The Africans invaded New York Fashion Week and brought a whole lot of attitude with them, thanks to ThisDay/Arise Magazine! We take you backstage with some exclusive photos from the event. More coverage to come both in pictures, words and Ladybrille TV.
Oh, you don’t know me? Me! Allow me to introduce myself. I am one of the most sought after, fiercest model in South Africa. I go by the name Milen Magese.
“Yeah, yeah. I am in New York. Gurl you need to hurry because I am at the African Fashion Collective and I’m about to walk.
“How you like me now?!”
“Hello people! AFRIKA in the house! We are so holding it down for South Africa also.”
Nana [far right says] “I told you it was not a solo thing. Now me and my African SISTAS will RIP the runway. Ha ha ha ha!”
“Yes I am Nyasha Zimucha winner of Miss Africa USA and I had to come through to show support.”
“But of course we had to show support. This is truly beautiful”
Yes, yes, yes. We needed to be here to make sure it is a blessed event.
Singer Chrisette Michele
Photo credits: Thanks to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
Founded in 2007, Ladybrille® Magazine is a California based pioneer digital publication demystifying the image of Africans in the west through contemporary African fashion and celebrating the brilliant woman in business and leadership, with an emphasis on the African woman in the diaspora. Our coverage includes stories on capital, access to markets, expertise, hiring and retention, sales, marketing, and promotions.
Divalocity…I think you missed my point so I'll clarify… Fashion is a BUSINESS. In order for us to continue to see diversity on the catwalk, designers (of all colours) need to create sustainable businesses. Fashion shows are supposed to be populated with BUYERS (very important for business) and PRESS (Equally important for the brands profile). NOT and I repeat… NOT! z-list celebs.If you dont figure that out, while your fellow designers are enjoying Vogue profiles that lead to meetings with Julie Gilhart (even though in the present economy, Im not sure that even happens anymore) You will be on your way back to nigeria trying to work out just how old Grace Jones really is.If the purpose of this show wasnt to introduce African designers to a wider market why did This Day go to all that expense.I was saying that I was looking forward to Uduak's insider view to shed some light on the collections because the images i saw…..you know what I'll sum it up!Xuly Bet- I fell in love with this designer 10 years ago. He showed what felt like the same collection I fell in love with 10 yrs ago.Stoned cherrie- Random mishmash of references and none of them well executed. It put me to sleepTiffany Amber- For a designer who has dominated the nigerian scene for years with, lets face it…KNOCKOFFS! of western designs, her first foray into attempting to show some "original" ideas fell flat and she still managed to sneak in one or two "borrowed" ideas. I have been to several of her shows and if you put the provenance of her ideas to one side they have always shown a designer with a strong aesthetic point of view, and an uncanny ability to convey that to her audience. This show highlighted the skill of indian beadworkers rather than the ingenuity of african designers.MOMO- I had to read the caption over and over because the sad spectacle of "greige" shifts that shambled across the runway bore no resemblance to anything she had ever done in the past and hopefully will never do again.I was impressed with what I saw in the previous editions of this day/arise events and was even pleased that they moved aside the talented, but ubiquitous, Deola Sagoe to give some of the young(ish) guns a chance.IMHO..the peeps didnt come correct.
I have no comment yet about the African Collective.Like someone said above, it is a chance that designer's would sell their scissors and needles for and to me, I trusted it to be an avenue to showcase African Fabrics and materials to the whole world on NEW YORK runway!The truth of the matter is that the world has already seen enough chiffon, enough satin, enough silk etc, what they HAVE NOT EVEN BEGUN TO SEE in fashion is Ankara, akwete, aso-oke, Kentem, mudcloth etc….I am just wondering…..why didn't I see all of that on the runway last night? Just a few REAL and GENUINE African fabrics?Hmmmm…….I comment my reserve! I seriously comment my reserve, I will not reserve my comment!
Anon-Who cares about the celebrities who did not attend, that was last year and the year before and the year before that!Diversity is in baby! The shows are about the designers and their vision, with the clothes being the main stars and not the celebs!How many times have fashion shows started late because they invited some so called diva or divo and the people had to wait? The models come second to the clothes, that's why we want to see some color on the runway!Some of us create our own style we don't have to emulate any celebrity for their take on style.
Hi, Im looking forward to your review of that show because the images that have come thru so far….hmm lets just say they didnt exactly leave me feeling "Yay my peoples have come thru and taken over!" rather the stuff on the catwalk seemed lacklustre at the very best and ill-fitting at the worst. When the most interesting thing about your show is Grace Jones walking (she cant help being fabulous darling!) or Obama's image on dresses(soooo last month!) and an audience filled with friends and family and d-list…no z-list celebs it begs the question what was the point of all this. Its possible my expectations were too high but I at least expected collections that were cohesive and coherent which I believe the designers who showed at the london event managed to achieve. The opportunity to show at ny fashion week is one that will be conferred on very few, and most designers would sell there mama's for it. In this case I think it was squandered.p.s Im basing my opinion on the 600 or so images that were on Getty images. Its possible that with your exclusive access you will be able to offer a clearer picture of the show as far as the designers creative objectives as well as the intentions of the organisers because from this side of the lens, it just came of as….BORING!….Next!