The organizers of Nigeria’s Next Top Designer (NNTD) have announced Toyin Lawani, as the new face of the show and head judge for season two of the designers competition show.
According to Ronke Ademiluyi, the Executive Producer of the show, the Fashion Icon was picked because of her designing and styling portfolio and the craftsmanship that goes into her job. And also because of her zeal for imparting knowledge in the younger generation by establishing Tiannah styling Fashion Academy where her team of professionals teach the Art of Styling and Advanced Designing, thereby creating employment for the younger generation and Physically challenged students under her scholarship programme.
NNTD is offering a free online Fashion Pattern Cutting for all Nigeria’s Next Top Designer Registrants with a certificate from Ravernsbourne UK. The FREE ONLINE PATTERN CUTTING COURSE IS Sponsored by Courteville Business Solutions and Ravernsbourne UK.
The free course is an introduction to pattern cutting, focusing on the main techniques and concepts required to create a pattern with both the ‘how-to’ and the ‘why’ decisions are made.
So, do you think you can be Nigeria’s Next Top Designer 2016? Register here to participate.
Season two starts in the first quarter of 2016 and promises to be captivating, entertaining and educative.
Toyin Lawani is an award winning celebrity Stylist /Designer. She’s a serial entrepreneur of and the CEO of Tiannah’s Place Empire.
Happy New Year AfroCosmpolitans! The year 2015 was great! We made new contacts both off and online. We got new readers, followers, fans, friends, and more. And as we welcome 2016, we want to use this opportunity to thank you all for your support, encouragement and collaborations?
As we enter 2016, our wish is to make AfroCosmopolitan better, as well as to make build new relationships and partnerships.
And to you all our supporters, we wish you a love filled, happy and prosperous New Year. Continue to support us and all the best.
Follow Afrocosmopolitan on Instagram and like the AfroCosmopolitan Facebook page to follow all our social media activities on these platforms. Also, take a look at the site for more posts and style inspiration for your outfits. There are loads of styles to suit a variety of outings.
Shoppers are being urged to be wary of counterfeit booze
With the New Year a few hours ahead and most British people looking forward to drinking a lot of alcohol as part of celebrating the end of 2015 and welcoming 2016, the Local Government Association (LGA) representing over “370 councils in England and Wales, is urging shoppers to keep safe by looking out for the tell-tale signs that bottles are fake – unfamiliar brand names, crooked labels, spelling mistakes and unusually low prices,” reports the Daily Mail UK.
According to LGA) hundreds of thousands of litres of fake alcohol have been seized in the run-up to the festive season, as officials try to quash the billion-pound counterfeit liquor industry and keep their users safe.
“Everyone likes a bargain, especially at this time of year, but drinking cheap, fake alcohol could seriously harm your health and even kill you, so people should avoid it all costs,” says Simon Blackburn, chairman of the LGA’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board.
“Trading Standards teams at councils across the country have been cracking down on businesses selling illegal, fake alcohol and we will continue to target rogue outlets.
“Some shopkeepers clearly have questions to answer about how these items arrive on their shelves. They need to think twice about stocking these products as we will always seek to prosecute irresponsible traders.
“Not only does fake alcohol present a significant danger to health, illegal sales undermine local businesses and threaten genuine jobs.”
Black people’s ‘bad moral attitudes’ is the reason the UK experienced riots in the 80s, says Chancellor Oliver Letwin. The comments, which have been termed racist by other UK MPs and campaigners who are now demanding he make an apology – were contained in secret files that were revealed last night.
The comments were made by Mr Letwin during his time as a member of the Margaret Thatcher government. According the Duchy of Lancaster, there is no way the riots could have been caused by poverty because white people have been living peacefully in slums for a very long time.
‘The root of social malaise is not [underlined] poor housing, or youth “alienation”, or the lack of a middle class,’ they wrote. ‘Lower-class, unemployed white people lived for years in appalling slums without a breakdown of public order on anything like the present scale.
He is the MP in charge of the Cabinet Office and currently the chief policy officer in the David Cameron’s led government. He advises the Government on the implementation of policy
Beside blaming black people for their bad manners, Mr Letwin was never in support of policies to empower black people through entrepreneurship. He said black people would only ‘set up in the disco and drug trade’.
The organizers of London based black event, Divas of Colour International women have announced they are partnering with Black Afro Queens modeling agency to provide over 20 professional models for the 2016 edition Divas of Colour fashion show.
Started two years ago, Divas of Colour is a platform designed to celebrate the great achievements of women of colour from around the world.
Black Afro Queens is an International Model/Talent agency that encourages, inspires and empowers young ethnic women from around the world. It was founded in 2014 by Andrew Bannon. Its goal is to showcase ethnic women through modeling, media, design, creative and performing industries.
