flights to Kenya...what to do

As part of my studies for my research degree I am planning to take a trip to Kenya then internal flights to Uganda and Tanzania

Now I have until 8th Feb to make up my mind and book the flight to Kenya as it is just £398 to travel in Sept! Though i still have to organise accomodation. But I may have a few options I can organise closer to the time. So book now for a great deal OR wait til later in the year when I am sure lastminute.com and travelzoo (a great discount travel site) will  have all inclusive discount deals....though thinking..the last time i saw them do it it was very close to christmas and I want to go around Sept...mmh decisions, decisions....especially when I also need the money to buy samples.....oh money money money.

Anyway...all shall work out....another decision is to focus my next summer range on craft production in Ghana though I will still be producing my organic cotton styles in Kenya; I will combine it with my final year project as I want to produce some garments made in Africa using African age old traditions as well as working on my thesis and research work this would add the fun element AND kill two birds with one stone!

Chanel Iman...spanish Vogue

Just look at this! Ankara is still on the move and Vogue mag is lapping it up.
 

Spotted this on ciaafrique's blog. Girl you got the african fashions locked down! check out other pieces by same designer

New Media - tee shirt as magazine...nifty idea

t-post your mailorder tee shirt began in 2004...an interesting concept which i had to post and a nifty idea they had the idea of trying to re-wire the structures of news communication.

as noted on streetwear-websites.com with picture
Subscribing to T-post is a lot like having a subscription to a magazine but instead of receiving magazines in your mailbox - you receive T-shirts. As a subscriber you receive a new t-shirt every six weeks based on a current news item. The topic is interpreted by select designers and the written story printed on the inside.

I would like to see the story on the inside - its noted on the website but the pics dont show it on the inside which is a little shame but i still like the concept for innovation and a new way of thinking and taking the staple tee which is a big story teller to a new level. Like it!

prints

    I actually am a lover of prints and colour hence my love of Africa and african fabrics.
Yet akabi range 1 doesnt have enough prints in my opinions but i think to have added them now would be too much and too costly but have some surprises for you as i consider and research for range 2
yep my mind is on that already
:)

carbon neutral labelling

piqqo

Sell your products as carbon neutral!

Market your products as carbon neutral through the simple addition of a Piqqo Label and join the growing number of manufacturers who are helping to tackle climate change.

An initiative I will look into signing up to

Back to Business...

Well lots to document again...

I met with David on Tuesday and he looked over the pics and we spoke about the pricing and to get the structure and merchandising in place. SO I need to sit with him go through styles and costings and weigh things up that way.

I have to get my love from africa tee printed up and photgraphed as the chari-tee product for the range donating profits back to Africa

On that note deciding on the charity I want to work with is causing a little stress as I have to research them inside and out...I actually want to set up the FSI (female style intelligence) foundation to empower women in Ghana and to equip them with the skills and opportunities they need to progress in education and business. This would be my dream to work with young women within fashion design and production and to teach alongside this self empowerment and entreprenerall skills too.

It will happen..step by step though

The Weave Boutique

Not an ethical thing...i know but I had to promote the business of this young black lady who is selling black hair product online.

http://www.theweaveboutique.com/index.php

CANOE mag

Have I simply just been out of it and only just noticed CANOE magazine.

I actually saw this whilst in Ghana all in its plastic protective cover...and as I can be naughty and not want to buy without a look first I attempted to peel open the plastic to reveal and open the magazine

:)

to the horror of my boyfriend who demanded I close it back as 'things are not done that way over here' mmmmmhhh

I was not happy .... but humbled myself ... especially as the security men are on another level and the police...well lets not even get started about them

ANYWAY back to the mag it  is created by 5 entrepreneurs who are inspired to celebrate Africa’s evolving culture and lifestyle and aim to orrect the image of Africa, predict growing trends and portray positively, the continent and its people whilst promoting the Afro-bourgeois population in the new Africa that seems to be evolving and is noted as the Afro-Renaissance.

Canoe magazine comes out quarterly and has a different outlook to my recent fave ARISE magazine (to which I am waiting eagerly for the new edition) but an interesting contrast.

