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Tuesday 30th of May 2023

Nairobi, Kenya

Beyoncé And Naomi Campbell Wear Clothing From The Senegalese Brand Tongoro.

There is a Beyoncé before and after for Sarah Diouf. Before 2020, Tongoro, which the now-36-year-old woman founded four years earlier, was growing with the measured pace of a new Senegalese label. Then, everything picked up speed with the release of Beyoncé’s musical feature film Black Is King at the end of July 2020. In the midst of pink flamingos, the American celebrity may be seen here sporting a pair of black and white pants that are labeled Tongoro.
The film, which was broadcast on Disney+ and had more than 11 million viewers in only two days, then strengthened the still-confidential brand and increased sales.

Dakar’s passion for fashion in the midst of the revolution
In the hallway of an apartment in Scat Urbam, a contemporary building in Dakar, where the designer has set up her office and her clothing workshop, the image of the queen of pop music can be seen alongside those of the American pianist and singer Alicia Keys or the British supermodel Naomi Campbell.

This is because Sarah Diouf employs clothing, fabrics, cuts, and volumes to convey the tale of her region, which is why these VIP brand ambassadors joined the company so soon. She claims that his clothes designs depict “Africa on the move” and that this is what draws her most attentive audience.

The young woman, who was living in Paris at the time, had the intuition that an African Renaissance was still in progress, but it was her contact with “Dakar the creative” that helped him improve his proposal.
full fire on craft in Dakar
The person who considers themselves to be “a child of Africa” notes, at the start of the 2010 decade, that “the craze for African fabrics allows a reappropriation of traditional cultures and encourages the emergence of contemporary designers Africans.” She was born in Paris to a Senegalese-Central African mother and a Senegalese-Congolese father and was later raised in Ivory Coast.

Though he is inspired by the fervor surrounding Africa and its exports and the enthusiasm for what the continent produces, it will take him a while to find his true calling.

By “Embodying African Pride”
She started her career as a communication specialist in 2009 with the launch of a webzine called GhubarA, which she named as a “space for the promotion of African and Arab artists in the world of art, culture, and fashion.” She holds a master’s degree in marketing and communication management from the Sorbonne in Paris. She continued in 2015 with Black, a lifestyle publication that discusses fashion and beauty in Africa. She enters the fashion industry through this back door.

One of the best shoemakers in Dakar is “Momo le Bottier”
She is gradually coming around to the notion of developing a Made in Africa brand, which she sees as a platform for the continent’s expertise.
According to Sarah Diouf, “I have long wished to embody African pride in priceless creations.”
Consequently, she is the writer and director of a narrative that promotes sub-Saharan Africa through her collections. Fashion seemed to her to be the right vehicle for this narrative, imposing itself on her like fabric.

She relocated to Dakar in 2016, when she fell in love with the city’s ubiquitous street tailors who worked nonstop to create the unique clothing that everyone ordered.

This undeveloped talent, which Sarah Diouf finds “fascinating,” is what she feeds off of and uses for her label. She immediately surrounded herself with four tailors, who in her workshop produced between one and 200 outfits every month.
She pulls out essential pieces from her closet, including dresses with long sleeves and broad shoulders and jumpsuits with wide legs. Noble pieces that respected the freedom to move and improved movement.

Sarah Diouf bases her visual identity on monochromatic prints of flowers or other patterns taken from traditional African imagery. Malick Sidibé (1936–2016) and Seydou Keta (1923–2001), two Malian portrait painters known as the “Father of African Photography,” served as inspiration for this design.
Tongoro, which translates to “star” in Sango, the language of the Central African Republic, adopted this design immediately. Sarah Diouf recently increased the chromatic spectrum of her works and the variety of items she produces at her customers’ request.

She also adds head jewelry and large earrings with highly styled contours to the colors that come to change her basic textiles. These accessories can highlight a hairdo and improve the posture of the head. According to the designer, who seeks to highlight in her clothing “the presence of a subtle Senegalese poetry of the volumes,” “the cultural mix in which I grew up infuses my brand.”

The challenge of producing locally
She wants to create attractive, well-finished clothing with Tongoro that can be worn anywhere, including America, Europe, and the Middle East. Additionally, the company that communicates in English currently generates 60% of its revenue in the United States, ahead of the United Kingdom and France, for the sake of efficiency.
Its primary markets on the continent are South Africa, where the company will soon expand, and Nigeria, far ahead of Senegal, which is developing slowly.

“The Africa World”
All Tongoro works are sold only on the company’s website thanks to Sarah Diouf’s use of her marketing expertise to develop the company’s digital business model.
Why limit yourself to physical stores, she wonders, when you can reach a larger audience of consumers online and do so across all continents? Since 2022, Tongoro has also been sold on the upscale products marketplace Net-à-porter, a distribution channel that has introduced it to a new Middle Eastern customer.
Due to the Covid-19 epidemic and the brand’s inability to produce two collections of 1,000 pieces each annually, the collaboration, which was supposed to begin in 2020, was delayed for two years.

