Saturday 24th of October 2026

Nairobi, Kenya

Tag: Fashionista

Black Influence Should Be Represented At All Levels Of Fashion.

Posted on by Nairobi Fashion Hub

African Americans have always prided themselves on their clothing. Ralph Lauren Corp. recently paid homage to the elite style of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with its first all-Black fashion campaign, where the models, photographers, and creative directors are all Black. A multibillion-dollar fashion brand celebrating Black pride, style, and history are extremely rare, and while we applaud this, much more work remains to be done.

Recently, there has been a lot of talk about how we should celebrate diversity. In 2020, we watched on television as the Black Lives Matter movement highlighted the global inequities that Black people face. These injustices are not limited to policing; they also affect the fashion industry, including manufacturing, sales, and advertising.

However, while the world was grappling with the pandemic over the last two years, much to the surprise of the fashion industry, eyewear sales reached a new level of attention. The world has finally begun to see Black fashion designers in a new light.

The fact is that Black people continue to be underrepresented in the fashion industry. This underrepresentation includes a lack of Black people in major fashion houses’ boardrooms and executive teams of major fashion magazines. Despite the growing recognition of the value of diversity, the marketing materials of brands that Black consumers financially support are devoid of people of color.

Furthermore, the lack of Black representation is disheartening given the obvious Black influence on the products produced. For far too long, Black designs and trends have served as a model, but Black people have been excluded from the production, distribution, and display of fashion.

At every level of fashion, legitimate Black influence should be represented. It is not enough to simply include Black models in advertising campaigns. J. Franklin Wood You Specs and Lady E Specs, two Black-owned fashion businesses in our community, are challenging the status quo.

For our eyewear, we hire Black designers, Black executives, and multicultural models. We do this to give people of color the opportunity to thrive at all levels of fashion, as well as to help ensure diverse representation.

Fashion brands must incorporate the voices of people of color at all levels of fashion organizations in order to legitimately represent the populations they serve. While we applaud Ralph Lauren’s HBCU-focused fashion campaign, there is still a long way to go in terms of equity and equality in the fashion industry.

When all fashion brands embrace that representation, we will see the true influence of Black culture on fashion for generations and begin to reverse years of inequity in an industry that takes great pride in reflecting culture.

Content courtesy of Jackson Ville & NFH

LaLiga Goes Cool And Sporty With South African-inspired Fashion.

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

LaLiga has cemented its position in the South African football market even further by introducing a new streetwear collection inspired by Mzansi’s streets.

The Spanish league has a reputation for local activations and initiatives that resonate with the local market, and it has now released a classic LaLiga bucket hat, T-shirt, water bottle, and mug.

All of these items feature a bright pattern inspired by South Africa, making them a relatable product for any LaLiga fan in the area.

The bucket hat, which is popular on South African streets, stands out most from the collection. Marcos Pelegrin, managing director of LaLiga in Southern Africa, stated:

We’re ecstatic to have created this exciting local streetwear collection specifically for the South African market. LaLiga is a global league that is well-liked all over the world, but our goal is to bring the league closer to fans and to be relevant in local markets.

What could be more South African, cool, and sporty than a spottie?

We love the collection, and we hope that South African football fans and those who enjoy entertainment, fashion, and fun will love it as well and proudly wear it from Mamelodi to Madrid.”

The streetwear collection is just one of many local activations carried out by the league’s Southern Africa office this season.

LaLiga has also recently become the official league sponsor of the fast-growing Fives Futbol franchise, which is popular in communities across the country for its fast-paced kasi style football, as part of LaLiga’s efforts to engage directly with local football communities. The merchandise is available for purchase at LaLiga’s Experience store in Johannesburg’s Fourways Mall.

Teko Modise, Atletico Madrid’s Banyana Banyana striker Thembi Kgatlana, and former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Brian Baloyi are among the local stars who supported the launch of the streetwear range, as are prominent local personalities such as sportscasters Carol Tshabalala and Julia Stuart, musician Chad Saaiman, DJ NV Funk, and former Western Province rugby player Ricky Schroeder.

Content courtesy of The South African & NFH

Lagos Fashion Week Teams Up With Industrie Africa For A Special Retail Partnership

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

Lagos Fashion Week has formed a special retail partnership with Industrie Africa, a renowned African luxury fashion e-tailer.
The ground-breaking collaboration between two major African fashion industry fixtures both of whom have tirelessly championed, elevated, and curated Africa’s strongest designers to a regional and global community will launch on March 15, 2022, and will allow patrons to shop from a number of talented brands that presented at Lagos Fashion Week’s tenth-anniversary showcase last October.

