ObakkiIn a beautifully shot campaign featuring South Sudanese model Ajak Deng, the rare culture and pastoral society of South Sudan is portrayed through a sophisticated clothing collection by Obakki; a not-for-profit humanitarian organisation headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Drilling water wells in South Sudan provided the inspiration for Obakki’s Fall/Winter 2012 collection, which uses colour, pattern and texture in the clothes and fabrics as a timeline to telling the country’s dramatic journey to independence. The story begins with the tension and unrest, seen in flashes of bold crimson and dark shadows, running through clashing, fractured patterns; then moving on to the possibility and hope of a new nation, the uncertainty experienced is depicted in a softer muted palette and blurred lines that are starkly contrasted with bolder black and white hues; and finally as a new nation emerges, joy and harmony is experienced as a hopeful people return to their homes, and so the collection is once again transformed, taking on brighter jewel-toned, celebratory colours. There is a sense of vulnerability and delicateness about the collection, which echoes the fragility of independence and the start of something new. The design immediately below is inspired by the Dinka Corset, an intricately beaded symbolic garment created by the Dinka tribe and traditionally worn by unmarried men and women. For further information about the Dinka Corset I covered it in more detail in a previous feature, which can be read here. Using fashion as a fundraising vehicle, Obakki looks to inspire and engage the modern consumer in addressing the pressing issues that affect the world, and by shopping Obakki’s collections customers are supporting the company’s water and humanitarian efforts in South Sudan and beyond. Obakki gives 100% of its net profits and all public donations to projects the company operates in areas of greatest need around the world. To ensure the money goes to where it is needed Obakki has total control of their projects from planning, fundraising, execution and management in the field. Focusing on the provision of basic needs, water food, education Obakki is committed to sustainability that helps communities grow, was founded in 2005 by self-taught fashion designer and philanthropist Treana Peake, who later set-up the Obakki foundation in 2009. Since then the Obakki Foundation has worked to build fifteen schools in Cameroon, provides ongoing support to three orphanages and built over than 300 wells in South Sudan. Partnering with local communities the Obakki Foundation has a dedicated team of four on the ground carrying out the development work, and Treana visits the various projects around five times a year.
...designed for change
Joel Janse van Vuuren Looking for a way to create garments that would be creative right from the beginning of the design process, South African designer Joel Janse van Vuuren purposely chose to move away from the methods of his formal fashion design teachings, using instead the 'chaos' of randomly spilt paint on paper to influence his fashion designs, and then giving order and structure to the blots by creating fashion illustrations from the shapes revealed. This is a method he calls 'Chaos by Design'. Random and non-restrictive, Joel's method of 'Chaos by Design' was inspired by his initial research, which had led him to Rorschach's Inkblots. (Hermann Rorschach was a Swiss psychiatrist whose research and methods later led to personality analysis tools based on an unrelated technique he had developed using inkblots). Based in Johannesburg, Joel comes from a creative family; and prior to launching his own label worked with some of South Africa's leading designers. Using different mediums including gouache, acrylic paint and ink, Joel transformed the resulting paint-blot illustrations into the designs for his collections which feature highly colourful and free-flowing garments, as vivid colours bleed into each other across sensual floaty silhouettes.
[Image credits: Joel Janse van Vuuren, clockwise from top left, Autumn/Winter 2012; bottom right, Spring/Summer 2011 - SDR Photo] Now onto his third collection, I must say his latest Spring/Summer 2012 has not grabbed me as much as the previous ones, which I fell for as soon as I saw them. I adore bright jewel-toned colours and there are some gorgeous eye-catching gowns to be had. Joel has also used his 'Chaos by Design' technique to create more casual daywear styles like the cute billowing tunic-style dress below. Offering a bespoke design service, Joel's design services include wedding dresses.
Gentlemen of Bacongo Everytime the ' Gentlemen of Bacongo' photographic exhibition came to London, I always managed to miss it, so whilst I was in Dakar I finally got to see some images from book; on display as part of a wider exhibition on contemporary African photography entitled 'Africa See You See Me', that was being held at the Goethe Institute, during the Dak'art 2012 Biennale. Since its release in 2009, the book and accompanying exhibition has delighted and captivated audiences across the world, taking them on a fashionable journey through the streets of Bacongo, Brazzville courtesy of the unique and immaculately dressed Sapeur's, whose colourful and flamboyant yet elegantly stylish dress sense has spread beyond the borders of Bacongo to other local and international areas that include Kinshasa, London, Paris and Brussels. To say the Sapeurs are passionate about clothing would be an understatement; belonging to their exclusive club, La SAPE, 'Le Societe des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Elegantes'; comes at a hefty price, with discerning fashion houses including Armani, Yves Saint Laurent and Jean Paul Gaultier being the suits of choice, reputations are said to be staked on designer brand labels, imitations just won't do, and that includes the accessories. Once dressed in their finery informal contests are held as the Sapeurs of Brazzaville go head to head in a bid to 'out 'Sap' each other!'.
