A global area of concern, the coronavirus has quickly become the topic at the front of all minds. As a result of responses to the health crisis, the stock market experienced sharp declines, demonstrating the impact of the virus on consumer industries.
COVID-19 has led to the postponement or cancellation of a number of fashion shows for the fall 2020 and resort seasons, including the following:
Milan Fashion Week Chinese fashion brands Angel Chen and Ricostru also canceled their fashion shows in Milan last week in the wake of the outbreak.
Ricostru designer, Rico Manchit Au, stated she canceled her show because half of her staff wouldn’t be able to get back to work due to China’s travel restrictions and city lockdowns. The outbreak has also affected fashion week attendees, including editors from the Chinese editions of Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, InStyle, T Magazine, WSJ Magazine, Wallpaper* and Nylon, who partly or fully halted their fashion week plans.
Paris Fashion Week Chinese fashion brands Masha Ma, Shiatzy Chen, Uma Wang, Jarel Zhang, Calvin Luo and Maison Mai have all canceled their upcoming Paris Fashion Week events due to the virus. The news was revealed by French fashion’s governing body, La Fédération de la Haute Couture, which stated it will
“make available all its communications platforms to allow these brands to share the work they had planned to present both in France and overseas.”
Sao Paolo Fashion Week Sao Paolo Fashion Week has canceled its spring 2020 edition. The event was scheduled to run from April 24 to 28.
Shanghai and Beijing Fashion Weeks: Both Shanghai and Beijing Fashion Weeks have also been postponed because of the outbreak. Shanghai Fashion Week was slated to begin on March 26 while Beijing’s China Fashion Week was slated to run from March 25 to March 31.
Shanghai Fashion Week is now partnering with Alibaba’s Tmall to create an online platform for the designers and brands to debut their fall 2020 collections from March 24to March 30.
Tokyo Fashion Week: It was revealed on March 2 that Tokyo Fashion Week has been canceled. The event would have run from March 16 to March 21. The announcement comes after brands including Hyke and Vivienne Tam already canceled their shows.
After the coronavirus outbreak forced Chinese fashion designers, buyers and other industry insiders to skip Milan’s Fashion Week in late February, the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, or National Chamber of Italian Fashion, launched a campaign to demonstrate solidarity: “China, we are with you.” The slogan turned out to be prophetic. By the end of fashion week, Italy was facing a coronavirus pandemic outbreak of its own, and Milan’s typically bustling streets were eerily empty.
Models posted Instagram selfies in masks, fashion magazines asked their employees to work from home, and Giorgio Armani held his women’s Fall/Winter 2020/2021 fashion show in an empty theater.
COVID-19 has led to the postponement or cancellation of a number of fashion shows for the fall 2020 and resort seasons, here are the list of fashion designer and fashion brands heavily affected by coronavirus pandemic :
Fashion Design Houses and Fashion Brands
Chanel Chanel revealed on Feb. 17 that it has postponed the restaging of its Métiers d’Art show in Beijing, which was planned for this May. The collection was initially presented in Paris on Dec. 4.
“Considering the current situation and following the guidance of Chinese authorities, Chanel has decided to postpone its project of a replica of the Paris 31 Rue Cambon 2019/20 Métiers d’Art collection in May in Beijing to a later date and more appropriate moment,” the design house said in a statement. A new date for the show has not yet been revealed.
The design house also revealed that it has barred its U.S. staff from traveling to Paris for its upcoming fall 2020 show on March 3.
Armani Giorgio Armani revealed on Feb. 22 that he would no longer be hosting a public runway show in Milan for his fall 2020 collection, rather the show was filmed in an empty theater and posted on the brand’s web site and social media platforms. The company has also closed its offices and plants in Northern Italy for the next week.
“The decision was made to avoid exposing guests to any dangers to their health,” said a company spokesperson.
The designer then revealed on March 5 that we will be postponing his cruise 2021 show in Dubai, which was slated for April 19 and 20. The event would have coincided with the reopening of the Giorgio Armani boutique at the Dubai Mall and marking the first decade of the Armani Hotel in the city. The event is now scheduled for November.
The design house then revealed on March 8 that it is working to fight the spread of COVID-19, donating 1.25 million euros to a number of Italian hospitals and institutions.
Rosie Assoulin Rosie Assoulin has announced that she will no longer be presenting her fall 2020 collection on March 1 during Paris Fashion Week. The announcement comes on Feb. 27 as France has reported its second death due to the virus. The designer will instead bring her collection back to New York, presenting in mid-March by appointment.
