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chinweonuoha · 6 years ago

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Beautifully Brown

Let Me Introduce You to Nollywood and its Golden Stars

In 1992 Kenneth Nnebue, a businessman, directed and co-wrote the movie “Living in Bondage,” which he shot with the videocassettes that he initially couldn’t sell due to how popular CDs were in Nigeria. Spoken entirely in Igbo, this dramatic thriller “took the entire country by storm” and it “inspired other businessmen and filmmakers to make their own movies,” according to The Huffington Post. Today Nollywood is the second largest film industry in the world and it has a great deal of actresses to thank. Nollywood wouldn’t be what it is today without Nnenna Nwabueze-Okonta, Patience Ozokwor, Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Mercy Johnson, Rita Dominic, Ini Odo and Kate Henshaw-Nuttal, who have used their talents to give us some of the most popular films made, such as “Blood Sisters,” “Mama G,” “Comfort My Soul,” “Ije,” “Another Side of Love,” “Corporate Maid,” “Never Let Go,” and “Unforgiven.”

Sitting behind Bollywood with $3.3 billion dollars in revenue to date, Nollywood has become a cultural and cinematic phenomenon despite the fact that their films aren’t produced at the same caliber as American films. Nollywood continues to grow and remain popular. This factual evidence leaves a lot of people wondering how Nollywood has become so successful. According to the authors of “Global Nollywood: The Transnational Dimensions of an African Video Film Industry,” Malthias Krings and Onookome Okome stated that Nigerian films “traverses the immediate culture in which it is set as people beyond the borders of the immediate community can identify with.”

In other words the issues and subjects that are explored within Nollywood films resonate with a plethora of different people, not just Nigerians. Nollywood also offers a great deal of Africanity, as one would expect, which Western films and tv shows do not, with an exception of a notable few. Being that the casts in Nollywood movies are African, that aspect offers “viewers across the continent and its diasporas” something that they aren’t accustomed to. Despite how wildly successful Nollywood movies are, its films are constantly pirated, which threatens the livelihood of the beloved actresses who have dedicated their lives into making what Nollywood is today.

Focused on capitalizing on the Nollywood industry by capturing “the proper value” of its films, Jason Njoku founded iROKOtv, a web platform that provides its subscribers with unlimited access to Nigerian and Ghanian films and television shows. iROKOtv is also offered on YouTube, which After paying $1.50 a month, Nollywood fans are able to see Patience Ozokwor transform herself into another one of her infamous evil characters or remain marveled at Genevieve Nnaji’s sophisticated attitude. What is particularly fascinating about Nollywood actresses is the fact that the roles that they play challenges the sexist, subservient roles that many women in Nigeria often find themselves in.

Genevieve Nnaji has challenged Nigeria’s stereotypes of women by taking on the role of an independent, self-made entrepreneur in “Silent Scandal,” Patience Ozokwor managed to show women that they can be leaders in their homes and that they shouldn’t be afraid of voicing their opinions in “Mother’s Heart” and Mercy Johnson continuously shows that it’s okay to be sexy and confident in “Suck Men Dry.” Nollywood actresses have defied the stereotypical roles that women are boxed in, and through their characters other women can feel inspired to live their lives the way they choose to. (Let Me Introduce You to Nollywood and its Golden Stars)

This Sunglass Line Was Created For Asian and Diverse Facial Features

Florence Shin and Athina Wang, the founders of Covry Sunwear, gained a lot of attention this year for their unique eyewear designs –better known as Elevated Fit. Featured with longer nose pads, a reduced frame curvature and a narrowed nose bridge, as their site states, Covry Sunwear is devoted to provide “well-crafted, high-quality sunglasses designed for diversity.” However, many online publications have described the eyewear brand as the new Asian Fit, because the structure of the sunglasses accommodate many facial Asian men and women have.

“A lot of people ask us whether our sunglasses are just for Asian people but anybody can wear them,” says Shin. “I will say, however, that we do have a large majority of Asian customers because a lot of them do have lower nose bridges, which is what our sunglasses kind of helps with.”

About a year ago, Shin, 24 and Wang, 25, who are friends from high school and attended fashion school for design and marketing respectively, decided to partner together in the pursuit of creating sunglasses that wouldn’t “slide down the nose, hit the cheekbones or leave behind unwanted indents.” They aim “to better complement diverse facial features,” says Shin, which is why they came up with the Elevated Fit style.

