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Tag: Fashion

Kenneth Ize Wins ARISE Fashion Week ’30 Under 30′ $100,000 Star Prize

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

After two days of fierce competition on the grandest runway in Africa, ARISE Fashion Week, Kenneth Ize has emerged winner of the 30 Under 30 competition.

The emotional winner found himself grasping for words as Naomi Campbell announced him winner of the event that kicked off on Thursday, December 10.

Ize is rewarded with a $100,000 cash prize while runners-up Ré Lagos and South African Mmuso Maxwell receive $75,000 and $50,000 respectively.

The three winners emerged from a pool of eight designers which included Lagos Space Programme, Ziva Lagos, TJWho, Onalaja and Ajabeng.

Known for his use of hand-woven West African textiles and vibrant colours, Ize’s collection boasts colorful striped jackets, tailored suits worn over tights as well as a knitted hat. With the win, the 30-year-old designer continues to expand his growing fame. He was LVMH Prize 2019 finalist.

The finale brought to a close the 2020 Arise Fashion Week which defied the odds of the pandemic and held virtually for the first time.

The theme of this year’s event was ’30 Under 30: The New Stars’ where 30 designers were selected to participate in the competition. It also featured Campbell and Alton Mason modelling for designers like Mmuso Maxwell, Bloke, Tzar Studios, Lagos Space Programme and Colrs

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This year’s event marked the first time the award is attaching a monetary reward to its ceremony and also the first time the focus is solely on young designers.

“We need a breath of fresh air. We need younger people to get into this space, and be given the accreditation they certainly deserve,” noted Ruth Osime, co-producer of ARISE Fashion Week.

She added that the monetary reward is a way of supporting young fashion entrepreneurs.

“We’re looking forward to launching a brand new designer that will also be making waves internationally,” said Osime. “It’s not just enough for us to be known only in Nigeria. One of the ways to be successful is to spread your tentacles across the world.”

Saturday night’s event marked the end of what could be best described as a celebration of African creativity and culture. For the two days, the live shows were held, young designers pushed the boundaries of creativity, showcasing layers of innovation deeply rooted in African tradition.

Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, who graced the occasion acknowledged the potential of the Nigerian fashion industry during his speech.

Emefiele reiterated the commitment of the apex bank and the Bankers Committee to growing the fashion industry, stating that “We are fully aware that the fashion industry in Nigeria can provide a positive and beneficial growth path for young Nigerians who seek to utilise their talents in creating products and services that offer value at home. And indeed, abroad.

We will continue to ensure that these skills are harnessed to support the growth of the Nigerian economy, and also support the growth, the businesses of the Nigerian youth entrepreneurs.”

Usually held in the early part of the year, this year’s event was rescheduled to December. It was held virtually and broadcast on www.ariseplay.com and ARISE NEWS Channel on DStv.

The fashion event saw 30 young designers display creativity and ingenuity on the runway. They were selected from a pool of 150 designers who vied for a spot on the show.

They were hosted to a sumptuous dinner on the first day of the event as well as given a participation fee of $5,000.

The second night saw 20 designers including Onalaja, Pepper Row, Colrs, Bloke, Mmuso Maxwell and Bibi display their designs on the runway.

Mmuso Maxwell, Bloke and Colrs had international model Alton Mason and renowned supermodel Naomi Campbell catwalk for them on the runway.

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The final day saw 10 designers showcase their designs. After their shows, the top eight designers were selected. The number was further whittled to the last three where Ize emerged the winner.

They were judged by high-profiled fashion critics and designers, including fashion designers Mai Atafo and Folake Coker; luxury retailer Abisola Kola-Daisi; and Fashion Director of GQ Style magazine, Mobolaji Dawodu; among others.

Their designs were evaluated based on their creativity, quality of design and styling.

Since its relaunch in 2018, ARISE Fashion Week continues to raise the ante and this year was no different. It attracted global attention from global industry experts like United States Artistic Director and Global Content Adviser of Conde Nast, and popularly known as the Editor-in-Chief of US Vogue, Dame Anna Wintour who connected with the event virtually. In her remarks, she lauded ARISE Fashion Event stating that the fashion world needs to start paying attention to new and emerging designers.

“It’s so important to put a light on new voices, particularly where those voices were not listened to before. To highlight not only new designers but photographers, videographers, stylers, art directors and models, and so many more.

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Wintour further commended Arise Fashion Week for bringing young design talents from Africa and beyond to the fore, showcasing their work and allowing them the chance to receive business and development support. She also encouraged the designers to see ARISE Fashion Week as a platform to showcase their excellence, special talents to the world and to use the opportunity to “meet as many people as you possibly can be proud of who you are and what you represent. That always should come first,” she said.

