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Lifestyle, News

B2B Marketing Expo USA 2022: The World’s Leading Marketing Event For Top Marketing Professionals Is Back!

April 6, 2022 Oscar AlochiLeave a comment

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Los Angeles, USA April 6, 2022 – As part of its commitment to empowering more Kenyan fashion designers, stimulating economic activity, and broadening the fashion industry envelope in Africa through collaboration and resources to enable designers to achieve their dreams, Kenya’s fashion show pioneer JW Show is collaborating with world-class brands to place the Kenya flag at the forefront of fashion.

As Kenya continues to trade with the United States under the AGOA effort, I will be visiting the LA B2B Marketing Expo to meet with marketing experts from Netflix, Microsoft, Facebook, Google, Nike, and Tiktok.

I’ll be attending the B2B Marketing Expo US, which will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center. I plan to focus on areas of synergy that will benefit the fashion industry, as I believe Kenya has a lot to offer as a developing sector.

Partnerships and collaborations are the new competition, and I intend to enter this cautiously, learning and positioning the JW brand as one that seeks to empower, build, and defend the successes and achievements of the fashion industry.

Keynote Speakers

1. Don Batsford

Who is missing from your marketing team? – Google
Build A Future Proof Marketing Team

2. Roland Cloutier

Global CSO – Tiktok
How TikTok Is Building on the Surging Video App’s Entertainment Strategy

3. Winston T Marshall

Executive Creative Director – Netflix
Multimedia Marketing Mindset Maintenance

4. Jo Anna Thomas

Transformational Change Program Manager – Oracle
Limitless Possibilities while Embracing Change

5. Bernadette McClelland

SELLING. SELLING. SOUL’d Get to YES! Without the Stress!

6. Gina Ban

VP Merchandising & Operations – StackCommerce
Building Creative Solutions in a Privacy-First Era

7. Neel Mehta

Google
Biggest Challenges or Data Privacy

8. Aditya Agashe

Microsoft
Biggest Challenges or Data Privacy

Jeffery Wilson, who is he?

Jeffery Wilson is a Kenyan fashion entrepreneur who has made a name for himself by hosting the JW Fashion Show, which brings together like-minded entrepreneurs to celebrate the art of couture.

I’ve built a forum that brings together fashion industry players.

Our fashion business model relies on effectively staging fashion shows, from seeking partners to methodically ensuring that everything is in place to execute spectacular shows.

The JW show has grown organically and impressively, with over 300 designers in our database and counting. We also have a large list of models that have shown an interest in appearing in the show. Due to the limited number of places available, we can only accept a few people. In the near future, we intend to expand this.

About JW Show

Through fabric and design, we hope to connect Kenya, Africa, and the rest of the world.

This fashion spectacular brings together men and women who are pushing the boundaries of sustainable local fashion firms that have crossed borders and attracted the attention of the world, make a date with us and be a part of this legendary spectacle where elegance meets style.

About B2B Marketing Expo

B2B Marketing Expo is Europe’s top marketing event, bringing together the most forward-thinking marketers with the tools, strategies, and innovations they need to stay ahead of the curve in the ever-changing world of marketing.

Experts from Google, TikTok, Netflix, Microsoft, and Oracle will be on hand to provide visitors with the most up-to-date marketing advice, while an assortment of the industry’s top companies and most inventive suppliers will be displaying the solutions that are creating the future of marketing.

B2B Marketing Expo is the place to be if you provide marketing-related products and services.

You can also sell your products and services face to face to these highly targeted visitors in the exhibition area.

In our unique B2B marketing expo educational programme, consisting of expert-led seminars and panel debates, live demos of the latest technology, and industry leading companies equipped with the industry’s finest solution led products and services, you can research the market, learn about new innovations, and discover the latest strategies and trends to progress and develop your marketing.

Highlights

350 cutting-edge suppliers, panel debate, executive networking lounges, innovation awards, and more!
250 keynote speakers and innovators from the worlds of marketing, branding, facilities management.
Speakers from Tiktok, Netflix, Google, Nike, FB, Microsoft, Sociallyin, and more!
Grow your business through masterclasses, keynote seminars and network with high level professionals.
Marketing awards for most innovative products!

About AGOA

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is a United States Trade Act that was passed as Public Law 106 of the 200th Congress on May 18, 2000.

AGOA has since been extended until 2025. The legislation significantly improves qualifying Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries’ market access to the United States. The eligibility for AGOA preferences is determined by a set of conditions outlined in the AGOA legislation. Each country must work to improve its rule of law, human rights, and respect for core labor standards in order to qualify for and remain eligible for AGOA.

LA Convention Center
1201 S Figueroa St
Los Angeles
CA 90015

For media queries:
Contact

Jeffrey Wilson
Project Management JW Show
Mobile: +254 724 748796
Email: Jefferywilsonent@gmail.com

Follow us On:

Twitter (https://twitter.com/JWShowOfficial)

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/thejwshowofficialkenya/)

YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8AgowbbUXWjjqRWD82X4BQ)

Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/thejwshowofficial)

Website (https://www.thejwshow.com)

Content courtesy of JW Show & NFH

Fashion, Lifestyle

Sustainable Fashion Show “Completely out of Fashion” at The Alchemist, Nairobi, Kenya

March 29, 2022 Oscar Alochi1 Comment

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12 Kenyan fashion designers will graduate from a 6-month upcycling and incubator program on Sunday, April 3, 2022.
The Upcycled Collections Made From Post-Consumer Textile Waste Runway Show will feature their upcycled collections made entirely from post-consumer textile waste.

They will be accompanied by three Estonian Academy of Arts fashion design students who will be visiting Kenya as part of an exchange course program with Moi University in Kenya.

The textile and fashion industry is the world’s second largest polluter, with few options for recycling or extending its circularity. We consume 400% more textiles than we did 20 years ago, and this has an environmental cost.

