Ladybrille® Blogazine

FOR PRESS RELEASES

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Keri Hilson Rocks the Lexus Listening Lounge Pre-Grammy Party

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In anticipation of the 51st Annual Grammy Awards to be held on February 8th, 2009, a specially-invited crowd of tastemakers flocked to Los Angeles’ new green urban oasis, SmogShoppe, on February 4th to witness R&B singer and songwriter Keri Hilson rock it out at the Lexus Listening Lounge Pre-Grammy Party. Kawanna Brown, Magic Johnson Enterprises’ COO, was presented with Lexus’ Pursuit of Perfection Award, which recognizes African-American women whose work exemplifies extraordinary achievements in the fields of business and entertainment.

The celebration kicked off with red carpet arrivals, as guests were greeted by a lavishly catered cocktail reception in the courtyard, where they enjoyed themselves before the main event. The atmosphere of the venue was eco-chic. A 100% solar-powered haven, SmogShoppe featured chic vintage furnishings and stylish recycled and sustainable features. Adding to the ambience, and in keeping with Lexus’ commitment to the environment, Lexus Hybrid vehicles were also on display.

Joining Hilson and Brown on the red carpet were actress Vanessa A. Williams, Tina Atkins and Erica Atkins of the gospel duo Mary Mary, R&B singers Tank and Teairra Marí, and actor James Black.After the award presentation, Hilson took to the stage, and the eagerly-waiting guests were treated to a high-energy musical performance featuring her well-known hits as well as new songs from her upcoming debut album, “In a Perfect World.”

LADYBRILLE.COM briefly caught up with Hilson after her electrifying performance, and she shared her thoughts with us about her highly-anticipated album as well as her personal style.

LADYBRILLE.COM: First of all, congratulations on your amazing performance tonight. It was wonderful! And congratulations on your upcoming album and the hits that you’ve had so far.
Keri Hilson:
Thank you.

LADYBRILLE.COM: I know you started out as a performing artist from the beginning, but you were most known in your career prior to your current projects as being an excellent songwriter for a lot of other talented artists. How does it feel now that you’re being seen for what you originally started out to do, which is to be an artist on your own? How does it feel to be finally here, and your album is about to be released, and you’ve been getting such a warm reception from the fans and the music community?

Keri Hilson: It’s been great. So far, the transition has been very easy for me, because [like you said] being an artist was always my first dream. Honestly, I never expected that songwriting would bring me back to the artist thing. It is what I wanted to happen, but it’s not what I expected. I’m a realist, and I knew that as long as I was working that I would be successful; as long as I was working as hard as I was working, I would be successful. I never even would have guessed that songwriting, for me, would take off as fast or as far as it did, but it did, and I’m proud of myself.

LADYBRILLE.COM: For the event tonight, with Lexus hosting, the theme is “arriving in style,” and one of the reasons you were chosen as an artist to perform tonight because you’ve finally “arrived” as an artist, and you’ve arrived in style. How do you feel about that?
Keri Hilson:
Well, I guess I try to be stylish, and I guess that’s a good thing.[smiles]. And style really is just confidence, so if they chose me for the style reason, I’m flattered and honored. It was a good collaboration. I’ve done a couple shows with Lexus, so it’s a good collaboration.

LADYBRILLE.COM: Your sense of style is refreshing. How would you describe your personal style?
Keri Hilson:
I think I’m always a good mix of masculine and feminine, like soft and rough. I mean, that is who I am. I’m kind of a girlie-girl now, but I grew up a tomboy. I swam for twelve years, competed for Georgia in the Junior Nationals in swimming. Then I played basketball; two years best offensive and senior MVP in my high school career. So that is very much a part of me. I’m a tennis shoe freak. I love everything from my tomboy days. I care less about a lot of things that the average woman cares about. But, my style reflects that, and I think it’s a good mix of womanhood and my childhood growing up as a tomboy; always easygoing, always comfortable. Comfort over anything else, absolutely. If I’m not comfortable in it, I won’t put it on. That means I won’t be confident.

LADYBRILLE.COM: Ladybrille.com as a brand is known as “Where the West Meets Today's African Fashion Industry.” How do you feel about Africa’s influence on fashion, and have you been to Africa? Would you like to perform someday in Africa?
Keri Hilson:
Absolutely, I would love to go to Africa! My sister has been to Capetown and Johannesburg. She actually taught in the schools. I don’t know much about African fashion and how it may have influenced fashion here or anywhere, but I would be interested to go and see! That would be something I would absolutely love to do.

