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FASHION . BEAUTY . CULTURE ISSUE 53 | AUG 2018

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UGX 22,000 | RWF 7,000 TZS 14,000 | KES 500 | $4.5

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ANNIVERSARY EDITION

CELEBRATING 5 YEARS OF GREAT FASHION

CONTENTS

INHOUSE 20 Contributors 14 Editor in Chief Note

COUTURE NEW 20 22

Fashion News Beauty News

COUTURE EVENTS 26 28 30

COUTURE EDITS 32 34

COUTURE CELEBRITY 36

HER JOIE DE VIVRE If there is one thing about Patricia Kihoro that we love it would have to be her engaging spirit. there is one thing about Patricia Kihoro that we love it would have to be her engaging spirit.

COUTURE FASHION 42 LOREM IPSUM

Derrum quiaeped quibus dicipsa demquo tem rehenis rendiam, necae plia voluptissus ate vendunt velesti bla conseque pro quassequi res sus dolore nisquatem qui cone evendit quissita solo et, officia aut qui tenderf erferum

COUTURE GENTLEMAN 52

LOREM IPSUM Derrum quiaeped quibus dicipsa demquo tem rehenis rendiam, necae plia voluptissus ate vendunt velesti bla conseque pro quassequi res sus dolore nisquatem qui cone evendit quissita solo et, officia aut qui tenderf erferum

COUTURE HISTORY 58

Fashion News

COUTURE BEAUTY 62 Make up 66 Hair 70 Body

COUTURE PROFILE 74

COUTURE CULTURE 76 OFFICE STYLE 78 HER STYLE 80 HIS STYLE 82 DECOR 86 MOTOR/GADGETS 88 TRAVEL/RESTAURANTS

CONVERSATIONS 90

CONVERSATIONS 94

CONTRIBUTORS LIST

COUTURE Africa Magazine EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Carol Odero carol@coutureafricamag.com DIGITAL EDITOR Wairimu Gikenye wairimu@coutureafricamag.com STAFF WRITER Jackeline Njagi jackeline@coutureafricamag.com IN-HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHER Khalifa Louie khalifa@coutureafricamag.com FASHION STYLIST Ruth Odhiambo CONTRIBUTORS Alan Donovan, Wambui Kamau-Ong’weny GRAPHIC DESIGNER Alfred Matuku MAKE-UP ARTISTES Nellie Awendo, Enid Kyokutamba HAIR Paul and Dgohnie from Dgohnie Empire

COUTURE Africa Ltd FOUNDER & C.E.O Olive Gachara olive@coutureafricamag.com DISTRIBUTION & EVENTS MANAGER Gemiene Mueni couture@coutureafricamag.com ACCOUNTING ADMINISTRATOR Winnie Mokaya winnie@coutureafricamag.com DIGITAL: digital@coutureafricamag.com ADVERTISING: sales@coutureafricamag.com SUBSCRIPTION: subscribe@coutureafricamag.com KENYA OFFICE 209 State House Road, Milimani, Nairobi COUTURE Africa CONTACTS +254 714 770 516, +254 716 573 013 info@coutureafricamag.com

© COUTURE Africa (K) Ltd COUTURE Africa Magazine is published by COUTURE Africa Limited of P. O. Box 359 Nairobi 00621 Kenya. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in parts without written permission from the publishers is strictly prohibited. While every care is taken in preparation of this magazine, the publishers cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information held herein, or any consequence arising from it.

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BECOMES YOU

WHEN PRETTY IS NOT THE ONLY WAY YOU’D LIKE TO BE DESCRIBED.

SPORTY EXTERIOR • INTUITIVE & INSTINCTIVE INTERIOR SEAMLESS TECHNOLOGY • ADVENTURE IN STYLE

www.isuzutrucks.co.ke

IsuzuKenya

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’S LETTER

DEEP DARK RED I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want.

So tell me what you want, what you really, really want.”

- Spice Girls, Wannabe

I can’t remember when I fell in love with magazines.

It could have been the Buda catalogues my mother had all over the house with pictures of lean, blonde women in clothes that inevitably made their way into her wardrobes. Growing up, there were no magazines for me to dive into. And, they were also very, very pale the exact opposite of my family and friends. I know it has become popular to say people do not see themselves represented and so they start something to fill that void. I did not realise there were no black faces. At least not until I stumbled across a copy of Ebony. It was a shocker to me flipping through the blackness and because this cliche fits, in all its glory.

Slowly, the pieces started to click. There were no magazines with women like me. There was Viva for a while. My mum confessed she had been asked to be a covergirl. She turned them down. I was aghast.

She showed me the black and white picture. It is framed and hangs in both home. She is young, gorgeous, with a TWA and a top I later discovered was striped pink and white. I could even see the cover lines! Except she said at the time magazines were associated with women of a certain character.

I think these days we insist on mistakenly calling them socialites. I wanted to shake her.

You want to hear the good news? She more than made up for it. My mother is my biggest fan.

She reads my fashion columns. She collects my magazines. She is my toughest critic. She is the only woman who gets a free pass when it comes to giving me her opinions, and because you know me, and she is my mother, those are some weighty perspectives! When she come to visit she won’t leave unless she has a copy of COUTURE. She will take screenshots to ask me about stuff.

Here is a true measure as to how life changing magazines have been for me. I do not have sacred topics and I have written some of the most risque

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sex articles I can think of. She, and my other huge fan who I discovered snuck hot off the press copies into his bedroom, my dad, read every word. Olive and I would never consider my folks the demographic.

Then again, they raised me, and I am Editor-In-Chief.

It would be most natural to say my parents get me.

Now, on the 5 year anniversary of COUTURE, not to mention my second decade as a journalist, a path that started out with newspapers and led me to TV, I can look back and see how magazines have changed my life. From reading them to fashioning them out of thin air. I have had a mind blowing learning curve from a writer for True Love EA, to deputy editor, to Editor-In-Chief at DRUM EA, and now, here I am.

Here we are. It is impossible to acknowledge where you are heading to without appreciating where I came from, and I have worked with some of the most brilliant minds in magazine publishing.

I just watched a YouTube video titled Never Tell People What You Do. Instead, tell people what you want to do. I will tell you this. What I want to do, is completely transform your experience of what a magazine is supposed to be or can do. What I want to do, is another decade of content that will one day inspire someone else to write an editorial about how this is the moment they realised what they want to do. What I want is for Africa to see itself in beauty, hair, skin care and fashion content so that I don’t have to log into the Dark Net ….

My parents are already bursting with pride, so there goes that box. Magazines grew me up. I never had an older sister. So every time I curate and write, I go back to the questions I had whose answers I had to forage for. You know what else I really really want?

I want you to tell me how magazines have changed your life.

The product most recommended by doctors for scars & stretch marks.

Consumer Insights, 2015

New Packaging Same Formulation

“I would just like to say that I am beyond happy with the results that Bio-Oil has produced. I am a 16-year-old teenager and have been getting a lot of stretch marks, which I wasn’t very happy with. I decided to try Bio-Oil and am so glad I did, as the stretch marks have improved noticeably.”

Georgina Mutheu

Bio-Oil ® is a specialist skincare product formulated to help improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks and uneven skin tone. Its unique formulation, which contains the breakthrough ingredient PurCellin Oil ™ , is also highly effective for ageing and dehydrated skin. For comprehensive product information and results of clinical trials, please visit bio-oil.com. Bio-Oil is available at pharmacies and selected retailers at the recommended selling price of Kshs 695.00 (60ml). Individual results will vary.

DIGITAL

Dec’13

I love it when I give my clients a copy of @CoutureAfrica and they ask “Kwani this is Kenyan?”

Big up yourselves, great job you all.

Reader Review

3:Jun’14

Transformation by Kapoeta Shot by Tahir Carl Karmali

Aug’13

Issue 1 Cover, August 2013 Oct’16

Jul’14

African Heritage Mixer saw a celebration of African Fashion, Art, Culture and the launch of The Africa Issue on COUTURE Africa Magazine at the African heritage House via the Rift Valley Railways Commuter Train.

A Real COUTURE Experience.

The Business of Fashion: You sense of style is not determined by the price of your clothes, but by te pricelessness of your character.

Olive Gachara Aug & Dec’15

Styyled by Nairobi: SKYY Vodka in Conjunction with COUTURE Africa Magazine

Apr’17

Pauline Cosmetics’ Royal Diva Beauty is authenticity. It is being real, standing in your purpose and following your truth. Beauty is the essence that simply draws you in.

Olive Gachara

7: NOV’16

Aug’17

F-Pace Safari Chic Photography by Clement Kiragu

COUTURE Africa Anniversary Party

Apr’18

May’18

One might think that hair and clothing fashion, is a no-brainer match made in heaven. But to be quite honest, hair designed for the runway has been the missing link in pushing the Kenyan fashion presentation further into the international stratosphere… …All is not lost, since that was the focus at the Darling Runway Kenya event

Carol Odero, Appointed Editor-In-Chief of COUTURE Africa Magazine

Hairpolitan on Darling Runway Kenya

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12: Aug’18

COUTURE Africa 5th Anniversary.

Published & Distributed by COUTURE Africa Ltd.

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NEWS

EEOC v. Estee Lauder Companies Inc, 2:17cv-03897, (E.D. PA).

A year ago men working under Estee Lauder sued the conglomerate. The company owns La Mer, MAC and Bobbi Brown with licenses to distribute Tom Ford and Michael Kors scents. Lauder grants women six weeks of paid leave for what the suit referred to as “child bonding”, while new fathers got two weeks of the same. In the spirit of equal work and equal pay, the men said they felt discriminated against. That women got “more flexible arrangements when they returned to work,” more so than the new dads. Something that was also on violation of of federal law. The case came to the attention of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) following one Christopher Sullivan's complaint that he has requested six weeks of paid leave.

EEOC wanted this remedied with back pay and compensation for Sullivan and any other affected employees. Estee Lauder settled out of court, adjusting it’s policies accordingly. This all leaves me deeply curious about the (absence of?) gender pay gap in this company.

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NEWS

THE BRIGHT NOVA OF FASHION

You’ve heard of Cardi B. You twerk to Bodak Yellow alone in front of your mirror.

Bey is your Queen. She’s a Cardi B fan. You are familiar with the rise and rise of the nofiltered one. Heard of Fashion Nova, the 4th most Googled company in 2017 with 4 billion Instagram impressions per month and about 2 million followers? You will.

Fashion Nova, Zara and KKW Beauty were identified by Business of Fashion as “the best-performing brands” online thanks to strategic influencer partnerships. Cardi B is special to them. Each post was worth $128,000 of publicity. Throw in Nicki Minaj, Amber Rose, Kylie Jenner, and a fleet of micro influencers, they add up to over $125 billion worth of publicity as measured

by InfluencerDB, a marketing software company. Fashion Nova is officially the most engaged brand on the Gram with over 611 million likes. Cardi B x Fashion Nova launches in October 2018 with 80 to 100 pieces of denim, outerwear and dresses.

BURBERRY LETS IT BURN

How many times have you wished for a high end brand to have a sale and just let you get your hands on their goodies already? Well, not if you are Burberry. How they get rid of ‘unwanted’ goods - yes, unwanted is the actual word used - is they gather it all in a huge, environmentally unfriendly pile and torch $37.8 worth of luxury spiral into ash and smoke. The same is said of lovely, very genuine unsold Louis Vuitton bags to preserve brand exclusivity. H&M is guilty too. Swiss-based Richemont have been buying back unsold watches worth 480 million euros from China and Hong Kong and redistributing or dismantled and re-sued. Not destroyed. Their reason, likely coming soon to Kenya: buy back to prevent corrupt officials from diluting their brand by gifting themselves luxe timepieces. Here is the kicker though. Julie Zerbo, founder of the blog Fashion Law says any luxury brand destroying unused goods under the supervision of US customs does so because “99% of the duties, taxes or fees paid on the merchandise by reason of importation may be recovered as drawback.” Basically, they will get the money back.

I’m dying a little on the inside too.

