Wednesday 27 July 2011

Some more of my favourite African artists (past and present)…..enjoy


Fally Ipupa feat krys -Congo DRC


Hot music!!!!!!
‘Aicha’ by Cheb Khaled (Algeria)



Still beautiful after all this time…


Menie by Okomfu Kwadee -Ghana



What’s not to love, simply the best x


The great Koffi Olomide (Congo DRC)



I sometimes wonder how Koffi (Congo DRC) picks his girls ???? Xxx



‘Osokari’ by Manecas Costa -Guinea Bissau



I believe that Manecas Costa needs more recognition -he is a true ‘Great’ of African music…


‘Teacher Don't teach Me No Nonsense’ by Fela Kuti -Nigeria



One of the greatest musicians of all times, -Fela is still hot fire!



Two of Ghana’s greatest artists: King Ayisoba & Wanlov at Fasching in Stockholm

Fashion et al Hearts Esperanza Spalding









If you thought jazz bassist and singer Esperanza Spalding was all t-shirts and jeans or waistcoats -you’re mistaken. She can do sizzling 'causal' in neat shirts and trousers combo and traffic stopping va va voom in couture for the red carpet. 2011 is also proving a pretty fabulous year for the ever beautiful Esperanza Spalding. She’s not only won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist, but she is now being feted as one of the hottest and stylish people in the music industry. Plus, fashion et al is loving her natural hair. For more info about Ms Spalding visit: http://www.esperanzaspalding.com/





We are all African baby............



OKkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!!

Saturday 23 July 2011

Karl Lagerfeld 4 Macy’s





Title: Karl Lagerfeld aims to give Macy’s contemporary business a kick come fall.


The multitasking designer is the latest to design an exclusive capsule collection for the department store group, which will launch Aug. 31 in 235 of Macy’s 800-plus stores, and on macys.com.

The Karl Lagerfeld for Impulse collection will have 45 limited edition styles and an average price tag of $100, though items will range from $50 to $170, putting it within Macy’s “better” price zone. Lagerfeld’s exclusives for Macy’s will have a limited run, from six to eight weeks, depending on consumer reaction.

The Macy’s collaboration is “a kind of test how to do this kind of clothes in that price range....As you know, I love occasional co-branding,” deadpanned Lagerfeld, who ignited the masstige movement in 2004 when he partnered with fast-fashion giant H&M on a one-time collection that sold out in a flash, spurring annual designer tie-ups at H&M and copycat strategies by other low-cost players.

The prolific Lagerfeld has engaged in numerous fashion collaborations, including H&M, Diesel, Hogan and alpine specialist Napapijri, even pens and lighters for French accessories firm S.T. Dupont and tableware for Swedish crystal maker Orrefors. “It’s interesting to see and participate in the world of others in that business on all kinds of levels,” he said. (Credit: http://www.wwd.com/)
“So if you a bull-bucka, Let me tell you this, -I'm a duppy conqueror”
Bob Marley

I’ll wait for you! Should I fall behind…..will you wait for me?

Don’t put your daughter on the stage Mrs Brown….Amy Winehouse is dead…


What is this???????…….Amy Winehouse is dead -can you believe it? No, nor can I. ....I‘m guessing, fame has claimed another soul. R.I.P Amy! Gone but never forgotten ..Thanks for the music. P.ssss Why am I soooooooooo effected? No….. I will not talk about the drugs and all the other s*&% or how tragic it all seems. Her music is soooo much bigger than that!!! I just hope that all the forthcoming Walhalla, jagger, jaggerness will pass quickly -so that we can enjoy, what will now become -iconoclastic music by a late great talent etc.

More Info...
Title: BREAKING NEWS: Amy Winehouse, 27, found dead at her London flat

By: Sarah Bull

Amy Winehouse has been found dead at her home in London, it has been reported.
The Back To Black singer was apparently found at the property in by emergency services at around 3.54pm this afternoon, according to sources, and her death is being treated as 'unexplained' by police.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: 'Police were called by London Ambulance Service to an address in Camden Square NW1 shortly before 16.05hrs today, Saturday 23 July, following reports of a woman found deceased.

'On arrival officers found the body of a 27-year-old female who was pronounced dead at the scene.

'Enquiries continue into the circumstances of the death. At this early stage it is being treated as unexplained.’


It is thought her father Mitch has yet to find out about his daughter's untimely passing, as he is currently on his way to America to perform at a jazz festival.

Winehouse had been seen with her goddaughter Dionne Bromfield earlier this week as the teenager took to the stage at the iTunes festival.

She refused to join in for Mama Said, but did support the 14-year-old with a few dance moves before urging the crowd to buy Dionne's new album Good For The Soul.

A source said: 'Amy staggered onstage and grabbed the mic to beg the crowd to buy her protege’s new album.'

Winehouse's appearance at the concert came after she cancelled her European tour following a disastrous performance in June when she stumbled onto the stage in Belgrade and gave an incoherent performance appearing very disorientated and removed from reality.

Following the concert which saw fans enraged and the subsequent video that circulated to millions she cancelled the remaining dates of her European tour.

A statement released by the troubled singer's spokesperson said that the 27-year-old would be given 'as long as it takes' to recover.

The statement read: 'Amy Winehouse is withdrawing from all scheduled performances.

