Buzz: Pop'Africana

[Ajak Deng in Issue 2 of Pop'Africana]

Blogosphere has buzzed non-stop about the rising phenomenon that is Pop'Africana since the beginning of the year -- and rightly so. If you've flipped through the pages of Pop'Africana, seen one of their electric editorials, or even stumbled on their blog, what you'll find in a fresh and refreshing voice unlike any other. Africa isn't one thing, or one place, neither can it truly be summed up in one sentence. However, Pop'Africana comes quite close to summing up the beauty that exists on the continent and Diaspora with content and images that capture Africa's uniqueness and diversity. We can't wait for the day Pop'Africana is stocked on every stand and placed on every coffee table everywhere. World domination, Pop'Africana-style? Yes, please.

***

Catch up on select Pop'Africana buzz:

• Vogue.it interviews Oroma Elewa, Editor-in-chief of Pop'Africana [Video. Text. Vogue Italia]
• Internet abuzz over African high-fashion magazine [Independent]
• In Which We Actually Get Excited About A Fashion Magazine [Jezebel]
• Pop'Africana [Sundance Channel]
• The African diaspora's style mag launches its second issue [Cool Hunting]
• Of Another Fashion + Pop'Africana [Pour Porter]
• Spotlight on: Pop'Africana [Models.com]

Amazing, no?

XO

*EDIT* DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND, YOU CAN STILL PRE-ORDER ISSUE 2 UNTIL FEB. 11, 2011 HERE. DON'T MISS OUT!

buzz: sade adu's "soldier of love" + funmi iyanda's TWF

peep the cover of sade adu's highly anticipated album, "soldier of love." a quick lesson in looking amazing from behind.

more here.

can't wait.

-- 

we also can't wait for funmi iyanda's highly anticipated new show, Talk With Funmi. here's a preview:

sooooo excited!!!!

xo

buzz: forever 21's "love and beauty"

...and forever21 is another step closer to total world domination. what don't they carry? we'll probably remain mac, iman, and bobby brown girls at heart...but the occasional forever21 lipgloss shouldn't hurt.

will you be trying any of their beauty products? what do you think they'll dabble in next? oil? we're only half-joking...

xo

buzz: i-d magazine pre-fall 2009

here are some scans from the highly anticipated i-d spread, "thriller", featuring models chanel iman, arlenis sosa, sesilee lopez, and jourdan dunn:

each of the stunning ladies has a certain je ne sais quoi about her...together, they're really pretty darn electric.

(happy 51st birthday to the amazing, thrilling, irreplaceable MJ. long live the king.)

more here and here.

xo

buzz: vogue africa?

ever wondered if Vogue'll ever cast its net over Africa? perhaps it will, perhaps it won't. in any case, cameroonian photographer mario epanya isn't content with speculation - he's gone ahead and shot his own "vogue africa" covers in the hope of making conde nast pay attention. in fact, as the buzz around the famed september issue reaches fever pitch, mario has taken it upon himself to create vogue africa's version of the september issue, which we eagerly anticipate. this is a splendid idea and a worthy movement - one which we're prepared to support relentlessly. in the meantime, a number of africa-centered publications exist that are well worth the trees they're printed on. so while we hope Vogue sits up and pays attention, we're content with the Arise Magazines of this world that are already setting the bar very high...

support the Vogue Africa movement here...

xo

p.s. the regal, half-naked african woman look gets very tiring very quickly. africa is too rich and diverse for this to become a stereotype. just a thought directed at no one in particular :-)

fyi: topshop US!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hellooooo! a while ago, we blogged about topshop making its US debut in soho, NY this october. well, more like november now. sad face. in the meantime, however, guess what we have to look forward to in FIVE days!!!!! no, not the launch of kate moss's new line, although we eagerly await a chance to see her new offerings. did i hear someone say A US E-COMMERCE FRIENDLY WEBSITE?!?!?!?! oooooh HECK YES!!!!!! FINALLY!! we're excited out of our bloody minds...especially about the sale section, LOL. ooookay, time to rush off to class. but we'll be back. soon enough! spreeeead the word!

xoxoxoxo

buzz: olympics + polo

ralph lauren polos are a such perfect synonym for preppy nigerian coolness. talk about wardrobe staple! remember when the big pony polos were first launched and EVERYBODY + mama rocked them to death? collars poppin' everywhere! SO. MUCH. SWAGGAHHH. lol. we're pretty sure polo's latest offering is set to be another big hit:

presenting the flag polo, available in a variety of colors in men and women's sizes with customizable flags for 26 countries, including nigeria and kenya.

get yours here for $125 and spread the word!

xo

buzz: topshop NEW YORK - coming SOON

fashion enthusiasts in the US of A probably already know that topshop is set to open a store in soho this fall (mid-october, most likely). and now, thanks to fashionindie and glamchic, we have a fair idea what to expect:



the boys are by no means getting left behind!! topman merchandise will also be available :)



exciting MUCH?

more info and photos here and here.

xo

buzz: 'for love' by forever 21

hello folks :) just breezing through to say 'for love' (forever 21's accessories line) is now available online. check it out here! FAH-BUH-LOUS! expect a few more posts...and then we're off on our oh-so-exciting summer vacation :)

more on that super soon!