One of the traits of ARISE Fashion Week is the elegant union of fashion and music and music on the runway. Music stars who serenaded the models, judges and designers include Asa, Wizkid, WurlD and The Cavemen.

Content courtesy of Arise Tv & Nairobi fashion hub 

African fashion is on the rise, says Naomi Campbell And it’s about time !

Posted on by Fashion Tribe Influencer

The supermodel speaks from Lagos about inclusivity, her late grandma, and why she flies in a hazmat suit

With high-street brands collapsing and the world wearing sweatpants, 2020 has not been a stellar year for fashion. But at Arise fashion week, in Lagos, Nigeria, which concluded on Saturday, there were green shoots of hope, said Naomi Campbell. “There’s definitely a few stars here. I’m very impressed. Covid has brought out a lot of creativity in a lot of people.”

Campbell flew to Nigeria last week to take part in the African style showcase. “I was going to do it virtually,” she said by phone from Lagos, “and then I thought, you know what? I want to go and bring awareness to their great work. It’s important on many levels, because Arise gives these young designers a platform to be globally recognised, to be embraced by fashion weeks around the world, and really to be included.”

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This year’s event took the socially-distanced format of a talent search. Thirty African designers aged under 30 were selected to show their collections to a virtual audience, with an overall winner chosen by a roster of judges including American artist Kehinde Wiley and South African designer David Tlale. The shortlist included non-binary sustainable label Lagos Space Programme, ultra-chic MmusoMaxwell and the eventual winner, Kenneth Ize, who showed at Paris fashion week for the first time this year. All received $5,000, while Ize was awarded $100,000 and an extra jolt of publicity in the form of Campbell walking in his show on Saturday evening.

Mentoring was also be part of the deal for the winner, said Campbell. It was particularly important as the wider world slowly woke up to Africa’s creativity and spending power.

“There has, in the past, been the wrong perception about the continent and the creativity that comes out of it,” she said. “Right about now, everyone’s kind of got it, finally for example, that Nigeria is one of the biggest emerging markets with the under-30s, so everyone is looking in this direction. But we don’t want Africa to be considered as a trend.

“These designers are finally getting the notoriety that they deserve  and they are going to keep their notoriety.”

Supporting African designers working in innovative and sustainable ways is just one way to propel fashion towards positive change post Covid-19. “People want affordable, sustainable fashion  and that’s what we are trying to do here,” said the model.

The notoriously white and privileged fashion business must also be inclusive if it is to reset in a positive way. Campbell has been speaking out on this subject for decades, long before the industry’s recent outpouring of apologies and diversity strategies in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.

“It’s kind of embarrassing, in 2020, to finally have all of this happen, to wake up to that. You should have been doing that already – that’s my opinion. I have not really taken part in any of these discussions because I find them a little bit insulting,” said Campbell.

“I’ve been pushing this thing for so many years, so now, for me, there is no change. What I’m doing is exactly what I was doing before this movement started and I’m going to continue. It’s what I believe in, basically.”

Did Campbell feel these latest pronouncements were significant and real? “We’ll see. If they make noise about it, and it’s publicly known, you can hold them to it, can’t you? But I do believe in action and not words. Still, I try to keep optimistic.”

What was exciting, she said, was the global youth movement. “They have found their voices, and they are speaking out and demanding what they want. And they are change.”

Campbell has had a strange, sad year, after the death of her grandmother, to whom she was very close. “This time has been tough for people to grieve together,” she said, with Covid rules preventing a significant funeral. “She was so loved. Once we get the vaccine, or whatever it is that is going to be the new reset, we will give her a proper send-off.”

Otherwise, in lockdown, “I have enjoyed my little cocoon. I’ve tried not to have any expectations – living within one day and then the other day; learning patience, because this is not going to disappear as quickly as we would like it to; and understanding that being alone doesn’t mean you are lonely.”

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She has also spent time filming her YouTube show, No Filter with Naomi, learning to rig her own lights and delving into her impressive contacts book for guests; a recent tete-a-Zoom with Mariah Carey was particularly memorable. While filming, she is as partial to waist-up dressing as the rest of the world: “I have really lived in kaftans and sweats. I only get dressed when I have to do No Filter, and then I’m only dressed from the top up, with my slippers on the bottom – happy feet!”

It was on her YouTube channel in July 2019 that Campbell revealed what now feels like an eerily prescient pre-flight hygiene routine, in which she laboriously wiped every surface of the plane that might touch her body with anti-bacterial wipes.