In Senegal, increasing output continues to be difficult. Similar to other fashion designers in the nation, Sarah Diouf had to mentor her tailors in patronage. She intends to establish a bigger clothes unit in Senegal in order to obtain autonomy and boost production to 500 pieces per month. She is also establishing a collaboration with a Senegalese textile business that already employs 100 tailors.
“There is no fashion industry here due to a lack of formalization of the sector, but rather an ecosystem to which we must adapt,” she laments, regretful for this unrealized potential. Sarah Diouf, however, is determined to persevere and believes that other artists will be motivated by her story.

Content courtesy of  Globe Echo & NFH

 

 

The Top 10 Celebrities Who Rocked The Red Carpet’s Best Outfits At The 2023 Met Gala

This year’s theme, “In honor of Karl,” pays homage to the life and career of Karl Lagerfeld, the formidable and frequently contentious designer who transformed some of fashion’s most illustrious houses. In contrast to last year’s theme, which leaned into the opulence of the Gilded Era. When Lagerfeld passed away in 2019 at the age of 85, he was still in charge of Chanel and Fendi, where he headed design for more than 50 years, as well as his own namesake label.
During the decades he worked as a creative director, Lagerfeld became identified with Chanel.

Penélope Cruz, who made her Chanel runway debut shortly after Lagerfeld’s passing, Dua Lipa, Michaela Coel, Roger Federer, and Penélope Cruz are the co-chairs of this year’s event alongside Vogue’s global editorial director Anna Wintour.

The first Monday in May of 2023 was the date of the Met Gala. At the event honoring the late, great Karl Lagerfeld, celebrities paid homage to the designer in a variety of ways. Some wore vintage pieces created by the man himself, while others wore pieces inspired by his aesthetic as rival fashion houses reinterpreted some of his most well-known pieces.

There were many monochromatic outfits on the red carpet, with black and white dominating. We also saw numerous references to the camellia, loads of pearls, a hint of tweed, and hundreds upon thousands of crystal embellishments.

1.  Naomi Campbell in vintage Chanel
The night called for a little vintage Chanel, and Naomi Campbell, along with many other Nineties supermodels, gave Karl Lagerfeld a wink by going out in one of his designs. She selected a sophisticated, exquisite pink satin dress from Chanel’s spring/summer 2010 couture line with embellished accents.

2. Anok Yai in Prabal Gurung
One of the night’s best outfits came from Anok Yai and Prabal Gurung, who played with tulle, crystals, and the most beautiful silhouette. She accessorized her tiny dress with edgy sunglasses and silky opera gloves that reached her elbows.

3. Michaela Coel in Schiaparelli
Michaela Coel had a huge night because she was one of the hosts of the event. Because of this, she needed to look amazing on the red carpet, which she most surely did. For the occasion, the actress and director wore a Schiaparelli gown embellished with 130,000 crystals.

4. Rihanna in Valentino haute couture
Rihanna consistently ranks among the Met Gala attendees with the best outfits, and she did not let us down in 2023. The singer went for a stunning white haute couture ballgown by Valentino that came with a flowery headpiece that referred to the Camellia, the emblematic Chanel flower.

5. Lily Collins wearing Vera Wang
We also had the chance to witness how different designers interpreted Karl Lagerfeld’s creations, and we particularly liked Vera Wang’s interpretation. Actress Lily Collins donned a beautiful Karl Lagerfeld dress, which had a white bodice and a flowing black skirt with the word “Karl” embroidered on the train.

6. Nicole Kidman in vintage Chanel
The Met Gala is about more than simply looking amazing; it’s also about using your ensemble to tell a story, and Nicole Kidman may have had the best one of the evening.
The actress wore the same Chanel couture dress that she had debuted in 2004 for the renowned Baz Luhrmann-directed Chanel No. 5 fragrance commercial.

7. Camilla Morrone in Rodarte
On the Met Gala red carpet, there were many monochrome outfits, but one of our favorites was actress Camilla Morrone’s stunning Rodarte dress. The dress had a dramatic train and cape element, and it was constructed of white lace and black velvet. In a very Rodarte sense, it brilliantly nods to Lagerfeld’s aesthetic.

8. Anne Hathaway in Versace
It’s always wonderful to watch fashion houses show respect to one another, and this topic provided many examples. The outfit worn by Anne Hathaway, which was the ideal mash-up of Versace and Chanel, was one of our favorite interpretations of this.
The actress donned a floor-length, tweed gown with safety pins by Versace that was made in one color.

9. Lily Aldridge in Oscar de la Renta
Lily Aldridge consistently pulls off easy chic. Her 2023 Met Gala ensemble reflected exactly that, with Oscar de la Renta designers adding their own flair to Karl Lagerfeld’s creations. The pink train and eye-catching shoulder bows on the black gown stood out.

10. Allison Williams in Patou
Allison Williams chose to wear a Patou creation as a reference to some of Karl’s earlier moments.
She accessorized the dramatic and elegant bright orange satin dress with black opera gloves and a complementary hairband. It had a large bow on the shoulder and a statement belt.

Content courtesy of  Harpers Bazaar & NFH

 

Regi Reveals Stunning Chic Collection ‘Rebirth” With Eye-catching Photos!

Following the release of a sneak preview of their current collection to commemorate the brand’s rebirth, Nigerian womenswear label Regi has released more gorgeous images of the collection dubbed Rebirth.

