missmilliworld

TO NIGERIA WITH LOVE

2013-06-18T09:20:00.000+02:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, this weekend I reluctantly finished reading Americanah, Chimamanda Adichie's 4th and probably most important novel yet. I've been reading it since the beginning of May, savouring each word, each page and each chapter until it all came to an end on Sunday. I've read all of her books and I find this one her most important work to date as it tells a story that black people and especially women all over the world, especially those who have grown up in a former colony and of course those who are expatriates in countries like America, England and Canada will definitely relate to.

It transcends cartographical boundaries and tells the story of us brilliantly and boldly. And by us I mean women who have had to consider their politics when choosing their hair styles and I guess the rest who don't realise that their hair style probably says a lot about their relationship with their race and gender. It's obviously not that simple and it's a multi dimensional premise but this is the first novel that articulates the relationship between the black race and our notions of beauty, true love, prejudice and of course an important story about Nigeria.

That said, this is not exclusive of other nationalities, races and genders. I say it's important because this kind of story is rarely told but also because it is an exceptional examination of the way things are for people who identify as black and female in the developed world in relation to other races and it's sometimes shocking, sometimes really funny, sometimes peculiar but all of it true. I think it offers more of an understanding of our story rather than alienate other races. I learned a lot about how similar our stories are and I'm sure anyone who pics up this wonderful novel, will feel the deep satisfaction of having been taught something. I have dedicated today's post to Nigeria and Nigerians. Have a good Tuesday. xxxx

HOW TO BE A STRONG NIGERIAN MAN

2013-06-18T08:45:00.001+02:00

My friend Enyinne from Heritage 1960 is visiting Joburg and we spent Sunday night watching ridiculous videos on YouTube. She's American Nigerian and introduced me to What's Up Africa, a satirical news YouTube Channel that belongs to the hilarious Ikenna Azuike who I think is based in the The Netherlands. This particular video is a collaboration with Mollie Balogun aka Naija Runs Girl and it's called My Fair Naijaboy: a step by step guide on how to be Sthrong Naijarian Man! Enjoy!!!

SNK PK

2013-06-18T08:42:00.000+02:00

William Okpo FW13 Backstage. Will post more this week!

THE OKPO SISTERS

2013-06-18T08:41:00.001+02:00

I die. My current obsession with Nigeria (just finished reading THE AMAZING AMERICANAH by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie) led me on a little quest to find some more amazing Nigerians doing beeg tings in the world! When I finally learned the names of these two girls, who I've seen on many a tumblr, that they were Nigerian was a cherry on top. If you've never seen them, meet sisters and fashion designers Lizzy (the short one) and Darlene (the long one) Okpo. They are the names behind the cult label William Okpo, named after their father, which is worn by all of New York's coolest including the inimitable Solange Knowles. I'll do a separate post on their RIDICULOUS clothes later this week. They used to work at Opening Ceremony. So you can imagine! How are those braids? I need to go to New York.

Images from Refiney 29 and Style Like U

Who'se that girl?

2013-06-18T08:13:00.000+02:00

I have such a style crush on Ni'Ma Ford, a stylist based in New York and probably the world's most envied street style subject. She's the blue headed girl on the cover of The Sartorialist's book Closer.

Every time I see her, I'm always inspired to go on with my bad self! I love her use of colour. Check out her website and her interview on Refinery 29.

MACKLEMORE CAN DEFINITELY GET IT

2013-06-12T20:28:00.002+02:00

I love this song. It is bloody awesome and so is he. Where have I been?

Quick stats:

Name: Ben Haggerty aka Macklemore

Occupation: Rapper

Country: US

Best known for: This song ''Thrift Shop'' which has over 340 million views on YouTube.

I totally get why!

HOW COOL?

2013-06-12T10:51:00.003+02:00

This is really awesome. The Council of American Fashion Designers made a bunch of hot tamale models dressed by the nominees for Menswear Designer of the Year Award, sing (Imizwilili Style) Daft Punk's ''Get Lucky''. My feelings for this are somewhere between warm and dripping hot.

