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Saturday, November 3, 2007

Ladybrille Woman of the Month, Estella Ogbonna



Nigerian born, Washington DC based, Estella Ogbonna, owner and Senior Fashion Designer for Estella Couture, LLC, is the Ladybrille Woman of the Month! A fresh face both in the Nigerian and American fashion scene, Ogbonna is steadily winning fans over with her charm, personality and design skills.

Her signature is the ability to cut richly textured African fabrics into sexy wearable chic silhouettes perfect for the very cosmopolitan African and/or Western woman. While she began designing at six years old, it was only in 2005 Ogbonna decided to pursue a career as a full time fashion designer. Within a year of her official arrival on the fashion scene, Ogbonna, in 2006, snagged the Nigerian Entertainment Awards as the Fashion Designer of the Year. Since then, Ogbonna has shown her collections at DC Fashion Week and was also the only African, this year, to show at New York’s Couture Fashion Week. She is currently a cast member for the upcoming Nigerian reality TV show, Green Passport-- a show which showcases the lives of Nigerians in America as they straddle and reconcile two distinct cultures.

Random Questions with Estella Ogbonna

LADYBRILLE.com: Do you have a middle name?
Estella: Yes, I do. My middle name is Ijeoma. Only my immediate family, childhood friends and very close friends call me that.

LADYBRILLE.com: Do you know why your parents called you Estella? It sounds Spanish.
Estella: Truth is, my parents named me "Stella" at birth, but I changed it to “Estella” when I was in high school, after I read Charles Dickens’s "Great Expectation."

LADYBRILLE.com: How long have you been a designer?
Estella: I have been design[ing] since I was six [6] years old. I still remember the first skirt I made with needle and thread when I was six [6]. I wore it for a long time. . . [laughs]. Ever since I can remember, I have been interested in clothes, in sketching clothes and mentally changing styles in my head. I took it up as a business three years ago.

LADYBRILLE.com: What is the most challenging aspect of your job? Estella: Hmmm……I would say money. There is so much to do in this business, there are so many ideas I have on paper that I know that if all my [ideas][were] implemented, [it] would explode African Fashion globally. Therefore, for now, I pick on things that are of utmost priority, but there are still a whole lot to be done.

LADYBRILLE.com: What is the most exciting part of your job? Estella: The most exciting part of my job is seeing a happy and satisfied client. It makes it worth it. [It] makes me proud that I have helped boost someone’s feeling for the day, because [a] well-dressed and confident woman is a happy.

LADYBRILLE.com: If you had a choice to pick two African celebrities to dress for an award show in the USA & or Europe, who will they be and why?
Estella: In our [Nigeria/Africa] fashion and entertainment world, I would pick Super Model Oluchi. From the MNet Face of Africa to the present, she did not lose focus! She did not embarrass or disappoint her people. [S]he stayed on course, followed her dream, her career and even got a husband and a baby as well. And she has continued to remain on top! I am proud of her.

And I will pick you [Uduak] too. Because you have provided a link African fashion designers are in so much need of. Most people may not know it now, but they will soon enough. As a fashion designer in the international scene, we are not only competing with the already established Western designers, but we are also faced with penetrating the other races and cultures; to let them know that there are beautiful fashions from Africa. To get other races to like our exotic fabrics, and styles.

LADYBRILLE is in a class of its own because you give so much information that every African Fashion designer should be soaking up. I stay in my sewing studio almost all day and when I get on the Internet, I may not have to surf all over the place searching for information related to the fashion industry. As we all have to be abreast of latest trends. But I know that if I log onto your blog, the important and up-to-date news and information would be lined up for me to read. Thanks for creating Ladybrille. It is a good resource for me.

LADYBRILLE.com: [Thank you]

LADYBRILLE.com: Who is your favorite African musician and why? Estella: Honestly, I have no favorite African Musician because I am more into Gospel/Christian songs. So, anyone that sings a song of praise or worship that ministers to me is my favorite.

LADYBRILLE.com: What African country would you love to visit most and why?
Estella: I would love to visit Kenya. And this is because of my love for Massai beads! I love those beads!! And have so much African couture I want to create with them. Kenya is on my mind, and I am looking forward to also visiting all their beautiful tourist attractions.

LADYBRILLE.com: What's the craziest thing you have ever done? Estella: Hmmm . . . I honestly can’t say, but I have been told that it was very crazy of me to chuck my job, with practically no capital and [s]tart ESTELLA COUTURE! When I quit my bank job [and] went [into] full-time into fashion designing, I didn’t know where the next pay check was going to come from . . . [laughs]. Yes, people tell me that was very crazy! They [say] I should have saved a lot of money first before starting, or just done it as a part-time hobby/business.

LADYBRILLE.com: Give us two favorite quotes you live by? Estella: God grant me the SERENITY to accept the things I cannot change; the COURAGE to change the things I can; and WISDOM to know the difference….”
"Do as you would be done by, or you will be done as you did" – read it up somewhere when I was about 9 years and it stuck since then and I live by it…

LADYBRILLE.com:Do you have any favorite African food? Estella:I love Edi-ka-ikong soup [spicy green vegetable soup originating from the Cross River & Akwa-Ibom people of Nigeria] and pounded yam. Anytime, any day.

Congratulations Estella Ogbonna for being our Ladybrille Woman of the Month. Ladybrille salutes and celebrates you!
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Thursday, November 1, 2007

Destination Weddings in Africa!!!

