CIAAFRIQUE ™ | AFRICAN FASHION-BEAUTY-STYLE

ANAIS MALI, JASMINE TOOKES,JOURDAN DUNN FOR W MAGAZINE MARCH 2012

2012-02-13T23:50:00.000-05:00

Anais Mali, Jasmine Tookes, and Jourdan Dunn for W Magazine March 2012 So what do you think of ? Is it one of your favorite African fashion houses? designers? would you like to see more from them . Always let me know if there are any other African designers you’d like to see spotlighted on Ciaafrique in the future .

ANGELA SIMMONS LOVES HER SOME JEWEL BY LISA

2012-02-13T11:00:00.001-05:00

This fashion week and awards season I have my eyes open to bring you all the celebs rocking our fave designers. I feel like I only been posting about Jewel by lisa in the past 2 weeks. From lala's cute skirt to June Ambrose lovely jacket and now Angela Simmons beautiful Jbl Clutches. Yep Angela Simmons owns not one but two Jewel by lisa's clutches. I love Angela because she loves wearing pieces from African designers. She previously carried a clutch from Urbanknit and wore Virgos lounge several times.

What do you guys think?

AND THE WINNER IS .............................................

2012-02-13T10:33:00.001-05:00

Thank you for all the entries. As much as I want to give all of you a dress we can only have winner. So the winner is

MOUSSOU B

Please send in your address and size to ciaa(at)ciaafrique.com to get your dress.
Thank you to the Ladyee Boutique for sponsoring this giveaway

JUST IN: THE VALENTINE COLLECTION " IGINITO" BY DIVALUKKY

2012-02-13T01:00:00.000-05:00

I received this collection last week from Nigerian fashion stylist Ifeoma Odogwu. This is a great way to start this week since we will be celebrating Valentine day tomorrow Divalukky Clothing Line is a young and fast-growing fashion line blending a contemporary mix of very stylish yet affordable dresses, skirts, trousers, amongst other forms of female clothing as well as various accessories.The line which was started in 2011 by designer Anita Chialuka Onyechi has already been showcased in my fashion shows in Nigeria. Divalukky is located in Nigeria so I am not sure if they are available in North America yet or what are their price range but the line look very promising. My favorite looks are the 2nd and 8th picture below. Check out the entire collection below and me know what you think.

So what do you think of Divalukky's collection ? Is it one of your favorite African fashion houses? designers?

Happy Valentine's day

SPOTTED: ACTRESS TIKA SUMPTER IN A MUD CLOTH INSPIRED DRESS

2012-02-12T17:43:00.000-05:00

Tika Sumpter was spotted wearing this cute mud cloth inspired dress at the the W Hotel in L.A.with celeb friend Estelle. I can't see the back of the dress but I which the dress was just a little longer maybe or shorter. Nonetheless love it when when i see anything african inspired in Hollywood. I will find try to find the name of the designer.

2012 MERCEDES BENZ FASHION WEEK: WILLIAM OKPO AUTUMN/WINTER 2012 COLLECTION

2012-02-12T16:00:00.001-05:00

The Mercedes fashion week fall 2012 is in full swing. Darlene and Lizzy Okpo unveiled their new collection full of bright colors, and color block a couple of days ago.The line was only started a 2 years ago and its already making waves in the fashion world. Check out the collection and tell me what you think.

PS: Darlene and Lizzy Okpo are Nigerian.

View the full collection on Ciaafrique's facebook page.

WHITNEY HOUSTON DEAD AT 48

2012-02-11T20:18:00.004-05:00

I don't know what to say or what to write at this time. We will miss you Whitney Houston. May your soul rest in peace Mama .

JUNE AMBROSE IN JEWEL BY LISA

2012-02-10T17:56:00.000-05:00

Spotted Stylist to the stars June Ambrose in this cute top from Ciaafrique's fave Jewel by Lisa's "vintage love" collection. What do you think ? Did she rock it ?

Photos: June Ambrose

NEW DESIGNER ALERT : SHEKUDO

2012-02-08T23:36:00.002-05:00

BLACK STANDARD NEW LOOKBOOK

2012-02-08T17:18:00.000-05:00

CJAJ09 SPRING 2012 LOOKBOOK

2012-02-08T10:25:00.000-05:00

CJAJO9 is an online clothing store specializing in bringing you beautiful clothing made out of the best African print fabric at prices you wouldn't believe. Visit their website, www.cjaj09.com to find out more.