The images in the 'Gentlemen of Bacongo', were snapped by Italian freelance photographer Daniele Tamagni, who first came across the Sapeur's style in 2007 when he visited Brazzaville; returning a year later to gather the images for the book. Of the Sapeurs' Daniele says, '...they are masters of style, they create their own style...' ...dedicated to the men in our lives as we celebrate Father's Day this weekend...however fashionable they are, or not as the case may be!
José Hendo An ancient craft performed by the Baganda people of the Buganda Kingdom in South Uganda Bark cloth is a unique material, made from beaten tree bark in a centuries old technique, and is considered to be the oldest manmade fabric resulting in it being declared a World Heritage Material in 2005. Bark cloth is the fabric of choice for Ugandan fashion designer José Hendo whose award-winning collection entitled Resonance was made entirely of the material. In a deep hued colour palette, the Resonance collection is quite futuristic, and features strong sculpted forms rather like Japanese origami, apt given the material used, and Jose has drawn inspiration from Japanese cutting and tailoring techniques. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is José's mantra, inspired by a return to University which saw her learn about about the life-cycle of a garment, from growing the crop to landfill and recycling. Designing with an increased awareness of the impact the fashion industry has on the environment, José aims to challenge fashion's throwaway culture, through her choice of materials, clever cutting and simplified production processes utilised within her London-based studio. Combining design with sustainability, José's collections are based on the use of eco-fabrics like organic bark cloth, cotton, raw and untreated and recycled fabrics and used garments reworked into unique one-off pieces. Customers can also bring their own garments to José to be reworked.
An active member of her community Jose runs free workshops educating attendees on the need for sustainability in fashion; and also hires apprentices and offers work experience within her studio. Each José Hendo sale sees a percentage given back to charity.
Mimi Plange Spring has sprung; record-breaking temperatures and the clocks going forward over the weekend, got me thinking its high time I dusted of my strappy sandals, as well as dreaming of adding a few more to the collection. Being able to create that perfect pair of shoes to accessories that perfect outfit is I suspect a dream for many a budding fashion designer; and is one that was realised by fashion designer Mimi Plange, who partnered with legendary footwear designer Manolo Blahnik to create two pairs of custom-designed shoes to accessories her Spring/Summer 2012 collection. Inspired by the Himba and Herero women of Namibia; their distinctive traditional adornment combined with the colourful and flowing Victorian style dresses; and an English floral print (circa 1757), the collection entitled 'A Flower in a Desert' features a leather tasselled sandal which pays homage to the Himba women, and an open-toed intricately beaded and embroidered floral bootie which pays homage to the Herero women's modern take on Victoriana. Both styles echo the pastel colours of the main collection which accentuates bold floral prints across beautifully tailored dresses, blouses and cropped trousers. The collaboration has continued onto Mimi Plange's Autumn/Winter 2012 collection, entitled Labyrinth which was inspired by Nordic Forests and is laden with luxury textures. The collection features two round- toed stiletto shoe styles with ankle strap detailing.
Born in Ghana and raised in Southern California, designer Mimi Plange later moved to New York City to pursue her fashion dreams. Starting out as Boudoir D'huitres in 2008 creating American sportswear with Victorian and African historical fashion influences, the brand has since evolved into an eponymous luxury womenswear label, dedicated to exceptional quality, craftsmanship and exclusivity. Mimi Plange is about the experience, taking her customers on a journey into her inspirations and imagination, through designs that are modern and sophisticated, using strong lines and symmetry to illustrate the shapes of the body.