“Rebirth can also mean; Renaissance, the emergence of something new, an awakening, a new era,” says designer Olufisayo Dayo-Oyelakin. Just a few words to express the emotion and creativity that goes into creating these ageless, adaptable, useful, and spontaneous creations. All of which are undeniably energizing, energizing, and stunningly appealing.

These pieces offer a preview of what the rebirth collection will include. Trust that it will be the perfect wardrobe refresh.”

The exquisitely crafted outfits have remarkable designs ranging from floral print corset tops with tie-back designs to rare but magnificent skirts to match. They are also available in a variety of colors.
REGI RTW’s latest fashion products are suitable for everyday wear and are ideal for women who value simplicity and comfort.

Content Courtesy of Designer: Rebirth by Regi & NFH

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nairobi Brings Fashion and Art Together: Nairobi Fashion Week And Chez Sonia Collaborate To Host A One-of-a-kind Afternoon Event On April 21st.

On April 21st, 2023, Nairobi Fashion Week sponsored a one-of-a-kind afternoon event that blended the worlds of fashion and art while presenting the “JUST fashion” campaign at Chez Sonia.
This event promised to be a feast for the senses and delivered, with spectacular visual art displays from Little Art Gallery, live music, and a fashion show featuring five selected designers, Deepa Dosaja, Inna Design, Kenya Nashipai Leather, Normand Ayats, and Maisha.

Nisria brought together outstanding artists and designers to create an extraordinary day of creativity and beauty.

The event also included a panel discussion on sustainable fashion moderated by media personality Yvonne Ndege, with Katrin Aidnell, the Regional Environment and Climate Change Specialist, Betterman Simidi, the General Manager of Africa Collect Textiles, and Deepa Dosaja, a pioneer in a sustainable fashion.
The conversation centered on the necessity for a fair and environmentally friendly transformation of the country’s fashion industry.

The Nairobi Fashion Week campaign “JUST fashion,” the ultimate aim of which is to support the country’s fashion sector in its JUST, i.e. environmentally sustainable and socially equitable, transition feature’s four advocacy and promotional areas throughout 2023,

focused on Just transition, sustainable fashion, and the protection of the Nairobi National Park.

Credits:
Video by Valde
Photography by: Levi King

Content courtesy of Nairobi Fashion Week & NFH

 

 

 

African Fashion International (AFI) Returns With 15 Iconic Designers

After a two-year absence due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the African Fashion International (AFI) successfully returned to Cape Town last week.
Among the 15 legendary designers that participated in the three-day event were Gavin Rajah, Kluk CGdT, Taibo Bacar, Loin Cloth & Ashes, Habits, MaXhosa Africa, Craig Port, Matt Nolim, Stefania Morland, Shana Morland, Imprint ZA, Hugo Fleur, Kat van Duinen, David Tlale, and Scalo.

The fashion and retail exhibition gave visitors the chance to not only see the clothes that had just come off the catwalk but also to talk to the designers about them.

The Mother City’s legendary ensemble Temple Boys appeared in a variety of performances for the guests. DJ Zinhle and Young Stunna, two luminaries in the industry, also delighted the audience.

The founder and executive chair of AFI, Precious Moloi-Motsepe, stated that the CTFW (Cape Town Fashion Week) is AFI’s platform for presenting Africa’s creative works while also creating avenues of trade interchange that would increase the industry’s economic value.

“The CTFW provides a chance for African designers to network with people in the global market as well as to promote their work. This is viewed as a means of increasing the economic worth of the sector, according to Moloi-Motsepe.

The AFI also revealed the names of the AFI Fastrack 2023 finalists, who will spend a year being mentored and receiving instruction on how to make a difference in the African fashion sector and develop into astute businesspeople.

African Fashion International is happy to report that Cape Town Fashion Week was a huge success, in large part because of the incredible talent and ingenuity of the participating designers.

Over the course of three days, there were 18 shows by 9 designers, making it a true celebration of the best African design talent.

The fact that so many people showed up after a two-year break showed that Cape Town Fashion Week was missed. The addition of the CTFW Fashion & Retail Expo gave visitors the opportunity to connect with the designers and view the clothes as they were still being worn off the catwalk.

The CTFW also provided a venue for presenting African artists’ works while fostering commercial routes. The CTFW Fashion & Retail, Music, and Art Expo featured a variety of expo stallholders, all of which profited from participating.

According to businesswoman Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe, the executive chair and founder of AFI, “Cape Town Fashion Week is AFI’s platform for displaying Africa’s creative works while also developing corridors of trade interchange that will grow the industry’s economic worth.”

“CTFW provides a chance for African designers to network with people in the global market in addition to showcasing their work. This is thought to increase the economic value of the sector.

During CTFW, the Cape Town Temple Boys, DJ Zinhle, Young Stunna, and Scorpion Kings all gave fantastic performances for the audience.

A unique exhibition honoring 15 years of African Fashion International marked the conclusion of CTFW. 15 show-stopping outfits from 15 renowned designers who have been a part of the AFI platform since its start were included in this presentation. It was a celebration of both AFI’s work as a platform for outstanding Pan-African designers as well as its function as a catalyst in the global fashion industry.