A.P.C. A.P.C. has canceled its fall 2020 fashion show, scheduled for March 2. “For us at A.P.C., a fashion show is a celebration, and an opportunity for carefreeness and sharing,” the label stated. “Given the uncertainties linked to the spread of the coronavirus, we prefer to cancel […] our [fall 2020] fashion show.”
Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton’s fall 2020 show is still slated for March 3, however the design house is also prohibiting its U.S. staff from traveling to Paris for the show.
Agnès B. Agnès B. announced that it is canceling its fall 2020 co-ed show, which would have taken place on March 2 in Paris. Instead the brand will release a film and images on March 3.
Cartier Cartier canceled its accessories presentation, Cartier Creations, that was scheduled for March 3.
“In light of the concerns associated with international travel at this time, your safety and well-being and that of our team are top priority.”
The Richemont-owned label added that it planned to show the accessories “in the days ahead,” without specifying the format. “Please stay tuned for further updates,” it said in an email.
Glossier Beauty brand Glossier announced on Instagram on March 12 that it will be closing its permanent and pop-up locations in New York, Los Angeles, London and Atlanta for at least two weeks because of the outbreak. The opening of its Arizona store, which was scheduled to open on March 18, has now been postponed.
Ralph Lauren Ralph Lauren has canceled his upcoming fall 2020 fashion show scheduled for April in New York. The designer had skipped out on last month’s New York Fashion Week, revealing he would instead be showing at an unspecified time in April.
Burberry Burberry has postponed its fall 2020 Shanghai show, which was initially slated for April 23. The show was meant to debut exclusive pieces made for the region. A new date has not yet been revealed.
Hermès Hermès has canceled its resort 2021 show in London on April 28. The design house of also canceling its annual Saut Hermès show jumping competition slated for March 20 to 22 at the Grand Palais in Paris.
Versace Versace has decided to postpone its coed cruise 2021 show slated for May 16 in the U.S. The design house’s released a statement explaining it is “conscious of the need to prioritize the health and safety of its guests and employees and will inform all parties involved on new plans as soon as possible.”
Gucci Gucci has canceled its cruise 2021 fashion show in San Francisco on May 18, the design house revealed on March 2, due to the “ongoing uncertainty prompted by the coronavirus outbreak, as a precautionary measure.” The design house stated it will reveal a new date and location at a later time.
On March 10, chief executive officer Marco Bizzarri announced he would be making a personal donation of 100,000 euros to a range of hospitals in Italy’s Emilia Romagna region to help combat the virus.
The design house then announced on March 12 that it will close its six Italian production sites until March 20 as a precautionary measure. The decision comes after the country went on lockdown on March 9 in an effort to contain the virus.
Prada Prada also plans to postpone its upcoming resort 2021 show, which was initially planned for May 21 in Japan. “The decision was made as a precautionary measure as well as an act of responsibility and respect for all the people working on and planning to attend our resort 2021 show,” the company said. The design house will reveal a new location and date at a later time.
Max Mara Max Mara has canceled its resort 2021 show in St. Petersburg on May 25.
As she walked the runways, no one could tell how lucky she felt having an opportunity that could turn her life around. Indeed life turned around.
Priscilla Ray is now a mother of three beautiful kids; a 5-year-old girl, a 3-and-a half -year-old girl and one-and-half-year-old girl. She holds a Master’s degree in International Business from the University of Westminster in London. After dabbling into a string of businesses that didn’t go well, she chose to now focus on real estate, and life has never been better.
You recently turned 34, what has been the biggest life lesson you’ve had so far?
Never to undermine any job, as long it’s income-generating. Life is about making mistakes, don’t be afraid of failure. You need to be really patient, if you want to get what you want.
Suit – Kai’s Divo Collection
Has there been a point in your life where your patience was tested to the chore?
After doing my Masters, I failed to get a job as soon as I had wished. I was living in Notting Hill where it was rare to find a black person across the street. So, I figured that no one would hire me because of my skin colour and even made peace with it.
Jumpsuit – Eguana Kampala Bags – Joseline
One evening, while watching football, I met this random white guy. As we chatted, I found out that he owned a hedge fund. I told him how I was hunting for a job. He asked for my credentials, I shared them. And just like that he offered me a job. To do what? Make tea!
‘How could he?’ I asked myself. With a Master’s degree in International business, how could he ask me to make tea? But after giving it some thought, I agreed to take the job, because there wasn’t much I was doing anyway. My role was to make and serve them tea and coffee, a job I was horrible at.