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NEWS | FASHION

TO CYCLE SHORTS OR NOT TO

It is so hard for me to take this seriously right now considering how city girls choose to wear biker shorts in place of Spanx. Yet here we are, staring at all the chocolate goodness that is Naomi glide down the runway in a pair. Same thing with KKW. At first it was something I was very much prepared to blame Yeezy for. I mean, a Tom Ford blazer with cycling shorts and nude sandals? Had to be his fault somehow. It immediately made me wish for Fashion Watch. I would totally wear this. Karl Lagerfeld approved in 2014. Dolce & Gabbana, Alexander Wang and living legend Virgil Abloh stamped this for S/S 2018. Naomi’s Off White look even paid homage to another stylish woman who is now more relevant than ever: Princess Di. So there! Hun, fetch me my non-yoga shorts!

BOKEH 2018

The 2018 Bokeh South African International Lifestyle & Fashion Film Festival will be held in Johannesburg and Cape Town from 20-29 September 2018. Founded by Adrian Lazarus, this 5th edition had a record 700 film submissions with 130 shortlisted for the festival. This year’s winning team earns R50,000 (KES 379,762) and innovative trophies. Bokeh 2018 comes with the launch of Bokeh TV, a 13 part 30 minute TV series focusing on artistic creativity more so in fashion, film and design. The 2014 through 2017 festivals were held in both Cape Town and Johannesburg. Bokeh April 2017 was a 2 days/2 nights affair at the Mercedes-Benz Showroom, Canal Walk Shopping Centre, Cape Town, in a city with a stellar reputation as destination for fashion shoots and location for international film crews. Bokeh has done an incredible job of successfully marrying local talent in both fashion and film industries. This year it takes place from the 20th to the 29th of September 2018 in both Johannesburg and Cape Town.

NOT YET SCRUNCHED OUT

They were big in the 90s. We even had extras around the wrist like folded velvet watches.

Supposedly, they were about dressing with ease in the 80s and 90s. It’s 2018 but the scrunchie will not say die. I call it lazy. Velvet on a rubber band doth not sophistication make.

It was Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw who said all those years ago; “no woman would be caught dead” in one. Spoiler alert - they were very much alive and scrunchied up. Then came the movie biopic I, Tonya. And Balenciaga’s KES 20,000 scrunchies. Enter sequins, silk, velvet, chiffon, tweed, faux fur and yes, leather scrunchies. Here come the DIY scrunchies too.

A round of applause to style regression where braids could only be worn up or down, or for the creative, up AND down. Le sigh.

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/santaluciaspaghetti

0722-457223

NEWS | BEAUTY

EGGING ON THE DEEP AND DARK

SEXY CURLFEST #4

The 4th annual CurlFest just happened in Brooklyn, New York. What is CurlFest we hear you ask? Imagine a hair festival that is part Coachella, part Afropunk and all glorious hair. There’s fashion, because, kinky, tight, coiled, curly all kinds of afro hair and lots and lots of personality, food and naturally, music. Crowds come in from as far as South Africa and Brazil. Women wear how they feel. Hair products everywhere. Dreamy swag bags. A gathering of fabulous black woman, a celebration of beauty as is, reflected in the other woman’s eyes and hair. People just like us. And the street style. Let’s just say it was a real struggle picking images so a coin toss was in order.

READY FOR THIS JELLY

I have to say this. Jelly nails, not exactly that new. But somehow the Forbes millennial on their current cover worth almost a billion dollars wore it on her IG, and now the ‘gram is going nuts. I have a classy, polished girlfriend from the lakeside walking around Nairobi with reverse French tipped red stiletto nails. There was a time they were called glass nails. With a stunning almost sheer tip. Moulded acrylics they are with the appearance of jello with an almost shimmer. They have a clear glass gel as the foundation and like everything else sweeping us off our feet, it dates back to the 90s because retro is in. Not a fan of acrylics?

Never fear. Press on, or as we love to call them, stick on nails, can have the exact same effect.

Now, where to find a set of Kiss or imPRESS nails.

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That cute pink egg thingy foundation applicator, the Beautyblender, remains epic.

Imagine the delight when founder Rea Ann Silva announced a 32 shade Beauty Blender foundation collection for medium to deep tones called Bounce. How could the answer not be hell yeah bring it! Her new baby bounced into the market late July. Except the Internet was not having it. Bounce Liquid Whip Long Wear Foundation, with its shapely squeezer and surface allowing us to blend foundation with say, oils and things, forgot we live in the Fenty 40 era. Dark beauties get no love. The backlash has been swift. For such an innovative game-changer, it Bounced right off expectant dark chocolate girls. The untapped inner minimalist in me however approves the gorgeous packaging. As will the lucky medium skin tones.

EVENTS

EVENTS AUG 2018 Events are not supposed to be passive things. Here at COUTURE Africa we believe in living life to its fullest. Don’t just pick something because you think you are supposed to. We dare you to make this August the beginning of your Bucket List. Go ye forth and have fun!

MARALAL INTERNATIONAL CAMEL DERBY 24 Aug to 26 Aug

KING & QUEEN OF DANCE Sun 19th Aug

YARE CAMP, SAMBURU CENTRAL COUNTY The Maralal International Camel Derby is an annual event, held midyear just outside of Maralal town. This is Kenya’s best known and most prestigious camel race, attracting both local and international competitors. Local amateur and professional camel racers compete every year.

It is such a phenomenal social event it is penciled into global calendars. Make it a three day weekend with your posse or plan it as a luxury tour as recommended by Robb Report. The Camel Derby draws well over 100,000 people globally into Samburu. You owe it to yourself to discover North Eastern Kenya. Enough with the beaches. This is not just Africa’s only camel derby, it is one of only two in the world. Cyclists race alongside camels, enjoy donkey rides and Samburu weddings because for some reason, a lot of those happen right around Derby time. Consider it a hands-on lesson in culture. If this intrigues you, call a travel agency now.

Accommodation disappears fast.

12:00pm to Sun 8:00pm at the Sarakasi Dome Early bird: KES 1,500 Gate: KES 2,000 Battle audience: KES 500 Are you sick and tired of pretending to dance while bumping up against tables and chairs in a poorly lit pseudo club?

Well then, here is your chance to let loose simply for the love of dance. And price money of course. Feeling a little rusty? Join the workshop.

1:00pm-2:00pm Salsa with Ian Wainaina 2:00pm-3:00pm Dancehall with Chiluba 3:00pm-4:30pm Twerk with International Dancehall Queen and choreographer Moiika 4:30pm-6:30pm Intermission with artist performances and celebrity appearances.

6:30pm The Battle Begins 8:30pm Awards The workshops are open to all. Battling is for the fearless and uninhibited who want more to talk about at work on Monday!

Winner flies to Jamaica in November to represent Kenya in the World Dance Competition at the Wan Move Diaspora Dance Conference. At stake, $5,000 (KES 500,000). Your kids can dance? The battle is open for ages 9 and up with parental consent.

Email kenyawanmove.teamjo1@gmail. com or call Kenya Wan Move at +254 782861-1727

THE TERMINAL MUSIC Fri 3rd Aug 8:00pm to Sun 5th Aug, 6:00am Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) Economy: KES 3,500 Business Class: KES 10,000 First Class: KES 18,000 This is the first stop at The Terminal Music Weekend. It is expected to be an annual event bringing together all kinds of people from all over the world and all walks of life exactly like you would find at an airport terminal, to one music weekend. A three day concert celebrating six of Kenya’s finest with plenty of back-up from six international acts. R&B hitmakers Keri Hilson, Bobby Valentine and Horace Brown perform with Habida, Sage and June Gachui Friday 3rd for the Grown & Sexy crowd. Saturday 4th will be UK Grime meets Kenyan Hip Hop with Big Shaq, WSTRN and Big Tobz alongside Khaligraph Jones, Steph Kapela and Shukid. DJ Joe Grinds will spin with DJs Stylez, Pinye, Adrian, Mixmaster Lenny and G Money 24 | COUTURE AFRICA

EVENTS

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THE LUXURY OF EPARA When: 21 July 2018 Where: Karel - T Lounge, Village Market Who: Skintellectuals & Influencers

As a beautiful woman you must have always wondered how to get that deep inner glow you only ever admire on social media, or with Riri´s Trophy Wife highlighter. Enter the first ever African skin care luxury brand, Epara, founded by Ozohu Adoh. Epara, meaning ‘to cocoon’, specifically targets women of colour. Launching officially in Kenya this September, Ozohu had a chance to meet with skin care lovers, dine and chat one on one. Her range includes a Balancing Oil, Hydrating Serum, Cleansing Oil and an exquisite, deliciously scented body cream. Get ready to stock up.

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#Dettolia #Queens with an #EvenGlow When: 12 July 2018 Where: dusit D2

Who: Lots of beautiful Kenyan women How about a night as Queen with a three course dinner and champagne? This was the launch of Dettol Even Tone made out of pomegranate all for soft, silky skin. Women as royalty with a product for their skin care as used by the mythical Queen of Dettolia. Awards went to the Best Dressed woman whose outfit embodied Queen and to Who Owned The Throne longside Dettol Warriors.

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1. Adina Devani and RB Marketing Manager Damira Golubic 2. Blogger Sheila Ndinda and Radio Presenter Cate Rira 3. Marini Naturals MD Niyati Patel with Entreprenuer Michelle Ntalami 4.

Actress Sarah Hassan, Radio presenter Anita Nderu and Dj Dii 5. Musician Stephen Kapelo 6. Writer Cheptoek Boyo with Actress Sarah Hassan 7.

Model Pinky Ghelani, Gospel Singer Joyce Omondi,Wahu and RB Marketing Manager Damira Golubic 8. Radio Presenter Mwalimu Rachel with Gospel Singer Kambua 9. Radio presenter Miss Mandi with gospel singer Joyce Omondi

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NEWS | CULTURE

FILM Supa Modo (2018) This is the moment when I make you feel guilty for not buying Kenya. It premiered at the Berlin Film Festival around the time you were scrambling to catch Black Panther in 3D. For weeks Supa Modo was screening locally at Westgate and Prestige Plaza. You missed out on a real life story about a girl suffering from cancer who then does the equivalent of Make A Wish. An because Kenyans are not as heartless as the cynical Nairobian has come to believe, they all take our their magic wands and fulfill 9 year old Stycie’s dreams. If you’re still stuck on Nairobi Half Life as THE ultimate Kenyan movie, it is time you took a leap, gathered your peeps and watched you some local superheroes. And I’m not just saying that because I know some of the brains behind it.

BOOKS Swing Time by Zadie Smith MUSIC Janelle Monae & The Carters When the world blesses us with glorious music from not one, but two incredible women, we don’t skimp. We indulge. Janelle Monae’s Dirty Computer came out in April but it is still a treasure trove.

Not just because she basically came out as pansexual who may or may not be in a relationship with Tessa Thompson, but her album, nay, emotion picture, in its entirety, was a visual treat she made available on YouTube. PYNK blew more than a few brains out with it’s is she or isn't she debate. The comments below it are a Wondaland. Then Bey and Jay went Apeshit with their Everything Is Love album. Released Lemonade style, it was a stealth creation that The Carters, certainly the world’s wealthiest power couple that we know of, decided would sell, and we would buy, whether or not they had started their On The Run II Tour. It is more than a little show offy. I mean, they shut down The Louvre and rapped to the Mona Lisa. Their “great-great grandchildren already rich” notwithstanding, did you know Bey could freestyle? Everything Is Love is a lot like couples therapy after 4.44 and Lemonade with The Carters paying homage to the streets and where they come from.

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There was a time I read books by the stack. It didn’t take me months to go through a thick, juicy read. But when I got this book as a gift, I promised myself I would hunker down. I am glad I did. This is more than a story about race and how women can jeopardise their own lives through a string of decisions that ignore their intuition. A story about music, democracy and feminism and how mothers can make or break their daughters. It is a book that spans the UK, a West African village, the US and Australia.

Where the main character is a woman unable to live her own life, and instead seems to need more ambitious, dominant women to get her off her butt. If only it did not start with the narrator spectacularly fired by an international superstar. There are a few theories on who Aimee, the star, is based on. Zadie isn’t telling.

