Inspired: Louis Vuitton [Resort 2012 Menswear & 3 Others]

Thakoon took a bite out of Masaai plaid (see below) for their F/W '11 collection and Louis Vuitton followed suit for their Resort 2012 menswear collection. Fashion continues its obsession with Kenya - from kanga print, to vibrant beads, and now the Masaai's statement plaid print, and this is by no means Louis Vuitton's first - or last - foray into Africa. The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Kim Jones, Style Director at Louis Vuitton Menswear, cites Africa as a strong influence having spent part of his childhood there, so the Masaai reference shouldn't come as much of a surprise. 

More luxury brands are looking to artisans in general and African in particular to infuse their heritage with crafts, culture, and ethics. Others have continued to turn to Africa for inspiration, pure and simple, and Louis Vuitton has had a number of notable Africa-related moments in recent times:

Many will remember Louis Vuitton's Ghana-must-go inspiration for Spring 2007 - Africa's ubiquitous checkered bag elevated to luxury symbol in the hands of Louis Vuitton:

Also, not too long ago, one Vogue reviewer described Louis Vuitton's Spring 2009 collection as 'Josephine Baker African razzmatazz':

Finally, Louis Vuitton's Core Values campaign signed on Bono and Ali last year and featured a little piece of Africa: A charm made in Kenya by local artisans under the guidance of MADE -

What do Africa and luxury have in common? Quite a bit, apparently.

- SLiq

Photos:

NY Mag

Style

ilvoelv

ghule

This Just In: Ohema Ohene Spring/Summer 2011

Ohema Ohene is probably better known for their fresh print-covered kicks, but they've got clothes covered, too. Our favourites this season are two spring essentials: the little white dress and the must-have trench (hello temperamental weather!). Ohema's take on the LWD involves lace and a contrast print peter pan collar, while their belted reversible trench comes in a gorgeous electric blue highlighted contrasted with print and pops of pink, and being reversible, it's like getting two jackets for the price of one -- what's not to love? Get yours here and here. And if you're in London, pop down to their store for more variety: 63 Atlantic road, Brixton, London, SW9 8PU. Remember, every day is a good day to Shop Africa, and that includes today :-)

- SLiq

Shop Africa: Aya Morrison belts

2010 saw several designers diversifying their offerings to include accessories. Can't afford the $1,000+ dress? Try the pocket-friendly necklace. Or in Aya Morrison's case, these staple skinny belts are a good place to start. $35 (or less if you take advantage of their ongoing promotion) for a piece you'll wear over and over again? Not bad at all. Shop here.

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Happy new year from all of us at Shop Liquorice! Please stay tuned all-year round for more exciting updates from Africa's budding - and blooming! - fashion scene & thank you for your encouraging support last year :-)

XO

SL Trend Watch: Ghana meets Nigeria

Ghana and Nigeria are next door neighbours, but do we know enough about each other fashion-wise? A number of out-of-Ghana brands are set to bridge the gap. 

We've all heard of kente in all its colorful variations and its roots in ancient royalty. We've also heard of established brands like Woodin. But how many budding out-of-Ghana fashion brands do you know? The first one the SL girls came across at a Beauty and the Feast exhibition in Lagos is ReneeQ, known for her unique statement mix-and-match tees. Last we checked, though, there's nowhere we can go in Lagos to get our ReneeQ fix...but all's not lost! We recently found out that Diva Delicious - makers of luxurious straw clutches and accessories in general (samples above) - is now available in Lagos [Oluwafemi Clothings, Good News Plaza, Suite A8, Agbaoku street, Opebi; +234 8055 355 945], and lovers of Christie Brown will be able to buy select pieces at Temple Muse from this Saturday, throwing some additional West African flavour into Nigeria's rapidly growing fashion scene.

Finally, if you're in Ghana and want a piece of Nigeria, Tebazile's store is a good start [Allys Plaza, Dzorwolu, Accra, Ghana; 0245 001 894].

Any other fabulous finds that bring Ghana and Nigeria that much closer? Please share!