Pieces will be available online for purchase from the 13th of February

You can check out more photos from the collection on Ciaafrique's facebook page .

BEAUTY: ROCK THE COLOR BLOCK MAKEUP EDITION

2012-02-07T17:29:00.000-05:00

Image Via madisonplus.com

Last year the color blocking trend took over the world of fashion and beauty,. It made my life so much easier pairing 2 colors that usually don't go together and get away with it because of the trend. Have you ever thought about Blocking your makeup?Uhmmmm that's a big risk to take but I think its worth trying. Here are a few pictures that you may or may not like

Eyes

I'm not felling the eyes blocking much but I've seen some girls doing this and it worked well for them.

Lips


Source

I really want to try this one especially the first picture. Once I try I will post some pictureS.

Full Face

The full face is not bad as long as you do it in moderation. These are editorial photos so everything works.

So what do you think of color blocking Make-up edition? Have you tried any of these before ? Or maybe want to try ? any favorite?

CIAAFRIQUE VALENTINE GIVEAWAY SPONSORED BY LADYEE BOUTIQUE

2012-02-06T01:07:00.000-05:00

Hello dolls,
As promised yesterday on twitter here is the little surprise I was planning for all you lovely dolls supporting Ciaafrique.com day in and out. After all Valentine day is coming up so there is nothing better than to cheer you up with a little giveaway.This Giveaway is sponsored by Ladyeeboutique.com. Ladyee Boutique is a US based contemporary online and mobile boutique run by Nigerian entrepreneur Wande.Their clothes are ultra feminine, contemporary with a vintage edge. The site stocks some amazing lines at great prices. Here are a few of my favorite item:

Cowl back maxi dress $130

Ankara and Batik tent dress $68.60

Sheila Prim Ensemble- Top and Pencil Skirt $128

Ankara Jumpsuit $68.60

To start off your week Ladyee Boutique is giving away the below dress to one of my lucky readers. All you have to do is to leave a comment below and follow the instructions.

a Rafflecopter giveaway To make sure you get a chance to win other amazing giveaways from Ciaafrique make sure you add us via google friend connect or Subscribe.

JANUARY INSTAGRAM UPDATE !

2012-02-05T01:08:00.000-05:00

For those of you who don't know yes I do have an instagram but I set my profile to private because I do have some intimate pictures in there ( no not naked pictures , I don't do that ). I have pics of my hubby and my sons .So I thought I'd keep you up to date with some stuff happening in my life right now. Below are the stories behind each photo

Yep I am in love with my Leopard shoes. I bought them a couple of weeks ago and I can't wait to wear them . I was thinking maybe on valentine's day. I am planning on wearing it with a red dress or maybe blazer.
Snap this pic while talking to my mama via skype. She is always happy to see me with a little head scarf on my head. She is so old school and still think I am a little baby.
I spend almost all my free time now watching this youtube show called The Scorpion Show with Kevin & Makeal. These guys are so funny . They talk about everything from celebrities, to real life and everything in between. I actually called their live show yesterday just to tell them how much I love them. So you guys better check them out ,they will make your day a little brighter.
I received my box of wigs and weaves. I don't like to go to the beauty supply store much to buy my hair therefore I buy about 15 packs together online to last me for a few months. Beside the store owner of my local beauty store spend their time checking you out like you about to steal something. I am not having that . If you look in my closet you will swear that I sell hair lol .

No much to say about the first image because I posted about that a few days ago and you can read it here
Picture 2&3 were taken at Yorkdale Mall which is one of the biggest if not the biggest in Toronto. Top Shop opened here in Canada only last year I think around October 2011. I did not bother to go to the opening because I knew that it will be full of people anyways. I finally went there to see what the buzz was all about. I could not find anything, and I asked a girl what was the biggest size in the store and she advised me that it was UK 8 I knew right there and then that I might never go back there again unless I lose a few pounds. (lol). The shoes were just ok nothing fancy. To be honest I will pick Zara or H&M over Topshop. I also had to snap that big poster of Nyasha Matonhodze who took the modeling world by storm at only age 16. So proud of her.
Last but not least get use to seeing my little coffee here. Yes, I am a Starbucks junkii. For the last 3 years I have drank Starbucks every single day. I only order one thing and that is the white mocha Frappuccino with extra Ice. It does not matter if there is a storm outside I will still get out and get my coffee. Everyone knows me at my local starbucks for that reason my coffee gets made before I even order it . I guess the reason I kept going was because of their amazing customer service. Any who the money I've spent there so far could have bought me a lot of clothes , but me like it !!!!
I will share more photos with you on the FEB instagram update.