NEWS | CULTURE

SERIES Westworld Having watched S1 and S2, I have to prepare you. Westworld is a brain engager. If you binge on 10 episodes a Sunday Westworld will be an itch in your brain. It is a puzzle that gets more complex the more you put it together. It is not for nothing it is fast earning a reputation as the best TV series ever. Based on Westworld by Michael Crichton and a 1973 film by the same name, this is an intelligent series with nuances you will miss if you blink, leave it running to pee or go make a cup of tea. Westworld is a futuristic park built for a human’s deepest, darkest fantasies. The female characters are powerful, unexpected, strong, inspiring, vulnerable and a little frightening in their single minded focus. Maeve Millay played by Thandie Newton, Dolores Abernathy by Evan Rachel Wood and Charlotte Hale by Tessa Thompson are the new generation of female characters you didn’t know you were waiting for. Don’t let the wild men and wild horses rob you of a meaty experience.

ART Heavenly Bodies:

Fashion and the Catholic Imagination May 10 to Oct 8, 2018.

It has been a minute since the Met Gala and it’s intriguing theme and red carpet. Behind all that pizazz lies a gallery.

This year it is inhabited by the Vatican who donated 40 pieces. The jewel of this showcase is a Pope’s tiara with 18,000 diamonds. It is said to be the largest exhibition yet, taking over three galleries. This is all a result of a two-year negotiation between the Anna Wintour Costume Institute and the Metropolitan Museum of art courting Italy, the home of fashion since 14th century Florence and the Medici Dynasty. A powerful, wealthy family that gifted the world two queens and three popes thanks to elitist and strategic marriages. Fashion has long been influenced by Italy and the Catholic church for centuries, more recently through Jean Paul Gaultier, Alexander McQueen, Dolce and Gabbana and a collective of upcoming designers. Exhibiting designers include John Galliano, Karl Lagerfeld, Thom Browne, Philip Treacy, Versace, Thierry Mugler, Viktor & Rolf - it’s an exceptional list.

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EDITS | UPCOMING DESIGNER

PENCIL PUSHER The pencil dress trend is a classic and has been the very definition of an office wardrobe for decades. The fashion angle gives it cocktail credentials too so this is a look that works morning to night, Monday to Friday and maybe some weekends too.

Photography: Khalifa Louie Styling: Ruth Odhiambo.

Model: Karen Wambui Make-up: Enid Kyokutamba from Lintons Beauty World

Pink long-sleeved pencil dress with a side bow: KES 6,900 at Dress Slay Grey fringe earrings: KES 650 at The VB store Cocktail ring: KES 900 at The VB store Black wet heels: KES 3,900 at Instyle shoes

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Short sleeved pink pencil dress: KES 5,900 at Dress Slay.

Brass earrings: KES 2,800 by Annabelle Thom Gold cocktail ring: KES 800 at The VB Store Grey heels: KES 3,900 each at Instyle Shoes

EDITS | UPCOMING DESIGNER

Royal blue pencil dress: KES 5,900 at Dress Slay.

Black glitter studs: KES 400 at the VB Store Pink Moschino heels: KES 3,900 at Instyle Shoes Gold chain: KES 500 at Mr. Price

Peach pencil dress with beaded details: KES 6,900 at Dress Slay Floral studs: KES 500 at The VB Store Silver bracelet: KES 1,000 by Annabelle Thom Black cocktail ring: KES 800 at The VB Store Black wet heels: KES 3,900 at Instyle Shoes

Navy blue off-shoulder pencil dress: KES 5,900 at Dress Slay Gold hanging studs: KES 600 at The VB store Gold and pearl bracelet: KES 600 at The VB store Burgundy heels: KES 3,900 at Instyle Shoes

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EDITS | TOP FEATURED

ANNABELLE THOM Annabelle Thom is a fashion house started in 2014 by two friends, Monique Brown who was working for a tenting company, and Maggie Mugai who was working for a waste management company. Their style is practical, functional and chic influenced by the diverse culture Kenya has and the beautiful materials available locally. African classics define their locally made products as timeless and trend setting. Their client base ranges from safari companies, camps, corporate and individuals.

Their last show was at the Fashion High Tea 2018, where they got the chance to showcase their amazing designs on runway. Sheila Mwanyigha is their favourite celebrity and they say it’s always a pleasure working with her.

Photography: Khalifa Louie Styling: Ruth Odhiambo.

Model: Karen Wambui Make-up: Enid Kyokutamba from Lintons Beauty World

Brown Poncho: KES 5,000.

Obama bag: KES 10,900 Safari fold chair: KES 26,000 Elastic beaded bracelets: KES 2,000 each Horn earrings: KES 1,500 Wet black heels: KES 3,900 at Instyle Shoes

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EDITS | TOP FEATURED

Neckpieces KES 4,000 each Black sleeveless boob top: KES 2,800

Leather fedora: KES 4,500 at ??

Brown and white hide shopping bag: KES 18,300

Neckpieces KES 4,000 each Black sleeveless boob top: KES 2,800 Charm bracelets: KES 1,500 Purple bag: KES 8,900

Waist belts: KES 5,600 at Dress Sla Horn earrings: KES 2,000 at The VB Store Brown and white hide folder: KES 5,000 Horn bangles: KES 600 each Leather choker: KES 3,500

COUTURE AFRICA | 35

CELEBRITY FASHION

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HER JOIE DE VIVRE If there is one thing about Patricia Kihoro that we love it would have to be her engaging spirit.

Of course there is also her wit and penchant for getting into characters in the middle of conversation. Then there is her stunning beauty.

Here is an attempt at trying to find out what makes her tick.

By Muthoni Ngei

COUTURE AFRICA | 37

Stylist: Ruth Odhiambo | Make-up Artist: Nellie Awendo | Hair: Paul from Dgohnie Empire | Photographer: Khalifa Louie of Shot by Khalifa | Assistant Photographer: Jacob Otieno

CELEBRITY FASHION

CELEBRITY FASHION

COUTURE Africa: You are a jack of all trades: singer, radio presenter, actress, improv comedian, Emcee. Would you choose one over the other and star in/release another music video?

Patricia Kihoro: Aside from emceeing, I can’t actually choose one over the other. I am passionate about all of them. They all give me the same joy and satisfaction. Yes, I would star in another music video if the story line is great, and yes I would release another music video for another song.

CA: What’s behind your YouTube channel Patricia Kihoro (4,894 subscribers)?

It’s not really that serious to be honest. I would just like to show a little bit of what my experience is living and working as a creative in Kenya. I’ve met lots of people from around the world who have no idea that we (can) exist in urban spaces here. All they know is what they see on the news. I just want be a part of the community that is sharing content that can show a different perspective from the news, you know, so that they won’t come here and get so shocked that we have smart phones and Netflix. I’m still a novice when it comes to YouTube, but I think what I can say is consistency is what you need. That’s also the thing that I lack that’s still keeping me a novice.

CA: Is there a particular reason that made you move the timing of your radio show, Afro Central with HBR 103.5FM? PK: Yes. It just made better sense to have it later in the day. Artists now don’t have to struggle to get up for interviews. Most of them have shows or things going on Saturday nights.

And listeners in the Diaspora can now listen to the show as well. Before I made the change it aired around 3am/4am in the US.

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CA: Is acting something you always wanted to do?

PK: Yes I have always wanted to be an actress.

Among other things. I used to get into a lot of different characters as a child. I would pretend to be a different person when I went to church or pretend to be an adult when speaking to my parents’ friends, just for fun. I have done a couple of workshops and training sessions for acting over time.

CA: Is there a film that has the feeling of your legacy?

PK: I haven’t done enough films to feel as though I’ve left my legacy in any one role. I have so much work to do, to be honest, so this question, I feel, is a bit premature with regards to my career.

CA: This is one of those actor questions, but what helps you get into character?

PK: I usually just create a whole backstory for my character. That helps me understand the motivations behind my characters lines and decisions.

CA: Are we ready for storytelling like Rafiki’s in Kenya?

PK: I think there’s always a ready market for stories that reflect the societies we live in.

Especially when told in an honest, truthful and genuine manner.

CA: Do you travel for work or pleasure?

PK: I’ve always loved travelling since I was a child. Now I am grateful to be blessed with the opportunities to travel for both work and personal leisure. In the beginning of this year I made a conscious decision to prioritise travel and I’m glad God is coming through for me! I spent a few days in Cape Town and I absolutely loved it!

CA: Your style is...

PK: My style is comfortable, bold with African elements incorporated in it be it jewelry or print fabric for my clothes.

CA: Three things we do not know about you.

PK: - I once had surgery and woke up before it was over. I had to endure the rest of it, listening to the doctors talk and work while I was lying on the table paralysed, unable to even open my eyes to alert them.

- I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

- I don’t enjoy hearing my voice or watching myself on screen which is why I don’t really enjoy recording music. I haven’t watched a lot of the TV shows that I’m in.

CA: Describe your person.

PK: My ideal guy is someone who is self aware.

Someone who understands their strengths and their flaws, and is willing to acknowledge mine as well, and will do the work with me to grow as an individual, and as a unit, so as to have a relationship that is loving, healthy, happy and lasting.

CA: What is the highlight of your year so far?

PK: Starting the year in Johannesburg watching Laura Mvula and Anderson Paak perform, and then taking an impromptu birthday trip to Cape Town. Also being a part of 3 amazing films already, one of which has been invited to the Cannes Film Festival. All these things have been very clear answers to my prayers to God, and it’s amazing to see God working in this way.

CA: What do you do for play?

Netflix, and spending time with friends.

CA: Are you reading anything at the moment?

PK: Yes, Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi.

CA: Who are your three favourite people?

My family, my friends, Michelle Obama. For now.

CA: Favourite dish, chapati and...?

PK: Ndengu, beans, beef fry, anything. Chapos make everything great. Hata Chapo ice cream is great.

CELEBRITY FASHION

COUTURE AFRICA | 39

Monica Kanari | Styling: COUTURE Team | Make-up: Nellie Awendo | Location: | Photography: Khalifa Louie | Model: Rosemary Kendi

HOW TO BE INTERESTING Have you ever looked at your wardrobe and wondered if you should consider breaking more than a few rules?

That thought crosses our mind every other day. Which is why we collaborated with Monica for this shoot, playfully and cheekily mixing and matching combinations that felt edgy, unexpected, and had the right blend of interesting.

Everything in this shoot comes from her fashion house from the leather jackets, the couture gowns right down to the beaded accessories. That’s how versatile she is. Founder and lead fashion designer Occasions ‘n Days, Monica’s fashion house specialises in evening and occasion dresses with a contemporary African flair. With over 10 years genius in the industry, we can’t deny that her collection gives Africa an elegant silhouette. This comes as no surprise seeing how Monica is one of the pioneer designers with accolades from Smirnoff Fashion Awards - she won twice. Once as a student - where she dressed a buff gorgeous melanin male model in a contraption women still thank the good Lord for - and as a professional. She has showcased at The African Fashion Fair, REDDs Fashion Awards, Fashion for Peace (FAFA) and Darling Runway Kenya. Naturally, she is a multiple award winning internationally acclaimed fashion designer.

Red silk Asymetric dress

Earrings in aluminium by Dbetta

The first ever Kenyan designer to ever showcase at, and walk on, the Cannes Film Festival (2018) red carpet, Aulgah is an up and coming designer who has been on quite the winning streak, earning herself three awards this year alone, the latest one being the Rising Star Award at the inaugural Kenya Wedding Awards. Aulgah wants to be known as the designer who brings sensuality and sexuality to her collections. She has in fact, dressed me for about two years now with sensational red carpet outfits such as the naked dress I wore for The Afro Hair Awards 2017. She has revamped from Nato Design House to Aulgah Nato Design. This is part of her Cannes collection inspired by her late mother’s graceful style.

Makeup Nellie Awendo | Hair: Kevin Voasuna | Photography: Khalifa Louie

FOR THE SEXY IN YOU

THE GENTLEMAN

A MAN WHO IS GOOD WITH HIS HANDS I first met Pascal Maithya in October 2017. He was one of The Afro Hair Awards judges. He also does my hair, designing me a red with an undertone of shades that shimmer in the sun. It turns out Pascal lives a very multifaceted life. A trained hair stylist who has been in the industry for 12 years, a motocross and speed lover and classic car enthusiast, it is quite possible he is still holding out. What do you think?

By Carol Odero

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| THE GENTLEMAN

MINI has been a supporter of the fashion industry because, design and innovation. This year, MINI and The Woolmark Company will be working with up and coming designers to produce a capsule collection in wool. It will be shown at Pitti Uomo 94, Florence, Italy, in June 2018 during one of the leading international trade shows for men’s fashion and lifestyle.

