Eva Sagna

Jurgita Fashion Magazine" says....Originally from Senegal ,Eva was born 24 years ago in Paris .She first started her artistic carreer as a dancer with the troup BALAI NIABA directed by her aunt Adele Badgi with who she represented herself in small theaters such as the DIVAN DU MONDE in Paris .

In 1995 she met Almen Gibirila and began her first catwalks shows.Then she 'll work for famous designers in Haute Couture such as Thierry Mugler,Jean Louis Scherrer,Jean Doucet ...Her talent brought her to London and New York where she worked for top photographers such as Ernest Collins,John Lewis or Alain Snaoui .

Eva is passionate by fashion but also by cinema .In 1999 she started a new carreer of actress thanks to the producer Pascal Lombardo who offered her the first role in a short film :Josphine

She also writes fo the luxury magazine CULT OF CHIC and MOVE ON magazine..."


Photos by Ernest Collins courtesy of Jurgita Fashion Magazine"

Bai Ling

Wendy Ide of The Times Newspaper writes that "...At 13 the actress Bai Ling joined the Chinese People's Liberation Army and spent three years entertaining the troops in Tibet. She was a star in her native China by the end of her teens.She claims that an involvement in the pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989 hastened her move to America by the age of 20..."

"..At 36 she's as well known for trashy celeb-reality shows and gynaecologically short skirts as for her roles in acclaimed art-house pictures..."

Some people think she is as mad as a "Bag of snakes" because of the way she dresses, but even at that she has already appeared in movies like "The Crow","Anna and the King", "Red Corner" and "Star Wars:Episode III. She will soon start the shooting of her current movie "Shanghai baby".



Photo courtesy of Bai Ling fan site

Indira Varma

The LES Magazine says"...Indira has spent the last decade working with directors such as Sam Mendes and Harold Pinter, starring in the BBC/HBO epic "Rome", and appearing in films from her first, erotic outing in "Kama Sutra" to, most recently, playing David Morrissey's wife in Michael Caton-Jones's B12..."

Indira is 32, herself marvellous looking, clearly talented, fresh from pounding the pavements in Los Angeles, and one of a generation of British actresses who are winning important screen work by virture of training, experience and charisma rather than a cunning stylist and ruthless red-carpet commitment.

Born in Bath to a Swiss mother and Indian father - both artists who met while studying at Central Saint Martins - Indira is an only child who 'was bad at maths and put on plays by creating a theatre inside my bunk bed'. When she made a decision to abandon her university plans and apply for RADA, she was greeted by nothing but encouragement from her parents, 'being artistic types themselves'. Her mother, however,was concerned enough about her only child's move to London to organise Indira's lodging at the Quaker International Centre just off Gower Street.' I wasn't paying full price for my lodging so I had to clean the brass, polish the piano and help with the washing up..."

Amanda Ghost

In an article in the Evening Standard, Emine Saner writes that "...The song, You're Beautiful became James Blunts breakthrough hit and has earned Ghost an estimated 2 million and growing..."

Amanda Ghost is one of the hottest song writers of her age today and has already caught the attention of Beyonce Knowles who she is currently writing a song for her.

Raised in Enfield, London and once a student of the London School of Fashion, she formerly worked on the door of a London nightclub.

"....Ghost now 30 has needed strength herself, Her father is Indian(though he came to Britain from Trinidad), her mother is Spanish, and in their daughter; the mix of cultures has produced not only an unusual beauty but, eventually, a strong sense of identity...."

Photo courtesy of Tunepix

Karima Adebibe

This rugged and very sexy lady of Moroccan-Irish parentage has recently been selected for the role as the new Lara Croft in the Tomb Raider video-games series that was previously played by Angelina Jolie.

21 year old Karima from Bethnal Green in London who was up till her appointment a sales assistant for Top Shop also worked as a fashion model. She was born in the UK and spent her early years growing up in her family's ancestral home of Morocco.

Her first role in a major movie was when she played the minor role of a "Sacrificial Maiden" in the movie "Alien Vs Predator".

Photo courtesy of viejomoeb

Mimi Roche

This young American girl from Dallas is becoming more prominent in fashion modeling industry."..For someone with such a sweet Southern voice, Mimi is making quite a noise..". Her major debut show was in New York, where she has walked for Marc by Marc Jacobs and Rude Girl.

Discovered first by Jack Frost who took her first modeling photos, she was introduced to the Kim Dawson Agency.


Some excerpts quoted from Hintmag.
Photos by Marcio Madeira of Style.com

Jeneil Williams

Yard Flex writes that "...SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD Jeneil Williams became Pulse's hottest new modelling sensation when she was named last week as world "Model of the Week" by Models.com, the bible of the international modelling industry.

This exotic teenager was introduced to the international model market in the middle of March, one week before the title was bestowed on her, by Pulse's CEO Kingsley Cooper. She has now given herself and her agency further reason to celebrate by landing and shooting the new Benetton campaign with top photographer David Simms.

Jeneil is following a now established Pulse tradition of its models landing major campaigns or editorials immediately on starting their international careers. Interestingly, the most famous of these, Nadine Willis, is signed to New York models, the same agency that has successfully booked Jeneil for Benetton.

