SisterBatik
Loving these gorgeously colourful cushions and pillows from SisterBatik, that I saw via The South is Blooming blog. Working on a philosophy to create items that will happily become part of someone’s space or home, SisterBatik’s pillows and cushions will definitely add some cheer.

Stemming from a love of global textiles, UK-based SisterBatik say their latest collection is inspired by an obsession with the colors, patterns and textures of Dutch wax batik prints. Each cushion is handcrafted in small quantities to enable new prints to be added continually. On some pillows fabrics are mixed and matched to produce a patchwork of even more interesting textures. The Dutch wax cloth is a high quality 100% cotton.

Upon request, SisterBatik’s designs can also be made into custom sized pillow and cushion covers if you already have existing inners.

Eleanor Ofori
Based in London’s fashionable Chelsea, bridal and eveningwear designer Eleanor Ofori rounds of our special series of wedding dress posts. Sophisticated brides looking for classic, timeless elegance need look no further than Ghanaian designer Eleanor Ofori.

Eleanor works closely with her clients to ensure that their personal beauty and style is reflected in each creation. Complementing the curves of the body, soft shapely silhouettes, elegantly tailored cuts and sensual fabrics all serve to capture the romance of the moment, and celebrate the uniqueness of each bride. The result is understated elegance enhanced with detailed touches. Eleanor Ofori offers a made-to-measure Silk Collection and a bespoke service.

...the type of dresses for the bride who knows what she wants and is looking for minimum fuss.

Rosenwerth
Still sticking with the wedding theme, for the less traditional bride Rosenwerth mixes things up a bit with an exquisite collection of contemporary bespoke eveningwear and wedding gowns. 

Although you will still find the classic white dress, more adventurous brides have their pick from a gloriously hued palette of floaty, gauzy gowns in silks, chiffon and taffetas. 

Having dressed the fabulously fashionable since the 1960’s, Rosenwerth is one of South Africa’s leading fashion houses; known for their gorgeous wedding and ball-gowns and is a name synonymous with style, elegance and glamour. Soft and feminine, made-to-measure designs drape and swirl around the body ensuring all eyes on you. Think raw silk bustiers combined with masses of colourful tulle, high quality craftsmanship and detailing in buttons, seams and beading.

In order to make dress-fitting appointments a pleasurable experience brides-to-be and their bridesmaids are treated to complimentary Champagne and tea treats.

…perfect dresses for modern, free-spirited princesses looking for something a little bit different

Kosibah
Award winning Nigerian designer Yemi Osunkoya is a man who understands the curves of a woman’s body, creating stunningly beautiful sculpted dresses that enhance and entice; and if any of the testamonials on his website are anything to go by then Yemi’s designs capture the essence of a woman perfectly. 

Established in 1991 Yemi’s London-based label Kosibah was named in honour of his mother and specialises in bespoke bridal, evening and formal wear. I definitely get a sexy siren, golden age of Hollywood glamour vibe emanating from the images, virtually guaranteeing a bride-to-be as the centre of attention on her day.

Through his signature style of high-quality corsetry and boned bodices Yemi seeks to recreate that classic and elegant female shape; the hourglass figure. Using luxurious fabrics, sumptuous embellishment in the form of beading, hand ruching, appliqué and hand made organza roses are just some of the defining elements that go into his unashamedly romantic made to measure creations. I think it was 2002 when I first saw Yemi and Kosibah at the Mahogany Bridal show, and the level of detailing and craftsmanship shown in the dresses he had on display was truly impressive.

…here’s to celebrating curves and womanly sexiness

Angelo Lambrou
With three days to go till the Royal Wedding, anticipation has reached fever pitch. I can’t speak for the rest of the world but here in the UK whether you are interested in it or not there is no escaping it. Strolling up London’s Regent’s Street last Thursday everywhere you turned there was the blue, white and red of the Union Jack lining the streets, hanging from shop fronts and incorporated into window displays as the city prepares to celebrate with the Royal couple. And of course speculation is rife as to the dress and the designer, who will most certainly be a British designer... but if a designer from Africa was in the running then what gorgeousness could we expect. Amsale Aberra and her ‘forever modern’ style is probably the most well known designer, you can see the posting I did a while back here. Some of our other selections fit for a princess start with bridal and evening wear designer Angelo Lambrou, who although New York-based has his roots firmly embedded in Southern Africa.

