November Editor’s Note: Ladybrille’s Africa-Asia Frontier, the Next Chapter Begins

Happy New Month Dear Readers,

Three years of Ladybrille, WOW! It has truly been an honor and pleasure serving and sharing Africa’s beauty, the one you rarely see on mainstream television, with you. My November’s editor’s note is a bit different. It is not in our monthly magazine but lives on ladybrillemag.com. That is because we have made changes that essentially is a return, for those who have been with us these three years now, to how we began.

In listening to you, reading your emails and observing what interests you most, it made sense. We thank you all for your support all of these years.

Your support pushed us to not waiver, to stay consistent, determined and bring to you daily, weekly and year after year, niche focused positive stories within and outside Africa about Africa. This hard work has paid off. The Ladybrille brand is now recognized, within and outside the US, as a brand that represents “sophistication,” is “informative” and “entertaining.”

The Ladybrille brand is also in a class of its own because of its  trendsetting abilities. As we prepare to set the trend yet again, by expanding to be Africa-Asia’s online media “connector,” it makes sense to take a look at where we’ve been. If you are joining us for the first time or do not know our history, we hope our brief recap excites and inspires you to look forward to what lies ahead.

Ladybrille’s Trendsetter/Influencer Ways – Where We’ve Been

• In 2007, the first to take African Fashion directly to the Western Masses through the launch of Ladybrille Blogazine. No one was doing it when we started. We were, nevertheless, unafraid because we saw the future. The site included a well-vetted link list of African designers.
• In 2008, First to launch a comprehensive African fashion directory with all African fashion professionals
• In June 2007 during our launch, the first to foresee and predict, that just like Asia’s kimono was common in the West, a time would come when African fabrics would also be that common in the West. Today, the African fabric “Ankara” has inched its way into retail stores across America, in the closets of many Fashionistas and on the bodies of American celebrities like Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Solange, Kelis, Gwen Stefani
• A knack for accurately predicting, identifying and delivering exclusives on Africa’s Next Big Stars. Examples include Korto Momolu, Maimah Karmo, Uche Eze/Bella Naija, Saran Kaba Jones, M.I and Ayo, among too many to count.
• In 2009, the first non-Asian media owned company to establish Ladybrillestars, a web portal solely for celebrating the accomplishments of Asia’s emerging and established stars.
• Sought after by World influential media CNN for Africans to profile. CNN working with us has adopted our suggestions including a feature on Somalia’s Mataano.
• Sought after by reputable and leading consulting brand Mckinsey & Co. for expertise on Africa’s fashion market and investment opportunities, among many.

Africa’s Next Global Stars to Watch
If you haven’t already, please follow the following African emerging stars below who we firmly place our bets on  and believe will break into the Western and global markets:

• Alternative/Rock Artist Retta Twitter: @rettarich;  Facebook: RETTA
• Hip-hop artist X.O Senavoe, Twitter: @xo_senavoe; Facebook: X.O Senavoe
• Just a Band (already making strides) but even bigger strides to come on a global level.  Facebook: Just a Band

Ladybrille’s Trendsetter Ways – Where We Are Headed
When it comes to design, music, film and video innovation, Asia’s fashion and entertainment industries sets the bar much higher than its American counterparts. It is no longer enough for Africa’s creative industries to strive to meet the Western i.e. American standards. Simply put, the West is lagging. Africa’s creative industries must strive to compete on the same level as Asia to avoid being left out of the global festive when it inevitably takes place. Ladybrille, consistent with our brand’s mission to be the platform that connects Africa to the West, expands the mission to include establishing a Ladybrille Africa-Asia relationship.

What This Translates to on Ladybrillemag.com

• We’ve moved content from Ladybrillestars.com to Ladybrillemag.com under the “Global Pop Culture Category.” Our intention is to create and foster a true melting pot that is ripe for synergistic business/collaborative opportunities with Africa and Asia’s fashion and entertainment stars.
• 80% of content on Ladybrillemag.com will primarily be about Africa. The rest of the 20% will be dedicated primarily to Asia, with an even smaller percentage focused on Europe and America.
• Asia’s prominent stars will also grace Ladybrille covers as we deliver in-depth and potent interviews that give insight into Asia’s fashion entertainment industries.
• This month, we also make a renewed commitment to excellence. Only the best of the best emerging or established fashion and entertainment stories, events and news will be featured on Ladybrille.
• Regular features on Ladybrille will be: Ladybrille Woman of the Month, Ladybrille Man of the Month, Artist to Watch.
• All articles live on Ladybrillemag.com and will now be available at no cost
• We will continue with our 2 in 1 covers with our man and woman of the month (celebrities or otherwise) enjoying the covers.

Contributors
We welcome fashion, film and music contributors. Please send a CV for consideration to [email protected].

Thank you for your continued support. Without you, there is no Ladybrille. We look forward to enjoying this next chapter with you.

Enjoy our covers for November 2010 with Ladybrille Man of the Month Jimmy Jean Louis and Ladybrille Woman of the Month, Joanna Riley Weidenmiller below.

Yours truly,
([email protected])
Uduak Oduok, Esq.
Editor-in-Chief

Ladybrille Magazine

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.