After a month, he intimated to me that he would have me for two more months. After, I’d go get a better job elsewhere, and he would write me a nice recommendation. Two months later, I waited for him to let me go, but he didn’t. Meanwhile I was getting paid 2000 pounds monthly for my job of making tea. Then, they hired another tea girl who was obviously doing a better job than I. Still I wasn’t let go. I went to him to make my case.
That’s when he finally opened up that he had been testing my patience all this while. He wanted to see how far I could go before hiring me for the job. I burst out in tears and cried. I couldn’t believe it.
I worked with them for 3 years before moving back to Kampala.
Dress – Fatumahasha
How are you instilling the value of patience in your kids?
My kids know that they can get what they want from me if they are patient. If someone throws tantrums “Mummy I want this”, then they are surely not getting it.
Surprisingly, you’re living a very quiet life. Yet you have every reason not to. Is this intentional?
It’s very intentional. I live both here and in London, so I’m always in and out. Also, I enjoy my privacy so much that I wouldn’t trade it for anything. The life of a social butterfly ended when I left Sylvia Owori to focus on my studies. I did Social Works and Social Administration at KIU, before immediately moving to London for my Masters. My life changed since then.
You are also quite inactive on social media too..
Yes. I prefer to have real life experiences rather than living for social media. I live a completely normal life. For example, instead of posting on social media, I’d rather spend that time with my kids. I’m on Facebook and Instagram, that’s all.
Does that make you anti-social media?
Not at all. I believe social media is such a blessing to everyone trying to put themselves or their products out there. It’s also quite convenient. I believe if we had social media in the early 2000s, I would have done much more than I did.
You’d probably be an Instagram model like Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid
To some extent, it’s unfair that some of those models are touted as successful not because of what they can do as models, but because of their huge following on social media. That’s the part I dislike.
Would you let your children become models?
It’s up to them. I’d like for them to make their own decisions, and become their own people. Although I would be thrilled to see my daughter on the catwalk one day.
Dress & kimono wrapper – Martha Jabo
You make motherhood seem so easy. Look at you, 18 months after giving birth and you are in such good shape.
I’m enjoying every bit of it. I never liked kids to be honest. I didn’t even want to talk about them. It’s one of those things I never saw myself doing. Then, at some point I felt like I was growing older, I needed to just get it out of the way. After my first child, I couldn’t believe what I was missing. I wished I had done it a lot earlier.
You say that your dad left you when you were 9 years old. Have you ever bothered to look for him?
No! I know where to find him, if I want to see him. Ohh it’s been a while since I last asked, so I don’t know if he’s still there. I’m not angry at him, I just don’t care.
Dress – Bantu by Clare Asiimwe
What has been the turning point in your life?
When I met the father of my first child. He totally changed the course of my life. He made me look at life differently. You know my mother struggled to take us through school. She told me that she would only go as far as S4. But we managed to make it to S6. That was it. She didn’t have the resources to take me to university. That’s when my then partner came in, I joined university. Then after, I did my masters. I was in London for three years, away from him and he never complained. That’s when I confirmed that he actually wanted the best for me.
Was it easy living in London on your own?
I managed. As children, our dream was to go to London. We never knew America or Dubai. So, going to London was a dream come true. I made it work. However, the first year when I was doing my Masters, it was one of the most challenging time of my life. I slept for three hours every day for the entire year because I didn’t want to fail. From not having any hope of going to university to having the opportunity to study at the University of Westminster. I just couldn’t let myself screw it up.
You say you have done a few businesses that didn’t go well. What some of the lessons you picked from those experiences of failure?
My first experience was immediately after I came back from London. I was hungry to start a business, and have something going on for myself. A friend of mine lured me to getting into event promotions. I wasn’t directly involved in it though, I brought the money and let him handle the rest. In a space of just a few months, I lost 120 million shillings. I was broken!
My lesson after that was; you should be involved or at least have a considerable understanding of any business you set out to do.
Then I did a diaper brand, after a friend who had just given birth shared with me how she was struggling to find quality diapers. I did my research, flew to China to meet the suppliers and did a product that I was proud of. The diapers were received positively, but then, no one was willing pay for them. I realised that many people preferred quantity over quality. Then my distributors became shady, the diapers would move off the shelves, but they would never commit to pay us. Then the taxes were hiked every other time. I was strained until I chose to end the project. It pained me so much because this was like my baby. But, I had to make the smart decision, and it was to quit. I lost over 400 m. My lesson this time was; I had to be content. My motivation for doing that business was to have something going on for me, which was wrong.
Do you have any regrets?
Not at all. There’s no point where I say “I wish I had done this”, because I did it all. The only regret I had then was; I wished I had channeled all those resources I lost into real estate, because that has worked out pretty well for me.
