fyi: deola sagoe press release

this just in! here's what to expect from deola sagoe's upcoming show at New York Fashion Week next month. exciting is an understatement. many thanks to Hauwa Mukan, Deola's Online PR agent, for contacting us and for doing an excellent job in keeping us informed. other brands can certainly learn from this.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS RELEASE

                     CONTACT: Hauwa R. Mukan                                                

                        PHONE: +234 706-227-9223

                                                    +234 1-7918383

                           EMAIL: hmukan@yahoo.co.uk

             

DEOLA SAGOE SET TO UNVEIL FALL 2010 COLLECTION AT NEW YORK FASHION WEEK

LAGOS, Nigeria,  January 13, 2010-- Deola Sagoe will give the fashion world a unique and breathtaking spin on military attire at the much anticipated showcase of her Fall 2010 collection at the ARISE Magazine African Collective. The show is a part of Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week and will be held February 13, 2010 under the tents at Bryant Park. The collection is a seamless fusion of elements found within the African and Western militias, fashionably remixed with a blend of ethnocentric accents and military silhouettes.

“I have always been fascinated by military gear and wanted to create something that would look like African body paint, but not tattoos, an elegant, chic and somewhat formal representation of what this body paint tends to look like,” explains the designer.

The collection features signature scissorwork, resulting in clean stripped, sliced, shredded detailing. The stripes are a take on geometric body markings found on the bodies of Maasai warriors within Eastern Africa.

The collection is titled “Above the Fray,” a play on a phrase culled from classic military jargon, often used to depict kings and generals peering down from mountain tops overseeing fighting soldiers. The phrase, “Above the Fray” connotes a person or entity, standing a cut above the rest, a testament to the Deola Sagoe the person and the brand with 21 years of design under her belt. Fashionistas, afficionados, buyers, and spectators are all invited to witness ethnofusion at its best, as Deola Sagoe keeps her fashion flag flying above the fray this February.

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spotlight: korto momolu's statement necklaces

we're biiiiig suckers for statement necklaces, so it was with copious amounts of joy that we looked through korto momolu's e-store and found some of the most beautiful necklaces...of all-time!

about the collection//in korto's words:

"I use a lot of African beads as well as a lot of things made out of resin because my necklaces tend to be chunky and bulky, so I try to use materials that are not as heavy as using the actual stones and metals. A lot of glass beads. Some of the beads are from Ghana, Kenya, and Tanzania. I love texture, there’s a lot of texture, my variation of textures, in all the pieces. I love turquoise. I also used feathers in some of the designs, I’ve always loved feathers and there are many different variations of feather earrings, so I thought “How can I make mine different?” I like the chains and the feathers. It has a soft and a hard feel to it. They’re made out of silver." [source]

to purchase, visit korto momolu's e-store, where she also has tees and purses for sale.

xo

ShopAfrica/shop for less: iamAfrica tees

a long, long time ago, we introduced the iamAfrica tee-shirt brand to you. today, we received an e-mail notifying us of special offers in their facebook store and thought we'd pass on the info. while you're at it, pop by their main online store here and see what else they have on offer.

happy shopping + supporting!

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 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)

xo

spotlight: POPAFRICANA

[on the cover: eligha ojok, 19, with love from sudan]

it's finally here, people! we've been waiting and anticipating and following oroma elewa's blog for ages, waiting for the announcement and it looks like we're good to go :) POP'AFRICANA is a fabulous new magazine unlike anything we've ever seen out of africa - lots and lots of vibrant bursts of color, art, fashion, features, photography...OH MY. if this is the new face of africa, we're certainly stupendously proud to be african and part of the movement. commendable work, oroma + team :-)

take a look inside the magazine here ESPECIALLY if you're 'alternative minded, stylish, cool, talented, and open minded' ;)

p.s. we're super humbled to have received a shout out here. thank YOU :)

in the news: mtv AFRICA music awards 2008

hello folks! so much to look forward to this year! the latest event on our radar? the first ever MTV africa music awards this november!!!!! GET IT, AFRICA!!! about time! we're on fireeee, no be beans talk*! lol.

more info right here and here.

spread the word!

xo

*for those of you who read that and were like "HUH?!", those are lyrics from 9ice's hit single, gongo aso.

newsflash: fashion for peace

fashion isn't just about wearable art and eagerly awaited spring and fall collections; it's also becoming the life force of several charity shows in africa geared towards alleviating social ills. last year, the 'catwalk the world - fashion for food' show took place in lagos, nigeria. here's a quick recap:

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[designs by cameroon's imane ayissi]

last month, the focus shifted to kenya where "scores of top African designers and models held a show in Nairobi National Park at the weekend to raise money for victims of Kenya's post-election violence and show a different face to their continent". this is very inspiring on many levels. it's heart-warming to see designers showcase work that we're convinced is deserving of a wider audience, and it's also great to see several of them come together for such a worthy cause. we hope this is one trend that doesn't get old or tired and we hope to see many more young, talented africans taking the initiative to better our beautiful continent.

read more here
see more of the showcased designs here

xo

etsy love: africamania :)

ChopstixWaits: african wax print tiered bustle skirt, $52

here's a fabulous etsy find we thought we'd share with you:

if you're into african print/ankara and you love these vibrant, happy colors, you should definitely pay ChopstixWaits a visit here. we're SO in love! here are some other items she's sold:



gorgeous, gorgeous, GORGEOUS. see more sold items here, visit her store here, learn more about the seller/designer here, and feel free to contact her for custom orders. if you're having trouble navigating etsy, feel free to leave us a comment and we'll do our best to help!

spotlight: model

with love from burkina faso: georgie badiel

remember the name, remember the face.

more here and here.

watch her walk (4 mins & 18 secs into the louis vuitton fall/winter 08/09 show):

fyi: speaking of africa...

africa watch: 2 pairs of pumps, 1 dress, and 1 tee

we mentioned here that africa is very much in vogue this season and our daily dose of barneys.com echoes our sentiments. first up, peep these christian louboutin pumps going for $740 a piece:

we saw them and thought 'hmmm, adire (tie-and-dye)' and then saw them described as the 'senegal fabric platform peep toe sling back'. we're not sure if you're on the same page as us but we find 'senegal fabric' a little vague. in any case, we're excited about these pumps and thought you might be, too!

more here and here.

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also, speaking of barneys and africa, we also found that you can now shop duro olowu online here! so far, barneys only has one dress and at $7,600, we're not sure we can afford it just yet. however, it's great to see a nigerian designer with remarkable crossover appeal continue to make a huge splash abroad. here's his 'inspired by the women of bamako ' dress:



learn more about duro olowu here and shop (or e-window shop, more like) here.

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in somewhat related news:



we first found out about this tee on kanye's blog and then here. sigh. thoughts, anyone?

stay tuned for more exciting updates and thanks for all the love so far :)

xoliquoricexo

of giving

give: nets, microlending, sierra leone, and nigeria

if there's one thing we're most excited about at shopliquorice, it's the opportunity to give. with world malaria day coming up soon (april 25 - mark your calendars!), we thought we'd showcase some charity initiatives that are focused on empowering regions of Africa. we encourage you to give and spread the word.

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nothing but nets -



according to their website:

"malaria kills more than 1 million kids a year. for just $10 we can buy a net, distribute it to a family and educate them on its use. you can save a family. your friends, school, church, or team can save a village. together we can cover a continent..."

it doesn't get more practical than that! last time we checked their website, over 1.9 MILLION had been purchased. that's a huge contribution to this cause. also, in case you were wondering -

"100% of your donation will go to providing nets for children in Africa, no portion of your donation will be diverted for administrative costs."

we're definitely all for that. give by clicking here!

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kiva.org -





this 'loan cycle' diagram pretty much explains how kiva operates. essentially, 'Kiva lets you connect with and loan money to unique entrepreneurs in the developing world. By choosing a loan on Kiva, you can "sponsor a business" and help the world's working poor make great strides towards economic independence. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates from the entrepreneur you've sponsored. As loans are repaid, you get your loan money back.'

fantastic! microlending is the way forward and we hope you'll take this opportunity to make a substantial impact in the lives of people who need it. learn more here.


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we're shifting the focus from organizations now and turning it to everyday people who have accepted the burden and responsibility of social change:


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the 2008 pledge:



we mentioned boutique mix in our first 'africa' feature here, and we're delighted to find that the lady behind that is also the force behind a brilliant initiative to empower the children of sierra leone by educating their minds. learn more from here blog here, and give/pledge whatever you can (money, school supplies, etc.) to this noble cause.


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bright one educational support fund:



speaking of education, the bright one educational support fund (initiated by a young nigerian lady, mojibola abodunde, pictured above) seeks to achieve the following:

"The Bright One Educational Support Fund is a non profit organisation that exists specifically to benefit the growth and development of exceptional primary level children that are about to begin pursuing a secondary education.

The fund will provide full scholarships and school supplies to selected children for the entire six year period of their secondary school education.

In addition, the fund plans to extend its support to surrounding primary schools in Okemesi Ekiti State and well as primary schools in other states."

fantastic :) learn more about the fund's progress and how to give here.

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we're inspired to do our bit and hope you are, too! as always, if there are any charities/initiatives you're passionate about, please shoot us an e-mail or leave a comment here and we'll be sure to do our best to spread the word with you.

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.

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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!

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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!