Yemisi Ajayi

Nigeria-Arts website says"...Yemisi Ajayi has won a reputation as an innovative textile designer working within the realm of traditional Yoruba cloth and motifs. She is also a teacher of batik, adire (starch resist), dye method and Yoruba patchwork quilting.

A native of Lagos, with family roots in the Ijebu region of Nigeria, Yemisi began her career as a textile artist in 1986 in Oshogbo, where she studied with several of Nigeria's recognized textile artists. Striking out on her own in 1990, Yemisi has had broad success in the areas of quilting, fashion design, textile design, and interior decorating. She maintains a small workshop and collaborates widely with Nigeria's many talented visual artists.

To Yemisi, art is life. She first trained at Oshogo Art School and then received her Diploma in Creative Arts at the Centre for Cultural Studies at the University of Lagos. She started exhibiting her work in 1990, and in 1991 staged an exhibition at the Lagos Museum, which brought her national and international recognition. In 1993, she opened her own studio and shop.

In late 1995, Yemisi and a group of her friends started the Rainbow Women's Arts Association (RAWA). Explaining the organization's mission, she says, "I believe women are burdened with heavy responsibilities which prevent them from expressing themselves. We want to provide the opportunity for them to express themselves through the arts, and also gain some economic independence, which will help preserve that opportunity of expression." The organization is committed to providing a platform for women's artistic and creative growth, and to preserving the traditional textile arts of Nigeria and adapting them so they remain relevant to modern times..."

Photo courtesy of Nigeria-Arts

Anna Paula Mizzetti

This Brazilian model based in Paris and under the management of IMG models caught our attention as someone to feature in our blog. She has achieved the same status as her fellow compatriots like Giséle Bündchen and Adriana Lima.

We do not know a lot about her roots originating from Brazil or how she made it to where she is presently, however she does have some cool pictures in her porfolio

Rafe Totengco

Rafe Totengco's website writes about".... In 1989, Rafe left a successful business he started in Manila to pursue his dream of a career in fashion design. He moved to New York, enrolled in FIT, and supported himself as a design assistant.

In 1994, he produced his first accessories ­ belts and watchbands ­ for a SoHo boutique: they sold out instantly. When the shop asked him if he had bags to go with the items, he enthusiastically said 'yes'...even if he didn't have a single
bag to show for it. One year later, the first collection of Rafe New York handbags debuted at Bergdorf Goodman.

Since then, Rafe has become one of the most acclaimed of a new generation of New York designers. He's been recognized in his field with numerous honors.
His company now includes a freestanding store in New York, three in-store shops in Japan, and distribution at department stores and boutiques throughout the U.S.
About his unusual name: Rafe is short for Ramon Felix..."

Photos Courtesy of Rafe.com and 01Shoes.com

Gigi, Guenet Fresenbet Azimach

In an article by Indrias Getachew and previously mentioned in Timbuktu Chronicles, it says that "...Several years ago I walked into the outlet store of one of the major leather garment manufacturers located off Debre Zeit Road looking to buy a leather jacket. As I searched through the racks for the right design I noticed something rather peculiar. All the jackets were labeled ‘Made in Korea’. Not one of the jackets had a ‘Made in Ethiopia’ tag.

"Aren’t these jackets made here?" I asked the sales assistant. "Certainly," she replied. "Then why the ‘Made in Korea’ label?" I inquired. She laughed then answered, "who would want to buy something labeled ‘Made in Ethiopia’?"

Things have changed, somewhat, since that visit. I have seen the ‘Made in Ethiopia’ label on various types of garments, both leather and otherwise. That encounter, however, has stuck with me. I recall feeling both sad and annoyed that leather jackets produced in Ethiopia had to have a fake label designating them the product of some alien country in order to sell in the world market. What a travesty. And what a terrible testament regarding the global perception of Ethiopia.

Our ‘Speaking of People’ personality this week is Guenet Fresenbet, an Ethiopian woman on a mission to change this inferior image in the area of textiles and fashion. On the evening of Friday, April 30, 1999, the Lalibela Grand Ballroom at the Sheraton Addis was the venue for the premiere collection of American trained and Ethiopia inspired fashion designer Guenet Fresenbet, or GIGI as she is popularly known. The models walked, strutted, turned, pouted, smiled and posed in the latest fashion sensations to come out of Addis Ababa.

The show featured ‘ecologically friendly’ spring and summer day wear. The playful and attractive, yet reassuringly simple designs were made from 100% traditional hand woven cotton fabrics (shemma), dipped in a variety of natural dying agents including tea, coffee, carrot and avocado. The outfits included thigh length loose fitting dresses in a variety of cuts and designs and hip-hugger bellbottoms with brassiere tops.

Some of the more refined pieces in the collection were made of traditional hand woven ‘tilet’, or jacquard fabric. The delicate material, traditionally used as the colorful trimming on white shemma dresses, was used to create a wide range of outfits including tank-tops and evening dresses. Describing her use of tilet material GIGI explained, "Ethiopian tilet is very common in different colors and patterns. In my collection I use a lot of solid Ethiopian tilet, or jacquard. I use the same colors with different patterns. Some of the styles [presented in the show] have solid colors and might look like some of the new fabrics that are coming out of Japan, but they are all 100% natural Ethiopian fabrics. All the woven fabrics were made by my shemanes (weavers)..."

Photos courtesy of Yohannes.com

Amanda Griffin

Showbiz Pinoy says"... The daughter of Tony Griffin, a British businessman, and Susana Ricardo, a stewardess from Cebu, Amanda spent her growing up years all over the world. She was raised in England, but completed her secondary education at the International School in Manila.It was during this time that she started modeling, albeit part time. For college, she opted to attend Bond University in Australia, where her family is based, finishing a degree in Business/Communication.

From there onwards, life was going full-steam ahead for this hardworking gal. Amanda went into modeling full-time, soon becoming a favorite for both magazine and ramp work. She even ventured into commercials and endorsements, which had billboards of her pretty face going up all over the metropolis.

Since she lived and breathed fashion, it semed but natural that when Amanda decided to go into business, she and friend Isabel Engwa would choose to distribute the high-end swimsuit brand Tabu and eventually open a swimwear boutique in Greenbelt.With her busy schedule as a model, she often finds herself attending to store-related matters until late in the evening. That's quite a lot to have on someone's plate at such a young age. On what it's like living her life, she says it's "really busy, just like everyone else. I can get really stressed out, but it's all good. I'm basically a happy person, so I try to rise above it all."