NOBODY IS YOUR FRIEND

2013-06-12T10:38:00.003+02:00

''I SHOULD BE A FUCKING DIAMOND AFTER ALL THIS PRESSURE''

2013-06-11T23:16:00.000+02:00

Hello internet friends! These are the great words of Doreen Southwood. I'm not going to complain about anything but gaad dayam things have been rough on the work front hence the sparse postage/attention on my first born. Too many things to do and I have to prioratise and I'm really bad at that. It's the kind of week where you come home, plonk your stuff on the couch and go straight for the sauvignon blanc or reach for the kleenix or both! I feel like writing one of those long DMC kinda pieces that I always get a cathartic release from but every time I click send after one of those, Neggy, that little (bitch) negative voice that occupies some space in all our minds, is stopping me from complaining because here I am breathing, able to walk, talk and go to work and call people family and friends. Sorry to those of you who keep coming to check for new content but I am being stretched in new ways and finding it a bit hard to handle at the moment. Thank God for my yoga class, a 90 minute chance once a week to just sit and get some perspective that actually, at the end of the day, it's just feshin, and that like any other event in life, this high pressure busy business is just that, feshin. I wish there was something more meaningful or cool to post but there isn't and I'm not one of those people who won't embrace their emotional state when it is all you can be. Imagine Riri didn't know how to float in this picture. I basically feel that way for now but all will be orite!

WEEKEND (VERY) SPECIAL

2013-06-11T23:04:00.002+02:00

The way these guys from Gaschette Mag are on FAYA these days. This is another shoot I lifted from their blog, it's the only thing I've seen in the last couple of days that's caused some tremors in my life. Forget what they said about Africa. Go Eternal Sunshine on that shit! Well done Steve Marais and Melissa Maxted-Henderson

no words

2013-06-07T14:29:00.000+02:00

I tried to think of a title for this post. Ain't nobady got English for that...saw this on Saada Ahmed's blog. Good things must be shared people.

SHE-WOLF IN HIS CLOTHING

2013-06-07T14:24:00.001+02:00

These images speak for themselves. Although I do not agree with (nor understand fully obviously) what some of the ideas behind the style of dress, I have always liked the way Orthodox Jewish people, especially the man, adorn themselves. I quite enjoyed the potentially controversial gender play with the clothing in this shoot. This is the work of Johannesburg based online magazine, Gaschette, styled by Jessica Rayne and photographed by Steve Marais. This striking number of a model is 16 years old and her name is Andrea Kruger

I Twerked for this: The Giveaway To End All Giveaways thanks to the Apple iStore

2013-06-04T00:16:00.002+02:00

Hi Guys, I kinda need your help with something in the next three days.

I've been mum about this until now because I was trying to think of a creative and truly reflective emotion that would express my deep deep love for the new iPad Mini without sounding like I'm just telling you how great it is because I was given one by Apple. Seriously, I just get emo talking about. Since I got it a month ago, it has been like a child to me and as you know how our moms think we are perfect creations? Well, this one actually is and I'll tell you why below. So I finally plucked up the courage to do the only thing I thought appropriate in expressing not only my love for it, but more importantly: how it allowed me to live out my dream of making a twerk video since twerking is now officially the most groundbreaking dance of all time as demonstrated by exhibit A:

Back to the iPad Mini, when I come home since I got it a month ago, I watch Ted Talks and other Youtube videos, which by the way, I find by voice command on my Youtube App. On one of these days I asked Youtube to find ''How to Twerk'' videos and I've basically been practicing and OBsessed ever since. Not that I couldn't do it on a normal computer or an iPhone, but recording one on this nifty little device. I'm no where near the Jamaican and African American level of the art of twerking but it's been really fun putting my iPad Mini on my dresser and becoming a dancing queen. But besides my personal triumphs, even if I may be delusional, this little nugget has made my life a little better for the following reasons:
1. It fits into one of my little baby hands and is as light as the iPhone 4
2. The KEY BOARD does the SPLITS - as in, into two so that you can type easier, as if you're holdin your cellphone as demonstrated below:

3. It's basically got the functionality of a bigger iPhone but the best is that nobody calls you while you're in the middle of somethi...