Stay Fab !!!

LOOKBOOK : "FEARLESS EVOLUTION" BY AJEPOMAA GALLERY

2012-02-03T20:41:00.001-05:00

INTRODUCING FEARLESS EVOLUTION

Salut dolls,
Its the end of the week and I am always excited for the weekend. I would like to thank the dolls over at Shadders for keeping me on loop about this fab Ghanaian fashion house AjePomaa Design Although I had never heard of AjePomaa before this is their sixth collection.

INSPIRATION
The inspiration for this collection was taken from the silhouette of the Great Gatsby from the period of the1920s. Silhouettes then, represented a lighter and free spirited time. This new collection modernizes the fashion of the roaring twenties by adding a burst of color using color blocking and intense vibrant prints.Fearless Evolution represents the ajePomaa Gallery woman as bold and reborn, having evolved from her past self. The use of chiffon fabric represents a light and unrestraint feel, combined with bold complex wax prints, to show an explosion of vibrant colors such as canary yellow, heather grey, apple green, bright blue and burnt orange. This represents an intense evolution.
Adding soft detailing such as neck ties, knife pleats, and flowing silhouettes gave a bit of feminine
panache to the collection; a contrast to the androgynous style of the Twenties era.

AjePomaa Gallery's "FEARLESS EVOLUTION"collection is very affordable and most of the designs come in different sizes ranging from a UK size- 6-20, to a US size- 2-16 .

So what do you think of AjePomaa ? Is it one of your favorite African fashion houses? designers? would you like to see more from them ? Please comment , Subscribe, and like ciaafrique's facebook page.

SPOTTED: LALA VASQUEZ ANTHONY IN JEWEL BY LISA SKIRT

2012-02-03T11:35:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Kim K tweeted a pic of her and the lovely entrepreneur Lala Vasquez Anthony at Market America World Conference at the American Airlines Arena in Miami which I posted on ciaafrique's page yesterday.She sported this cute ankara skirt by Ciaafrique's fave Nigerian fashion house Jewel by lisa. The skirt is very similar to the one Catt Sadler wore a few months back. I think she really rocked it but I would have loved it better without the blazer. What do you think ?

You can check out other celebrities rocking african designers or African prints here

HOW TO SHOW YOUR COLLECTION DURING A MAJOR FASHION WEEK

2012-02-02T00:47:00.000-05:00

If you are reading this post chances are you a reader of this blog or an upcoming designer trying to find ways to show his or her collection during some of the most reputable fashion weeks in the world: New York, Paris,Milan,London etc... Let's be real there is no magic tricks to show your collection but this post can help you think about ways to get there. These questions crossed my mind a few times before and I also always wondered how do designers make the list for New york fashion week for example. Before thinking of showing your collection at any reputable fashion week I would suggest you establish yourself locally first, work on your skills and work your way from there. I went on the net to find out some info about this question and stumble upon this blog called Search for Style . The blogger of this site Alexandra writes about different ways you can show your collection and also warns the designers about how expensive it is to put fashion show together. Here is a snippet of her post.

"First of all, anyone can show during fashion week, because there is an official schedule, and what we call “off-schedule” shows. Off-schedule just means you put on a show during fashion week, without being on the “official” list. If you are off-schedule, you will not get the major editors to attend (they are at the on-schedule shows), but most respectable publications and some good stores send people to check out the off-schedule shows because they are always on the look out for the next best thing. Some fashion weeks, like London, even have an official off-schedule." read full article here

Mimi Plange S/S 2012 Collection: "A Flower in the Desert Presentation"

The key here is research research research. Whether its NYC fashion week or any other major fashion weeks find the fashion week you think might help your brand and then check out their website to see the requirements.When I checked out the Mercedes Fashion week in NYC I could find everything but how to show your collection. It got me thinking that only the big names are allowed in . Another way to show your collection during NYC fashion will be to do a presentation. We've seen Ciaafrique's fave Maatano and Mimi Plange do this last year. This is good in the a sense that a lot more people can access your work. I guess the second question becomes will these show help me make sales ? I am going to cover that question on an upcoming post. Ciaafrique learned from a few fashion insiders that many African fashion weeks are just for the name . Collections are presented but it ends there.

