BECOME A MUSE AT SAMATA'S MUSE

Samata's Muse clothing label for women was created by award winning designer Samata Angel.

The label focuses on creating stunning, unique pieces and counts Jennifer Lopez, Dawn (Dainty Kane) and Gwen Stefani as keen supporters.

Here below is an interview Samata Angel gave to Fah-schyon.
Happy Reading!

FS: What is the concept behind the Samata’s Muse brand?

SA: With Samata’s Muse I wanted to start a business that would be a tribute and inspiration to the women around me and the role models in my life who inspire me daily. I decided to design clothing for women and make the celebration of women part of my company’s ethos, ‘to create stunning, unique pieces for strong, ambitious women.’

FS: Did you always know you wanted to become a fashion designer?

SA: No, I knew I wanted to be involved in the creative industry and fashion design was something I fell into.

FS: How did you stumble upon this career then?

SA: I think I was inspired to start my label after working for a boutique in Chelsea, London. I was surrounded by beautiful clothing and thrown into the industry and the whole experience was so inspirational that I knew I wanted to do something of my own.


FS: What made you write the “Fashioning your life” books?

SA: I think I decided that I wanted to write these books because I noticed a need for a certain type of assistance for fashion designers. I wanted to share my experiences and knowledge in certain areas that my creative friends struggled with such as business plan preparation, marketing advice and trade show participation. I also wanted to just share a little bit of my story because a lot of the time I was being asked ‘What did you do? What were your experiences?’

FS: How are these books doing in the market?

SA: It is going really well, they sold out online Amazon in Canada and their success has definitely been helped by the contributions from the likes of photographer Nigel Barker (America’s Next Top Model), celebrity stylist Nick Ede (Project Catwalk ) and Jenny Holloway (Fashion Capital founder).

FS: You are constantly featured in magazines, how does this exposure affect your brand?

SA: It definitely helps you in terms or press and networking. I think that once your name starts getting out there people start coming to you too. Dawn Richards got in touch with me after seeing my label profiled on a popular website for example – that was amazing.


FS: Who would you love to dress / style?

SA: Right now Michelle Obama – she has a classic but edgy style – she is willing to take risks and looks good in everything I have seen her in so far!

FS: Where do you see the Samata Muse brand heading?

SA: I would say there is a progression happening, from menswear, accessories and developing into a lifestyle brand. There are definitely more educational projects and more creativity!


FS: If you were not a fashion designer, what else would you have loved to do?

SA: Film or TV I think, something creative and expressive. Either that or I would have set up an orphanage – I love love love kids. I sponsor a child in Haiti and I know I will do more when I am in the position to be able to.

FS: You recently launched your website, how easy was that?

SA: Very hard! It took a lot of time to get SamataAngel.com off the ground as I had so much information to collate and I just wanted to have a platform that really explained to people what I do and simplified it. The showreel took ages as there was a lot of content to gather.

FS: You won the 2008 young entrepreneur of the year award, what did that award mean to you?

SA: It was such a huge acknowledgement and so it meant a great deal to me because it was really like a pat on the back and showed industry support.


FS: Public speaking is something that you have to do when you are in the public eye, how do you cope with that?

SA: I really enjoy it now – at first to make myself relax I would just imagine people dressed in the most ridiculous outfits and that would make me laugh. Now it is much less daunting and it feels like second nature!

FS: Do you have any tips on public speaking?

SA: I would say project your voice, don’t talk to the floor and smile – it puts you and those watching you at ease.


FS: What advice do you have for anyone wishing to go into the fashion market?

SA: I would say be yourself, be open minded and learn how to create learning opportunities for yourself - have your own unique style and make an effort to talk to people! Don’t get intimidated by the flashy events as people are just people. Success in fashion requires qualities such as an exceptional creative talent and ability, a keen eye for detail and good communication skills.

FS: Being from Ghana, what do you think of the African fashion scene at the moment?

