SLiq News: Korto Momolu does Stationery...and Candles!

Watch out, world! Korto Momolu coming through. Earlier this year, we brought you news of Korto's exciting collaboration with Dillard's, comprising clothes, jewelery and purses all bearing the stamp of our favourite Project Runway alum. These days, Korto has delved into the world of stationery & 'sparkling travel candles' by way of a newly-released collaboration with the SanLori brand. Needless to say, we're thoroughly impressed and proud and can't wait to see what super woman does next. In the meantime, click here if you're eager to shop and see all that's on offer.

XO

NYFW Fall/Winter 2010: Korto Momolu

What an exciting and exhausting week it must have been for Korto Momolu! First, her collection of jewelry and handbags for Dillard's is now available in select stores and online [as we mentioned here] and she also had the opportunity of a lifetime a few days ago as her pieces made their way down a New York Fashion Week runway! Amazing.

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Her design ethos for her F/W 2010 collection seemed driven by a consideration for and an identification with the everyday woman on-the-go and how to give her glamor and sophistication that's grounded in reality. Korto clearly considered a variety of women in this collection, providing pieces that anticipate their sartorial needs and a little extra - the Korto extra. Basic, casual everyday wear, basics with a twist and pieces fit for cocktail and dinner parties were duly represented in a cohesive collection that's bound to have mass appeal. Pops of magenta toned down with gray were particular favorites, while belted chunky knits paired with denim held their own alongside chic dresses of various lengths with a more subdued winter palette. Here's a closer look:

a. Fluid, draped magenta pieces paired with gray - absolutely stellar. 

A belted satin trench/dress with a ruffled collar. Certainly unique.

b. Beige cowl knits draped over basic tops - a lovely take on a useful accessory

A gray chunky cowl knit sweater

c. Pops of orange infuse color into a dreary winter closet

d. All that glitters - a healthy does of sparkle and shine is a surefire way to lift most pieces. The kimono-style blouse, the essential maxi dress and the floor-length skirt are some of our favorites.

e. Metallics - Metallic purple and silver feature on a simple dress with a clinched waist and a stunning romper.

f. Chic dresses adorned with embellishments and sheer panels

g. A tale of two maxi dresses - the first is a relaxed, free fit in jersey, while the second coat-like piece has layers and structure.

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Watch as her pieces make their way down the runway:

 

This woman is going places! See the entire collection here.

XO

africans in the news: korto momolu to collaborate with Dillard's

"We are very excited to bring Korto Momolu's collection of jewelry and handbags to Dillard's," said Dillard's Vice President of Merchandising Bill Dillard, III. "It is thrilling to watch a new designer begin her career in such an exciting fashion. Dillard's is truly committed to innovative design and to bringing our customers new and exciting labels. This collection fits perfectly with our fresh approach to style." [read more here]

this is HUGE!!!!! big, big congratulations to her and her team. can't wait to get your hands on a korto momolu original? here's some info. and how to get in on the action online.

have a fantastic week!

xo

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

event: BOSTON FASHION WEEK 2009/Boston Fashion Expose

hello folks! if you've been following our calendar (see: "upcoming events" on our sidebar), you'll know Boston Fashion Week kicks off tomorrow. we're especially excited to see Loza Maleombho's official debut! familiar names like Korto Momolu (who's headlining the event) and Samantha Cole will also be showing so get excited and stay tuned for photos as soon as we can find them!

for further information on Boston Fashion Week, click here and here.

xo

the african fashion collective: momo by fati asebuela

subdued, reserved, no va-va-voom. momo could've blown our minds but didn't, which makes us wonder why not. we've seen her BRING it. we remember her fabulous dresses from thisday's africa rising event in london:

...but her fabulousness didn't quite make the leap to new york. instead, we got the following:

the de ja vu dress:

so-called because we've seen it before, and this is probably the most boring version yet. simple, straight-to-the-point, nothing to it.


this dress is perhaps a relatively more refreshing take on the sheer trend:


the print dresses:


too cliche, too boring, too "i copied and pasted this fabric on this boring silhouette because i couldn't be bothered". yes, we see the nods to wildlife...but there's something unnervingly tame and flat about these pieces.

this one isn't so bad...


...there's a fluidity and quiet playfulness about it that we like. must be the length and the sleeves.

color + jackets:



these pieces are saved by their gorgeous colors. otherwise, they'd be pretty flat, too.

mix-and-match:

we see some attempts at sprucing things up here and these are probably our favorite looks from her show. a little more in this direction and much less in the drab lane and we'd probably have many more complimentary things to say. having hats and basic patent shoes as her only accessories didn't help much. granted, some of these pieces might look a little more alive with the right accessories but the point of a runway show isn't to give us a blank canvas; it's to tickle our imaginations awake. thus, we absolutely should've seen more accessories on the runway and then we could've taken our cues from there and added our own personal touches. that said, the actual dresses themselves could've used considerably more work. what happened to all the little details?

we're keeping our fingers crossed for an outstanding comeback for momo because we know fati has it in her to be amazing. this collection is by no means a reflection of her potential.

xo

spotlight: project runway

helllllo :-) did anyone else catch the project runway show at bryant park? gosh, deciding on a winner's going to be pretty tough. granted, we didn't follow PR much this past season, but on the strength of their final collections alone, here are our three favorites out of the 6 designers that showed...

jerrell scott had some stonkingly good majority black + gold pieces:




korto momolu's inspired by nature collection showcased the indisputable beauty of color and africa:

while leanne marshal wowed us with her origami-inspired pieces:

we'll have to wait until october 15 to see who the winner is. in the meantime, who are you routing for? we're thinking korto on the strength of her range, color pallette, and execution. her pieces are sophisticated, chic, commendably well-tailored and a wonderful spring platter of choice. her accessories are also very complimentary and tribal/ethnic without being too obnoxious or obvious...and those gorgeous raffia fans?!?! well-played, korto. new spring 09 and beyond accessory? we dare say so :)

xo

source: WWD