How do you unwind?
I travel a lot with my kids.
During the photo shoot you had so much fun. You also walked the runway (and red carpet) at the Abryanz Style & Fashion Awards last year. Is this some kind of come back?
Come back or not, I love modelling and I’m happy to do it anytime. I’m very open to any opportunity, because why not? I have the time. I had so much fun doing this photo shoot. Seeing all those happy people trying to do the best they can to make the shoot come out perfectly. I loved it.
Dress – Bantu by Clare Asiimwe
Jacket & pants – Kai’s Divo Collection
Dress – Kori House of Couture and Design
Dress – Aisha Ganda
Dress – Martha Jabo
Dolce & Gabbana Leopard print bodysuit – From Priscilla’s wardrobe
What were some of your favourite looks?
I really loved the short blue Martha Jabo dress. I loved the leather dress from Bantu. I also loved the maroon Fatumah Asha dress. I loved that dreamy purple gown. I loved basically everything. I wanted to buy some of them actually, because I would totally wear them.
Does that mean Ugandan fashion is getting where you think it should be?
Exactly! The industry has grown so much that I’m excited about the future. I couldn’t believe that all the looks on set were made by local designers. To get where the industry should be, we, the consumers should develop a culture of supporting them and wearing original products.
Excellent idea. Should we prepare to write about your wedding gown, custom made by a Ugandan designer?
Wedding? Not me. I don’t believe marriage is for me. My partner and I are happy and content with what we have. Why fix it when it’s not broken. A lot of times, marriage makes couples take each other for granted. What makes a relationship work is not a ring, a gown or a big event.
Brian Siambi is an editorial, commercial and travel photographer, based wherever my camera takes him.Born and raised in Nairobi Kenya Siambi love for the arts started at a young age through illustrations learning from his uncle.
Lifetimes later he became a graphic designer while working for a Kenyan top women’s magazine True Love Magazine East Africa, His interest in fashion photography started here while working with his mentor/friend Emmanuel Jambo. It was during this time Brian started shooting with his phone and grew from there.
Brian work focuses on capturing fashion and travel in its element. He love natural light and shadows and how it forms interesting light against his subjects. Always experimenting with new techniques, Simabi love challenging himself to always push the limits of creativity. He is currently working on a series called The Dark Matter Project that is a collaboration with different African models, designers showcasing their unique fashion and documenting this through creative forms fo editorial photography.
The Dark Matter Project
The Series is a personal three year project of my exploration of our rich beautiful dark skin through fashion. It is my learning and unlearning of years of the media’s definition of beauty to us and how it shaped what we see as beauty and not. What started as a fashion project has slowly shifted to concepts having a political tone on the challenges we face as a continent.
“Sons of Stolen Lands was such a project. It was a story telling how colonisers came and enriched themselves with our resources by shifting our mindset and telling us their ways were better, their god was better, their dressing, way of life were better, so we ditched our traditions for “Modern times” It’s a journey to appreciate my culture and it’s richness.
A collaboration with my good friend and talented stylist Bryan Emry where we work with different African fashion brands, stylists and models to create an African fashion narrative not just to show the west but also to get us Africans to start appreciating our own. It is a journey that I continually challenge my art to create unique work.
Content courtesy of Brian Siambi & Nairobi fashion hub
Sunny Dolat is a fashion curator, cultural producer and creative director who works independently as well as in the Nest Collective, which he co founded in 2012. The Nest is a multidisciplinary Kenyan squad who use film, fashion, literature, visual arts, events and music to work in in the intersections between aesthetics and communities; blackness/Africanness, feminism and queer theory; as well as design and technology, specifically located in the Kenyan experience.
Sunny has designed interventions such as Stingo & Chico Leco to provoke dialogue on the improvement of the infrastructure and operations of the East African fashion industry, as well as to shift the narrative and expectation of Kenyan fashion beyond ankara, kikoy and kanga. He centres his practice in making unapologetic statements about the beauty and dignity of black skin through works such as When We Are/When We Are Not.
Another project he helmed, a fashion book titled “Not African Enough”, is a voyage into contemporary Kenyan fashion and exploration of wider issues regarding Africa’s place in global cultural debate and dialogues. In it, Sunny challenged narrow definitions of African design and showcased original, unencumbered thinking and practice in this challenging sphere.
Over the past 2 years, Sunny has been transitioning into more curatorial capacities, taking leadership in Salt of the Earth for the Kenyan Pavilion at the International Fashion Showcase at Somerset House, and Beyond Expectations at the Institut Suedois in Paris among others.