SA: I am itching to get involved in it! I am working on a idea right now with the African scene in mind. The facts are that so many key trends in the west have originated from Africa, too many to name (I was having a chuckle with a friend when we saw the Ghana-Must-Go bags on the runway of LV), so the question of whether the creativity is there is a no-brainer. The question is can the infrastructure be set up right so that people can see if for what it is – a competitive fashion continent with competitive fashion capitals.

FS: Which African fashion designers do you admire?

SA: I love Deola Sagoe – I love her designs and also the fact that she is always evolving, growing and raising her own bar. She always comes back better than before.

FS: Do you foresee an African city or cities successfully competing with the European fashion weeks?

SA: Yes – I would have to say Accra but I am biased being from Ghana. Failing that I have heard amazing things about Johannesburg, although I have not there been myself yet.

FS: What in your opinion is the secret to success?

SA: I always say this when asked, I believe that all the so called secrets of success will never work, unless you do.

FS: And the secret to being a great business pioneer?

SA: Confidence, faith and dedication.

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FS: In 3 words, what is Africa to you?

SA: So Much Love

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FS: Fah-schyon
SA: Samata Angel

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Wow, what an amazing and inspirational young woman! Kudos to her and a big congrats on the SamataAngel brand.

To go to her website, http://www.samataangel.com/

The clothing website: http://www.samatasmuse.com/

Thanks for checking the blog.

Stay Fashion-ABLE!

Fahschyonysta!

FROM LIBERIA WITH LOVE

Influenced by their African roots and inspired by rich fabrics, this designer began poducing beautifully chic clothing and accessories for women of all sizes and shapes.

They catapulted to the public glare when they took part in a very famous TV show.
Well, feast your eyes on the designs below whilst an interview with the designer will be featured sooon.
How fab are these??

Stay fashion-ABLE!

Fah-schyonysta

CHICHIA LONDON

The ladieswear brand Chichia London was established in 2007 by London based designer Christine Mhando. Each of their collections consists of an eclectic range of dresses and separates in modern, wearable shapes and styles made unique by clever use of eye-catching prints, embellishment, intricate detailing, a mix of natural fabrics and a succulent colour palette. The use of colour plays a major part in each line! Their trick is balancing between keeping things fresh and new without being too trend driven, therefore making each piece timeless. They aim to get the wearer to feel special and unique yet comfortable everytime they are wearing a Chichia London garment.

Christine's fashion career began at the London College of Fashion where she studied BTEC and higher national diplomas in Fashion design and then went on to complete her BA (hons) in Fashion Design at Kent University. After her studies she gained some valuable experience working for various Ladieswear manufactures and suppliers of well known high street brands and designers and with this experience finally decided to venture out and start Chichia London.

Born in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and raised in London, England, she has taken influences from both continents and cultures and translated them into her own unique quirky style of clothing. Chichia's signature is the "KHANGA" which is a traditional east African cotton printed fabric used by women as wraps, and this usually appears in every collection in the form of tops, tunics, dresses or skirts mixed with various different types of fabrics and prints.

See her exquisite and very free flowing designs below ;-)
Love them all!

African designers doing great things!!

Check out the website here: http://www.chichialondon.com

Stay Fashion-ABLE!

Fah-schyonysta!

SAMANTHA COLE LONDON

Samantha Cole London is an International award winning contemporary British Brand that draws influences from modern day trends without completely relying on it for direction and purpose of her collections.

She's a designer who has always had a passion and flair for fashion and was able to explore and develop this through The London College of Fashion were she graduated with a degree and The Southampton Institute of Higher Education. Samantha has worked in the design room of Burberry's and showcased at New York Fashion Week 08 where she received an international award for best womenswear designer.

The Typical SCL customer wears this label to make a statement and convey a characteristic of their personality through unspoken words.

She challenges the definition of style and beauty and aims to make each garment an independant design capable of holding it's own but still conveniently resides within the scope of the collection.