LADYBRILLE.COM: Excellent! Thank you very much.
Keri Hilson:
Thank you!

~Article by Ngozi Mba

Keri Hilson at the Lexus Listening Lounge

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Teairra Mari at the Lexus Listening Lounge

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Actress Vanessa Williams at the Lexus Listening Lounge

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Actor James Black at the Lexus Listening Lounge

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American Gospel Duo Mary Mary at the Lexus Listening Lounge

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Kawanna Brown COO of MJE and Aaron Walton C

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Kawanna Brown CEO of MJE and Monica Womack

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Friday, February 6, 2009

Ladybrille Exclusive: Stoned Cherie, at Last, at New York Fashion Week!

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South Africa’s Stoned Cherie, Mali/Paris’s Xuly Bet, Nigeria’s Tiffany Amber, MOMO and now Jewel by Lisa are the confirmed designers to show at ThisDay/Arise Magazine: African Fashion Collective, Fall 2009 Show. And guess what, we were right on the money, since the launch of Ladybrille by predicting that the works of Stoned Cherie, Tiffany Amber and Jewel by Lisa, among the list we cited, would make a global hit if only they were afforded the right exposure on a platform like New York Fashion Week. Revisit our Veoh TV interview at the SXSW Conference 2008.
Without further ado and in this LADYBRILLE.com exclusive, we introduce you to Nkhensani the brain behind the absolutely brilliant brand, Stoned Cherrie.

LADYBRILLE.com: Hi Nkhensani! How are you? We still haven't really connected but Noni [Noni Gasa is South Africa’s media personality and Face of Sanlam SA Fashion Week 2005] has told me only great things about you.
Stoned Cherrie:
Hi there! I should hope she has! [Adds] Just joking!

LADYBRILLE.com: [Laughs] So, you are coming to New York [saying it in a sing song tone]. How were you approached to participate and what does that feel like for you?
Stoned Cherrie:
We are coming to New York! [Responds in a sing song tone.] It feels great to know that African stereotypes will be challenged and that Africa will be represented on a world stage. We were asked to participate as part of the African collective showcasing on the 13th and we are thrilled to be introducing the world to Stoned Cherrie’s Afro-urban take on fashion. The organizers, in line with the launch of Arise magazine, wanted to showcase what Africa has to offer.

LADYBRILLE.com: South Africa has had a presence before in 2002 with the Afridesia show sponsored by Anglogold. It featured some South African designers but it seemed like there was never a conversion to actual sales. How do you think your presence in New York will be different from your predecessors?
Stoned Cherrie:
I am not sure why nothing came of their participation in Afridesia. Stoned Cherrie is a popular South African brand that attracts a lot of American tourists who have always said Stoned Cherrie would do so well in the U.S. market. Stoned Cherrie has always been more about a certain headspace than it is about a specific demographic, making it a celebrated brand bringing together like minded individuals who believe in freedom, heritage and spreading the message of Love.

Over the past couple of years I have been part of a mentorship program that is based in New York and they are assisting with securing a few key meetings so hopefully those will yield something meaningful. We have also been involved with one of South Africa’s major retailers for a few years so we no longer have a one-dimensional view of fashion being solely about expression and couture. We have been producing commercial products for some time and are looking to exporting some of our more product lines into the US market - we’ll see how it goes.

LADYBRILLE.com: I am sure it will go well! Ladybrille has been featuring your work for a while now but help many in the fashion world in the States who have never heard about you. Give us a synopsis of your background?
Stoned Cherrie:
We are a product of our universe. Our aesthetic oscillates between past present and future lending a nostalgic and fun edge to our design signature [that] has been inspired by our history. I think that we are a very expressive brand that is not necessarily influenced by the latest trend in fashion rather seeing ourselves as trendsetters. We were born in 2000 and already have quite an impressive collection of awards and nominations including receiving a lifetime achievement award and a best brand award a couple of months apart. South Africa is a country undergoing tremendous change at the moment and we are boldly evolving with it while keeping our signature style.

Stoned Cherrie represents everything that is celebratory. It was created in an effort to provide a platform for self-expression and to represent a New Africa that challenged preconceived ideas around Africa and identity. We have managed over the last 9 years to spark the desire of many throughout Africa.