This is not the first time either. MINI has been working with Pitti Immagine, an annual fashion industry fair in Italy, since January 2015. Why, you ask? They happen to share a passion for innovation, attention to detail and quality and the ability to anticipate new trends.

do do by my parents. It was not my choice.

I obeyed. I went to school. Then I realised it wasn't my calling.

What was difference between learning and practising?

I can’t exactly tell you the difference - learning is learning is learning, so you have to learn. I enjoyed the process. After school I think I detached once I realised this was not what I want.

How did you break the news to your folks?

I told my dad. He asked which school. I said I

COUTURE Africa: Tell me about your Mini would tell him one day. I just knew he was going Cooper S.

to object. I returned to Nairobi and stayed with

career. Let’s talk about the career. The car will just come.

CA: Pffft. Be that way. Who are the celebrities who come to you?

PM: Almost everyone. But I don’t like to mention names. Most people don’t want to be known, like government officials. Some will come to my salon, some I have to go to them.

CA: Is there such a thing as client confidentiality in your business?

PM: Yes. You learn that in the business. At the end of the day I don’t need to talk about who my clients are. It’s like a doctor talking about their patients.

CA: Why hair?

PM: Out of rebellion. To my parents and the expectations of my family. They work in the office. I was tired of being told what to do and wanted to make a life choice on my own.

I did electrical engineering after high school.

But it got to a point where I was struggling and I wasn't enjoying doing the job. I felt I was overthinking and so I quit and went to work in my father’s farm.

in college. I also asked her not to tell. I used to work over the weekend as a student doing wash and set so by the time I graduated I was already employed.

Pascal Maithya: We can start with the my sister for around eight months while I was

Photography: Khalifa Louie Styling: Ruth Odhiambo

CA: Overthinking?

PM: In terms of flow. I felt like I was forcing

How’d that happen?

Someone came to college looking for the best student and I was referred. He did an interview and took me in.

What drove you to be the best?

I can’t say I was the best. But I can say I tried my best. I wanted to prove a point to my parents because it would have been disappointing to me. Something of a joke if I had not succeeded.

My vision drove me to work harder.

CA: Your vision being...

PM: Someone who can make a difference

in my own life and for others. I had a place I wanted to be.

CA: At which point did it stop mattering what your parents thought?

PM: It took a long time. And it still doesn't matter. My dad keeps asking me when I will get a real job in an office. He doesn’t like it when I introduce myself to his friends as a hairstylist.

It still bothers him to date.

CA: Does it bother you?

PM: What bothers me is one thing. I wish he could appreciate even for a day that this is a career just like any other career and I don't really have to work in an office to pay my bills or wear a suit to go to work or carry on with life.

CA: From student to employee washing and setting …..

PM: Washing the salon, cleaning towels…

myself to be an engineer. I quit after three months because it did not feel like me. My dad is a dairy farmer. So I worked for a year trying to figure out what to do with my life. One day I read an article about hairdressing and it looked like something I would have liked to do. I didn’t tell anyone what I was thinking. Instead, I went to visit my sister in Nairobi where I checked out a few schools, found one and paid my fees. I went back to the farm and told my dad I was going back to school. I was being paid working for him. My fees came from my personal savings.

CA: How come you stuck with farming for a CA: What got you from salon cleaner to salon year? owner?

PM: I was trying to find myself and what I wanted to do. It was the only place I could have time to think and have different experiences and come across that article. I had not considered doing hair at all. My mind was in electrical engineering because that is what I was told

COUTURE AFRICA | 53

THE GENTLEMAN

PM: First when you leave school and have no contributions on how to run the business. We there are decisions you cannot make on your

idea how the industry works its really hard. I had to look for a place where I could get exposure.

Then I needed to build my own clientele. So I could sustain and increase my pay from cleaner cum messenger to a stylist.

CA: Did you find it demeaning?

PM: No. I enjoyed it. Despite the fact that people would discourage me and tell me I was being used.

CA: Why would you enjoy it?

PM: I don’t know. I just realised this was an opportunity to learn. It was not really a challenge, what people thought. My goal was to work in a salon. It keeps me going and I get excited any time I do something right and I am always ready for every day challenges.

CA: Once you decided to, how did you get and keep clients?

PM: Hard work. Dedication. Not losing focus - meaning self discipline, being at work on time, learning new things from what happens every day, being different, learning about new products, learning how to relate with my clients and respecting my clients. With every new client I get another then another. I have grown through word of mouth and reference.

CA: Why open a salon?

PM: I never want to have my own salon or own one.

CA: Yet here we are.

PM: It got to a point I was getting frustrated.

Every place I worked things were not what I expected. I realised I was moving from salon to salon. The last place I worked before opening my business, she closed the salon to start a business giving me very short notice.

That was when I decided not to get back into employment, look for space and giving it a try.

People were discouraging but I had already made the decision.

I would love to open branches but the challenge is, how do I duplicate myself?

CA: You were not to be stopped!

PM: I was not to be stopped. But I never

looked at succeeding as a thing and I did not think I was going to make it.

CA: Wait. You opened a salon expecting to fail?

PM: Yes. If it failed then I would start all over again and learn from my mistakes. I got plastic chairs. There were four of us with a huge rent.

I employed three people who stayed with me the first three months. Then I started employed more and more. Now I have a have number of employers. But I call them my family and I respect them. We all come together and make

54 | COUTURE AFRICA

make decisions together. I ask them to freely share their thoughts.

CA: What inspired that kind of environment?

PM: It was based on what was lacking in most of the places I had previously worked. Things would go wrong but we could not tell the person running the business. Of course even with my employees there is a point where we have to draw the line, but everyone is a team player and a colleague. There are things you need to understand and most of the time you come in, work, go home and never get to understand the needs employees have. We just came off a team building that was like bringing the family together to deal with the challenges of growth. It was our first one ever and it took a long time to plan. We took the risk and came back stronger than we left.

CA: There are some 150,000 registered salons in Kenya. What makes yours work?

PM: Team work. We have to deal with issues as issues. We have to be part of the same team or we start to get disconnected. Having a team and being part of a team are very different things.

CA: How did you learn to be a team leader?

Strathmore? Blue Ocean Strategy?

PM: Experience, both good and bad. Mistakes - and for me a mistake is nothing to discourage me. You learn from it, and correct yourself, then you never make it again. It’s like making choices.

CA: Have engineering and hair met and made a healthy baby?

PM: Most of the things in the salon I set them up myself. I did my own electricals and wiring but I had to get someone to work with me, though I did 60%.

CA: Did you ever, at any point, want to leave the hair industry?

PM: It was the first year I started my own business. I felt things were not moving at the speed I wanted. That I was putting in so much energy and not focusing on myself. It got to a point where I thought maybe I should shut down and go back to employment. I took a break from work for about four days. Went out of town. Had a meeting with myself. I wrote down the good and the bad on the first day and kept my notes aside. I revisited them on the third day. I realised there were more advantages than there were disadvantages.

When I returned I opted to move to a better location. I got space, changed everything, did the place up and it was a new beginning. I changed my attitude. I used to feel discouraged because I was shocked to realise most people are not genuine friends especially when you make a genuine step in your life, a step that means growth. At the time I was looking for a business partner. The business was growing and

own.

Eventually I got one. We did the paperwork, agreeing on a percentages of the total shares.

Right now we are a limited company. I finally found someone like minded.

CA: Are there advantages to being a company as opposed to a business?

PM: With a limited company you need to have a board. I personally do not make some decisions. They have to go through the board.

CA: So you can’t just take the salon money and run?

PM: No. I can’t.

CA: In what ways can you grow as a company that you can’t as a business?

PM: As human beings we make mistakes and wrong decisions. It was my accountant who wised me up, instructed me to get a lawyer and learn. It has really made a big difference. I have no access to cash. Everything that is major have to go through the board. There are daily decisions that I make. I am the manager of the company, and I am also part of the board. It is easier that way. My team is aware of this and know that the buck always stops with the board.

CA: A client and a Pinterest board walk into the salon ….

PM: I read a lot. By the time a client is bringing me a hairstyle I have already seen it before and tried it on one of my colleagues. The biggest problem is our society is judgemental about how you look. It does not give us, as hairstylists the leeway to do things out of the ordinary because clients are worried and afraid of how people will perceive them and their looks.

CA: Hey. People still judge you whether you are have green hair or waist length relaxed hair.

During the Haironomics workshop this came up. Who has final say, stylist or client?

PM: It takes a while to explain to clients. You have to know them. They can’t just walk in and tell you they want a special style. I want the client to be sure by the time I am doing her hair. She has to be very sure she wants to cut her hair if she walked in with that idea. I have to know which kind of cut, what will suit her, say let’s do this instead. With first time clients I almost always just do a treatment. I never do a major service because I want to learn them and advise.

CA: How do you handle salon divas?

PM: I don’t think there is anything like a difficult client. You just need to understand what the client needs.

THE GENTLEMAN

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THE GENTLEMAN

CA: A glimpse into your typical day reveals … the same way I see hair. The moment a client thing.

PM: Work. Monday through Saturday. My day walks in I can tell what will work, and I am CA: Your first car was …. starts at 4am. I go to the gym at 5am, though usually right. I still sketch. Cars, houses, faces, PM: A Subaru. It was very quiet. I owned it for not everyday because sometimes I can feel lazy, home, shower, get ready for work. My working hours start at 7am. Till around 10pm or 11pm weekdays. But usually between 11am and 3pm I’m easy unless I have specific appointments.

When it slows down I read about cars or hair.

CA: Do you have a shelf full of hair books?

PM: No. CA: Do you have a kindle full of hair books?

PM: No. CA: Do you have specific sites you go to?

PM: No. CA: What did you want to do when you were a kid?

PM: I loved electronics and building toy cars and sketching. But I need a moment to do this on my own. I don’t sketch on command. That’s

56 | COUTURE AFRICA

plans.

CA: How on earth do you sketch a to-do list?

PM: I do a graph. If I plan and don’t do it I get disappointed. Till I get it done I don’t stop.

I’m not even sure I should ask this now but, what do you do for fun?

Cars. I especially love classics. I buy dead cars and bring them back to life. This is purely out of love for cars from childhood. I started learning how to drive at 8 or 9 with the tractor.

CA: Where do you get cars in need of resuscitation?

PM: People call me. But I’m retiring…. I love British cars. They are easy to work with, not as complicated. The thing about the cars is they make me disconnect from work. Give me something to do with my hands.

CA: One look at a car and you know what’s wrong?

PM: Yes. I can tell what needs to be done, what to do with it and how. This is just a natural

only three months. Sold it to a friend. Then I got a speed bike. Got bored. Sold it. Then one day I went for Concours d'Elegance and fell in love with a Mini. Which I ended up owning through a series of happy coincidences. A classic Mini Cooper, 1969.

CA: What’s with the Mini?

PM: I find them attractive. I have never watched Mr. Bean. But I watched The Italian Job, right before my first Mini. Then I remember going to church one Sunday, seeing a convoy of Minis and I thought, I want to have one and be in that convoy.

CA: Have you?

I am in the Mini club. I am still a member and founder even though I currently don't have a classic Mini. They can't kick me out unless I kick myself out.

THE GENTLEMAN

CA: How many Minis have you owned?

PM: Quite a number of Minis.

CA: How many cars have you owned?

PM: Enough.

CA: So founder huh?

PM: We started as a 10-member club. We do a

lot of charity events and CSR. CA: What’s the club called?

Mini Lovers in Kenya.

CA: What else do you ride?

PM: I love the Minis but I also love the Range Rovers. I saved to get a classic. A friend kept his at mine because his parking was full. I had it for six months. I drove it every day. And I thought, ‘I am not going to lose this.’ The six months lapsed. He wanted it back. I had not saved enough. It felt like a break up. Two days later I got a call. It was a Range Rover. I ended up owning my other dream car. Right now I feel like I can’t get much time to go to the garage.

I can fix things, I can tell what the problem is, when I go to the garage I tell them exactly what to do. But I don’t have enough time.

CA: What changed?

PM: Work has changed. I get a commission.

I don’t spend money to run the business because the business pays me. I have a salary like everyone else. I get paid based on the jobs I have done.

CA: Is there a car you can’t save?