SCL's philosophy is to interprete a trend, a thought, a mood by de-constructing the obvious signals projected and re-defining the concept to produce silhouettes that acknowledge the past, have a sense of the future and recognises that their are no limits or boundaries to fashion just to ourselves......

SCL is currently focused on developing her womenswear brand that caters to image conscious, confident, independant discerning women who dare to be different, set-apart, unapologetic and enjoy a cosmopolitan lifestyle.

Love it!

According to her website, her Spring/Summer collection 2009 has been developped using a simple palette of black, white and pale peach in natural fabrics of cotton, silk organza, silk taffeta and raw silk with accents of black lace and satin trims.

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The collection has been loosely inspired by the Edwardians with hints of Victorian sprinkled with soft Goth influences.

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I definitely think her recent collection is subtle and mysterious with a hint of goth like influences.

I feel her!

Check her website here: http://www.samanthacolelondon.co.uk

Buy her stuff here: http://www.thelookboutique.com

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Stay Fashion-ABLE!

Fah-schyonysta!

GHUBAR IS THE WORD

Ghubar Magazine is a newly created and fabulous magazine in the fashion capital of the world which was launched in January of this year by a young and very creative individual by the name of Sarah Diouf.

In a short space of time Ghubar has shown itself as a serious online fashion and beauty magazine which represents all colours and promotes multiculturalism through its expression of fashion designers from around the globe.

Here below is my interview with the Editor and Creative Director herself Sarah Diouf. You will also get the opportunity to meet the rest of the team members who make this magazine a success.

FS: What does Ghubar stand for?
SD: GHUBAR stands for Difference. Because we live more than ever in this era of difference. It is a magazine built around interbreeding and multiculturalism.

FS: What does it hope to achieve?
SD: Our hope and aim is to make people realise that there are different standards of beauty out there waiting to be recognised and promoted especially as it is not the case in all the current magazines.

FS: Why did you choose the name Ghubar?
SD: Ghubar means dust in old arabic. I didn't really chose this name, but it actually came to me. I was looking for some fonts on the internet when I fell on it and the definition was ..."name of a calligraphy known to be as fine as dust particles...". It is usually said that "words fly away but writings remain". However, dust doesn't remain and this was the paradox because GHUBAR - is a magazine - which according to the saying being a writing should remain...

FS: When was it created?
SD: GHUBAR was created in 2008 with the first issue being launched in january 2009.

FS: How different are you from the rest of the fashion magazines out there?
SD: We are different because Difference is our crenel. We promote all types of beauty.
Any girl or boy can read the magazine without feeling forgotten as this is what is actually happening today not only in the Press but in most of the media. everybody seems to forget that we are in 2009 and that the 00's girls are not all blond with blue eyes fitting in a size 2!

FS: Are you just an online publication only?
SD: Yes we are.

FS: Who are those responsible for the output of this magazine and are they all Africans?
SD: No haha! We are all from different places.
I - the editor and creative director - am half Central-African and Senegalese and I grew up in Ivory Coast.
Téné, who is responsible for all the partnerships, is half Italian and Senegalese.
Maxime (stylist), Laetitia (photographer) and Raphaelle (Communication director) are French.
Gregory (fashion editor) is Caribbean.
Laura (fashion editor) is half Italian and French.
Lala (fashion editor) is half Guinean and Senegalese.
Fatou (beauty editor) is Senegalese.
Maya (photographer) is half Algerian and French.
Shawny (photographer) is Ivorian.
Carl (webmaster) is half Togolese, Ivorian and Caribbean.
As you see, this is really about interbreeding ...lol!

FS: What do you think are the reasons why the African fashion market is booming at present?
SD: First, I think there is an awareness being seen among the new African generation.
Thanks to our parents, we have the means to achieve concrete things today and it now coming to fashion. We are more and more proud of our origins and background, and I think when you're confident about something, others feel that and it just leads to new and greater opportunities. You will also notice that for the past 5 years, African colourful prints and jewels have been turned into "jungle "or "safari" trends on many spring/summer collections in high fashion runways. So, yes Africa is trendy and us Africans have just understood this and realised that it is now our time to make it work by ourselves.