So what have we learned from this post? We've learned different ways you can show your collection during a respectable fashion week. We've also learned that fashion weeks might not be the way you want to take because of the cost. Alexandra's article is definitely a good starting point for you in case you are looking into showing during a major fashion week. I want to hear from you fashion insiders out there . Do you know any other ways for an upcoming designer to show during major fashion weeks ? Share your tips with us .

Photo/ Zimbio

OUTFIT POST: HOW I WEAR MY NEON SHIRT

2012-02-01T20:07:00.001-05:00

Salut dolls,
I hope you guys are having a great week. I just want to say thank you so much to all of you guys for the support you've all shown my blog all these years. For the last 3 years I have been behind this blog and you rarely saw my face. Since the new year started I decided to show you more of my personal style. For those who are wondering " no I don't wear African print day and night" I am still getting used to snapping the pics so bare with me . I have been seeing a lot of neon on the runways and even in stores but I was not sure how it was going to look on me so I took a chance and I think it worked out ok. I went shopping today and this is what I wore:

Shirt/top: Old navy

Blazer: H&M

Necklace: Forever 21

Jeans: Forever 21

Shoes: Aldo

VLISCO LAUNCHES " SILENT EMPIRE"

2012-02-01T10:20:00.002-05:00

Behold the hidden secrets of the new Vlisco fabric collection named Silent Empire. The drama of a frozen opera with a touch of blossoming wit reveals spiritual ambiguity. A restrained yet ceremonious composition of graphic shapes further emphasises a sense of a serene stratification. The layering of details in patterns creates a cultured perception of the designs. The boldness of the designs is tempered by a colour palette dominated by muted earthy tones and alternating with intense shades of blue and lime to create an eye-catching twist.

Do we love it ?

BEAUTY: EYES || LIPS|| FACE||

2012-01-31T01:05:00.000-05:00

My sister wanted to play make up artist for a night so I lend her my face to me make me pretty.

Some of the products she used can be bought at eyeslipsface.com

$12

$15

REAL LIFE: "AFRICANS ARE LAZY" IF YOU ARE OUTRAGED THEN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT

2012-01-27T15:58:00.000-05:00

Image for illustration only.

What you are about to read might offend you or make you get up and do something with your life and help others in your country achieve their goals. Yes, today we are just going to cut the crap with all the racism excuses and take what this man said and work hard. I lot of the comments made by this white man really hits home.Trust me this is worth every minutes. So I am going to let you read and I will make a separate post for my response.

They call the Third World the lazy man’s purview; the sluggishly slothful and languorous prefecture. In this realm people are sleepy, dreamy, torpid, lethargic, and therefore indigent—totally penniless, needy, destitute, poverty-stricken, disfavored, and impoverished. In this demesne, as they call it, there are hardly any discoveries, inventions, and innovations. Africa is the trailblazer. Some still call it “the dark continent” for the light that flickers under the tunnel is not that of hope, but an approaching train. And because countless keep waiting in the way of the train, millions die and many more remain decapitated by the day.

“It’s amazing how you all sit there and watch yourselves die,” the man next to me said. “Get up and do something about it.”

Brawny, fully bald-headed, with intense, steely eyes, he was as cold as they come. When I first discovered I was going to spend my New Year’s Eve next to him on a non-stop JetBlue flight from Los Angeles to Boston I was angst-ridden. I associate marble-shaven Caucasians with iconoclastic skin-heads, most of who are racist.

“My name is Walter,” he extended his hand as soon as I settled in my seat.

I told him mine with a precautious smile.

“Where are you from?” he asked.

“Zambia.”

“Zambia!” he exclaimed, “Kaunda’s country.”

“Yes,” I said, “Now Sata’s.”

“But of course,” he responded. “You just elected King Cobra as your president.”

My face lit up at the mention of Sata’s moniker. Walter smiled, and in those cold eyes I saw an amenable fellow, one of those American highbrows who shuttle between Africa and the U.S.