Completely Out of Fashion is a cooperation between the NGO Reuse and CXP Africa.
The Estonian Centre for International Development is funding the initiative, which is also supported by the European Union Regional Fund.
Both events are open to the public and are free to attend. pic.twitter.com/Z0vlQhRZX4
— Nairobi fashion hub (@FashionNairobi) March 29, 2022

Completely Out of Fashion, a collaboration between Reuse NGO and CXP Africa, has been mentoring 12 young Kenyan female designers from underserved communities who have a passion for fashion while being mindful of its environmental impact.
Reet Aus, an Estonian fashion designer who has been a pioneer in upcycling design for many years, gave the designers instructions.
The workshop included technical training as well as environmental knowledge in order to raise and create awareness about the negative consequences of poor textile waste management.

The main goal of the project was to take them through a series of lessons about upcycled design as a method and tool for reducing textile waste, as well as a way for them to channel their creativity and love of fashion in creating pieces out of textile waste.

Apart from the environmental aspect, each designer’s collection also highlights the cultural preservation aspect, with post-consumer ‘Mitumba’ serving as the material base for incorporating their own designs and muses into the art they make.

Documentary film maker Jaak Kilmi and his team attended the incubator project to shoot a sequel to his fashion documentary films, dubbed “Completely Out of Fashion.”

While the first version, ‘Out of Fashion,’ took the audience on a journey from Europe’s fashion stages to Bangladesh’s mass manufacturing centers, the second edition focuses on the trails of post-consumer textile waste from Europe to Kenya, as well as its potential for reuse and upcycling.

We cordially welcome you to join our cause by attending The Completely Out of Fashion Show on April 3rd from 6-9 p.m. at The Alchemist in Nairobi’s Westlands neighborhood.
From the 31st of March to the 2nd of April, a pop-up market for recycled collections will be presented at The Alchemist Bar’s Made in Kenya Store.

Both events are open to the public and are free to attend.
Completely Out of Fashion is a cooperation between the NGO Reuse and CXP Africa.
The Estonian Centre for International Development is funding the initiative, which is also supported by the European Union Regional Fund.

Collaborating partners:
Estonian Academy of Arts
Moi University, Kenya
Made in Kenya Store
African Collect Textiles
The Alchemist

Photos by Sandra Luks.

Contact:
Maria Kristiin Peterson
Completely Out of Fashion
Project Manager
maria.peterson@artun.ee

Content courtesy of Estonian Centre for International Development, European Union Regional Fund & NFH

Lifestyle

The Oscars Awards Are Set To Return To Normalcy, With The Exception Of All The Changes.

March 28, 2022 Oscar AlochiLeave a comment

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The Academy Awards are rolling out the red carpet at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre for the first time in two years in what the film academy hopes will be a return to normalcy at the Oscars. Except for everything that has changed.

The 94th Academy Awards will air live on ABC at 8 p.m. EDT, as is customary. However, little else about how this year’s Oscars will begin is traditional. Attendees will gather in the Dolby an hour before the broadcast begins for the presentation of eight awards and acceptance speeches, which will be edited into a broadcast that producer Will Packer has promised will be a tight three hours.

Scenes from this morning’s #Oscars red carpet rollout. pic.twitter.com/g19CTluUao
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) March 23, 2022

It’s just one of many changes, both minor and seismic, taking place in the run-up to this year’s ceremony. Following two years of pandemic and a socially distant 2021 edition with record-low ratings, the Academy Awards will attempt to reclaim their exalted place in pop culture with a revamped telecast that is expected to see a streaming service win the best picture for the first time.

It will be difficult. The film industry recovered significantly from the pandemic by 2021, but despite one of the year’s biggest hits, “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” the recovery has been patchy.

The VFX team behind #SpiderManNoWayHome open up about uniting 3 Spideys, 5 villains and the Nexus of All Realities. (EXCLUSIVE) https://t.co/9xBuLSqady
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) March 16, 2022

According to the Motion Picture Association, the global movie industry sold roughly half as many tickets last year as it did two years ago, $21.3 billion in 2021 compared to $42.3 billion in 2019. Hollywood pushed more of its best films into people’s homes than ever before; half of this year’s best-picture nominees were streamed at or very close to release. Even the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has shifted entirely to a streaming platform for voters, rather than DVD screeners.
Then there’s the difficulty of commanding global attention for a night of Hollywood self-congratulation after two years of pandemic and while Russia’s war ravages Ukraine. Packer has stated that the war in Ukraine will be acknowledged respectfully during the broadcast.

Netflix’s “The Power of the Dog,” Jane Campion’s gothic western, leads the pack with 12 nominations and a strong chance of winning the top prize. But all of the attention is on Sian Heder’s deaf family drama “CODA,” which, despite only three nominations, is considered the favorite. A win would be a big win for Apple TV+, which bought the film out of the Sundance Film Festival last year and has spent a lot of money promoting it to academy members.

But “Dune,” Denis Villeneuve’s sweeping science-fiction epic, is expected to win the most awards on the night. It’s the odds-on favorite to sweep the technical categories.

After several years without a host, the Oscars will be emceed by the trio of Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes, and Regina Hall, which will also be streamed on platforms such as Hulu Live TV, YouTubeTV, and ABC.com with provider authentication.

Hot girl #Oscars! Megan thee Stallion is dazzling on the red carpet. https://t.co/abMq1BYSsP pic.twitter.com/BzEACHNPG9
— Variety (@Variety) March 27, 2022

A star-studded lineup of performers, including Billie Eilish and Beyoncé, will perform nominated songs, while the “Encanto” cast will perform Lin-Manuel Miranda’s breakout hit “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.”

It will be a staggered start, with different stars entering the Dolby at different times. The red carpet preshow will run from 6:30 to 8 p.m., with the first hour of awards taking place inside the theater from 7-8 p.m.

