Saturday, March 31, 2012

Amede Classics

According to her website "...Amede is a stylish label owned by Amede Nzeribe, a lawyer turned designer, who is fast becoming one of the leading lights of the vibrant Nigerian Fashion scene. Her clothing has been featured in top-rated publications, such as True Love West Africa, Genevieve Magazine, The Guardian Newspaper and on television such as Big Brother Nigeria (MNET), The Scoop (NTA) and 100% Naija (Channel O).. Her unique ability to weave together stunning combinations of colours and fabrics is perhaps inherited from her late mother, the legendary Flora Nwapa, Africa’s first female novelist, whose writing weaved together poignant themes and authentically Nigerian characters. Amede’s clothes command attention because they seem to achieve the impossible – beautifully constructed clothing in comfortable fabrics and styles. Her clothes are unmistakably African, with flowing shapes and rich colours, but they are coupled with a modern twist. She adds frills, unusual buttons, beads and sequins, funky high-cut collars, a variety of sleeves and other surprising touches. The end result is a rare combination of timeless and edgy.
Part of the magic of Amede’s clothing is that she designs almost all her own fabrics, so that you are often wearing a true original. The majority of her designs are one-offs and when she does reproduce, it is limited to very small quantities. Amede’s inspiration is literally the world around her – the nature, the patterns in a piece of jewelery or a rug, the colours of a painting. She designs with a wide variety of fabrics, from chiffon to cotton, linen to brocade, jersey, silk and satin. Amede also works with commercially available ankara, however she uses it so creatively or in unusual combinations with other fabrics, that the cloth becomes almost un-recognizable..."

Mustafa Hassanali

According to his website "...Designer Mustafa Hassanali, a celebrated name in Tanzania pursues fashion as a religion. His personable and affable demeanour in parallel with his bohemian work of art has made him amidst the premier and popular designers in Tanzania..."

Friday, March 30, 2012

Nena Kal Hunter

Nena Kal Hunter is an amazing hat designer. According to her website "...she was born in Enugu, Nigeria, to a lawyer father- Barrister Kalu K Ogba and a musician mother – Mrs Chinwe Kalu Ogba. She attended nursery school at Aunty Linda’s Nursery school, Enugu and primary at Alvan Ikoku College of Education primary school in Owerri. She also attend secondary at St Mary Magdalene’s Anglican Girls Seminary in Umuahia. Nena always knew she wanted to become a fashion designer of some sort at a very young age. Her father encouraged her. He invested loads in subscriptions of fashion and interior design magazines and filled up the home library with up to date issues. Nena had been sketching clothes since the age of three and had also been sewing clothes by hand, cutting up all of her mother’s fabrics in a bid to create gorgeous clothes..." "...Nena studied footwear design for just one semester at De Montfort University but changed her course because she felt her tutor – Steve was racist and wouldn’t pay her any attention. She later changed to train as a Contour fashion designer in the same university which incorporates (lingerie, corsetry, evening and bridal wear, sportswear, childrens wear, swimwear, club wear etc) between 1996 and 1999. Nena graduated with a second class upper degree, a 2:1 which she obviously was never happy about because she was working hard for a first class degree, but this, she had to accept with time. At University, Nena was an outstanding student. She was highly commended by top people in the industry and received several standing ovations during course presentations especially bridal wear design and bra construction for larger breasted women with smaller backs..."