BEAUTY AND FASHION - The African Mirror

Oct

01

2024

Rubicon collection inspired by medley of nature

BEAUTY AND FASHION

THIS year’s collection is inspired by the ‘Medley of Nature’ based on the great historical Mapungubwe Kingdom in Limpopo. The design aesthetic is derived from the kingdom’s social structure, the influence of trade with the Far East and the area’s ecosystem. With little research available on the exact fashion trends that were popular in 1200 AD, our head designer and Founder, Hangwani Nengovhela allowed herself to dream and re-imagine fashion history. We know that this was a bustling kingdom in which the people lived in abundance. To show their strength and power, Mapungubwe’s ruler moved the upper classes to the…

Sep

27

2024

By The African Mirror

CRUZ Vodka brings Studio 54 vibes to SA Fashion Week opening night celebration

BEAUTY AND FASHION

THE Venue in Morningside transformed into a dazzling homage to the iconic Studio 54 as CRUZ Vodka hosted yet another unforgettable opening party for South African Fashion Week. The event drew the crème de la crème of the South African fashion scene, setting a high bar for style, sophistication, and innovation ahead of the week-long fashion extravaganza kicking off tonight in Mzansi. Embracing the glitz and glamour of New York’s legendary nightlife, the dress code encouraged guests to showcase their bold interpretations of disco-inspired couture. The result was a stunning visual feast, with attendees donning avant-garde ensembles that combined urban…

Jun

06

2024

By LERATO MOGOATLHE, BIRD STORY AGENCY

How a family in Cairo is keeping a 600-year-old tradition alive

BEAUTY AND FASHION

MUHAMMAD El-Baset jumps up from his chair to meet a customer who has walked into his shop. They exchange a few words before Mohammed takes the man’s fez, the flat-topped, conical red hat that was once ubiquitous in Egypt, across North Africa and in the Middle East. Even though the fez gets its name from the Moroccan city of Fez, home to a crimson-coloured berry used to create the dye that gives fezzes their vivid red colour, the hat has been a part of Cairo's identity and culture for generations. El-Baset is determined to keep it that way. “This is…

May

28

2024

By PATRICK NELLE, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Building an African fashion brand: The uncomfortable journey of a Cameroonian fashion designer

BEAUTY AND FASHION, MULTIMEDIA

IN one corner of a busy fashion house in Douala, Cameroon, designer Augustine Mabiama is in the middle of a photo shoot, using a makeshift photo studio equipped with an 18-inch light ring and a smartphone on a stand. Showcasing a whole range of outfits of different styles and colours, Mabiama checks the lighting quality of the images. Making a few adjustments to the clothes in preparation for the next shot, she walks back in front of the camera, poses for a moment, and then walks back around the light ring to check the image. This is all part of…

May

02

2024

By The African Mirror

Rubicon unveils timeless elegance

BEAUTY AND FASHION

AFTER unveiling their newest collection designed to infuse relaxation, sophistication, and elegance into the fashion landscape at South African Fashion Week Spring Summer 2024, Rubicon has sparked considerable excitement within the fashion world. Celebrating South African glamour, Rubicon's classic capsule collection delivered sophistication and flair at this season's showcase. Rubicon’s founder and lead designer, Hangwani Nengovhela brought to life a collection that was both ethereal and practical. Inspired by the African safari landscape, Nengovhela drew inspiration from the brand's past silhouettes, colours, and artform, adding elements of glamour from the brand two decades rich history. Nengovhela is frequently asked to…

Apr

18

2024

By ADWOA OWUSUAA BOBIE

West Africa’s fashion designers are world leaders when it comes to producing sustainable clothes

BEAUTY AND FASHION

EVERY few weeks global fast fashion brands mass produce their latest clothing, pumping out garments to be sold around the world. There is growing criticism that it’s socially irresponsible to produce such large volumes of clothes so often. It leads to surplus and waste that takes a toll on the environment. And by requiring new styles so often it also stifles designers’ creativity in an industry that thrives on it. Sustainable fashion means clothes being produced and consumed in ways that are socially responsible. However, the conversation about sustainable fashion has centred mainly on the Western and Asian fashion industries.…

Jan

30

2024

By VELMA PAMELA and IRENE MUMBI, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Mastering an age-old tradition has given Fatma Hina space to perfect her art – and generate an income

BEAUTY AND FASHION

A crowd has assembled on both sides of a narrow street in the Swahili Town of Lamu, making it difficult to see what has drawn so many people onto the road. From the sound of the festivities and the cries of approval from the crowd, it is something worth seeing. Today's crowd is a mixture of tourists and local townsfolk, with people in Western attire mingling with those dressed in more traditional garb. They are all here to witness the Lamu Cultural Festival. In the crowd, a woman and two children mingle. The mother's hat, worn over hijab, gives her…

Jan

14

2024

By ELISA ANZOLIN and MIMOSA SPENCER

Gucci opens Milan Fashion Week with De Sarno’s dressy looks for men

BEAUTY AND FASHION

GUCCI creative director Sabato De Sarno kicked off Milan Fashion Week with a lineup of refined tailoring for men, adding touches of sparkle to a sombre colour palette for his aesthetic reset of the Kering-owned label. Models strode down a sparse, concrete runway on chunky-soled loafers, parading floor-sweeping overcoats with long slits up the back, double-breasted suit jackets stripped of buttons and trousers cut above the ankles. Accessories included shiny Jackie handbags in burgundy, beige or pea green -- often clutched with matching gloves -- and chunky jewellery worn over bare chests. De Sarno's second catwalk outing comes as products from…

Dec

16

2023

By The African Mirror

Nigeria’s flamboyant aso ebi dressing style is popular – but it’s become a financial burden

BEAUTY AND FASHION

ASO EBI – “family uniform” – is the Yoruba custom of people dressing alike for social events. The custom is rooted in kinship (ebi), an important aspect of Yoruba social life since precolonial times in what’s now south-west Nigeria. Words like molebi (kinsmen) and olori ebi (head of the family) point to the importance of kinship in this culture. The saying eni to so ebi e nu, apo iya lo so ko literally translates as “whoever deserts his kinsmen straps on his/her shoulder a satchel of misfortune”. Aso ebi expresses these values visibly: uniform dressing is intended to reinforce unity…

Nov

23

2023

By ATIENO ODERA, BIRD STORY AGENCY

This runway model is campaigning against gender-based violence in the fashion industry

BEAUTY AND FASHION

ENTERING Watamu town in Kilifi County, north of Mombasa on the Indian Ocean, it is immediately apparent that an awareness of gender-based violence is widespread. The ‘RED CARD CAMPAIGN FASHION SHOW’ advertised loudly on a billboard at the town's entrance displays an image of international runway model Sharon Okubo. The RED CARD campaign is a symbolic call-out to get the wider society to get involved in penalising gender-based discrimination and violence. Started by the non-profit African Renaissance and Diaspora Networks (ARDN), Okubo is an ambassador for the campaign, working closely with models and designers who are survivors of gender-based violence.…