Most notably, in July 2019, he curated and performed In Their Finest Robes, The Children Shall Return, an expansive fashion installation and ritual staged on the shores of Sao Tome and Principe for the N’gola Biennale, featuring 56 looks, one form every country on the continent and one from the diaspora.
Leave it to Serena Williams to make a fashion show so much more than just a fashion show. The tennis pro showed her S by Serena collection at New York Fashion Week and managed to snag none other than noted tennis super-fan Anna Wintour for a quick Q&A after the presentation. The show, which Williams is calling a capsule collection, was an authentic way for the designer to show her love for fashion and her innate ability to make clothes that people actually want to wear just ask her pal Meghan Markle. Right now, S by Serena is see now, buy now and it’s working. Fans are buying up pieces and sharing their favorites on social media, much to Williams’s delight. But she’s not ruling out something in the luxury space.
Williams went to school for fashion design and although her line’s not in the same conversations as luxury brands, such as Rihanna’s new Fenty line, it could be. She’s not ruling out the possibility of releasing a special capsule within a capsule, which would be a way of giving some shoppers what they want without completely alienating some of her other fans.
“See now, buy now is great. I would love to do luxury, but I feel like I also want to be true and authentic to people that support the brand for years,” she explained. “And so, if we do a luxury capsule, it’ll be really small one day in the future. But I love the idea of see now, buy now, and really do it in a good way.”
Williams also spoke about sustainability and how S by Serena has embraced vegan leather and other unconventional materials. And even though vegan leather doesn’t sound glam, Williams managed to mix in animal prints to up the glitz and curate the collection so it was nothing but all of her favorite things.
“The collection dabbles a little bit in a lot of gold. We experimented with different animal prints; we focused on giraffe. And then we focused on the sustainability aspect of having vegan leather,” she said. “And so that’s kind of what we wanted to focus on and just build from there. So it’s a small capsule I call it a capsule. I’ve never showed in February. So I’m like, ‘Let’s do something but keep it small. And what are some things that really mean a lot to me?’ And those really stood out.”
For fans of the line, there’s a lot to love. Keep an eye out for a certain former royal to step out in Williams’s designs, just in case there’s any question that see now, buy now can’t look like something luxurious.
British supermodel, businesswoman, and philanthropist, Naomi Campbell, was recently honored by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) with the Global Advocacy Award at the 19th annual Greater New York Gala, which was held on Saturday, February 1st, 2020 at the New York Marriott Marquis, New York.
Campbell was recognized based on her global relief efforts which support homelessness, poverty, HIV/Aids, world hunger and equality for all people. While accepting her honor, the 49-year-old activist who donned a draping Zuhair Murad gown, complemented with Fred Leighton jewelry notes:
“ This journey that I am on gives me a sense of fulfillment. When I committed to doing this work, I was not aware of the difficult tasks ahead but I did realize one thing, I wanted to give back to communities of all various circumstances, all the things that I had to fight for in my own life – to be seen, to be heard, to be included, to be accepted and to be given hope when it seems there is none. ”
Also honored on the night was American actress and singer, Kristin Chenoweth with the Ally for Equality Award and American actor and playwright, Jeremy O. Harris with the HRC Equality Award, among others.
About Naomi Campbell
One of the five original supermodels, Naomi Campbell was born in London and caught her break when she was 15 years old. She has graced the covers of more than 500 magazines during her career and has been featured in campaigns for Burberry, Prada, Versace, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, and Valentino.
She was the first black model to appear on the cover of TIME magazine, French Vogue and Russian Vogue as well as the first British black model to appear on the cover of British Vogue. The runway was her domain as she showcased the collections of top designers, including Chanel, Azzedine Alaia, Christian Dior, and Versace.
Additionally, Campbell has appeared in countless TV shows, music videos and films, including “The Cosby Show,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” Madonna’s “Erotica ” Bob Marley’s ” Is This Love ” and Michael Jackson ” In The Closet. ” Campbell is also responsible for an incredible amount of fundraising and charity work in South Africa and across the globe. She began charity work with Nelson Mandela in 1993, and in 1997 he named her “Honorary Granddaughter” for endless activism.
In 2005, she established Fashion For Relief and hosted its first charity fashion show to raise funds for victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Since its conception in 2005, Fashion For Relief has presented shows in New York, London, Cannes, Moscow, Mumbai, and Dar es Salaam, and has raised millions of dollars for various causes. Naomi Campbell executive produced and appeared as a supermodel coach on Oxygen’s acclaimed series “The Face," in the USA, which aired in winter 2012. In her role as executive producer, Campbell brought in key fashion designers, photographers, publications, products, and contest partners, and created unique, real-life opportunities for the contestants.
