IN THE NEWS: AFRICA FASHION WEEK//AFI BOUTIQUE//JULY 2010

[A model in Christie Brown at Arise Africa Fashion Week last year]

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Fresh off the heels of a newly revamped website, African Fashion International (AFI) recently announced the dates and line-up for Africa Fashion Week this summer. You may recall that Arise ended their partnership with AFI last year so the event is no longer branded "Arise African Fashion Week" as it was last year. Here's what we know:

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DATES: June 30-July 3

LOCATION: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg

LINE-UP: 30 designers, 19 runway shows, a two-day fashion seminar, Africa Fashion Awards (July 5)

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In even more exciting news:

"For the designers their collections will not just be confined to the catwalk; they will be available for purchase on site, along with ready to wear garments, at the first ever AFI Fashion boutique which will be open for the month of June. On the eve of African Fashion Week itself, the AFI boutique will launch online as a permanent shop specializing in African fashion from across the globe, with collections available immediately after their catwalk showing."

EPIC :-) Initiatives that shrink the gap between African designers and their customers in thoughtful, effective ways are precisely what our fashion dreams are made of. We can't wait! Be sure to save the dates & stay tuned to our blog for more details as we have them!

Revisit the fabulous fashion on display last year here.

XO

ARISE AFRICA FASHION WEEK: DAY 8 - - GERT VAN de MERWE (SOUTH AFRICA)

gert van de merwe's collection had a mish mash of influences, most notably roberto cavalli's use of animal print. the general direction of his collection was lots of elegant drama and glamor and pieces that speak the language of high fashion fluently. all in all, a nicely executed collection filled with top picks for the red carpet.

more here!

xo

ARISE AFRICA FASHION WEEK: DAY 7 - - GLORIA WAVAMUNNO (UGANDA)

gloria wavamunno kept it mostly short and sweet with very modern silhouettes (bubble hems, one shoulder, cutouts, tube). her yellow kanga dress featuring the map of africa was a a particular highlight and reppin' the continent doesn't go much harder than that. all in all, a collection fit the modern africanista who enjoys the thrill of taking simple pieces and making them her own with bold accessories and dazzling dashes of color.

see her entire collection here.

xo

ARISE AFRICA FASHION WEEK: DAY 7 - - FUNDUDZI (SOUTH AFRICA)

we loved these simple but noteworthy pieces from south africa's fundudzi. while some pieces from his collection left us with furrowed brows, his clean, straight-to-the-points pieces white/ivory pieces captured the essence of confidence mixed with a healthy dose of everyday, on-the-go chic. we also like the idea of throwing metallic silver gladiator sandals into the mix -- way to spice things up without being distracting.

see his entire collection here.

xo

ARISE AFRICA FASHION WEEK: DAY 7 - - KLûK CGDT (SOUTH AFRICA)

if you're looking for a show where virtually every piece dazzles you and sends you into a tizzy where you grab your credit card and scream "i'll take that for $2,000" at two second intervals, malcom KLûK and christian gabriel du toit (CDGT) are your men. what an oustanding collection, featuring the best in craftasmanship, design, and execution. this collection reminds us of an endless pandora's box of surprises -- the colors thrill you, the dramatic elements positively overwhelm you, and the understated flamboyance makes you aspire to a life of 24/7 glamor. you're impossibly fabulous -- everyone knows and you wear KLûK CGDT to make sure everyone always remembers:

be even more amazed here.

xo

ARISE AFRICA FASHION WEEK NOTABLE MENTION: ADE BAKARE (NIGERIA)

while ade bakare's collection featured the occassional white dress that we liked and some pieces we weren't too sure about, we thought he deserved a notable mention because of his use of adire (tie-and-dye) and aso-oke; two fabrics that are often sidelined in the ankara craze. the aso-oke mini is a stunner:






see his entire collection here.

xo

ARISE AFRICA FASHION WEEK PHOTO UPDATES: LANRE DA SILVA-AJAYI and TIFFANY AMBER

[a model wearing LDA @ africa fashion week 2009)

we've added a few more photos from lanre da silva-ajayi and tiffany amber's collections. see them here!