“I spent three years in Zambia in the 1980s,” he continued. “I wined and dined with Luke Mwananshiku, Willa Mungomba, Dr. Siteke Mwale, and many other highly intelligent Zambians.” He lowered his voice. “I was part of the IMF group that came to rip you guys off.” He smirked. “Your government put me in a million dollar mansion overlooking a shanty called Kalingalinga. From my patio I saw it all—the rich and the poor, the ailing, the dead, and the healthy.”

“Are you still with the IMF?” I asked.

“I have since moved to yet another group with similar intentions. In the next few months my colleagues and I will be in Lusaka to hypnotize the cobra. I work for the broker that has acquired a chunk of your debt. Your government owes not the World Bank, but us millions of dollars. We’ll be in Lusaka to offer your president a couple of millions and fly back with a check twenty times greater.”

“No, you won’t,” I said. “King Cobra is incorruptible. He is …”

He was laughing. “Says who? Give me an African president, just one, who has not fallen for the carrot and stick.”

Quett Masire’s name popped up.

“Oh, him, well, we never got to him because he turned down the IMF and the World Bank. It was perhaps the smartest thing for him to do.”

At midnight we were airborne. The captain wished us a happy 2012 and urged us to watch the fireworks across Los Angeles.

“Isn’t that beautiful,” Walter said looking down.

From my middle seat, I took a glance and nodded admirably.

“That’s white man’s country,” he said. “We came here on Mayflower and turned Indian land into a paradise and now the most powerful nation on earth. We discovered the bulb, and built this aircraft to fly us to pleasure resorts like Lake Zambia.”

I grinned. “There is no Lake Zambia.”

He curled his lips into a smug smile. “That’s what we call your country. You guys are as stagnant as the water in the lake. We come in with our large boats and fish your minerals and your wildlife and leave morsels—crumbs. That’s your staple food, crumbs. That corn-meal you eat, that’s crumbs, the small Tilapia fish you call Kapenta is crumbs. We the Bwanas (whites) take the cat fish. I am the Bwana and you are the Muntu. I get what I want and you get what you deserve, crumbs. That’s what lazy people get—Zambians, Africans, the entire Third World.”

The smile vanished from my face.

“I see you are getting pissed off,” Walter said and lowered his voice. “You are thinking this Bwana is a racist. That’s how most Zambians respond when I tell them the truth. They go ballistic. Okay. Let’s for a moment put our skin pigmentations, this black and white crap, aside. Tell me, my friend, what is the difference between you and me?”

“There’s no difference.”

“Absolutely none,” he exclaimed. “Scientists in the Human Genome Project have proved that. It took them thirteen years to determine the complete sequence of the three billion DNA subunits. After they

were all done it was clear that 99.9% nucleotide bases were exactly the same in you and me. We are the same people. All white, Asian, Latino, and black people on this aircraft are the same.”

I gladly nodded.

“And yet I feel superior,” he smiled fatalistically. “Every white person on this plane feels superior to a black person. The white guy who picks up garbage, the homeless white trash on drugs, feels superior to you no matter his status or education. I can pick up a nincompoop from the New York streets, clean him up, and take him to Lusaka and you all be crowding around him chanting muzungu, muzungu and yet he’s a riffraff. Tell me why my angry friend.”

For a moment I was wordless.

“Please don’t blame it on slavery like the African Americans do, or colonialism, or some psychological impact or some kind of stigmatization. And don’t give me the brainwash poppycock. Give me a better answer.”

I was thinking.

He continued. “Excuse what I am about to say. Please do not take offense.”

I felt a slap of blood rush to my head and prepared for the worst.

“You my friend flying with me and all your kind are lazy,” he said. “When you rest your head on the pillow you don’t dream big. You and other so-called African intellectuals are damn lazy, each one of you. It is you, and not those poor starving people, who is the reason Africa is in such a deplorable state.”

“That’s not a nice thing to say,” I protested.

He was implacable. “Oh yes it is and I will say it again, you are lazy. Poor and uneducated Africans are the most hardworking people on earth. I saw them in the Lusaka markets and on the street selling merchandise. I saw them in villages toiling away. I saw women on Kafue Road crushing stones for sell and I wept. I said to myself where are the Zambian intellectuals? Are the Zambian engineers so imperceptive they cannot invent a simple stone crusher, or a simple water filter to purify well water for those poor villagers? Are you telling me that after thirty-seven years of independence your university school of engineering has not produced a scientist or an engineer who can make simple small machines for mass use? What is the school there for?”