On their partnership with Divas of Colour, the agency’s founder – Andrew Bannon said: “Black Afro Queens are pleased and honored to be a partner of Divas Of Colour 2016. BlackAfroQueens has the same core values as Divas Of Colour 2016 to encourage, inspire and empower women of colour from all around the world.We fully support the chosen charity and all the people who come together to make this a truly amazing event, and finally, we get the chance to interact and network with the most amazing women of colour.”
Speaking on their partnership with the agency, Faustina Anyanwu the founder Divas of Colour said: “we’re thrilled to have Black Afro Queens modeling agency to be our official partner to source models for this year’s Divas of colour fashion show. Divas of colour is created to bring back quality, authenticity as well as highlight the best of women of colour. Therefore, our aim is to make it the best at all times, give our showcasing designers a great production worthy of their labels. I have a huge trust in Black Afro Queens modeling agency in getting us the best models to achieve this.”
According to Divas of Colour, they’ll soon be showcasing the models that’ll be working with them during the 2016 edition of the event that will be taking place in January.
Black Afro Queen modeling agency will also provide ushers for the event and will perform a Grand Finale with all BAQ models, dancers, as well as singers. For the first time since its launch, the 2016 edition of Divas of Colour will run concurrently with trade show during the day.
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Check out the ways to rock a black dress like Kim Kardashian. Kim Kardashian is a reality TV star who has been dominating the fashion scene with her dress sense. The mother of and wife to the rapper, Kanye West takes pride in showcasing her fashion style. Even when she was pregnant, this entrepreneur was seen always rocking high heels that most women will not touch at such critical times. But Kim, being Kim, every moment is the right time to dress in almost every kind of outfit and accessories.
While she does miss it sometimes, a lot of the time, she slays with her fashion style. If you looking for ideas to wear a black dress as Kim does, these selected photos of her will help you do that. Check out ways to rock a black dress like Kim Kardashian. Below are photos showcasing the many times Kim K rocked a black dress for an occasion, check them all out, and steal her steal or use it as a source of inspiration to come up with your own ways of rocking and accessorising a black dress.
For those ankara lovers, know that you can make all of these dresses with an ankara African print fabric. Depending on the style, you can use the classic ankara fabric or the more soft and flowy ankara chiffon fabric.
For those of you looking strictly for the latest ankara styles, take a look at the site and you’ll find loads of styles and inspirations to help you upgrade your wardrobe. Good luck.
In May 2015, Kim Kardashian wore this daring black dress with a high slit and plunging neckline to the book signing of Selfish that took place in Los Angeles. Selfish is a book by Kim K that is filled with her selfies photos.
It looks like Kim K was so much in love with this black dress. In May 2015, the media personality wore this tight black dress and sky-high heels to attend a press conference for C&A in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It was Monday. On Tuesday, which was the following day, the 34-year-old reality tv star was seen wearing the same black dress as she arrived in Los Angeles after a 12-hour flight from Brazil.
In 2014, Kim Kardashian rocked this body-hugging black dress. This photo of the reality tv star and mum was taken while she was leaving Bunim/Murray Production offices in Van Nuys.
This black dress by Rick Owens seems to be Kim Kardashian’s best outfit as it looks like she can’t get enough of it. Kim K surprised everyone by wearing this same turtle neck black dress three times in the same week. She wore it to Kanye West’s concert in Adelaide on Sunday night. The next day, she wore it again when she jetted out to Melbourne airport. Kim was spotted rocking the black dress and cream Balenciaga heels combination a third time while attending Kanye’s second Melbourne concert.
Reality TV star, Kimberly Kardashian posed on the red carpet for photos at the 9th Annual InStyle Summer Soiree that took place on August 12, 2010, in Los Angeles, California. She rocked the outfit with a pair of black heels and her hair was styled into a braided bun.
Kim Kardashian is seen wearing another black dress as she attends the 2014 edition of the NBC Universal Cable Upfronts. The entertainment event took place in New York. Kim’s Wes Gordon black dress featured a deep v-neckline and a sexy thigh-high slit that showed off her legs.
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Merry Christmas to our readers, friends, fans and followers. May this Christmas bring you much happiness today and throughout the New Year. Enjoy the warmth and comfort that comes with Christmas. Stay blessed as you continue to support us!
Star Wars: The Force Awakens star, John Boyega was one of the last persons to see Damilola Taylor before he was stabbed to death, says Richard Taylor. Taylor, who is the father of Damilola said Boyega and his sister, Grace were very close friends to his son and attended the same school.
Speaking about how close John and his sister were to Damilola, Mr Taylor said: “Damilola and John and Grace were so close. They were looking after him when he arrived in the UK because they went to school together.”
On how John and his sister were one of the last people to see his son alive and the closeness Grace and Damilola shared, he said: “John and Grace were looking after Damilola when he arrived in the UK because they went to school together. The three of them were captured in the CCTV recording that the police used when they asked people to come forward to assist with the investigation. Grace became so close to Damilola – it was almost like boyfriend and girlfriend.”
On how they wanted to escort Damilola home, he said: “They were the last to see him. They wanted to escort him home, but he said he was going to be OK. They left him by the junction then he went around the corner and the gang were waiting for him.”
