Sevon Dejana's Presentation of “Ohun Ijinle (Mystery)”

I just discovered another inspiring design label from Nigeria, "Sevon Dejana". 

Sevon Dejana is a women's wear Avant Garde-Couture brand that makes timeless pieces for all seasons. The new collection is entitled “Ohun Ijinle," (Mystery). This hot collection is filled with mixed materials such as:leather, fur, suede, velvet, damask, satin, feathers, crepe and some sheer inserts. According to the fashion house, the collection is inspired by the beauty and intelligence of crows.

The new collection is glamour personified and with such use of rich materials, we declare it--just in time for the festive holiday season. There are so many beautiful looks from this collection but we have selected our favorites for your perusal below:

Credits
Designer: Sevon Dejana @sevondejana
Styling and Direction: Moses Ebite @moashystyling
Model: Chinny Eze @catch22models
Make up: Uche Enyokwa @sutchay
Photography: Ademola Odusami @Mr_laah

www.afriqexpressions.com twitter.com/@Afriqex http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt89bnJke-sBlKdj8otZW7Q_ www.facebook.com/afriqexpressions http://afriqexpressions.blogspot.com http://instagram.com/afriqexpressions http://www.pinterest.com/afriqexpression/pins/ http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ola-alabi/68/a91/347?trk=shareTw Phone: 702-467-6762 Email: afriqexpressions@gmail.com Skype: afriqexpressions OR (702)608-4466 www.fashionablychicgal.com www.twitter.com/fashchicgal www.instagram.com/fashchicgal www.facebook.com/fashchicgal http://www.writeacustomerreview.com/Fashionably_Chic_Gal

FALL 2016 READY-TO-WEAR Maki Oh

I am very excited to present another Fashion House from the motherland "Africa," that is currently shaking up the landscape of internationl couture fashion. Maki Oh is designed and curated by — Amaka Osakwe.

Look 3 ‘Ehn’ — ‘Yes’The collection uses markers such as silk chiffon, pearls and ribbons to move through the assimilative performance of hyper-femininity that is required of black women, accentuated with frills and ruffles. The shapes take direct inspiration from traditional Nigerian womenswear, particularly the different voluminous blouses worn with wrappers. Black female resistance is represented in appliqued camouflage that contrast with the light femininity of performance. Varying representations of eyes are repeated heavily throughout the collection, including a traditional Yoruba adiré print of ‘inner eyes’ that represents self-reflection and realization. The eyes are also observing, an indication of ‘we see you’ as well as the inward ‘we see ourselves’. 

Traditional Nigerian clothing was once literally used to communicate; in carrying on that tradition, Amaka Osakwe is as much the author of her pieces as their designer. One signature of her brand is that it's dyed by hand using the traditional textile arte process Adire. The textiles are produced using organic dyes and fabrics, a  production that sustains not just the environment, but a fading tradition-- the technique of Adire-dying which is common to native of Nigeria. Another is her way of combining Western silhouettes and native materials and motifs—to wit, a lace-blouse-and-pencil-skirt set appliquéd with unsettling raffia eyeballs.

Checkout our favorite looks from her Fall collection below and fall in love as we did:

 

 Look 1

Look 1 ‘Ehn’ — ‘Do you understand?’ Maki Oh’s Fall 2016 collection is a foray into womanism through the linguistic variations of the Nigerian word ‘ehn’. A simple expression that carries a multitude of meanings depending on intonation, ‘ehn’ contains several dimensions that are not immediately obvious in its three letters. The complexity of this word is mirrored in the complexity of being a black African woman in the world today. Despite self-imposed affirmations of being queens and being ‘magic’, when a black woman wakes up in the morning and draws breath, what immediately ensues is the daily fight against the external push to limit her dimensions. Maki Oh created the Fall 2016 collection with this resistance in mind, culminating in a celebratory acceptance of this existence, with all its denied but intrinsic beauty and nuance—‘We are here, and this is who we are, ehn!’

Look 2

Look 3

Look 3 ‘Ehn’ — ‘Yes’The collection uses markers such as silk chiffon, pearls and ribbons to move through the assimilative performance of hyper-femininity that is required of black women, accentuated with frills and ruffles. The shapes take direct inspiration from traditional Nigerian womenswear, particularly the different voluminous blouses worn with wrappers. Black female resistance is represented in appliqued camouflage that contrast with the light femininity of performance. Varying representations of eyes are repeated heavily throughout the collection, including a traditional Yoruba adiré print of ‘inner eyes’ that represents self-reflection and realization. The eyes are also observing, an indication of ‘we see you’ as well as the inward ‘we see ourselves’. 

