Nayo

Some say she is the "New Sade" but we think she is one of the new gem's in the Nigerian music industry. One of her singles "African Girl" is one of the best R&B singles we have heard recently.

Her Myspace bio says "..NAYO (N-áá-y-Ò) jumps out from within the Yoruba name of Temitope Odunayo Abidoye, born in Lagos, Nigeria and singing from day one. Her Nigerian culture traveled with her around the world as a girl, while she incorporated its rhythms into the new beats and sounds she found in England, the United States, and the rest of West Africa. At that young age of 10, Nayo began writing songs and found her influences in artists such as Madonna, Seal, Annie Lennox and Carole King..."


"...Nayo returned to Los Angeles with renewed purpose and independently released a limited single 'Party Fever' which found its way on the Billboard Club Play charts and various charts in Europe by late 2005. Then she began collaborating with producers and songwriters from New York, Los Angeles and the UK, where her true love for music first began. With her debut album to be released next year 2007, Nayo is her name and her voice speaks for generations of people and millions whose voices have not been heard for years..."

This is Nayo's alternative music website.

Photo courtesy of Nayo's Myspace page

Kati Torda Dagadu

Kati Torda Dagadu website says "...she is a Hungarian-born artist who has lived more than half her life in Ghana. There she touched upon a fading bead culture and successfully initiated a new consciousness of it. She has combined the cultural heritage of her two homes to create internationally celebrated bead work that reflects her considerable knowledge of Ghanaian and other West African bead traditions.."


Her beautiful handcrafted glass bead work designs are a combination of her artistic talent and ideas she has borrowed from traditional West African bead making techniques, which I think started in the ancient empires of Ashanti, Songhai,Benin and Mali.

Photos Courtesy of Beads.com.gh

Burka meets Haute Coutre

Beautiful Burka (Burqa) inspired fashion by Fashion East designer Louise Golden where shown at the catwalk of the London Fashion Week 2007.

Other designers like Lela Ahmadzai "Burka meets Haute Couture" have shown that the Afghan Burka could me remodeled to look interesting and trendy.




Photos courtesy of Burka meets Haute Couture and Yahoo images.

Noella Coursaris

Noella is a trailblazer in the world of fashion modeling, this lady of Congolese and Cypriot parentage has achieved a lot as a black model in today's international modeling market. MIMI magazine says "..Coursaris accomplishment's are no small feat considering that in the fickle world of fashion, it takes more than just beauty to succeed-especially for African
models..."

In her brilliant interview with Africaincorp blog, she talks about a lot of issues ranging from what inspired her into fashion modeling, what she thinks would create a successful fashion and modeling in Africa and finally the expectations of the fashion modeling world.

She also has a outstanding interview with Kaysha filmed in New York shown below.


Photo courtesy of Jambomagazine.

Honorine Uwera

This model originally from Rwanda moved to Canada in 1998 were she was found by the IMG modeling agency. She is presently one of the hottest black models on the Catwalks of Milan, New York, Paris and London. She has an interesting weblog at Myspace.com

Photo courtesy of fmd1.com

African Waistcoat Company

Started by Calum Robertson in 2003 at Candem, London the African Waistcoat Company combines the finesse of Savile Row's craftsmanship and exotic Nigerian Aso Oke fabrics, to make fantastic waistcoats. Aso Oke Fabric is a hand loomed fabric worn by both women and men of the Yoruba people of south-western Nigeria.

The African Waistcoat Company website also features an article written by William Georgiades of the New York Sun ".... Located in a passageway off a narrow road, The African Waistcoat Company headquarters sits between antique shops and stalls in a former cobbler’s shop. Inside the space is both tight and expansive — there’s little room to move but the colors on display vibrate.

The process of having a waistcoat made begins with a measuring followed by some rather serious decision-making, as dozens of patterns and swatches, of increasing vibrancy are brought out. For now all waistcoats are custom made, though in the future there are plans for off-the rack items. African beads and cufflinks which recall Ghanaian Adinkra designs are also available, along with textiles.

Once the decision has been made, the materials and measurements are constructed within two to three weeks for an average price of about $300.

What makes these waistcoats particularly interesting is the quality of the materials and their construction. All of the items are made from Nigerian handwoven aso oke cloth. Aso oke connotes high status among the Yoruba peoples of southwestern Nigeria, a part of the world Mr. Robertson has come to love since his first visit there in 1974. After his first visit, Mr. Robertson returned every year for five years to visit friends and returned in 1999 and again last September when the idea came to him to open a shop. He looks forward to returning once a year to keep his stock updated..."

Photos courtesy of African Waistcoat Company website.

Kosibah Creations

Kosibah Creations was founded by Yemi Osunkoya a graduate of Fine Art with a major in Textiles Design from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Nigeria.

Established since 1991 Koshibah Creations says it "...Specialises in elegant, figure-enhancing, contemporary gowns that blur the lines between bridal and evening wear. His use of corsetry, draping and meticulous attention to detail produce gowns that enhance every figure..."

Koshibah Creations has also won many international awards and showcased in a lot of international events like Encore Bridal Show, The National Wedding Show. It also won the Designer of the Year 2002 Award given by Mahogany Events.