Industrie Africa will surface a new wave of designers from the continent as well as the latest collections from iconic African brands over a three-month campaign, with new styles delivered each week, demonstrating its commitment to the platform’s mission.

Andrea Iyamah, Emmy Kasbit, IAMISIGO, KikoRomeo, NKWO, Orange Culture, Lisa Folawiyo, Studio 189, Babayo, Cynthia Abila, Gozel Green, Maliko, Niuku, and Pepper Row are among the brands participating.

Omoyemi Akerele, the founder of Lagos Fashion Week, said of the inaugural collaboration, “We’re excited to be rolling out this collaboration with Industrie Africa under the Lagos Fashion Week Presents platform, which focuses on expanding access to market pathways for African brands.”

 

It also allows us to take advantage of a model that best combines the physical experiences of the Lagos runway shows and the emotions they evoke with opportunities for a global audience to shop some of the designers’ collections digitally after the show.”

“The inception of Industrie Africa in 2018 was predicated on a desire to grant intimate access to the continent’s exceptionally diverse designer landscape to the world at large,” said Nisha Kanabar, Founder and CEO of Industrie Africa.

We’re now taking this concept a step further by offering a limited-time opportunity to shop a curated selection of the newest Spring ’22 collections from Lagos Fashion Week’s electrifying 10th-anniversary runway. We can’t wait to see what our fashion-conscious Industrie Africa customers will gravitate toward from our biggest launch yet.”

The first phase of the Lagos Fashion Week X Industrie Africa is exclusively available on Industrie Africa.

Visit here for more information and to stay up to date on all things Lagos Fashion Week.

Content courtesy of Lagos Fashion Week, Industrie Africa & NFH

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

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

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

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

Learn about them by visiting this page.

1. Zari Hassan, the Boss Lady

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

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

2. Diamond Platnumz

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

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYq1y3fK-rj/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

3. Nadia Nakai

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

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

4. Andile Ncube

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

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

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

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

https://www.instagram.com/p/CbPSMeMB2PT/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

6. Naked

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

7. Kayleigh Schwark

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

https://www.instagram.com/p/CbO-Tr4tiV6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

8. Swanky Jerry

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

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

9. Innocent ‘2Baba’ Idibia

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

https://www.instagram.com/p/CT9hvJYLN_U/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

10. Annie Macaulay-Idibia

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

Content courtesy of Elle, Netflix & NFH

Nisha Kanabar, A Tanzanian Storyteller Entrepreneur, And A Fashion Designer.

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

Contrary to popular belief, African fashion is more than just patterns and traditional garb, it is modern and evolving. This is how Nisha Kanabar, a fashion entrepreneur, describes herself.

A fourth-generation Tanzanian and graduate of New York’s Parsons School of Design sees it and is determined to change the dominant narrative from her base in Dar es Salaam.

When she began her career, this view of African fashion, if it existed at all, was either non-existent or painted with broad brushstrokes. It was almost as if there was a need to deconstruct Eurocentric standards, engage with cultures outside of homogeneous cliches, and curate for specific locations and audiences.

She noticed how storytelling could connect audiences to creatives while working in the fashion industry abroad, including for reputable fashion magazines in the United States, India, and the Middle East.

This was the inspiration for Industrie Africa, her global retail destination for contemporary and luxury African fashion founded in 2018, which drew on her Tanzanian upbringing and her views on diversity, identity, and culture, all of which she considers inherently pluralistic.

“What hopping around different markets taught me was the power of the media to change perceptions,” says Kanabar, who has worked in both fashion editorial and commercial fashion.

Her first experience in an emerging market, while working at Vogue India, taught her the importance of context and detail as a powerful voice of creatives and designers.

According to her, Industrie Africa showcases luxury pan-African brands through the principles of storytelling, thought, leadership, and education, collaborating with its designer community to deliver directly from their studios to anywhere in the world.

“When I returned to Tanzania in 2016, I became aware of the gaps in the fashion industry.” “There was a lack of accuracy and a regional disconnect in how it was portrayed globally,” she emphasizes.

“There is a general lack of diversity on a global scale.” So, in order to truly offer something to this fractured, underrepresented fashion industry, this was created.