The last few months have seen Amanda add a couple more feathers in her career hat. She just joined Angel and Daphne as the newest host of the fashion magazine show, F, on ABS-CBN, covering the travel and food beat, two of the things she loves the most. "I get to travel around the Philippines, to places that I never thought I'd go. I love to discover." Being a certified food lovers, she finds that trying out different types of food makes her work more interesting; she counts Thai and Indian cuisine, plus Pinoy delicacies bibingka and suman among her favorites...."

Photos courtesy of Bembang Girls

Daria Werbowy

Polish-born Daria Werbowy has hit it big time in the Fashion modeling world after securing a lucrative contract with Lancôme worth $3 million.

Sarah Raper Larenaudie of Time Magazine says that "....a fashion model can quit waitressing when the magazine covers and runway gigs roll in, but modeling can never be a full-fledged career until the beauty companies call.

Associating a recognizable face with a product has been a winning formula for the beauty industry since Pond's signed society queens to plug Vanishing Cream in 1924, but finding the right girl is harder than one might think. "We are looking for women who communicate sincerity and true beauty" says Odile Roujol, deputy general manager of Lancôme International.

Werbowy, 22 was born in Warsaw. The family left Poland when Daria was 4 and moved to Mississauga, Ontario. She worked as an extra on TV and film projects in Toronto as a child, then dabbled in modelling while studying at a local arts high school. Her big brake came when Marc Jacobs sent her down his runway in 2003, and very quickly other designers, taken with her feline beauty and aqua eyes, hired her too..."


Photos by Marcio Madeira and Don Ashby and courtesy of Style.com

Charo Ronquillo

The Manila Times writes "....Asked why she succeeded in the Ford Supermodel of the World Finals in New York in January, the 17-year-old stunner Charo Ronquillo could only say, “I was brave.” Courage was all she had during the search since every other candidate from the rest of the world was as pretty and svelte as she. She believed she could make it—and she did. Placing second runner-up overall, Charo Ronquillo now holds the highest honor ever attained by a Filipina—or by an Asian—in the Ford Supermodel of the World Search..."

This lady from Laguna, Philippines... was a favorite among the 39 models from different countries who competed and was referred to as the Asian morena version of the famous model, Kate Moss..."

"...Ronquillo is the first-ever Asian who won in the top three Ford Supermodel of the World title in the 25-year history of Ford Models Inc. (Group shot courtesy of Fashion Wire Daily/Grant Lamos IV) (Oliver Carnay)...."

Some excerpts quoted from Balita.com

Photos Courtesy of Voy.com

Liz Lange

Ellen Tien writes"...Before Liz Lange pioneered the concept of chic maternity clothing half a dozen years ago, expectant mothers had a paucity of fashion choices. They could resemble either potato-fed Pilgrims or Mickey Rooney performing the title number in Sugar Babies. "In the old days, maternity lines were designed for the male stereotype of what a pregnant woman looked like," says Lange. "The clothes were clownishly huge."

Armed with three years' experience working for fashion designer Stephen DiGeronimo, Lange rented a room above a New York City restaurant and began peddling trimly cut $200 stretch-cotton shirts and $400 cashmere twin sets. Despite predictions that mothers-to-be would never spend so much for separates with a limited shelf life, orders poured in. "All the stores I approached said, 'No—there's no market for high-end maternity.' I couldn't stop thinking that if I could just show these clothes directly to my customer without a middleman, she would get it." The female intuition paid off. Today the $10 million business of Liz Lange includes three stores as well as licensed lines with Nike and Target. In the meantime, she has spawned a phalanx of imitators, with stores from Barneys New York to the Gap turning out their own maternity collections.

Her method of designing is based on the druthers system. "I'll take a jacket from my closet and think, I wish this had a looser fit or different pockets," she says. "My design inspiration comes from my own closet, my own thighs, my own life. It's business, but it's personal..."

Photo by Richard Drew Courtesy of Time Magazine

Gemma Ward

Michelle Oreckln says "...Slight, Soft-Spoken and only 17, Gemma Ward has nevertheless demonstrated enough muscle to pull off what no other model has managed to acheive in the past 10 years: replacing Kate Moss as the face, and naked body, of the Calvin Klein Fragrance Obsession...."

Valerie Lawson says "...Two years ago Gemma Ward dressed each day in a navy skirt with either a polo top or blue and white checked shirt, her secondary college uniform. Today, she wears chiffon, lace, tulle, silk, fur, diamonds, leather, velvet, crocodile skin and satin.

In New York, Paris and Milan, she sways down the runway in that weird pony walk of today's models as she parades the clothes of Valentino, Oscar de la Renta, Versace, Balenciaga, Gucci and Marc Jacobs.

In double-page ads for Prada and Yves St Laurent, she gazes from the glossy pages of Vogue, Tatler and Harpers Bazaar, her mouth impossibly red and bee stung, her wide-set green eyes resembling a china doll's.

In two years, the suburban Australian schoolgirl has become one of the world's top models. British fashion photographer Nick Knight, who took the picture of her on today's A2 cover, says: "Gemma is one of the very, very few models who look as though they come from another dimension."

Vogue Australia editor-in-chief Kirstie Clements thinks that "Gemma's in a different stratosphere. She's got that extra thing, that inexplicable thing...."

Some excerpts quoted from Time Magazine

Photo Courtesy of Photo by Don Ashby and courtesy of Vogue.de

Sun Goddess

Kenyan Fashion Week says "...Sun Goddess is a celebration and the preservation of the cultures we were born into. Our designs are greatly inspired by the original designs as worn by the people of South Africa in days gone by.

The appeal of our clothes also lies in the lovely and exciting design combinations of modern fabrics, embellishments, and a good dose of pure nostalgia. In fact when we sit down to design it is usually a trip that retells rich African folktales from childhood. So in the end our clothes not only celebrate where we come from but ultimately redefine where we are going. Sun Goddess is simply that appreciation for the past, a view toward intrigue and greatness to come.