Gavin Rajah, Kluk CGdT, Taibo Bacar, Habits, MaXhosa Africa, Craig Port, Matt Nolim, Stefania Morland, Shana Morland, Imprint ZA, Hugo Fleur, Kat van Duinen, David Tlale, and Scalo were among the performers on the program.

During CTFW, AFI also revealed the AFI Fastrack 2023, finalists. They will receive mentorship for a whole year, receiving instruction on how to become successful business people and designers who will have an impact on the African fashion sector.

Everything of the clothing displayed at CTFW is retail-ready and is offered at the House of Nala store in Sandton City as well as the AFI Online Store.

About African Fashion International (AFI)
In the past 15 years, AFI has been successful in bridging the gap between African fashion and international markets, launching and elevating designers to status on a global scale.
The goal of AFI is to create the finest business environment and platform for trade in African fashion and brands. Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe, an entrepreneur and philanthropist who started AFI, was inspired to work with various talents on the continent by her love of African ingenuity, craftsmanship, and culture.

AFI is regarded as a ground-breaking platform that develops, finances, and supports the best African creative talent. Customers that value custom African luxury and craftsmanship, both domestic and foreign, are the target market for our goods and services.

We help international customers find distinctive, top-notch African luxury goods from established and up-and-coming designers. The best place to find information and news about the fashion business is AFI.

We can provide Events as a Service in lovely physical and virtual places thanks to our extensive talent and expertise in producing stylish events and curated lifestyle experiences.

Content courtesy of  African Fashion International (AFI), Sunday World, MENAFN- EIN Presswire & NFH

 

 

A Landmark Exhibition Celebrating The Global Influence Of Modern And Contemporary African Fashions Is Being Presented By The Brooklyn Museum Under The Title Africa Fashion.

The show, which makes its North American debut in Brooklyn, includes over 180 pieces, including apparel and jewelry from the Museum’s Arts of Africa collection as well as works in music, film, visual art, and photography.

On view June 23–October 22, 2023
Africa Fashion is the largest-ever exposition on this topic in North America, honoring the exceptional originality, ingenuity, and worldwide impact of African clothing from the beginning of the independence era to the present. The exhibition highlights how fashion, along with the visual arts and music, played a crucial role in Africa’s cultural renaissance during its liberation years and how those elements laid the foundation for today’s fashion revolution through pieces by renowned designers and artists from the middle of the twentieth century to the present.

The show is run by the V&A, and Ernestine White-Mifetu, Sills Foundation Curator of African Art, and Annissa Malvoisin, Bard Graduate Center / Brooklyn Museum Postdoctoral Fellow in the Arts of Africa, have adapted it for the Brooklyn Museum.
Arts of Africa, Photography, Arts of the Islamic World, Modern Art, and Egyptian, Classical, and Ancient Near Eastern Art are a few of the Museum’s collections that are included in the Brooklyn exhibition.
Brooklyn offers the ideal setting for examining the diversity and depth of the different histories and cultures on the continent.
It is home to one of the nation’s most vibrant African diasporic groups.

“Fashion is a fantastic creative statement that is multi-dimensional. This is captured by African Fashion in stunningly vivid and intertwining ways. To create a rich sensory experience, music, art, cultural identity, and material culture are highlighted, according to Malvoisin.

The exhibition’s immersive exhibits of apparel, textiles, photos, writings, sketches, music, films, and catwalk footage are arranged thematically. Twenty different African countries are represented by more than forty designers and artisans, many of whose creations are on display for the first time in the country. The exhibition features clothing created by mid-twentieth-century designers as well as pieces created by a current generation of African fashion designers, collectives, and photographers.

Africa Fashion starts during the post-independence period, which lasted from the 1950s through the 1990s. At this time, the continent saw a significant political, social, and cultural shift. Pan-Africanism flourished, fostering a shared sense of identity that was centered on fashion and creative expression. In the Cultural Renaissance section, ephemera like protest signs, old magazine covers, and well-known album covers are used to illustrate this period of tremendous change.
Visitors can learn about how the creation and wearing of Indigenous fabric evolved into a calculated political act by visiting Politics and Poetics of Cloth.
Wax prints, commemorative cloth, àdr, kente cloth, and bglanfini are displayed among textiles from the Museum’s Arts of Africa collection.

The Vanguard section features the first generation of African designers to receive widespread recognition.
For the first time in the country, mid-to late-20th century works by Kofi Ansah (Ghana), Naima Bennis (Morocco), Shade Thomas-Fahm (Nigeria), Chris Seydou (Mali), and Alphadi (Niger) are exhibited combined with a vibrant display of fashion photographs from the time.

The images in Catching Change cover the years leading up to independence and show the emergence of a sense of action and African-American pride. Photographs shot in homes and studios increased in number as photography became more widely available.

Its expansion is demonstrated by studio portraits created by Mali artists Seydou Keta and Malick Sidibé, as well as by James Barnor’s (Ghana) fashion photography, family photos, and other works from the Museum’s collection.
Users are encouraged to interact with the content directly by contributing their own individual and family photos that reflect the fashions of pre-independence Africa. The diasporic community will become a crucial component of the presentation thanks to these contributions of self-fashioning.
Through samples of couture and ready-to-wear clothing, embellishment, and creative projects, the section Cutting Edge highlights a new generation of fashion designers and creatives.