4. I always eat out and I've been trying to stop. The cooking apps are not only operationally amazing, but I've actually been a little more creative in the kitchen and it hasn't started feeling like a chore.

5. It's my reading mate. I've downloaded my favourite magazine apps and it's a portal for a lot of extras in terms of content, which makes my life as a writer very easy.

6. I'm still getting used to it but the organizational apps are pretty awesome - apps that have the capacity of Word and Powerpoint on them so that I can work on the go.

7. These days I actually like it when someone is late because I just wait in my car playing games, organising things, sending mails, watching videos or reading my ebooks

8. It has kindle and Apple eBooks, some of which are free.

9.Pinterest is basically the end of me and I thought my relationship with it ended a few months ago when I managed to over power it by stop ''using'' on my computer. I've started using again. Here it's it's faster, more compact and everything looks even prettier on it because of the retina screen on the iPad Mini

10. I can blog and skype on the go cos it's got super fast wireless connection

11. I could go on forever. I just cool man.

And because of these reasons, I have been inspired to dedicate my first twerk to the iPad Mini.

I can't believe I put my friend through that. I hope you appreciate that it took courage to do this for you guys. I hope you like it. Ok let me get to the point!

The iStore, in celebration of the new iPad Mini launch, is running a competition where they are giving away holiday to any destination in the world to the value of R250 000. To enter, all you have to do is go to any iStore in SA, enjoy a few minutes of touching and playing with the iPad Mini, find the World of Possibilities App (on the in store iPad Mini) and enter your deets. If you actually buy the iPad, you get an additional 20 entries, which means you increase your chances of winning by 20.

What's in it for me and why did I live out my twerking dreams through this innocent competition? Apple selected 10 bloggers nationwide to participate in this competition. They gave us each an iPad and basically said, holler about it and holler about the competition and tell all your readers all the need to know, however you like.

There's also some incentive for the bloggers to win and this is where I need your help. If you ''like'' my competition entry (ie twerk and all) on Apple's Facebook Page (you'll see what the other bloggers did) and I get more likes than the others, I NEED ABOUT 800 BY FRIDAY, I will win a R20 000 voucher for a holiday including accommodation, currency and transport. But why would I keep that to myself? If I get the most likes, I will split the winnings with 3 Lucky readers, or should I say, three lucky likers?

All you gotta do is go onto the Apple Facebook Page and like my entry and tell everybody that you show my video to to like it too :-) BUT If you have your eye on the big prize, all you have to do is enter the competition at the Apple iStore via the Wolf of Possibilities App and remember, if you buy an iPad Mini, you increase your chances of winning the R250 000 Holiday Grand Prize.

Click here to get to the iStore Facebook page and click like if you like my entry. And then do it again!

CLOVER CANYON RESORT 14

2013-05-31T11:33:00.002+02:00

This the Resort 2014 collection by an LA label called Clover Canyon and it is pretty damn amazing. I adore these wonderful Cuban inspired prints. How are those jerseys with the Cuban mama's smoking? Check out the rest of the collection on Fashion Bomb Daily

Helloween

2013-05-31T11:19:00.002+02:00

It's been a terribly busy week and blogging has been last on my long list of priorities. Sorry to those who kept on coming to check for new updates. I haven't even had time to really cook up some new posts. Today's cv application is also a victim of this week's business and anyway, the CV's I have are not unmissable so instead, I'm going to hit you up with a little surprise later on in the day courteousy of Apple's new iPad Mini, which I've been playing with and practicing motherhood with because it's the most awesome thing to have and to hold and to kiss goodnight and brag about to your friends and anyone who will listen.

reasons to get a tumblr

2013-05-31T10:57:00.002+02:00

Somebody hire these people! Today's CV's!!!