Started by a husband and wife team (Thando & Vanya Mangaliso). They say they did not get into fashion for the sake of fashion. They were also seeking to make a positive contribution to the reconstruction of the South African identity. The burning ambition behind is to master the art of authentic indigenous design....

Photos Courtesy of Kenyan Fashion Week

Emma Hill

Lisa McLaughlin says"...A British designer might seem an odd choice to be vice president of men's and women's accessories design at such a quintessentially American company as the Gap, but for Emma Hill, 34, it's been a longtime career goal. Ever since a trip to New York City as a teen, she had it in mind to return to the U.S. to work. "I was obsessed with very American styles like leg warmers," she says. After graduating from fashion school in London, Hill took a job at Burberry as an accessories designer.

Although she had originally planned to focus on clothing, not accessories, she thought that working for the international brand would give her a good jumping-off point from which to launch her move to New York. And along the way she discovered her talent for creating distinctive and original accessories. She moved on to become senior designer for accessories at Calvin Klein and then joined Marc Jacobs.

The Gap recruited her in 2002, and she immediately made a splash with her leather, denim and corduroy handbags. ''Gap is such an iconic brand, and it means so much to so many people,'' says Hill, explaining her move from high fashion to mass market. "Things don't have to be expensive to be beautiful." For inspiration she dove into the company's archives. "I took all the elements that you would normally find on a denim jacket or a pair of corduroys—the buttons, the zipper, the grommets—and used them to make a bag."

The spring line of bags, in bright pastels and floral prints, is based on belted trench coats, with adjustable straps. She also plans a line of enameled flower pins that can be sprinkled on the bags "like fridge magnets. I think it's important to be able to personalize things," she says, gesturing toward the fabric flowers and Hello Kittys strewn around her office. "Accessories are an emotional thing, about having fun. No woman really needs a new handbag. It's all about expressing yourself..."

Photo by Jason Schmidt and Courtesy of Time Magazine

Gambay

The Gambay website says"... The Gambay project is an ambitious idea developed by three young french men who came from foreign immigration Chad, Benin, French Carribean.

Based on a multiracial blend of cultures the concept has a goal to create a line of clothing, create as much for the South Sahara region for identity or for the modern Afro-black for the pure African Style…”

This brand of clothes is a stylistic interbreeding between the occidental fashion and the fabrics, embroideries and African techniques. Gambay is a line of clothes made in Dakar, Senegal...”


Photos courtesy of Gambaycorp

Caroline Calvin

Nadia Mustafa of Time magazine writes"...When Caroline Calvin arrived at Levi's more than a decade ago, she took on one of the most rugged challenges in the fashion industry: updating the 501 jean.

The company that birthed the first jean took note of Calvin when she developed a dark, rigid denim finish inspired by vintage styles. Calvin, then 28, with no formal design training, began creating innovative finishes for the San FranciscoÐbased Levi's in 1990. By the time she became the company's U.S. creative director in 2001, she had reinvigorated the brand throughout Europe by blending its rich heritage with a young, sexy edge. "Caroline knows how to take something old and modernize it into something no one's ever seen before," says Tony Carnot of Swift Denim in New York City.

Calvin launched new "premium" fits, including Levi's RED, which became the best-selling denim line in Barneys, and designed the Levi's Vintage Clothing line, culling from the company archives. In 2002 she introduced low-rise jeans for men and overhauled the brand's core line after the largest fit test in denim history to create a style and fit for nearly everybody, and every body.

Calvin herself dons the vintage 501s, often for a year straight to inspire a new finish. She doesn't wash the jeans, only dry-cleans them, so that the wear and tear is natural. She restitches them when they're broken in, and replicates the look as a new style for the masses. "You want to make it look like you found them in a flea market and they've been on your body for 20 years," she says..."

Photo by Meredith Heuer Courtesy of Time Magazine.

MKO.GH Clothing

Mawuli Kofi Okudzeto's website says "...The Ghanaian born Mawuli Kofi Okudzeto, realised his natural talent in 1980 after his search for his true identity. Mawuli started his preparatory schooling in Ghana. At thirteen, he continued his education at the greylands college in England at the Isle of Wight and to the American college of London to obtain his B.A. Degree in Business Administration. Whilst there in England he worked in some classy clothing shops on Bond and Mayfair street in London.

He gained some experience in field of designing and decided to return to Ghana to start his own fashion industry being the design of African couture. He found most of his answers in dressing.

He started off with one machine and as he progressed, he employed other people and bought more machines. He now has five studios in Accra and his designs are also found in so many homes all over Africa. Mawuli has to his credit two factories located in Accra with a work force of sixty-two (62) with seventy industrial sewing machines at their disposal.

The maximum daily output is about four thousand, two hundred and eighty (4280) items produced a day. This translates into an average production of one hundred and twenty eight thousand, four hundred (128400)finished items a month, ranging from traditional wear to shirts, bags, skirts, dresses, blouses, trousers, headgear, footwear.

He has participated in a lot of fashions shows with a special reference to 'Face of Africa' held at Labadi Beach Hotel here in Accra,Pret-a-porter in Paris France, Egedo in Dusseldorf Germany among many others.

Mawuli's aim is to promote a strong sense of cultural identification with Africa. His designs range from the trendy young to the conservative older people. Mawuli's designs best represents cream of contemporary afro-centric attire into the future..."

Photos Courtesy of Mawuli.com

C&C T Shirts

Christine Shea writes in Time Magazine"...It's hard to say how a fashion phenomenon starts, when an item crosses the line from cute new idea to "it" item. But in the case of C&C California—the brainchild of thirtysomething principals Claire Stansfield and Cheyann Benedict—a few lucky breaks have catapulted the company's line of electric-colored slouchy T shirts into the must-have category. One of them was an endorsement in the fashion press from waifish style icon Sofia Coppola. Another was the starring role in a Visa small-business commercial. But the real coup was a prime slot on one of Oprah's famous "favorite things" episodes.

With fans ranging from Coppola to Oprah, Pamela Anderson to Gwyneth Paltrow, C&C T shirts obviously have an appeal that spans variations in taste, age and body type as few other items can. "I'm super tall, so I wanted to make them long. Cheyann's a size 0 and wanted a baggier '70s look, so we just made T shirts that would work for both of us," says Stansfield.

