Who Wore What + Shop For Less: Mrs O in Duro Olowu

There must be something pretty special about Duro Olowu's Spring/Summer 2010 collection for Michelle Obama to have worn pieces from it 6 times. She is pictured here wearing a tank (same motif as the sleeves in the photo on the left) at the Washington Nationals vs. Chicago Cubs baseball game Wednesday last week. This brings Michelle Obama's Duro Olowu count to 10 (and one accessory).

Need a piece of Duro in your closet? Quite a few of his pieces are available in the Net-a-Porter and Barneys sales. Shop here and here.

- SLiq

Pictures courtesy of Style and Mrs. O

Collage by Shop Liquorice

Who Wore What: Michelle Obama in ASOS Africa A/W 2010

The folks at ASOS and SOKO Kenya must be doing backflips. Moments ago, we spotted Mrs. O in her second ASOS Africa piece from their A/W 2010 collection. We featured this jacket November last year and the price has since reduced considerably. Get yours now for $41.73 (down from $137.91). We can't even begin to describe how excited we are.

- SLiq

Photo: LA Times

Collage by Shop Liquorice

*Update* It just occurred to us Mrs. O is also wearing this Fall 2010 Duro Olowu scarf:

Duromania much? :-) [Photo courtesy of Style]

Who Wore What: Michelle Obama in Duro Olowu

We speculated yesterday that there could be yet more Duro Olowu appearances in South Africa, courtesy of Mrs. Obama, and here we are again. Mrs. O has clearly taken a liking to Duro Olowu's Spring 2010 collection (notice the blue motif in the look on the right corresponds with Mrs. O's shirt). This is her 5th look from the collection and her 9th Duro Olowu piece. She is pictured here speaking to high school students at the University of Cape Town.

- SLiq

Image credit: The Associated Press

Collage by Shop Liquorice

Who Wore What: Michelle Obama in Duro Olowu & ASOS Africa

Since we've been gone, Michelle Obama has had three notable Africa-related moments, two of which have brought her Duro Olowu count to 8 pieces (5 of which she has worn in 2011 alone). We spotted the first look from Duro Olowu's Spring '11 collection on the set of iCarly (above). Her silk knit shirt is currently available in Net-a-Porter's ongoing sale for $392 (down from $980). See a clip of her appearance on iCarly below:

Next up, Michelle Obama arrived in South Africa (she'll also visit Botswana on this trip) wearing Duro Olowu again, this time a piece from his Fall 2010 collection. Naturally, there had been much speculation about whether or not Michelle Obama would support African designers on this trip, and she turns to a tried and tested favourite to end the speculation.

Today, Michelle Obama supported made-in-Kenya label, ASOS Africa, wearing a piece from their Spring 2011 (available here for a little over $60) collection. Regular readers may recall that SOKO Kenya is responsible for the sourcing and production of the ASOS Africa collection, so we can't imagine how wonderful this must be for them. What makes this especially remarkable for us is that we always harp on about how there are many ways to support Africa and Africans, and Michelle Obama shows us that if we can't go high-end, we can certainly go high street. A wonderful testament to Michelle's versatility, and Africa's.

Of course, now we really can't wait to see what she'll wear next. Perhaps one or two more Duro Olowu looks? Suno NY, maybe? A local South African designer? Time will tell.

Shop Duro Olowu online:

Couture Lab

Barneys

Net-a-Porter

- SLiq

Photos:

Mrs. O

Huffington Post

Collages by Shop Liquorice

Who Wore What: Suno & Duro Olowu @ Ikram Boutique's 10th Anniv. Celebration

Ikram Boutique (probably most famously known as Michelle Obama's favourite style hunt) recently celebrated ten years of being in business. Being a well-known stockist of Duro Olowu and Suno, we expected to see one or two looks from them -- we got FOUR.

***  

We love the look above from Duro Olowu's Spring 2011 collection - an exquisite silk floral dress with voluminous sleeves for effect.