UK series of "The Face" launched in September 2013 and airs throughout the Autumn on Sky Living. “The Face” has been announced for Australia, filming begins in the winter of 2013.
Advanced conversations are underway to take “The Face” to other territories across the world.
Naomi Campbell continues to be a formidable force in the world of fashion and has used her success to establish herself as an entrepreneur whilst always helping others in need through her charity work.
Content courtesy of Anyiko PR & Nairobi fashion hub
early all women will agree that wearing high heels is exceedingly painful, especially at a wedding. Weddings are not exactly known for their short duration and much of the day is spent on your feet followed up by a long night of dancing. Having to stand in heels for five minutes is tormenting, let alone an entire day.
You no longer have to subject yourself to such pain thanks to the Converse Wedding Sneakers Collection. You can dance late into your wedding night comfortably and in style with the timeless design of Converse.
Wedding Converse
Constructed with the latest and most innovative shoe technologies, Converse are built for all-day wear, so you can dance late into your wedding night in complete comfort. Say “I do” in style and pick the silhouette that is best suited for your big day with low and high top styles or get some added height with our women’s platform silhouette.
From white wedding sneakers to sneakers that shine and shimmer, choose from a great selection to dress everyone from the bride and groom to bridesmaids and groomsmen. Want something uniquely your own? Customize a pair of custom wedding sneakers with Converse by You.
Photographing one of the world’s most sought after celebrities may seem a daunting task, but for Flo Ngala it’s all part of the day job. For two years, the photographer captured parts of the life of musician Cardi B, from video shoots to intimate moments with her family to sold out arenas. Here writer Alix-Rose Cowie speaks to Flo to find out what it takes to snap shots that are seen by millions, and document moments that will go down in music history.
Flo Ngala We’re both young women chasing our dreams and doing our work
When everyone on a Cardi B music video set is being told “strictly no phones, no photos,” Flo Ngala is quietly snapping away, swooping in between takes to get the shot. “There’s not really anyone telling me what to do,” she says. Since 2017 Flo has gained exclusive access shooting behind the scenes for the hip hop superstar on music video sets, at music festivals, awards shows, talk show appearances and two Met Galas. “It’s not like an outlined role,” she says. “It’s more like a kid who has a good eye and gets a chance to work with a big artist, and I’m just going to go in and do my thing.”
Flo was first given the opportunity to shoot Cardi B by Atlantic Records in October 2017. Her single Bodak Yellow had been a hit all summer and she was performing it at the BET Hip Hop awards in Miami. The audience saw a kaleidoscopic fur-laden Cardi B in hot pink high-waisted velvet trousers and a bra made of jewels stake her claim on the stage before going on to win multiple awards. Backstage, Flo captured a wholly more private moment as Cardi B celebrated her own firsts with her close-knit team and her now husband Offset in her dressing room. “I was just happy to be there, like a fly on the wall, just observing,” Flo says. “It’s a little intimidating when you’re around a big star. It was my first time being around someone who was as famous as her. I think she’s so used to having so many people around her that for a while she even recognized my face.”
Shooting the same subject over time naturally fosters a familiarity between a photographer and her subject and over the two years that Flo has been shooting Cardi B, she’s captured her in high spirits: cracking jokes with her team and turning up the volume to entertain an audience of thousands, but she’s also captured her tired, hungry, and pregnant. “I think she definitely knows how to bring it out and be this funny, outgoing person when she needs to be, but in general she also has a pretty low key side as well,” Flo says.
One thing she’s learnt over time is to gauge what images of herself Cardi B will like and which she won’t. Early on when Flo would show selects to Cardi’s hair stylist or make-up artist they’d immediately pick out the ones she wouldn’t like. “They were like: this doesn’t look like her, she’s not going to like the picture,” she says. Any picture she posts to social media has the potential to be picked up by numerous fan pages, re-posted and re-tweeted until it’s seen by millions of people. The intractable nature of an online image means that what she decides to post comes with a certain responsibility. Although there’s no formal approval process for the images Flo shares online, she’s sensitive to Cardi B’s insecurities.
“Being a woman informs the way I photograph a woman. Nobody wants an unflattering image of them out there,” Flo says. “There might be what I think are incredible photographs but if she wouldn’t like how she looks in them, I try to respect that and avoid putting it out there.” The way tabloid press treats celebrity pictures has led us to believe that celebrities waiver this right in exchange for fame. But this only makes their image more fiercely controlled. It’s through Flo’s respect for her subject as a person that she’s gained Cardi B’s trust and the trust of her label and, in turn, she’s invited behind closed doors to document what others don’t get to see.
