MORNING

Naivasha, Kenya, the only way I can describe it is how Wangari Mathaai- feminist, environmentalist, pan Africanist and Nobel Lorient winner- does ‘Then- 1977- the land was still largely virgin, full of Acacia trees and giraffes and antelopes, and Zebras. Since that time, however a huge flood of settlers from the highlands has come into the area and begun cultivating crops. As a result, the wildlife has disappeared, trees have been cut, streams regularly dry up, and the whole area is quickly becoming a desert.’ Re- forestation has taken place through time though and this beauty is gradually coming back. I was visiting Naivasha for UHAI’s CFCS V- a conference for the African LGBTI community and friends held annually to discuss current issues in the community and ways to achieve equality and equity.

Naivasha, Kenya. Photo by http://www.planetware.com

During the cocktail party in the evening I met Morning, and we started having a conversation about the first day at the conference, what he liked what I didn’t like and so on and so forth. He also informed me that he was a man with Tran’s experience. I was curious to know which country he was from, I didn’t want to ask since we all had tags with our names and nationality written. He’s didn’t indicate one. Naturally, I inquired and ‘heaven’ he said. I assumed he said it due to his religious believes and I was curious to know he’s denomination. See, in my country freedom of religion is a constitutional fundamental right although at times it isn’t respected by state and non-state actors unlike In the African context- which we are- where it was valued and respected. We have diversity in religion in Kenya, some forbid there followers from giving handshakes, while others forbid followers from taking modern medication or any for that matter but to pray and wait for a miracle. I asked him whether he said this due to religious beliefs, he laughed and noticed that I was determined to find out where he was from. He told me he was stateless but was born and brought up in Burundi. I brood over his situation and I couldn’t comprehend the stigmatization and discrimination he probably faces as a stateless African man with Trans experience from a country experiencing civil unrest.

Statelessness, how can I describe it? A feeling of not belonging, a longing for home, a feeling that you're a stranger everywhere you go, like when you talk no one can understand you. I’m not stateless but if I was I’d probably be feeling this. The UNHCR estimates that about 10 million people are stateless globally with only 3.5 million actually accounted for credibly- so this isn’t definitive statistics. In sub- Saharan Africa the number of stateless persons currently totals to 721, 303 according to data collected from 4 countries out of the total 47 that also have widely varying estimates, statelessness is then bound to affect more than double the number of persons currently accounted for in sub- Saharan Africa and maybe more. A stateless individual is not entitled to particular rights more so rights that only citizens of a country can enjoy. 

In my country for instance, the stateless persons of the Nubian and Makonde communities cannot have identification documents like an ID or passport, thus automatically can neither vote or run for public office, cannot travel abroad, opening a bank account is impossible as well as finding employment even after graduating from college or university- where these institutions require provision of identification documents for one to join. As a result they have been subjected to poverty and the likely hood of facing double the discrimination a regular Kenyan may face from authorities or citizens alike (like the Nubian of Kibera- Africa’s largest slum.)

Others are bound to statelessness by the virtue of their ethnicity- like the Kenyan Arab and Somali communities, the world speaks little of them, states show little effort to address their plea and citizens hardly notice them or are just silent. Ten million stateless people globally which includes 1.5 million or more in sub- Saharan Africa face what the Nubian and the Makonde face every day or even more and others just by the fact of their ethnicity just like the Arab and Somali communities of Kenya.

So try to imagine someone who faces further discrimination on the basis of their sex, sexual orientation or gender identity like Morning. The silence is loud. Eden Schwartz, a 12 year old stateless boy wrote in his poem Invisible, Indifferent;

‘… I saw you, but you did not see me…

I would have died and you would not have seen me,

Because I was different from you,

You could not have seen me.’

FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY: ITS ORIGIN: ITS GLORY

Have you ever wondered how and when fashion photography started? Yesterday a friend of Lyons Humphrey Clothing asked while having a conversation (obviously about clothes, shoes and our brand- LHC). In my opinion the history of fashion photography is something that every enthusiast should be aware of. Here is something of how it all started.

1830: The First Camera

Fashion Photography has been in existence since the early days of photography. It was back in the 1830s when this method of photography was developed, but the concept of fashion photography did not exist until much later. For mass printing, the earliest renowned daguerreotype photographic technique could not be used. Fashion photos started appearing in magazines only when advances were made in halftone printing techniques during the 1st decade of the 20th century.