The media and fashion stakeholders will have clear, cohesive access to the market in ways they have never had before.”

Starting Industrie Africa also entailed determining who the audience for luxury pan-African fashion was and what they desired in terms of sectorial knowledge.

Kanabar also mentioned a lack of access and infrastructure. How could she build a retail platform without even the fundamentals in place?

“From the beginning, we began to cultivate this really engaged community and then just started digging deeper and realized that there was an overwhelming demand for consumer products when it came to Africa, and African luxury in particular, as well as African-led content.”

This resulted in the launch of Industrie Africa’s e-commerce platform in 2020, challenging people’s perceptions of stereotypical African fashion and highlighting pan-African voices through an intuitive global editorial framework and lens.

“It’s kind of to raise the bar in storytelling when it comes to our continent because I don’t feel like we have the right voices from within to gather, supercharge, and create content in an elevated way, so that was kind of part of the mission,” she says.

“The way we work with our designers is that we curate in a way that elevates them, elevates our product narrative, and elevates everything to an international standard.”

There’s also a focus on long-term viability.
There are few content platforms and knowledge-sharing opportunities in Africa’s high-end fashion industry.
Kanabar believes that you can’t push retail without telling a story, and you can’t cultivate engagement without it.

” Industrie Africa is uniquely tailored to the ecosystem to which we belong, so it’s not a copy-paste model by any means, it’s very much integrated like a puzzle piece within our environment…

what we do is contextualize the African fashion experience in a very authentic way that hasn’t been seen before.” This immersive experience allows you to engage with the industry on your own terms, whatever that may be.”

Content courtesy of Industrie Africa & NFH

DHL Has Announced A Partnership With The Footwear Brand Veldskoen.

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

DHL Express, the logistics company, is expanding its foray into high fashion with its first collaboration with an African brand, Veldskoen, the footwear company.

DHL has released a number of unexpected fashion collaborations over the years, including a T-shirt with Vetements that debuted on the Paris catwalk in 2016, and a limited-edition sneaker with Budapester to commemorate its 50th anniversary.

DHL’s most recent fashion collaboration is with South African footwear company, Veldskoen, with the release of a new limited-edition shoe dubbed “Dear Everyone,” which will be available via a drop lottery system, with those interested in purchasing having until April 15 to register at DHLxVeldskoen.com.

There are only 365 pairs of one-of-a-kind, handcrafted shoes available, which were unveiled in London on March 17 and will be on display at Selfridges for four days within two exclusive branded windows.
Each pair of DHL x Veldskoen’s Dear Everyone shoes is handcrafted by 66 pairs of hands in Durban, South Africa, and features a mural on the side panels by local artist Reggie Kumalo that incorporates campaign messaging as well as subtle South African references.

DHL Express has a partnership with Veldskoen
“For decades, we have made designers and fashion labels more successful worldwide by creating tailor-made shipping solutions and using our unique logistics network to connect them with a larger, global audience,” Megan Collinicos, vice president of marketing at DHL Express Sub Saharan Africa, said in a statement.

Following the success of our previous fashion collaborations in Europe, North America, and Asia, we were looking for an African brand for our next exciting collaboration.

“Veldskoen created a modern take on an iconic South African shoe by adding a pop of color to the soles and laces, and have amassed an impressive customer base around the world since their inception in 2016.”

And over the last few months, we’ve been working with the Veldskoen team to reinvent the traditional veldskoen once more.”
In a statement about the collaboration, Veldskoen CEO Nick Dreyer said, “When DHL approached us with the idea of collaborating on a limited-edition shoe to highlight South African fashion, it was a no-brainer for us.” Their previous fashion projects pushed the boundaries with some unexpected pairings, so being chosen as the first African brand for the next collaboration was a huge honor.

There were immediate synergies between our two brands, the most obvious being a desire to make a difference in the communities where we operate.

Content courtesy of DHL & NFH

​​​​​​​Carole Kinoti Establishes the Mavazi Executive Fashion Program in Collaboration with Strathmore University.

Posted on by Fashion Tribe Influencer

Carole Kinoti Brands, an iconic fashionista and designer brand, has partnered with Strathmore University Business School to offer the Mavazi Executive Programme.

The program will bring together various fashion industry stakeholders, creating a platform for creatives in the Kenyan fashion industry to discuss the changing face of the fashion industry in Kenya and Africa as a whole.