Photo and some excerpts for this article are courtesy of Koshibah Creations.

HauTe

Their website says HauTe, "...is a 100+ pages fashion magazine. It features works of Nigerian designers all around the world. Exhibiting a taste for the cultural tempered with an appreciation of the varied degress of influence by the West in today's fashion. "Haute" Magazine has a commitment to e platform profile for Nigerian designers as an exposure in the fashion world. Started by a group of talented people namely Dammie Amolegbe (Editor in Chief), Uche Eze (Deputy Editor), Osione Itegboe (Art Director),Osifo Akhuemonkhan (Consulting Editor), Bolaji Kekere - Ekun (Editor - at - large).

Photo courtesy of HauTe,

Clam Magazine

Their website says "....CLAM is a unisex magazine whose goal is to promote creativity, concepts and ideas in fashion, architecture, music, design, the arts, free-time, travels and African design.... these different themes are approached in two main areas..."

"...Each subject is part of an original and conceptual artistic direction. The concepts are presented through the expression of the artists and creators coming from very different horizons..."

"...The place accorded to the image is central: she wants to be unusual, so as to create constant surprise for the viewer.Experimentation is one of the characteristics of CLAM which explains its layout: always changing, never fixed. Clam wants to encourage creative reflexion.The presentation is based on ideas and not the seasons.This concept confers to the magazine a collector's status..."

The Editor in Chief of Clam magazine is Amadi Okorafor who we previously blogged about his contribution to the African movie industry.


Photo courtesy of CLAM Magazine.

Gozi

Ping Mag of Japan writes about Nigerian fashion designer Gozi Ochongor who graduated as software engineer only to become a successful fashion designer.. I think her fashion rocks and its very trendy.

Ping Mag writes "...I sold at Portobello Market and Spitalfields Market in London for quite some time. People thought my stuff was really cheap and bought it like crazy! So every day, I went up a little higher with the price and they were still buying (laughs). People came up to me and wanted to borrow my clothes for shootings all the time and although I went through this unorthodox way, I slowly gained some confidence..."



Her Bio on the HBS Africa Conference website says "...Gozi Ochongor is the Creative Director of her eponymous fashion label, Gozi. Gozi graduated from Imperial College London in 1998, where she studied Software Engineering. Finally able to pursue her passion, she enrolled at Central School of Fashion, where she studied Ladieswear Fashion Design. A year later, she established her label at the Portobello Market and soon acquired a solid client base. After graduation, Gozi established her company Gozi Ltd in July 2003.

Gozi draws influences from a myriad of sources: from science, art and dance, to a love for travelling and learning about new cultures. She has visited over 15 countries worldwide and incorporates her souvenirs in her collections. Thus interwoven into each garment is the fusion of the contemporary art and culture of the West with the color and sensuality of Africa and the spirit of Asia.

Gozi currently serves on the board of the Fashion Business Club in London that provides a forum which fashion entrepreneurs engage with, inspire and support one another..."

Movie and photos of Gozi's Collection courtesy of Ping Mag

Sika

Ethnicinfluence writes about Sika which was named as one of the top five London labels in 2006 according to Draper's Women wear.

"..."Sika", the word for money in Ghana's Twi language, was the obvious choice when it came to a name for the label - it was initially Phyllis mother's nickname since she was the first in the family to arrive in the U.K..."

"... Sika is also easy to pronounce, sticks in the mind and is a little bit quirky. and of course, as the designer says, " the clothes are priceless!" The cowrie shell, a form of currency for centuries in West Africa, is a main feature of the Skia Logo..."

Zeba Mgazine.... also has has an an article Introducing SIKA as one of London's hottest new fashion designers.

Designer Phyllis Taylor is behind the contemporary women's clothing label SIKA. SIKA's current collection is called "Goldcoast" and consists of baby doll dresses, tops, wrap dresses, cropped trousers and capes in unique and quirky prints.

In February, SIKA was named one of the top five London labels to look out for in 2006 by Draper's Women's Wear.

Photo courtesy of Ethnicinfluence

Kunle Afolayan

TheNews writes about Kunle Afolayan "...son of deceased actor, the late Ade Afolayan, a.k.a. Ade Love, resigned his appointment at City Express Bank sometime ago to veer into full time acting, after taking part in a number of home flicks.

Kunle's website says "...Kunle Afolayan is a guy one reckons with in the entertainment industry. Over the years, he has not only proved to be a very good actor and filmmaker but has continue to live the legecy his late father Adeyem i Afolayan(aka Ade-love) left behnd! Saying he is the chip of the old block is definitely very true because he has acting and flmmaking running through his vein..."

"...He was born 30 of September in the mid 70' to the Late Adeyemi Afolayan(aka Ade-love). He attended Afican salem primary school ebute meta, did his secondary education in Denton grammar school and Government secondary school Agbamu Kwara state, he then proceded to Lagos state polytechnic.Kunle worked in the bank for couple of years,he resigned his appointment 2005 after which he went to NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY in london to study DigitalFilmmaking..."

Photo courtesy of Kunle Afolayan website.