[Photo courtesy of http://www.gisters.com/. Models Obi, Uduak and Funmi as bridesmaids at model Ojy's wedding in Lagos, Nigeria]

Happy New Month! To say I am really excited about this month is an understatement!!! But before I spill the beans, CONGRATULATIONS to Lesha Anderson of Newburgh, Indiana who won the recent Ladybrille Contest. Also, watch out for our Ladybrille woman of the month and our Ladybrille model of the month.

Now to the cause of my excitement!!! November is about the time a lot of my friends, especially African friends, begin preparation to travel to Africa for numerous weddings, in December. Usually they attend two weddings for one couple: the "Traditional" and the "White" weddings. One of the reasons these destination weddings in Africa remain popular is that beyond involving family and friends who reside in Africa, you can have a Hollywood styled wedding at a much less expensive price than in the States or Europe.
These weddings are HUGE, FUN but they can also be quite stressful! This month, at Ladybrille,we want to demystify weddings, especially African weddings, whether in Africa, USA or Europe. We will feature lay persons and experts in and outside Africa who will tell us all we need to know about planning the perfect wedding for that special day. They'll tell us about choosing the right: event planners, florists, cakemakers, wedding gowns, bridal dresses, caterers, decor, musicians, Djs, photographers, honeymoon packages and more! We will also be having some wedding contests/giveaways throughout the month!!!!
Chatting about weddings would be no fun without you! We want to hear from you. Do you have a wedding story to tell us? Stories like the best wedding you attended? Are you the bride? How did he propose? Are you Caucasian, Asian, Indian or Black American married to an African? How was the wedding ceremony? Any traditions that you loved, found amusing or awkward? Are you African? What is it like to be married in Nigeria, Ghana, Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe or South Africa? Did your wedding involve both African and American/European traditions? Ladybrille wants to hear your stories! Send your wedding stories to weddings@ladybrille.com. You just might be one of our lucky winners for our fun wedding prizes! Word count should be min. 500 words and max. 900 words.
Speaking of wedding prizes/giveaways, a BIG THANK YOU to all of our sponsors for making our wedding month just plain brilliant!

LUTHER VANDROSS- Here & Now
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Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Icy Works + Brilliant Blogs + Happy New Month!

October went by very fast! It was a very busy but exciting month for Ladybrille! We've been handling the marketing and public relations part from press releases to print ads and more. To execute one part of our vision, we enlisted the help of ICY WORKS who created the print ad you see.
Thank you Yetunde Taiwo, CEO of ICY WORKS, for the efficient handling and colorful ad. created for Ladybrille!

Ladybrille is looking forward to an even more exciting month in November. By the way, we are always hiring PR interns so keep spreading the word and keep the applications coming.

Now, usually we do not do this. But, there are some brilliant and compelling blogs that we feel we need to bring your attention to as we feel strongly they will be highly beneficial to you. Drumroll please! Here they are:
DOBIZO.com: "How to Start A Clothing Business" from scratch. THIS SITE AND BLOG IS A MUST. The owner Frederickus Williford contacted us to say he likes our work and wanted to introduce Ladybrille to his audience. We look forward to the introduction but after we went through his site, it was indeed an honor that he would think to contact us. DOBIZO.com ROCKS! Fred does business the way we do. He is very detailed and walks you step by step with every aspect of starting a clothing line complete with resources, strong interviews of apparel company CEOs including manufacturers and more!! He tells you where to get everything even down to the buttons, zippers e.t.c. Even if you are not starting a clothing line, a lot of the principles on his site can be applied to any kind of business. Guess what? Fred is only 22! What's also super cool is that he is African-American. It is always great to see black folks, especially at such young age, making things happen. By the way, at 22, shouldn't he be out getting his party on? A fierce entrepreneur and business icon in the making indeed!

Fashion Lawyer: As far as we are concerned, law and fashion go together. It makes so much logical sense it is not even debatable. That is why we have to bring your attention to a cool site by Jincey Lumpkin Esq., an attorney based out of Florida, who is taking the bulls by the horn and informing on fashion law matters. The site is fairly new but she is showing she can hold her own with very interesting content. Be sure to check her out.

Business of Fashion: Another strong site is the Business of Fashion. If you have not been following our fashion business series, you need to get with the program ! :) However, for a little more flavor on your fashion taste buds on the business of fashion, this blog is definitely worth your time.
Trade Africa: This is just a wonderful blog that highlights interesting political, legal and business news in Africa.

Check out other wonderful links on our site and don't forget to enter the contest to win the free book, "Somethin' to Shout About" by Donna Green-Goodman.
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Monday, October 29, 2007

Win a Free Autographed Book "Somethin' to Shout About" by Donna Green-Goodman!

Donna Green-Goodman has been gracious enough to give away an autographed copy of her book, "Somethin' to Shout About" to one lucky Ladybrille reader! A book filled with straight talk about her experiencewith breast cancer and how she fought and overcame it! To enter contest you must do all of the following:

E-mail: contest@ladybrille.com
Include your name, address and phone number.
Winner will be selected at random.
Contest closes Wednesday October 31st, 2007 at 9pm Pacific Standard Time [PST], USA.

Winner will be notified by e-mail or phone.

Note: If you do not claim your gift within 24hrs of winning, another winner will be selected.

Good Luck!
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