Tag: Fashion

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The Independent names 50 best African artists

K'NaanThis is an excellent article from today’s Independent newspaper. As part of the World AIDS day Product (RED) issue, the article emphasizes the importance of African cultural expression.

“African leaders need to be more conscious of the role that culture can play, particularly economically. Many Western economies – such as Britain – have benefited hugely from the showbusiness and music sector. It generates huge amounts of money and provides significant opportunities to work. Everyone in Africa – whether a politician, musician or businessman or woman – needs to appreciate the role that culture can play in our development.”

The full list is below and the full article is here

The 50 greatest cultural figures shaping a continent
• Oga Steve Abah, Playwright (Nigeria)
• Chinua Achebe, Author (Nigeria)
• David Adjaye, Architect (Tanzania)
• Newton Aduaka, Film Director (Nigeria)
• Mahmoud Ahmed, Musician (Ethiopia)
• Ama Ata Aidoo, Playwright (Ghana)
• Amadou And Mariam, Musicians (Mali)
• Ayi Kwei Armah, Author (Ghana)
• Les Ballets Africains, Dancers And Musicians (Guinea)
• Biyi Bandele, Author (Nigeria)
• Sokari Douglas Camp, Artist (Nigeria)
• Boyzie Cekwana, Choreographer And Dancer (South Africa)
• Souleymane Cisse, Film Director (Mali)
• Lueen Conning, Playwright (South Africa)
• Tsitsi Dangarembga, Author (Zimbabwe)
• Toumani Diabate, Musician (Mali)
• Dilomprizulike, Artist (Nigeria)
• Cesaria Evora, Singer (Cape Verde)
• Samuel Fosso, Photographer (Cameroon)
• Flora Gomes, Film Director (Guinea-Bissau)
• Pierre Atepa Goudiaby, Architect (Senegal)
• Mahamat Saleh Haroun, Film Director (Chad)
• Delia Jarrett-Macauley, Author (Sierra Leone)
• Salif Keita, Musician (Mali)
• Khaled, Musician (Algeria)
• Abdoulaye Konate, Artist (Mali)
• Konono No 1, Musicians (Congo)
• Femi Kuti, Musician (Nigeria)
• Faustin Linyekula, Choreographer And Dancer (Congo)
• Vincent Mantsoe, Choreographer And Dancer (South Africa)
• Zola Maseko, Film Director (South Africa)
• Souad Massi, Singer (Algeria)
• Youssou N’dour, Musician (Senegal)
• Kettly Noel, Choreographer And Dancer (Haiti/Mali)
• Idrissa Ouedraogo, Film-Maker (Upper Volta/Burkina Faso
• Tracey Rose, Artist (South Africa)
• Ibrahim El Salahi, Artist (Sudan)
• Ousmane Sembene, Film-Maker (Senegal)
• Abderrahmane Sissako, Film Director (Mauritania/Mali)
• Wole Soyinka, Dramatist, Novelist, Poet (Nigeria)
• Rachid Taha, Musician (Algeria)
• Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, Author (Kenya)
• Tinariwen, Musicians (Mali)
• Rokia Traore, Musician (Mali)
• Binyavanga Wainana, Author (Kenya)
• Zola, Musician (South Africa)
• Athol Fugard, Playwright (South Africa)
• K’naan, Rapper (Somalia)
• Oumou Sy, Fashion Designer (Senegal)

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Making charity count in Africa

Iman & Alicia Keys at Keep a Child Alive's Black BallTo give or not to give. That’s the question on everyone’s mind this holiday season. With the rise of media and celebrity interest in Africa this is the perfect time to answer that question. There are endless ways to put your money where your mouth (and hopefully your heart) is. From the RED campaign to the Bling is Dead project, and Keep a Child Alive’s “I am African” campaign there are endless ways to lend your support to organizations who are working to help African people. Whatever you think Africa’s major problem is there’s an organization that can point you to a place your holiday dollars can go to help.

With its multitude of problems there are more that enough issues to make African charity work a full time job. But as Jonathan at Cherryflava indicates the focus should be on wealth and opportunity, not just charity. One thing I give Bono credit for is finding creative ways to create a process where the money given makes it’s way to concrete empowerment projects. The way out of poverty is through opportunity not charity. For years and years the missing link in the “Help Africa” campaign has been in the regulation of where the money is going and how it is used. Finally the mentality is changing and consumers are not content to just give blindly anymore.