Emmy Collins

Emmy Collins website describes him as "....a menswear designer who is rapidly gaining a reputation for making garments that cut a real dash in a jaded fashion industry..."

"...With clothes characterized by sharp, funky tailoring and a fresh, startling approach to colour, Emmy is beginning to establish himself as one of London’s most flamboyant designers of men’s clothes. It has to be said – his signature pieces are not for the faint hearted. Think of the badass flair and original style of seminal artists – Jimmy Hendrix, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Fela Kuti and more recently, Lenny Kravitz – and then you will begin to get the picture..."

"...Emmy has been described in the media as a natural and he describes his own work as never being in vogue therefore can never be out of vogue and he has designed clothes for singers, musicians and lately, members of Chelsea Football Club particularly defender William Gallas..."

Photo courtesy of Emmy Collins.com

Trendy Africa

Trendy Africa is a website whose aim is to present "...captivating images, deliver mind boggling literature and ensure constructive interactive links as a basis for harnessing the worlds culture through the eyes of Africa...".

Their website aims to present to the world the beauty of African Culture, entertaiment, music, literature, style and fashion as it has never being presented before.

Picture courtesy of Trendy Africa

Uzuri Magazine

Uzuri Magazine according to their website "...is a premier high quality quarterly African inspired, high fashion, international magazine determined in becoming the leading beauty, fashion and entertainment publication in the emerging African global market..."

"...Our goal is to support and promote African inspired fashion designers and artists by raising their profile, acknowledging their contributions and helping them achieve rank on the mainstream global ‘fashion-stage’. is justly dedicated in increasing awareness of the culture, beauty and fashions inspired by Africa. It celebrates the emerging trends of fashion from mainland Africa and the Caribbean to the runways of Paris, Nairobi, Tokyo, London and New York – to name a few..."

Uzuri was founded in 2005 and it is very interesting to see the emergence of a lot of glossy print media publications that cover the areas of African fashion, style, and entertainment.

Photo courtesy of Uzuri Magazine

Adenike Ogunlesi

Adenike Ogunlesi is the founder and chief executive of Ruff 'N' Tumble an indigenous clothing company in Nigeria that specialises in children's clothing. She took the passion she had for tailoring and fashion design to a sophisticated level of developing her own fashion label and hopes one day to have her company listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Photo courtesy of Bella Naija Blog

Sonia Rolland

Sonia Rolland's childhood stories are touching indeed according to her website which talks about all her achivements to date and her childhood in Rwanda in the 1980's.

This stunning model of Rwandan and French parentage, who also won miss France 2000 spends a lot of her time working with charities that deal with orphaned Rwandan children.

Photo courtesy of Sonia Rolland

Adia Coulibaly

Yahoo Model of the Month writes about Adia Coulibaly has a look you won’t soon forget. Appearing in GUESS’ memorable Spring ’98 ad campaign shot by Dah Len in sunny Florida, Adia is getting noticed. She is seen in these colorful ads along side of a group of other young models, including Laetitia Casta.

Not only was Adia chosen by Iman as one of the beauties to represent her line of cosmetics, but she has graced the pages of American Vogue, The Face and Allure Magazines. At just 19 years old, Adia seems to have it all: a gorgeous face, a great attitude, a loving family and a driving ambition.

Adia was born and raised in Paris and still lives with her parents in the northern suburbs of Paris. She attended the Jean-Jaures School and admits she likes living there amid its colorful boutiques and many cafes and restaurants. With strong Muslim family values, she doesn’t give in to the peer pressure to drink or smoke. With her parent’s support and guidance, she always thought that she would one day become a lawyer, an accountant or even a doctor.


Adia’s career in modeling began purely by chance. While still attending school, she was discovered while working part-time at a McDonald’s in Paris when a photographer spotted her. He did some test shoots with her without saying a word to her family. Her father got suspicious when her school contacted him because Adia was missing so many classes. Reluctantly, her parents gave in and let her pursue modeling.

She soon moved to New York and that’s when she began her journey to model-stardom. Adia remains grounded to her roots by going on family vacations with her parents, two sisters and one brother to Africa.

Photo courtesy of Yahoo Model of the Month

Catherine Hemans Yankey

The faceforafrica website writes about Ghana’s Catherine Hemans Yankey was born in Monrovia on January 8, 1988. Now 18, Catherine reveals an ambition to be a fashion designer if her career on the ramp is not successful.

She speaks English, Twi and Nzema and says that she enjoys watching movies and reading about successful people in magazines. She admires Liberia’s current president.

Born in Monrovia, Liberia aspiring Ghanaian model Catherine reveals an ambition to be a fashion designer if her career on the ramp is not successful.

She speaks English, Twi and Nzema and says that she enjoys watching movies and reading about successful people in magazines. She admires Liberia’s current president.


Photo courtesy of tvsa

Assitan

Assitan is refered to in some circles as a beautiful uncut African diamond that is yet to achieve her full potential. Her major first role in a western movie was in Ocean's Eleven 2. Born 20 years ago in Nancy, France this model that is 1.8m tall and 58kg has a lot of talent in artisitic creativity.