XO

Pieces of Africa: Adinkra//Duro Olowu, Spring 2010

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It's amazing the little treasures you discover when you look most things over. We featured Duro Olowu's Spring 2010 collection a while ago and re-visited it several weeks ago, charmed by a little but significant detail we hadn't noticed before. Olowu's distinct floral print shares the spotlight with print adinkra symbols, famous in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire for their hidden meanings, not unlike kanga print in that respect. In a world where "African print" has practically become synonymous with Africa's fashion scene, it's great to see other cultural influences seep through. Africa is by no means only good for one thing and there's certainly more where ankara (dutch wax/"african print") and adinkra came from.

Several Duro Olowu pieces are available online courtesy of Couture Lab and Barneys.

Happy shopping!

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[click to enlarge]

Connect with Duro Olowu:

Website

XO

P.S. Image II courtesy of Duro Olowu.

Spread Love: Teen Vogue//March 2010

[Dress by Naana B, $300//Purse by Loaded Trunk]

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The outpouring of love for African Print/the "tribal" trend has been overwhelming...and spring 2010 isn't even underway yet! Here are some photos from a March 2010 Teen Vogue spread called "Global Citizen":

[Shorts by T-bags//$150, Skirt by Loaded Trunk]

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Love that the print pieces are incorporated with other contemporary pieces - don't they work with just about anything? Also love that they're the default focal point by reason of their brightness :-) We're happy that a Ghanaian designer's [Naana B] work was featured and we hope future spreads will include a wide range of designers of African descent.

What say you?

XO

spotlight: ReneeQ's 0110 Collection

we woke up to this yumminess from ReneeQ on our facebook mini-feed this morning. they released the lookbook for their 0110 collection yesterday and we're in pure lust.

ABOUT ReneeQ:

An Afro chic and culturally inspired line of tee shirts embellished with African fabric, beads, trimmings, etc...

Bespoke brings the evolution of the Afro Diva! Sizes range from a UK 8-18.

Bespoke? Because no 2 tees are the same. Each one is unique, thus, you're ordering the same style but never in the same colours and combinations.

To order, please send an email with the code of what you want (RQBxyz) and your size to orders@reneeq.com

what a vibrant, colorful, and innovative way to incorporate african print! pure genius. purchasing another ReneeQ piece is certainly high on our to-do-list this year. see the entire lookbook here and get to shopping. need to know more about ReneeQ? we've featured the brand a number of times. read past posts here!

xo

spring 2010: african print swimwear by aya morrison

for our readers who are bored with winter and need a little springspiration to kick off the blues, here's a little something to look forward to - african print swimwear by ghana's aya morrisson (founded by helena aidoo-morrison):

african print spices up the most basic swimsuits and turns them into style statements. each piece is guaranteed to make you the life of the beach party...but you already know that. happy looking forward :-)

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connect with aya morrison:

website
facebook
SHOP ONLINE: etsy store
to order, e-mail: info@ayamorrison.com

xo

p.s. aya morrison also makes gorgeouuuus african print purses. another post for another day ;-)

trend watch: statement tees

'tis the era of statement everything; from bling bling necklaces to oversize purses to over-the-top platform pumps, statement-making has never been more common. but don't take 'common' to mean boring -- far from it! in fact, the new crop of statement pieces - the statement tee - and the multiple possible interpretations keep us lustin'. here are some of our favorites (click photos for info. on how/where to purchase):

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reneeq//price on request

connect with reneeq:

e-mail: info@reneeq.com

facebook group

website

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red valentino//$225

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syl anim//price on request

connect with syl anim:

facebook

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dark victorian ruffle tee//$49

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d'zyn couture//price on request

connect with d'zyn couture - call 080 3703 6326 (abuja, nigeria)

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zippered eyelash tank by michael brambila//$15

...and that's all, folks! which one's your favorite?

xo

pimp my african print: of cards and bows

okay, guys! we have a new feature called "pimp my african print", lol. we all know that african print (especially ankara) has been at the frontline of the explosion in Africa's fashion industry, and while we sometimes get inundated with uninspired ankara pieces, there are tonnes of folks out there doing interesting things with african print. and we're making it our job to showcase them and inspire you! without further ado, here's our first installment of "pimp my african print" :-)

enjoy!