The winners’ names will be announced first on social media and then woven into the telecast. The red carpet will also open an hour earlier than usual, at 4 p.m. Eastern, to accommodate the shift.

The new approach, which has been widely panned by some academy members, is likely to complicate red-carpet logistics.

The academy is urging attendees to arrive at their seats by 7 p.m. in order to give each winner an uncompromised moment. Some celebrities, such as “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” nominee Jessica Chastain, have stated that they will not participate in red carpet interviews if it means missing the presentation of awards such as best hair and makeup, which the artists of “Tammy Faye” are nominated for.

"You're doing this because you're scared to death, like the rest of us, that you don't matter. And you know what? You're right. You don't.”
Alejandro G. Iñárritu's 'Birdman' won Best Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay, and Cinematography exactly 7 years ago today. pic.twitter.com/B3mwlj1H33
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) February 22, 2022

This is one of eight pre-show categories that will be awarded during the “golden hour,” as the producers refer to it. Film editing, sound, original score, production design, live-action short, animated short, and documentary short are the others.

More than 70 Oscar winners, including James Cameron, Kathleen Kennedy, and Guillermo del Toro, warned earlier this month that the change would make some nominees “second-class citizens.”

The reason for the shift is concern about the Oscars’ rapidly declining ratings. While drops have been common for all major network award shows, last year’s show drew only about 10 million viewers, less than half of the 23.6 million who watched the previous year. It was closer to 40 million a decade ago.

How @DisneyAnimation's #Encanto (@EncantoMovie) composer Germaine Franco (@germaine_franco) captured the rhythms of Colombia. (EXCLUSIVE) https://t.co/B17LeX7xB9
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) March 25, 2022

Some argued in the run-up to this year’s Oscars that a blockbuster like “Spider-Man: No Way Home” should have been nominated for best picture. It is only for visual effects.

Instead, a diverse range of films are in the running, including the popular Netflix apocalyptic comedy “Don’t Look Up” and the critically acclaimed three-hour Japanese drama “Drive My Car.”

One thing the producers have promised us is that the night’s final award will be for best picture. Last year’s show ended awkwardly with the unexpected awarding of the best actor to a non-present Anthony Hopkins.

Content courtesy fo Association Press & NFH

Lifestyle

Meet The Cast Of Netflix’s Young, Famous & African, Your Next Reality Show Binge.

March 21, 2022 Oscar AlochiLeave a comment

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Young, Famous & African should be on your list if you’re looking for a reality show that evokes luxury and success among the African elite. The new Netflix reality show follows a group of successful African entertainers and business owners in Johannesburg, South Africa. The show has all the ingredients for a juicy reality Netflix binge: a dash of glamour, a dash of mess, and a heaping spoonful of drama.

Viewers who have been waiting for a show to bring the elements of successful series such as Bling Empire and Selling Sunset to the African continent will be excited to meet the eccentrically vibrant cast of Young, Famous & Africans.

Learn about them by visiting this page.

1. Zari Hassan, the Boss Lady

The Tanzanian entrepreneur, also known as Zari Hassan, likes to be known for her business acumen – but as we see on the show, she also earns a reputation for the drama that surrounds her. Throughout the series, Zari is frequently on the receiving end of a squabble with other cast members, such as Annie and Khanyi.

Zari co-parents with Diamond while also exchanging glances with Andile after a public breakup and cheating scandal with her ex-husband, the father of two of her five children.

2. Diamond Platnumz

Diamond is a Tanzanian playboy who brings Hollywood stardom wherever he goes, thanks to his 13 million social media followers and even the occasional military detail due to his Rihanna-level fandom. He co-parents two children with his ex-wife Zari Hassan and returns to Johannesburg to be closer to his family despite the tumultuous relationship riddled with infidelity, but that becomes a little hazy when he goes after Nadia and Zari has close encounters with Andile.

3. Nadia Nakai

Nadia is a fashionable woman who enjoys fast cars and having a good time. The successful first-generation South African-Zimbabwean rapper and entertainer is self-assured, which is how she met American rapper Vic Mensa, whose father is from Ghana.

(However, she did confirm that they split up in August.) Nadia is close to Khanyi and also receives sweet gestures from Diamond while he is in Johannesburg.

4. Andile Ncube

On the surface, the quiet, dapper entrepreneur appears to be excellent and easygoing, but he can get himself into trouble with women. He frequently discusses scandalous relationships with his two friends, Diamond and Naked, throughout the series.

With his constant advances on the Tanzanian entrepreneur despite his close friendship with Diamond, things get very interesting and serious between him and Zari.

5. Khanyi Mbau
Some may refer to her as a golddigger, but she prefers to be referred to as astute and capable of getting things done. Khanyi, the group’s self-proclaimed OG, embodies the type of wealth she seeks in the men she pursues.

The self-assured South African actress, media personality, and businesswoman confront her golddigger reputation head-on, refusing to apologize for knowing what she wants and setting the bar high for men who fancy her. She isn’t afraid to express her feelings for her younger boyfriend, an alleged fugitive, and hooks up with her friends – regardless of their marital status.

6. Naked

Naked (real name Quinton Masina) is a successful DJ who lives life to the fullest. Despite having complete control over his life, his relationship with Kayleigh Schwark, 28, is rocky. Outside of his romance, Naked is frequently the voice of reason for friends like Diamond and Andile when it comes to disagreements involving multiple women.

7. Kayleigh Schwark

The fitness fanatic and semiprofessional soccer player is attempting to start a new life with her 40-year-old boyfriend, Naked. As she tries to reconcile her frustrations, she often seeks advice from her friends Nadia and Khanyi about their relationship.

8. Swanky Jerry

The Nigerian celebrity stylist (real name Jeremiah Ogbodo) is in town with his best friend Annie Macaulay-Idibia to advance his career and enjoys a good party.

