Wonderland

Image courtesy of The Mail Online

I saw this image and just couldn't leave it alone. Had to share (in XL format). It's taken from Wonderland, a series of photographs by artist Kirsty Mitchell taken in memory of her mother who died of a brain tumour in 2008. Read the story here.

Do we have fields of lavender in Africa?

Cute, non?

Image courtesy of  Denise Gordon & Kaye Simeon (Facebook)

Which reminds me, FAFA (Festival for Fashion & Arts) season has kicked off. I just got my invitation to FAFA Insight 2012, the finale for Africa's Emerging Designers Competition where 18 new designers showcase their collections to a judging process. The winner will then 'walk' alongside elite fashion names at the FAFA Fashion for Peace Gala Night in November (always glam, always glitzy - thank you Ann McCreath).

FAFA - Festival for African Fashion & Arts

And then of course it'll all end with the requisite amount of partying at the FAFA Insight Afterparty with Cortega spinning and a "glamourafrique" dresscode. It remains to be seen what on this green earth I'm going to find to wear for this one...

Busy, busy...

Fahrenheit Party Presents DJ Cleo (The Kwaito King): Sooooo good!

La Lesso

Thanks AfricaFashion Guide for this preview. See current collections from Kenyan brand La Lesso here.

Two Designers & a Couple of Models

A Kila Kitu shirt is a statement on its own, let alone combined with Drapers shorts. Kila Kitu ("everything" in Swahili) is an established Kenyan-Canadian brand sold internationally; its playful combination of basic colours with bold print (floral in some cases) hearken it to the classic cowboy shirt - an imaginative twist on a casual classic. Drapers is a newer line, the brainchild of partners Liam Action & Kristian Lundby. Drapers are a bespoke product, also made from unconventional often textured fabric, and catering to the resurgence of the bermuda short for spring/summer. Both these brands represent the mischievious, increasingly androgynous, though still manly direction of menswear.

Here, a showcase of both.

Model, Tomas Maule in Kila Kitu

Tomas with Drapers designer Liam Acton

Model Hamed Coulibaly takes a tea break in Kila Kitu

Tomas in Drapers, me, & photographer Barbara Minishi (Barbara Minishi Photography)

Videographer Kuba Zahradnicek, Gecko Productions

Round sunglasses are still key, these are authentic '70's

Vintage hues & textures for men is alive and well

Hamed displays a modern way to mix prints, colours, & textures 

Real men know how to tackle pink; Hamed in Kila Kitu

Key themes: fit and colour

My recent fascination with men in florals exhibited here (in a wearable way)

Barbara with Drapers designer Kristian Lundby

Thanks to Kila Kitu's Bart Sullivan, and also Mr. Marek Fuchs for these thoughtfully captured behind-the-scenes moments. You'll see the official photos (Barbara Minishi Photography) and video (Gecko Productions) on this blog.