LADYBRILLE.com: We've heard Stoned Cherrie was inspired by your work with Face of Africa, the one responsible for putting Supermodel Oluchi Onweagba on the map. Tell us how you got the epiphany to start the brand?
Stoned Cherrie:
I was participating in Face of Africa as the spokesperson and presenter of the show, which meant I got to do a lot of the scouting for models across the continent. Although I always made clothes for my dolls I was never exposed to the world of fashion until my participation in the show. Because it was a model search I was flung directly into the world of fashion and I couldn’t help but think “where is the African aesthetic” in all of this. The designers were all international designers and everything else was an interpretation of what someone else thought Africa was about.

I was inspired to create a brand that would be an authentic expression of the urban energy that I love about South Africa, Lagos, Tanzania and all the urban and peri-urban centers of Africa. Walking in the streets of Lagos, I knew that I needed to go back home and start something big. I saw a wealth of opportunity and beauty all around me: I recognized that the energy that exists on the continent was not being branded and packaged and I wanted to celebrate what it means to me to be an African in the 21st Century. I like the idea of being daringly different and busting stereotypes of what it is to be sexy and sultry yet sophisticated and subtle.

LADYBRILLE.com: I want our readers to really appreciate your emergence on South Africa's fashion scene and industry. So, please set the context for us. What was the state of South Africa's fashion industry at the time, especially as it pertained to Black South African designers?
Stoned Cherrie:
At the time we started, South African fashion did not have its own identity. To a large degree it followed safely in the footsteps of Euro-centric ideals of what fashion is. There was a sprinkling of designers here and there but the black force was not all that visible. Remember we are a young democracy just coming out of apartheid and unequal opportunity so at the time there wasn't much visible success among black folks. At the beginning it was a challenge for us to break into an alternative market and completely breakaway from stereotypes. We also didn't want to go to the other extreme: The deep from Africa look. We wanted beautiful stylish timeless pieces that exude femininity, independence pride and dignity.

LADYBRILLE.com: You seemed to have accomplished your goal. Your brand is urban, sexy yet cosmopolitan. How have you been able to sustain the huge amount of capital required to keep a business like yours going?
Stoned Cherrie:
We have had a very interesting journey. We have had people who believed in us, we believed in us. We worked really hard and took calculated risks and we gained recognition for our efforts. In 2003 we won two awards in the business sector and in 2006 we were selected out of about 200 applicants as winners of the New York based mentorship program, Endeavor. So our efforts have really paid off.

LADYBRILLE.com: Yes indeed. Congratulations. You have a knack for 'getting it' and putting the ‘Urban’ in urban-chic African. Walk us through the creative processes you and your staff undertake as you prepare for each season?
Stoned Cherrie:
Thank you. We are great believers in infinite possibility and that is always our guiding principal. We are also passionate about Africa and its people and being situated in the City Center ensures that we are constantly inspired. Our process differs with every range but it is always based on in-depth research and a thought process.

LADYBRILLE.com: I think many are curious if business practices are sort of the same in South Africa with a fashion business owner in the USA. Demystify it for us by sharing with some of your daily challenges as a business owner?
Stoned Cherrie:
I suppose they vary from finding the right suppliers with products at the right price to ensuring that your pricing is right. The greatest challenge for any creative within this industry is balancing the creative and the business aspects of the business.

LADYBRILLE.com: The economic crisis is hitting us hard globally and especially in the USA. We understand South Africa is also affected from ongoing questions on the Chinese quota and recent financial fraud. Where do you see the industry going and what direction do you think it ought to take?
Stoned Cherrie:
There is no doubt that the recession is having its impact. We are starting to see it this side too. I am, however, an eternal optimist and I believe that we will make it through all the changes. That is why I have always been focused on building a brand rather than just a fashion label. Those people who are sensitized to the changes and who continue to be involved in meaningful work will survive.

LADYBRILLE.com:We expect Stoned Cherrie will 'WOW' them at New York Fashion Week. Are you ready and able to meet the demand when buyers approach to order thousands of units of you merchandise?
Stoned Cherrie:
Fortunately we have been dealing with big factories because of our involvement with a big retailer in South Africa so we are prepared to meet demand.

