Look Book: Tiffany Amber S/S 2011 "Raw Glamour"

Tiffany Amber has always had a finger on the pulse of the exotic, with her signature flowy no-fuss dresses and caftans, fluid silks suitable for sunny exotic faraway locales, and a mastery of cut and colour many women have grown to love. For Spring/Summer 2011, the pulse is on 70s glamour - a favourite trend the world over this season - and "the allure of 70s style icons" with their high-waisted wide leg pants, minis and maxis, and affinity for the loud and proud. Tiffany Amber's interpretation (fittingly titled "Raw Glamour") pays homage by channeling the delightful schizophrenia of that era where many looks dominated the fashion landscape at a go - Tiffany Amber offers a rich and complete palette for the woman who wants a bit of everything. There's lace, there's colour (aqua, spring green, daffodil, white, and iris), there's print, there's texture, flowy maxis, delightful minis, and a badass (no other expression readily comes to mind) fluid suit that encapsulates what's most alluring about Tiffany Amber - they know what women want without resorting to the trite or cliche. While we think the styling, hair and make-up could've stretched a little more, we have no doubt Tiffany Amber has yet another commercial hit.

 Which piece most speaks to you?

XO

Photos:

Tiffany Amber

Who Wore What: Eku Edewor and Dolapo Oni in Tiffany Amber + Lanre Da-Silva Ajayi [TW Magazine, Dec. 2010]

The December issue of TW features two of Nigeria's hottest rising stars - Eku Edewor and Dolapo Oni, hosts of MNET's Studio 53. Eku wears a knockout silk print jumpsuit from Tiffany Amber's Autumn/Winter 2010 collection, while Dolapo wears an ultra chic dress by Lanre Da-Silva Ajayi. Screen sirens indeed.

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XO

Photos courtesy of TW Magazine + Tiffany Amber

Lookbook: Tiffany Amber Autumn/Winter 2010

First word: WOW. Tiffany Amber's Autumn/Winter 2010 Lookbook seems very much like a coming-of-age project and a stunning testament to a designer that continues to be one of the dominant players in Africa's fashion scene 12 years after she started. Now, we don't say 'coming-of-age' to be patronizing or facetious -- we say it to pay homage to a designer who has fine-tuned her point-of-view and seems to be saying with this collection "I know what works for me."

Taking off where she left off in Paris and featuring a scrumptious platter of draped silks, watercolor print with a dash of solids, batiks and exquisite beadwork, this collection oozes relaxed sophistication and a maturity that's completely secure in itself. The dress code for the Tiffany Amber woman is jumpsuits, separates, and signature grecian-style dresses fit for her glamorous undertakings, helped along by signature Ituen Basi necklaces. Without further ado:

A. These looks feature dresses with watercolor and floral prints prints + beaded waist and neck detailing:

B. Strong trenches and jackets executed in silk and batiks,  also featuring separates:

C. Ultra glam jumpsuits galore! Draped, relaxed, FABULOUS:

D. Separates offset with black tops & solid separates and dresses:

Needless to say, it's time to own our first of many Tiffany Amber pieces. Fantastic work to the designer and her team! Click here for store locations and here for contact information.

XO

Many thanks to our Facebook Friend "Mi-Le" for these photos!

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: Tokini Peterside in Maki-Oh (and Tiffany Amber!)

We always get a little thrill when we spot pieces from our favorite out-of-Africa designers off the runway! Tokini Peterside of Fashion Auction House (and the scrumptious Chopaholic blog!) is pictured here at FAH's latest event, Eden, from which just under N3,000,000 ($20,000*) was raised to support Genesis House, a rehabilitation center for women. Fabulous!

Ms. Peterside wears a sheer, mesh tank from Maki-Oh's "Everything in Proportion" collection, and she carries a Chanel-inspired ankara purse by Tiffany Amber (N44,000//$293*). A quick word on these purses -- they certainly deserve their own post! They're a creative collaboration between Tiffany Amber and Ohenaba Design of Ghana and they symbolize (at least to us) the rapid "Africanization" of everything -- and why not?

