The AfroHipster

Aldo does it again | STREMLOW

KB — Sat, 19 May 2012 16:00:24 +0000

Last year we fell in love with these shoes

This year, Aldo is at it again and we find other african influences in their shoes. See the Stremlow model, 80$ in stores now
So, are you loving it or leaving it?

Effortlessly stylish with Stella Jean

KB — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:38:37 +0000

It has been a long while since I’ve wanted to buy something sooo bad.

I have to say that lately fashion has not been my number 1 priority. As you know there’s life, work, family, friends and among all of this I have gotten lazy. Yes. Because, you girls know it, fashion takes time, effort, money (=time), inspiration, creativity AND the right environment. And I work in an environment (journalism…general; not fashion journalism) where style and fashion are not privileged…at all.

So, with my new fashion laziness I have to look for statement pieces. Things I can wear with a white shirt, a pair of jeans and black patent leather oxfords, black heels or tan ballet flats. Stuff that will make me look and feel like a million bucks. Enters here Stella Jean. We share a country (we’re both Italian and grew up in Rome) we share a love for our origins (Africa and the Caribbean)

In her designs you will recognize her Caribbean origins, her African influences and her Italian sense of style. Look at the patterns, the florals, the long flowing gowns, the classy pencil skirts, the tailored jackets. I am head over heels in love with this line and I want it. I’m sure you’ll want it too. Just look at the pics below and tell me you don’t love it (I won’t believe you…)

Another reason to love her? She is part of Fashion-ABLE Haiti, an initiative of the Embassy of Haiti in Rome. Fashion-ABLE Haiti promises to create jobs and give the opportunity to thousands of Haitians in the sectors of textile and handicrafts. It proposes to Italian designers the opportunity to produce some of their products in Haiti, to be sold tax-free in the United States, based on the Hope/Help bill voted by American Congress, to facilitate employment in Haiti for the next eighteen years.

You want to buy online? Head here

Kente Skirts at American Apparel

KB — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:47:39 +0000

I am not gonna lie. I am NOT a fan of American Apparel. I always thought that the brand was overrated and overpriced. Their borderline pornographic ads did not do anything in their favor either. But, I’m kinda diggin’ these cute little skirts in kente fabric. Kente is known as the “cloth of kings” and, surely, using it to create these short little skirts is not honoring it but I cannot help but be happy whenever I see african prints and fabric in unusual places. The only thing I hope for is that the fabrics come from Ghana and that Ghanaian producers are getting paid.

Illamasqua goes AfroHip

KB — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 20:38:32 +0000

Illamasqua is a British brand of cosmetics to die for. Known for their dramatic makeup and intense color they offer great quality products with reasonable prices…that is if you buy in the UK. Unfortunately their products are not yet available in Canada and their shipping costs through their website are still a little high..so until they’re available, why not lust after their products through their fabulous latest ad campaign?

Illamasqua Human Fundamentalism is a gorgeous campaign with lots of afrohip references from the hair and makeup to the accessories and fabrics. I am in love. See the pics below from Temptalia.com and check her blog as well for info on the products. I hope to be able to get my hands on their products soon to be able to review them on my own beauty blog as well.

StreetStyle in Paris… Rollin L. – The Fashionalists

Audrwey — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:44:00 +0000

Rollin est l’auteur du blogue belge The Fashionalists qui depuis ses débuts sur la toile (juin 2010) captent les looks rencontrés dans la rue et l’ambiance des évènements mode auxquels il est invité.

Signant de belles collaborations avec des marques de mode, la dernière étant avec Luc Duchene, il a récemment couvert la Fashion week parisienne coté défilés et côté rues armé de son appareil photo…

Rollin L.

Son blogue “ The Fashionalists“

Suivez The Fashionalists sur Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

Découvrez Samantha Black | Sammy B Designs

KB — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 21:44:41 +0000

Nous avons découvert Sammy B Design avec la très belle Keri Hilson, chanteuse de R&B aux choix vestimentaires souvent osés, qui arborait une magnifique robe noire en cuir à la fois sexy et chic.