The stunning Jeneil, who sites her flawless skin as her X factor, was discovered in Pulse's Caribbean Model Search 2005 and placed third in the competition. Steven Bermudez who books both Willis and now Williams at New York Models, won out on the now usual bidding war that precedes the international signing of top model talent from Pulse..."



Photo courtesy of Yard Flex

Gucci Westman

In a Time Magazine article, Lisa McLaughlin writes "...Believe it or not, it was a makeunder—not a makeover—that put Gucci Westman on the imagemaking map and got her the lofty position of favorite makeup artist of celebrities like Cameron Diaz and Julianne Moore. As the makeup artist for Being John Malkovich, Westman turned the stunning Diaz into the homely Lotte.

Westman's route to the movie business started in Paris, where she worked as an au pair for the family of a beauty/fashion writer. The boxes of samples sent to the home, she says, "got me involved in playing around with makeup." After attending a makeup school in Paris, she ended up in Los Angeles doing special-effects makeup. Her first big break came when photographer Annie Leibovitz needed bikers covered in mud for a 1996 Vanity Fair cover.

"I did all this research and learned about mud in the Middle East, mud in the South and the different shades," Westman says. One thing led to another, and soon she was doing covers for Harper's Bazaar and Vogue. The 33-year-old achieved another lofty goal when she was appointed artistic director for Lancôme, where she will create new products and palettes. She attributes her success to her ability to make people look as if they authentically belong in a place or situation. A talent that comes in handy, no doubt, when she's touching up Diaz and Moore for the red carpet..."

Photo Courtesy of Vogue.fr

Naomi Campbell

This lady Naomi Campbell, is one of the icons of the catwalk.

Aside from the tantrums she has in her personal life, she seems to have never changed ever since she first appeared in the International limelight 15 years ago. Her appearance in the Madonna's "Sex" book and Michael Jackson’s "Liberian Girl" video reminds us about the controversy surrounding this of lady of Afro-Jamaican and oriental heritage.

She is the last of the original famous super models with included the likes of Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Claudia Schiffer....

Photos by Marcio Madeira, Olivier Claisse and courtesy of Style.com

Deola Sagoe

Deola Sagoe website says "... Deola Sagoe has given African Fashion in the 21st century the most radical expression imaginable from the deeply rooted African fabrics to all perfectly matched accessories. Deola Sagoe, the two-time international award winner of African designs truly celebrates Africa and Nigeria.

Her refreshing exploration of that which is genuinely African, evokes a subtle nostalgia for history by her favoured use of hand woven fabrics, accessories like cowries, crystals, beads and extensive us of gold. She is adjudged as the African fashion designer who is "best placed to interpret our cultural diversity and artistry, our earthiness and mystery, our colors warmth and passion of the African woman in her simplicity and elegance..."


Photo Courtesy of Deola Sagoe

Stoned Cherrie

Cape Town Fashion Week says "...Nkhensani Manganyi Nkosi is one of the new voices of Africa. She has travelled throughout the world as a designer, a television personality and lauded actress in a series of theatre plays including “Sophia town, The Colored Museum and Marabi” receiving critical acclaim from international audiences. She boasts a mantelpiece of awards including the International Crystal Award for Entertainer of the Year 1998. In 2003, she demonstrated personal and professional staying power as second time judge for popular reality television show, Coca-Cola Pop-stars, and as second time winner of the Style Award (Best Designer Category 2003). She currently co-produces and co-hosts, with her husband Zam Nkosi, the SABC 1 talk show Mojo.

While traveling throughout Africa as the host and official spokesperson for M- net’s Face of Africa, 2000, she became more aware of African sophistication in aesthetics and wanted to create a brand that would represent African urban energy. In that same year Stoned Cherrie launched to rave reviews, during South African Fashion Week (SAFW).Stoned Cherrie's fashioned "home grown" identity moves away from stereotypical branding that has plagued South African fashion and for that it has been recognized by the South African fashion industry by being awarded the coveted Catherine/ Fairlady Fashion Award for 2003. This year, 2005, Stoned Cherrie was the recipient of a Catherine/Fairlady Lifetime Achievement Award.

Says Nkhensani of the Stoned Cherrie philosophy:

“I like the idea of boldly moving forward and daring to be different and daring to be proud to be African. There is a wealth of talent in this country and I am proud to host some of the finest young designers in the land. I am proud that we are able to translate what are old ideas into something new and provide the nostalgia that is part of our celebration. I am proud that we have been recognized by the industry as being at the forefront of redefining African street couture in a way that is exciting and revolutionary..."

Photos courtesy of Rage and Cape Town Fashion Week

Davina Mulimbi

Hintmag says "...Of African heritage, Belgian-born Davina Mulimbi is the belle of the Parisian runway. The Statuesque Scorpio has walked for John Galliano and Dior, and has appeared in American Elle, French Glamour, French Elle and French magazine..."

This model is just 21 years and is of Congolese and Belgian parentage and has a huge career ahead of her especially as the fashion modeling industry is looking for younger replacements for Naomi Campbell, Alek Wek etc.

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

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