FS: You are the Editor & Creative Director, was media publication your background?
SD: Oh no! I had the chance to intern in one of the best media group here in Paris, last year, and it made me discover and learn so much but I am still going to school actually and I am studying Communication.

FS: How easy or difficult was it starting this publication?
SD: It was easy because I was well surrounded. I built a team with people I knew would give their all into this. The only thing that remains actually difficult is the time. It is sometimes hard to deal with delays but as long as the magazine is put online at the announced date, everything is fine!

FS: How do you cope financially as this magazine is free?
SD: When I first built this project, I wasn't doing it or even planning to earn money. I just wanted to build something strong with a real message and something everybody will enjoy to read and to look at.
But things went really fast. People started to ask to feature in it...Today we have partnerships which allow us to get some money which we reinvest in work tools, for example.
But if you really want to know I did it with nothing really! All I needed was my MAC (thanks Apple!) and a few euros to host the website! This is not something I do for a living but for now, at least!

FS: How did you manage to build up the reputation of this magazine?
SD: Wow, I didn't know the magazine had a reputation, lol! Still, as I said, Communication is my thing so I just had to make it work and Facebook has been a wonderful tool to ceate the buzz we needed and to promote the magazine and this is how we worked it out.

FS: This magazine is in French and English, why did you decide on the dual language?
SD: Since as we are not on paper, we have to step up our position and get more readers as we can. The Internet is a wonderful way to travel, to be discovered and to make discoveries of things to anyone wherever they are in the world.

Being an online magazine meant we would not only be read by our French pals but also by anyone in the world and since as there are no other magazines like GHUBAR out there , by this I mean magazines which deals with African, Asian or/and European fashion and which gives advice to black, caucasian, or/and mixed race people and touches gays and straight people - we did not want to be stuck.

FS: What can your readers expect from Ghubar Magazine?
SD: An open-mindedness.

FS: What should they take from Ghubar Magazine?
SD: The mix of cultures and types. We should not be afraid of Difference but be aware and be proud of it because this is how the world is now and this is what we are trying to show.

FS: Who or what inspires you?
SD: It might sounds childish but..it is my parents! I say so because thanks to their job I travelled a lot when I was younger and I think being able to see all I have seen during my childhood made me grow up from the inside. They taught me values that I cherish today and that are necessary to work in this industry "Never forget who you are and where you come from, so that wherever you go you will never get lost"... I think this is what GHUBAR is all about.

FS: Where is Ghubar heading?
SD: I would like GHUBAR to be the ultimate reference for my generation (one day!), not only as a fashion magazine, but as a concept, a way to see things differently from everything that is proposed to us!

FS: What advice would you give to anyone wishing to start a magazine?
SD: It is a real involvment and lots of work so all I can say is to fasten your seat belt because there is no room for giving up once it starts!

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FS: Fah-schyon

SD: Sarah Diouf

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Hope this interview was as interesting to read as it was for me to conduct.

Check out the Ghubar website here: http://www.ghubar-magazine.com/

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Thanks for checking the blog!

Stay Fashion-ABLE!

Fahschyonysta!

ARISE AFRICAN FASHION WEEK IN PICTURES 2

So here I go again with more pictures fom the show going on in Jo'burg.

What do you think?

Tiffany Amber = Folake Folarin = Nigeria

Thula Sindi = Thula Sindi = South Africa

Sandra Muendabe = Sandra Cardoso Muendane = Mozambique

Wow, Tiffany Amber, off the hook!

Great stuff!

For more pictures, go here: http://www.ifashion.co.za/index.php?option=com_zoom&Itemid=20&page=search&type=quicksearch&sstring=africa%20fashion%20week&PageNo=1

Stay Fashion-ABLE!

Fahschyonysta!