C’est Samantha Black, une jeune designer américaine originaire du Bronx, qui est l’esprit créatif derrière Sammy B Design. Ancienne stagiaire de Michael Kors et Alexander McQueen, elle a fait de Sammy B une marque à la fois chic, éclectique, féminine et audacieuse. Des robes de soirées aux maillots de bains, Samantha Black habille une femme jeune, ambitieuse, confiante et habituée aux feux de la rampe. Timides s’abstenir.

Découvrez quelques uns de ses modèles et collections ici et faites un petit tour sur son site ou sur youtube pour en savoir plus.

Keri Hilson arrives at the 2010 American Music Awards

Shop African at the BHF Shopping Mall

KB — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:59:50 +0000

First came the BHF Magazine about African style, fashion, design and beauty. Created by Geoffrey and Jennifer Olisa its mission is to “shatter the narrow view of Africans that persists today, pinning down the continent of Sub-Saharan Africa as backwards, coarse and uncultured.”

They vow to “present an accurate view of what it truly means to be African by bringing to the forefront the modern, forward-thinking Africans.”

Then came the BHF Network, a social networking site promoting the rise of the African creative class. It debuted on November 2010 and is still going strong.

The very entrepreneurial and dynamic couple introduced this summer their latest venture with the BHF Shopping Mall where they offer “some of the most exquisite contemporary African made and inspired collectibles in the world all under one roof”. We have to agree. They sell beautiful, beautiful things.

If you’re looking for a dress for a special occasion, extraordinary accessories, new design elements for your living room and African cosmetics, that’s a good place to start. See below pictures of our favorite things from the store

Giuseppe Zanotti goes Afrohip

KB — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 19:47:14 +0000

Jumping on the “Africa Inspired Fashion” bandwagon, Giuseppe Zanotti – shoemaker we otherwise adore but cannot afford - has come out with a new pair of shoes with quite the “ethnic” vibe. As the designer said himself

He observed and was inspired by an African woman from the 70′s and his new line will contain a lot of African details as well as colors and shapes from the 70s.

They look quite hot although I would never wear them because I actually walk to places most of the time. Even when I drive, I still have to walk a little, and I don’t like falling down. But I’m gonna admire them and definitely look forward to seeing the rest of the collection.

Stevy Mahy – Talent & Style

KB — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:59:09 +0000

We fell in love with her voice first. The sweetness of her tone, the depth of her lyrics. the way she seems to bare her soul and feelings for the world to see. And we identified with her multicultural influences, traveling from the Caribbeans to the US, to Europe and Africa. We heard all of those influences in her music and immediately fell in love with the sound of author composer and interpreter Stevy Mahy.

We then met her and felt like we had just been reintroduced to an old friend. Her warm personality, her humor and openness; we met a down to earth smart and fabulous chick.

And then we took a look at her and were like “Damn! This chick is Afrohip to the maximum!” From the makeup to the nails, from the accessories to the fabrics, she was mixing and matching and we loved every one of her outfits. Enough said, we had to feature her on the Afrohipster and make her one of our favorites.

Like her fashion, her musical style is difficult to pin down, some call it tri-lingual folk-soul. We’ll just call it “beautiful music”. Every song is a trip inside a feeling, a sensation, a moment of life.

So here she is, discover one of her songs, the aptly called Beautiful from her first album The Beautiful Side of a Kreyol Folk Trip and check her brand new Tumblr Blog here

Then check out evidence of her great style in the pictures below.

Loving the wax tiered skirt

We love the "Africa Is The Future" tank top and wax tiered skirt as well as the Samburu Tribe reminiscing turtleneck piece and the bracelets. - Copyright Guillaume Aricique

Loving the bright colors, and the wax embellished dress

She has fun with accessories as well as hair and makeup. Loving the bright orange lipstick!

The accessories are fabulous. Look at that neck embroidered piece. Can you get more Afro and fabulous than that? I think not! The makeup is pretty cool here as well.

Her style is fun and fresh. Look at the detail of the toe nails colors. Love it!

She never goes without her bracelets. And the nail art is pretty smashing here too.

Streetstyle in Paris… Pindy et Arnold

Audrwey — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:02:22 +0000

Pindy & Arnold

Pindy est styliste de mode et Arnold, créateur de la marque Delastreetcouture.