PM: No. Most of the cars are complete junk.

But so long as I can get the parts I can salvage it. I don’t own a garage. I have friends who run and own garages. Once I get there we sit and see what can be done. I don’t buy a car that is extensively damaged because you have to see if you can get value for your money and I have to figure out if I will get the money back. Most of the time these cars don’t even make money.

There are bought by people who are passionate and have love for classics and a well-done and well-maintained classic will always get a buyer.

I am approached by buyers but I cannot quote any specific amount. They make an offer and if

you feel it is viable you can make the decision to sell. Especially a car you have built from scratch. You get so attached. That is why I say letting go is like a break up.

CA: Have you entered Concours d’Elegance?

PM: Many times. I entered the Minis And I won twice.

CA: Back to hair. Are young people ready for the industry?

PM: No one is ever prepared. When I hire I don’t look at the school attended. School and reality are different. I look for potential for growth. My interviews are more one-on-one than practical. We talk.

CA: What do you hope to reveal?

PM: Someone who can convince me they are able to convince and relate with a client. Do you have that ability to relate to any situation or client and at the same time are you willing to grow? Practical interviews are not a challenge.

Most people can do the basics and that could just be the one thing that you have perfected.

CA: Do you mentor employees?

PM: Yes I do. Especially when we sit for meetings. I push and teach them and we teach each other. I also tell them not to think of being an employee forever. Though not everyone can start a business, I am happy when I see them grow from one stage to another. I teach them to save so they can sustain themselves. Some take is as a talk, some a little more seriously.

You also get people you can’t teach.

CA: How do you balance work and life?

PM: My social life is a bit tricky. I always worked everyday even Sundays till I realised I needed to rest, talk to people. That my life should not revolve around work. Until I started my company. Then I had to make the decision to close at least one day. We are closed on Sundays. I don’t work till late every day. I fix my appointments so I have time to have a life.

CA: Why do you think hair is so important to women?

PM: Wow…. I think hair defines a woman’s character and personality. Hair for a woman is the innermost love and feeling they have for themselves. It defines a woman. Whether short, long or bald.

CA: When women finally see themselves as beautiful, what do you feel?

PM: It is like an adrenaline rush. Like being in

a rally car. Like being in a plane taking off or when it’s landing. How it feels when the boost kicks in.

CA: Pearls of wisdom about this business?

PM:

1.

It’s not easy.

2.

You need to have the drive.

3.

You can pay your bills and afford to live so long as you focus.

My industry is the same as any other, only that we are judged for not going to school, or being dropouts. People judge me without knowing what I can do. To parents; sometimes as kids we make decisions but don’t try to discourage you children or make them feel like they made the wrong choice. Encourage them.

CA: So this is it. You’re not running away to join BMW. PM: This is a passion and a career. It is different from being in a fast car or a fast motorbike.

CA: What is your definition of beauty?

PM: Everyone is beautiful.

CA: GROAN!! Come. On! PM: You cannot define beauty.

CA: What’s next for Pascal?

PM: I’m planning for my retirement. When you start a business you grow the business. When you grow the business you mentor. You grow people. They grow the business. You become a team. You grow the team. Once you become a team, you let the business grow you. You are part and parcel of the business but you are not the core of the business. That is what retirement is.

COUTURE AFRICA | 57

AFRICAN HERITAGE MALE MODELS AND DANCERS MICKEY RAGOS Perennial Mr. Kenya

Mickey Ragos with African Heritage model Fayel Tall wearing Nigerian Okene cloth

Many fashion shows in Nairobi often include muscular men swaggering down the catwalk.

Mickey in Embro with African Her

Mickey Ragos was the male model who launched this tradition. He held the Mr. Kenya title for over a decade and was the head male model for African Heritage for 22 years. His son was also a Mr. Kenya.

Mickey still runs a body building studio in Nairobi.

Photos from My Journey Through African Heritage by Alan Donovan. www.africanheritagebook.com

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GE ND

Mickey in Embroidered Emir’s trousers from Nigeria with African Heritage model in Indigo dyed cloth.

Mickey Ragos was a well known cover model in the 1980s. Here he poses with model Esther Wagema who now owns a restaurant in Cologne, Germany. Mickey and Esther pose in hand printed Maridadi Fabrics in Thorntree design. Jungle Safari accessories by African Heritage.

On tour with African Heritage in Europe.

Right: Mickey blows away the African Heritage stilt walker in Cameroon costume.

om

COUTURE AFRICA | 59

B E A

U T Y

MAKE-UP

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MAKE-UP

SHADES OF THE SAHARA Rustic has never looked so good!

Shades of orange, bronze and brown are an African Girl’s best friend and definitely the go-to palette for your everyday muted and evening dazzle.

TIP 1: More is More Layer on the colour for a popping finish!

TIP 2: Note Your Tone Ensure the undertone shades of the palettes you select match your natural skin tone.

TIP 3: Multi-User Feel free to use your eyeshadow as a bronzer and vice-versa, as long as the shade looks right.

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MAKE-UP

64 | COUTURE AFRICA

MAKE-UP

OCEANIC NOTES Feeling Low? Put on Blue Eyeshadow & Glow!

Refreshing and energizing hues of blue and green may be just what you need to brighten up your day, every day.

TIP 1: Create an intense blue eye by matching a deep blue eyeshadow on your upper and lower lids with blue mascara.

TIP 2: Gold, or silver are a must-apply on your brow-bone to give your eyes natural definition and complement the strong blue or bright green.

TIP 3: Go deep with the shades of blue and green for darker skin, and light for lighter skin!

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HAIR

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HAIR

THE RISE AND RISE OF THE AFRO Everyone wants it, but not everyone knows what to do with it. You can grow it, buy it or borrow it, but whatever you do, do not forget to style it!

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HAIR

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COU HAIR

DIANA ROSS She became the true definition of black celebrity in her iconic Afro in the 70’s LAURYN HILL Always remaining true to her African looks, if she wasn’t rocking her crazy locks, Lauryn Hill would be spotted in a larger than life Afro.

BEYONCE Beyoncé’s Afro Look in the Austin Power’s film Gold Member brought back the classic look before it became the trend it is today.

LUPITA Lupita has and continues to wear her natural hair proud on red carpets across the globe in various exciting fro-styles!

ZENDAYA So trendy it is, that actress Zendaya was spotted rocking an Afro wig at the Black Panther Red Carper Premier.

JILL SCOTT Has mastered the art of the Afro, Jill Scott has also been seen to rock this look in a modern effortless way.

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THE SECRETS OF COFFEE

BODY

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BODY

Apparently, slimming coffee is a thing… But that’s not what we are talking about here. According to COUTURE Africa research, coffee is probably better for you on the outside, than it is on the inside!

TOPICAL USES OF COFFEE Whether you chose DIY products using freshly ground coffee beans, or store bought products, some of the common external uses of coffee are Face Scrubs, Scalp Exfoliators, Face Masks, AntiCellulite Body Scrubs BENEFITS OF COFFEE ON SKIN & HAIR • Reduces Skin Inflammation • Rich Source Of Antioxidants • Brightens Skin • Minimises Dark Circles • Gently Exfoliates • Repairs UV Damage • Tightens Skin • Stimulates Hair Growth • Strengthens Hair • Reduces Hair Loss • Soothes Dry Feet

COFFEE HACK: Make Coffee Ice Cubes and place under your eyes to instantly reduce puffiness.

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BODY

DIY COFFEE Still not convinced? Try any of these DIY Coffee remedies based on your needs for immediate results!

Brightening Coffee Scrub 3 Teaspoons, Ground Coffee 1 Teaspoon, Sugar 1 Teaspoon, Olive / Jojoba Oil 1-2 Drops, Fresh Lemon Juice Mix all ingredients and massage onto cleansed face using gentle circular motions. Rinse and pat dry.

Brightening Coffee Mask 1 Tablespoon, Instant Coffee 1 Tablespoon, Turmeric 1 Tablespoon, Natural Yoghurt Mix all ingredients together and massage on cleansed face for 2 minutes. Leave on for 20 minutes and rinse off with warm water.

Anti-Cellulite Body Scrub 1 Cup, Coffee Grounds ½ Cup, Sugar 1 Cup, Coconut Oil Mix all ingredients and after bathing, massage the scrub onto your cellulite-target area for about 60 seconds per area. Rinse with warm water.

Hair Mask 2 Tablespoons, olive Oil 1 tablespoon, Coffee Powder Mix the olive oil and coffee powder into a thick paste and apply onto your hair and scalp thoroughly. Leave on for 15 – 20 minutes and rinse off with warm water.

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BODY

The Body Shop Ethiopian Green Coffee Cream

Natural Escapes Arabica Coffee Scrub with Coconut & Shea

Shea Moisture Coffee Scrubs

NOT INTO DIY? Nyakio Kenyan Coffee Beauty Range [Scrub and polish]

Worry not, there are still some amazing store-boiyght products that can give you all the etxernal benefits of coffee without the added temptation of making an instant espresso off our home-made-DIY’s

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PROFILE

VICTORIA KIETI-CHESIRE THE HAIR PHOENIX

Head of marketing for Godrej Kenya, mother and wife, Victoria Kieti-Chesire was pleasantly surprised when she got the job to come work in the hair industry. “It did not hit me that this is fashion until I was on board. Fashion is so interesting and dynamic.”

Photography: Khalifa Louie | Make-up: Enid Kyotumba of Lintons Beauty World

By Jackline Mukami

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PROFILE

COUTURE Africa: Has working for Darling influenced your hair routine?

Victoria Kieti-Chesire: Immensely. In the past, I would stay in my natural afro for 3 months. Now I have to think and be conscious about it. I sell hair. I can’t have bad hair. I need to look good. The other thing is I have to keep testing new products before I can determine if the product will work.

CA:About that salacious Kahawa Tungu article when you left P&G. How did you handle that?

VC: If you are in such a position as I held, you will step on toes and people will try to spoil your name. I had just resigned from P&G because I was transitioning and was serving my notice. I needed new energy and had a business and a firm to run. Three days later I see this article; and it was really bad. It came as a shock since I had never had integrity issues that I had zero tolerance for. I was living high and delivering. People involved in that article told top recruiters not to give me a job. But if you are credible and truthful, your life will move on.

I would walk into companies I had applied to for jobs and personally ask them if they had heard about or read the article. I hid nothing.

Good employers will know lies from the truth.

My work spoke for me. Thankfully I had a very supportive system. My husband was amazing.

In a month’s time I was up and running. The truth will always be the truth. You cannot make me into somebody I am not, and that is what that article tried to make me into. There is a lot of cyberbullying in this town and people will try to bring you down. You need to keep your focus. Be strong to break through the clutter.

CA: Your career sounds exciting, but, what exactly do you do?

VC: Professional marketing. I love marketing and building brands. It is what I have done the last 10 or so years. Godrej Kenya is a multinational founded in India with businesses in Latin America, Africa and Asia. We just entered Africa through the acquisition of Darling Africa which is Darling Kenya, Darling South Africa and Darling Nigeria in 2011. I am the head of what we call Dry Hair. We have two categories of hair; Dry Hair and Wet Hair. Dry Hair is the bigger business: hair extensions, braids, wigs and crochet; Wet Hair is the chemical aspect of the hair: treatment, conditioner, relaxers. Godrej is 70% Dry Hair and I head the marketing of Dry Hair which most people know as Darling.

CA: Has it been Darling for you?

VC: It has been a long and short journey. Short in terms of timing - I have been there for 9 months, and long in the sense that I feel like I have been in the company five years! We have done quite a lot in those 9 months. This is when Darling has come out as a fashion brand.

In the past we just manufactured and sold hair but since I came on board, we have turned the company into a fashion brand. Darling is now more interesting. We want this trend to continue as the leading fashion hair company in Kenya.

CA: What is the most thrilling part of your work?

VC: When I got this opportunity I saw a lot of untapped potential that had not really been exploited. That and a great opportunity to connect with consumers and stylists, the latter who happen to be very important in this industry. Consumers are more concerned about the style they want to achieve and will go online, search then consult stylists. I have been connecting with stylists and their influence on consumers is amazing.

CA: What would you consider as your biggest achievement(s)?