When it comes to his style, he lives up to his name and enjoys bringing laughter to the group, especially when it comes to Annie while she is dealing with Innocent’s problems.

9. Innocent ‘2Baba’ Idibia

The Nigerian superstar, like his music persona, lives larger than life, which frequently causes conflict in his marriage with his wife, Annie. After difficulties with their two children, the latter is attempting to mend their relationship.

10. Annie Macaulay-Idibia

Annie is a celebrity who wants to expand her empire. The actress and entertainer has already made a name for herself onscreen in Nigeria, and she came to Johannesburg hoping to broaden her horizons across the continent. Even though she appears to have it all together on the outside, her problems with her estranged husband, Innocent ‘2Baba’ Idibia, become the focus of her story throughout Young, Famous & African, along with dealing with her daughter’s health issues and sacrificing time to invest in her children’s careers.

Content courtesy of Elle, Netflix & NFH

Lifestyle

Young, Famous, And African Unscripted Reality Series Premieres On Netflix

March 21, 2022 Oscar AlochiLeave a comment

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On March 18, 2022, Netflix launched its first African reality show, titled Young, Famous, and African.
Two days later, the show is already trending on Kenya’s Netflix, attracting those with an insatiable appetite for drama and love in reality shows, only this time from various African celebrities.

The mostly unscripted reality show follows a group of famous affluent stars as they work and play, flirt, and feud in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The show follows a group of wealthy young media personalities, musicians, and fashion icons as they pursue their dreams, fall in love, and rekindle old flames.

East Africa, Bongo star Diamond Platinumz, South African rapper Nadia Nakai, Actor Khanyi Mbau Annie Macaulay-Idibia (Nigeria), 2Baba (Nigeria), Zari the Boss Lady (Uganda), Naked DJ (South Africa), Swanky Jerry (Nigeria), Andile Ncube (South Africa), and Kayleigh Schwark star in the seven-episode series (South Africa).
Expect the ladies to squabble over fine dining and the men to yell; promises to be broken, drama, drama, and more drama.

Peace Hyde, the show’s co-creator and executive producer, has released a trailer for the show.

If you’re looking forward to watching Netflix and chilling, here’s a spoiler warning: we don’t want to ruin all the glitzy drama ahead.

This latest series is filled with the sights and sounds of wealth, opulence, and success. They leave you envious of the flashy lifestyle that comes with having millions of fans, not just millions of shillings.

Diamond has been portrayed as a soft-spoken playboy with a thing for ladies and possibly feelings for his ex-beau Zari.

Cast members in the show question the couple’s easy co-parenting relationship, which they insist is just a friendship.

“Throughout the series, Zari is frequently on the receiving end of a squabble with cast members such as Annie and Khanyi.” Zari co-parents with Diamond while also exchanging glances with Andile after a public breakup and cheating scandal with her ex-husband and the father of two of her five children,” Elle Magazine reports on the show.

One of the most intriguing plot lines for East Africans will undoubtedly be Zari’s friendship with the dapper South African TV personality Andile, with whom a spark is evident from the start.

Viewers are enthralled by the drama that appears to follow the self-proclaimed boss lady, who repeatedly claims that things aren’t all rosy with the rest of the cast because they are “intimidated by her confidence.”

The series’ fashion and style are also excellent. Of course, with a celebrity stylist on the cast, it has to be. It also helps that the show’s stars are filthy rich and can afford the most up-to-date designer clothing and accessories.

“Not short of the soft life and shots fired,’ the show gives fans a ringside view of African celebrity at its most dramatic, charismatic, and extravagant,” reports South African news website News24.

According to Elle Magazine, the show will provide viewers with a glimpse of the lavish, glamorous side of Africa, which has long been underrepresented on television.

“Viewers who have been yearning for a show to bring elements of successful series like Bling Empire and Selling Sunset to the African continent will want to meet the eccentrically vibrant cast of Young, Famous & African,” according to the magazine.

Another enthralling storyline is that of the Idibias, who have been known as a power couple who have experienced difficulties in their marriage. Now, the couple discusses their ten-year marriage.

As they make the decision to stay together and make their adorable family work, they must confront the demons of their previous difficulties, including infidelity.
It’s also interesting to see “Simba” himself go on a “hunt,” when Diamond Platnumz falls for rapper Nadia, whom he gently tries to woo despite her telling him that she has a boyfriend.

“The women are strong, owning their labels and refusing to be walked over by the men in their lives.” Bonds are tested in this first installment of the series as the group navigates their relationships with one another and new potential romances emerge. Based on the first 45 minutes, it’s clear that we’re in for a lot of drama.”

According to Decider, a television review website.
In an interview with AfricaNews, Peace Hyde, the show’s co-creator and executive producer, stated that one of the series’ main goals is to break down stereotypes about Africa in the media.

“This has been a labor of love that has finally paid off. Growing up in the United Kingdom, there were no glitzy and sexy images of Africa; all we saw were the stereotypical images that had been promulgated in the media for years. ‘Young, Famous, and African’ portrays a vibrant, beautiful, glossy, and sexy Africa to the rest of the world.”

Content courtesy of Netflix & NFH

Lifestyle

To Celebrate International Women’s Day, Moët & Chandon Hosts A Dining Experience.

March 9, 2022 Oscar AlochiLeave a comment

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Nairobi, March 8, 2022, To commemorate International Women’s Day, luxury champagne firm Moët & Chandon sponsored a dinner experience at the Sankara Hotel. The event gathered together phenomenal women from various professions, Friends of Mot and Media, to commemorate and celebrate the contribution of women in society while popping champagne bottles.

International Women’s Day is a worldwide recognized day that celebrates women throughout the world while motivating them to reach their full potential. With this year’s theme of #BreakTheBias, Moët & Chandon sought to recognize and reward women who are making lasting contributions to society in various ways.