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these african print-inspired blank cards are the perfect way to pass thoughtful notes and sentiments around. they're unique, they're bright, and they're bound to be cherished.

get a pack of 5 here.

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we're also loving this extra large kente bow by one of our favorite etsy sellers, nakimuli. it really is up to you and your imagination to pin it wherever - and however - you like! get yours here.

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...and there you have it! you'll have to keep coming back to see our findings...we can't give them all away in the first post ;-)

thanks for reading - and buying!

xo

ShopAfrica: kua designs by ruby buah

[photo courtesy of mimi magazine]

she's SO good we had to blog about her twice. we introduced ruby buah's delightful ghana-inspired straw clutches to you a little while ago...now, thanks to a notification on her facebook page, we present one of the most well-thought out and beautifully executed websites we've seen. the photos are amazing, her new online store is deliciously well-stocked, and her pieces absolutely must make their way into our closets very, very soon.

how can one brand be so darn fabulous????? we blog for moments like this.

while you're at it, explore her second brand, stringz attached, featuring gorgeous pieces of jewelry.

jump on the bandwagon while there's still space. don't say we didn't warn you :-)

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connect with ruby buah/kua designs/stringz attached:

website: kua designs

facebook: KUA

SHOP ONLINE: kua designs + etsy + stringz attached

blog: my kua

twitter: kua designs

e-mail: ruby@rubybuah.com

xo

ShopAfrica: Nana Fosu

been looking for the perfect black sling across purse for forever...and this one by ghana's nana fosu is absolute perfection. here's why:

- it's made of genuine leather

- it's lined with ankara

- the chainlink detail makes us want to breakdance

- the stud detailing is the perfect accompaniment for fall '09's edgy biker chic

- and oh, it's handcrafted by a fellow african whose also responsible for the following random acts of amazingness:

kente + leather obi belt 

same purse, different color/vibe:

shop here!

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for further information and/or enquiries:

website

facebook group

ebay

e-mail: info@fosuism.com, fosuism@gmail.com

xo

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 1 - - SIKA DESIGNS (GHANA)

COCO by SIKA

sika's collection at arise africa fashion week features simple, staple pieces that capture the spirit of ghana in the 70s when "all types of ethnic images set trends internationally and African prints began to make a huge impact on [the global] fashion industry". her "coco" collection consists of mostly dresses and jumpsuits that are pared down and straight to the point with few frills or surprises. a bit too safe? perhaps. more risk-taking and a more vibrant palette may have stepped this collection up a notch.

see the complete collection on our flickr page here.

xo

source:

collection info: ifashion
photos by Simon Deiner/SDR photo

ARISE AFRICA FASHION WEEK: DAY 1 - - CHRISTIE BROWN (GHANA)

IN BRIEF:

we expected simplicity and on-the-go wearability from Christie Brown. in other words, nothing terribly out of the ordinary...at least judging from the overall vibe of her debut collection. which is why we're especially dazzled by her pieces at Arise Africa Fashion Week. Christie Brown introduced us to a surprisingly strong direction for her brand, with each of her 14* looks paying homage to the motherland, its rich culture of print fabric, and a strong contemporary spin on traditional, everyday ankara. 13 of her 14 lools use ankara mainly in collaboration with other fabrics and we applaud Christie Brown for pushing herself creatively and for presenting pieces that show thought and technique. there's lots to choose from on this delightful platter - from ruffles, to separates, to organzas, jersey, and silk - and we predict that her brand is set for even greater commercial success after this showing, as her pieces speak to the everyday woman who wants to stand out without being overly obnoxious.

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plain and/or assymetric tops and skirts





simple, solid dresses + cowl necks





the statement dresses




cocktail dresses




separates




misc

IMPROVEMENTS/FINAL THOUGHTS:

a clear direction or theme other than "african print" and "contemporary wear" may have made her collection even more striking. while there's lots of variety here, this is a collection that seems to be trying to throw it all in without a particular focus.

nonetheless, a strong showing with many pieces we'd snatch up straight off the runway.

thoughts?

xo

*numbers could change as more photos become available

photos:

ladybrille via Simon Deiner/SDR photo