Angelo is of Greek/Cypriot heritage but was born in Zimbabwe, grew up in Botswana and was educated in South Africa and Cyprus eventually studying at Leggatts Academy in Johannesburg and then went on to advanced study at Central Saint Martins in London. Upon graduation Angelo returned to Botswana and began training local women in the sewing skills for bespoke eveningwear and having dressed some of Botswana’s most prominent women Angelo opened several boutiques and a has showrooms both there and in South Africa. As his label grew locally Angelo was asked to design gowns for the Miss Botswana Pageant 1999 winner, this was won by Mpule Kwelagobe, who went on to win Miss Universe 1999, wearing an Angelo Lambrou gown. This was then followed by a request from the Miss Universe organisation to design the clothes for the Miss Universe 2000 opening number held in Cyprus and this success led to the opening of his Atelier and Showroom in New York.

Angelo defines himself as an artist influenced by the old world skills of haute couture. Luxuriously, sensuous fabrics like silk charmeuse envelop the body in dreamy creations that feature hand sewn detailing like beads and Swarovski crystals; delicate, angel-hair thin shoulder straps. Silhouettes are feminine, elegant and sexy without being overdone. If colour is more your thing then Angelo has some equally stunning bridal and eveningwear designs in an exquisite array of colours for maximum impact.

...have something more specific in mind? Then contact Angelo for a custom creation.


Additional information sourced from:
http://luxuryexperience.com/fashion_scene/fashion_scene/angelo_lambrou.html

FitFlop/NET-A-PORTER
Not being sporty, I do however like to walk whenever possible and the warmer weather brings with it more chances to get out and about and hopefully get fit in the process. FitFlop with its unique Microwobbleboard™ midsole technology offers busy women a way to squeeze a bit of exercise into their day whilst going about their daily lives; and have proved very popular. In conjunction with NET-A-PORTER and Wola Nani cooperative, launching today is a limited edition FitFlop called the Manyano Sandal. Exclusively available on NET-A-PORTER the Manyano Sandal is handcrafted in luxurious leather and features elegant traditional hand beading by the women of Wola Nani. Wola Nani is a non-profit organisation based in Cape Town, South Africa that is dedicated to helping communities hardest hit by HIV. 100% of the net profit sale from each Manyano Sandal will be donated to Wola Nani.

Shea Radiance
I like the look of these little tubs of Shea Butter from Shea Radiance, they remind me of ice-cream tubs and with names like Chocolate Truffle, Sweet Vanilla, Rainforest Spice, Pomegranate, Coconut Cream, Citrus Blossom and Lavender Bliss sound good enough to eat.

Shea Radiance is a family owned manufacturer, founded by Funlayo Alabi and her husband Shola Alabi who started making natural skincare products from unrefined shea butter in response to the specific health needs of their young children. Aromatherapy and botanical extracts are blended with the shea butter to make up moisturising and healing body and bath balms. Based in Maryland, US the company is deeply rooted in West Africa working in partnership with local shea butter producing communities to help provide a sustainable living. In cooperation with the German Technical Cooperation, Shea Radiance has established a shea butter production venture in northern Nigeria.

Products to pamper your skin include luxuriously whipped body butters, creamy sugar scrubs and heavenly scented soaps that all come blended with essential oils to moisturise and nourish your skin. The new, tub packaging (see first image) is biodegradable; containing no plastic, metal or glass and is a custom printed EcoPak made from 80% post-consumer pulp, complementing the natural sustainable nature of the product it holds.

...good for you skin and good for the environment.

Additional Details:
Prices on the website range from: USD$4.95 -USD$85
For further information and to find a stockist visit: www.shearadiance.com
To purchase online visit: www.shearadiance.com/store

Woza Moya Dreams for Africa
‘The Most Beautiful Object in South Africa’ (MBOISA) is a feature of the annual Design Indaba Conference and Expo held in Cape Town, South Africa. This year ten beautiful objects were selected by top magazine editors and then displayed in the Design Indaba arena where visitors to the Expo could view them and vote for their favourite. The winning entry was a rather special chair called ‘Woza Moya Dreams for Africa Chair’; a chair intended to create a legacy of hope.

Woza Moya is an income-generating project of the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust based in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The project acts as an agent for over 200 crafters, helping those in need regain hope and dignity by using their creativity to earn an income. Despite its success at winning the MBOISA title, the inspiration behind the chair is a heartbreaking one. When conducting a group exercise it was found that the patients and crafters at the centre had stopped dreaming for he future; all the individual challenges being faced in their personal lives and simply trying to make it through one day at a time had taken its toll, casting all dreams aside in the face of the basic need for survival. To encourage powerful thoughts for the future and to help restore hope, ‘Dreams for Africa’ will run as a series of art pieces. 

