #FamsSS19 latest release dubbed TOWÚNMÌ (The One I Desire) signifies ready to wear streetstyle pieces that are more democratic than other high fashion labels, reaching out to the ever dynamic generation of the millennials. The brand marked by a conceptual and deconstructive attitude and questioning the conventions of the life we live in, created a collection influenced by the desire of a youth faced with everyday hustle, societal beliefs, inconvenient means of movement and the not-so-pleasing weather condition in a typical Lagos to remain conviniently stylish and keeping the eyes gazed at one while pushing for greater heights on the busiest street in Africa.
The Aisha Abu-bakr woman is modern, fashionable, fierce and a go getter and these four amazing women are a true representation of that woman, they define the modern and contemporary woman that Aisha Abu-bakr designs for.
The luxury ready-to-wear brand based in Abuja, Nigeria has tapped these four women for the brand’s “Women in Power” edit. They were selected considering the vast number of people that they feed information about lifestyle and beauty on a daily basis, the positive roles that they continue to play in actively positioning the Nigerian fashion and lifestyle industry and the strides they have made ultimately using their powerful platforms as tools for creating meaningful personal and public impact.
Favour Olugu- Style Editor, TW Magazine
Vibrant and passionate, Favor Olugu is the Fashion & Style Editor of TW Magazine and founder of Lingerie Lust,Africa’s first lingerie Fashion and Lifestyle content destination. She is responsible for some of the most iconic magazine covers of 2016 such as the Toke Makinwa X Bonang Matheba cover.
Oge Agu- Freelance Content Creator
Oge is a digital content creator and the past content head and editor at Kamdora, a leading lifestyle and beauty blog. Thanks in part to Oge,she has positioned Kamdora as a go to destination for beauty enthusiasts.
Olamide Olarewaju- Editor Pulse Lifestyle
Olamide is a brand strategist, Public Relations expert and journalist. Currently the lifestyle editor at Pulse.ng. She has singly built Pulse Ng’s fashion and lifestyle segment from the ground up to the point where it is now a destination for fashion lovers and insiders.
Eki Ogunbor- Lifestyle Editor,Bellanaija.com
Eki is a lifestyle Editor at BellaNaija. Also known as thechameleonblogger, Eki is a designer.natural hair & personal style blogger.
The highlight of her year was joining BellaNaija where she has successfully repositioned BellaNaija lifestyle to Nigeri’s foremost destination for lifestyle readers and fans.
Content Courtesy of Ono Bello & Nairobi Fashion Hub
Kat van Duinen as a label stands mainly for specialized exotic leather accessories. We work with crocodile, ostrich, python, lizard skins.
All skins are genuine and come from specialized and certified suppliers – mainly in South Africa. Clothing wise – we strive to use natural fibers wherever possible – silk, wool, linen, cotton.All beading is made by hand.
Check out more collection here https://www.katvanduinen.com
When did you realize you wanted to pursue a career as a fashion designer?
Kat van Duinen: Since childhood I loved beautiful things and was always fascinated with all the processes of making them.
Which Year did your start your brand Kat Van Duinen?
Kat van Duinen: We registered in 2010 and our first store in Cape Town opened on September 17th 2011
Why did you start this career?
Kat van Duinen: Moving to South Africa in 2005 I used to complain about the lack of great quality, contemporary pieces and there wasn’t any luxury label I could find at the time representing the country’s and the continent’s heritage, yet incorporating more modern aesthetic and quality competing at an international standard.
I felt perhaps instead of complaining that I’d do something about it. And I feel I did.
Tell us about your line and what was your inspiration for this collection?
Kat van Duinen: I am not exactly sure which collection you are talking about – I think the 2016 one? At the moment we are preparing to release our first men’s accessories line.
All of our collections are inspired by the continent in one way or another. Collaborating with local artists and designers has been truly an amazing experience.