VC: There are quite a number of successful ideas I have executed that I feel have made our brand successful. One of them is relaunching our signature Abuja braid. Consumer feedback indicated that we had reduced hair volume, the product was becoming a bit dull and more of a commodity product than a fashion product.

We had to beef up volume and the image of the brand so we rebranded Abuja. We have also increased the volume of our hair packages so consumers can achieve a full hairdo with 4 packs v 5/6 packs. We built better relationships with stylists by engaging them. That was the first big project that actually started turning our business in terms of looking into a fashion business.

Another achievement is the Darling Runway Kenya event. We partnered with COUTURE Africa and Ajuma Ltd. on amazing runways. We wanted consumers to see us as fashionable.

This was a very big event with Ajuma’s brand and COUTURE Africa’s cutting edge fashion reputation. We want to be relevant to the consumer giving them products they can enjoy as they achieve the styles they are looking for.

CA: We definitely love our volume! Is that why you launched Elegant Braid?

VC: Kenyans love volume in their hair. When they failed to achieve that we actually got a lot of complaints. That when they put a lot of braids it was too heavy and they ended up with a receding hairline. And they couldn’t experiment with trending updos. It took a lot of time to identify what the gap was in the braid market. So what we did is, we developed a very light braid. Elegant is light and flexible. Our campaign says it’s “hair light as air.” Elegant has actually surprised us in terms of performance and with consumers falling in love with it.

CA: To what extent have our demands as women made your work challenging?

VC: Kenyan, and African women change their hairstyles at least twice a month. We want to have good looking hair without breaking the bank. We want to have good hair that is affordable. But the cost of labour, raw materials and electricity is quite high. As an industry we have to look for ways to sustain business and while staying affordable. Another challenge is competition. Competition is good but sometimes it does not operate by the laid out standards. Unfair competition brings counterfeits to the market. There is no proper control. That erodes our margins.

CA: What is that one thing you wish you did not have to deal with at work?

VC: I am a very private person. However, business marketing is so out there. I need to do media interviews, be out there talking to designers, fashion idols and stylists. Sometimes I think, OMG I don’t want to do this! I don’t want all the attention. But it is part of my job.

I am starting to get used to it. I am also very simple with my personal style. I never wore heels. Now that I am in the fashion industry it’s given I have to dress a certain way and my hair has to be on point.

CA: Do women who put in extra effort to look good rise faster?

VC: I would say it is important to look the part.

When you do you are more confident and you deliver better by virtue of how you feel. That automatically gets you ahead. It is about looks but because of your confidence. you get by looking good.

CA: How does one pierce through the clutter and stand out?

VC: The hair industry is so cluttered actually.

Shelves have thousands of products and as a consumer, you will be so confused. Before, was no product control. We would launch a style and two weeks later the competition had copied the exact same style under the same name! It is crucial that in such a cluttered category you differentiate yourself with brand positioning. Besides everything we have talked about, you have seen our imagery, social media pages and billboards. We are trying to talk to our consumers by making it easier for them to pick us out.

CA: Social media is consistently touted as the ultimate marketing strategy. Has it worked for you?

VC: Absolutely. Most consumers want to be trendy. Before shopping for anything fashion, they look online. They may not shop for it there but they will look at which celebrity is trend then buy. For the consumer, online is the moment of truth. We cannot live without social media.

In our campaigns we ask consumers to share pictures of themselves wearing our braids and they are willing to do We cannot ignore social media. It is where we are actually advertising.

CA: Have Naturalistas affected your industry?

VC: I am a Naturalista myself. In this industry you can never go against the trends. The movement has influenced where we go.

Consumers are wearing more afro look extensions, locks and Afro kinky to embody African looks. I do think women should learn how to use extensions that are light and don’t pull the hairline. Visit a good hairdresser who understands hair and will advise you on what to use.

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OFFICE STYLE

WHAT WOMEN [AND MEN] WEAR TO WORK Fashion is not just something that happens after hours. Image is everything and you have to look amazing in the office environment too. The COUTURE Africa Team goes on a monthly hunt for the most stylish work environments.

By Jackline Mukami | Make-up: Elsie of Elsie Beauties Photography by: Khalifa Louie of Cool Pixx Studios & Ludovick Mwamburi

Tim Mworia Managing Editor

Jesse Mweu Digital Strategist

Jacqueline Kendi Editor

Whitney Nasanga Whitney Nasanga

I like starting my week with a serious official look easing into the casual. Events define most of my outfits.

I admire David Beckham and Thierry Henry’s sense of style.

They are sharp and know how to dress their body types.

My favourite accessory is my watch. I can’t leave the house without one. I love the 80’s.

They make most of my ideal wardrobe. I don’t shop with trends. I shop for practicality.

I value simplicity, practicality and comfort. I go for anything that works as long as it is simple yet catchy.

I create my own trends. I pair up items in my closet uniquely to come up with something that will leave an impression.

I love shoes. They add the cherry on top if nothing else good. My favourite accessory is my necklace. It has the classic Michael Jordan look. I am inspired by people who dress well, say, Dave East. Not too flashy but fancy enough to turn heads. I shop anywhere.

I have always had this bohemian chic style. I am very artistic and try expressing. My moods determine what I wear to the office or events.

I draw inspiration from Alicia Keys. She is very trendy, modern and unusual.

I can’t leave the house without my ring. It is very sentimental.

I splurge most on shoes, my collection rapidly growing by the day.

I like to creatively envision current trends into tasteful, unique pieces. I would never be caught dead wearing gumboots no matter how rainy it is. I like vintage yet trendy pieces and shop online

I have a keen eye and a good sense of fashion though I like to keep it calm and cool.

You will spot me in cute dresses, slayer pants and everything trendy. I love brands. My mood and the occasion determine how I dress for the day. Given a chance, I would swap my wardrobe with Bonang’ Matheba. She is a fab missus.

My favourite accessory is my watch. It is a sentimental piece. I splurge most on dresses. Sometimes I customize my own pieces through my fashion line, El Afrique. I shop online.

Shoes: CBD Polo T-shirt: Jumia Jeans: Jumia

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Chain: Gifted Shirt: Woolworths Pants: Target Bracelet: Gifted Shoes: Woolworths

Earring: Dubois Top: CBD Pants: Online Watch: CBD Ring: Gifted Shoes: Backyard Shoes

Dress: Toi Market Blazer: El Afrique

Heels: Backyard Shoes

OFFICE STYLE

KENYA BUZZ KenyaBuzz swears they know everything about fun. They know what’s popping and where. Movies, music, arts and theatre, nightlife, kids’ events and anything in between, business listings, movie reviews and updates. Dressing up for work must be a blast when you work in a buzzy place. Free to express themselves in more ways than one; and fashion is definitely one.

Damaris Mutethya | Ticketing and customer service I like being comfortable and try to stay away from trends. I will dress smart and presentable but I have no strict rules that I follow to the tee.

Dressing for the weather and occasion is so crucial.

Julie Gichuru inspires my fashion sense. I am crazy about her style. She has amazing taste. I also admire Michelle Obama’s style. You can’t question her ensemble, be it pants, jeans, gowns.

My favourite accessories are small shiny earrings. I splurge on pants. They are comfy and bring out my curves. I shop online.

Glasses: Sunsyensor Earrings: Dubois Top: Alladin Skirt: CBD Shoes: Toi Market

Rodricks Oidi

Teddy Muraya Photographer

Yvonne Mugure Finance/ HR

I happen to do khakis a lot.

They work for both my personal and office look. I always want to leave a good impression on my clients because I believe my appearance matters.

I want to be seen as the man walking into a business deal.

Occasions usually determine my day to day look.

I can’t leave the house without my watch. My ideal wardrobe is casual, fitting and smart. I spend a lot on shoes. I believe a shoe maketh a man. I am not into trends so count me out of flashy attention seeking clothes.

I normally shop in Imenti House.

I am always on the move so I go for comfortable and simple.

My mood and the occasion determine what I wear. I admire Kanye West’s sense of fashion.

He is out of the box. I also admire Asap Rocky’s style. He is not afraid to experiment with fashion. He is the male version of Rihanna.

As much as this is in entertainment, I would never turn up for work in sweatpants.

I spend a lot on jackets. I am beginning to get unpredictable.

I am trying to switch it up and experimenting. As far as my shopping habits go, I am an impulse buyer. I spot and buy. I am not limited by price. .

T-shirt: Thrifted Jacket: Adidas shop Bracelet: Gifted Jeans: Levi Shoes: Thrifted

I like pieces that are versatile and in style. I also like going to the extremes sometimes. Our office is fun and free so anything goes. i have a chance to be creative and dress the best way I can.

I usually pair up items in my closet to come up with something unique.

The weather and occasion dictate what I wear. For some reason, I spend most on pants. I can’t leave the house without earrings. They complement my look. My nails have to be manicured. I shop spontaneously at stores, streets, online to exhibitions.

Sales & Marketing

Shirt: CBD Tie: CBD Pants: Imenti House Shoes: Imenti House Watch: Kilimall

Earrings: Gifted Top: CBD Blazer: CBD Skirt: Online Heels: Jamia Mall

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COUTURE AFRICA | HER STYLE

HER CROWNING GLORY We love Wambui JL, 36, Content Creator & Publisher for her easy energy and very bold sense of adventure. The woman decided to launch a Naturalista magazine! She generously invited us into her beautifully curated space and proceeded to tell us about her engaging, fascinating life.

By Muthoni Ngei

My mum was among the first batch of graphic designers out of University of Nairobi. She later took up professional photography by opening Beta Portrait Studio. It has run for 27 years out of Cargen House. She was a creative who sewed her own clothes and home furnishings while raising nine children and tilling the farm.

In 2001 I applied to study architecture at the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, Malaysia. But once there I spotted the graphics design table and it had all the cool kids so I quickly switched! I graduated in 2005 and bagged an internship at Ogilvy & Mather (Kenya) where I ended up working for 4 years.

After getting married I followed my husband to Lagos, Nigeria and worked for Y&R (formerly ZK Advertising). We got pregnant in 2011 and decided to come back home to raise our children here. That’s when I became a stay at home mum.

WAMBUI IN THE MIDDLE

In 2008 I opened up Idea Agency, my very own graphic design company. I got big projects with little money and short timelines. Six months later I’d still be doing the work and/or chasing the payment. Always busy but broke. My business model was not feasible. I quit design to look for something more meaningful to do.

I joined a mentorship program for women in creative leadership where I was challenged to be my own employer. I also took part in a two day We Create challenge, crafting a working business model. Around that time I was having the natural hair conversation with my peers.

The burning question, why naturals were not being featured in the local media.

The outcome of all that was Hairpolitan Lifestyle, an online magazine tell the stories of the natural lifestyle community in Kenya. In 2017 I found myself in a quagmire. I had an idea

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that was gathering momentum but I needed to understand the business of publishing. After six online issues I took a break to understand the back end. That’s the journey I am coming out of.

I learned to view my business as my employer.

Hairpolitan is not my baby or peer. At the end of the day a business must provide you with an income just like any employer would.I saw my mum grow her business in the 90s. It was hard!

Now we have unending tools, resources and networks to make creative entrepreneurship a success.

MY HAIR STORY

I had long, beautiful, unmanageable hair. I vaguely remember a hot-comb on a jiko, burnt ear lobes, hair doused in coconut oil and watching my cousin’s hair smoke while my aunt used a newly acquired blow drier. I really can’t pinpoint how or why I got an interest in hair. I permed in high school. My hair could only accept the strongest relaxer at the time - Optimum Super. Two weeks after retouching my hair reverted to kinky. In Form 3 all my hair fell off. I was at a loss. Then one day I saw this man with beautiful dreadlocks. Back then it was rare. I had to ask how he did them. He advised me to use OMO and Coca Cola to lock my hair. I tried. It was taking too much time. I got raw beeswax from Machakos which made my hair look like a bunch of candles. One Ben at Urembo, Lonrho House, was the only one who could rescue my hair. We had to blow-dry each loc, combing out the wax with a fine tooth comb. He took care of my locs for the next six years and was the one who chopped them off.

My healthy hair journey started in 2012 when I joined Tricia’s Naturals, Facebook, and became more conscious of what I was using on my hair. Now I ensure all products in my house are 100% natural or at least natural based.

Make-up: Daughty Artistry| Hairstylist: Joanne Nyawira of Waves and Lengths Hair.air.