2013-05-24T12:25:00.000+02:00

Happy Friday guys

I hope you've all had a wonderful and productive week. This year is hussain bolting all over our asses and so much is happening that there are times where I just want to throw away all forms of technology and interconnectedness and go live in a hut somewhere where we have to go to sleep because it's dark and wake up because the sun is coming out. Anyway, so today I have two exciting CV's and I really hope to connect these two youngins to some work, they seem to be quite multi talented.

CV 1

The first CV belongs to a young man who was born in 1986 and lives in Soweto. He made the wise choice of combining Media Studies, African Literature and Political Science at Wits. Gone are the days when the letters BA stood for ''Bugger All'' (I always thought that that was such a lame statement, thank God evolution is not up to humans). Sure it's harder to find a ''job'' when you get out of school with such a complex combination of subjects, but it's easier to carve a career out. Perhaps this young man hasn't figured that out. But whose figured anything out in their 20s? Having a BA Degree is all about how much you use your knowledge to test your abilities. You can fit your round pegged self into many a hole. Thank goodness he started early. When he was at Wits he was a Producer for Voice of Wits Radio and he quickly upgraded to being a Production Co-Ordinator for 3 months at Yo-TV. His CV is extensive and is detailed with all the various things he has had to do to climb the ladder, I've just highlighted what I think is super relevant for someone looking to hire someone like him:

For 3 years he did Media Modelling. I didn't know what that was until I looked what he actually did which gave me a mini seizure: going through over 1500 publications and 350 channels and putting them into categories for the sake of analyzing them according to metric systems for a company called Newsclip. He's done Content Analysis meaning he's probably a keen reader and someone with the ability to do the boring stuff. He's done Media Analysis which means he's done done comprehensive evaluations of the media coverage that certain brands have had across all media platforms. He's done Ad Cost analysis, Account Management and of course some Reporting. That means Writing, Copy Editing, Proof Reading meaning he probably respects language and its use and can communicate fairly well. I think he's the type of person that can be thrown into any work situation and get himself involved.

CV 2

This young lady has worked her way up a ladder that many people see and think is made from diamonds and champagne: fashion! She's 23 and has just graduated from Lisof with a Bachelor of Arts in Fashion. She's not looking for anything specific but interested in being immersed in an environment where she could learn and her experience is varied in terms of small jobs she's done here and there in an effort to learn. The subjects she did at school include Fashion Media, Merchandising Mathes, Buying, Product Development, Business Studies, Marketing, Pattern Making and Textile Theory. Although she's hoping to climb hire, I must say she started pretty early.

In high school she was a Promotions Girl (I have genuine respect for people who have done this because I got fired from my first promotions job in East London and I can't remember why but probably for being too sassy) and while she was studying in Joburg, she has been a Receptionist, an Admin Assistant, she's worked at Diesel in Rosebank as a shop assistant, she's Styled both issues of LISOF's Protege Magazine. She's worked as a Stylists Assistant during one of African Fashion International's Fashion Weeks, taping ALL the shoes for the shows as well as assisting where she was needed during Fashion Week, which is pretty hectic. She's worked as a Store Manager and worked at Just which was in 44 Stanley. There she was actually an Assistant Designer in addition to Managing the Shop, doing Sales Reports, doing Sales, assisting with Look Books and generally doing what sounds like being Justine Robertson's right hand.

She's ripe and green at the same time. If I was looking for someone, I would certainly call her up.

To find out more about these two and to get in touch with them about work, email me and I'll put you in touch missmillib@gmail.com.

Adios!

WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THIS DAY WOULD COME SO SOON?

2013-05-24T08:19:00.000+02:00

OMG Mememe made the cover of Time Magazine!

I actually bought the magazine only to find out it wasn't about us. Whatever.

CONTRA

2013-05-24T08:17:00.000+02:00

My sister's new puppy, Contra.