Step-by-step process: Kat van Duinen: The processes vary from collection to collection – depending on the requirements. Sewing, beading, printing – there is a system to how things are made, including packaging and presentation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DDrN7N01XU – presentation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf0B9iIKJaM – making of our signature tote
How is working in fashion different now than when you started?
Kat van Duinen: There isn’t much that has changed over the decade – except the fact that South Africa got swamped by all the fast fashion chains.
The world in general is in a very particular spot at the moment. These are emotionally exhausting times – yet again exciting for the African continent – in my opinion.
Del Africa Fashion House has become a household in the fashion industry. The fashion label has showcased on various runways like Africa Utopia Fashion Show London, Accra Fashion Week Ghana, Nigeria Television Fashion Show Nigeria, Africa Fashion Week Nigeria. They provide exceptional aesthetic designed clothing for local/international market. They combine unique blend of African fabrics and designs to produce clothing and accessories of international standard for both local and export purposes.
The Creative director Fidelis Usigbe is a member of FADAN (Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria) has a 9-year track record and leadership training skills with various NGO’s, Entrepreneurship training with Jos Business School, Internship with the National Assembly. We train and equip youths with the necessary skills that will enable them start-up a sustainable fashion business.
Del Africa Fashion in his collection paid tribute to his northern roots.
Social Media – @Delafricafashion
Photo Credit – Studio 24 Nigeria
Content Courtesy Of Del Africa & Nairobi Fashion Hub
Founded in 2010, Kat van Duinen has established itself as a leading luxury label, known for its signature exotic leather pieces, as well as ready-to-wear collections underpinned by a minimalistic aesthetic, and accented by vibrant African influences.
“What began solely as a luxury leather brand quickly grew into a fashion house that evolved to offer ready-to-wear garment collections as well as couture to private clients.”
At its heart the brand is proudly South African, guided by a commitment to nurture local artisans and industry, as well as to source materials, whenever possible, from within this rich, eclectic country.
Closely intertwined lies the label’s faithfulness to premium, authentic materials so as to promise the ultimate in quality and luxury – from genuine exotic leathers to natural-fibre textiles. Refined and sophisticated, with a striking edge and a luxurious spirit, Kat van Duinen offers exquisite craftsmanship, premium materials and timeless design, from South Africa to the world.
Content Courtesy Of Kat van Duinen Ltd & Nairobi Fashion Hub
In September, Africa Fashion Week Nigeria will celebrate five outstanding years of a successful platform which has promoted emerging and renowned fashion designers in Africa. Its “sister” partner, Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL) which is the biggest platform in the UK that supports African designers held an exquisite and glamorous show for its season eight last weekend in London featuring over 50 designers like Onyx by Valentina, whose embellishment pieces in its rich colours left a lasting impression to Nedim Designs whose South African roots showed in her designs and left the crowd gasping for more looks to more talented African designers. The event had an attendance of over 1000 people in a period of two days who shopped colourful accessories and trendy summer wears at the exhibition halls, and watched the delightful runway shows. The pieces debuted on the AFWL runway were daring, alluring, graceful and showed the immense growth of the Africa fashion industry.
Africa Fashion Week Nigeria is a not for profit organisation that promotes the African and Nigerian fashion industry and its designers. Its’ objective has remained to create an enabling platform across the globe where creative African designers and fashion entrepreneurs can showcase the beauty and creativity of Africa through their designs which it has successfully done. Over the years, renowned designers such as Mai Atafo, Modella, Kola Kuddus, Maufechi, Zizi Cardow, Marobuk, Tash by Tasha, Sally Bawa, and more have showcased their collections on AFWN/AFWL runways.
For its 2018 edition, AFWN will host talented designers from African countries like Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana’s Bushai Weave known for using local handmade weave designs to make tailored menswear, Adriana Talansi from Republic of Congo also the country’s fashion ambassador whose collection never fails to bring out the regal side of every woman, Botswana’s Thabied already rising to the elites of fashion houses in her home country, India, Cameroun, Nigeria and designers from United Kingdom each bringing to life on the runway rich and carefully crafted pieces representing the modernity of their culture and fashion at its best. Filmmaker Kunle Afolayan will also be showcasing his “Kembe” collection at the Gala Showcase.