"Once people wear our T shirts, they get that emotion and that feeling and comfort," she adds. "Cheyann and I strongly believe that it's not a trend. It's a staple piece of society's wardrobe that was missing. You've got Converse, Dockers, Levi's. There wasn't really a classic T shirt..."

Photo by Steve Grayson of WIREIMAGE.COM

Kate Spade

Rebecca Winters of Time Magazine writes"... The handbag designer who persuaded women in the '90s to trade what she calls "the nothing black bag" for a purse with personality is launching a home collection this spring. If Spade does for sheets what she did for the once sleepy luxury-handbag category, now a $2.5 billion business in the U.S., nesters will have more to covet than thread count. With her husband Andy, Spade runs a $70 million company selling purses, shoes, perfume, eyeglasses and stationery, all designed with a nostalgic wink. "I don't think you need to neglect the style of something that's functional," says Spade, whose neat updo and clipped Midwestern accent reflect the fresh-scrubbed femininity of her products.

Spade's notion that something as everyday as a handbag should tell a story—easy summer afternoon, for instance—springs from her mother's Kansas City, Mo., closet. "She had clutches, oranges, pinks, chocolates, huge pearl buttons," she says. While an editor at Mademoiselle in the early 1990s, Spade found little on the market that lived up to her mother's collection. So in 1993 Spade began sketching boxy totes in her Manhattan loft and buying burlap for her bags from a potato-sack manufacturer found in the Yellow Pages. "One [fabric supplier] said to me, 'Honey, you look like a nice girl,'" Spade recalls. "'You don't want to get into the business. Settle down.'" Instead, Spade rocketed into the fashion élite, as Barneys and Bergdorf Goodman began selling her nylon totes. She soon opened her own boutiques in the U.S. and Japan. In 1997 she launched a men's line designed by Andy. Two years later, the Spades sold 56% of their business to Neiman Marcus for $33.6 million, and partnered with Estée Lauder.

This year the Spade aesthetic will quite literally take flight, as employees of the new budget airline Song start wearing Spade-designed uniforms. Also, Spade's company will release three lifestyle books with Simon & Schuster called Manners, Occasions and Style. Spade is often asked when she'll do a clothing line. "I never say never, but I really can't imagine doing it," she says. "People are realizing accessories are important now. If I'm in the mood to shop, how fun is a great bag?..."

Photo Courtesy of Evalu8.org

Opeyami Awoyemi

Rage says"...Hailing from Port Harcourt in Nigeria and having just turned 18-years-old Opeyami Awoyemi is one of the youngest semi-finalists for the Nokia Face of Africa 2005.

At 1.83m in height, Opeyami is also one of the tallest semi-finalists in the group. A student, who speaks English and Yoruba, Opeyami is a fan of gospel blues singers and also enjoys the music of Nigeria’s Styl-Plus and 2Face. Her favourite songs include African Queen and Everytime. In her spare time, Opeyami says she must have a radio on playing cool music! She also says, “I play a little piano and I sing a lot!”

Opeyami is also an Eddie Murphy fan proving her love for comedies. She plays badminton and sometimes, hits the hoops playing basketball. Her favourite place in Nigeria is Lagos State and her favourite Nigerian food is yam, eggs and rice. In addition, she says that, “the best thing about people in my country is that they know their rights in everything they do.”

When she was selected to be a semi-finalist for the Nokia Face of Africa 2005, Opeyami called her sister first to share the good news!

Photo Courtesy of Face of Africa

Haimanot Deboch

Haimi Design's website says "...Coming from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Haimanot took junior design and knitting classes as a subject in her elementary and high schools. Inspired by the artistic design part of the subject, she would apply her skills by creating banners and maps for her teachers at school and creating decorations at home. Her parents have been a source of motivation in her career as a creative designer from the start.

After a being told her dress, for a friend's wedding, was "ruined" in her later years, Haimanot decides to take matters into her own hands. She will go on to take design classes by Italian instructors in Addis Ababa at the Mo Mco Design School (1995-1996), and go on to work as a professional. After moving to the Washington D.C. in August 2001, Haimanot has been working on developing her over 8 years experience of creating and designing cultural clothes. She continues to create designs and patterns with a theme of Ethiopian culture. Her collections have been featured at the 2003 and 2004 Ethiopian Bridal Expos..."

Photos courtesy of Haimi Design's

Doyin Haastrup

Rage says"...At 1.84m tall, Doyin Haastrup is the tallest semi-finalist for the Nokia Face of Africa 205. Born in Lagos, the 20-year-old keeps in shape with regular gym classes and by eating healthy.

A fan of the designers Modela and Mon-Ami, Doyin’s fashion accessories include perfumers, shoes and earrings. She would love to model in Paris and in New York City and would like to visit Zambia, Ghana, Liberia and South Africa. She lists Lagos and Abuja as the places she enjoys the most in Nigeria and says she loves the warm West Africa climate of her home..."

Photo Courtesy of Rage

Wubet Handbags

The Wubet website says "...Wubet is an exceptional unique accessories line for handbags utilizing Ethiopian hand woven textiles and leather worked into modern design. It consists of a wide range of different shapes, from small carry bags with antique aluminum bead handles to clutches with rubber band...totes with resin closures in accent-colored textiles, and the new I-Pod-bag in Ethiopian cotton, combined with beads and wearable as hipster bag as well.

Ethiopian design may never have been as timely. In an era of increasing globalization in business, communications, marketing and public policy, as we become one world, it is important to understand and preserve what is unique to our various cultures. The beautiful textiles of Ethiopia are unique, I would like to see them cherished and also shared with the world. Design enhances the quality of life. On every level it should celebrate, honor, venerate, praise, cherish and treasure all that we are. The goal is to celebrate the unique genius of every individual, and use it in order to inspire everyone. I want the world to see that every invention, every creation of which humankind is capable carries with it the capacity to enhance us individually and improve us collectively.

Weaving in Ethiopia is an art, which was practiced since ancient times and perfected as far back as the Middle Ages. It has changed very little since then, and is highly skilled, compared to all other crafts in the country. Today the lovely hand woven cloth is no longer confined to clothing, but is used for furniture covering, curtains, tablecloths and napkins, and bed covers, among so many other uses.

The designs of the Tibeb seem infinite in number with colourful geometrical designs. The Wubet collection originated in collaboration with Sara Abera from Sara Garment Designers & Manufacturers..."