IN THE BEGINNING

COUTURE AFRICA | HER STYLE

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COUTURE AFRICA | HER STYLE

AND THEN CAME BABY

I grew locs again in 2011 in Nigeria. After my first child I lost some of my edges and my crown so I shaved the locs. With my 2nd baby I managed to mitigate shedding using natural hair products. By the time my 3rd child was coming I had Sisterlocs. But the post-partum shedding heavily affected my crown. I lost all locs in that area. I consulted with my SisterLoctician. We agreed to undo my Sisterlocs, shaving my hair off.

I WOULD RECOMMEND …

Try and buy local. I love buying products that make me feel part of a beautiful story. We buy coconut oil from a lady who sources it through a women’s group who extract the oil in Mtwapa.

Buying local enables manufacturers produce in bulk, in turn bringing prices down and once this happens we won’t have to keep sending for products overseas.

THE FAMILY

I have been married nine years to Lamu Maundu.

I am mother to boys aged 6, 4 & 1. I was a stay at home mum for a big chunk of the last six years. Now I lease a desk at a shared space in Kilimani. Even then, I remain very present for the children’s homework and activities.

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FASHION & FUN

My style is practical, comfortable yet creative.

I love abstract prints. I hate pink! I think it’s a lovely colour but it boxes women in. I pay special attention to how I put together my outfits. Right now I am just coming off a weight loss season. I am trying to relearn my body and create a new sense of style. I think there is space for people to advice you on your style. I am not afraid to ask for help.

I watch movies from 11pm after the boys’ bedtime and news. I have always loved film and I’m very excited that we have more Kenyan films coming out. We watched Super Modo with the boys. It was written by a dear friend. The boys loved it! I used to read but for some reason I don’t have the interest and concentration anymore. My unwinding is movies, chasing the boys out of the house and staring at my wall…!

I enjoy hanging out with friends when we manage to schedule it. I want to start traveling again. I would love to live somewhere rich in culture for three months. Brazil, India and Cambodia come to mind.

COUTURE AFRICA | HER STYLE

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DÉCOR

WARDROBE LUXURY MEETS INTERIORS. You know how we are so familiar with Ralph Lauren, Versace and Gucci as fashion houses of note? Would it surprise you to know they also have an exclusive range of home interiors and decor?

In fact, if you are already a fan of American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace, S2, you are already familiar with the decadent, luxuruous nature of Gianni’s home. We bring you a list of high fashion and luxury interiors because who says you can only wear, not sit and lie on, designers collections.

By Wambui Kamau-Ong’weny

The layman’s definition of what luxury is translates into ‘something enjoyed by certain people and not by others’…. I think I will stick with Oxford’s version thank you very much. Its definition reads “a state of great comfort or elegance, especially when it involves great expense.” Luxury is authentic, worth your coin and lasts a lifetime or three.

We should all crave it in our personal spaces because there is just something about living in a state of luxe. International brands like Pierre Cardin and Fendi to African luxury brands like Olivia Knox and Eva Sonaike make sure interior design has not been left behind. These brands and many others like them are capitalising on interiors because just like fashion makes us feel good, so do our homes make us feel great. Can Kenyans afford these luxury brands? A New World Wealth Survey done in 2017 by Afrasia Bank says heck yeah. It grouped Kenya as the 2nd largest luxury market by revenue in the continent. This should not be a surprise.

These international and Afroluxe brands realise it too and are bringing luxury closer to your home.

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DÉCOR

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DÉCOR

Pierre Cardin

A Pierre home collection comprising among others, high end carpets with unmatched quality. The curators of this luxe brand locally are Parisland, who have such confidence in the carpets they come with a 10 year warranty. Nothing beats luxury in the bedroom like bed sets. With a thread count of 280 you sleep like a royal. Pierre Cardin didn’t stop here.

Parisland also stocks their furniture, kitchen sets and home textile collection.

Patrick Mavros

Gucci

2017 saw the exciting announcement of Gucci’s home line, Gucci Décor featuring tasselled pillows - what could be more decadent a than a Gucci throw pillow casually tossed to the floor - plates and furnishings all with Gucci’s iconic design motifs. The home collection launched in select flagship stores late 2017. The good news is if Gucci Décor is your cup of tea, they have a store in Johannesburg, South Africa. Still relatively new, Gucci pieces are an eclectic mix to jazz up your little spaces with baubles bringing their fashion legacy to your home. It is certainly a store worth watching based on the accolades of the industry.

And, with shipping options at hand, luxury is simply a click away.

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The Patrick Mavros brand opened their Kenyan outlet in Village Market almost a year ago. It has such a beautiful story behind it. Founded 35 years ago, Patrick carved a pair of earrings for his wife. Upon seeing them, his wife’s hairdresser requested for a pair and thus the business was born. What makes them so unique is the use of a long lost technique for carving their silver accessories that has been handed down from Patrick Mavros Snr to his young sons based out of Zimbabwe. Patrick Mavros Jnr believes Africa is the most ideal place for luxury brands where products are crafted by hand and patiently, over time resulting in above minimum wage living. Their home products include napkin rings, candelabras, ashtrays, place card holders and Ottomans.

They are located in Nairobi, Harare, Mauritius and London.The house of Mavros are driven by the need to preserve the wildlife, with one of their most recent collections inspired by the pangolin.

Olivia Knox

This Ugandan brand is taking the global luxury market by storming putting East Africa on the map. Olivia Knox is a collective focused on celebrating and promoting the uniqueness of the Ankole cow horn to create stunning products. Their market, Europe and the US. The company works with designers in three industries; eyewear, accessories and home goods. The brainchild of two women Olivia Byanyima and Shanley Knox, they started out keen to preserve the Ankole Cow Conservation Association. The Ankole breed is dying out as a result of crossbreeding, which is diminishing the potency of their genes. While no two pieces are alike making every piece timeless, the pair are currently holed up working on something mysterious, asking us to await their pop of champagne and run ideas by them on their site.

Aissa Dione Tissus

The brand gets its name from its famous Senegalese founder, Aïssa Dionne, a painter and textile designer. Her mission was to revive Senegal’s traditional fabric weaving craftsmanship and create a 100% Senegalese production chain. Her list of clientele includes the likes of Hermés, Fendi and the celebrated interior designer Christian Liaigre who has fashioned homes for Kenzo, Calvin Klein, Karl Lagerfeld and media mogul Rupert Murdoch not to mention Club Med in Bora Bora. Branded as a traditional artisan textile revivalist, this brilliant French woman creates looms and manufactures her own textiles preserving skills that were handed down from father to son for generations. Aissa has been weaving her smarts with traditional techniques mainly Mandjaque weaving and getting international orders from fashion giants who want to use her linen in home interiors and furniture coverings. She has succeeded in putting Senegal on the products map.

Eva Sonaike

You must have expected a West African brand to show up on our list at some point. With a growing interest in African design, textiles and products, Eva Sonaike is riding on the back of this trend. A former fashion journalist, Eva is now a lifestyle brand creator and interior designer. Hailing from Nigeria and transporting her own take of luxury design with a West African twist to London, she is a self proclaimed non-designer with an eye for colour.

That did not stop her from launching The Aburi Rise Collection by Eva Sonaike in February 2018. Her high end range is a strong love affair with Ankara, printed in Germany and manufactured in the UK. Her vibrant and exclusive designs are a hard won 11 year long journey that adds that rich touch of African luxury to any setting.

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GADGETS

FASHION AND STYLING APPS You are constantly watching out for the most recent fashion trends, and on yourself in the trendy outfits. You have to get the style on point and in time – before your girlfriends can steal the look, ideally. There is no time to waste!

By Jackline Mukami

Thanks to a new generation of apps that will virtually connect you with fashion savants, you can up the style and slay elegantly before the gals can catch up. Complete with collections tools to create your own style, these fashionconscious apps offer a non-stop diet of the latest looks and trends. You don’t have to be a red-carpet star to step up your sartorial game.

Stylebook

Spring

The Hunt

Stylebook brings your favourite celeb’s closet to life through your phone. The app is your closet management tool that allows you to virtually curate your wardrobe by uploading pictures in order to style and organize them.

You can actually create and plan outfits using photos of your actual clothes and accessories.

It also allows you to create packing lists, plan outfits in advance, get expert styling tips and keep track of what you wore which date.

Are you tired of store-hopping across the mall in the name of wardrobe-upgrading? Then Spring app is the game-changing way to shop on your phone. The app partners with over 800 fashion brands to let you shop for apparel and accessories. You can explore the app to find new designers and brands. It will also give you notifications when your favourite brands have sales or new collections. Spring saves your credit card information, shipping details, and your clothes’ size so you can complete a purchase in one simple tap.

Dying to know where your favourite fashion blogger gets the outfits she shows off on Instagram? The Hunt is a community-powered mobile app that empowers peers to suggest products and places of purchase to each other. It allows you to post ‘hunt’ for clothing, accessories, and shoes after you have loved a picture and fellow Hunt members will advise you where to purchase. The app also allows users to follow trending hunts and shop the latest trending products.

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GADGETS

Polyvore

Stylect

Is your wardrobe overflowing with clothes but you are ever in an ‘I have nothing to wear’ mood? Then Polyvore is your go-to app. it is a fun and social fashion app that lets you play style editor by allowing you to create shoppable collages by mixing and matching products that you can also purchase. You can also search through search through collages created by others for inspiration and where to find them in any price range. The app, which comes highly recommended by top fashion brands like the HuffPost and Cosmopolitan, allows you to filter through by colour, brand, style, size and more.

Stylect is famously known as the “tinder for shoes”. And it is addictive.

The app is primed for the fashionista! It allows you to swipe over 200,000 styles- from designers ranging from Louboutin to Mr. Choo– based on your likes and interest. All you have to do is swipe right if you like the product and left if you don’t. You can also create shoe wish-lists and make purchases directly through the app. The app will even send you notifications when the pieces you have liked go on sale.

PS Dept

Like to know it

Pose

Are you a fashionista without your own personal stylist on speed dial? Consider this pp your personal assistant. PS Dept (short for Personal shoppers department) gives you free access to a style expert 24/7. You can search through the app for an outfit, and once you have found what you are looking for, you will be connected to a PS personal shopper who will do shopping for you. The app has partnered with different designers to give all the fashion-forward gals what works best for any given occasion.

If you like creating your fashion wish list from your Instagram feeds, then this app is a musthave. Like to know is an app making it possible to find the chicest pieces on Instagram. How it works; once you sign in with your email on the app, any Instagram post with a shopping link that you like will send you the ready-to-shop product and where you can get it. The app is practically an extension of Instagram.

With pose, you literally have a virtual shopping hotline in your pocket. The app encourages you to snap your latest fashion style, post it on your timeline and get instant feedback from other Posers. You can follow other famous fashionistas and organize all your outfits into your own personal collection. Home to millions of outfits, Pose allows endless browsing of fashion products which you can then shop through an exclusive peer-to-peer marketplace.

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TRAVEL / RESTAURANTS

TAMARIND TREE HOTEL Young, modern, out of the box, evolving Africa, vibrant Kenya. That’s the brief interior designer Claire Hirani and her team had been handed.

The fully Kenyan owned Tamarind Tree Group have been the entertainment innovators. Their famous Carnivore Restaurant and grounds have hosted some of the Kenya’s best events and entertainers. With the newly launched Tamarind, they are the new kids in town with the intent of being known as a destination and as proponents of art, culture and photography.

Our Get The Look are young, all about culture and 100% local.Claire has over 20 years years experience designing homes, offices as well as commercial and residential projects.

She has consulted with and for residential developments, the United Nations and large hotels. She is so hands on she can do bespoke furniture, upholstery and curtains at her own workshop.

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As you enter you come face to face with the photo gallery aptly named African Faces. The lounge area has a mixed medium gallery of our very own Anthony Russell’s art and photography.

Other artists on show are photojournalist, documentarian and TED speaker Georgina Goodwin and local commercial photographer and wanderer Neil Thomas. Feeling a gallery wall works in your home? Claire knows every scenario is different so at the end of the day, her advice is to just love how your art is displayed, not forgetting to keep in mind size and proportion. “And if you love the art here, it’s all open for sale to the public,” says the Tamarind GM, St. John.