Structured around concepts such as “Afrotopia,” “Artisanal,” “Co-creation,” “Provocation,” “Minimalist,” and “Mixologist,” this area shows designs by dozens of current artists and collectives whose trailblazing collections hark back to their rich and specific cultural history. For instance, the Alchemy collection by South African designer Thebe Magugu and stylist and healer Noentla Khumalo focuses on African spirituality and connections to ancestors. By incorporating “feminine” textiles and hues into menswear, Nigerian designer Adebayo Oke-Lawal and his label Orange Culture challenge conventional ideas of masculinity.

The self-portraits of Gouled Ahmed (Djibouti), a costume designer, stylist, and photographer, continue this discussion. Ahmed’s artistic expression also challenges conventional cultural gender conventions, particularly the underrepresentation of nonbinary Black Muslims.

Lafalaise Dion (Côte d’Ivoire) explores the cowrie shell’s history as a symbol of wealth, success, and fertility as well as its modern use as a piece of jewelry.
The artwork A Conversation between Cultures, created especially for Africa Fashion by Moroccan designer Maison ARTC, features the hand of Fatima (hamsa), a lucky symbol.

Through the Photographer’s Vision emphasizes how modern photography and cinema can support creative communities, provide unrepresented artists a platform, and investigate a new African identity. Contemporary photographers like Stephen Tayo (Nigeria), Sarah Waiswa (Uganda), and Victoire Douniama are collection pieces by South African photographers Zanele Muholi and Omar Victor Diop (Republic of the Congo).

Global Africa serves as the exhibition’s climax. This section highlights the global significance of African innovation by examining how the internet era has expedited the growth of Africa’s fashion sector and influence.

Exhibition Catalogue

A specific exhibition catalog produced by V&A Publishing is available to accompany the display. Omoyemi Akerele, Amine Bendriouich, Gus Casely-Hayford, Sunny Dolat, Bonnie Greer, Monica L. Miller, Elisabeth Murray, Njoki Ngumi, Hadeel Osman, and Roslyn A.
Walker contributed to the catalog, which was edited by Christine Checinska. Anne Pasternak, Shelby White, and Leon Levy Director, Brooklyn Museum wrote a new foreword.

Exposition Store

Africa Fashion will make advantage of a collaboration with ALRA, a premium lifestyle concept store located in Lagos, thanks to the efforts of Rachel Shechtman, the Brooklyn Museum’s Entrepreneur in Residence, to create a special exhibition shop experience. ALRA, which was established in 2015 by Reni Folawiyo and created by architect Sir David Adjaye, combines fashion, design, food, and culture.
ALRA, which was established in 2015 by Reni Folawiyo and created by architect Sir David Adjaye, combines fashion, design, food, and culture.
Folawiyo will select the designs for the exhibition shop for Africa Fashion, which will be ALRA’s first international outing.
Over the duration of the exhibition, special merchandise including products by designers featured in Africa Fashion as well as alternating trunk presentations and programs will enhance the shopping experience.

The Brooklyn Museum Store will sell products from Brooklyn, including but not limited to children’s toys, housewares, jewelry, and books, in addition to spotlighting brands and designers from Africa.

Ticketing Details
On April 18, 2023, timed tickets for Africa Fashion to go on sale. Starting on April 11, 2023, Museum Members can reserve their complimentary tickets.
Visit www.brooklynmuseum.org/join or send an email to membership@brooklynmuseum.org to join.

The cost of a ticket is as follows:

Adults pay $20 from Wednesday to Friday; seniors pay $13, students pay $13, visitors with disabilities pay $13, and kids pay $8.
Adults pay $25 on Saturday and Sunday, seniors pay $17, students pay $17, visitors with disabilities pay $17, and kids pay $10.

Exhibition Credit
The Sills Foundation Curator of African Art Ernestine White-Mifetu and Annissa Malvoisin, Bard Graduate Center / Brooklyn Museum Postdoctoral Fellow in the Arts of Africa, along with Catherine Futter, Director of Curatorial Affairs and Senior Curator of Decorative Arts, and Matthew Yokobosky, Senior Curator of Fashion and Material Culture, are responsible for organizing the Brooklyn Museum presentation of Africa Fashion.

Developed by the V&A and traveling the globe
Sponsor in chief: Bank of America.
Substantial assistance from AL-RA.

Content courtesy of The City Life Org & NFH

 

 

 

Fast-Fashion Giant Shein Is Under Investigation in South Africa for Import Procedures

Textile workers and business associations claim Shein sends items in small packets to avoid paying import taxes.
After allegations from the regional textile union and industry organization that the fast-fashion retailer Shein may be abusing tax breaks to obtain an unfair edge in Africa’s most advanced economy, the South African government announced on Monday that it is looking into the matter.

A representative for the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition declined to offer information on the probe, but he said that it was begun in response to concerns voiced by labor and business groups.