Love the african style headphones on the front cover of the latest issue...and inside i love how Nneka is repping my fave african promoted fashion label of 2009 - Africa is the Future

Paparazzi go Eco

Had to fill you all in on the latest ECO website...'green gossip' i love it
http://www.ecorazzi.com/

Also felt the need to 'borrow' a couple of articles from their page...all belonging to http://www.ecorazzi.com/ and i credit nothing as my own (forgive me ecorazzi but the world needs to know about you as your site is grazia for the eco-population) LOVING IT!

Firstly work by eco-friendly artist Jane Perkins who had 'a huge collection of stuff that I have amassed really since childhood. ' and turned recycling, that she learnt from a few projects on her degree course, into an art and uses all unwanted objects, she reuses those which would normally be destined for the landfill and instead creates really cool portraits of celebs made entirely of unwanted objects.

More importantly is to note Earth hour scheduled 8.30pm on March 27th (not sure if that is GMT time - sorry folks) But its all about climate change and organised by WWF World Wildlife Federation who I am becoming a big fan of these days

Anyway its important for us all as habitants of mother earth so check it out pull the string and turn of your lights ;)

https://www.myearthhour.org

Ethical Fashion online shop

Im on a roll today!
Spotted another ethical online fashion shop called Green is Black - fashion for the conscious.....heard that elsewhere but STILL a nice tag line.

In my opinion online store could do with some work but its promoting ethics and positivity so i am all for it.

Africhic

Website company SA based but promoting and selling African designers. Check them out here....africhic

SELLING designers such as Lalesso, Superella, MICHELLE LUDEK and many more a variety of designs to whet your appetites. Check out pics below

Fashion Show May 2010

First show booked for Akabi
1st week in May
Details to follow in due season

momentum has begun!

Laden Showroom

Brand agency The Laden Showroom is to expand its retail operation with the launch of a transactional website and the opening of a raft of department store concessions and retail stores in a bid to grow sales fivefold over the next five years.

Walters added: “The Laden Showroom is now looking to act as an umbrella with lots of labels beneath it, in a way that is not dissimilar to what Selfridges achieved with its Spirit [young fashion] section.”
The business is also keen to take on new labels and representatives of the company will attend exhibitions including Magic in Las Vegas on February 16-18, London Fashion Week on February 19-24 and Bread & Butter in Berlin, which runs from January 20-22, to source new labels.

http://www.drapersonline.com/news/independents-news/the-laden-showroom-kicks-off-retail-push/5009579.article

http://www.laden.co.uk/ relaunching in feb from www.ladenshowroom.co.uk

As somewhere i plan to stock in, to test the market and to promote the range in .... I better get on with contacting them then!

OBSERVER ETHICAL AWARDS LAUNCH

deadline is march...to enter...or not yet....not sure time is ripe or the season is here for such BIG comps as this, but i will follow and take note.

Once I get Akabi fully out...im going for all the comps and awards...no joke
:)

EcoChic Geneva

Coming up on January 20-21, 2010 at the Palais des Nations, (the UN headquarters) Geneva.

The event will commence with a 1.5 day seminar which will look at "Redefining Sustainability in the International Agenda" from the perspective of the fashion and cosmetics industries... the launch of a Sustainable Fashion Exhibition and .... EcoChic Fashion Show featuring sustainable and ethical ready-to-wear and couture looks by fashion designers from around the globe.

wish i could make it...but have to be at work - yep i work and study and business too...oh well next time...but i must get on the ball with seminars etc this year...mental note!

1.000.000 tee...the battle is on

I love this concept and wish them all the best with it

Anything which aims to build sustainable employment within Africa is close to my heart ....check them out on
http://onemilliontee.com/blog/about

'The idea:

selling 1,000,000 t-shirts each with a number from 1 to 1,000,000. Thus, each t-shirt will be unique. To create a global movement.

The Cause:

Help create sustainable job opportunities in Africa.

Why?

For the past living years of my life I’ve seen billions and billions of dollars donated to Africa but I do not see much changes, the real solution is creating sustainable job opportunities for them to sustain themselves, not by just giving them piles of food, money, and medicines. When they have a job to earn a living, they have money for food, medicines, and to send their children to school. With education, their children’s lives will change forever and their generations to come. And World Cup South Africa 2010 is next year; the world will see how capable and talented bunch of people they are.'

I got a message from one of the directors of this company in regarding to sourcing tees from Africa and I looked over their concept and very excited about their policy and what they are doing...sounds great. They definitely have my support

http://onemilliontee.com/blog/