The second look we spotted (below) took it way back to Suno's debut collection in 2009 when kanga print was all we knew the brand for.

Below, Suno co-designer Erin Beatty wears an adapted S/S 2011 look, featuring a beaded bodice and a ruffled printed skirt.

And, finally, here's Thelma Golden wearing a see-through printed dress from Duro Olowu's Spring 2010 collection. You may remember seeing a similar look on Caroline Issa about a year ago ago.

As for our favourite piece, we'll go with the white and floral maxi - two of Spring 2011's biggest trends very elegantly tackled in one look. Which look most appeals to you? Any you would've worn differently?

- SLiq

Collection photos courtesy of Style and Suno

Party photos courtesy of Paper Mag

Who Wore What: Michelle Obama wears Duro Olowu on the Oprah Show

Just earlier today, we remarked that Michelle Obama's Duro Olowu count was now up to 5, and 3 of those looks were from his Spring 2010 collection. Well, make that 6 total and 4 from Spring '10. Of all the designers she could've chosen for her appearance on Oprah's show (taped today, to air on Monday), Michelle Obama chose Duro Olowu once again. What a phenomenal, breathtaking moment for us at Shop Liquorice and for many of you, no doubt. We're four months into 2011 and it's very, very clear indeed that it's shaping up to be The Year of Duro, and, needless to say, we're exceedingly proud and overjoyed.

Michelle's dress retails for $1,436 at Couture Lab. You can also shop Duro Olowu at Barneys, Net-a-Porter and Yoox.

*edit*

Video footage from The Oprah Show, courtesy of NBC:

View more videos at: http://nbcchicago.com.

- SLiq

Photo:

Huffington Post

Who Wore What: Duro Olowu, 2 Springs Apart

There's a certain woman that wears Duro Olowu convincingly, and Thelma Golden (Director and Chief Curator at the Studio Museum, Harlem, NY and Mr. Olowu's wife of 3 years) ranks pretty high on that list. Here she is at the Art Production's Good & Plenty Benefit (April 11, 2011) wearing a Spring 2008 piece. She almost always wears Duro Olowu, and most certainly wears him well.

A few days earlier (April 7), Michelle Obama wore her 5th Duro Olowu piece and her 3rd from his Spring 2010 collection. Mrs. O is a good lesson on how to approach a Duro Olowu piece if you're colour or pattern shy: contrast with a solid!

- SLiq

Photos:

Billy Farrell Agency
Mrs. O
Style
Vogue

Who Wore What: Michelle Obama in Duro Olowu

Late last year, we were quick to spot Michelle Obama in a floaty Duro Olowu dress (top right). Far from being an isolated occurrence, it turns out Mrs O has been wearing Duro Olowu since 2008 (at leaast) when she addressed an Obama rally in a Spring 2008 green safari jacket (below) - a jacket she has worn at least twice since then.

In 2010,  Michelle chose a piece from Duro Olowu's spring 2010 collection for her Let's Move PSA:

 A few days ago, yet another Duro Olowu Spring 2010 piece (complete with adinkra symbols like in the piece above) made an appearance:

This piece currently retails for $880 at Couture Lab.

 Which of these four Duro moments is your favourite? And which of these do you suppose'll happen first - Michelle Obama in Jewel by Lisa or an African First Lady who does for African Fashion what Michelle Obama does for American Fashion?

XO

SLiq Picks: The Duro Olowu + Ajak Deng Interviews

Every now and again, we stumble on exciting content from around the way that we can't but share with you. Today, we focus on two accomplished individuals who are set to shake things up in 2011. We've got a feeling...

o o o

Little Augury has one of the best Duro Olowu interviews we've ever read. He talks about Lagos, art, fabric, his creative process, the possibility of a store in NY, and much more. Highly recommended. [Little Augury]

Vogue Australia had a brief chitchat with 20-year old rising star, Ajak Deng. Read about her relationship with Alek Wek, her globe-trotting adventures, and more. [Vogue Australia]