Taking eight-weeks to complete the chair is made up of embroidered patches by 150 crafters, which were then sewn onto a ‘wing back’ style chair that has wings in the shape of the map of Africa protruding on either side; these wings hold Africa’s dreams. The chair will be travelling South Africa and abroad; and crafters, local leaders, members of communities and inspiring role models from all walks of life are being asked to sit in the chair and have their portrait taken. The more people that sit in the chair and talk of their dreams for the future, the more meaning it has. To dream is to be able to have hope.

...so…what are your dreams for Africa?

Kossi Aguessy
You many not be familiar with the name Kossi Aguessy, but many will be familiar with his award winning work in the form of a perfume bottle for Stella McCartney, which just so happens to be one of my favourite perfumes.

Born in Lomé, Togo to a mother of African Brazilian descent and a father of Togolese Yoruba descent; and having lived in New York City, London, Brazil, eventually settling in Paris and Rotterdam; Kossi describes himself as a “child of Africa, that pays no attention to the boundaries being then the son of a global education with deep multicultural roots” and this philosophy is reflected in his work. 

Flowing seamlessly across cultures, Kossi’s design aesthetic is inspired by antique cultures, drawing on the past to create the future and giving traditional objects a contemporary makeover if you will. I love the sleek sculptural quality but also picked up on a sense of precious fragility; so was not surprised to read that nature especially the human body is also a source of inspiration. 

As a child Kossi was forever creating things with his hands and remembers entertaining himself by reproducing the Egyptian pyramids, I guess sowing the seeds for his future career. When reading some of the interviews he has done, Kossi comes across a quite a philosophical person, with a natural curiosity for life and someone who is reflective on the things that happen to us everyday. Through collaborations with many of the world’s leading companies his work encompasses amongst other things furniture, jewellery, lighting and objects. 

One recent project, entitled Masque ZOO has seen Kossi collaborate with French lighting company Kostka to create a range of masks based on the iconic ancient African masks - designs that have stood the test of time and are still relevant today as they were in the past. Available in ten different colours, the designs are meant as an imagining of the evolution of the mask and what they would have looked like in the 21st century.


Information sourced from:
www.madblog.org
www.yatzer.com

Buf Café/ Coadeka-Bukonya/Land of a Thousand Hills
For many getting through the day without a cup of coffee can be a struggle, I don’t drink coffee – it works rather too well keeping me wide-awake for days – but I do like the rich aroma of roasted coffee beans. However, coffee is among one of the most exploitative industries in the world a focus of many fair trade initiatives towards making a positive and lasting change; especially where fair wages and export tariffs are concerned. Recognising this need for change ‘Drink Coffee. Do Good’ is the mantra for one coffee company in Georgia, USA. Called Land of a Thousand Hills the company sources their naturally grown 100% Arabica coffee beans from the fertile hills of Rwanda.

The beans come from two farming cooperatives, Buf Café and Coadeka-Bukonya. Formed in 2006 Buf Café operates from two locations in southern Rwanda and has well over 2000 members. The cooperative is owned by Epiphanie Mukashyaka, a widow who became Rwanda's first female entrepreneur after the genocide. The Coadeka-Bukonya cooperative has 110 members and was formed in 2007 and is presided over by Pastor Murindahabi Ildephonse. Bukonya is in the northern region of Rwanda and is now called Muzo, Gakenke. To ensure a superior cup of coffee, the beans are cultivated by hand and sorted five times before shipping to the US where an Artisan Roaster then roasts them in small batches for retail. Founded by Jonathan D. Golden, an ordained Anglican priest; the Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee Company has three coffee houses in Georgia, in addition to selling online. 

Not just coffee these coffee beans are seen by all those involved as a representation of reconciliation and forgiveness; helping to bring together a once divided country. Just as friends get together to share a cup of coffee, so are these coffee farming cooperatives getting together and rebuilding friendships between once bitter enemies.

As a socially minded business, Land of a Thousand Hills doesn’t just buy the beans, but has made investment into the local community through various projects. Consumers are invited to get involved in helping change lives by getting your church, school or business involved; joining the Coffee Club programme; visiting the farms in Rwanda.

…or in their words simply, ‘Drink Coffee. Do Good’