His Imperial Majesty The Ooni of Ife will launch the Ojaja Fashion Institute, an initiative of Oduduwa Foundation at the Africa Fashion Week Nigeria on 16th September. According to the CEO of the House of Oduduwa Foundation, Prince Jide Fadairo, “The establishment of Ife based Ojaja Fashion Institute is a landmark and unprecedented development for young people based in a rural environment”.
Business of Fashion seminar will feature top industry personalities like Uche Nnaji, Abasiama Africa Fashion Week Nigeria 2018 is scheduled to hold at The Lagoon on Ozumba Mbadiwe. Victoria Island. Lagos on 15th – 16th September 2018.
Content Courtesy Of Africa Fashion Week Nigeria & Nairobi Fashion Hub
Makeup is big business, lingerie is big business, and Rihanna is a force of nature rocking both worlds. That much was clear on Wednesday night, when the singer and entrepreneur staged a show for her lingerie line, Savage x Fenty, at New York Fashion Week.
It was a lush, surreally Edenic performance piece, in which dancers and models prowled, whirled, and ran, laughing, across a grassy set strewn with fountains, plants growing under fluorescent lights, and geodesic domes. All 17 minutes, which you can watch on YouTube, are mesmerizing.
“Runway shows are an odd tradition. They cost a ton of money, but their appeal is fairly limited to fashion wonks. Much of the clothing doesn’t even go into production. It sometimes seems like a fashion show evaporates the second it’s done.”
But this Savage x Fenty presentation is worth paying attention to because Rihanna has emerged as a leader in the world of consumer products, and has made diversity part of her brand’s DNA, rather than deploying it as a one-off marketing tactic. Her Fenty Beauty collection became a smash hit in large part because it launched with 40 shades of foundation — something that should be standard, but isn’t, as many makeup brands ignore women of color when formulating products. Just a few months later, a slew of major makeup brands had followed her lead.
And with this particular fashion show, Rihanna accomplished a few things. She put inclusivity front and center, by hiring a group of performers and models that was diverse in terms of race and, notably, size. And she offered an alternative to the cheery, homogenous vision of female sexuality put forth by the best-known lingerie brand in America, Victoria’s Secret.
Savage x Fenty pushes fashion in a more inclusive direction
For too many years, fashion shows looked like this: A stream of very thin, very young, very white women solemnly marching in a line. Designers and casting directors have been slow to increase diversity on the runway — despite many calls to do so — but recent years have shown progress. Yet keeping in mind fashion’s spotty track record on diversity historically, not just in fashion shows but on magazine covers, some have wondered how sincere the industry really is, particularly when it comes to race.
Representation of different body shapes is a particularly weak point for brands that show at fashion week. For the fall 2017 season, plus-size models accounted for only 0.43 percent of castings, according to a Fashion Spot tally. Even when brands do put plus-size models on the runway, they don’t always manufacture clothing in sizes that those models could buy.
This pioneering new approach from AccorHotels aims to make the continent more accessible and open for not only international travellers, but for Africans and the diaspora to rediscover and celebrate fashion, art, dining, modernity, design, adventure in addition to driving social discourse
MyChicAfrica
CASABLANCA, Morocco, September 12, 2018/ — Fashion, art, travel, food, design, adventure, architecture, hi-tech/hi-touch and creativity, Africa is positively brimming with new and undiscovered experiences. AccorHotels invite guests, travelling nomads and the curious-at-heart to rediscover the continent through a completely new lens – MyChicAfrica (MyChicAfrica.accorhotels.com)– featuring inspiration insights, newfound narratives, and visually arresting content.
Following the immensely successful #MyChicAfrica social media campaign, which paired prominent African influencers together to provide an ‘off the beaten track’ look at their locales, AccorHotels in Africa is now ready to venture even further. The launch of its lifestyle media platform -MyChicAfrica.AccorHotels.com – a depository of material named after this culturally curated campaign, features a dedicated editorial team providing fresh insights and new travel itineraries for the culturally curious.