LADYBRILLE.com: What is the bigger picture you hope you can send to America and international fashion industries that will be watching, about Africa?
Stoned Cherrie:
I am hoping to challenge stereotypes about Africa and hopefully get some meaningful trade going that will empower some of the communities we are working with.

LADYBRILLE.com: I know you are a mom. How many children and how do you do it with seemingly amazing finesse?
Stoned Cherrie:
I have three kids and a twelve-year old niece who is like a daughter to me. It is a constant juggling act full of enjoyment, anxiety, fulfillment and all the things that go with being a parent. I try as much as possible to live in the moment.

LADYBRILLE.com: Welcome to the USA and New York! We wish you nothing but success.
Stoned Cherrie:
THANKS! Hope to see you at the show.

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Ymib.com
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And the Winner of 1 Free Ticket to New York Fashion Week, Academy of Art University , Fall '09 Show is . . .


This was tough as we had compelling entries on why many wanted to win the opportunity to attend one of the world's prestigious fashion events. However, there can be only one winner. So, drum roll pleaseee! The winner of a free ticket to the Academy of Art University's Fashion Show which will be held at the 'Main Tent' in Bryant Park on February 13th, 2009 is . . . . yeah we know had to draw it out a bit for the drama. Okay,okay. The winner is Estella Ogbonna of Estella Couture, LLC!

Congratulations Estella! Here is what the avid Ladybrille reader had to say in her e-mail to us,

"WHY I DESERVE TO WIN

As an African Designer who is working against all odds to present African Fabrics 'undiluted' (just the way they are) to the whole world without totally adjusting and 'westernizing' the culture, originality and history attached to each delicately woven and much admired fabrics and textiles, I believe I deserve to be given this opportunity to network and meet with people at the New York Fashion Week. And it has not been easy to come up with the fees required at New York Fashion week to showcase my designs and talents. Being given this free ticket would afford me a great opportunity of being there, and I know and believe my designs would make it to Bryant park very soon.

Thank you."

Estella please contact us within 24 hours at contest(at)ladybrille.com otherwise, we will have to move on to the next winner.

Neither Ladybrille nor Academy of Art University and its subsidiaries are responsible for travel and accommodations.

*****
If you didn't win this time, no worries. We still have the contest running for New York Fashion Week, African Fashion Collective 2009. So submit an entry and you just might win!
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Thursday, February 5, 2009

1 Lucky Ladybrille Reader & Guest Wins a Free Ticket to ThisDay/Arise Magazine: African Fashion Collective, Fall 2009 Show

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To say we have been inundated with requests for New York Fashion Week, ThisDay/Arise Magazine: African Fashion Collective Show, Fall 2009 is an understatement! Teachers [from high and grade schools] have requested tickets for themselves and students, modeling agencies have offered their models up for the shows, Ladybrille friends, acquaintances and even colleagues all want to attend the show. Understandably so because from our inside sources, the show is already jam packed and promises to be BRILLIANT!

While we can't give tickets to everyone, we can certainly provide 2 tickets total to YOU,our loyal and faithful Ladybrille reader, and your guest to attend the event. So, here is how to win a free ticket for you and your guest to attend the show:

In one paragraph or less, tell us why you think you deserve to win this ticket.

Include the following: your name, age, address and phone number.

The winner will be selected at random.

Eligibility: The contest is open only to residents in the USA. You must be 18 to qualify. Contest closes this Sunday Feb. 8th, 2009, at noon Pacific Standard Time [PST], USA.

Please note because of the huge demand to attend the African Fashion Collective Fall '09 Show,once we make a selection, you have 24hours to get in touch with us otherwise we will move on to the next person.

****SEND TO contest@ladybrille.com.

Please read our privacy policy to see what we do with the information you submit.


To read our previous coverage on ThisDay/Arise Magazine fashion show and designer profiles, use our search box on the right sidebar.

Special thanks to our friends at Paul Wilmont Communications for going the extra mile for us. We are grateful and appreciate you all.

Good luck!
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Tanzania Renowned Fashion Designer Mustafa Hassanali Supports Young Designer



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MUSTAFA HASSANALI SUPPORTS YOUNG DESIGNER

Renowned designer Mustafa Hassanali will be unveiling his bridal wear ‘Malkia’on Saturday 7th February 2009 at the Little Theatre next to St. Peters Church . His bridal show comes with a surprise package from young and budding Designer Edward Musiba who will be the frontrunner for ‘Malaika’ show.