Photo Courtesy of Wubet.com

Gerren Taylor

This 14-year-old modeling prodigy Gerren Taylor that started modeling at he age of 12 is now been refered to in some circles already as the "New Naomi".
Highbeam.com says "...Teased for years about her height by the kids in her elementary school in Moreno Valley and elsewhere, the very young lady they called giraffe is now fulfilling a life long dream by becoming a super model.

However, there wasn't a page on her dream sheet that foretold making international headlines, setting records, interviewing on news channels, appearing on e-entertainment and stirring ..."

Photo courtesy of Patrick McMullan and from Style.com

Manale

Manale's website says"...Her unusual name can be translated as 'the one and only' from Amharic, the official language spoken in her native Ethiopia, and its meaning may have unwittingly been a sign of things to come.

Born into a prominent family whose lineage can be traced back 25 generations, she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degre in costume design at the State University of New York and an Associate Degree at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.

She lived in Rome, Italy, for a time and it is here, inspired by the thriving fashion scene, the culture and the arts, that she developed a passion for all aspects of haute couture and design.

Upon her return to the U.S. she initially designed for a number of international fashion companies before devoting herself to bridal fashion, a field where she saw an opportunity for her talent and vision to make a difference.

Her passion and sense of beauty are evident just by looking at her gowns, down to the last detail.

But what comes through even more strongly is a philosophy that bears her signature touch on every single gown making the bride who wears one feel like she is 'the one and only.'

Photo Courtesy of Manale.com

Ase Hui Min Wang

This Chinese/Swedish Model has featured in neumerous MTV, TV and magazine adverts for top brands in South East Asia.

Ase Wangs's website says"...Self-decleared "ex-hippie chick" Ase Wang has got it all-looks, body and a soaring career. All that's missing is a man who is able to create a storm in the kitchen.

The archetypal Pan-Asian stunner, with genes inherited from a Chinese father and a Swedish mother, is also noted for her equally exotic name, courtesy of her mum. Who hails from the land of Volvo and Abba."It is pronounced "oww-sah", with the two dots above the 'A', that's how to pronounce it in Swedish." she purrs, acknowledging that it's moniker that is baffling to most people here. In 2002, she ventured out on a limb into the Hong Kong scene to take stab at stardom and has since landed spots in several television commercials and print ads. The sacrifices that she made have paid off for this model-actress as shehas been kept busy with a number of projects that include the movie and getting the chance to be part of a Canto pop icon Sam Hui's dance team.

Photo Courtesy of asewang.com

Maggie Cheung Man-yuk

This incredibility attractive lady that started as a Model, ended up being one of asia's top actresses. Wikipedia says "...Cheung spent part of her childhood and adolescence in the United Kingdom. Upon her return to Hong Kong, Cheung ran and won second place in the Miss Hong Kong beauty pageant contest in 1983 at the age of 19, and was a semi-finalist in the Miss World pageant the same year.

Cheung married French film maker Olivier Assayas in 1998. The marriage ended with a divorce in 2001. The two have collaborated on films such as Irma Vep and Clean..."


Photo Courtesy of Xinhuanet

Natalia Vodianova

Annabel Rivkin writes "...By the time was Natalia 11 she was selling fruit and vegetables on the street, often until eleven at night.'My mother was one of the first people - it was a very clever idea - to say,"Why should I sell at the market when I can get to people on the road before they reach the market?" And so we did it, but my mother is no businesswoman. Sometimes we felt very rich and sometimes we had absolutely nothing to eat.' It's an enduring image, isn't it? A small, beautiful girl standing in the snow trying to sell something, knocking down the price, realising that her wares are waterlogged and trudging wearily home.

At 14 she was borrowing a friend,s car to pick up her stock and at 16 she set up a fruit and vegetable stand with a girlfriend and worked fairly happily, even though she admits that her hometown is 'miserable, grey and dangerous'. Mafia-run, with a corrupt police force and its own street code, Natalia nevertheless insists that it was 'dangerous only if you made it dangerous, if you walked at night, for example'. She doesn't talk about the grimmer scenes, but this is a young woman who clearly learned to defend herself early. 'My agency has a Polaroid of me from the day I arrived n Paris and it's frightening,' she says. 'It's a face that say, "if you come anywhere near me, you're dead."'

A Parisian model scout had come to Nizhni Novgorod and Natalia's boyfriend at the time - a male model - forced her to go along. Although the relationship didn't last, she later bought him a Mercedes to say thank you. She maintains that, despite the scary Polaroid, she was at that time more cheerful than she looked.'I was very self-protective, very moody, but I was happy inside. I was fascinated by Paris and by my first plane trip.

Natalia, 23 is one of today's most successful models. In possession of the lucrative Calvin Klein contract (now shot by Steven Meisel) that made icons of Brook Shields in the Eighties and Kate Moss in the Nineties, and the international face L'Oreal, she is nonetheless still and edgy editorial favourite. With the face of a child and the eyes of a lioness, her focus - both professional and personal - is immediately apparent..."

Natalia is Married to Justin Portman and has a three year old son called Lucas.

Orginal article published in the Evening Standard Magazine(25th November 2005).

Photo Courtesy of Style.com

IMAN Cosmetics

Iman's website says"...Iman is Founder and CEO of IMAN Cosmetics, Fragrances & Skincare, a beauty company that created the first cosmetics and skincare collection designed for all women with skin of color.

Launched in 1994, the IMAN brand philosophy holds that women with skin of color represent many races, cultures and ethnicities. IMAN Cosmetics is designed for African American, Asian, Latina and multi-cultural women with skin tones in a myriad of shades. The brand offers skincare and cosmetics, including 16 foundation shades. IMAN Cosmetics is sold throughout the world including the United States, Canada, UK, France, Brazil, Africa, and the Caribbean.

In 2004, IMAN Cosmetics announced its strategic alliance with Proctor & Gamble. Under the licensing and and distribution agreement, the prestige brand once again broke convention and is now available at mass retailers including Target, Wal-Mart, Walgreens and Duane Reade.