In March, she took this a step further, flying home for the first lockdown wearing a full hazmat suit accessorised with a Burberry cape. The cape has since been donated to an as yet undisclosed museum where it will be presented as a defining object of this bizarre year, but she will fly in hazmat suits for the foreseeable future, including for the journey home from Lagos: “It’s nice that no one looks at me like a mad hatter any more.”

Written by Hannah Marriott

Content courtesy of The Guardian & Nairobi fashion hub 

 

20 Fashion Designers Walk ARISE Fashion Week 2020 Runway Today

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

After being hosted to a glamorous dinner last night at Eko Hotels and Suites, 20 designers out of the 30 selected will walk the ARISE Fashion Week runway today. The designers will go in four batches, each set consisting of five designers.
Also lined up are music stars that will perform alongside the fashion catwalk.

The electro-fusion singer WurlD will open the show, performing for the first set of designers. For the second set, multi-talented artist and fashion designer Wavy the Creator will take the stage. Since his emergence on the creative scene three years ago, the artist has been on a meteoric rise.

Highlife crooners The Cavemen will accompany the third set, The Lagos-based musical group is made up of two brothers, Kingsley and Benjamin Okorie, who are bent on reintroducing Highlife to a new generation.

Saving the best for last, foremost musician Wizkid will perform to bring the show to an end, Usually held early in the year, the 2020 fashion , event is hosted virtually due to the ongoing pandemic that is still upending travels and social gatherings Also, this year marks the first time the award is solely focusing on young and emerging designers.

Themed ’30 Under 30:The New Stars,’ 30 young designers were selected from a pool of 150 to compete in the show, making it the first time a monetary reward is attached to the grand fashion event.

According to Co-producer Ruth Osime, the seed money provided to the designers is a way of supporting young designers who face pecuniary challenges when setting shop.
Echoing similar sentiments, renowned supermodel Naomi
The event will be live-streamed on Arise Play and Arise TV/THISDAY platforms.

Campbell Wants African Designers Given Global Attention, Meanwhile, at age 50, international supermodel Naomi Campbell who is currently in Nigeria  for the ARISE Fashion Week has one ambition: to see the fashion world embrace African designers.
“I want to see the fashion world embrace African designers and all these young designers from emerging markets. They need to be accepted and given a platform. Whatever I can do to help make that happen, that’s why I’m here, that’s what I’ll do,” she said in a recent interview with UK publication, The Telegraph.

This explains her unflinching support for the grandest fashion event in Africa. Since 2018, Campbell has been a regular face at ARISE Fashion Week, strutting the runway in iconic pieces by designers, including the young designer Kenneth Ize who is participating at this year’s edition.
“Kenneth has had a lot of great attention. It’s been wonderful how he’s been embraced. But we still have a lot to do in terms of getting him set up and recognised worldwide in the way designers should be.”

Her thoughts echoed the theme of 2020 stanza, Ize and 29 other young designers from the continent have been selected to showcase their creativity on the runway while competing for cash prizes.
For the organisers, it is a way of supporting the young designers financially and giving them the exposure they need to compete favourably on the international scene.

“The stuff I’ve seen so far, I’m really happy with. Although this has been a pandemic and a time of loss and sadness for many, it’s also been a time of people really using their minds and being so creative,” she said of the designers.
Other designers participating include Onalaja, Bibi, Pepper Row and Fruche.

Right from inception, ARISE Fashion Week has been keen on taking African fashion to the next level. It continues to push the envelope by introducing emerging designers on its platform while giving established brands the needed spotlight.
The 2020 virtual edition kicked off yesterday and will continue till December 12 when the overall winner will be crowned. Viewers can catch all the excitement on ARISE Play streaming service and ARISE NEWS Channel.

Content courtesy of This Day Live & Nairobi fashion hub 

Durban Fashion Fair Recognition Awards set to celebrate fashion excellence

Posted on by Fashion Tribe Influencer

The highlight of the annual Durban Fashion Fair is undoubtedly the DFF Recognition Awards – and the good news is that we won’t be losing out on this year’s edition despite all the disruptions caused by Covid-19!

The awards will be an important part of the DFF Class of 2020 Fashion extravaganza that is taking place at Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre on Friday, December 11.

A feast of creativity and colour, the much-anticipated event will give Durban Fashion Fair (#DFF2020) Class of 2020’s designer mentees an opportunity to showcase their creations on the ramp. Their garments will be modelled by this year’s new face models who have been given a chance to strut their stuff after receiving extensive training organised by eThekwini Municipality.

The training programme included model boot camps and skills development opportunities that have given these aspiring youngsters a peek into a career in fashion that they would never have thought possible.