Who is Edward Musiba?
His story reads like a script, He is currently studying for his Form 6 exams at Tambaza high school but besides studying, Edward has been an artist all of his life. Only last year he engaged in designing garments and luck did strike when WAPI (Words and pictures) designers gave him an invitation to the fashion forum at the British Council in October 2008. This forum proved to be more than an eye opener that did lead to other creative doors. Thereafter he participated in the Swahili fashion week, the brain child of Mustafa Hassanali and the rest as they say is history. He won the coveted WAPI emerging designer award and today he is fronting Mustafa Hassanali’s ‘Malkia’ show.

Edward will be showcasing 7 outfits both male and female creative and semi formal attires that do portray his gusto and eye for design, a good leaf borrowed from his mentor Mustafa Hassanali who has been at the forefront of nurturing such great, young talent. Musiba speaks of Mustafa as a designer with a big heart and love for his Country; he is focused on unearthing and uplifting raw talent and in the process makes the design world in Tanzania accessible even to the World at large.

Come and witness the master and his student at work on Saturday the 7th February 2009 at the Little Theatre next to St.Peters Church

MALKIA IS proudly sponsored by ZAIN, STELLA ARTOIS and MOTOMEDIA

ABOUT MUSTAFA HASSANALI
Mustafa Hassanali Couture is renowned for its elegance, style, flamboyancy, glamour and glitz that has made it one of the most sought after fashion houses in Tanzania. He has showcased in Africa and Europe, which has been a great influence on his approach to the world of Fashion in Tanzania . It is his exquisite handwork, detailed beadwork and creative ensemble embellishments that make his work come alive.

From corporate wear, traditional costumes or even a Wedding Ensemble, Mustafa Hassanali handles each piece with great care and gives the utmost attention to whole outfit. Each design and Outfit is Unique…. A duplicate is NEVER created. That is what makes it uniquely, a Truly Mustafa Hassanali Affair.
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Renato Palmi Appointed as Marketing and Project Director for Linea Fashion Academy


Congratulations to a friend of Ladybrille, Renato Palmi. Palmi a renowned fashion researcher,columnist for numerous fashion publications in SA, and author of "Inside-Out, South African Fashion Designers Sewing Success," is now Marketing and Project Director for the prestigious Durban based fashion institution, Linea Academy.

Kim Day, Director at the Academy tells us, "he shall be giving lectures to our students on the business or as he calls it the fashion-nomics of the industry as well as on social aspects of the industry such as ethical and fair trade within the apparel sector."

We know he will do a terrific job. Congrats Renato Palmi!
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Wednesday, February 4, 2009

MCF Foundation Makes it a Liberian Affair During New York Fashion Week


Ladybrille's Project Runway Korto Momolu and Shop Mosaic Online's Chioma Amegashie are part of the two that will be participating in the MacDella Cooper Foundation New York Fashion Week After Party at Nikki Beach on February 20th . The event is an army of fashion and media women entrepreneurs/personalities coming together for a great cause.

According to MCF event organizers, "The goal of the New York Fashion Week After Party at Nikki Beach is to raise $500,000 to break ground on the MCF Academy, the first tuition-free school in war-torn Liberia. The After Party will feature an unveiling of the digital renderings of the new MCF Academy, designed by esteemed architect Winka Dubbeldam, principal of the world-renowned firm Archi-Tectonics. Project Runway finalist Korto Momolu, who is Liberian, will debut her latest fashions. Not only will guests have the chance to win designer fashion items, but they will also get to leave a lasting impact on the academy by pledging to sponsor buildings and key elements of the campus."

The VIP cocktail hour begins at 6pm, and doors for general ticket holders open at 7pm. There will be a red carpet entrance outside of Nikki Beach with photographers and media.