XO

Coming Soon: Duro Olowu @ netaporter.com

2010 was the year of Duro Olowu in many ways, but perhaps we'll save that for another post. He has been a firm fixture since his debut and subsequent Vogue endorsement a few months later in 2004 and barely a month went by in 2010 that his name didn't pop up on our radar. Net-a-porter - "the world's premier online luxury fashion retailer" - has its eyes on Duro Olowu's highly coveted pieces and will begin stocking them soon. Needless to say, this is pretty huge. With select Duro Olowu pieces already available online at Barneys, Yoox and Couture Lab, Net-a-porter's endorsement of our favourite prince of prints only goes to show that Duro Olowu has transcended the borders of his cosy store in London to become an accomplished international brand. If that's not a big deal, we don't know what is.

According to Vogue It, a concept store in Lagos, Nigeria may be in the works and we'd love nothing more. Stay tuned to Shop Liquorice for more updates.

XO

Photo courtesy of:

Net-a-porter

Who Wore What: Michelle Obama in Duro Olowu

We spotted this photo over at Mrs. O (no designer was identified) and thought to ourselves, "hmmm, that's probably Duro Olowu", but since we weren't sure, we sent an e-mail to Duro's team and got a YES! 

It's not hard to see Duro's ethos perfectly encapsulated in the floaty, easy breezy piece with its multiple prints co-existing in harmony. The man is a true maestro and Michelle wears him well!

XO

Who Wore What: Duro Olowu//T Magazine

Lots of "tribal"-centred editorials have come and gone, and there will be yet more. One thing some of the most recent ones have had in common? A nod to Duro Olowu. First, it was the March 2009 Time Magazine spread featuring Arlenis Sosa, followed by New York Times Magazine's homage to Malick Sidibe, and more recently, Alek Wek wore a Duro Olowu cardigan in a Financial Times spread. 

Today, we spotted Mr. Olowu yet again in the New York Times' T Magazine's "Going Places" feature [see above]. The model wears a Duro Olowu skirt around her neck, which some of you may remember seeing in Duro Olowu's Fall 2010 Presentation.

Talented as he is, we wonder if there are other reasons why he's getting all the love. Tremendous crossover appeal? A powerful brand? His ability to re-invent himself? Laziness on the parts of magazine editors who would rather feature a familiar brand than give others a chance?

We wonder. 

What do you think?

 

XO

Who Wore What: Caroline Issa in Duro Olowu @ the Serpentine Gallery Summer Party [July 2010]

We randomly stumbled on this photo (left) of Duro Olowu and Caroline Issa (MD/Publisher of Tank Magazine) a few moments ago and were thrilled to see Caroline in DO. Caroline wears a beautiful floral multi-print dress from Duro Olowu's Spring 2010 collection with a metallic clutch, heels and a made-you-look necklace. The bralessness (if she is indeed braless) isn't our cup of tea but, that aside, we're majorly digging this piece.

And Mr. Olowu doesn't look too bad himself :-)

Do we love it?

XO

Photo from here

Sweet Tooth: Silky Smooth

[l-r: Duro Olowu, Orleans Designs, Jewel by Lisa]

Our latest Sweet Tooth craving? Silk. This season, patterns are transferred to this new medium, resulting in a slinky vibe infused with all the ingredients that make for instant, understated glamor. Also, while "tribal" motifs are typically printed on cotton, more and more designers are exploring the place where print and silk mesh with magnificent results. Here are our picks up close and personal:

COLLAGE 1

a) Duro Olowu struck gold several years ago with his kimono-style silk printed dresses and the love affair with silk continues. We love this floral maxi-dress and the mixture of vivid print with a more subdued vintage-like print.

b) This scarf from Orleans Designs features an Africa-inspired pattern on silk, quite like several of the dresses from this design house. If you're looking for an accessory that pays homage to a vibrant continent or just an accessory that's bound to make things pop, you've come to the right place. [Buy here]

C) Jewel by Lisa is famous for exploring new mediums and elevating African Print from something commonplace to something beyond. This silk top is absolute perfection and the richly embellished neckline just might make us hunt it down.