In addition to running a global beauty company, Iman is actively invloved in several charities, including, The Children's Defense Fund, For All Kids Foundation, and Action Against Hunger. Iman's first book, entitiled I AM IMAN (Universe, 2001), was an autobiographical sketchbook of her career that questions the unserious business of fashion and beauty and its serious affect on identity. Her upcoming book, THE BEAUTY OF COLOR: The Ultimate Beauty Guide for Skin of Color (Putnam penguin) will be published in Fall 2005.

Iman began her career in the 1975 as a model and has challenged the prevailing notions of beauty ever since. The daughter of an African diplomat, Iman was born in Somalia and grew up speaking five languages. She studied political science at Nairobi University where she was discovered by lengendary photographer Peter Beard.

Her first modeling assignment was for Vogue in 1976. Iman was an instant success in the fashion world, and a muse fir fashion designers including Yves. St. Laurent, Versace, Calvin Klein and top photographers Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon, Irving Penn and Annie Liebovitz.

A mother of two, Iman is married to David Bowie with whom she has a daughter Alexandria Zahra. Iman's eldest daughter is Zulehka Haywood..."

Photos Courtesy of IMAN and Careers In Beauty

Hilda Nwevoh

Akada Campus says"...19 year old Udi, Enugu State born Hilda Nevoh beat 14 other contestants Sunday 21st August to win the 2005 edition of the Nigeria Model Awards inside the banquet hall of the Sheraton Hotel & Towers.

With the victory, she represents Nigeria at the Ford Supermodel of the World contest slated for January 2006 in New York where she stands a chance of picking a $250,000 worth of modelling contract. Hilda, the fourth of of five siblings said she least expected to be picked as the winner as the competition was very stiff, even though she prayed to win.

The undergraduate of Economics from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology who dreams of becoming a renowned fashion designer after retiring from international modelling gave all the glory to God for her victory as in her words, "Any of the girls could have won. we all had our different unique attributes but i guess God has chosen this time for me and I am really excited about it. I am looking forward to the world finals and perhaps God will also help me win that one" .

Hilda was picked by head scout for Ford Super Model, New York, Robert Knapp who was the sole judge for the event..."



Photos courtesy of Acada Campus

Oumou Sy

Although this Lady grew up without a formal education, she could now be regarded as Senegal's most internationally known haute couture designer.

Afritopic says "... As a child, she liked the feel of fabrics and she was always playing with the material in any form her fantasy allowed. She later developed interest in joining, stitching and sewing pieces of fabrics together to create works of art. Her interest grew stronger. She developed her capabilities further and started making dresses, which today, has developed into a successful fashion business. Her collections have been showcased at international fashion shows in Europe, Asia, Africa and USA.

Apart from creating high-class fashion designs, is very active in development programs in her home country. She founded a school of design, which provides training for Senegalese in diverse areas of product and fashion designs. According to Oumou Sy in a discussion podium during the Masala Welt-Beat Festival 2004, the graduates of the school are highly rated by employers in Senegal. Some of the graduates also find employment in the design industries outside of Senegal..."

Imane Ayissi

Endowed with the talent of being both a fashion designer and a model, Imane Ayissi seems to prove you can be succesful in these two related fields.Imane Ayissi's website says "... Born in Cameroon, Imane Ayissi arrived in France in 1990. This lover of fabrics has tailored for himself a strong reputation in the Afro-Caribbean community. In September 2002, he presented his eight collection Vogue Africa in the Daniel Buren Circus in Paris.

Imane Ayissi draws his inspiration from the pre-colonial Black continent to create a global fashion which goes beyond the ethnic label. He works his fabrics in a soft and pure way in order to reveal harmony and magnify the elegance of women, elegance being the key-word of this creator. Chic, distinction and a touch of aristocracy are features of his dresses. Innate respect of women that reveals without undressing and suggests the body rather than shows it, is characteristic of this designer who resorts to some daring to help those he dresses with their seductive power.

Imane Ayissi has had regular work as a model for several years, primarily free lance, fashion shows, fashion photography, and advertisements for Gap, Motorola, Gitanes… but also photographic studies with photographers Alain Herman, Gérard Valmer, Marc-Antoine Harmeau, Ernest Collins, Pascal Barin, Laurent Durant, Wade H. Grimbly, Charles Ossola, and Marc Robin.

In 1999, he posed for a series of paintings by Sasmayoux. In the same year, photographer Elias created a series of photos displaying the jewelry of creators from the Place Vendôme in Paris around Imane: Van Cleef and Arpels, Christian Dior, Cartier, Chanel, Boucheron, Harry Winston, Bulgari, Mauboussin and Fred. These photos were published in French fashion magazines and presented in an exhibit in Paris..."

Photos Courtesy of Stephane Tourne and Edward Collins

Adriana Lima

In an article featured in Ask Men Adriana says"...Modeling is a tough job, your co-workers are your rivals, it really puts a damper on your perspective of other girls."


Superior Pics says"...First spotted while shopping at a local mall, 13-year-old Adriana Lima joined a Ford Supermodel of Brazil model search and finished 1st in the competition. In 1996, she competed in the Ford Supermodel of the World contest and placed 2nd. In the next year, she landed a contract with Elite Model Agency and subsequently packed for New York.

Under her new agent, Adriana scored a campaign for the fashion label Anna Molinari. She also managed to work with the world's top photographers like Steven Meisel, Patrick Demarchelier, Peter Lindbergh and Ellen von Unwerth and appeared in several fashion and women magazines including Vogue (Italy) and Harper's Bazaar in 1997, Vogue (UK), I-D (UK), Marie Claire (Brazil), and Vogue (Italy) in 1998. She followed it up with the next year's appearances in Vogue (U.S., Germany, UK) and Marie Claire (Italy). She also stepped on runways for many prestigious designers like Cynthia Rowley, Vera Wang, Christian Lacroix, Emanuel Ungaro, Betsey Johnson, Girls Rule, Richard Tyler, Giorgio Armani, Fendi, Randolph Duke, Ralph Lauren, and Valentino.

Adriana's first big break was being the model for a Vassarette printed advertisement in New York's Times Square. She later was hurled towards the spotlight after being chosen as the spokesmodel for Guess?. Adriana starred in the company's Fall 2000 ad campaign, which was shot by Pablo Alfaro in Northern California, along with several other young fresh faces. Soon afterward, a string of campaign offers followed, notably Anna Sui Jeans, Bebe, Gasoline, Mossimo, BCBG, Keds and XOXO.