Keynote Address by Susan Metzger, CEO of Womens' Wholesale Sportswear, Jones Apparel Group

Special Guests:
Korto Momolu, Project Runway finalist
Betsy Morgan, CEO of The Huffington Post
Janet Hanson, Founder of 85 Broads
Winka Dubbeldam, principal of Archi-Tectonics

Host Committee:
Ceslie Armstrong, CESLIE-The Women's Network
Barbara Brennan, Lifetime Networks
Sonya Pankey, Ralph Lauren Corporate
Evette Rios, The Rachael Ray Show
Julia Szabo, The New York Post
Bailey Hanks, Actress
Chloe Gingrich, BCBG Featuring DJ Dusko Justic
Vanessa Leggard, Hamptons.com
Ashly Priest, Victoria's Secret

Honorary Chairs:
Samantha Fennell
Heidi Gardner
Phyllis Hollis
Krystyna Houser
Donna Poyaidjais

Visit the site www.macdellacooper.org to purchase your tickets!
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Imane Ayissi, Kofi Ansah and Sylvia Owori Show at Rome Haute Couture Fashion Week

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African Fashions and Designers are the ‘IN’ thing in 2009. As New York prepares to receive four seasoned African designers [Mali/France's Xuly Bet, South Africa's Stoned Cherie, Nigeria's Tiffany Amber and MOMO] via the ThisDay/Arise Magazine, African Fashion Collective Fall 2009, Rome carrying on the spirit of the Italian Black Vogue issue- and even more so President Barack Obama who put Kenya/Africa on the global map, debuted African fashion designers at its recently completed Rome Haute Couture Fashion Week, Fall 2009.

Designers who showed included Cameroon's Imane Ayissi,Uganda’s Sylvia Owori and Ghana’s Kofi Ansah.

Ghana's Kofi Ansah
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Cameroon's Imane Ayissi
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Uganda's Sylvia Owori
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~Photos Copyright Reuters
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Monday, February 2, 2009

Ladybrille African Street Style,Saran Kaba-Jones

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Finally, we get Ladybrille's African Street Style which we announced late November of 2008 going. We are excited! Ladybrille's African Street Style is ALL about YOU our readers. Share your sexy African inspired street style with us. You've got accessories or shoes you picked up in Africa during your travels? A sexy African inspired vintage top, sexy denim with some African fabric detailing? A 50s/60s African inspired dress? Whatever the case, we want to hear from and shine the spotlight on YOU!

To be a part of Ladybrille African street style, complete your own questions the way Saran does below and send to info(at)ladybrille.com along with one image sized at 400x600pixels. **Please note Ladybrille reserves all editorial control and pictures sent become property of Ladybrille. We will be planning some giveaways for the best street style each month so tell your friends and get involved!
_______________

Name: Saran Kaba Jones

Profession: Executive Director, FACE Africa-www.faceafrica.org

Describe what you are wearing: A long, flowy dress made from Ankara. The style is very sexy, yet elegant.

Style Philosophy: If you're going to be glamorous, it has to be tempered with eccentricity so that it incorporates your own personality.


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Win 1 Free Ticket to New York Fashion Week Fall '09

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One lucky Ladybrille reader gets a chance to experience the glitz and glamour that is New York Fashion Week at the Academy of Art University Fall 2009 show. The Academy of Art show will be held on February 13th, 2009 at 8pm. It will be in the 'Main Tent,' the largest room at Bryant Park in New York. Experience the fashion-forward and fashionista crowds, the incredible sponsors and their fun giveaways, checking out some haute street styles, seeing the celebs stroll in and out of tents, the paparazzi, and of course the most important thing-the brilliant work that will be displayed on the runway by the Academy of Art Design Students.

Here is how to enter to win:

In one paragraph or less, tell us why you think you deserve to win this ticket.

Include the following: your name, age, address and phone number.

The Winner will be selected at random.

Eligibility: The contest is open only to residents in the USA and Europe. You must be 18 to qualify. Contest closes this Thursday Feb. 5th, 2009, at 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time [PST], USA.

Please note because of the huge demand to attend shows at New York Fashion Week, Fall '09, once we make a selection, you have 24hours to get in touch with us otherwise we will move on to the next person.

****SEND TO contest@ladybrille.com.

Please read our privacy policy to see what we do with the information you submit.
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Ladybrille Exclusive: New York Fashion Week Preview, Academy of Art University Fall 2009

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We kick this week off in preparation for the fabulous New York Fashion Week that will be held February 13th to 20th, 2009 at Bryant Park in New York City.You can feel the excitement in the air, even in these hard times, as the industry’s heavy hitters, worldwide, prepare to descend on New York for a week of brilliant fashion shows, partying it up with celebrities, and of course negotiating and closing on some million dollar business deals.