One thing I’ve learned from the blood diamonds controversy is the need to regulate how much African resources are exported. Implementing a production process which allows more of the profits to stay within the individual countries is a certain first step. There needs to be just as many organizations regulating the different industries as there are in making sure money is funneled to the continent. At this point even Africans have said that aid is not the answer. As the old saying goes, “Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he’ll eat forever.”
Leonardo DiCaprio in Africa

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Armani’s RED makes Kate Moss black for your green

Kate Moss - The Independent RED cover by Giorgio ArmaniLast thursday, Giorgio Armani edited the british newspaper The Independent as part of his involvement with Project RED. As the second issue in the RED series – the first was edited by Bono- the newspaper took a look at issues which are of concern to those seeking to help Africa. While the newspaper had some good articles about “Africa’s gifts to the world” from art to science, celebrity weigh-ins on Africa’s problems, and African Women’s rights, those were all overshadowed by the cover picture of a black-faced Kate Moss. Major backlash ensued at yet another attempt to connect Africans to white celebrities and in this case the fashion world. You would think that after the backlash over the Gwyneth Paltrow “I am African” ad Mr. Armani would have paid special care to provide a better context for the image and not just rely on the resurrected supermodel’s notoriety.

A major part of the failure of such campaigns is the media not realizing that today’s consumer has become smarter and is exposed to a lot more global messages than before. It’s true that we’re still enamored with celebrity and for the most part are still sleep when it comes to politics, but with advertising, even the sheep think of themselves as wolves. The images and associations don’t carry the same weight they used to because they have not been defined in the new society. With reality TV and the internet we are more independent in our information gathering. Today’s consumer is exposed to a lot more, and has new points of references. As Julie of Coutorture proved in her attempts at covering New York Fashion Week, the old media is out of touch with the rise and needs of the new breed of consumers and they prove this constantly with images such as the one on The Independent. While many charities are seeking to involve the public in their causes they are still employing the old media communicate with a new consumer who rebels against it. Some would say that the controversy from both the Kate Moss and Gwyneth Paltrow images helped to bring attention to the causes, but I would argue that most people could not tell you what issues those images were trying to bring to light. The old media has not done it’s homework on what Africa means to the new consumers. And like a parent, the old media’s message gets lost in it’s arrogance.

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The Gap gets RED for the holidays

Gap REDThis winter The Gap will join American Express, Motorolla, Converse and others in support of PRODUCT (RED) and expand its RED product line. 50% of all profits from the sales of (RED) items will be given to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. PRODUCT (RED) is one of my favorite initiatives from Bono.

Gap’s PRODUCT (RED) for Holiday 2006 includes tees, hoodies in cotton and in cashmere, jackets, jeans, bags, belts, caps, scarves, a bracelet, candle and Individuals, a book of celebrity portraits taken over the years by Gap (100% of sales from the book will be donated to the Global Fund). Prices will range from $10 to $350. Some PRODUCT (RED) tees are currently available in the U.K. The full line will be carried in flagship/key stores in the U.S. and U.K. starting in October (limited items in other stores), and will also be available online.”
— Cool Hunting

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Senator Obama fashionable on Vogue cover

Senator Barak Obama on Men's VogueOprah Winfrey’s favorite politician,U.S. senator Barak Obama, is the new fashionable public figure to grace the cover of Men’s Vogue. Following previous cover stars, Tiger Woods and George Clooney, Senator Obama, whose name means ‘blessed’ in Swahili, at first thought seems an unlikely candidate for the cover of a fashion magazine. Since he was elected to the U.S. Senate from Illinois on Nov. 2, 2004 in the biggest landslide in state history and became the only African-American currently serving in the U.S. Senate, the fifth in U.S. history, Obama has continued to charm the American public. Senator Obama is currently using his star power to draw attention to Africa’s needs, on a 5-nation tour this week. He touched down in his fathers home, Kenya, yesterday, where he is seen as an inspiration for all Kenyans. Having visited Kenya a few years ago, Senator Obama, rediscovered his roots and made a commitment to the country. With others talking of him running for the U.S. presidency, Seneator Obama is certainly the right candidate to put Africa in the spotlight. To learn more about the Barak Obama’s connection with Africa, read his book, Dreams From My Father.

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Namibian Venantia Otto wins Face of Africa 2006

Vanentia- Winner, Face of Africa 2006Venantia Otto was announced as the winner of the the 2006 Nokia Face of Africa competition. The Namibian-born Venantia beat out the other 10 finalists from all over Africa and was announced as the winner of the US$150,000 prize modeling contract courtesy Elite Model Management – which has represented models such as Cindy Crawford, Tyra Banks, Iman, and Naomi Campbell. Venantia hopes to take New York by storm when she begins her tenure with one of the world’s biggest and boldest agencies. The Nokia Face of Africa 2006 Final was broadcast to over 40 African countries.