[l-r: Nasty Gal, Tiffany Amber, Maki Oh]

COLLAGE 2

d) The love affair with silk started with a major crush on basic silk tanks with breast pockets and this tank from Nasty Gal is the perfect encapsulation of our craving. Basic and ultra glam in the same breath and very high on our wish lists this summer. [Buy here]

e) The Tiffany Amber brand has found its way into yet another Sweet Tooth spread with this beauty. The design house collaborated with renowned artist Kolade Oshinowo and printed one of his masterpieces on silk. We recently saw this piece at one of Tiffany Amber's stores in Lagos and were in awe.

f) Leave it to Maki Oh to create a jumpsuit that features African print of the sort that's not quite mainstream just yet. Maki Oh dips into the ancient world of western Nigeria's tie-and-dye/batik procedures with this one, creating a piece that's a perfect fit for the cultured and stylish. [To order, e-mail info@maki-oh.com]

Hope you enjoyed :-) Anyone out there craving silk as much as we are?

XO

Who Wore What: Alek Wek in Duro Olowu [Financial Times, May 2010]

Interestingly enough, several of the global/Africa-inspired spreads we've featured have included Duro Olowu pieces [see here and here]. This one is no different. We love the chic belted cardigan but not the way it's styled on Alek Wek -- a little too loose/sloppy for our taste. 

We wonder: will a day come when "tribal" editorials will feature other African designers? We know Duro's the darling of the fashion world but surely there's plenty of room for other talented folks!

XO

Photo from Duro Olowu's Spring 2010 collection courtesy of style.com

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

==

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.

Spotlight: Duro Olowu Fall 2010

With several successful shows under his belt and a substantial cult following among fashion's finest, one has invariably come to expect a certain aesthetic when it comes to Duro Olowu. Silk multi-print dresses, anyone? Yet, he took such a detour from the norm with his Fall 2010 collection that we were a little taken aback. Bold geometric prints contrasted with soft, ethereal ultra-femme pieces as a distinct sporty chic edge shone through. Striped neon leg warmers, color block coats, a whirlwind of prints, and subdued grays made this collection delightfully schizophrenic. And we love it. His classic silhouettes still have the prime spot in our hearts but we're charmed by this new direction for fall 2010:

Any favorites?

XO

Photos courtesy of style.

ShopAfrica: Duro Olowu @ barneys.com

brands that have an online presence make our lives that much easier. no use eyeing a dress on the runway if it's out of reach, is there? without further ado, shop pieces from duro olowu's fall 2009 collection @ barneys here.

xo

spotlight: duro olowu spring 2010

we blogged earlier about looking forward to duro olowu's spring 2010 presentation and gave you a sneak preview of what to expect. now that it has come and gone, we can tell you that the print maestro presented a brilliant kaleidoscope of colors (as he's wont to do) and kept our eyes and hearts dancing in the process. behold spring 2010, duro olowu-style, featuring gorgeous dresses, trenches, cropped pants, and separates:

see the entire collection in its full glory here.

xo

source:

style.com

spotlight: duro olowu fall 2009

after much anticipation on our parts, we're very excited to present duro olowu's fall 2009 collection, courtesy of style.com. he continues with his tradition of vibrant prints and translates them into fall by making them a little subdued but by no means less interesting. from silk maxi dresses, featuring classic floral and polka dot print...

...to his penchant for mixing, matching, and clashing...



...and his inclusion of metallics...



...and delightful, shorter hemlines...



this collection is very duro and has just the right dose of excitement to make fall less dreary. this fall, duro seems to be saying:

- enjoy the little details: pocketing and layered necklaces add charm
- don't shy away from color and hints of playfulness
- mixing, matching, and clashing will set you apart

see the entire 15-piece collection here and be sure to keep an eye on our analysis of his spring 2010 collection in the coming days. here's a snippet of what to expect.

xo