Additional information sourced from:
www.vogue.com
www.vogue.it
Additional details:
For further information about Mimi Plange visit: http://mimiplange.com
For footwear enquires visit Manolo Blahnik: www.manoloblahnik.com
Jewel by Lisa What an unexpectedly warm and gorgeous spring day we are having here in London; given the fact that we are still meant to be in the midst of winter! It has me daydreaming of pretty summer dresses amongst other things, and Jewel by Lisa's Spring Summer 2012 Collection entitled 'Vintage Love' has some gorgeous ones for stylish sunny days ahead (one hope's give last year's disappointing summer!). Taking retro inspiration from 1950's and 60's Nigeria the collection sees beautifully contrasting; bold, colourful graphic prints and textures translated into easy-to-wear yet very stylish dresses and separates. Perfect for any occasion, the collection is a slight departure from the use of Ankara fabrics a signature look which has defined previous collections. One of Africa's leading luxury fashion brands, Jewel by Lisa was founded in 2005 by Lisa Folawiyo, a fashion lover whose sophisticated and glamourous style sees crystals, beads, sequins and other trimmings meticulously hand sewn onto Ankara fabrics, that are combined with linen, Chantilly lace, silk, taffeta, cotton and chiffon to create unique and sought after collections. Jewel by Lisa's creations are all handcrafted and individually embellished, a process that can take about 120 hours, giving an insight into just how much work goes into the creation of a garment. Carrying the signature embellishment and Ankara prints, Lisa also established a diffusion line, The J label which is a girly, youthful brand embracing life's pleasures and the joys of dressing up. In addition to this Jewel by Lisa has also expanded to include bejewelled accessories and home furnishings ranges.
[Image credits: Vintage Love Spring/Summer 2012; top, via Fab Magazine; bottom Jewel by Lisa] ...gorgeous summer style
Additional details:
For further information about Jewel by Lisa and to find stockists visit: www.jewelbylisa.com.ng
Madagascan Silk I wouldn't call this a daydream, just something I found quite fascinating if not a little weird... If the thought of hundreds of spiders crawling about creeps you out, what more wearing a garment spun from their silk. I came across several web articles trending the very thing a few days back but paid them no mind beyond a quick note of the headlines until, by coincidence a search for ' Madagascan Silk' brought them up again causing me to read on in depth. The week of Monday 23rd January saw a cape hand woven from the silk of more than a million spiders go on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, along with a four metre long piece of woven brocaded fabric. [Image credits: Golden Spider Silk Cape - top, Victoria and Albert Museum; bottom, Getty Images via Daily Mail] When I look at the garment I am amazed at how heavy it looks given how fine spider webs are in general. It took around eight years to develop and construct the items which are made from the silk of 1.2 million female Golden Orb Weaver Spiders, a species native to the mountains Madagascar. The golden yellow colour comes from the natural colour of the silk itself, and a closer look at the intricate embroidery detailing reveals images of the spiders. The fabrics were made by artist Simon Peers, an Englishman living in Madagascar and fashion designer Nicholas Godley, an American who also lives on the island. The technique of extracting the silk used a revived process dating back more than a century ago, and is one that sees the spiders being collected from their webs every morning by trained handlers, who then use a hand powered machine to extract the silk from them by pulling the strands of the spiders multiple spinnerets; that's got to be fiddly if not painful, however the spiders are said to be returned to the wild at the end of each day unharmed. The items are the only known large textiles to be made of spider silk, the last known attempts to weave with spider silk were in 1900 for a Parisian exhibition, but no samples remain. First exhibited in 2009 at the Natural History Museum in New York, where it broke visitor number records for a single exhibit, the Cape is now on display in the V&A's Studio Gallery until 5 June 2012.
...fascinating...
Additional details:
To read an article on the display visit: www.independent.co.uk; and
www.dailymail.co.uk
Lauren Pierce AtelierI love wrap dresses, so easy to wear and creating a flattering silhouette for most figures, so was instantly taken with these stunning ones I found on L-attitude, a one-stop online boutique for chic global fashion and accessories. The dresses are from the US-based fashion label Lauren Pierce Atelier which was relaunched in September 2008 by designer and social entrepreneur Lauren Bush, whose goal was to create a label that would be more meaningful than just being about pretty clothes and was the reason for choosing her middle name in a bid to draw attention away from her famous family name and place it squarely on the causes supported. 10% of each seasons profits go to a cause that directly affects women in the country from which the materials used have been sourced from. The collection is made using 100% silk fabrics that are hand dyed by women in the Democratic Republic of Congo; the result of a partnership with Women for Women International, an organisation that helps women survivors of war rebuild their lives. Women for Women International currently runs a diverse range of programmes in places such a Nigeria, Kosovo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Iraq and Afghanistan. The Women for Women's programmes in the Democratic Republic of Congo includes the skill of tie and dyeing fabrics to stunning effect and these are the fabric used in the Lauren Pierce Atelier collection. The nature of the dyeing process means that every dress produced is one-of-a-kind, from the exquisite patterns to the vibrant colours complementing the classic designs. ...dresses to take you from office to cocktails, effortlessly Additional details:
Silk wrap dresses priced at: USD$690
For further information about Lauren Pierce Atelier visit: www.lauren-pierce.com
To purchase visit: www.shoplatitude.com
To find out more about Women for Women International visit: www.womenforwomen.org
Tiffany Amber Shimmer and shine your way through the festive season with this gorgeous dress from Tiffany Amber, currently available on fashion boutique My Asho. Letting fluid silk fabric drape sensually round the body, gathering into an elegant twist at the front and available in a range of stunning jewel tones, just in time for all those New Year parties, the Lily Twist dress defines effortless elegance and reminds me of a very sophisticated take on the traditional African practice of wrapping a piece of fabric round the body and knotting at the waist.