I held my breath.

“Do you know where I found your intellectuals? They were in bars quaffing. They were at the Lusaka Golf Club, Lusaka Central Club, Lusaka Playhouse, and Lusaka Flying Club. I saw with my own eyes a bunch of alcoholic graduates. Zambian intellectuals work from eight to five and spend the evening drinking. We don’t. We reserve the evening for brainstorming.”

He looked me in the eye.

“And you flying to Boston and all of you Zambians in the Diaspora are just as lazy and apathetic to your country. You don’t care about your country and yet your very own parents, brothers and sisters are in Mtendere, Chawama, and in villages, all of them living in squalor. Many have died or are dying of neglect by you. They are dying of AIDS because you cannot come up with your own cure. You are here calling yourselves graduates, researchers and scientists and are fast at articulating your credentials once asked—oh, I have a PhD in this and that—PhD my foot!”

I was deflated.

“Wake up you all!” he exclaimed, attracting the attention of nearby passengers. “You should be busy lifting ideas, formulae, recipes, and diagrams from American manufacturing factories and sending them to your own factories. All those research findings and dissertation papers you compile should be your country’s treasure. Why do you think the Asians are a force to reckon with? They stole our ideas and turned them into their own. Look at Japan, China, India, just look at them.”

He paused. “The Bwana has spoken,” he said and grinned. “As long as you are dependent on my plane, I shall feel superior and you my friend shall remain inferior, how about that? The Chinese, Japanese, Indians, even Latinos are a notch better. You Africans are at the bottom of the totem pole.”

He tempered his voice. “Get over this white skin syndrome and begin to feel confident. Become innovative and make your own stuff for god’s sake.”

At 8 a.m. the plane touched down at Boston’s Logan International Airport. Walter reached for my hand.

“I know I was too strong, but I don’t give it a damn. I have been to Zambia and have seen too much poverty.” He pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled something. “Here, read this. It was written by a friend.”

He had written only the title: “Lords of Poverty.”

Thunderstruck, I had a sinking feeling. I watched Walter walk through the airport doors to a waiting car. He had left a huge dust devil twirling in my mind, stirring up sad memories of home. I could see Zambia’s literati—the cognoscente, intelligentsia, academics, highbrows, and scholars in the places he had mentioned guzzling and talking irrelevancies. I remembered some who have since passed—how they got the highest grades in mathematics and the sciences and attained the highest education on the planet. They had been to Harvard, Oxford, Yale, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), only to leave us with not a single invention or discovery. I knew some by name and drunk with them at the Lusaka Playhouse and Central Sports.

Walter is right. It is true that since independence we have failed to nurture creativity and collective orientations. We as a nation lack a workhorse mentality and behave like 13 million civil servants dependent on a government pay cheque. We believe that development is generated 8-to-5 behind a desk wearing a tie with our degrees hanging on the wall. Such a working environment does not offer the opportunity for fellowship, the excitement of competition, and the spectacle of innovative rituals.

But the intelligentsia is not solely, or even mainly, to blame. The larger failure is due to political circumstances over which they have had little control. The past governments failed to create an environment of possibility that fosters camaraderie, rewards innovative ideas and encourages resilience. KK, Chiluba, Mwanawasa, and Banda embraced orthodox ideas and therefore failed to offer many opportunities for drawing outside the line.

I believe King Cobra’s reset has been cast in the same faculties as those of his predecessors. If today I told him that we can build our own car, he would throw me out.

“Naupena? Fuma apa.” (Are you mad? Get out of here)

Knowing well that King Cobra will not embody innovation at Walter’s level let’s begin to look for a technologically active-positive leader who can succeed him after a term or two. That way we can make our own stone crushers, water filters, water pumps, razor blades, and harvesters. Let’s dream big and make tractors, cars, and planes, or, like Walter said, forever remain inferior.