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Gwyneth Paltrow declares “I am African like David Bowie”.

Gwyneth Paltrow As I was perusing the new Fashion Rocks Magazine during my lunch the other day. I stumbled upon this ad of Gwyneth Paltrow, actress/wife of Bono’s humanitarian heir Chris Martin. I must say I was quite shocked. I still haven’t decided if it was a good or bad shock but a shock nevertheless. As someone who actually is African, I am excited to see Alicia Keys’ Keep A Child Alive organization doing whatever it takes to push the envelope and make people realize the seriousness of the African AIDS epidemic. On the other hand I get the feeling there is the usual subconscious pandering which comes from many “humanitarians” who see themselves as saviors of poor helpless Africans. On the previous page of the magazine is a similar ad with David Bowie which seems to be less offensive on sight. The mixed feelings which the Gwyneth Paltrow ad is sure to get will no doubt come because she has been quite private causing the media to create an image of her as an All-American girl to satisfy the public’s need for more information. Paired with her marriage to Chris Martin of Cold Play, her public image becomes even more confusing. While Ms Paltrow might genuinely have a humanitarian streak the ad ends up getting the wrong reactions by the confused American public. We all know David Bowie to be a cause conscious celebrity and the fact that he is married to another humanitarian , supermodel Iman, solidifies his African-ness in our eyes. This should be a lesson to Gwyneth Paltrow and all other celebrities who want to keep their private lives private. You can’t rely on your celebrity to validate your cause if we don’t know who you really are. Thanks for trying though.

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Diamonds are not Africa’s best friend

Kareem_Edouard_Bling: Consequences and RepercussionsFor the past year and a half the issue effort to stop the trade of conflict or blood diamonds has been kicked into overdrive. With mounting pressure from the UN and many humanitarian organizations especially Amnesty International, diamond manufacturers and retailers have been under severe pressure to clean up their act. Having lived off the sweat and blood of exploited miners for years, the issue was recently exposed when hip-hop artist Kanye West released “Diamonds from Sierra Leone” from his album Late Registration. With an intro from Sierra Leonean hip hop artist Chosan, the video was a powerful one which used images such as a woman’s hand turning to blood when her suitor placed an engagement ring on it.

With many grassroots organizations doing their part to force diamond manufacturers to stop making a profit off of wars in places like Sierra Leone and Liberia, the controversy is about to be thrust into the spotlight yet again with the December release of Warner Bros.’ “The Blood Diamond” starring Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic, The Aviator) and Djimon Hounsou (Amistad, The Island). While films such as Kareem Edouard’s Bling: Consequences and Repercussions do a good job on highlighting the diamond manufacturers’ reliance on consumer ignorance, “The Blood Diamond” is a fictional Hollywood-style movie which could either help or hurt the international effort to make DeBeers and others accountable. All reports, though, point to the movie glossing over the issue altogether. We’ll see in December.

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Alek Wek – from supermodel to fashion designer

Alek Wek 1933Since 2002 Sudanese supermodel Alek Wek has been steadily transforming her modeling career to one as a top handbag designer. Back in 2001 Alek’s jet-setting lifestyle gave her an idea to use her love for design (she was studying fashion technology and business at the prestigious London College of Fashion before becoming a model) to develop a line of fashionable handbags.

Since she was “scouted” at a London market in 1995 and scored the cover of American Elle’s November 1997 issue, Alek has become a trendsetter in the modeling business; she’s been named Model of the Decade by i-D magazine, was picked as one of People magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People and has worked with some of the most influential photographers of our time including Steven Meisel, Mario Testino, Annie Leibowitz, Nick Knight and the late Herb Ritts.

Everyone knows the modeling business is a cutthroat one and careers are often short. Even though Ms. Wek continues to be at the top of her modeling game, it’s her talent as a designer which is beginning to re-define her success and reposition her in the fashion world for the long term. . Called Wek 1933 (the 1933 is a reference to the day her father was born) the collection of fashionable bags has been featured in numerous magazines and even earned a spot at the Spring 2005 Olympus Fashion Week accessories exhibit . Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld paid her the ultimate compliment by pronouncing the début spring 2002 collection ‘chic’ and backed up the statement by purchasing pieces for his Paris gallery. Wek 1933 bag prices range from $325 to $5,500 and are available at high end stores such as Barney’s and Maxfield and online at Fragments.