The allegations made by the South African organizations are similar to those made by American unions and manufacturers who assert that Shein and other Chinese shops are abusing a provision in American customs law that exempts them from paying duties on imports.
The investigation into Shein’s import tactics hasn’t been officially confirmed by the government until the South African investigation.
tightly held Shein, which was established in China but is now headquartered in Singapore, has grown to be one of the biggest online fashion retailers in the world by sending ultra-cheap goods from China directly to customers in more than 150 different countries. On Shein’s website, you can buy some gowns for less than $5 and women’s tops for as little as $2.

The National Clothing Retail Federation of South Africa and the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union assert that Shein purposefully distributes its items in small packages of lower value to avoid paying import tariffs.
These taxes are in place to aid local businesses in competing with low-cost imports.
According to import records, the corporation appears to be taking advantage of a gap that was actually designed for individual consumers, according to Etienne Vlok, national industrial policy officer for the union. You don’t have to pay the same taxes as someone importing tens of thousands of clothes if your import is below a particular value threshold.

According to Mr. Vlok, Shein may be paying as little as 10% to 20% in taxes, which the South African government typically levies on imported apparel.

If that’s the case, we should consider a solution to close that gap, he said. “Shein doesn’t seem to be playing by the rules others are playing by,” says the author.

A representative for Shein stated that the business is dedicated to abiding by local rules and regulations of the markets in which it operates.

Similar worries about a regulation known as the de minimis rule have been voiced by organizations in the US, such as the Alliance for a Prosperous America, which is made up of US manufacturers and labor organizations. Companies are currently using this rule, which permits American travelers to carry duty-free items back from abroad, to avoid paying billions of dollars in tariffs.

As long as products are packaged, targeted to specific purchasers, and cost less than $800, the rule permits American stores that sell Chinese imports and Chinese businesses that sell straight to American consumers to escape tariffs.

The fact that Shein has very, extremely aggressive low price points is somewhat of a global phenomenon, according to Michael Lawrence, executive director of the National Apparel Retail Federation of South Africa.
“My membership is not the only one attempting to figure out how much aggressively low pricing points are possible.”

Content courtesy of The Wall Street Journal & NFH 

 

Fashion Super Model: Naomi Campbell Knows What She Wants

The world has been attempting to describe her for three decades.
The supermodel and campaigner, though, would rather handle things on her own terms.
Naomi Campbell’s origin story plays a significant role in the mythos around her as a supermodel, activist, fashion star, and occasionally hothead.
I’ll reiterate what you likely already know: Campbell, a 15-year-old schoolgirl from the relatively nondescript streets of London’s Streatham area, was discovered by a model scout while window-shopping in the city’s West End.
It’s a very different narrative from how today’s most successful models appear to be found either via Instagram scouting or being thrust to the head of the line because of their well-known parents.

Together with Kate Moss, another ’90s icon (and close friend), Campbell is to blame for inspiring a generation of British teenage girls to try their hardest to appear “modely” as we browsed the expansive Topshop on Oxford Street in the hopes that we too might be “spotted” while out on a Saturday afternoon.

Campbell’s background gives the impression that a fortuitous encounter is what altered the course of her life as if hers is some type of “right place, right time” Cinderella tale. Then, however, as you’re seated next to her in a hotel suite in a secretive part of Europe, you realize that with a face like hers—those imposing cheekbones reaching upward as though in homage to the celestial entities that must have played a role—there must have been some sort of celestial influence.

Naomi Campbell was destined to become renowned because of how they were made and those full, proportionate lips.
“I’ve been requested to write a book by virtually everyone,” she tells me, sinking into a sofa.
The thought of a Campbell memoir is tantalizing one wonders what her perspective of the countless tabloid headlines that have been published about her would be but so far she’s held off. “It’s time-consuming,” she argues, and anyhow, she doesn’t want to use a ghostwriter. She prefers to tell her own story.

Campbell epitomizes Old Hollywood; she exudes the confidence of someone who has experienced pre-2000 stardom, or legitimate popularity.

She does not engage in the calculated humility or relatability politics that seem to be the norm among today’s rising stars. She constantly mentions the incredibly well-known celebrities and fashion designers she counts among her close pals, and her Instagram is covered in glitz and jet-setting.

She has managed to hang on to her position as the hot spot of fashion for more than three decades, and she will go down in the annals of the business. So of course I agree to quit everything the day after Christmas and board a plane in exchange for just one hour of her time.

Despite her haughtiness, Campbell can also be extremely girlish at times, such as when we sneak outside to her hotel room’s terrace so she may smoke a cigarette. She tells me in a slightly conspiratorial manner, “I’m going to resign on New Year’s Eve.”

Her recent travels included flights from Milan to Miami, Miami to London, London to Egypt (where she sat front row at a Dior menswear show), back to London for the British Fashion Awards, and then on to the Senegalese city of Dakar to see Chanel’s first-ever catwalk show in sub-Saharan Africa.

Saudi Arabia then travels to London. from London to New York. Get back to London.
She will soon travel to the Middle East once again before returning to Senegal for a vacation.