The attendees at the event addressed how they are overcoming the bias and how they might enhance their efforts to achieve gender equality at the workplace and in society.

Luxury champagne house Moët & Chandon hosted a dining experience at the Sankara Hotel to celebrate International Women's Day.
The event brought together Phenomenal women drawn from different industries, Friends of Moët & Media, to
honor & celebrate the impact of women in society. pic.twitter.com/rLNj36ryUn
— Nairobi fashion hub (@FashionNairobi) March 10, 2022

Alexandre Helaine, Moët Hennessy Market Manager Eastern Africa, led the event and guided guests through the art of mixing Moët & Chandon. The visitors were immersed in the world of Moët & Chandon through several types of food, the brand’s past, and the basic principles.

Alexandre Helaine stated during the event, “We are deeply committed to bringing women together and providing a forum for them to converse and interact. It is time to celebrate women’s accomplishments, acknowledge obstacles, and concentrate more emphasis on women’s rights and gender equality in order to mobilize all people to do their part.”

“As Moët & Chandon, we aspire to build unforgettable experiences for our consumers and to share the events in their life worthy of a bottle of Moët & Chandon,” Mr. Helaine added.

Since its inception, Moët & Chandon has been the champagne of choice for commemorating historical events as well as intimate occasions of tremendous personal significance. offers a champagne-style that is individually suited to each of life's significant occasions. pic.twitter.com/0FEVcvUkXy
— Nairobi fashion hub (@FashionNairobi) March 10, 2022

According to Joyce Wangui, Director of Sales and Marketing, “We were thrilled to join our partner Moët & Chandon in honoring women’s amazing achievements on International Women’s Day. This particular occasion was about bringing together a small number of women from various professions to recognize their ongoing support for Sankara Nairobi. As a member of Marriott International, we acknowledge and engage in the worldwide discourse around gender equality and women’s empowerment.” ”

Moët & Chandon would want to recognize women all throughout the globe who make a difference every day.

#MoetMoment

About Moët & Chandon
Moët & Chandon, founded in 1743, is the Maison that helped to the introduction of champagne to the globe by delivering a variety of distinctive wines for every occasion. Each champagne dazzles and thrills with vibrant fruitiness, an intriguing taste, and an exquisite maturity, from the classic Moët Impérial to the Grand Vintage Collection, from the exuberant Moët & Chandon Rosé Impérial to the inventive Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial.

Since its inception, Moët & Chandon has been the champagne of choice for commemorating historical events as well as intimate occasions of tremendous personal significance. offers a champagne-style that is individually suited to each of life’s significant occasions.

Content courtesy of Moët & Chandon & NFH

Lifestyle

My Hijab: Nigerian Muslim Women on Faith and Fashion

February 23, 2022 Fashion Tribe InfluencerLeave a comment

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What’s in anyone’s wardrobe is inherently political. That’s especially true in Nigeria’s northeast, a region at the center of a more-than-decade-long jihadist conflict where how a woman dress comes under particular scrutiny.

Most Muslim women in the main city of Maiduguri, the birthplace of Boko Haram, believe their religion calls on them to cover their hair and will wear at least a headscarf known as a hijab, usually paired with a floor-length gown.

How thick or long the hijab, how loose or tight adorned or plain the gown is all wrapped up in cultural perceptions of how a northern woman should dress.

At the extremist end of the dial are the jihadists, who obsess over the control of women and their bodies. Their puritanical ideology holds that women should be largely confined to their homes, and, when out in public, as anonymous as possible.

But a new generation of women in the northeast rejects that hyper-masculine creed. Dressing modestly is their choice, they say an expression of their religious identity, not a dress code commanded by the jihadists, nor a symbol of their diminishment, as some view the hijab.

The New Humanitarian sat down with four upwardly mobile young women Aisha Muhammed, Fatima Lawan, Samira Othman, and Zainab Sabo to get their take on the changes underway in gender relations in the northeast, and how that is reflected in fashion.

To capture the feel and flavor, the four were photographed at the city’s derelict railway station by Fati Abubakar, a photojournalist from Maiduguri who has chronicled the impact of the war on her home region.

The station is across the road from a pile of rubble once known as the Markas or “center”, the former home of Boko Haram when it was still just an extremist sect. It was bulldozed by the army in 2009 after the group launched a short-lived insurrection that marked the beginning of their jihad.

Fatima is wearing an atampa blouse in an African print known as ankara, everyday wear in northern Nigeria. Her headscarf is called gele, and the style of tying changes according to the current fashion.
Content Courtesy of @newhumanitarian #HijabIsOurPride #Hijab #FashionStyle pic.twitter.com/tZkZnAZzxe
— Nairobi fashion hub (@FashionNairobi) February 23, 2022

“Around the railway station area, young girls weren’t free to move around [during the days of Boko Haram],” said Zainab, who runs a bakery business. “Boko Haram came up with something new that was very extreme; they were forcing their views on people.”

But here, a decade on, this group of graduates is proud to don their hijabs and determined to leave a mark on society. By fully owning the headscarf, they have turned it into an item of couture, to be worn with style and panache.

“It’s different from 10 years ago [when Boko Haram was active in Maiduguri. Then, there would be that stigma that you weren’t dressing correctly,” said Aisha, a local NGO worker. “But now I’m wearing my small little veil, and I feel free!”

These women embrace a global modesty movement that argues fashion need not be revealing or a challenge to one’s faith. They described how social media allows a pan-African sharing of the hijab aesthetic an empowering affirmation of their identity as Muslim women that transcends Boko Haram’s parochialism.

Although there’s a cultural necessity to “covering”, they argue it’s their choice as Muslim women despite the social pressure and the much-debated notions of “choice” and autonomy.