Look 4

Look 4 ‘Ehn’ — ‘Yes?’ The colour palette draws from the richness of Nigerian landscape—from the lush greens, to the earth tones of Nok terracotta, punctuated by bursts of pastels. Handmade bags were created in collaboration with Nigerian accessory brand, Zashadu, using locally sourced leathers. The hand-painted and hand-dyed indigo adiré motifs this season echo themes of knowing and sight. Adiré motifs may be mistaken as being indistinguishable and repetitive but it is this limited perception belying a deeper complexity that is the thread running through the collection, from the nuanced definitions of the word ‘ehn’ to the truth of black womanhood. 

Look 5

 

Look 6

Look 7

Look 8

Look 9

Look 10

Look 11

Look 12

Look 13

Look 14

Look 17

Look 18

Look 19

Look 20

Look 22

Look 24

Look 25

Maki Oh was nominated for the 2014 LVMH Young Designer Award, and fans of the clothes—and the coded messages therein—International stars such as singers Beyoncé and Rihanna or Hollywood actress Kerry Washington have discovered the Nigerian designer outfits for themselves. U.S. First Lady, Michelle Obama, well-known for being a style icon, wore during summer 2013 trip to South Africa a blouse of Nigerian designer Maki Oh. Her designs also have been worn by the likes of Solange Knowles and Leelee Sobieski and by Nigerian TV presenter Eku Edewor.

Photo: Courtesy of Maki Oh

Photographed by: @sushi_oh

Model: Dami @fewmodels

www.afriqexpressions.com twitter.com/@Afriqex http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt89bnJke-sBlKdj8otZW7Q_ www.facebook.com/afriqexpressions http://afriqexpressions.blogspot.com http://instagram.com/afriqexpressions http://www.pinterest.com/afriqexpression/pins/ http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ola-alabi/68/a91/347?trk=shareTw Phone: 702-467-6762 Email: afriqexpressions@gmail.com Skype: afriqexpressions OR (702)608-4466 www.fashionablychicgal.com www.twitter.com/fashchicgal www.instagram.com/fashchicgal www.facebook.com/fashchicgal http://www.writeacustomerreview.com/Fashionably_Chic_Gal

Andrea Iyamah’s Spring/Summer ‘Finding Water’ 2016 Collection

It's summer time and the season for hot weather and swimwear. That is where Andrea Iyamah comes in with her newest collection. “There’s something mysterious and daring about the Egyptian culture that sparked my curiosity. Symbolism was important in telling the story behind our SS16 collection” says designer Andrea Iyamah.

This season collection is culturally rooted from Egypt. Andrea Iyamah tries to incorporate pyramids into their first in-house made prints with the high-octane geometry, lines and angles in different bubbly colors.

The campaign aptly conveys the inspiration behind the collection with the choice of a dessert as the location and a far away pyramid in sight. Makeup is kept in theme, with the exaggerated eyeliner that Biblical Egyptians are known for and hair – short and messy.

The campaign was directed and photographed by remarkable visual artist and photographer William Ukoh of Willy Verse.

Instagram: @andreaiyamah | Website: www.andreaiyamah.com

www.afriqexpressions.com twitter.com/@Afriqex http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt89bnJke-sBlKdj8otZW7Q_ www.facebook.com/afriqexpressions http://afriqexpressions.blogspot.com http://instagram.com/afriqexpressions http://www.pinterest.com/afriqexpression/pins/ http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ola-alabi/68/a91/347?trk=shareTw Phone: 702-467-6762 Email: afriqexpressions@gmail.com Skype: afriqexpressions OR (702)608-4466 www.fashionablychicgal.com www.twitter.com/fashchicgal www.instagram.com/fashchicgal www.facebook.com/fashchicgal http://www.writeacustomerreview.com/Fashionably_Chic_Gal

Met Gala 2016 Top Five Looks

Met Gala, the most important party of the year in the Fashion Industry is finally here. This year, the theme is "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology," which means the best of Tinsel town celebrities, couture gowns, and glamour on the red carpet, as well as our roundup of best dressed stars come out to play in their fineries. The The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit lived up to its reputation on Monday night as some of the biggest names in music, film, and the runway arrived wearing ornate costumes created by the world's premier fashion designers.