On how happy he was to hear John Boyega had nominated the Damilola Taylor Trust to receive a donation from the film’s launch, Mr Taylor said: “I was overwhelmed. It filled me with joy.”
On how Boyega’s success makes him wonder about Damilola’s future and what he would have become, he said: “I thought: ‘Oh wow, Damilola could have been working with him as an actor. Damilola was acting in primary school – in Christmas plays, school plays, reciting poems and all that kind of thing.”
Damilola had moved to Britain from Nigeria a few months before he was stabbed in the thigh with a broken beer bottle by a gang of youths as he walked home from the local library after school.
The London schoolboy was found bleeding to death in a stairwell near his home in Peckham, south London, where local workmen tried to save his life.
The Preddie brothers, Danny (12) and Ricky (13) were convicted of the murder six years after the crime was committed. happened. At the time, their victim, Damilola was 10 and a few days to celebrating his 11th birthday. He was walking home from primary school in south London when his life was cut short by the two brothers.
Exploring fashion and style in four cities at the compass points of the African continent – Casablanca in Morocco, Lagos in Nigeria, Nairobi in Kenya and Johannesburg in South Africa – Fashion Cities Africa will consider recent and contemporary fashion practices in these distinctive metropoles, from couture to street style.
The exhibition will focus on the style choices of individual ‘fashion agents’ from each city; from designers and stylists to photographers and bloggers. Helen Mears, the Museum’s Keeper of World Art, Martin Pel, its Curator of Fashion & Textiles, Africa fashion specialists Hannah Azieb Pool and Helen Jennings and researcher Harriet Hughes visited the cities in summer 2015* to explore their fashion scenes and identify key players.
Helen Mears says: “There’s been a surge of interest in contemporary African art and design in Europe and the US in recent years, but this is the first major UK exhibition dedicated to contemporary African fashion. We want to reveal the diversity that exists across the continent – and within single cities – and show that wax print is only part of the story of African fashion.
“Each of the cities featured has its own fashion scene: in some cases emergent, in others more established. Some African designers are now major players in international fashion, while others are experimenting creatively in the interface between global fashion and local identities.
“The exhibition aims to provide a snapshot of fashion practices in four specific cities and an introduction to some of the stories behind the style, whether it’s the widespread practice of tailoring or the impact of the huge market for second-hand European clothes.”
The exhibition will occupy three large galleries and include diverse apparel from couture to street style, alongside images, film, sound and even a reconstructed tailor’s workshop evoking the drama, creativity and dynamism of the distinctive cities. Highlights will include:
New commissions, including by Nairobi-based brother and sister duo 2Many Siblings (http://2manysiblings.tumblr.com/)
Controversial high-fashion outfits worn by one of Kenya’s hottest bands, Sauti Sol (MTV Europe’s Best African Act 2014)
Garments and accessories associated with The Sartists, a Johannesburg-based creative collective documenting their lives and style in post-apartheid South Africa (https://instagram.com/thesartists)
Exquisite hand-crafted ‘caftan couture’ pieces by Casablanca-based designer Zhor Raïs
Apparel by Maki Oh (TBC), the internationally acclaimed Lagos-based label worn by figures including Michelle Obama.
A parallel project, undertaken by members of some of Brighton & Hove’s African diaspora communities, will explore the relationship between fashion, identity and the African continent from a local perspective.
Powerful images from the project, which will be co-ordinated by Sarah Naomi Lee, will accompany the exhibition.
Fashion Cities Africa is part of the wider project Fashioning Africa, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund through the Collecting Cultures programme – which supports strategic collecting projects for museums, libraries and archives.
Brighton Museum & Art Gallery already holds an important collection of historical African textiles, mostly gathered 1880-1940. Thanks to National Lottery players,Fashioning Africa will research recent developments and establish an African textile and fashion collection representing 1960-2000. Running until 2017, the project has appointed a collecting panel from BAME and fashion communities, and will be delivered in partnership with the University of Brighton and the Sussex Africa Centre at the University of Sussex.
Fashion Cities Africa will also be accompanied by a book of the same name, edited by Hannah Azieb Pool with contributions by Helen Jennings (Intellect, 2016, £20). This will showcase street styles in the four cities through images of their fashion agents by high-profile fashion photographers (Sarah Waiswa, Victor Dlamini, Deborah Benzaquen and Lakin Ogunbanwo), accompanied by profiles and essays.
Miss Spain, Mireia Lalaguna Royo has been crowned the winner of the Miss World 2015 beauty competition that took place in China. The title’s crown was handed over to her by Rolene Strauss, the South African who held the title between 2014 and now.
Russia’s, Sofia Nikitchuk, took the second place as the first runner up while Miss Indonesia, Maria Harfanti, took the third position as the second runner-up.
Miss Lalaguna Royo is from Barcelona and is currently studying pharmacy. And she hopes to set up a business in nutrition after graduation.