xo

buzz: american apparel does vintage...

california select vintage by american apparel

according to AA's website:

"California Vintage is a new concept from American Apparel. We've collected some of the great, unique, and inspirational styles and looks from all over the world to create a whole new way to shop for great vintage styles"

more here.

if you can't get to one of their stores, no problem! bid away on ebay here.

xo

wanted: zulu rose

zulu rose: tees

(get it here)

this tee makes us happy because it's a precious little reminder of the manic hustle bustle of lagos. not that there's anything intrinsically chaotic about the tee in itself; it just takes us back to the okadas, women in their wrappers, the sun...basically, the little things that are stand-ins for lagos in our homesick minds :) according to zulurose.com, 'the zulu rose line has the restless energy of modernity juxtaposed with the power and charm of traditional symbolism'. fabulousness! we encourage you to take a look here. while we can't afford this tee just yet, we found two on sale here and here that you just might like.

buzz: ed hardy

clothing & accessories line: ed hardy by christian audigier

we haven't quite caught the ed hardy bug yet, but everywhere we turn, someone's wearing ed hardy or talking about it...so we thought we'd buzz about it. ed hardy's main selling point is the often elaborate tattoo art on their tees and other articles of clothing + accessories, channelling a very gothic, artsy, street vibe. they're pretty pricey (the ladies tee pictured above will set you back about $92) but those that love them love them...to death. pun intended?

to buy:

edhardyshop
revolveclothing
nordstrom


and for more information, visit ed hardy's myspace page.

photo credits - google, designsbystephene

gift ideas: quirky & wonderful

give: fred flare

fred flare is such a great little one-stop shop for quirky, unusual items that make such charming gifts. here are some of our favorites:

(click on names to be directed to products)

mixtape USB memory stick




rain parade mini umbrellas




wacky bandages

we've gotta run, but be sure to feed your eyes at fredflare.com and let us know what you like! their home section is our favorite. fredflare = love :)

buzz: much ado about africa (and we LOVE it!)

of tees & purses

the spring runways were bursting with inspired pieces that pick and mix from all over the world, and africa certainly wasn't left out. from the exotic print (e.g. ankara), to the earthy colors and accessories (e.g. stacked wooden bangles), there's something for everyone. we've noticed some africa-related trends on some of our favorite blogs, websites, and magazines, too, and we'd like to share our findings with you. if you're african or you love the AMAZING continent of africa, this post is for you:

==> TEES:

* i am africa tees - we first learned about these tees through the mother of all networking sites, facebook.com, and this week, the fabulous must-visit blog yayemarieba refreshed our memories here.



be the new face of africa today! shop here and visit them on facebook here.

* tonic gen - another favorite website of ours (clutch magazine) featured tees by tonicgen here. for every tee you buy, you're supporting a cause that diverts funds to areas they're most needed. take their net tee, for instance:



according to tonicgen.com, 'each net tee will fund the delivery of 3 mosquito bed nets to families in africa'.

learn more about tonicgen's causes here and shop here.

* obey - this tee is the result of a collaboration between OBEY and the HOPE campaign to raise funds and awareness about the ongoing situation in darfur. OBEY will donate all proceeds to this cause.



shop here and here.

* jamhuri wear - we first heard about jamhuri when we saw this striking tee:



we love their other offerings and you will too! shop here, and visit them on facebook here.

* bernos



bernos' 'about us' section reads:

'Bernos creates high-quality, eye-catching t-shirts featuring African themes. We supply the world with standout shirts featuring African icons, inspired by our Afrocentric themes.'

if you like the sound of that, shop here!


==> BAGS AND ACCESSORIES:




* mad imports - we were excited to learn about mad imports courtesy of a mimi magazine feature. according to mad imports' website:

"Mad Imports is a socially & environmentally responsible company that markets handmade fashion accessories from Madagascar & Kenya . Our eclectic accessories blend traditional and contemporary design ideas of our international design team who incorporate renewable raw materials to create vivid & original clutches, totes and shoulder bags. The sale of our products enables families to gain economic independence and promotes environmental conservation."

we like! we a like a LOT! shop here!

* shika bags - we stumbled on this website when we were searching for ankara bags and we like what we see!



shop here!

* urbanknit - now, this nigerian bag + scarf designer we LOVE!




her scarves and purses are gorgeous and we'd buy them all if we could! see what we mean here, and visit the designer's blog here.

****

p.s. we bumped into this website while blog-hopping and we thought we'd share it with you even though we put this entry up ages ago. visit the lovely sierra leonean mimi's boutiquemix here and enjoy shopping for accessories, purses, and lots more!

****

if you know of any other sites/products that we've left out, please shoot us an e-mail at shopliquorice@gmail.com or leave a comment.

thanks for reading! spread the word and happy shopping!

buzz: suitcase

product: the samsonite spinner

can your suitcase do this?

we've seen it in action, thanks to a few friends of ours that have made the switch from the traditional, tiresome lugging of things to this revolutionary alternative. we want, we want, we NEED!