[a model wearing tiffany amber  [*edit* jan 25, 2010 - the model's actually wearing a piece by THULA SINDI] at arise africa fashion week 2009)

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ARISE AFRICA FASHION WEEK: DAY 6 - - TINA ATIEMO (GHANA)

tina atiemo's collection seemed guided by the principles of "simple, laidback, and chic" with a dash of daring. from her combination of dressy and casual, to her use of yellows + golds, brights, and black+white, her range as designer is evident and her collection was inclusive without being too busy. throwing some accessories into the mix may have added more spark, but her crisp, white pieces in particular look set to stand alone and make a statement in and of themselves. it's also worth mentioning that her pieces are better appreciated when you see larger photos and observe the charming details, including her use of cowries and beading. so click the photos above and below to enlarge and enjoy.

see the full collection here.

xo

ARISE AFRICA FASHION WEEK: DAY 5 - - ASCHOBI DESIGNS by ADAMA KAI (SIERRA LEONE)

we had a tough time selecting our favorite aschobi pieces but there's nothing wrong with that - - the most well-executed collections tend to have that effect on us. spunky, young, fresh, and cool are the first words that came to mind when we spotted her delicious minis, complete with zippers, ruffles, and a dash of bling. very rihanna, very "made you look", very now, and we're totally digging it.

more here!

xo

ARISE AFRICA FASHION WEEK: DAY 4 - - ODIO MIMONET (NIGERIA)

odio mimonet's collection featured a rich kaleidoscope of colors, ranging from jewel tones, african print, and the most powerful combination there ever was -- black and white. her collection was also incredibly thorough, featuring virtually every kind of dress there is in a wide range of fabrics, making her collection a cross between schizophrenic and alluring. that said, OM's pieces have wowed us before but this time around, we see a number of pieces we like but very few that we love.

see the entire collection here.

xo

P.S. *edit* (june 18) this collection is slowly but surely growing on us and we see spunk and edge where we hadn't seen it before and beauty in the details. will it end up being one of our favorite collections? stay tuned for our post-fashion week roundup!

ARISE AFRICA FASHION WEEK: DAY 2 - - TIFFANY AMBER (NIGERIA)

tiffany amber's collection featured signature gowns including beaded and embroidered brights, paisley print dresses, and more subdued choices for the more reserved. her incorporation of denim was particularly interesting as she infused a staple piece with doses of playfulness and modernity for the lady who likes to shake things up. we also noticed an emphasis on belting when necessary and a relaxed fluidity for those low maintenance days when a maxi dress and mascara are all a woman needs. remarkably, her entire collection was devoid of african print and focused instead on a wide range of options that take you from your resort vacation to being the center of attention in a room full of people. a case of making sure there's something for everyone, perhaps? quite possibly so.







see more on our flickr page here.

photos:

simon deiner/SDR photo

ARISE AFRICA FASHION WEEK: updates

hello and thanks for staying tuned :-) we're currently compiling photos from as many sources as we can and in the interest of not going back and forth editing posts, we thought it best to update our flickr page as more photos emerge. for instance, we covered christie brown's FANTASTIC show over the weekend but we spotted additional photos (such as the one above) today. we thought you might like to see them so we're keeping track via our flickr page. also, rather than provide a detailed analysis of every show at African Fashion Week, we'll be providing you with short descriptions of as many collections as we can cover with photos of some of our favorite pieces. at the end of fashion week, we hope to provide you with a more comprehensive overview of trend reports from the most oustanding collections.

thanks again for staying tuned!

xo

ARISE AFRICA FASHION WEEK: DAY 3 - - LANRE DA SILVA-AJAYI (NIGERIA)

the always thrilling lanre da silva-ajayi (LDA) put on a showstopper at Arise Africa Fashion Week consisting almost exclusively of a delectable array of dresses. LDA's victorian and "throwback" sensibilities seeped through her choice of tartan and lace, while her choice of flowers as embroidery added an endearing touch of spring. with her expert hand, gorgeous details (ruching, gathering, layering), and her generous use of shimmer and metallics, Lanre Da Silva-Ajayi is set to remain a strong contender for Africa's top talent.

see the collection via our flickr page here.

xo

photos:

simon deiner/SDR photo

ARISE AFRICA FASHION WEEK: DAY 3 - - MUSTAFA HASSANALI (TANZANIA)

for us, the beauty of mustafa hassalani's collection was the clever incorporation of african print as accessories (belting, print-lined umbrellas) and his fluid, draped dresses that dripped effortless, timeless glamor. his collection also featured several one-handed pieces that capture the spirit of many spring/summer '09 collections as well basic print dresses, skirts, and pants that are fast becoming ubiquitous at Arise Africa Fashion Week. all in all, a remarkable designer with an admirable range of pieces.

see the entire collection via our flickr page here.

xo