Most importantly, eThekwini Municipality through the Business Support, Tourism and Markets Unit, will be recognising the achievers in the local fashion industry through the DFF Recognition Awards. Watch out for the Best Ladies’ Wear Collection, the Best Menswear Collection, Durban Designer of the Year, the Fashion Innovator, the Collection of the Week and more.

The judges who will be working feverishly behind the scenes to make these important decisions include:

Zodwa Kumalo-Valentine is group native content editor at Arena Holdings for titles including Business Day, Financial Mail, Sunday Times and Sowetan LIVE. She has been a speaker at the Street Food Festival and Business of Design, a judge at the South African Fashion Week New Talent Search and was one of the 38 curators of the World Design Capital. She has written for and edited several international and local publications and was part of the digital team that launched the content hub on Woolworths’ online portal.

Former editor-in-chief of GLAMOUR South Africa, Asanda Sizani, has held positions such as fashion and beauty director for ELLE and fashion editor for Woolworths’ W. She has also written for Fashion Tribes, a book on global sub-cultures, and served as curator for Design Indaba and Africa Fashion Week Berlin.
​​​​​​​She has also edited a range for the fashion retailer Topshop, consulted for brands such as Consol, Yardley, MaXhosa Africa and Unilever and fronted campaigns for Woolworths, Diesel and KISUA. She accepted the Media and Advertising award at the 2017 Standard Bank Rising Star Awards which recognises excellence in young leaders.

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A returning judge and previous sponsor of DFF Menswear Category, fashion retail professional and senior operations manager for the Foschini Group, Themba Mthethwa, brings experience in trend analysis, fashion retail management, and coaching to the awards. A public speaker, with multiple qualifications from different institutions including the South African Institute of Management, University of Pretoria, University of Stellenbosch, owner of the Valley Lounge and founder and owner of Son of Jane Studio and Gallery.

All Covid-19 restrictions will be in place. Don’t miss out on the fashion action on Friday, December 11, from 6.30pm at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban.

Book now as seats are limited. Tickets for the evening are on sale via webtickets.co.za or at Pick ‘n Pay outlets at R150 per person.

Content courtesy of IOL & Nairobi fashion hub 

Naomi Campbell ‘I didn’t think I’d still be working past 25 Years, let alone 50’

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

Even in quarantine, Naomi Campbell is very busy. The supermodel, speaking from the hotel in Nigeria where she’s quarantining pending a negative Covid test, has a schedule stacked with press engagements, Zoom meetings and shoots for her YouTube channel.

“It’s full-on here,” she says, her voice like honey down a crackly phone line from Lagos. “It’s kind of strange trying to get used to being back in the groove. It’s taking a minute for my mind to switch back into the hustle and bustle of it all.”

For Campbell, the hustle and bustle never really stopped. She’s in Lagos to support Arise Fashion Week, an event she’s backed since its 2018 launch. This season, the main attraction is the “30 Under 30: The New Stars” competition, a showcase of work by emerging designers who will present collections in livestreamed catwalk shows and compete for a grand prize worth $100,000.

“The stuff I’ve seen so far, I’m really happy with,” she says. “Although this has been a pandemic and a time of loss and sadness for many, it’s also been a time of people really using their minds and being so creative.”

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Lagos has become something of a second home for Campbell. Usually she spends five to six weeks a year in Africa, but her usual travel plans, like everyone else’s, were disrupted by Covid. This is the first time she’s been able to make the trip since January. “I’ve missed Africa so much, I can’t tell you.”

Campbell may have been more prepared than most for travel in the age of contagion. Last summer, long before the term “social distancing” entered the lexicon, Campbell posted a video detailing her pre-flight cleaning routine to her YouTube channel. She donned gloves, used Dettol wipes to “clean[s] everything you touch” and draped her first-class seat in a protective cover.

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Her routine has only become more intense since the start of the pandemic. In May, she wore a mask, gloves, goggles, face shield and full hazmat suit to fly from London to Los Angeles. She finished her outfit with a Burberry cape. “A museum wanted an outfit that depicted 2020, and they asked me for my outfit with my Burberry cape, my hazmat suit, my gloves, my mask. So I donated it.”

This time, “I flew the way I always fly, covid or no covid. I flew with my mask… Now I have a few extra bags of PPE and cleaning supplies, a few extra additions. But it’s all good. I’m very cautious.”

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Really she would have done anything to make it to Lagos for the young designers she’s there to support. “I was very happy to come here and to be here for Arise and for these young designers. This is what I care about. I’m thrilled that it worked out.”

