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ISSUE 62
FASHION
AULGAH NATO CAROLE KINOTI
BEAUTY
COLOUR ME BEAUTIFUL HACKING YOUR SKIN THE CHIC BOB
CULTURE
CELEBRATING ALAN DONOVAN
THE SHIFT OF POWER LYDIA K. M.
AZZIAD NASENYA DR. RUGURU KIMANI JOAN THE CAREER COACH MAUREEN WAITITU SWIRY NYAR KANO www.mycouture.africa
KES 800 USD 7.0 | UGX 25,000 RWF 7O,000 | TZS 16,000
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COUTURE NEWS | CULTURE
ART BENIN HONORS FEMALE AMAZONIAN WARRIORS There’s a 30metre tall Bronze statue that stands tall in Benin’s largest city, Cotonou. The statue of a female amazon warrior stands tall in the city centre as an homage to Benin’s Female Amazonian Warriors. Then known as the Dahomey Amazons, they were skillful, competitive and well-known for their fearlessness when fighting neighbouring tribes or resisting the forces of the Europeans. In fact, the Kingdom of Dahomey [present day Benin] got its fame and power partly due to the Dahomey Warriors. The President of Benin, Patrice Talon, unveiled the giant Amazon statue, christened ‘Splanade des Amazones’ as a monument to immortalize the rich history of the people of Benin. Today, The Amazons, represent the feminine strength and the voice of women in an underrepresented society.
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COUTURE NEWS | CULTURE
SERIES COUNTRY QUEEN A NETFLIX ORIGINAL Kenya’s first homegrown Netflix series, the family drama Country Queen, premiered on Netflix in July to rave reviews, holding strong to the Top 10 Most watched series for over a month. The story, not uncommon to many, is about a successful young event planner, Akisa (Melissa Kiplagat) who returns to her village when her father Mwalimu (Raymond Ofula) falls ill and faces all the family drama that comes with going back home including having to confront her past. Akisa also happens to he having an illicit affair with Maxwell (Blessing Lung’aho), her client, who happens to be married to the devious , as well as dealing with an illicit affair with Vivienne (Nini Wacera). Now the rest you just have to watch for yourself, but all in all, it really does highlight on topical conversations in today’s society including corruption, betrayal, power and the struggles of a young woman trying to figure life out. Director Vincent Mbaya says, "The story of 'Country Queen' is timely and important as our country is at a critical transitional stage politically, socially and economically.” #MustWatch
MOVIES CHAGUO Chaguo The Film could not have found better time to launch than now, with 2022 being an election year in Kenya – where we all know everything thing stops for a moment. The film is about a looming election that causes a rift between Wendo ( Nyokabi Macharia) and Mugeni (Nick Kwach), a young couple from embattled tribes who are plunged into a chaotic fight for their love as they are constantly faced with choices to make between career, love and family. The story, produced by Ravi Karmalker shows another face of young Africans who exist in a modern technological world with complex lives and problems that are unique to many African societies. Funded by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), a German Political Foundation, “It is our hope that the film will provoke some positive thoughts and attitude change towards participating in political processes.” Says Dr. Annette Schwandner, Executive Director at KAS Kenya. www.chaguofilm.com
REALITY KYALO KULTURE Looks like Kenya is about to get their very own Kardashians. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, I’m sure you’re aware that former news anchor – turned businesswoman Betty Kyalo and her two sisters Mercy an Gloria Kyalo have their own reality show, Kyalo Kulture airing on Showmax! The 13-part series is modern, unapologetic and multifaceted as the three sisters give us a glimpse into the joys and pains of sisterhood, whilst also sharing more about their love lives, parenting, growing into womanhood and taking charge of their businesses. “Gloria, Mercy, and Betty represent the urban Kenyan woman,” says Eugene Mbugua, the creator of the reality series. “They’re hard-working entrepreneurs, they like to have fun, and they are not in any way held back by what society thinks of them.” If you haven’t watched, you must definitely give it a try!
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COUTURE AFRICA | 49
COUTURE BEAUTY | MAKE-UP
COLOUR ME BEAUTIFUL
Don’t hold back. Your eyes can be your canvas; let them speak for you. Make-up by Njeri, The Undisputed Beauty / Urembo Creations Photography: Khalifa Louie Styling: Ruth Odhiambo Model: Lola at Ajuma Limited
A SPOT OF COLOUR
Adding a dash of colour to the inner corner of your eye is a great way to add character to an otherwise simple look.
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COUTURECOUTURE BEAUTY | MAKE-UP | BEAUTY
COLOUR INTO THE LINE
If you struggle with getting your black eyeliner thin and perfect like most red-blooded females do, we suggest you try some coloured liner. The visible, bold pop of colour will look fabulously intentional!
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Brass tusk chocker: KES 6,000 at LifeStyle Nairobi Brass drop earrings: KES 3,500 at Urban Maasai Brass statement ring: KES 2,000 each at Tribal Trends Decorated brass bangle: KES 5,000 at LifeStyle Nairobi
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COUTURE CONVERSATIONS
THE TIKTOK AFRICANIST
SWIRY NYAR KANO
a.k.a Vivian Taabu Okumu Follow Swiry Nyar Kano on TikTok and Instagram: @SwiryNyarKano
I
am a history enthusiast and I am passionate about African spirituality. I love studying African history because I have always wanted to find my identity as a person. Growing up, I always wanted to be successful but I was sold the idea that people like me cannot be successful; that we are average, uncivilized and barbaric. It was conflicting with what I believed about myself and where I wanted to go. When I started studying African history, I wanted to find the truth for myself. I came across African history that people did not talk about, history that was not taught in school. Being enlightened, I decided that I wanted to talk about this on social media and that is how my content creation journey on TikTok came about. Currently, I am an African fashion designer running a fashion line is called Nyarkano Fashions Africa. I am also microbiology and biotechnology graduate.