The larger battle

Dress code conformity wins Muslim women in the northeast a stake in a bigger battle. Compliance allows them to compete in the job market, and with that comes greater personal independence and financial security all anathema to the jihadists.

The surge in aid and development money to the northeast has created job openings that women have enthusiastically stepped into. Ultra-conservative gender roles have been further eroded by the economic fallout of the conflict, with everyone in a Maiduguri household now expected to pull their weight.

Samira is wearing a red abaya, a style originally from the Gulf. Unlike the atampa, the idea here is to hide the contours of the body under looser-fitting fabric
What you wear and how you wear it is all about context.
Content Courtesy of @newhumanitarian #HijabIsOurPride #Hijab pic.twitter.com/zBRwb7K6IT
— Nairobi fashion hub (@FashionNairobi) February 23, 2022

“You can’t depend on your father or husband as the sole provider; you have to flex your entrepreneurial skills,” said Fatima, an aid worker, referring to the welter of new home-based businesses, from perfume and cosmetics to IT.

“Everybody is doing something,” she nodded. “It’s still very hard because of the state of the economy, but the number of women that now have skills and are hustling this is the peak.”

Sitting around a conference table in a private house converted to workshop rooms is one small example of the impact of the development industry these women see themselves as having far more opportunity than their mothers ever did to impact society.

“Nobody can stop us. We’re moving forward,” said Aisha, caught up in the positivity around the table. “When you’ve tasted freedom, especially the financial independence part – nobody wants to go back to the way it was.”

Beyond the city

So far, so middle class. But gender roles are also being tentatively reshaped in the displacement camps, bursting with people who have fled the rural areas where the war is being fought – a conflict that has killed at least 35,000 people and forced more than two million people from their homes.

Women-headed households are common due to the deaths of husbands and sons or their detention by the security forces. Even when there is a man around, wives receive direct aid payments, which gives them a measure of control over family spending.

Yakura Abakar sews traditional caps to supplement her food ration in the Dalori displacement camp, just outside Maiduguri. She now spends her daughters to school, which had not been the case in her old rural village, close to the town of Dikwa, near the Cameroonian border.

Zainab is wearing a khimar. In Boko Haram areas, the more acceptable form of khimar is black, without adornment, floor length, and with a tight head covering.
Content Courtesy of @newhumanitarian
#HijabIsOurPride #Hijab #FashionStyle #Africanqueen #Nairobifashionhub #Fashion pic.twitter.com/cubS8X3Ngr
— Nairobi fashion hub (@FashionNairobi) February 23, 2022

“Women have become very wise, very active,” Abakar told The New Humanitarian. “These young NGO women teach us how to do things, and some of the attitudes we’ve learned from them.”

But it’s more a case of incremental change than revolution. Boko Haram’s austere gender authoritarianism has deep roots within traditional society. Whatever softening has taken place at the margins, the gender dynamics mean that men around the world still retain considerable political, economic, and cultural power.

“As a woman, you’re judged all the time,” said Samira, one of the four interviewees. “Men do worse things, the real haram [forbidden] things, but patriarchy says that it’s always the woman who is wrong.”

Yet the women around the table were confident they were asserting a new Islamic vision of feminism one harking back to the early days of their faith and quranic ideals of equality. What went unsaid was what happens to women in the northeast who transgress, who ignore the cultural guardrails – and who sets the punishment?

The male backlash

Hauwa Mahdi, an academic who has done key work on the hijab in Nigeria, told The New Humanitarian she remembers walking past a mosque in Maiduguri in the 1980s wearing a hijab, but also jeans. That drew furious shouts from men in the area who accused her of being “disrespectful”.

“You can’t be in a Muslim country and just go out anyhow; you’ll be quickly judged as ill-mannered,” said Aisha, explaining the sensitivity of compliance. “It’s a northern thing. The culture, regardless of the religion, is to cover. Even Christians in the northeast are more comfortable covering their bodies.”

Aishatu Kabu quit an international NGO job to start her own women’s empowerment organization. In a region with the country’s worst social and health indicators for women, freedom to wear what you want is not on her list of priorities.

Aisha is wearing another abaya style this one mo conservative, covering her arms. In Maiduguri, the fashion focus is mo about the design & material used in gowns.
There is also an emphasis on make-up, as the face can be the only part of the body that is exposed.#HijabIsOurPride pic.twitter.com/jC5G32XM3T
— Nairobi fashion hub (@FashionNairobi) February 23, 2022

“What we’re battling for here is against child marriages, the need for girls’ education, reproductive health we haven’t gone beyond that level yet,” Kabu told The New Humanitarian.

She fears the gender gains made so far are fragile, that a backlash is building among men over their perceived loss of control, which extends from displacement camps – where men are resisting the women-centered focus of aid delivery to the marital home.

Mahdi, the academic, is also concerned. “If women are not organized to preserve their empowerment wins, then, as soon as peace returns, it’s back to the kitchen,” she explained. “That’s how patriarchy operates.”

Yet Zainab, the baker, insists her generation of women is “woke” and different.

“I’ll tell my daughter: ‘Know your rights, love yourself, and always have your own money!’”

Content Courtesy of The New Humanitarian & NFH Digital Team

Lifestyle

New York Fashion Week Is On! A First Look at the February Schedule

February 14, 2022 Fashion PoliceLeave a comment

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The Council of Fashion Designers of America and IMG have released the official schedule for New York Fashion Week’s fall 2022 season. Taking place from February 11 to February 16, 2022, NYFW will see mainstays of American fashion like Tom Ford, Tory Burch, Coach, Proenza Schouler, Michael Kors, and Anna Sui return alongside some designers who’ve sat out of late like Area and Dion Lee, and a host of new names to know.