Designers participating in 30 Under 30 include Bibi, Lagos Space Programme, Ghetto and Elfreda Dali. For international fashion fans, the most familiar name on the list will be Kenneth Ize.

Ize, a 2019 LVMH Prize finalist and Arise’s designer of the year, creates vibrant, handwoven designs drawing on the artistry and expertise of weavers at his factory in Ilorin, in Western Nigeria. Campbell walked in his Arise-winning show and has become one of Ize’s highest-profile champions.

“I feel great wearing Kenneth’s designs. They’re authentic, they feel easy, I feel like I’m wearing the clothes and can put my own spin on it. I love that he uses the authentic artisan way of making his clothes and making his culture modern for the world,” she says.

“Kenneth has had a lot of great attention. It’s been wonderful how he’s been embraced. But we still have a lot to do in terms of getting him set up and recognised worldwide in the way designers should be.”

Campbell’s ambition is for the world to know a fashion week roster’s worth of African designers, not just celebrate one or two leading lights. “I want to see the fashion world embrace African designers and all these young designers from emerging markets. They need to be accepted and given a platform. Whatever I can do to help make that happen, that’s why I’m here, that’s what I’ll do.”

Speaking about African fashion, Campbell is fully in advocate mode – not a role she foresaw for herself even a few years ago. “All of it is a surprise in a way. There was no strategy or plan.”

But then, so much about her story is unexpected. That a girl from Streatham would go on to become a monomial star outshining and outlasting her peers over a three-decade-plus career wasn’t expected. Nor were her long working relationships with Azzedine Alaia, Karl Lagerfeld, the Versace family… None of it guaranteed or given to her, especially in light of received wisdom about a fashion model’s limited career longevity in the Eighties.

“I didn’t think I’d still be working as a model, because we were always told we would never work past 25 years.”

She’s still at the top of her game at 50, but still not making plans. She doesn’t even know where she’ll be for Christmas.

“I have no idea…. Wherever I’ll be, I just want to be still,” she says. “I’m looking forward to the new year, though. It’ll be nice to see friends and be able to hug them. Not being able to hug people you love is tough. I know we’ll get there.”

Content courtesy of Telegraph Uk & Nairobi fashion hub 

Africa’s Biggest Red Carpet (Asfas) To Return In 2021

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

The Abryanz Style & Fashion Awards (ASFAs), Africa’s biggest red carpet fashion awards have announced that the awards will not take place this year. This is the first time since its inception in 2013 that the event is pushed forward.

The Abryanz Style and Fashion Awards also known as the ASFAs are continental fashion awards presented annually in Uganda to recognize excellence and outstanding achievement in the fashion industry in Uganda and Africa. More than 2,000 people grace the event annually.

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Brian Ahumuza founder of the ASFAs states: “The Abryanz Style & Fashion Awards were started on the idea of people coming together to socialize, network and interact with one another, in the name of celebrating something we all love and support; Fashion. Our team did have a sit down, and we did weigh our options, in as far as embracing the new normal goes.

But we have never envisioned the ASFAs being a virtually produced show, as this ruins the idea and concept on which the ASFAs started. People coming together, in one room, with all the oomph, flair and glam is what has made the ASFAs what they are today. So, after much consideration, putting into account the safety of our fans and guests, and also the need to give you a show that will be as remarkable and unforgettable like the last 8 years, we have made the tough decision to postpone the event to 2021.

This year and the year to come will be maximized in planning, together with our partners at Talent Africa, to ensure that we deliver a show that will be the best you have ever experienced. To our loyal fans and the supporters of the ASFAS, we do apologize for any inconveniences this may cause, but you can be sure to experience the ASFAs like never before, come 2021! Thank you for your unwavering support in the last 8 years, and get those outfits and the flair ready.

Aly Allibhai from Talent Africa Group states “with the current health guidelines and ban of public events due to the pandemic it would have been impossible for the ASFAs to give our guests the same A-list red carpet fashion experience through an online or virtual experience, so we have decided to come back next year with a bigger and bolder experience”.

The team from the ASFAs wishes you a safe and happy festive season ahead.

Content courtesy of ASFAs & Nairobi fashion hub 

How can Private and Public Institutions Support Africa’s Growing Fashion Industry?

Posted on by Fashion Tribe Influencer

This is the topic that will be discussed during the virtual conference entitled “The Future of Fashion Industry in Africa”. It will be in the form of a series of thought-provoking panel discussions about the textiles and fashion industry in Africa. It is scheduled on Friday, 18th December 2020, from at 10:30 am to11:30 am (GMT-KIGALI).