Flo doesn’t take this access for granted. Her gift is capturing human moments from within the pop machine: the late hours on a music video shoot when Cardi B can’t keep her eyes open as her make-up artist re-applies her lip liner in bed; or satisfying a pregnancy craving for watermelon between takes while dressed in a voluminous wedding gown designed to cover her growing belly. These photos are the ones Flo has come to appreciate the most.
Showing the public persona and the private persona of someone is pretty cool.
“When things are set up — it’s not a bad thing — but you are seeing what the director, the photographer, the agency, whomever wants you to see whereas when you’re taking pictures as they’re happening you can catch in-between moments and the candid, the off guard,” she says. “Especially with celebrities, the images are so well-curated, taken care of before they’re put out into the public. I think a big reason why Cardi B rose to fame is because she’s really good at being real and just being honest, being transparent.”
There are two photographs that Flo shot at the Broccoli City Festival in Washington, D.C. in 2018 that were taken within an hour of each other. In the first, a blue-haired Cardi B ascends the stairs to the stage, mic in hand, for her last performance before taking a break to give birth to her daughter Kulture (whose first birthday party Flo was asked to shoot a year later). She’s surrounded by security, festival crew, cameras and a crowd of fans with phones raised to nab a pic. In the second image she’s laying feet up on a couch, scrolling through her phone, alone, surrounded by take-out boxes.
When viewed as a pair, the before and after shots provide a rare glimpse at the duality of celebrity. “Showing the public persona and the private persona of someone is pretty cool,” Flo says. “It’s a duality we all have.” It’s this humanness that Flo sets out to capture.
The most viewed image of Flo’s from Broccoli City Festival was a different one though: an image of Sasha Obama hanging out backstage with Cardi B and Offset. The image went viral instantly. “It was literally TMZ hitting me up and Page Six. It was on the Daily Mail, it was crazy,” Flo says. While she appreciates the artistic opportunities being on music video sets or backstage allows her, Flo can’t ignore the platform it’s given her too.
“I was taking pictures for a couple of years before I got the opportunity to work with Cardi,” she says. “I definitely credit working with people like Cardi and Gucci Mane for why my images really started to be seen. In America we glorify celebrities and put them on this pedestal so I understand as an artist, but also as a consumer, that this is something people want to see. I think being able to use my eye and what I love about the world and capture a Rihanna or a Beyonce or, you know shoot Leonardo Di Caprio for Vanity Fair — and I’m just kind of throwing stuff out here — but whatever it is I think that’s definitely going to be a running theme in my career for sure. I appreciate being able to meet these people that a lot of people know or respect for their craft or their money or whatever and be able to figure out how to approach them to create a powerful image.”
I’m not trying to be her best friend, I’m trying to give her the best images.
And to get the shot Flo has had to learn to work with what she’s got: sometimes this is a few seconds squished into a narrow hallway backstage while Cardi B does a quick outfit change in a closet, and other times this is the luxury of having a professional lighting set up to take advantage of on a music video set. “It teaches me to work with different scenarios and just try to make the best of a situation,” she says. Moving between different lighting set-ups, Flo keeps a consistent look to her images by almost always shooting on the lowest aperture possible. It has the desired effect of making you feel like you’re in the room with her. “I think that’s part of why people look at my photos and feel this sort of intimacy or feel this proximity,” she says.
Flo usually relies on chatting to her subjects to make them feel comfortable in front of the camera but with Cardi B it’s different. “I know I’m there for a job, she knows she’s there for a job, so I don’t really have to cushion the situation to make it more comfortable,” she says. Instead she gives small, quick directions where she can.
“Cardi’s already on a video set and she just spent four hours in a chair getting her make-up and hair done and now she has to perform this one scene five times, so I try and minimize the talking where I can,” she says. “Once I get the shot, I keep it moving, it’s important to be alert when shooting BTS. I’m not trying to be her best friend, I’m trying to give her the best images. When there has been down time in her trailer it is fun to chat and joke with her team but I’ve actually never even asked her for a picture!”
By keeping her head down and her camera up, Flo has inadvertently created a vast and colorful archive of one of the world’s iconic entertainers. It’s a collection of images that she’s only recently realized will mean a lot to look back over both personally as a record of her early career but also for the world remembering a historic time for women in hip hop. “Hopefully one day these pictures will mean something more than me, more than throwing them up on my social media or my website or her Instagram, you know, so that’s exciting,” she says. But for now, she says, “We’re both just two young women who are chasing our dreams and doing our work.”