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COUTURE CONVERSATIONS CA: What did you want to when you grew up? SNK: My mother has always been a tailor and this sparked an interest in me for the sewing machine. I used to pick her leftover fabric pieces to create outfits for myself. Needless to say, I have always gravitated towards fashion. But since I was also a smart kid, I also thought I would end up in the world of medicine. So when I completed high school and scored an A, my father could not stomach the idea of fashion design as a career. Eventually, I went on ahead to study microbiology and biotechnology and then went back to fashion after I was done with my degree. CA: Do you consider yourself a content creator or a social media influencer? SNK: I consider myself a teacher who has an audience. The collaborations and jobs that I get are along the lines of teaching. I would not say that I influence and I am not keen on that since I encourage everyone to follow themselves first. People who follow my socials are not people that I sway but those who are ready for a spiritual awakening. There are numerous times that I have turned down products that do not resonate with me or ones that I have not used. CA: What do you enjoy most about being in the limelight? SNK: First of all, the experience has been overwhelming! Especially since I still enjoy using public transport, going to the market and interacting with people. Sometimes I freak out and avoid places where people will recognize me. I am trying to get used to it. The good side is knowing that I am impacting and helping people. CA: If there was one thing you would change about social media, what would it be? SNK: I wish the various social platforms would open more doors for Africans the way it does for Western countries as they are benefiting from the social platforms way more than Africans. This is because a lot of people in the West are exposed to social media as opposed to people in Africa. So, the support African content creators get from their counterparts on social media is not as huge when compared to people in the other continents. CA: What impact did the COVID pandemic and subsequent lockdown have on your career? SNK: It is during this time, that I quit my job where I used to work for a fashion house. I managed to buy a sewing machine with the savings I had and I started teaching myself how to sew and I realized that it was something intrinsic to me. At this point, I also started working on my spirituality and creating content for TikTok and the following just erupted. Right now, I stand at almost at 1 million followers on TikTok. CA: Brands in Africa and all across the world are now opting to use influencers and celebrities vis-à-vis models for their advertising campaigns. Why do you think this is so? SNK: Social media is now the mainstream media. In Ancient Africa before technology, people used to use known individuals in markets to navigate the market better; it's pretty much the same concept now. At the moment, a platform like TikTok has come forth to celebrate
authenticity, and Instagram is now taking up the same direction. Brands have now shifted to authenticity. Models have no option but to reinvent themselves and be authentic so that they can get work. It is important to change with the changes before the change changes you. CA: What’s the one thing you consistently do to make your followers happy? SNK: I am always learning so that I can have enough information to share with my followers. My followers like learning, they are chasers of knowledge. CA: What is the highest moment in your career, so far? SNK: In 2021, I won two fashion design awards: Twende Kazi Fashion Awards by Passaris and Project X by European Union and United Nations. I have also been featured as a fashion designer in the documentary 'Black Shines Brightest' by Guinness. And, there was a time I went live on TikTok and people just showered me with gifts. I was doused in love by my followers and that has remained my highlight till date.
I consider myself a teacher who has an audience... I would not say that I influence and I am not keen on that since I encourage everyone to follow themselves first. #Fun Facts ABOUT SWIRY NYAR KANO The last thing I read was… An article on Queen Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba of modern day Northern Angola and how she resisted Portuguese invasion. The one person I stalk most on social is… Mochi Hanfu, a Chinese content creator on Chinese History. If I could live in another country, it would be… South Africa. It is the sacred land of Africa and South Africans are the firstborns of Africa; where Bantus originate from. It is also the African country that is open to queer people. Sudan is also another place where I could live. It is where my ancestors established their civilization. My ultimate goal is… To adventure life, explore nature, be happy, and always be spiritually woke. I am currently reading… The Treasures of the Tomb – King Tut Ankh Amoun by Thames and Hudson As I respond to this I am listening to… A French song called Santé by Stromae. My go-to grooming tip is… Always have a corset. They complement all outfits. The one thing that I really love to do but no-one really knows is… Sing. I sang in the University of Nairobi choir, Soprano one. Three hours before this… I was asleep. My future goal is to… Have a fashion factory where I manufacture African design and have fashion runways in Africa exclusively for Africans.
A DAY IN HER LIFE 3.00am: Time to wake up, if I did not have a late night. I usually wake up to command my day and declare good things over my day. Sometimes I go back to sleep, journal, or read and spend some time with my dog. 8.00am: I keep my day active… This usually starts with going for karate and taekwondo classes. Creating and editing content for clients, designing a fashion piece order, attending meetings, delivering my fashion pieces via DHL, walking my dog or attending an event if I have one. 6.00pm: And by sundown... I am making calls to my family and friends, watching something or having dinner with friends. 9.00pm: Bedtime. I would usually get to bed for 9pm.
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