Fashion's Inspiration

I know, I know, it's a bit late for a Sex and the City inspired post but this has got a little bit of a twist to it. So reading the reviews, Twitter and numerous blog posts and comments, I guess it is safe to say that quite a few people were not too keen on the scene where the Muslim women took off their burkas to reveal pieces from this years Fall collection!! While the intended message was probably along the lines of "fashion is global and touches women worldwide", it could be seen as condescending - "look at us Muslim women, we're just like you westerners underneath our burkas, we look up to you, you inspire us, yay Louis Vuitton!" However, that's not exactly the real story now is it. If you remember The Devil Wears Prada and Miranda Priestly's fantastic monologue when Andy commented on the two belts looking exactly the same: it's not blue, it's cerulean, fashion isn't just 'stuff', it inspires but most importantly of all, it is inspired. My point here is that London, New York, Paris and the designs on fashion catwalks worldwide take inspiration from the rest of the world. Case in point; Marc by Marc Jacobs' 'tribal' inspired jumpsuit:


Now all you Africans raise your hands if you remember your mother wearing a 'tribal' wrapper around the house, baby on her back optional (Michelle raises hand). Oh and who could forget, in 2007 the infamous 'Ghana Must Go' bags made their way onto the catwalk at a Louis Vuitton show.
So yes, fashion inspiration comes from all over the world but if countries in places like Africa and Asia can breed so much inspiration, why aren't their fashion industries internationally known and recognised? Lack of networks, resources, a number of reasons, some obvious, some implicit, some too deep and political to go into here but there are many people and organisations working to change the tide and invest in its development.

One of them is Nigerian UK based stylist and fashonista Arieta Mujay who is launching Fashion Camp, a week of fashion seminars for fashion savvy teenagers teenagers aged 13-18. The first of its kind in Lagos, Nigeria, FC aims to help teenagers with an interest in fashion learn and understand the ins and the outs of the industry. With the help of Biki John, another UK based Nigerian stylist and fashion writer, the week long fashion seminars will include classes on photography, styling, the art of design, fashion PR, blogging as well as visuals and graphics. Through this, FC hopes to paint a precise picture that shows how both African and contemporary fashion have evolved and what lies ahead for the future. In collaboration with Deola Sagoe, FC hopes to be the first of its kind and the beginning of a partnership that will benefit the next creative generation in Nigeria.

Fashion Camp is due to take place 2nd - 8th of August. For more information, you can contact arietafashionista@gmail.com.

Sounds like a great initiative, Good Luck!

Fashion's Inspiration

Model Search...and no I'm not Tyra

Hey

I'm am looking for models to take part in a mini documentary. It will focus on ethnic models pursuing a career in high fashion. The criteria are as follows:

Must be with an agency and attend regular castings

Must be a high fashion model

Must be of ethnic origin

Simple really.

If you are interested, please email me with your name, age, height, agency and attach a picture. Alternatively, if you know anyone that would be suitable, please forward them the details.

Thanks

mowusu_85@hotmail.com

Model Search...and no I'm not Tyra

Walk Biatches!!

With the fashion weeks taking place, London, Milan, Paris, I was sooooooooooooooooooooo happy to see new Nubian model Jourdan Dunn in the papers almost every day. She's definitly doing her thing.

How many of you were impressed by Vogue Italia doing that much talked about 'black edition'? There has been much debate: gimmick vs making a real stance? Personally I believe that anything that placed the issue of the lack of colour in the fashion industry in the mainstream arena is a good thing. It got people talking about an issue that has been glossed over for years.

But has it really changed anything....

Take Milan Fashion week, Jourdan was the ONLY black model to walk Prada! I mean, this is an Italian label. Vogue is considered to be such an important publication, you would think that some of its great influence would filter down to these prestigious fashion houses. This colourless trend was also reflected in other shows - Gucci, Fendi, Versace and Missoni - 1 model in each of those and none in Giorgio Armani.

So did Vogue Italia just rip us all off?

This whole colour thing does get to me because it seems that even though this has been an issue for a while, its like pulling teeth to get some change up in here. Also aside from Alek Wek are there any REAL black high fashion models. I mean the kind with a 'black' nose instead of a European one, natural hair instead of long straight pony hair a la Naomi. By pushing to the forefront the most European looking black models are the fashion houses just ticking the box to say "there you go, there's your black girl, now leave me alone?"

Will there ever be genuine change? Or do we just have to accept that 'high fashion' requires a certain look, as does does commercial modelling or glamour modelling. Maybe women of colour fair better in specific areas of modelling only. You'll find a nice Asian model in the Next Catalogue. Play to your strengths and be a video girl is what some might say - oooh controversial. These thoughts are not my own, just putting it out there. (Nice recovery Shants). What I do think is that things will never change until the institutional barriers are broken. When the Pradas, Versaces, Guccis are making millions doing what they do, where is the incentive to break the cycle? Do you remember when the whole size zero debate happened and they banned models under a certain BMI index.....and then forgot all about it after press coverage died a little. It is all too easy to sweep these things under the carpet so I welcome campaigns such as Black But Invisible by Mahagony Model Management who are pushing to keep the issue in the limelight. But what we need are the journalists, the casting agents, even people in corporate positions who use models as spokespeople and endorsers - here is where people can make a difference to the fashion industry as a whole.

At the moment, there is the mentality that there can only be one at a time...Tyra Banks(God bless her soul - I love Tyra) talks about how back in the day she was labelled as "the one to challenge Naomi for the supermodel crown". They never pitted her up against Cindi Crawford or Linda Evangelista. It's still still happening in 2008, there are always pictures of Jourdan up against Chanel Iman, another Nubian newcomer, its crazy, but its the way it is for now until we show them that black is not only beautiful, but its profitable too.

"Walk like you're broke and the rent is due tomorrow"
Miss Jay, ANTM

xoxo

Walk Biatches!!