A fundamental transformation of our country from what is essentially non-innovative to a strategic superior African country requires a bold risk-taking educated leader with a triumphalist attitude and we have one in YOU. Don’t be highly strung and feel insulted by Walter. Take a moment and think about our country. Our journey from 1964 has been marked by tears. It has been an emotionally overwhelming experience. Each one of us has lost a loved one to poverty, hunger, and disease. The number of graves is catching up with the population. It’s time to change our political culture. It’s time for Zambian intellectuals to cultivate an active-positive progressive movement that will change our lives forever. Don’t be afraid or dispirited, rise to the challenge and salvage the remaining few of your beloved ones.

Field Ruwe is a US-based Zambian media practitioner and author. He is a PhD candidate with a B.A. in Mass Communication and Journalism, and an M.A. in History.
SOURCE

INSPIRED BY DOLCE AND GABBANA 2012 S/S COLLECTION

2012-01-27T11:11:00.002-05:00

Salut tout le monde,
You may or may not know that Dolce and Gabbana presented their very last AFFORDABLE collection during Milan fashion week. They presented a beautiful collection using prints that are usually used for scarves. This is how I came up with this look. I turned my everyday scarf into a little top and accessorize it with a little belt which will be great to wear during summer. I bought this scarf from H&M but you can find many vintage like scarves at your local thrift store. There are many different ways to make the scarf look sassy.

EDITORIAL: BELLEVILLE- BAMAKO

2012-01-26T14:28:00.001-05:00

Beautiful Editorial in the February 2012 edition of l'officiel Paris Mag. I guess they are paying tribute to my beautiful city BAMAKO. I can see some Burberry pieces here I also hope that they use a few African designers for this editorial. Me like it a lot

More under the cut

Photographer: Marcin Tyszka

Styling: Alexandra Elbim

Model:Egle tvirbutaite
Source

RUE 114 A PLACE EVERY CURVY GIRL SHOULD CHECK OUT

2012-01-24T18:23:00.001-05:00

My prayers have finally been answered. I and many other curvy girls have been complaining about the fact that many of our designers do not cater to the size 14+ body type. I mean you see a dress that you really like and the price is reasonable but no sizes yikes!!! This happened to me a lot to the point that I just gave up looking at certain sites. I talked about it on twitter the other day and a designer told me that they can customize for me. I said I want to be like everyone just walk in, pick up and move on. I don't want to wait weeks for one dress. Well guess what ? someone was already working their magic behind the scenes. Meet Serwah Asante the Creative Director and Founder of Rue 114. The line was launched back in 2010 as a platform upon which to celebrate beauty and style at all sizes.

According to their website

Rue 114 is inspired by and created for women who believe that every shape and size should be celebrated as beautiful. This season, Rue 114 is proud to present its Intro 2012 Capsule Collection, “Et Dieu Créa La Femme” (And God Created Woman). The collection is an homage to and celebration of the female form at all its sizes. Beauty is too mysterious, too coy, too “Saturday night” to be confined into a size 6. The Rue 114 design aesthetic is deeply informed by what it means to be a modern woman of the world, and as such, the inspiration for each collection is limitless. This season, bold African prints in sexy and feminine silhouettes serve as the palette for the Rue 114 introductory collection.

I have not been excited for a collection like this in a while. This line can potentially compete with lines like Monif C and other plus sizes designer lines out there. The sizes start from Small to 2x , and they do have online shopping available. There are not a lot of peices at this point but I honestly think that they did good for debut collection. Good Lookbook, good website and fab models. The only thing I would recommend is to put out themselves out there a little bit more. I had not heard of this site up until today. I can't wait to see more from Rue 114. In the meantime check out their site.

So what do you think of Rue 114 debut collection ? Is it one of your favorite African fashion houses? designers? would you like to see more from them? Please comment and subscribe to Ciaafrique.com

NEW OUTFIT POST: WINTER WHITE

2012-01-24T13:00:00.000-05:00

It is getting a bit cold around here guys. I always make sure my hair is protected during winter with either braids or weaves. I chopped a bit of my hair the other day because the edges where getting a bit thin and fuzzy. I talk a lot about my hair here but many have yet to see what it looks like. I snapped these pics before I go back to my lovely weaves and wigs. I was wearing

Sweater/Bag: H&M

Legging: Costa Blanca

Shoes: Aldo

Earrings: Beauty store

So what do you think of this winter look? Make sure you comment and subscribe to Ciaafrique.com to get you daily fashion and beauty fix.