Another modeling job arrived when Adriana became the spokesmodel for Victoria's Secret. She modeled in the company's catalogues and ads with supermodels Heidi Klum and Laetitia Casta. She also appeared in the popular TV transmitted lingerie shows, The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which she debuted with in 2000 and later became the show opener in 2003. Currently, she starred in the Italian TIM mobile Commercials.

On screen, Adriana has been profiled on E! Entertainment Television, The Travel Channel, Viva, Extra and Whipple's World. She also shared the screen with Mickey Rourke, playing a wife in the BMW short film, The Hire: The Follow in 2001. In November of 2004, she guest starred in "The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn..."


Photos from Alima.kmmod.com

Mariacarla Boscono

Recently annouced by H&M as a replacement to Kate Moss, Mariaclara Boscono started modeling at the tender age on seventeen. Model.com says "... "My parents traveled a lot, all over the world. They lived for seven years in Thailand before I was born. Then my Mom got pregnant and my family moved to Rome. My mom is from Tuscany and my Dad is from a little city where most of the fabric is made in Italy.After Rome we all went to Providence, then to Key West when I was two years old. I went to school in America.

They had this shop where they were selling Saucony. The shoes. They invented that. They were featured in Time magazine which did a big interview on them and things started to go well.After that period they decided they wanted to go back to Italy for me to study. I was Italian, they wanted me to grow up in Italy.

Then when I was 9 my Dad went to work in Kenya. He had this cave with this beautiful
material... huge... molto... unbelievable when you walk in. Because when you walk in, you're in this huge hole in a mountain. The material was... I don't know what the name is in English... but

it's very very white. So you have this beautiful light pouring in. We did five years there in this little village which is between Malindi and Mombassa. The village we were living in was really small, Kilindi. It wasn't even on the map then. It is now but not then. But it was the most fantastic five years of my life. Have you ever read this book... I can't translate the title but it talks about the unique feel and smell and taste of Africa. The heat, the slow life. Hakuna matata. Everything was like that.

But at one point you had to go back to reality, because that's a more fantastic world which was a beautiful thing to experience, but as a kid, it was strange for me too. I had no friends. I was alone in this huge house, in this huge park, with this huge balboab tree. You had to watch out everywhere because there would be snakes everywhere, falling down from trees, in the toilets,in the rooms.

I had this little puppy which we found in the streets called Pippo. We had this iguana, who just walked into the house one day so we adopted him. We'd feed him. We'd call him and he'd come for his food, like a pet. But I never touched him. He was huge. I was a kid and he scared me."

I find that the fashion business is not geared to keeping the model forever, anymore.
I think that's a really good thing. It's a business of the new. It's a young thing. It doesn't last forever. You have to move on! It's very unreal. I'm lucky that I can keep my feet on the ground.

I'm from the countryside. My mom, she calls me every day. All that helps me to see it for what it is.

For my future, what I would like is to have a magazine. It has to be a homemade, high quality travel magazine. Not as professional and cold as National Geographic. In that vein, but more homemade, more poetic! You go somewhere, you're a very good photographer, you're a very good writer and you go for a holiday and then you come back with an amazing story about this guy you met... who teaches you how to cook fish on the beach. Very personal. Like a letter from a friend..."

Photo by Don Ashby and Courtesy of STYLE.COM

Atong Arjok

She has modeled for Lacoste, Ghost, Rachel Comey, Heatherette and Catherine Malandrino and has appeared on the Magazine covers of Sass & Bride and Hong Kong Luxe among others. This Elegant Model from California but with roots originating from Sudan is one of the top models to look out for in the next coming months.

Photo Courtesy of The ones to Watch

Manish Arora

Recently commissioned by Reebok Rbk to design is couture sneaker collection, 33-year-old Manish Arora from New Delhi now adds to the increasing number of Indian designers that appeal to the international fashion community.


Bharat Textile says "...A product of NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology) Manish graduated from the faculty of fashion Design in 1994. On his graduating year he bagged the 'Most Creative Student' of the year award for his final project.

He also was the first runner up at the Smirnoff Fashion Awards held in Bombay in 1994.

Visualization has always been the designer's signature style and Manish Arora, after emerging from the portals of NIFT also participated in the much respected 'Young Asians Designers Competition' in 1995, held in Jakarta that year. At the show Manish presented 'KAL YUG', yet another highly stylized and humorous presentation. This won him the 2nd Runners up award and also the Most Original Collection award. It was in Jakarta that Manish was offered the job of a stylist for the French Vogue by its editor. But he preferred to stay back and launch his label' Manish Arora'.

Manish has had various shows in different parts of country each reflecting the designer's unmistakable style in a new way. His first solo show in October '98 at The Park hotel was one of the few shows that year that received such rare reviews. He has also been the official designer for the Vimal suiting and shirting campaign for the year 1998-99, and represented India at the Hong Kong fashion Week, held in Hong Kong in January 2000.

He was also a part of exhibition on Kitsch held at India Habitat Center. This exhibition saw the work of various well-known artists of India such as Atul Dodhia, Anjolie Ela Menon, Ram Rehman and many others, among which, his work stood out for its originality. It was at Selfridges (London) in May '02 where he exhibited a similar work of art.

Keeping in view the upcoming market of ready to wear he has launched a new line of women's wear in February 2001 under the label 'FISH FRY', for the same he was also associated with Bacardi for a series of shows in various cities.

It was in the year 2002 that Mr. Martand Singh chose a few leading designers from our country to design clothes made from khadi to revive this age old Indian fabric, it was inaugurated by honorable prime minister of India Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the same was showcased in all the leading cities of our country.

There was a full-page advertisement of Manish Arora for lord And Taylor in the Sunday Times, New York and he was also featured in the Women's Wear Daily for his new collection.

Manish has made costumes for a Bollywood film and for a French Film that is currently being shot; he has dressed the likes of Bianca Jagger. Anoushka Shankar wore a dress that he specially designed for her at the Grammy Awards 2003. He is opening his second Manish Arora/Fish Fry store in Mumbai by September this year and at the same time is also taking part at the trade fair in Paris.