This little guy is too much. I have not met him yet but I told my sister and her husband that I'm actually his real mom and they are just holding him until I come and get him. My sister found him on a construction site while she was working in the Transkei this week. He was ''lost'' in the village which is an oxymoron because village dogs barely have names, let alone owners. No guesses as to why his name is Contra...

SELFI

2013-05-24T08:00:00.001+02:00

Another young designer that's launching an online store this year is Celeste Arendse of Selfi! We also go way back to Pulchritude days and I respect the consistency of her talent, as do customers at Mememe Joburg. This is the latest stuff she sent this week! Visit www.selfi.co.za to see more

Jane Sews her way to an Online store!

2013-05-24T07:28:00.003+02:00

At the end of 2010, I had a meeting with a young graduate from Lisof, a beautiful waif with a top layer of innocence, a medium layer of common sense and a bottom layer of no nonsense. She had asked to meet me so that she could show me some of her clothes because I was working with other designers when I was doing Pulchritude. We were seated in the then relatively new Wolves Cafe in Illovo when she pulled out 3 samples from her handbag and I remember thinking damn these are good samples for a student. With a few tweaks here and there, they could sell and I would be the first customer. She listened to my advice and slowly over a few months, her product got better and better. In fact, it's one of my favourite young designer brands which we stock at Mememe Joburg and now it's grown up. This week, Amy Venter of Jane Sews launches her own online store! Well done Amy and good luck on this new venture in business. Visit the Jane Sews Online Store and have a good gander!

BALLAD OF DAYS GONE BY

2013-05-20T22:40:00.001+02:00

Remember days like this? Days where you and your best friend would sit all day drinking each other up in one of your bedrooms? Locked in a world of songs you knew every single word to, intertwined in dance routines you had tape recorded on TV that one time? Remember reading magazines until the spine was barely there because you had turned those crispy pages so many times that they were now limp and scattered all over your innocent mind?

Remember how you would change personalities by changing into each others clothes, not only because it was fun but because you didn't have that many ''in'' clothes to begin with? Remember plaiting each other's hair and wearing the narrow neck of your top on your head pretending it was long hair? Remember using your Impulse or Charlie deodorant spray can as a microphone when you played Shell Road to Fame? Remember how you would eventually go inside after a long, hot afternoon playing ushenxe, black toti or duva, having only eaten peanut butter or polony sandwiches or samp and beans or even better, umfino or amanqina, washed down with mulberries picked from your neighbour's yard, the evidence of which was over your weekend shorts?

Remember closing the curtains at the same time everyday to the sound of the opening credits of The Bold and the Beautiful? Remember reluctantly chopping onions, tomatoes or carrots training for one day when you would be able to cook properly? Remember the exhilarating thrill of seeing boys if, like me, you were in a girls school? Remember how your crush's name was all over your homework diary, your school bag, tippexed at the bottom of your school shoes and how you would stare at his school picture as if your breathing literally depended on it?

The story in this shoot is so well told that it took me all the way back and actually made me miss being a teenager even though I hated every waking moment of it and all. It's from a magazine I discovered on the net yesterday called Ballad Of , a London showcase publication that publishes the work of up and coming photographers, stylists, make up artists and models in that city. The two girls on the cover of this issue are just adorable.

The print magazine is available on order from the website, which is cool but doesn't give you a lot of meat to bite into, just the smell of it. But it is totally appealing and if it wasn't sold out, I would buy this Ballad of Sarah-Lou.

I can't decide whether this is just plain hot or just damn beautiful

2013-05-20T17:22:00.002+02:00

I can't seem to get to who took these really beautiful images of former PopAfricana editor Oroma Elewa. I discovered them on http://itsibitsikitsi.tumblr.com/ although I saw them a while ago. She is really beautiful.

Yeah but is it necessary to be this hot, Solange?

2013-05-20T16:14:00.002+02:00

www.mydamnblog.com

Just because

2013-05-19T19:09:00.002+02:00