One show that has consistently delivered in terms of brilliance and remains one of our favorite at LADYBRILLE.com is The Academy of Art University, San Francisco [Academy of Art]. A main staple, now, at New York Fashion Week, the Academy of Art’s show usually opens each season to a capacity filled ‘Main Tent,’ the biggest venue at Bryant Park which seats a 1,000, not including those standing.

The Academy of Art remains the only school, worldwide, with the privilege of showing at the prestigious and exclusive New York Fashion Week. LADYBRILLE.com sat with Heather Howard and Cat Janky for a brief chat about their collections. The two worked together and are two of the eight Academy of Art design students that will be showing at New York Fashion Week Fall ’09.

Cat’s figurative and sometimes-macabre prints are based on photographs of Native American life in the 1800s. She has created a modern play on traditional silkscreen prints of stripes, checks and polka dots. Cat is from Omaha Nebraska and this is her first time showing at New York fashion Week.

Heather, for her sustainable collection, drew on her upbringing in Portland, Orgeon, where hiking, backing, sciences and arts were important to her family. Early environmentalists John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt Inspired her.


LADYBRILLE.com: You must be excited going to New York!
Cat Janky: [Giggles] I am! [Giggles and laughs] It is really exciting and I tell everyone about it.
Heather Howard: I am excited. We are excited!

LADYBRILLE.com: Cat what was your major at the Academy?
Cat Janky: Oh, Textile Designs.

LADYBRILLE.com: So you are actually specialized in that?
Cat Janky: Yes.

LADYBRILLE.com: How long have you [all] been working on the collection and how hard was the work?
Cat Janky: The selection process was though my Fashion director. Heather and I got placed together because of our styles. We started in May of last year. I went to do an internship and I was working full time at Abercrombie & Fitch but then I had to come home on the weekends and do this [design textile].

LADYBRILLE.com: Oh Whoa!
Cat Janky: [Giggles]

LADYBRILLE.com: Tell us a bit about what have you created?
Cat Janky: The inspiration comes from photographs from the 1800s. I am really excited about it. It took me a little while to figure out what to do with it. So, I did research on my own and I found little things. [giggles again] I am really excited.

LADYBRILLE.com: Heather, what will make your collection stand out?
Heather Howard: The sustainability aspect to it. We used natural fibers, seashells . . . the eco-friendly way in which it was produced. For the silhouettes, we worked with our instructor to create YSL trapeze type silhouettes. There are lots of high colors, wide skirts . . .

LADYBRILLE.com: What are the colors you will be showing?
Cat Janky: Navy, black, brown, yellow beige, pink and purple.

LADYBRILLE.com: What direction do you want to go as a designer?
Cat Janky: There is still a lot to really figure out with what I do. It is not particularly green [chuckles] at the moment. I think there has to be a lot more development from the textile science side of things that makes more eco-friendly materials. But, it is definitely something I am interested in. That is the direction I would like to go.
Heather Howard: Sustainability is where I want to go because it feels right.
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TED Conference Introduces TED Fellows Program

Contact: Laura Galloway
Phone: +1 213.948.3100 or +1 212.260.3708
Email: laura@gallowaymediagroup.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TED CONFERENCE INTRODUCES TED FELLOWS PROGRAM
Fifty World-Changing Individuals to be Selected Annually for New, Prestigious Fellowship Program; 20 move to Senior Fellows Three-Year Program

Long Beach, California, February 2, 2009 -- Organizers of the TED Conference today announced the introduction of the TED Fellows program, a new international program designed to foster the spread of great ideas. Initially 50 individuals, selected for the world-changing potential of their work, will be invited to participate in the TED community each year. At the end of the year, 20 of these 50 will be selected to be TED Senior Fellows, participating in an extended three-year program will bring them to six consecutive conferences, along with additional benefits. The principal goal of the program is to empower the Fellows to effectively communicate their work to the TED community and to the world.

The TED Fellows program will focus on attracting applicants living or working in five parts of the globe: the Asia/Pacific region, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Middle East, with consideration given to applicants from the rest of the world. TED will seek remarkable thinkers and doers that have shown unusual accomplishment, exceptional courage, moral imagination and the potential to increase positive change in their respective fields. The program focuses on innovators in technology, entertainment, design, science, film, art, music, entrepreneurship and the NGO community, among other pursuits.