All said and done, do we love Tokini's look?

XO

Photo of Tokini is courtesy of Elan

*Rates vary according to market prices. We've used a N150 to $1 rate here.

Sweet Tooth: Bright and Beautiful!

[l-r: tracy reese, tsemaye binitie, tiffany amber]

Lately we've been feenin' for a little color to lift our moods and wardrobes. Marigold is our color of choice, with its hints of mustard, gold, and yellow. Bright yellow generally isn't our thing, so this shade is the perfect compromise.

We remain, as always, committed to showcasing the best and brightest out-of-Africa brands:

a) This Tracy Reese dress is from the White Dress Shop, where Onada Abodunde - a young, vibrant Nigerian entrepreneur - is the visionary behind the brand. This is the perfect go-to lunch-with-the-girls dress. Grab a clutch, wear a gorgeous shade of red lipstick and some chunky sandals and you're good to go!

b) This grecian-style dress from Nigerian designer Tsemaye Binitie's Spring/Summer 2010 collection is the stuff our style dreams are made of. The perfect draping, length, and shape -- not too much of anything. We truly love.

c) Kaftans have always been our go-to for our "lazy chic" aesthetic and this Tiffany Amber piece [from her Arise Africa Fashion Week show last June] elevates something we typically throw on when we want to be low-key to something very glamorous indeed.

We look forward to the day when we'll do mini-features like this and all the pieces are available at the click of a mouse. Soon come. Now, over to you -- which colors are you loving right now?

XO

P.S. Our "Sweet Tooth" feature is all about Team Liquorice's sugary (hehe :-)) style cravings. Stay tuned for more in the days ahead!

Who Wore What: Uche Eze in Tiffany Amber

[Photos graciously taken by F, 1/3 of TeamSliq]

In very exciting news, New Media Entrepreneur Uche Eze (of Bellanaija.com) appeared on the Oprah show today! What a moment! She contributed to a show centered on varying standards of beauty around the world and spoke about beauty trends in Nigeria - the  new penchant for imported hair extensions and the attention to health and fitness. She also spoke about Nigerian women in glowing terms, explaining that a combination of physical and intellectual beauty is what's most respected. We thought her short but sweet segment was balanced and well-rounded and Uche seemed very much herself. Fab chic!

So what did she wear? 

[Photos courtesy of Bellanaija.com]

Her first look was a sharp sleeveless turquoise Vlisco print dress designed by Tiffany Amber and first seen on the runways of her Vlisco show last year. The dress appears to have pockets and is adorned by organza and print petals close to  the hem. It's certainly more fitted and longer on Uche than it was on the model and she wears it like it was designed with her in mind. Great choice!

Her second look was a fabulous peach jacket with bold possibly embroidered details also by Tiffany Amber.

We wish Bella and her team continued success in all they do! Big, big congratulations!

 Watch part of Bella's appearance here.

XO

ARISE L’Afrique-À-Porter: The full list of designers!

[Model wears a look from Eric Raisina at Arise Promise of Africa collective last summer]

o o o

Thanks to ifashion, we now have the full list of designers showing at ARISE L'Afrique-A-Porter this Friday. We've brought you press releases from Tiffany Amber [Nigeria], Jewel by Lisa [Nigeria], and MOMO [Nigeria], and in this post, we added Kluk CGDT [South Africa], Lunar [South Africa] and Clive Rundle [South Africa] to the list. ifashion.com tells us that the following designers will also be making appearances:

David Tlale [South Africa; our guess was right!]

Eyola [Nigeria]

Eric Raisina [Madagascar] and

Christie Brown [Ghana]

So there you have it! 10 designers, 5 pieces each and 50 looks we can't wait to see! Which designer's work are you most looking forward to seeing?