She still puts forth a lot of effort, I wonder why. Most of her countrymen had long since retired, occasionally resurfacing for a legacy campaign but, for the most part, appearing glad to slow down. Campbell, in comparison, is still as booked and active as she was during her heyday in the 1990s; just this past year, she fronted advertisements for Balmain, Hugo Boss, and Pat McGrath Labs. What possible new peaks could she possibly climb?

“I just like what I do,” Campbell claims. “I consider myself fortunate to have the freedom to decide what I do at this stage in my life. And it’s a blessing that I still have access to so many wonderful chances. Why not then?
She goes on to say, “I have nothing to prove. I enjoy doing it, so. Although my work is challenging, I enjoy it.
The fact that you enjoy what you do is crucial. I still find enjoyment in what I do.
For quite some time, that effort has not only involved modeling.

Now, a large portion of Campbell’s time is devoted to activism, philanthropy, and cultural ambassadorship, frequently through Fashion for Relief, the nonprofit organization she established in 2005 to support Hurricane Katrina victims and which has since raised more than $15 million charitable causes around the world.

She introduced Emerge in October with a star-studded gala and fashion show in Qatar, an effort aimed at finding and nurturing the following generation of creative talent from emerging communities around the world. In layman’s words, that refers to internships, coaching, and skill development in the creative industries, which include tech, art, entertainment, and fashion in addition to fashion.

The number of young models Campbell has taken under her wing is another indication of her commitment to supporting the next generation of fashion creatives.
Adut Akech, a doll-faced 23-year-old model from South Sudan who is currently one of the most in-demand faces in the business, is one of those people.

This is large because of Campbell’s backing for her career.

“You know how a mother takes care of her child? I always feel comfortable when I’m around her,” adds Akech. “She’s like a comforter. I feel like I have another mother figure who is raising me even though I’m so far away from my original mother. On the set of Tim Walker’s Alice in Wonderland-themed Pirelli Calendar photo shoot, which famously included an all-Black ensemble, Akech first met Campbell in 2017. That was a “fangirl moment,” according to Akech, “but I was like, ‘Don’t be strange.’ ” A few months later, when she moved to New York City by herself, she contacted Campbell because she had given her phone number. She treats me the same way she would treat her own daughter, says Akech

“She always makes sure I get into my car safely whenever I hang out with her. As soon as you get home, text me. If I don’t SMS her, she won’t go to sleep.
Mothering can be done in a variety of ways. When I bring up the subject, Campbell replies, “I mother a lot of people. She claims that her desire to be one has always been clear. “Always.”

Campbell announced the birth of her daughter in May 2021. It didn’t matter when she claims. “Everyone’s life develops in a unique way. And it’s about who, and it’s a crucial question because you need to be certain that you’re doing that with the appropriate person.

For the rest of your life, you are linked. She takes a momentary pause that seems to last much longer. “For that reason, I decided to go it alone.”
Yet starting out as a single parent at 50 is a big commitment. Was she not afraid of the possibility?
“No.”
In no way?
“No, no.” After some time, she changes her mind. “Yes, I suppose I might be anxious in the sense of wondering if I’m doing everything correctly. Yet, you follow the flow.
The actress Cameron Diaz (or “Cammie,” as Campbell calls her), who Campbell now consults for parenting guidance, was one of the few individuals Campbell told about her plans to have a kid.

She’s someone I’ve known for a very long time, and I genuinely respect and love her. When I told her, she just said, “Alright,” She’s just a solid, trustworthy friend.

Nevertheless, Campbell is hesitant to talk much about parenting because she doesn’t want it to become the focal point of her public persona—a sentiment that many women who become mothers would understand.

The sun is starting to set while we are still outside on the terrace, where we have moved permanently from the hotel room. It is an impossibly lovely scene, perched high on a hill and looking down at the dazzling lights of a nearby town. In light of this, Campbell relaxes.

Though Campbell frequently describes herself as a “global citizen,” it is obvious that this is the region of the world that genuinely has captured her heart. In the coming days, she will travel to Senegal for a holiday. “I immediately sense the absence of racism as soon as I land in Africa. So that’s a big tick off the box,” she says, noting the psychological weight that is lifted when one can simply blend in with their skin folk and not have to worry about the possibility of a racial microaggression (as much as someone as famous as her can ever truly blend in).

Campbell speaks wistfully of Kenya, her home country, and its breathtaking natural beauty.

She talks eloquently about Senegalese dishes like thieboudienne and yassa as she says, “I’m just happy that people are finally understanding how beautiful the African continent is.
(Sensing a chance, I attempt to prod her into choosing a side in the “jollof wars,” a jocular competition between diasporic Ghanaians and Nigerians over which country makes the best jollof rice, but she politely avoids my attempts to coax her to join Team Nigeria.
I won’t be participating.

Content courtesy of  Hapers Bazaar & NFH

 

 

 

 

African Fashion: In A Double Performance, Kaijuka Abbas Conquers West Africa.

In a double performance, Kaijuka Abbas conquers West Africa.

Without a doubt, it is his universe, and the rest of us are likely gliding through it in a fog. The Ugandan designer keeps expanding his empire internationally. His most recent achievement was in West Africa, where he presented a collection of distinctive items at the Nook International Fashion Weekend in Nigeria last month.