AND IT ALL STARTED…

The Countess in a photo by Pierre-Louise Pierson (c. 1863/66)

In 1856, Adolphe Braun published a book containing 288 photographs of Virginia Oldoini, Countess di Castiglione, a Tuscan noblewoman at the court of Napoleon III. The photos depict her in her official court garb, making her the first fashion model. In the first decade of the 20th century, advances in half tone printing allowed fashion photographs to be featured in magazines. Fashion photography made its first appearance in French magazines such as La mode practique. In 1909, Condé Nast took over Vogue magazine and also contributed to the beginnings of fashion photography. In 1911, photographer Edward Steichen was "dared" by Lucien Vogel, the publisher of Jardin des Modes and La Gazette du Bon Ton, to promote fashion as a fine art by the use of photography. Steichen then took photos of gowns designed by couturier Paul Poiret. These photographs were published in the April 1911 issue of the magazine Art et Décoration. According to Jesse Alexander, this is now considered to be the first ever modern fashion photography shoot. That is, photographing the garments in such a way as to convey a sense of their physical quality as well as their formal appearance, as opposed to simply illustrating the object." 

Vogue was followed by its rival, Harper's Bazaar, and the two companies were leaders in the field of fashion photography throughout the 1920s and 1930s. House photographers such as Edward Steichen, George Hoyningen- Huene, Horst P. Horst and Cecil Beaton transformed the genre into an outstanding art form. In the mid- 1930s as World War II approached, the focus shifted to the United States, Where Vogue and Harper's continued their old rivalry. In 1936, Martin Munkacsi made the first photographs of models in sporty poses at the beach. Under the artistic direction of Alexey Brodovitch, Harper's Bazaar quickly introduced this new style into its magazine. House photographers such as Irving Penn, Martin Munkacsi, Richard Avedon, and Louise Dahl-Wolfe would shape the look of fashion photography for the following decades. Richard Avedon revolutionized fashion photography- and redefined the role of the fashion photographer- in the post-World War II era with his imaginative images of the modern woman.

In every sense, fashion photography is regarded as an art form and every field of communication seems to be influenced by it. Fashion photography not only portrays the beauty ideals of any given era, but also indicates the political and social climate of that time.

AFRICA: HER DESIGNERS WHO ARE RARELY MENTIONED.

African designers are rarely known by us, by Africa. Africa has a major potential in fashion, I believe we influence the fashion world. The African print is unique and screams out a lot about Africa. They tell a story.. tales of Africa, its culture, its people. It tells of the beauty of Africa and pride.
Today we feature two African designers who are not only making it big in the fashion world in their native Africa but also globally.

Ajayi is the founder of the eponymous design label. In seven years her passion for fashion has gotten stronger making the label a fashion favourite among the media, celebrities and fashion lovers.

Lanre Da Silva Ajayi

LDA the brand first arrived in the fashion scene in 2005 with iconic 1940's couture signature designs - a result of what has evolved into a much more modern and cutting-edge brand and a full-blown fashion house. The label's collection includes couture, prêt a porter, and accessories such as hairpieces and statement jewellery.
Regardless of the label's strong historical design roots, LDA's creatively combines pattern, print, exquisite and even traditional fabrics to produce day wear, evening wear, gowns and cocktail dresses that bridge time and make the label successful within and outside Nigeria.
An LDA woman is the personification of sophistication, femininity, brilliance and boldness, which are the inspiration for each of her collections. Lanre states "Couture, colour and boldness with an edgy twist are the signature of my designs".
In June 2012 Pitti Immagine W held in Florence Italy included Nigeria as guest nation in cooperation with MTN Lagos Design and Fashion Week coordinated by Style House Files Director Omoyemi Akerele. LDA was part of the designers selected to showcase from Nigeria and present her Autumn/Winter 2012 collections to buyers across Europe.
The brand has also been featured in L'Uomo Vogue, May-June 2012- "Rebranding Africa" Issue dedicated to Africa to show how this continent is moving and developing while trying to get out of a difficult situation of poverty and illness.

Ajayi's works

It was featured along side influential personalities such as Presidents, First Ladies, and Queens, artists, writers, musicians, designers and models, according to L'Uomo Vogue "they are the evidence that Africa is developing and progressing continuously and that only showing its positive side we can change the perception of collective imageries and make it attractive for the production not only of fuel but also of fashion, cinema and tourism. Rebranding Africa is important for the future of this continent and for the millions of young people that live in it".
Also, in January 2012, renowned designer Roberto Cavalli and Franca Sozanni Editor-In-Chief of Vogue Italia and Goodwill Ambassador of Fashion 4 Development made a special trip visit to Lagos and during their time in Lagos Sozanni and the Vogue Italia team made a special visit to LDA's flagship boutique to view her collections.
This visit resulted in the designer showcasing a capsule collection during the Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week Fall 2012/13 at the initiative "Fashion 4 Development" that supports the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and the unprecedented global effort " Every Woman Every Child ". The event was in organized by Ambassador Cesare Maria Ragaglini -permanent representative of Italy to the United Nations and it was in honor of Ms. Franca Sozzani Editor-in-Chief, Vogue Italia and Fashion 4 Development Goodwill Ambassador. It was also a Fashion Business initiative to attract the attention of potential buyers & investors.
As a result of the visit, on the 4th of May 2012, Vogue Italia and yoox.com's special project (Discovered in Africa by Vogue Italia exclusively on yoox.com) was live on the yoox.com under special projects. People from different parts of the world now have an easier access to buy pieces from LDA through this project.
The brand is also stocked at the flagship boutique and at Temple Muse both in Lagos, Nigeria.
LDA has also created four different collections for international Dutch wax print giant, Vlisco-Urban Beat, Gallery of Poems, Reflet de Lumie`re, Tresor Brillant and Delicate Shades.