XO 

PRESS RELEASE: TIFFANY AMBER TO SHOW AT PARIS FASHION WEEK

[Tiffany Amber at the recent Mnet Face of Africa Finale in Lagos, Nigeria]

This just in! We mentioned earlier this year that the Arise Magazine team would be taking the show to Paris [we even put up a photo of Folake Folarin-Coker of Tiffany Amber to accompany the post - prophetic much? Ha!]...and now, here's the inside scoop. Many thanks to Tiffany Amber's PR team for this:

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For Immediate Release

22^nd February 2010 

With Love from Lagos: Tiffany Amber to show at ARISE L’Afrique- À-Porter Fall 2010/2011

Event in Paris

ARISE Africa Designer of the Year 2009/2010 Tiffany Amber will be showcasing a new collection during the Prêt-à-Porter Fall 2010/2011 Paris Fashion Week. Tiffany Amber is part of a collective of African designers who will participate in the ARISE L’Afrique-À-Porter Fall 2010/2011 press presentation and cocktail event.

This is an exciting new chapter for renowned Nigerian fashion label, Tiffany Amber which is headed by designer and creative director, Folake Folarin-Coker. Since inception in 1998, Tiffany Amber has established a firm place as one of the most respected and commercially successful fashion labels in Africa.

While details on the collection are under wraps, it will be a capsule collection featuring five looks.

The ARISE L’Afrique- À-Porter Fall 2010/2011 event will take place on the 5^th of March 2010 in Paris, France and will form part of the activities of the Fédération Française de la Couture, du Prêt-à-Porter des Couturiers et des Créateurs de Mode Fédération. It will be listed in the Winter-Fall 2010/2011 guide as sent out by the Fédération. The purpose of this event is to introduce designers from Africa to the media, buyers and the Fédération.

In 2009, Tiffany Amber became the first African designer to ever show twice at New York Fashion Week. Both New York Fashion Week collections were extremely well received and lauded by publications including Women’s Wear Daily, the New York Post, style.com and essence.com 2010 is another exciting year for Tiffany Amber. The label created a couture dress for the Face of Africa 2010 finale held in February 2010. In addition to participating in Paris Fashion Week, the label will be launching its highly anticipated diffusion line, TAN later in the year.

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SLiq TV: tiffany amber + jewel by lisa

to make up for not sharing any of our favorite videos with you recently, we're hitting you with two very good ones! the first one's a glimpse into the tiffany amber luxury brand, complete with an interview with the designer, while the second is video footage from jewel by lisa's showing at Arise Africa Fashion Week last june [see additional photos here]. happy viewing :-)

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TIFFANY AMBER

unfortunately, we can't embed the video due to restrictions on youtube. please click here to watch it.

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JEWEL BY LISA

xo

on repeat: funke fowler in tiffany amber

when it comes to poise and elegance, they really don't come much more fabulous than funke fowler, owner of the ultra chic boutique, leila fowler. for this edition of "on repeat", we feature one of her brands of choice, tiffany amber by folake folarin-coker. it makes perfect sense, doesn't it? tiffany amber is, after-all, fluent in elegant chic:

EXHIBIT A

our first find features funke fowler at the launch of the rebirth bags collection at leila fowler several months ago. her top is from tiffany amber's arise african fashion week 2009 showing. 

EXHIBIT B

at the official red carpet launch of rebirth bags at terra kulture, funke fowler chose another piece from the same collection.

EXHIBIT C

now, we're launching into aso-ebi territory. funke's elegant outfit appears to be adapted from a piece shown from the same collection as the first two. funke's skirt is a more fitted option.

a similar piece was also spotted on an attendee at the 2009 genevieve pink ball:

EXHIBIT D

this piece is another of funke fowler's tiffany amber aso-ebi adaptations. the embroidery was replaced with a simple belt:

the piece above is from tiffany amber's recent showing at new york fashion week for her spring 2010 collection. the designer herself wears a similar piece below:

clearly, funke fowler knows what works for her and she certainly works tiffany amber well.

connect with the tiffany amber brand here.

xo

photos thanks to:

234next's elan

morsi pr

bella naija (here, here and here)

solafolowosele