Here are our top Five looks from the night:

 

Beyonce in embellished latex dress by Givenchy

Kim Kardashian West in Balmain

Kendall Jenner chose a mesh style Versace number

Zendaya, in Michael Kors Collection

Zayn Malik, in a Versace suit, & Gigi Hadid, wearing Tommy Hilfiger,

Do you agree with our choices?






www.afriqexpressions.com twitter.com/@Afriqex http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt89bnJke-sBlKdj8otZW7Q_ www.facebook.com/afriqexpressions http://afriqexpressions.blogspot.com http://instagram.com/afriqexpressions http://www.pinterest.com/afriqexpression/pins/ http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ola-alabi/68/a91/347?trk=shareTw Phone: 702-467-6762 Email: afriqexpressions@gmail.com Skype: afriqexpressions OR (702)608-4466 www.fashionablychicgal.com www.twitter.com/fashchicgal www.instagram.com/fashchicgal www.facebook.com/fashchicgal http://www.writeacustomerreview.com/Fashionably_Chic_Gal

Duro Olowu SS 2016 Collection

                 

duroolowuLook from @duroolowu London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2016 collection. Photo by Luis Monteiro. Makeup by Maria Papadopoulou ; Hair by Chrysostomos Chamalidis ; Model: Imogen Parker#duroolowu #lfw #fall2016 #style

                 

duroolowuLook from yesterday's@duroolowu London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2016 collection. Photo by Luis Monteiro. Jewels by Duro Olowu for Sidney Garber, New York. Boots: Duro Olowu x Paul Andrew, New York. Makeup by Maria Papadopoulou ; Hair by Chrysostomos Chamalidis ; Models Aneita Moore (L) Imogen Parker (R).#duroolowu #lfw #fall2016 #style

                 

duroolowuLook from just shown@duroolowu London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2016 collection. Photo by Luis Monteiro. Jewels by Duro Olowu for Sidney Garber, New York. Makeup by Maria Papadopoulou ; Hair by Chrysostomos Chamalidis ; Model Aneita Moore. #duroolowu #lfw #fall2016 #style

                 

duroolowuLook from just shown@duroolowu London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2016 collection. Photo by Luis Monteiro. Makeup by Maria Papadopoulou ; Hair by Chrysostomos Chamalidis ; Model: Imogen Parker#duroolowu #lfw #fall2016 #style

                 

duroolowuLook from just shown@duroolowu London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2016 collection. Photo by Luis Monteiro. Jewels by Duro Olowu for Sidney Garber, New York. Makeup by Maria Papadopoulou ; Hair by Chrysostomos Chamalidis ; Model Aneita Moore. #duroolowu #lfw #fall2016 #style

                 

duroolowuLook from just shown@duroolowu London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2016 collection. Photo by Luis Monteiro. Makeup by Maria Papadopoulou ; Hair by Chrysostomos Chamalidis ; Model: Imogen Parker#duroolowu #lfw #fall2016 #style

                 

duroolowuLook from just shown@duroolowu London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2016 collection. Photo by Luis Monteiro. Jewels by Duro Olowu for Sidney Garber, New York. Boots: Duro Olowu x Paul Andrew, New York. Makeup by Maria Papadopoulou ; Hair by Chrysostomos Chamalidis ; Model Aneita Moore. #duroolowu #lfw#fallwinter2016 #style

CREDITS: Duro Olowu                    

www.duroolowu.com

www.afriqexpressions.com twitter.com/@Afriqex http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt89bnJke-sBlKdj8otZW7Q_ www.facebook.com/afriqexpressions http://afriqexpressions.blogspot.com http://instagram.com/afriqexpressions http://www.pinterest.com/afriqexpression/pins/ http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ola-alabi/68/a91/347?trk=shareTw Phone: 702-467-6762 Email: afriqexpressions@gmail.com Skype: afriqexpressions OR (702)608-4466 www.fashionablychicgal.com www.twitter.com/fashchicgal www.instagram.com/fashchicgal www.facebook.com/fashchicgal http://www.writeacustomerreview.com/Fashionably_Chic_Gal