“This training Programme will instill enhanced design and business skills among established and upcoming designers, fashion industry distributors, and all other players in the fashion value chain,” Carole Kinoti Brands said in a statement.

The “Mavazi Executive Programme (MEP)” is a training program that will instill improved design and business skills in established and aspiring designers who participate.

Participants will also have the opportunity to develop and improve their networks, business structures, systems, cultures, and brand visibility through the program.

Participants will benefit from an expanded customer base, a rich network in the fashion value chain, increased revenues, and potential access to financing with these new skills, opportunities, and information.

Participants who successfully complete the program developed by Strathmore University Business School in collaboration with Carole Kinoti Brands will have the opportunity to join the Mavazi Hub, an exclusive network of Fashion Value chain players committed to creating sustainable ‘Made in Africa’ fashion trends.

Shared regional marketing, supply, and distribution channels will generate valuable synergies, resulting in economies of scale and a stronger negotiating platform in the Fashion Value Chain.

Among the key benefits that participants will receive are increased overall revenues through the use of new marketing, design, and networking insights; extended networks amongst Fashion Value Chain players; enhanced design and business skills; the opportunity to be a part of an exclusive Fashion Value Chain community; and creating and elevating the brand visibility of the participants’ businesses.

Content courtesy of Carole Kinoti Brands & NFH

Fashion Designers Are Invited To Apply For A Mentorship Program At The Durban Fashion Fair.

Posted on by Oscar Alochi

DURBAN – The eThekwini Municipality has invited young fashion designers to register for a mentoring program for the 2022 Durban Fashion Fair (DFF).

The DFF mentorship program, which is now in its 11th year, is part of the city’s fashion development initiative.
The DFF mentorship program focuses on technical skills, business growth, and market access, as well as giving networking opportunities, to help designers break into the fashion industry.

Msawakhe Mayisela, a municipal spokesman, indicated that applications for 2022 are currently available.

Mayisela explained that the DFF mentoring program will provide fashion designers access to the market, allowing them to sell their wares at the city-owned DFF emporiums in uMlazi Mega City, Midway Crossing, and a few pop-up stores such as the Pavilion Shopping Centre as well as online platforms.

• A storyboard displaying a clothing line you’re working on or have recently released.

• Documents proving residency and credentials.

Applications must be sent to the 7th floor of the Embassy Building, 199 Anton Lembede Street, Durban, by 3 p.m. on March 25.
Call 031 311 4497 or contact nondumiso.mthembu@durban.gov.za for more information about the DFF mentorship program.

Content Courtesy of IOL & NFH

Minnie Dlamini to Show Off French-Xhosa Range at Paris Fashion Week 2022 with JessicaJane

Posted on by Fashion Police

South African media personality Minnie Dlamini will be walking the ramp for JessicaJane to show off the French-Xhosa Range at Paris Fashion Week in early March 2022 in a fabulous case of women supporting women on their journeys… whilst making South Africa proud and making dreams come true.

Little did JessicaJane know that when she fell in love and married Wandile Molebatsi who is half Tswana and half Xhosa how this would impact her fashion design journey, culminating in an invitation to the famous Paris Fashion Week.

After receiving the invitation and after much thinking during Covid lockdowns, Jessica decided to create a range that would mean something to all South Africans. Her range embraces the past and present, as well as racial and cultural differences… and is particularly personal to Jessica because of her multi-racial family.

After marrying Wandile, Jessica’s social circle expanded, and she started having women approach her to make their traditional South African wedding dresses. After making a few, Jessica found herself gravitating towards Xhosa attire… drawn by the impactful monochrome nature of the garments.

Jessica’s heritage which is French, Norwegian, Scottish, and English still flows through her designs, whilst maintaining a deep respect for the traditional cultural garments she was being commissioned to design and make.

Having studied a BA Degree in Fashion Design, Jessica always brings couture elements into her traditional garments and believes that a traditional wedding dress should be treated with the same care and attention that one gives to a civil wedding dress.

Whilst developing this love of Xhosa attire and having an affinity for all things French, Jessica started to imagine how her designs could creatively merge these two styles’ aesthetics. This creative design process had already begun when JessicaJane received an invite to show during Paris Fashion Week and she knew instantly that she would want to show a French-Xhosa Range.