'Everyone involved wishes to do everything they can to help her return to her best and she will be given as long as it takes for this to happen.'

Winehouse had been working on her long-awaited new album, the follow-up to her 2006 breakthrough multi-million selling Back To Black, for the past three years.

Winehouse has had a troubled life which has included various stints in rehab for drug and alcohol addiction.

In an interview in 2008, her mother Janis said she would be unsurprised if her daughter died before her time.

She said: 'I've known for a long time that my daughter has problems. But seeing it on screen rammed it home. I realise my daughter could be dead within the year. We're watching her kill herself, slowly.

'I've already come to terms with her dead. I've steeled myself to ask her what ground she wants to be buried in, which cemetery. Because the drugs will get her if she stays on this road.

'I look at Heath Ledger and Britney. She's on their path. It's like watching a car crash - this person throwing all these gifts away.'


Thursday 21 July 2011

Hot Blog Alert: Musie



I’m loving this blog -the images and subject matter is uber inspirational. Just check out the above imagery by Dia de los Muertos, -they are driving me crazy!! Aren’t they ugly/beautiful/creepy/intriguing ? http://musie.wordpress.com

Adjoa Osei -fashion’s new darling…







“Adapt: Reshaping the way we view and wear prints. Adapt is an eight piece, limited edition capsule collection with hand woven detail. The focus of Adapt is clean lines and classic shapes with injections of print, colour and detail. As a prelude to the winter collection, Adapt explores the different ways that smart/casual wear can be enhanced by African print. Gone are the days when prints were sporadically featured in 'safari' inspired collections or dusted off for cultural celebrations. Prints defy seasonal trends, and can be dressed up or pared down. The options are infinite. Season by season, trend by trend, I invite you to join me in this creative dialogue.” Adjoa Osei


Elegant, modern and a-must, I’m loving this new eight piece, limited edition capsule collection called Adapt by Adjoa Osei. Alerted by one of London’s uber stylish, Emefa Anthony -to check out her new label crush, Adjoa Osei is now Fashion et al’s label du jour. Just feast your eye on the above pieces. The style, cut, details and colours are on-trend for A/W 2011, something that many so called African labels are not. I’m looking forward to shooting some of the pieces for Black Star magazine. For more information or to order the above pieces visit: http://www.adjoaosei.com/

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Thursday 14 July 2011

Viva…..The Republic of South Sudan: A Sovereign and Independent State on the 9th July 2011.….







"After so much struggle by the people of South Sudan, the United States of America welcomes the birth of a new nation. Today is a reminder that after the darkness of war, the light of a new dawn is possible. A proud flag flies over Juba and the map of the world has been redrawn. These symbols speak to the blood that has been spilled, the tears that have been shed, the ballots that have been cast, and the hopes that have been realized by so many millions of people. The eyes of the world are on the Republic of South Sudan. And we know that southern Sudanese have claimed their sovereignty, and shown that neither their dignity nor their dream of self-determination can be denied." President Obama


God Bless South Sudan, its people and culture. The future is sooo bright.

Ford Model Agency celebrate their ‘Models of Colour’






A big thanks to my mate Talib for the following piece by Leah Chernikoff for Fashionista website…entitled: Exclusive Sneak Peek: Ford Models New Promo Featuring Only Models of Colour…..Enjoy

Like any other company selling a product, modeling agencies put together promotional materials to showcase their goods, which happen to be beautiful people. And no one does this better and more creatively than top agency Ford, especially their fast growing plus board, Ford+ (they rep Crystal Renn, Candice Huffine and Marquita Pring to name a few). Last month Ford+ put out a “blond story” to showcase their blond plus size models. Over the weekend, they did a promotional shoot that spanned four boards–Women, Direct, Lifestyle and Ford+–featuring only models of color. Models featured ranged from size 4 to 14 and included Marquita Pring, Bre Joyner and Damaris Lewis. And our little spy at the shoot sent us a bunch of behind-the-scenes preview pix.

What do you think of the photos and the concept in general? Is it a good step towards promoting diversity on the all too-often white catwalks and magazine pages? Or is it isolating rather than integrating? Vogue Italia’s all black issue got a lot of buzz in part because it received mixed reviews. Naysayers felt it was a stunt that relegated black models to a single issue (kinda like Black History Month) rather than integrating models of color (and models off all sizes for that matter, too) throughout.

Though, this is a modeling agency promotion not a runway show or a magazine. Magazines and show bookers get their models from agencies. So it’s nice to see that Ford is promoting their models of color (though it would be nice if there were more). Now if other agencies would only follow suit–and rep more models of color.

Credit:
http://fashionista.com/2011/07/exclusive-sneak-peek-ford-models-new-promo-featuring-only-models-of-color/#

Saturday 2 July 2011

WOW …Ruth at 100 …..Clap for her….




I’ve just celebrated my blah, blah birthday and was feeling very sorry for myself until I stumbled across the neat, poised and incredibly elegant Ruth via Ari Cohen’s Advanced Style Blog -a must read and I’m totally inspired… Advanced Style Blog is a wonderful and fabulous celebration of the older fashionistas amongst us. A genuine proof that real style is innate and timeless -Cohen’s subjects are truly inspirational. You can admire the above personas and more via: http://advancedstyle.blogspot.com/


Paulina get up and go….just do it.. Xxx