#NYFW: The Shows is back and the schedule is stacked! 💯 Find out when your favorite designers are showing on https://t.co/vlSN6lmrlP! pic.twitter.com/wfL73fQfnH
— NYFW (@nyfw) February 3, 2022

Steven Kolb, the chief executive of the CFDA told Vogue, “The American fashion industry has shown great resilience during this difficult time. As the Omicron variant continues to present challenges at every level, I am looking forward to seeing the ways in which designers continue to present their collections in creative, innovative ways with an eye to the safety of all fashion week stakeholders.”

The major question is whether the shows scheduled will take place in-person or digitally. The provisional schedule leaves a lot of room for designers to do things their way as precautions around the Omicron variant change, though there is a small section of digital-only brands noted on the calendar that includes names like Adam Lippes, Imitation of Christ, Sandy Liang, Theophilio, and others.

When a show does take place in-person, the CFDA and IMG are promising to monitor the COVID precautions. Kolb said, “We will be following the COVID protocols that were instated in September that call for mandatory vaccination, mask-wearing indoors, and scaling back the size of audiences. We continue to be in contact with local and state health officials as we monitor the Omicron variant.”

IRL or URL, New York is home to a new guard of thinkers, designers, and change-makers. Eckhaus Latta’s Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta have cemented themselves as NYFW mainstays with a 9 p.m. show on February 12, as has Telfar with a slot at 6 p.m. on the 16th.

Ulla Johnson giving ultra bohemian-chic on the #NYFW runway ✨ pic.twitter.com/P72Gco1ISF
— NYFW (@nyfw) February 13, 2022

Emerging talents from the spring 2022 season like Connor McKnight, Saint Sintra, and Elena Velez are back on the official calendar, joined by an In The Blk showcase. “There is a lot of great new talent on the schedule, including Dauphinette, Judy Turner, Loring, Luchen, Melke, PatBO, Saint Sintra, and Zankov,” Kolb said, highlighting the young talents on his radar.

Content Courtesy of Vogue Magazine & NFH

Lifestyle

Top 10 Most Watched Football Leagues In The World

February 10, 2022 Oscar AlochiLeave a comment

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These competitions invite the biggest crowds in the Stadiums, Online and TV viewers.

Football is arguably the most-watched sport in the world. It invites huge crowds inside the stadium and much more through live broadcasting and streaming across the globe. The sport is massively popular, as more than 200 countries play it as their major sport. Some of the biggest league competitions across the globe invite huge viewership because of the quality of players and teams in them.

Here we rank the top 10 most-watched football leagues in the world in terms of viewership in the stadium and audience watching on TV and other streaming platforms:

1. English Premier League

The English Premier League is the undisputed leader in viewership across the globe. Considered the toughest league competition in the world, it also surpasses all others in terms of financial might. Some notable clubs that play in the league like Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal FC, Chelsea FC, Liverpool FC, and Tottenham Hotspur, bring in millions of viewers every year.

The league enjoys an attendance of 38,181 people, reaches 643m viewers per game, and has a worldwide television audience of over 3.2 billion people. Manchester United has won the competition 20 times, more than any other team.

The Premier League, also known exonymously as the English Premier League or the EPL, is the top level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football League. Seasons run from August to May with each team playing 38 matches.

2. Spanish La Liga

The second most-watched league in the world is La Liga. It includes legendary clubs like Real Madrid and FC Barcelona that have traditionally dominated the competition.

The Los Blancos are the most successful club in the league’s history, winning it 34 times. Atletico Madrid is the reigning champions of the competition, which enjoyed 76m viewers per game last season.

The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, commonly known simply as Primera División in Spain, and as La Liga in English-speaking countries and officially as LaLiga Santander for sponsorship reasons, stylized as LaLiga, is the men’s top professional football division of the Spanish football league system.

3. French Ligue 1

Famously known for being imbalanced in favor of the financial might of Paris Saint-Germain, Ligue 1 is one of the most-watched football leagues in the world. However, before their takeover by rich owners, the league was a very unpredictable competition. Interestingly, AS Saint Etienne remains the most successful club with 10 league titles, followed by PSG and Olympique de Marseille, who have nine each.

LOSC Lille is the defending champions after winning it last season. The average stadium attendance is 22,484 coupled with 10.5m viewers per game, worldwide. The ratings have seen a boost since the arrival of Lionel Messi.

Ligue 1, officially known as Ligue 1 Uber Eats for sponsorship reasons, is a French professional league for men’s association football clubs. At the top of the French football league system, it is the country’s primary football competition.

4. Liga MX Apertura

The first division in Mexico is called the Liga MX Apertura and is the strongest North American football league. It bears a close resemblance to Spain and Brazil in the style of gameplay.

Club America is the record title winner with 13 trophies, while CD Cruz Azul is the defending champion of the competition. According to official figures, the average stadium attendance is 25,557 people. The TV viewership of the competition has observed a rise lately, reaching 3.7m households overall.

The Liga MX, officially known as the Liga BBVA MX for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional football division of the Mexican football league system

5. Italian Serie A

The first division of the Italian league system includes iconic clubs like AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, and more. The league enjoys 24.7k average viewers from the stadiums and reached over 2m viewers, while Cristiano Ronaldo was playing in the competition. Juventus have won the league 36 times and Inter Milan is the reigning champions of the competition.

Serie A, also called Serie A TIM for sponsorship reasons, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and the winner is awarded the Scudetto and the Coppa Campioni d’Italia.

6. Major League Soccer

Major League Soccer is the premier league competition in the United States of America. The division has 27 teams in it, divided into Eastern and Western conferences because of the size of the country.

The reigning champions are Columbus Crew, while Los Angeles Galaxy has won the competition the most (five times). Average stadium attendance currently stands at 21,310. It has had about 2m viewers per game in recent times, making it one of the most-watched football leagues in the world.

Major League Soccer is a men’s professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport’s highest level in the United States. The league comprises 28 teams 25 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada and plans to expand to 29 teams by the 2023 season.