Rcfs 2020 Webinar Speakers

Rwanda Cultural Fashion Show Webinar 2020 Register Here To Participate  or Send your registration via e-mail: info@rcfs.rw 

It is organized by the Rwanda Cultural Fashion Show known as the RCFS. This is a Rwandan company which had been working in the fashion industry about 8 years ago. The RCFS was founded in 2012 to promote fashion designers and create public awareness of the talent and quality designs in Africa.

Since the start, may Africans men and women have been promoted through the RCFS events. It assists in marketing, promotion and branding especially for the upcoming fashion designers who are starting small businesses in fashion. According to the examples from the RCFS’s 8 years’ experience, many brands from all over the continent had been established and some are now selling even on the international fashion markets.

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This is a magnificent step which shows that the Africa fashion industry had been achieving in a short time. For example, Africa has few fashion schools comparing to the countries where modern fashion is coming from like in the USA, India and Europe etc. But many Africans fashion designers had been invited to showcase in Western and Europe fashion weeks and this is a great full for the Africa fashion sector.

The journey of the fashion industry in Africa started about 20 years ago. It was the revolution of the textiles and fashion industry on the continent which the RCFS sees as an example for the Africans and friends of Africans to feel the pride from our various cultures in styling.

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According to the African Development Bank, demand for African textiles and garments is increasing globally, and African patterns are gaining international recognition as fashionable and iconic pieces, with international fashion houses now integrating more and more African influences in their latest collections. As President Zewde stated: “Globally, Africa’s cultural colours and clothing are increasingly being embraced.

Another example, there are several continental initiatives which are supporting the African fashion industry to develop and sell their products. The Fashionomics Africa initiative of the African Development Bank, together with the African Union, the AfroChampions initiative, and other institutional partners and private operators, launched the Pan-African Fashion initiative on 9 February during the recent AU meetings in Addis Ababa.

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Pan-African Fashion initiative is a platform for stakeholder engagement, dialogue, strategy and policies to advance the African fashion industry within the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to remove trade barriers between African nations and thus expand intra-Africa trade by about $35 billion per year. Intra-African imports and exports currently account for just 15% of all trade on the continent.

Content courtesy of Rwanda cultural Fashion show & Nairobi fashion hub 

African Inspired Ankara Prints Get Modern Makeover

Posted on by Fashion Tribe Influencer

HOUSTON, Texas – African-inspired prints are getting a modern makeover. Ankara, a fabric from West Africa, isn’t just considered cultural attire anymore it’s taking the spotlight on catwalks and red carpets across the world.

Onyii Brown, a Nigerian-born designer from Houston, has always admired the bold, bright colors of Ankara. She first started her brand, Onyii & Co., in her garage, turning vibrant African prints into figure-flattering wrap dresses, skirts, and jumpsuits. Since then, she has shown her colorful styles at New York Fashion Week and even received recognition from Martha Stewart.

Yetunde Olukoya, also from Nigeria, first started sewing designs for her label in her living room in Fulshear, Texas. Like Brown, she drew inspiration from her African heritage, fusing the traditional Ankara prints she loves into Western looks. Her brand, Ray Darten, is manufactured in Nigeria and supports educational and health initiatives in that country.

Localish went behind the scenes with these bold designers to see how they’re turning African-inspired prints into a global trend!

Content courtesy of ABC 7 NY & Nairobi fashion hub 

How This Black Icon Infused Fashion Line Found Success Amid Covid-19

Posted on by Ann Mumbi

‘We’ll continue to rise’: How this Black-icon-infused fashion line found success amid Covid-19

Johanne and Terrance Wilson, owners of COOL Creative, recently won Comcast’s RISE contest, which invited Black small business owners who were hit hardest by the pandemic the chance to win consulting, media services, or a technology makeover.

Models wearing COOL Creative apparel. Courtesy of Comcast.

Several years ago, Johanne and Terrance Wilson, of Hollywood, Florida, celebrated African-American icons in a meaningful way, by passing on their inspiring stories to their daughter, who was 6 years old at the time.

Terrance, an illustrator, brought influential Black figures from Martin Luther King and Maya Angelou to Notorious B.I.G. and Lauryn Hill to life through storytelling and sketching portraits. One day, Johanne had an epiphany these beautiful portraits created by her husband within the walls of their own home should be shared with the world. And so COOL Creative, a unique boutique that offers apparel and accessories with African-American icons displayed on them, was born.

COOL is an acronym for Create Out Of Love, because for the Wilsons, their brand design and digital agency isn’t just a business, it’s a family. The Wilsons worked hard to expand and lay the groundwork to open a brick-and-mortar store to sell their apparel in Little Haiti, a neighbourhood of Miami, Florida.

Models wearing COOL Creative apparel. Courtesy of Comcast.