The program was inspired by the TEDAfrica 2007 conference in Arusha, Tanzania, in which 100 fellows participated in a first-of-its kind gathering that catalyzed a new generation of leaders -- all entrepreneurial, fluent in technology and vested in creating change on the continent. The Arusha fellows brought with them new perspectives, enormous energy, enthusiasm and, through their ovation-generating talks, catalyzed the launch of many initiatives with other attendees. Propelled by their energy, TED decided to develop the TED Fellows program.

“Because TEDAfrica’s success in 2007 was due in no small part to the boundless energy and remarkable ideas of our fellows, we decided to create a permanent program to bring more amazing leaders into the TED Community. TED will help them communicate their ‘ideas worth spreading’ to a much larger audience,” said Tom Rielly, TED Community Director, who is responsible for the program.

Each Fellow will attend the prestigious TED Conference in Long Beach or Oxford, where they will have the opportunity to speak before or during TED and spread their ideas online through TED.com. They will also receive exclusive communications training, a private social network and the opportunity to tell their ongoing stories on the new TED Fellows blog.

Each year, 50 Fellows will be selected to attend the TED (Long Beach) or TEDGlobal Conference (in Oxford, U.K.), approximately 25 at each location. TED Fellows will be awarded the opportunity to participate in the full spectrum of TED community offerings. An international selection committee representing the target regions will then choose the Senior Fellows. Three years from today, in addition to the 50 TED Fellows, there will be 60 concurrent TED Senior Fellows, with 20 joining each year, and 20 graduating to the Fellows alumni.

The first participants include
  • Erik Hersmann and Juliana Rotich, co-founders of Ushahidi.com, a website for citizen journalism covering crises such as the Kenyan post-election violence
  • Faisal Chohan, CEO of Cogilent Solutions and founder of BrightSpyre.com, the leading job portal in Pakistan
  • Juliana Machado Ferreira, Brazilian CSI: Wildlife biologist who uses genetic markers to track, interdict and convict illegal songbird traffickers
  • Sara Mayhew, Canadian mangaka (manga artist)
  • Patrick Awuah, founder and President of Asheshi University in Ghana, which specializes in economics and computer science
  • Bola Olabisi, founder and CEO of the Global Women Inventors and Innovators Network
  • Katrin Verclas, founder of Mobileactive.org, a global network using mobile technology for social good
  • Taghi Amirani, award-winning documentary filmmaker from Iran
  • Yatin Sethi, Indian design researcher and children’s education activist
  • Kyra Gaunt, professor, ethnomusicologist and recording artist
  • Karen Baptiste, post-doctoral fellow from Trinidad and Tobago working on environmental justice
  • Tin Ho Chow, former Singaporean military officer and RISD industrial design student organizing design conferences for social change
  • Gerry Douglas, founder of Malawi’s Baobab Health Partnership, which builds touch screen terminals that allow non-doctors to diagnose, treat and correctly prescribe drugs for people with HIV
  • Esther Chae, Korean American actor and writer whose solo performance As the Arrow Flies draws on her life growing up in Korea and tells the story of a North Korean spy and the FBI agent who pursues her
  • A complete list of the 2009 Long Beach TED Fellows can be found at www.ted.com/fellows/2009.

  • The program is supported initially by the Bezos family, the Harnisch Foundation, private donors and Nokia, with additional in-kind support from Kodak, Lightscribe and One.org. To support the program, email fellows@ted.com.
    Details are available at www.ted.com/fellows. For more information, please contact Logan McClure at +1 212.346.9333 or via email at fellows@ted.com.

    About TED
    TED is an annual event where some of the world's leading thinkers and doers are invited to share what they are most passionate about. "TED" stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design — three broad subject areas that are, collectively, shaping our future. And in fact, the event is broader still, showcasing ideas that matter in any discipline. Attendees have called it "the ultimate brain spa" and "a four-day journey into the future." The diverse audience — CEOs, scientists, creatives, philanthropists — is almost as extraordinary as the speakers, who have included Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Frank Gehry, Paul Simon, Sir Richard Branson, Philippe Starck and Bono.

    TED was first held in Monterey, California, in 1984. In 2001, Chris Anderson's Sapling Foundation acquired TED from its founder, Richard Saul Wurman. In recent years, TED has expanded to include an international conference, TEDGlobal; media initiatives, including TED Talks and TED.com; and the TED Prize. TED2009, "The Great Unveiling," will be held Feb. 3-7, 2009, in Long Beach, California, with a simulcast event in Palm Springs, California.
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