He is retailing at Carma in Delhi, Ensemble in Bombay, Fflio in Bangalore, Zenon & Kali in Kolkatta, Zingara in Cannes (France), Cafe Des Baines in Geneva (Switzerland), Lord & Taylor in New York, Morini in Forte Det Marmi- Italy, Papini in Catania-Italy, Torregrossa in Palerito-Italy, Frank and Fics in Paris and his first flagship store at 1-M.G. Road, New Delhi. He s also retailing through BE: outlets (a division of Raymonds limited) in eight cities in India and Dubai.

It was during this fashion week that Manish has formed an alliance with one of the leading retail stores in the world, Maria Louisa (Paris). It is a store that houses all the leading brands such as Helmut Lang, Alexander Mc Queen, Balenciaga and John Galliano..."

Photos Courtesy of Time Magazine and Mid-Day

Ade Bakare

Cape Fashion Week says "...The Ade Bakare (Couture) London label has now become synonymous with classic yet modern fashion over the years. The label, which was started by Ade Bakare in 1991, has now grown to include other lines such as Shoes, Bags, Scarves and Jewellery.

This enables his ever-loyal clientele to have the Ade Bakare complete look and experience.

The label, which attracts women from all walks of life; celebrities, royalty and the working lady, was set up in 1991 with the assistance of the Princes Youth Business Trust (PYBT). The Ready To Wear Collection sold to stores and boutiques across England , in places such as London , Guildford Esher, Amersham and. Sheffield, plus Scotland and the Channel Islands .

Due to an increasing demand for couture by private clients Ade Bakare decided to open a salon on Grosvenor Street in Mayfair to cater for them. The showroom, which was opened in 1997, was a huge success and immediately put Ade Bakare on the International Haute-Couture map, attracting clients from American, France, Italy, Germany, Nigeria and the Jamaican Islands.

At the Mayfair Salon, Ade Bakare's first floral fragrance for ladies called 'Breeze' was launched in 1998 and which now includes a scented cream and scented candle introduced in 2000 for the Millennium.

Over the years the Ade Bakare Couture label has attracted worldwide press, especially in America , Germany , Monaco and Nigeria , where he has received a lot of press and media coverage, especially during the Royal Ascot season.

Plans for the future include opening branches in Europe, North America and Africa .

Ade Bakare was born in Bromsgrove in England . He studied to University level in Lagos , Nigeria at the University of Lagos . He returned to England to study Fashion Design at the Salford University College , Manchester , where he gained a HND in 1990.

Ade Bakare then went on to work for two internationally known Couture designers in London; Victor Edlestein and Christina Stambolian, before setting up his own label in 1991.

The Ade Bakare Couture label is aimed at the sophisticated woman who likes to appear glamorous at all times. The label uses natural silk fabrics such as French dupion, georgette, chiffons,duchess satins, lace and 'Gazar' which Add Bakare has become well-known for. Add Bakare designs capture the true spirit of the feminine form and are designed in a modern way, always giving his loyal clientele something new to look forward to. Ade Bakare continues to design for the label including the Jewellery line, staging fashion shows in England and abroad, lecturing at fashion colleges and seminars, writing on fashion for newspapers and magazines.

Photo Courtesy of Cape Town Fashion Week

Isabeli

Jurgita.com says"...Isabeli Bergossi Fontana (who occasionally simply goes by "Isabeli") was born on July 4, 1983, in Curitiba, in the Paran? region of Brazil. She has two siblings; brothers Harrison and Heric. By the time she was merely 12 years of age, Isabeli told her mother that she wanted to become a model.

In 1996, she was a finalist in an Elite Model Look Contest in Sao Paulo, and the following year, at the age of only 14, she traveled from her native Brazil to Milan, to start working as a model. This move helped Isabeli see her home as those from other countries see it; "Everyone wants to know about Brazil," she admits.

In 1999, when she was 16, Isabeli appeared in the Victoria's Secret catalog. This generated a bit of a stir in the fashion world, since Victoria's Secret reportedly violated its policy of only hiring models that were 21 or older. But such controversy helped, rather than harmed, Isabeli's prospects, especially in an industry that worships youth to extremes. A case in point: Isabeli revealed that when she was 16, clients complained that she looked too young; when she was 17, they thought she looked too old. C'est la vie in the world of fashion.

Nevertheless, she landed work with such world-famous labels as Valentino, Versace, bebe, and Ralph Lauren, strutting down fashion runways from New York and Paris to Milan. She appeared in international editions of well-known magazines like Vogue, Marie Claire and Elle, and also worked on a campaign for M. Officer, a hot, up-and-coming design house in Brazil, in which Isabeli was photographed in provocative poses that kept everyone guessing. She was also one of the models to appear in the coveted Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition in 2002 and 2003.
underage partygoer

Isabeli now lives in New York with her fiancee, fellow model Alvaro Jacomossi. Despite the hustle and bustle of her new home, Isabeli doesn't get caught up in Manhattan's flashy nightlife. She goes to movies with Alvaro (though she's not big on TV) and enjoys music, especially her "three R's": rock, reggae and rap.

With a promising career and a comfortable lifestyle, a model on the verge of superstardom could lose her head. Not so for Isabeli. Knowing that the career of a model is a short one, she's already looking to the future. She recently became a mother and she's even thinking of taking up acting, though she doesn't have the time to take classes yet. Isabeli is also prudent enough to invest some of her modeling earnings so that she can buy a house in Alvaro's hometown. But whatever she may do later on, Isabeli doesn't want to cut herself off from modeling completely.

Isabeli Fontana is one of many successful models -- including Gisele Bundchen, Ana Claudia Michels and Adriana Lima -- to come out of Brazil in recent years. But few can match her meteoric career path. She began with a notorious debut in the Victoria's Secret catalog at age 16, and within three short years, has become a fixture in the Paris and Milan shows, a model for celebrated designers from Versace to Valentino, and cover girl for more than her share of high-profile magazines.

If anything, this stunning ascent has taught Fontana to be realistic. Although she enjoys modeling immensely, she doesn't pretend that the youth-obsessed industry isn't without its flaws. With this in mind, she's already making plans for when she trades in her outlandish runway getups for more subdued business attire.

Of course, at such a young age, Isabeli's still got a lot left in her. Yet even as her appeal peaks, she'd rather spend an evening listening to music or going to the movies with her fianc? than whooping it up on the tow..."

Photo courtesy of Top Fashion Models