An all-female collection featuring vibrant colors and edgy silhouettes was displayed by the designer who is known for these distinctive and audacious items that push the limits of fashion.
The designer’s heart and work were evident throughout the feminine collection.

For day two, the award-winning designer showed yet another spectacular collection, a celebration of masculinity, with the designs being bold, edgy, and style approved.

The second stop on his West African showcase tour took him to Lome, Togo, where he unveiled a range of clothing with a flamingo-hued monotone at the FIMO228.
The goal with these collections, according to Abbas in a statement following the display, was to celebrate life and bring that atmosphere to the Nook International Fashion Weekend and FIMO228.

“I wanted to demonstrate to the world the boldness, originality, and bravery of Ugandan fashion. And I think that with this collection, we achieved that goal. I could not be more pleased with my team, and I am eager to see where the Kai’s Divo Collection Brand will go in the future,” he said.

Content courtesy of Kai’s Divo Collection, Haguma Gloria & NFH

 

 

RHON: The Real Housewives Of Nairobi

Nairobi, Kenya will host the first season of the “Real Housewives” franchise, which will feature five of the richest women in the nation.
After successful runs in Durban, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Lagos, and Abuja, The Real Housewives will finally make its way to East Africa. The Real Housewives of Nairobi, which premieres on Showmax on February 23, may have struck reality TV gold by expanding the show to further African nations and ensuring continuity with more seasons.

Fans can anticipate a never-ending amount of drama every Thursday when Real Housewives of Nairobi premieres soon.

The reality television program will follow the opulent lives of five Kenyan women who work in the media, entertainment, and entrepreneurship, orchestrating their own dynamics while taking note of the thread and cues that have come to make the program a subject of obsessive viewing.

The Real Housewives franchise, which has been licensed as a format by NBCUniversal Formats, is represented by this East African edition, which is produced by D&R Studios. Find out which cast members will surely hold our interest for several weeks.

1. Susan Kaittany

Being no stranger to the spotlight, Kaittany originally gained notoriety as a teen model and was named Miss Earth Kenya in 2004. She was able to participate in the Miss Earth pageant in the Philippines with competitors from all over the world because of the title.

She gave up her legal career to pursue a career in hospitality due to her intense enthusiasm for fashion and beauty.

Kaittany has established herself as one of Kenya’s leading beauty entrepreneurs and a socialite by founding Posh Palace, a multimillion-dollar beauty empire including hair salons and spas in Nairobi. Her preference for bold haircuts makes Real Housewives of Nairobi’s arrival suggestive of rich visuals. She also keeps up with runway trends by strutting for Kenyan apparel label Aulgah Nato’s most recent collection.

2. Vera Sidika

Vera Sidika is unquestionably the person the Real Housewives of Nairobi need on the show. Sidika is one of Kenya’s most well-known celebrities, and she enjoys stirring up a ruckus with her viewpoints, which has gotten her included on gossip blogs and in entertainment publications. She gained notoriety the previous year when she had to have her butt implants removed owing to health issues, and she encouraged young girls to value their natural bodies.

The 33-year-old originally gained public attention as a video vixen, despite having a big social media following in Kenya. In 2015, she made her reality television debut when she appeared on the show Nairobi Diaries, which also included celebrities and socialites.

She started her herbal slimming tea Veetox in 2017 and opened a beauty salon in Mombasa the following year as a successful businesswoman.
Sidika, who is married to the singer Brown Mauzo, has a daughter and is expecting a second child.

3. Sonal Maherali

A mother of four, Sonal Mahreali has established herself as one of Kenya’s top luxury vloggers. In 2016, she started a YouTube channel where she posts films on shoes, luxury travel, lifestyle, fashion, and a variety of other topics.
Sonal has a fixation with designer, expensive shoes, as needs to be reiterated. Even though she is composed and soft-spoken, she has admitted that for Real Housewives of Nairobi, she is able to break character when necessary.
Maherali is wed to Aly Maherali, the president and chief executive officer of Executive Healthcare Solutions (EHS), the company that represents Aetna International in Africa.
Simba Maharani is a collection of designer shoes and clothing owned by Maherali.

4. Minne Kariuki

Minne Kariuki’s arrival on Real Housewives of Nairobi won’t come as a surprise to those who remember her as Mariah from the Single Kiasi episode on Showmax.
Her on-screen persona features every Real Housewives tonal beat, including residing in an upscale condo, enjoying champagne, and taking private jets to opulent locations. She will, most importantly, bring snark and sassiness to Kenya’s Real Housewives.

Kariuki, the youngest actor on the cast, is married to musician Charles Miugai, aka Lugz Kenya, and they have two daughters together.

5. Lisa Christoffersen

Lisa Christoffersen, a successful businesswoman from Denmark with ties to Tanzania, works at the nexus of selected luxury safari experiences and interior design.

Christoffersen is the creator of Lioness Rally, the first women-only rally team in Kenya, and Lifestyle Nairobi, an artisanal venue with an art gallery, restaurants, spa, organic stores, and fashion boutiques in Nairobi’s diplomatic district of Gigiri.

Content Courtesy of Showmax & NFH 

 

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