A couple posts ago I wrote about losing my dearest love, my mother (thanks to all who shared kind words, prayers and well-wishes). What I didn't share, was that I was pregnant at the time...
Ms. Tina Lawson is busy not only with being fabulous and funny on Instagram, but in the pursuit of greater opportunities in art for underserved youth through her LA based charity WACO (Where Art Can Occur) Theatre Center. The celeb mom and her actor husband, Richard Lawson established the wearable art gala to benefit their center which will aim to educate and empower artists from diversified LA communities. Awesome!
All of destiny's child was in attendance of course, but Michelle Williams really rocked the red carpet in this sparkly number by Nigerian born, Dallas based designer Ese Azenabor. Azenabor was a fitting choice for the gala not only aesthetically, but philosophically as the mission of her line is to "empower women through the art of fashion." It was definitely one of my favorite pieces of the night, with heavy beading balanced by light mesh fabric and sheer paneling. It was perfect on Michelle's svelte frame, and her natural make-up and diamond encrusted accessories sealed the deal. No poor Michelle here honey! Check out the pics below:
Michelle had a brief meet up with Mama Tina and Kelly Rowland on the red carpet:
Letoya Luckett and my favorite congresswoman, Maxine Waters were also in the house:
In unrelated, but equally stylish news, Blue Ivy got really cute with Aunty Solange on the red carpet:
There is an African proverb that Fela Kuti made into a song, which basically means, "water has no enemies." Fela used the saying to make a political statement, but the proverb can be used to describe anything or anyone that is too useful for you to live without. For those non-Africans, Andre 3000 once said, "you can't be mad at God." The truth is, my human frailty makes it natural for my faith to falter in this moment where God's decision has deeply disappointed me. But God is too useful for me to abandon. The same God with whom I was angry when I discovered my mother's demise, is the same God that I would plead with a few moments later to have mercy on her soul, forgive her sins and accept her into heaven. I can no longer care for her or be in her presence to give her company or comfort. All I have left, is hope that God will love her more than I ever could and give her rest in heaven.
September is special for many reasons as it kicks off what fashion industry people and enthusiasts call "fashion month," which begins notably with New York Fashion Week here in the US. Between NYFW and international star appearances at the Toronto Internal Film Festival (TIFF), posh people from the world over have given us good reason to be excited about what the rest of the month has in store. Take a look:
After all, your talents don't shrink or swell because you have a certain job title, material thing or partner, you were born with every talent that you need to achieve your dreams and nothing can change that.
So what's my why when it comes to blogging? Honestly, flowing floral fabrics should be all the reason I need right ;) But I decided to start blogging because I wanted to shed some light on the many fabulous contemporary designs by African and diaspora (people whose ancestors originated in Africa but now live in other parts of the world) designers. I love fashion generally, and I admire items from all parts of the world, but its hard to ignore the under-representation of our designs in modern media.
I would describe Loza's designs as mix between the romance of Dolce and Gabana and the structural seduction of Rosie Assoulin. She never fails to strike a keen balance between pushing the boundaries of the contemporary West African design landscape, and remaining culturally and historically relevant.
This weekend was the third annual Sierra Leonean Empowerment Network (SLEN) conference, and I was happy to attend this inspiring and purposeful event. SLEN encourages professional networking, targeted career advancement and use of professional skills to make a positive impact on our native land of Sierra Leone. I decided to have fun with my professional attire this year, and go with a bright, color blocked combination that is warm, friendly and inviting.
Last weekend was a prime example of why I love the summer time. All of the weddings, cookouts and day parties give me ample opportunity to do what I love most; spend time with loved ones. After a really fun day with my cousins at a company day party, I spent Sunday close to home with my love at the summer spirit festival.
So today I chose to live life in vibrant color...