“People who don’t need the elevated fit aspect can still find great styles and high quality sunglasses from us,” says Wang. “Our focus is on fit, fashion and function. So when it comes to fashion sunglasses it’s a fun and easy way to accessorize for both men and women.”

The owners of Covry Sunwear were “inspired by the diverse nature of New York City,” says Wang. Their unisex collection, which is currently out of stock until sometime later this month, is contemporary, stylish and sleek. Wang and Shin weren’t afraid to play with color or reinterpret classic styles, which is exactly what they they did with their two bestsellers: the Vega and the Lynx –which were both retailed at 95 dollars.

“The Lynx has been a favorite for girls because it is the perfect fashion accessory for all occasions,” says Wang. “Another popular choice for both guys and girls is the Vega. It’s our take on a square-shaped aviator, featuring sleek lines and lightweight metal hardware. “

While the two continue to work on their new collection, Wang, who is the designer of the brand, also hopes to expand the demographic of their customers by featuring a diverse range of people wearing Covry Sunwear on their social media channels.

“As for marketing and social media we are trying to focus more on getting a diverse range of people to wear our sunglasses, as well as Asian people…We’ll still continue to feature a lot of Asian faces, but more of other faces as well,” she says.

This is nothing short of amazing to say the least. Many Black men and women (and also other men and women of other ethnicities) have wider noses, making this brand perfect for many of our facial shapes. (This Sunglass Line Was Created For Asian and Diverse Facial Features)

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chinweonuoha · 6 years ago

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DEUX HOMMES MAGAZINE

(Playtime Is Over: A Chat With Jaywon Park of Plac)

PEB Clothing Spring/Summer 2016 MFW

Massimiliano Poggiolini, Tago da Cruz and Vincenzo Buzzese are the designers behind PEB Clothing, an Italian contemporary menswear label that aims to defy trends with high quality avant-garde street wear. Their SS16 collection, “Concrete Jungle,” is practical and functional, but it carries rebellious subtleties that transform staple pieces, like the all-classic white tee, into original works of art. The small hint of details that are added in this collection, such as the angular cuts, bold architectural shapes and the refined layering of fabrics, is an example of how PEB Clothing manages to transcend today’s top trends.

Poggiolini, da Cruz and Buzzese’s collection evokes a great deal of curiosity and fascination because of their eye-catching minimalist designs, which is what they've been known for since they stepped onto the fashion scene in 2012. Drawing inspiration from the atmosphere that the city evokes and that of wildlife, the designers used a neutral and earth-toned color scheme, which emphasizes the vibrancy and understated qualities that exists within the cityscape. As the designers stated, “the city is not only a concrete jungle but also a human zoo,” and the intricate designs, shapes and transformative elements that are seen in this collection reflect that. From their camouflage prints to the bold zipper appliques, PEB Clothing has evolved season after season, turning high-performance fabrics, cool wool and premium cotton into pieces that are creative, innovative, fresh and enthralling enough to stand out on its own. No wonder PEB Clothing remains as the fil rouge of sportswear. (PEB SS16 Milan Fashion Week Review)

Pamplemousse Resort 2016 Collection

In New York City, where everyone is bustling to get from one place to another, it isn’t uncommon for people to overlook the simple elements that exist there. But, Danica Zheng proved that it’s possible to find beauty and inspiration “from unexpected places.” After spending two years as a design and public relations intern, the Parsons graduate launched her own fashion label, Pamplemousse, this past May 2015. Since she was 12-years-old, Zheng has been interested in art and art history, which “served as an important influence” in her work as a fashion designer.

Zheng’s background in both art as well as architecture might explain why her Resort 2016 collection is all about detailing. From the geometric shapes, cut outs and bold asymmetrical designs to the pastel colored embroideries, daring slits and cross-stitches, each garment in this assemblage evokes a strong sense of sex appeal, sophistication and edginess, which helps balance out the whimsical touches that are incorporated.

Although she’s a newcomer in this industry, Zheng proved that she isn’t afraid to combine “her own vision when designing.” Who else would design a sleeveless crop top with long sleeves tied at the back of it? Or the off-the-shoulder dress accented with layers of ruffles? These instances may tickle your inquisition, but one must admit that Zheng’s level of creativity is off the charts.

