On a bright and chilly Saturday morning in Paris, the fashion designer Kate Mack hastily crosses the lobby of The Hoxton. The ceiling is high and the lighting is dim. As she navigates her way around the antique furniture, I see that she is dressed in a simple yet stylish manner. Wearing full-black loose clothes,Continue reading “Becoming Kate Mack”
Category Archives: Style
Why Studio 189’s fashions never disappoint
The Studio 189 fashion show at Spring Studios in the TriBeCa neighborhood of Manhattan was another African celebration of the twin spirits of happiness and elation. As the city of Accra was used as a metaphor for exhilaration, the audience was drawn in—chanting and dancing—as a willing participant in this capsule of joy. Once again,Continue reading “Why Studio 189’s fashions never disappoint”
Free-spirited designer Anne-Lise Fotso has launched a supercool collection
Artesan is a new line of jackets and accessories designed by Anne-Lise Fotso, a TRUE Africa favorite. Fotso has created sustainable statement pieces that are inspired by reclaimed army and workwear. The shine is in the quality African beadwork. Inspired by the Grassland culture, all of the military jackets are hand embroidered with glass beads.Continue reading “Free-spirited designer Anne-Lise Fotso has launched a supercool collection”
How to Give Back while Looking Fly
The success of Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty brand, which led to the singer’s recent deal for a luxury fashion label to be launched with fashion conglomerate LVMH, confirmed the market power of black women and, beyond that specific demographic, the need for more diversity in the global beauty industry. BLK/OPL is another brand focusing on beautyContinue reading “How to Give Back while Looking Fly”
Why the fall 2019 show signaled a new level of consciousness for Studio 189
We brought Africa here to you. We hope you come back to Africa with us. Six years after the launch of their fashion business, and a day after Alicia Keys, Cardi B and Michelle Obama heralded female creatives at the Grammys in Los Angeles, co-founders Rosario Dawson and Abrima Erwiah raised the stakes in NewContinue reading “Why the fall 2019 show signaled a new level of consciousness for Studio 189”
I use writing to unpack identity
Ina’Xaashi (pronounced ina-haa-shi) is a new fashion and writing project exploring cultural belonging for Somali diaspora which is rooted in the relationship between my East African heritage and British experiences. It began with an interest in developing outfits that reflect London’s diverse cultural influences, mine being that of a Somali Londoner. This led me to experiment with contemporary waysContinue reading “I use writing to unpack identity”
Why Priscilla Debar’s Faubourg women’s wear line feels like a second skin
Faubourg [pronounced fo-boor] is a lifestyle destination for the modern, conscious woman seeking to own her sense of self through her personal style. Founder Priscilla Debar, raised in Paris within her Togolese family, compares mass-produced clothing to over processed food – it may work in the short-term but the long-term effects are disastrous. Faubourg isContinue reading “Why Priscilla Debar’s Faubourg women’s wear line feels like a second skin”
Behind the scenes of Studio 189’s new collaboration with Uproot Andy
At TRUE Africa, one of our favourite fashion brands is—and has been—Studio 189, which was started by the American actress Rosario Dawson and her Ghanaian friend Abrima Erwiah way back in 2013. Tomorrow in New York City, they will be launching a collaboration with Uproot Andy, a socially minded DJ/producer rooted in promoting sounds fromContinue reading “Behind the scenes of Studio 189’s new collaboration with Uproot Andy”
This is the first black woman in a hijab to cover Vogue
When Vogue Arabia featured Gigi Hadid in a hijab that barely covered anything, eyebrows were raised. But the team has upped its game and has put Somali-American Halima Aden on the cover of this issue. https://www.instagram.com/p/BUwJ8dHBNef/?taken-by=voguearabia She’s used to being the first person do things: she was the first woman to compete in a Miss USAContinue reading “This is the first black woman in a hijab to cover Vogue”