Designed by LDA

The label produces six major collections every year and has showcased locally in Nigeria and internationally including the Thisday Africa Rising Festival, London (October 2008), ARISE Africa Fashion Festival, South Africa (June 2009) and the New York Couture Fashion Week (September 2009), Arise Magazine Fashion Week, Lagos (March 2011 & 2012), the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Spring 2012 Made in Africa by Arise magazine, (September 2011), London Fashion Week (February 2012) and the Pitti Immagine Florence (June 2012).
LDA has been featured in various African and international media including L'Uomo Vogue, Vogue Black, ARISE Magazine, Daily Mail, Essence.com, Fashion Bomb.com, Zimbio.com, WWD.com, ITN News, NTN24.com, ABCNews.com, Reuters UK and Centric/BET.
Her academic qualifications include a Bachelors degree in Business Administration from Coventry University and a Masters degree in Finance from University of Leicester.

Lanre Da Silva Ajayi

For her contributions to the Nigerian and African fashion industry, LDA has received numerous accolades and awards for excellence.

She is married with two children.



















ASAKE AGORO

ASAKE AGORO

Asake Agoro, the founder of Asake Oge Couture is another Africa designer to look out for. She is an Award winning Designer and Dress maker of Nigerian origin. She is based in the United Kingdom where she continues to wow audiences with her exquisite designs and high quality Couture.

In 2009, Nigerian-born designer Asake Agoro was invited to present one of her design collections for a fundraiser at the London Metropolitan Fashion and Dance Charity Show. It was this presentation that subsequently led to the official launch of her highly-elegant label, AsakeOge Couture.

Agoro Design

The Couture collection was subsequently showcased March 2010 at the Fashion Fusion Expo also in the United Kingdom. Since then, her skills have continued to grow and the AsakeOge label has since styled artists and personalities for numerous events and festivities, and her label has also been chosen as a runner up for the African Tourism Awards. More recently, Asake was nominated for the 2010 BEFFTA Awards as the Best Female Fashion Designer.

The inspirations behind her eclectic designs come from Asake’s roots. The 2010 haute couture collection features exotic African animals and scenery hand painted with jewel embellishments. The ready-to-wear collection features cutting edge designs in bold prints and tailored silhouettes with the ethnic influence apparent. First seen on catwalks in 2009, the reappearance of wild animal prints and colorful African graphics in the London Fashion week and Paris Fashion week 2010 shows us that tribal prints are here to stay. What was once considered ‘ethnic’ and merely ‘afro-centric’ is now called ‘avant-garde’ and ‘luxe’.

Agoro Design

A 3rd generation seamstress, growing up around the creative energy in a couture household enabled her to design and make garments for herself from the age of 15. Over time, Asake honed her innate skills by working with local tailors to create one-off pieces that soon drew the attention of all those around her, which led to many requests for Asake to create custom garments for this emerging clientele. 

The garments are handmade by Asake or manufactured under Fair Trade using mostly silk, cotton and linen which are natural fabrics. The limited edition ready to wear is a solution to the fashion victim who finds it easier to follow high street trends as AsakeOge rather designs and produces original, contemporary pieces that set the trend. As well as being available online,bespoke services are also offered for that one-off outfit you need to stand out in the crowd.

According to Aseke her biggest fashion faux-pas was when she went through an Aaliyah hip-hop phase her late teens and once wore track suit bottoms with loafers and a bandanna. That was before digital cameras were everywhere. "I have since destroyed the paper photographs!" She says.

Agoro Design

Asake herself says, “Everyone is now keener than ever to embrace the rich and vibrant culture that emanates so effortlessly from Africa, from the textures of the natural cloths to the prints and colors that appear so boldly and combine effortlessly”. “My passion for individuality is apparent in every work I create - for me the wow factor is non negotiable in my hand made garments. I love to enter a room and make heads turn.”

And from the look of Asake’s creativity, she will continue on the path to greatness and people will continue to take notice

Survival of the fittest: The one item in her closet that she will never get rid of is a 100% silk wrap skirt her mum wore in her teens... " its been in and out of fashion and its the one family vintage piece I have got, I shall bequeath it to my granddaughter." She says.

What is the one fashion item you would never get rid in your closet?