A stand out for me is the stunning geometric lighting installation. Go big or go home! The large neon murals at the Duka and Dawa Lounge scream vibrancy. The bar, if you had not guessed it, is named after Carnivore’s legendary signature drink, the Dawa lounge named after Tamarind Group’s signature drink that is served in all their establishments. It is a dark neon lounge evoking a party mood with a youthful vibe. Inspiration for your home bar? I should think so.

The spaces all tie in with each other their distinct personalities. The welcome lounge and reception are spacious with earth tones. The restaurants are colourful, the rooms green and nude for rest and recharge.

TRAVEL / RESTAURANTS

How To Get This Look - - - - -

Don’t be afraid of colour, be confident with it.

Luxury is in simplicity.

When designing your space, know when to stop.

Have a budget and a timeline Have fun with it!

Tell us what stood out for you and what you would love to get about this look. If you haven’t been, tell us what inspires you.

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CONVERSATIONS

A MODEL LIFE On the runway and in shoots models belong to the person who creates the idea. They project only what they are told to. In that moment when they are in our line of focus, models are the ultimate blank human canvas. But behind that face and those long, endless legs, what is going on and who are these women?

Photography: Courtesy of each model’s portfolio

By Jackline Mukami

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CONVERSATIONS

Roshanara Ebrahim

My biggest break surprisingly was when I was signed by Boss Models, South Africa, Full Circle Models in Cape Town and Ice Models in Johannesburg. Full Circle connected me with agencies in London. I really saw my potential.

My best project so far was my shoot with Anthony Russell in Kenya. He's a phenomenal artist and photographer who has shot with the director of Swarovski, Friona Grasser and Ronnie Wood from Rolling Stones. In fact I got to shoot with a Rolling Stones original guitar.

My art pieces sell for up to $38,000.

I have always loved the idea of life as a model.

I grew up watching the Supermodels: Iman, Naomi and Tyra. They exuded power from harnessing their abilities. These phenomenal women influence the world and that is truly phenomenal. If I wasn't a model I would probably go into production or design. In law school I thought I wanted to practice but that is not in the books anymore. I plan on establishing a luxury jewelry brand featuring Kenyan garnets.

People need to shatter the stereotype of models as ‘mentally challenged’ and starving.

My people skills, my craft, my confidence and I wish they would understand the industry ambition are the reasons I am best placed to be better and speak from an informed, rather a model. A picture is worth a thousand words than ignorant, perspective. Being a model is but the passion and work that goes into a shoot definitely not as easy as most people think. is the part of the process I strongly believe It takes commitment, courage and focus. A I am good at. Being on the runway is also model must be business savvy, know how to such a phenomenal feeling! I love the magic manage their brand and finances. that happens moments before getting on the runway. The backstage madness. That's where To make it as a model, knoy yourself. Stay true the stories are. My sense of style is constantly to your vision. My goals is to establish myself evolving as I grow into myself. This has allowed as a global brand influencing positive change me to stand out. I simply love the pressure and be a worthy role model. I would never do that comes with modelling! It drives me to be a cigarette advert no matter the pay because better. It means I am being productive.

I don’t support smoking. That is how you set boundaries. Modelling is a marriage between

personality, self-confidence, smarts and the look. There are so many gorgeous women out there.

If you're doing this for fun, have fun with caution.

If you want to take it seriously, start sooner than later and establish your market; commercial or editorial? Research, have a plan, invest in yourself and build your portfolio. A model without a strong book is not a model. Stay focused and try and get signed internationally.

It's very easy to stagnate. Negotiate your rates well and network. You will only be exploited if you allow it. Know your value and live up to it.

Never do what you are uncomfortable with.

Treat your brand with respect.

A bad picture can be very damaging where your image is your trade so strive to work with the best photographers, makeup artists, designers and stylists, clients and aim for the sky!

FB: Roshanara Ebrahim Instagram: Roshanara_ Ebrahim Twitter: @roshanarae254

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HOT TOPICS

Ciku Kariuki, 29 I started modelling in 2010 after being crowned Miss Kenyatta University. It brought opportunities. I have been blessed to work alongside some of best fashion houseslike Akinyi Adongo, KikoRomeo and Mille Collines.

I have worked with top photographers like Khalifa Louie of Cool Pixx Studios and Lyra Ooko, notable makeup artists, hair stylists like Corrine Muthoni and big brands like COUTURE Africa magazine, Delamere Kenya, Airtel Kenya, Safarilink and Darling Kenya. I am an environmentalist and trained customer care representative and see myself as cabin crew because it has been my lifelong dream.

Modelling is a platform for fashion and beauty trends and grooming for the runway, photography, billboards, magazines and TV commercials. Despite being featured in the latter trio I still feel like I am yet to get that big break. Like it is still out there. I have gained ground nationally but I would like to be recognized on an international level. Besides which I would like to start a modelling agency in future.

I believe my biggest project was a photoshoot

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for Samantha Bridal magazine in the Masai Mara wilderness. The shoot simulated an entire wedding ceremony; walking down the aisle and saying my vows, game drives with my ‘husband’, dinner in the dark, a bush breakfast, spa treatments and our wedding night. It felt so real and I had such fun.

effort to present ourselves to clients, non-stop rehearsals, and hectic schedules, countless hours spent at castings and crazy hours at photoshoots. As models, we have body flaws too. Perfection is an illusion. I have scars. Being a mom I struggle with stretch marks. I have bad hair days. We do get assistance with Photoshop and airbrushing. Honestly, I wish I looked as I believe what makes me stand out as a model is gorgeous and as perfect as I do in my photos. my confidence, discipline, professional attitude The industry a complete lack of financial and excellent people skills. Discipline has transparency between agencies and models pushed me an extra mile in the industry when they represent. Late payments are very it comes to time management and work ethic. I common. It is not easy. This is exploitation. do have the height and I am well-proportioned Models need to stand up for themselves. We with regular features, healthy skin and hair. My end up walking home with a few thousands personal style, which is classic, is a bonus. I am while companies make huge profits. When you authentic and I would not go out of my way work you would expect timely payment. That just to fit in. I have some boundaries though; I really never seems to be the case in Kenya. All still have qualms about nudity. careers have their pressure. Ours comes with strings attached. We are constantly under Modelling is competitive and to be a step pressure to maintain or lose weight and to keep ahead, a model needs to be business savvy. a youthful look which may force purchase of This means being able to handle finances and expensive beauty products. However, I believe time management. Clients prefer models who my authenticity keeps me grounded in that I are smart, able to follow instruction to the T have embraced my African skin and body type. and can hold intelligent conversation. I would I know what my strengths are and areas that also agree with Beyoncé;‘Pretty Hurts. Most need improvement and I have developed thick think modelling is all glitz and glam. They skin. are totally wrong. We have to put in a lot of FB: Ciku Kariuki Instagram: Cikukariuki

CONVERSATIONS

Margaret Muchemi, 25

increased for over 7 years despite economic changes and increase in companies’ profits.

Chronic problems such as conflicting interest, immorality and short-termism - talented models quitting too early - will reduce or end.

The modelling industry is also to blame for people who hate their bodies. Because of this complicated visual culture. Because fashion has not adapted. Media that forensically analyse women's bodies and body-change stories. We have body flaws as models too. I have just learnt to use the flaws to my advantage. I have up for any job. I however took it positively as learnt not to focus on opinions. As long as I am happy and content. All that matters for me is this was a learning experience. growth.

Any upcoming models should know that it is not always about beauty; you need brains.

Your body is your business and you have to know how to make the best out of it and how best to stand up for yourself otherwise you will not last. There are many out there waiting to take advantage of any kind of weakness. Don’t accept to work without a contract. Looking at the bigger picture, model’s low wages can only change if the industry improves. Big companies still pay models the same as small companies especially for fashion shows. The pay has not

always aware of my social media presence.

However, I have boundaries. I would never do nudes in the name of modelling. The industry is I love modelling. I view it as the art of showing always watching. people it is safe to be themselves. I have always had a keen interest in fashion and art. I grew I had my biggest break when I got to represent up watching shows like America’s Next Top Kenya in Miss Supranational and made it to the Model (ANTM) but I never felt I was the right top 20. I was also named the ‘Sexiest Woman in shape or size to be one. But after receiving Africa’ by Global Beauties. However, I have had positive feedback after the small campaigns a series of bad work experiences. One of them and modelling work I tried, I was inspired to was with a fraudulent company. It’s important continue modeling. for a model to consult a lawyer before signing The confidence in me, poise, determination and positive spirit makes me fit to be a model.

Being good looking does not equate to success.

Many people want to be a model because it’s glamorous and seems lucrative but modeling is completely competitive and the industry is filled with rejection. If you want to prepare for something you love you have to equip yourself with the necessary tools by knowing what to expect in the industry which will eventually help you become a success. I believe I stand out because I am a professional with great work ethic. I always strive for a good relationship with those who book me and my agents as modeling is teamwork. I am never a know-it-all and I am

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LAST WORDS | OLIVE GACHARA

Confronting the Imposter & The Journey Thereafter…

“Everything that has happened to you has brought you to where you need to be.”

Just before I started writing this I found myself watching / listening to a Hindu Priest called Dandapani on YouTube – albeit rather distracted as I scrolled through my Instagram feed. He said something that caught my ear [that then got me watching about five more videos and interviews of him], he said, “your current life experiences are a direct result of where you focus your mental energy.” And yes, like you, I started looking around me, and thinking about the experiences of my working life, and tried to think about what I actively focus my attention on, on a day-to-day basis.

Well, I remember in my early interviews being asked what I feared the most in life and business. While geckos [don’t ask] and any rattling in the bushes at night are right up there on my list of fears, unlike most, failure was never one of them. I can confidently say I do not fear failure – because failure is never an option. I never even have plan B’s on most of my plans… I mean, why plan it, if you do not think it is going to work?

So, I decided that I had a fear of success.

It also sounds more powerful, right… “my biggest fear is actualizing success.”

Needless to say, I run this by two of my early mentors and I got some serious talk-downs.

When I did discover my Achilles Heel however, it was shocking! What was even more shocking was just how dramatic the event had to be for me to realise the magnitude of what has been ‘holding me back’. It’s this thing they call the Imposter Syndrome.

Often acquired by people who achieve extreme success too quickly, or too easily – not that said journey has been a short or simple one – and who often discount their achievements.

And boy aren’t I good at discounting my achievements. It wasn’t until the #PayModelsKE conversation got going, closely followed by the #AskOlive troll in February that I started taking proper,

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objective stock of my life…HeeeH… MAMA I’VE MADE IT! And still making it! It’s funny how insignificant you think you are, until your haters – with the intention of putting you down – put you on a pedestal and help you step into your power. A few months later another group tried to instigate a #StopOlive campaign [boy has it been an interesting year] and as opposed to shuddering in fear, I was actually quite impressed on how they managed to take stock [albeit inaccurately] of my life since COUTURE Africa began.

These ‘attacks’ sent me in pursuit of self-preservation which quickly led me to self-realisation and selfactualisation. I finally understood why a wise woman somewhere rephrased my favourite quote, fake it ‘til you make it, to Fake It ‘Til You Become It. I started seeing all the times I have made myself smaller because I did not think I was good enough or I did not think I deserved it. I started seeing how little I celebrate my successes [I throw parties to make money and build brands not so much to celebrate the milestones].

I started noticing the moments I have overworked just to justify to myself that I ‘worked hard for this’. Until you BECOME your success, that little birdie in your head [or phone – pun intended] will always make you feel like you fall short or you do not deserve it. Imposter Syndrome is a thing…and it happens to the best of us.

So, when I heard the Hindu Priest say that your current life experiences are a direct result of where you focus your mental energy, I was understandably very perplexed because I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

What I do know is; my 5 years running COUTURE Africa Magazine have been the most intriguing, my 7 years running Image with Olive Consultancy [now IWO Consultancy] the most rewarding and my 13-years in business from managing models and promo girls to where I sit today, a real blessing.

Formerly published by Touch Media House Ltd, COUTURE Africa Magazine steps into its 6th year of business under Couture Africa Ltd, and in partnership with IWO Consultancy and other strategic partnerships and joint ventures to be announced in the coming months.

These changes in ownership shall see exponential growth of Couture Africa as a wholesome fashion brand as we continue to tell and celebrate great African stories through Fashion, Beauty and Culture.

O.

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