7. German Bundesliga

The Bundesliga is one of the most-watched football leagues in the world because of its attacking gameplay. Bayern Munich has won the competition 31 times and is also enjoying a nine-year winning streak.

In addition to a global audience, the league also observes 43,458 average attendance, being one the best-supported leagues by fans. It also has an average viewership of 361,000 per game reaches over 1.7m households.

The Bundesliga is sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga or 1. Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of the German football league system, the Bundesliga is Germany’s primary football competition.

8. Brasileiro Serie A

The first division of Brazil is the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A. The league is heavily popular in Europe, as it constantly produces incredible young players. Figures like Neymar, Vinicius Jr, and more have come to Europe from the league.

Palmeiras are the most successful club because of their nine trophies and the reigning champions are Flamengo. The league has an average attendance of 43,458 and a viewership of 1.4m across the globe.

9. Dutch Eredivisie

The Eredivisie, the premier league in the Netherlands is popular for its total football philosophy and producing incredible young players.

There is an average stadium attendance of 18,010 for matches in the Dutch Eredivisie and the league also enjoys a large audience from broadcasts and recently had 1.2m viewers for the Ajax vs PSV Eindhoven clash. However, the average viewership is less due to the low popularity of the rest of the teams.

The Eredivisie is the highest level of professional football in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956, two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is considered one of the best European leagues and widely regarded as one of the better leagues in the world.

10. Chinese Super League

The Chinese Super League became a part of the global discussion after the competing clubs started offering huge contracts to attract big stars from Europe.

An average stadium attendance of 24,107 people is the highest in the whole of Asia, with more than a million viewers from across the planet. The league involves 16 teams and the reigning champions are Jiangsu Suning.

The Chinese Football Association Super League, commonly known as Chinese Super League or CSL, currently known as the China Ping An Chinese Football Association Super League for sponsorship reasons, is the highest tier of professional football in China, operating under the auspices of the Chinese Football Association

11. Portuguese Primeira Liga

The Portuguese league is considered one of the best in Europe. However, in this case, they fail to be in the top 5 because they have weak goal-scoring compared to others, An average stadium attendance is 31,738,191 people is the highest in the whole of Portugal.

The Primeira Liga, also known as Liga Portugal Bwin for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional association football division of the Portuguese football league system. It is organised and supervised by the Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional, also known as Liga Portugal

Brazilian Serie A

Brazil is home to football. So, it is not a surprise that a lot of young talented players come from this country. Most of the players go on to play for European clubs. Neymar Junior, one of the best players in the world, hails from Brazil, An average stadium attendance is 55,191 people is the highest in the whole of Brazil.

The Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, commonly referred to as Brasileirão, is a Brazilian professional league for men’s football clubs. At the top of the Brazilian football league system, it is the country’s primary football competition.

12. Argentine League

Another interesting league is the Argentine League, It is one of the oldest football leagues in the world and has produced many iconic footballers like Lionel Messi, a magician footballer referred to as the greatest of all time, Higuain, Lautaro Martinez, Aguero, Hernan Crespo, Zanetti, Cambiasso, and so on.

The league is popular among clubs in Europe for their prominence in producing top strikers, and history backs that claim through the examples already mentioned, It is quite hard to imagine the financial stability of this league, considering the fact that it has very low viewership compared to many other leagues in the world.

The league however attracts attention with its representative teams in the Copa Libertadores, including the likes of River Plate, Boca Junior, Santa Cruz, and many others, This league is however expected to be displaced by the MLS in the coming years due to its stagnated growth in the last few years.

The Primera División. The Primera División is the country’s premier football division and is the top division of the Argentine football league system. It operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Primera Nacional (Second Division), with the teams placed lowest at the end of the season being relegated.

Content Courtesy of NFH Digital Team

Lifestyle

The UK’s Largest Ever Exhibition of African Fashion is Coming to the V&A this Summer

February 10, 2022 Fashion PoliceLeave a comment

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The V&A’s landmark exhibition will be the UK’s largest of its kind and will showcase the work of 45 designers from over 20 countries.

Designers from the African diaspora are set to be showcased in the V&A’s upcoming exhibition of the continent’s fashion, which will be the UK’s largest ever.

Africa Fashion, which will showcase the work of 45 designers from over 20 countries, will celebrate the irresistible creativity, ingenuity, and unstoppable global impact of contemporary African fashions.

Over 250 objects will be exhibited, with many of the items on the show set to be donated from the personal archives of a selection of iconic mid-20th century African designers, including Shade Thomas-Fahm, Chris Seydou, Kofi Ansah, and Alphadi, marking the first time their work will be shown in a London museum.

“Our guiding principle for Africa Fashion is the foregrounding of individual African voices and perspectives,” Dr. Christine Checinska, senior curator African and African diaspora: fashion and textiles, said. “The exhibition will present African fashions as a self-defining art form that reveals the richness and diversity of African histories and cultures.”

African Fashion will also showcase and celebrate the works of contemporary designers, including Imane Ayissi and Thebe Magugu, who won the coveted LVMH prize in 2019 for emerging talent.

“African fashion is now. It’s not just designers, there’s a whole ecosystem of models, make-up artists, photographers, illustrators – imagine bringing everybody’s work to life season in season out,” says Omoyemi Akerele, founder of Lagos Fashion Week. “Fashion that’s created by our people for our people and for the benefit of growing and developing our economy.

This exhibition is important because, for the very first time, fashion from the continent will be viewed from a diverse perspective which spans centuries.”

African Fashion will open at the V&A Museum on 2 July 2022 and will run until 16 April 2023. Tickets can be booked here.

Content Courtesy of Stylist & NFH

Top 10 Black Owned Businesses

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The larger battle

Beyond the city

The male backlash

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Top 10 Black Owned Businesses