Despite the strides the family took to grow their business, they recently experienced the major setbacks as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. After pouring countless resources into opening a store, they could not physically open due to lockdown orders and delays from manufacturers. Ironically, during a time when racial inequality and #BlackLivesMatter protests echoed in cities around the country, COOL Creative was also fighting for a lifeline.

The Wilsons are certainly not alone. African-Americans have been disproportionately impacted by Covid-19 from every angle, from systemic health inequities that put them at greater risk of the virus to the fact that Black-owned, small businesses are nearly twice as likely to shutter during the pandemic.

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A model in COOL Creative apparel. Courtesy of Comcast.

Between February and April 2020, the number of active Black-owned businesses declined by 41 percent, compared to 21 percent for the general population, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Unwilling to back down from their dream, the Wilsons carried on. With the same tenacity and grit that Johanne once had as a young student applying for numerous grants and scholarships to finance her college education, she set out to find assistance that might help COOL Creative rise above the overwhelming pressures that came from the pandemic.

That’s when she found the Comcast RISE contest, which invites Black small business owners who were hit hardest by the pandemic to apply for a chance to win consulting, media services, creative production or a technology makeover. RISE targets the pioneers of legacy, the curators of culture, the family franchise and more.

Comcast RISE which stands for Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment stemmed from Comcast’s $100 million Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative that launched this past summer. The contest awarded COOL Creative with significant media services, including a commercial for 90 days and a recent appearance in November on “The Kelly Clarkson Show.”

“It’s more important than ever to stand with the Black community and amplify Black voices,” Clarkson said during her segment. The contest awarded several other Black small business owners, including LeDay Grant, owner of an ice cream shop that provides space for community engagement in Denver, and Alicia Goodwin, owner of Lingua Nigra Jewelry in Chicago.

“We’re really excited to take advantage of the promotion and to get a commercial for 90 days,” Wilson said. “Our goal is to drive people to the website and also to the store and make up for all the sales that we lost over these past months,” she added.

Terrance Wilson, co-owner of COOL Creative, at his store Little Haiti, a neighbourhood of Miami, Florida. Courtesy of Comcast.

Teresa Ward-Maupin, SVP for Digital and Customer Experience at Comcast Business, said that RISE came from a deep desire to help people on a more granular level and to recognize those who have been most impacted by Covid-19. “We set out to determine how we can make the biggest impact, not just during this moment in time but to help businesses recover and prosper for the long term. We set out to truly lift businesses up.”

While the first phase of RISE focused on Black small business owners, the contest is now accepting entries from BIPOC small business owners. In all, Comcast will award around 700 small businesses in need among various categories.

A model is COOL Creative apparel.Courtesy of Comcast.

“When the thought of losing COOL Creative hit us, we kicked into fight mode,” Wilson said. “During a time of racial inequality and protests, we need fashion lines like ours more than ever. It really speaks to the struggle and truly connects people,” she explained, adding that she hopes their Little Haiti store will be a space for people to engage and connect within the community.

“Our fashion speaks to a nation that has been hurting,” Wilson said. “We’ll continue to rise.”

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Content courtesy of NBC News & Nairobi fashion hub 

Nigerian Fashion Brand Imaatu Debuts ” Adire Tuntun ” Collection 2021

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

Vietnam based Nigerian fashion brand has lifted the veil on their fall/winter collection titled “Adire Tuntun”.
According to the elegant creative director, Omaatu, ‘Adire Tuntún’ which simply means “New Adire” births a dazzling array of ready to wear pieces and evening gowns, with striking emerald and shadowy patterns.

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Omaatu has a special place in her heart for African prints and African fashion which she fuses into modern style, like seen in this collection.

Highlighting the indigo-dyed pattern, originated in Nigeria, which is the primary drive of the collection, its her way of paying homage to the African culture, accentuating cross-cultural fashion.

The designer, Omatu, who believes her works should be more popular than her personality said that the dresses are comfortable and youthful yet very stylish.

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Imaatu, whose fashion brand is formerly known as Fulani, started her fashion works in Vietnam and launched in 2003.
The designer and creative director who prefers to be called by her first name, Omatu, celebrates women globally and empowers them through her creations to emphasize their feminine charms.

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Her designs radiates self-confidence through colorful fabrics, with great importance to unique cuts that do not limit the wear ability of each piece.

Content courtesy of New Telegraph & Nairobi fashion hub 

The Jw Show 2020 Edition Connecting Africa and The World Through Fabric and Design

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

The JW Show 2020 edition held last night at Nairobi Film Centre formally know as ( Nairobi Cinema ) was successfully event and one of the big show in East & Central Africa #MadeinKenyaByKenyans, the show had quite and inspirational panel for fashion designers and literally every young person who inspire future generation.