“Since our earliest days in Africa over 40 years ago to our operations across over 20 countries today, we have unearthed a positive yet realistic picture of Africa as a modern and daring continent, steeped in creativity, unmasked landscapes and offering a treasure trove of cultural gems – past, present and future,” said Souleymane Khol, Vice President, Sales, Marketing, Distribution & Revenue Management at AccorHotels Africa & Indian Ocean.
MyChicAfrica – Showcasing the Continent
MyChicAfrica.AccorHotels.com is a showcase of Africa – a diversity of landscapes and cultural richness, making it one of the most beautiful travel destinations in the world. This pioneering new approach from AccorHotels aims to make the continent more accessible and open for not only international travellers, but for Africans and the diaspora to rediscover and celebrate fashion, art, dining, modernity, design, adventure in addition to driving social discourse.
Adebusola Adetona started her textile business Grapes Pattern Bank 2 year ago in November 2016. Grapes Pattern is a textile design and Printing Company they work closely with designers to custom make patterns for their brands.
They have a range of fabrics that designers can pick from, patterns are then digitally printed on to any fabric of their choice.
They work with designers from fashion to product designs. They recently started a textile line called Anikilaya Textiles for the everyday individual. Its’ not just limited to brands.
The Founder, Adebusola spoke on why she started a textile printing business.
“I really wanted to create variety regarding the patterns, I feel like we only see the same patterns every day and it is just being recycled. Also, concerning texture, we see a lot of cottons, crepe etc. There is so much more that we can explore”.
It hasn’t been easy in putting the textile business on the map she says, “It’s so easy for people to devalue your work because they see patterns everywhere, but they don’t understand the effort and time that goes into making a pattern. They appreciate it but won’t just put so much value on it. Also, starting a business in a place where the market is almost non-existing can be a bit challenging”.
Exhibiting her pattern collection for the first time at Africa Fashion Week Nigeria, she says
“My ready made patterns are mostly inspired by Nature, I use a lot of bright colors, layering and lines to create texture. My patterns are also very Afrocentric but with a hint of modernism. With the customized prints, I work with the designers’ mood board and color palette and I sometimes put in a little of my own interpretation”.
Content Courtesy Grapes Pattern Bank, Africa Fashion Week Nigeria & Nairobi Fashion Hub
Luxury Menswear brand, Erenti (Ee-ren-ti) by British-Nigerian Osborne Ojarimoni debuted an exclusive amalgamation of contemporary fashion and African traditional apparel at the just concluded Africa Fashion Week London 2018.
Erenti Design the rich essence of Africa
Osborne was born and raised in South London, He moved to Lagos, Nigeria for 2 years from the age of 14 where his interest in African fashion and luxury style first emerged, “When I was in Nigeria I observed that those who were genuinely wealthy wore simple luxury – things that were not too ‘loud’, such as the likes of business tycoons Femi Otedola and Aliko Dangote who always are always in native wear but are some of the richest men in Africa – whereas those who weren’t and/or pretended to be would. I wanted to capture this concept in my own brand: confidence in simple luxury, wearing luxury but not allowing it to wear you. This is where our motto ‘confidence is silent’ comes from.”
Taking inspiration from prominent Nigerian figures like Fela Kuti and Wizkid as well as luxury and contemporary high street stores like Zara, Osborne says “the brand is a fusion of my culture and my environment”.
Erenti was established out of the aspiration to discover a distinctive approach to showcase African class and elegance through modern, urban apparel and accessories. With a strong appreciation of African authenticity and rawness, Erenti pursues to merge culture and contemporary designs to make its brand truly noticeable on a global platform.
In every piece of clothing produced by Erenti there is magic. Erenti endeavors to present each piece with its own distinctiveness and its own story. With its eccentric mixture of vibrant colour and eye-catching designs, the line is unmistakably sophisticated.