In fact, through her engineering of certain fabrics, she translates the beauty of architecture starting with how she mixes hard knits and soft satins into her collection of aqua blues, blush tones and stark whites, as seen in the light teal pants with white, gauze-esque pockets. The triangular folds in the front mimic a façade of a building and the pleats of the white, V-back dress evoke the same imagery, too, which leaves us wondering what else she’ll come up with next.(Pamplemousse Resort 2016 Collection)

Cadet SS16 New York Men's Day

Designers Raul Arevalo and Brad Schmidt of menswear label Cadet continue to modernize their post-war militaristic aesthetic in their Spring/Summer 2016 collection, “The Filthy 13,” drawing on classic American regiment uniforms outfitted for their model brigade.

Focused on integrating strong separates, Arevalo and Schmidt deeply explored outerwear, creating silk-cotton blend fitted blazers, waist-length drawstring vests and striped trench coats, all accented with a variety of leather-perforated and backpack-inspired strap belts, fanny packs and horn shaped necklaces. A stippling effect of white, soft greys and white were used to design the slim ankle length trousers, fitted shorts and Top Gun-esque jumpsuits, which added a playful element to the camo-strict ensemble. (Cadet SS16 New York Mens Day)

Chapter SS16 New York Men’s Day

The prelude of Chapter’s story provides an in-depth account of how it evolved as a brand, which was explored in their Spring/Summer 2016 collection. Consisting of blurred geometrical shapes, three-dimensional patterns and boxy silhouettes, this visual presentation entitled, DISPLACEMENT, used mirror dividers to represent their past design aesthetic and that of their unforeseen future.Their assemblage was a fusion of linen, rayon, cotton and synthetic blended knits, which were used in creating its inverted, well-tailored bottoms in a variety of rich plums, lavender, navy and olive-dyed hues, giving each garment a touch of opulence. (Chapter SS16 New York Mens Day)

Carlos Campos SS16 New York Mens Day

Growing up in Honduras, menswear designer Carlos Campos was captivated by the forastero, a stranger in a foreign land, due to their uniformity in dress and unexuberant, unnoticeable nature. For his Spring/Summer 2016 collection, Campos “emulated the solitary romanticism of the traveler” by translating their aesthetic into an array of colored belted suits and sleeveless tuxedos, playing with cotton-wool blends, jacquard and bold prints. From the graphic t-shirts to the soft-tailored lounge shorts, Campos’ collection is the epitome of the “classic American style…with a Latin twist”—an aesthetic that remains true to his label. (Carlos Campos SS16 New York Mens Day)

Siki Im and Tanya Taylor Wins 2015-16 International Woolmark Prize USA Regional Final

Held in the Milk Studios Penthouse overlooking the beautiful sunset along the Hudson River, The Woolmark Company announced the winners of the U.S. regional competition for the International Woolmark Prize in the menswear and womenswear divisions. The coveted prize was awarded to Siki Im (menswear) and Tanya Taylor (womenswear). They will each be given a cash scholarship of $40,308, which will go toward their next collections, as well as the opportunity to compete in the international finals next year.

The International Woolmark Prize is a prestigious award that’s given to emerging fashion labels that not only show tremendous promise, but also create an innovative look using solely Australian Merino wool. The regional competitions are held all around the world with designers from Asia, Australia, British Isles, Europe, Dubai and USA competing, and include a judges’ panel of high profile industry fashion leaders. Im and Taylor will compete alongside twelve designers for the grand prize of $80,632, which will go toward fabric sourcing and the marketing of their collections. The winner of the menswear division will be announced in Florence, Italy, in January coinciding with Pitti Uomo, and the womenswear division will be announced in New York City in February during NYFW.

Im is a German-born designer that aims to reinvent traditional menswear tailoring. The Oxford University graduate fuses his study of architecture with his background in modern tailoring, often playing with volume, structure, tailoring and symmetry in his collections. When Im moved to New York City in 2001, he worked as the Senior Designer for Helmut Lang and Karl Lagerfeld, who won the International Woolmark Prize in 1954.

After graduating with a degree in finance at McGill University, Taylor decided to attend a summer fashion course at Central Saint Martins, which continued into the AAS Fashion Studies program at The Parsons New School of Design. The Canadian-born womenswear designer who launched her first collection in 2012, integrates youthfulness, color and prints into simple feminine designs, all of which exhibits a great appreciation for the female form.

(Siki Im and Tanya Taylor Win 2015-16 International Woolmark Prize USA Regional Final)

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