When marrying into the Molebatsi family. Jessica received her “given” name from her Xhosa aunts which are NOLUTHANDO (The One that gives love). Jess felt that to name the range NOLUTHANDO would be perfectly fitting; as this range would go out into the world and show, give and portray love for South Africa.

The SA Department of Sports, Arts and Culture intervened to make sure that JessicaJane can indeed show at the Paris Fashion Week on 4th and 5th March. (The Paris Fashion Week runs from 28 Feb to 8 March.)

To view JessicaJane’s current collection 2021 Here

With dynamic South African celebrity Minnie Dlamini modeling the beautiful collection in Paris, it’s sure to be a show-stopper.

Staying with weddings and love, Dlamini’s latest film project No Love Lost which her company Beautiful Day Productions produced, has just started streaming on Showmax (available to Showmax International subscribers abroad too). The wonderfully romantic feature film was launched on Valentine’s Day.

Content Courtesy of SA People & NFH Digital Team 

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

Posted on by Fashion Police

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

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

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

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

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

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

Content Courtesy of Vogue Magazine & NFH 

Covid Or Not, The Show Must Go On: New York Fashion Week Kicks Off

Posted on by Fashion Police

Fall/Winter 2022 shows get underway at New York Fashion week with Proenza Schouler and Christian Cowan showing their lively collections.

Experimentation, play, and glitter: a coronavirus-impacted New York Fashion Week got underway on Friday with Fall/Winter 2022 shows by Proenza Schouler and Christian Cowan.

Experimentation’ At New York Fashion Week

In its collection, presented in an art gallery in Manhattan’s trendy East Village, New York brand Proenza Schouler played with shape, contrasting fitted waists with loose or slightly rounded skirts.

Designer Lazaro Hernandez said the idea was to exaggerate and juxtapose different forms to respond to “this whole body obsession these days with social media and everyone showing the body.”

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CZ5bKKIlLe3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Model Bella Hadid wore an outfit featuring buttoned sleeves, accentuated shoulders, and a black velvet hooded top – giving off a Catwoman vibe.

“Experimentation and play are key, perhaps now more than ever,” Proenza said of its collection.

Christian Cowan Showcases ‘glamour’ At New York Fashion Week

Christian Cowan – who has dressed Lady Gaga and rappers Cardi B and Lil Nas X – presented his collection in the observatory atop the One World Trade Center skyscraper that replaced the Twin Towers felled on 9/11.

The show had the atmosphere of a nightclub, highlighting the British designer’s taste for glitter and glamour.

Ahead of the runway, the label teased fans with what might be in store by posting an image of the “Freedom Tower” all in pink on its Instagram page.

Tom Ford Cancels New York Fashion Week Show

Despite pandemic restrictions and the Omicron variant upsetting preparations, several other brands have opted for in-person shows, including Michael Kors, Altuzarra, Tory Burch, Brandon Maxwell, and Telfar.

A notable absence was Tom Ford, chair of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) that organizes the event.

He was due to close the week next Wednesday but canceled at the end of January due to a surge of COVID-19 cases among his team.

“We have tried everything possible to avoid canceling our New York show but ultimately are faced with the sad fact that we will simply not have a completed collection in time,” he said.

Opportunity For Emerging Talents To Showcase At New York Fashion Week

For several years now, New York has had to deal with big names deciding to skip the event in favor of displaying their latest collections elsewhere.

Some designers are also choosing to eschew the classic runway calendar, with growing criticism that the frantic pace of fashion is out of step with sustainability.

The absence of top creators like Christopher John Rogers – the CFDA’s women’s designer of the year 2021 – and Kerby Jean-Raymond’s Pyer Moss brand, also provided an opportunity for emerging talents to grab the headlines.

Or at least that is the hope of labels such as Melke and Dauphinette, which promote sustainable and ethical fashion.

“It is really rewarding realizing that people can see the work that I’ve been doing and they think that it deserves a place amongst a bunch of other very successful brands,” 26-year-old Emma Gage, who founded Melke during the pandemic, told AFP.

“It kind of really solidifies you as someone that people know is going to be around for a long time,” she said inside her small studio in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Content Courtesy of AFP, The South African & NFH 

The Top Emerging Black Designers to Know Now

Posted on by Ann Mumbi

There are countless Black designers leading the current cultural conversations surrounding fashion and in the process, they are generating the culture itself. Their genius trickles down to the mainstream (as has historically been the case for designers including Ann Lowe, Willi Smith, Stephen Burrows, and many more) and becomes the industry standard.