Applying African materials and textiles in an exceptionally unique style Erenti has been formed to provide a remarkable experience.
The rich Essence of Africa will be embraced through Erenti, and it is our mission to deliver this fulfilment.
In every piece of clothing produced by Erenti there is magic. and magic he brought to London runway at AFWL2018 We can’t wait to have that same magic on AFWN runway in September.
Content Courtesy Of Erenti Design , Africa Fashion Week Nigeria & Nairobi Fashion Hub
It all started with a plastic bag. We believe that design can solve stubborn problems and thus we started from a major issue in Egypt: waste. One experiment after another, and after many design proposals, we came up with our first product ‘Plastex’.
Plastex is a new eco-friendly material made by weaving discarded plastic bags. After winning several International Design awards for Plastex, all we wanted to do is continue delivering our messages through our designs. And thus Reform Studio was born.
Reform Studio aims to create responsible and thoughtful products. We design for a better life. We design for a cause.
Re-form is an umbrella of many ‘Re’s’– we see design as a recreation of an existing idea, a redevelopment of objects, reusing of materials, reviving of cultures and reforming our world.
Content Courtesy Of Reform Studio & Nairobi Fashion Hub
Kelechi Uchendu : In 2013, I completed my Bachelor of Arts in Political Science Pre-Law with a specialization in Environmental Science from Michigan State University.
I also received my JD and LLM from Vermont Law School in 2016 and 2018, respectively. In addition to writing, I am a legal researcher at Columbia University, a blogger for my personal blog: kaykaysway.blogspot.com, an avid traveler who has visited all seven continents including Antarctica, a writer for Detroit Fashion News, and the CEO of Kay Kay’s Fashion: kaykaysfashion.com/press which has been featured in British Vogue and Tatler.
Kay Kay’s Fashion
When did you first realize you wanted to pursue a career as a Fashion designer?
Kelechi Uchendu : I have always respected the fashion industry and I have always had a passion for fashion. However, I realized that I wanted to be a fashion designer in October 2016.
Which Year did your start your brand Kay Kay’s Fashion?
Kelechi Uchendu : I started Kay Kay’s Fashion in 2017.
Did you relocate permanently to the USA?
Kelechi Uchendu : I did not need to relocate to the USA because I was born in the USA. Growing up I lived in Canada and in the USA and I currently live in the USA. I also have a Nigerian passport as well, so I am a Nigerian and American citizen.
Why did you choose this career?
Kelechi Uchendu : I honestly feel as though this career chose me! I have always wanted to own my own business in the fashion and/or beauty world. However, I started Kay Kay’s Fashion and chose a career in the fashion industry because if a dream I had. On one night in October 2016, I dreamt that I attended a formal event in a magical city like New York. This event was special because it was an event to honor me for my accomplishments. I remember walking down the grand staircase in a gorgeous dress that I had never seen before–and I knew that I needed to bring this dress (and my dreams!) to life. When I woke up, I told my mother about the dream I had and my desire to design the dress. My amazing mother told me that I should start right away and not put my dreams on hold. After this conversation, I was determined to design the dress.
Tell us about your line. What was your inspiration for this collection?
Kelechi Uchendu : Kay Kay’s Fashion is inspired by my blog Kay Kay’s Way ( kaykaysway.blogspot.com/). My blog is not solely a lifestyle blog or a fashion blog. I discuss various topics on Kay Kay’s Way and I try not to put my blog in a box. Kay Kay’s Fashion is the same way. Kay Kay’s Fashion currently offers several chokers, a formal dress, and a t-shirt and we will keep expanding what we offer in the near future.
Walk me through the step by step process of creating your designs?
Kelechi Uchendu : The process of creating my designs is fairly straightforward. Once I have an idea, I will have my sister draw out the design. I will then have a meeting with the design team at Detroit Sewn (detroitsewn.com/) and they will help me sew the sample piece of my design. Once the final sample has been approved, I can start selling my items to customers!