The show was limited to 300 attendees as per the state regulations on COVID-19 rules and was streamed live across all major social media platforms

The JW Show gave opportunity to  11 fashion designers from Nairobi with a mix of students and upcoming designers unlike last year when they went scouting for talent from the counties level.

Unlike the previous edition where showcasing designers were competing for a prize, this year show was one simple platform for unveiling  new talented participants. All collections on the runway come with face masks.

The organizer of the event added a panel discussion where they generated and share ideas on how they can support upcoming designers and keep them on their feet.

Once again the Jw Show, gave opportunity to persons living with disabilities in the fashion industry who have been left behind during this pandemic and they want to make sure their valuable input is seen and appreciated. 

This year the show was keen on the quality of the fabric employed in designs and creativity of the designers, each designer to showcase at least five collections.

Kenya Film Classification Board  ( KFCB ) has been partnering with the JW Fashion Show for three years in a row. The vast creative sector is the next frontier for wealth and job creation.

The Board is cognizant of the untapped potential in the creative industry thus commits to continue supporting ventures that seek to identify and nurture talent for job creation ~ CEO Ezekiel Mutua

The Jw Show signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and a partnership with Kenya Film Classification Board since last year 2019 where KFCB committed themselves to support Jw Show Made in Kenya By Kenyans

It’ been tough to persuade sponsors to come on board  because people’s finances have been affected by the pandemic. But we are very grateful to Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) for believing in us. ~ Jw Show Founder Jeffrey Wilson 

Organizers of Jw Show were planning on bringing in three designers from Rwanda, Nigeria and South Africa, but the pandemic came in the way of it. and the plan has been pushed to next year were we will see international designers showcasing at The JW Show 2021 edition.

Photo credit : Mesmeric Kenya

Content courtesy of Nairobi Fashion Hub 

 

Arise Fashion Week 2020 Unveils ‘30 under 30’ Designers Vying for $500,000

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

Africa’s premier fashion show, the ARISE Fashion Week, is set to deliver one of its most exciting line-ups to date, with the unveiling of the ‘30 under 30’ fashion designers who will be competing for $500,000 in prize money.

The list which includes designers from not only Nigeria but other parts of Africa and Europe, boasts fresh talent alongside some acclaimed international names in fashion.

Known for breaking records, ARISE Fashion Week has raised the ante even further by celebrating a new brand of designers – ‘30 under 30’ with a cash prize of $500,000 to be shared amongst the winners.

The weeklong virtual event is first of its kind on the African continent and is an avenue to unveil new stars in the global fashion industry.

According to co-producer Arise Fashion Week, Ruth Osime, “We look forward to this experience and feel truly honoured to play a role in turning the dreams these designers into reality.”

Following on from the successes of previous events, the Arise Fashion Week 2020 promises to be an exciting experience, with its prestigious location – the Lakowe Beach and Golf Resort, Lagos – just one of the markers to a one-of-a-kind event.

The weeklong event will be held from December 5-12, 2020, with live shows available to a global audience from the 9th to the 12th.

The virtual show will be broadcast to a worldwide audience on the new ARISE PLAY streaming service and other ARISE and THISDAY digital platforms which include an array of social media channels.

Among the list of the 30 selected designers drawn from across the world in alphabetical order are: Bibi, Bloke, Boyedoe, Clan, Colrs, Dna By Iconic Invanity, Elfreda Dali, Fruche And Geto.

Others include; Ilham.g_ng, Jawara Alleyne, Kenneth Ize, Kiko Romeo, Ladunni Lambo, Lagos Space Programme, Mazelle Studio, Moon By Me, Mmuso Maswell, Muyishime, Onalaja And Pepper Row.

Completing the line-up of precocious talents are Re Lagos, T.i. Nathan, Tjwho , Tzar Studios, Vicnate, Weiz Dhurm Franklyn, Wuman, And Ziva Lagos.

For more information and enquiries on the latest edition of Afirca’s biggest and most enthralling fashion show, log on to www.arisefashionweek.world and follow on Instagram: @arisefashionweek and @thisdaystyle

You can also contact Konye Nwabogor , Editor thisdaystyle.ng at konye.nwabogor@thisdaylive.com; Bolaji Animashuan, Line Producer, ARISE Fashion Week at bolaji@arisefashionweek.world and Sakina Renneye, Line Producer, ARISE PLAY at sakina@arisefashionweek.world

Content courtesy of ARISE Tv & Nairobi fashion hub

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