Entrepreneur Fashion Week is a great event with three key elements, Fashion shows, mini expo and master class that hat pulls together business owners, industry insiders, exhibitors and fashion lovers in East, south and West Africa across fast fashion, contemporary luxury and trends for the world apparel production and supply for both European and African buyers and an opportunity for brands to meet and spark possible business opportunities & collaborations.
Brief History about E- fashion week
This is our story, Entrepreneur Fashion Week is a three-day event and in three years, the business has surpassed what we had imagined forcing us to transform the event from a single day to a three-day event to accommodate the numbers and give participants & sponsors more ROI.
We have before attracted the attention of the official manufacturers and branding company of Walt Disney & Marvel studios and released the kids’ collection in EA through our platform, attracted brands that have been featured not once in the British Vogue, Tatler, The Face magazine and British GQ. and many more others. Some of these brands are part of their country’s export program while others dress and style media personalities like Carla Hall of ABC’s “The Chew”, pop music’s Frankie Zulferino, and NFL star Jonathan Casillas and Jidenna “Performing & recording artist of Bambi & Classic man”.
we can not hide from the fact that we have before partnered with but not limited to; DHL Kenya, Tuko.co.ke, Airborne Vajaz Manufacturers, Blaze by Safaricom, Kenyan Entrepreneur.
We have grown to become a noticeable and influential voice in the fashion, beauty, textile, and lifestyle industry in Kenya by only engaging and working with credible businesses, reliable brands with a good reputation.
The Promise Edition has even attracted more interest for both Africa & the West. More and more brands (both established & emerging are interested in the entrepreneur fashion week making it clear that we are trading on the right path ad changing businesses and people’s lives.
Content courtesy of e-fashion week & Nairobi fashion hub
Lisa Gaitho is the daughter of Macharia Gaitho. Macharia is a former editor at Nation Media Group. Most Kenyans love Macharia for his non-political stand and how he remains unbiased even in hot political situations.
Lisa, on the other hand, is a blogger, Vlogger, and social media personality who majors in fashion and lifestyle issues.
Lisa Gaitho has 7,000 plus subscribers on YouTube and more than 25,000 followers on her Instagram page She loves traveling and exploring nature. She is also a professional chef and natural hair and fitness enthusiast. In her blog, she experiments with grey, white and black outfits. Gaitho plays around with sassy trends cutting across as elegant.
Together with her sister, they founded Siri studio which is famous for their trendy female outfits. Lisa studied in Kenyan schools before going to South Africa for her university studies.
Lisa runs a blog, lisagaitho.com. Here she writes about her experiences traveling the world. She also doesn’t fail to praise her older but incredibly rich boyfriend who funds her trips, much to the chagrin of women. Her blogs usually attract a backlash from her readers, most accusing her of looking down upon her Kenyan fellows and relying on a man to make her dreams happen. But, Lisa intoxicated with love and floating in its whirlwind will hear none of it. Who will anyways, especially if the boyfriend has deep pockets and is willing to spend it on someone?
Content courtesy of Lisa Gaitho, Anita Gaitho & Nairobi fashion hub Online Digital Team
The internet has been buzzing with anticipation for Beyonce’s new Ivy Park x Adidas collaboration so its no surprise that the line sold out in a day. Pre-sale items from the new collection, and Bey’s first with Adidas after dropping Top Shop and becoming the sole owner, went on sale on Friday (Jan. 17). By the end of the day, the only items still available were Ivy Park socks and even those were sold out by Saturday.
The line consists of an orange burgundy and off-white color pallet and includes track pants, jackets, hoodies, dresses, sneakers, bras, bodysuits, cycling shorts, fanny packs, and more.
“My team has worked hard with the adidas team in bringing my vision to life for the first collection and I am grateful and proud,” Bey said in a statement last year. “From the accessories to the clothes and footwear, I wanted to design and re-imagine pieces that serve as favorite armor for anyone who acknowledges the strength in their individual style and lives freely and boldly.”
Prior to the launch, Bey gifted some of her celebrity friends and family members including her mother, Tina Lawson, Kelly Rowland, Yara Shihidi, Janelle Monae, Ciara, and stylist June Ambrose, with the entire Ivy Park x Adidas collection.
Portions of the collection are still available at select Adidas stores, as well as Nordstorm, Bloomingdale’s, ASOSA, Finish Line and Foot Locker.
In other Yonce news, the “Spirit” singer reportedly signed a new publishing deal with SONY/ATV.
Content courtesy of Vibe.com & Nairobi fashion hub Online Digital Team