Telfar Clemens’s label Telfar has redefined the “It” bag and created an “It” label in the process; Theophilio bakes community work and activism into its design ethos and brand codes; and Christopher John Rogers brings his Southern roots to a new kind of red carpet couture (inspired, always, by his mother’s church looks).

In addition to these established labels, there is a whole new guard of designers making fashion and setting trends through their own, idiosyncratic visions. Many of them have shown at the various fashion weeks, while others are still indie brands garnering cult followings in their own right. All are worth your attention.

1. Connor McKnight

Connor McKnight showed his second collection ever at New York Fashion Week in September 2021 after having launched the brand in the trying year that was 2020. Despite his label still being in its fledgling stages, the offerings which include sleek knits, tailored garments, and one very sexy leather jacket demonstrate the Brooklyn-based designer’s prowess and far-reaching vision.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CItjcBfAuHg/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

2. Khiry

Khiry jewelry designer Jameel Mohammed is not yet 30 years old and already, he’s created pieces worn by the likes of Tessa Thompson, Serena Williams, Megan Thee Stallion, and Michelle Obama, who donned Khiry’s Isha Rose Quartz Hoops with a matching ring during her Becoming book tour. Mohammed, a 2021 finalist for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award, is a Chicago native now based in New York City. His finely wrought gold and silver rings, collars, and pearl-studded earrings pay homage to the African diaspora.

3. Tia Adeola

Arguably one of the buzziest brands to hit New York Fashion Week this year, Tia Adeola draws from designer Teniola “Tia” Adeola’s background in art history and her deep interest in the Renaissance period. Along with her signature proclivity for feminine ruffles, Adeola’s creations also tap into of-the-moment, updated trends like corsetry and screen-printed graphics. Adeola, who was born in Nigeria and raised in London, officially kicked off NYFW on February 10th with the debut of her fall 2022 collection, which drew from her thoughts, anxieties, and musings during the End SARS movement in Nigeria.

4. Roop

Manchester-based designer Natasha Fernandes-Anjo is taking sustainability into her own hands. With her accessory label Roop, Fernandes-Anjo recreates cast-off textiles and deadstock fabrics into sweet handbags and scrunchies all at an accessible price point.

5. Kenneth Nicholson

You’ve never seen menswear like Kenneth Nicholson’s. The Los Angeles-based designer’s clothes always draw upon a historical reference of some kind you’ll often hear him referencing Biblical stories or the 1800s when discussing his brand. The Houston native was awarded a scholarship to San Francisco’s Academy of Art before serving in the U.S. Navy. Afterward, he moved to Los Angeles to start his eponymous brand. “I don’t think I’m redefining [masculinity],” Nicholson told the L.A. Times in 2021. “I’m recalibrating what was already there.”

6. Head of State

Taofeek Abijako’s first exposure to the world of fashion came from his father, who was a designer in Abijako’s hometown of Lagos, Nigeria. In the elder Abijako’s studio, people from all walks of life came to purchase bespoke clothing. Once Taofeek’s family moved to the United States in 2010, he taught himself to sew and, six years later, launched Head of State, which has become a favorite among the fashion set.

7. Labrum London

Designer Foday Dumbuya has always aimed to bridge the gap between Great Britain and its West African diasporic communities. Through his label, Labrum London, the East London-based artist (who was raised between Sierra Leone, Cyprus, and England,) marries traditional British tailoring with the patterns and fabrics of West African attire.

8. Bernard James

Although the jewelry designer Bernard James first launched his label in 2010 with the intent of filling the gaps he saw in the men’s jewelry market, he has since expanded Bernard James into a unisex brand one that’s become a top favorite, especially among the editors here at W. We’re huge fans of the chain-link bangles and bracelets (shown above in the form of a necklace), and, of course, the show-stopping mirror gem earrings.

9. Who Decides War

Everard Best (who goes by the moniker Ev Bravado) and Téla D’Amore cite Ralph Lauren as one of their main sources of inspiration. Their label, Who Decides War, however, is anything but your stock Americana. Although the Who Decides War runway show for spring 2022 offered lots of denim, Western-Esque vests, and deconstructed sweaters knitted with United States flag emblems, the designers completely remixed what the standard approach to American fashion has historically looked like.

Content Courtesy of W Magazine & NFH 

 

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