...I'll have one in every colour!
Additional details:
Lily Twist dress available on MyAsho priced at: £245
To for further information and to purchase visit: www.myasho.com
Vlisco Having struggled with it in the beginning I soon grew to love the life drawing classes that were a fundamental part of my design course; and began increasingly looking forward to a whole day of losing myself in interpreting the contours and shadows of the model's body onto paper. Starting out shading with pencils, pastels quickly became my medium of choice, rendering the figure in simple black lines and then going 'crazy' with the bright colours to pick out the pattern and texture in clothing and accessories, this gave my work the feeling of a layered effect. I haven't done an observation drawing in ages, and keep promising myself I'll take up some life drawing classes soon, but its finding the time, which when it comes down to it is partly an excuse as it has been way too long since I picked up a pencil or pastel to simply draw and I know I would have to learn the skill all over again, because although I had the basic skills, figure drawing didn't come as naturally to me as it does to some requiring some serious concentration...one of these days though... I couldn't, however help being transported back to my art college days when I saw the latest campaign from Dutch textile company, Vlisco that features illustrations of an elegant, graceful African woman rendered in what looks like pencil or charcoal and then layered with the vibrant Dutch wax cloth prints that Vlisco is renowned for. Entitled 'Delicate Shades' the campaign is a collaboration with fashion illustrator, Sabine Pieper and advertises Vlisco's latest fabric collection; one which places a even greater focus on the design aspect and drawing techniques that come into play when devising the company’s fabric collections. Vlisco’s designers looked at ways to create two designs in one and the resulting multiple layers of the patterns give the designs a three dimensional quality and a different appearance when viewed from different angles, and when offset against the figure in the illustrations give depth suggesting free flowing movement. The fabrics also display a transparency effect that is enhanced by Vlisco's signature vibrant complementary colours. I love the depth and life the fabrics bring to the illustrations; just think how gorgeous they would look framed and hung in an ultra feminine bedroom, dressing room or in a studio for inspiration. Taking your cue and using this as inspiration you could create your own using colours that appeal to you and your mood… And not just for creating stylish clothing collections, the fabrics would also make for some stunning interior furnishings, think elegantly upholstered patio furniture in the bright geometric honeycomb patterns or giving a new lease of life to the tired seating of your favourite dining room or lounge chairs.
Producing fabrics since 1846 and catering to markets predominately in West and Central Africa, when it comes to pushing the envelop on defining African elegance Vlisco has positioned itself as one of the forerunners, giving a firm African favourite; Dutch Wax cloth, sultry and seductive makeovers with each collection released. Creating fabrics and imagery that depict the elegant, glamorous side of Africa Vlisco’s collections are a visual feast showcasing the possibilities of wax cloth, working to entice a new generation of the modern African woman and beyond. Tapping into the must-have feeling it makes you want to go off and create your own wardrobe of showstopping ensembles and in anticipating this desire a new themed collection, inspired by international trends is launched every quarter catering to a sophisticated and loyal clientele (of mainly women) who constantly seek ‘something a little bit different’ with each new design without compromising on quality.
In addition to its headquarters in The Netherlands, there are five Vlisco's boutiques in Africa: Benin, Togo, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
...imaginative, colourful and captivating; a reflection of the growing recognition of just how glamorous, sophisticated and luxurious African style and creativity can be
Additional details:
For further information about Vlisco and to purchase fabrics visit: www.vlisco.com
Read the interview with Sabine Pieper at: www.vlisco.com
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