The time has never been as perfect as now to begin the talk and spotlight on Africa’s Fashion Industry. Vanity Fair just recently launched an "Africa Issue" edited by Bono with 20 covers of dynamic individuals. American celebrities have been on a long “I love Africa” trend and even America’s fashion industry could not help but join via Designer's for Darfur this past Fall Fashion Week. While most of the hype has been along the lines of helping war, hungry or AIDS stricken Africa, it nonetheless provides an opportunity to begin talking about the potential power of Africa’s Fashion Industry in contributing towards making Africa more economically independent. That is where Ladybrille comes in!
My goal is to use my industry experience and other applicable skills to get both Africa and the West plugged into the untapped potential . I begin what I call an African fashion revolution through posts that cover Africa's fashion industry from manufacturers, designers, public relations/marketers, retailers and consumers, fashion news, technology, business and finance. Of course I can't forget the celebrities in Africa's fashion and entertainment industries, who are now gaining notoriety much in the same way like American celebrities. They are the fashion influentials that can be used to reshape the image of Africa, so long as they get their style game up to par. But, I can’t handle being intellectual about fashion all the time. I'd go crazy! Fashion is part business and then part vain, like very vain. lol! So, bien sur, I indulge with Ladybrille's Fashion Music Fridays, Ladybrille's Fashion Police, arresting mostly African fashion offenders, charging them under Ladybrille Fashion Penal Code and whisking them to court to be arraigned and await trial. Check out Ladybrille's Fashion Police and Ladybrille’s Incredibly Bad African Fashion Music Video Reviews to know what I mean. If you pay careful attention you might learn a thing or two to apply on the streets. lol! Stay out of trouble!
Of course, this is where I must say a BIG THANK YOU to the many that helped inspire and/or gave input into the overall feel for Ladybrille.
Website and logo designer: Ike Okosa of Swoop Media. Ike understood the Ladybrille vision and brand and literally on the first attempt, gave me a gorgeous logo. It was then I knew he had to be the one to build my site. Ike, I am happy. Thanks to you and your team!
Thanks to Leslie Asfour, Fashion Expert who encouraged me to do a whole site. It was tiring to hunt people down for archived works and the many other things that went into designing the overall website but I am glad I went that route. Thanks also to Colleen Quen for understanding my vision and designing a beautiful dress for me made out of the African fabrics I gave her. My favorite part is your logo in the dress. Cool! One step closer to my vision :) Thanks to designers Chris Aire and Waraire Boswell .
Bloggers: Thank you to Bella Naija. I was inspired by your blog to start the Ladybrille blogazine! Toni Payne thanks for sending me the eblogger link and helping my illiterate techie self. For busting my identity on the internet, expect the summons, very soon! Lol! Chichi of It Feels Good to Be Home, thank you also for the technical assistance.
Photographers: I am glad I can also call these people friends. Thank you to Beau Jones [the text you sent on Friday, super powerful. I still get chills when I read it. The timing was perfect]; Will Taylor, you are the best; Arun Nevader-thank you. Thanks to Peter Jones and Tom Concordia [Tom, I’ll be knocking at your door real soon]. To future photographers, especially the many African photographers I anticipate meeting, thank you in advance!
Media Colleagues: Thank you to Lauren Peden formerly with Fashion Wire Daily now with Vogue, Joanna Ramey of WWD , Milton Allimadi publisher of Black Star News, Nerissa Pacio formerly with San Jose Mercury News and now with 7x7, Farah Ahmed, Esq. Editor in Chief and Deepak Srisvastava of Nirvana Woman, Rahewa Yemane of Helm Magazine, Jack Yan of Lucire Magazine and Amabel Niba of African Vibes Magazine.
Legal Colleagues: Some of my courtroom buddies that make it so much fun practicing law especially since they listen to my endless talk on fashion-okay I arm wrestle them into surrendering to my talks, Dennis Flemming, Esq. and Markus Mueller-Dombois, Esq.
Barbara Zaruba, Esq. thanks for your friendship and always giving me a different lens to see things. Malcolm D. Carson, Esq. the great screenwriter :), Journalist and my main editor for serious projects. I owe you lots of monies. Lol! And to the three interesting and wonderful persons who serve as my legal mentors, although I manage to sneak in lots of fashion talk :)- Mr. Donald M. Temple, Esq., Aubrey Weldon, Esq., and David Wellenbrock, Esq. a BIG THANK YOU!
Friends: Thank you! You know who you are. I love you and I am grateful you are in my life.
Family: I am blessed to be born into a family of great and extraordinarily beautiful people that are my sisters, mom and brother. Thank you for all your support! I can see relief on your faces as you don't have to keep listening to my many long talks on fashion. The law and health part continues. lol!
Of course, my gratitude would be incomplete without thanking and acknowledging GOD. I actually have called on Aity Inyang via this Youtube music video below to really help me thank God, Nigerian and Western style :)
60 blog entries, you've got lots of catching up to do. Get to it, already! Blogging activities resume June 26th, 2007. See ya!
