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TheStyleHQFASHION WEEK DAILY

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TheStyleHQStreet Style

The Beauty ProjectTemi Dollface

Cover StorySunny Rose x Tansey

Designer SpotlightApril by Kunbi

In The LabKenneth Ize

Inside LagosEko Signature,

Bolanle Okunanni

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FASHION WEEK DAILY

Creative Director

Editor-In-Chief

Business Development

FAShIOnAssistant Creative DeBS FArIDAH ADeBIyIStyling Assistant AISHA BeLLo

PROjECTSProject Manager Seun AwogBADeProject Assistant TonI ALADekoMoProject Assistant BIDeMI ADeSAnyAProduction Manager IBrAHeeM JunAID

PhOTOGRAPhYoBI SoMTo

BernArD okuLAJAToPe ADenoLA

DeMILADe roBerTSIMoLe “ToBBIe” BALogun

grAPHICSkoSoko ADekunLe

EDITORIALBeauty editor LoLA MAJAFashion Contributor noBLe ezeContributor-at-Large AISHA kAzeeMeditorial Assistant eLoHor oMonenueditorial Assistant DAPHne oMonenueditorial Assistant oLurAnTI ADegBoLAAssistant to editor in Chief CHICHI oMoLeBeLe

BoLAJI AnIMASHAun

MAryAM kAzeeM

DeyI DIPeoLu

Table of Contents

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StreetStyle

Photography: Bernard OkulajaTobbie TCD Maguire

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Misfits of Lagos, Phunkafrique, Rayo and Soboye were the designers that at-tempted something different from the majority of the designers that showed on the first day. Misfit’s collection was

something completely out of left field when compared to the rest of what was shown today. The full looks were definitely made for a man that I am not sure exists in this country yet, but individual pieces could definitely work for the right person. I also really liked the clothing that Rayo sent down.

The designer said she was partly inspired by the work of designers like Haider Ackermann, and while it did not translate in the shapes and mood of the collection, the fab-rics did and she proposed new styles of clothing for the Nigerian woman.

Phunkafrique was pretty traditional, but the overall pres-entation was confident and showed good taste with the choice of fabrics including a really nice pair of purple trou-sers shown with the first look. Not everything was success-ful, but what was, was done pretty well.Soboye’s collection was very basic and showed his roots as a denizen of London. Sweatshirts, straight cut pants and blazers marked his collection that was presented for both men and women. Ankara fabric used in panels brought

an easy-to-identify marker for people looking for “Nigerian” clothing. The construction looked good on the runway and for that alone, I believe he deserves a spot on the “best” spot.

Day 1 of LFDW has unfortunately gotten underway with a bit of a limp start. Besides starting 3 hours late – an un-fortunate byproduct of planning and executing events in a country where too many moving parts tend to run inef-ficiently – the majority of the collections on offer were a depressing sign.

While very few were downright offensive, the amount of forgettable collections that were sent down was really exhausting. It feels bad to write about the hard work and sweat of people like this, but I think it has to be said. We can be better.

Too many brands copied designs from the last LFDW and a lot of those trends and patterns were actually not well thought out in the first place. Not to mention things that it would be a euphemism to call pastiches of lookbooks and collections past.

The glut of organza, chiffon silk and skirts and dresses that have been worn by Nigerian women for the past decade just leaves me tired. And bored.

Fashion should be dictating trends and proposing new sil-houettes and introducing new fabrics and opportunities – particularly in this country where so many people are without them.

This endless regurgitation of tired, safe designs may be good for the Nigerian high street and the wardrobes of so-ciety women all over the country, but it has no place on the runway and has made it impossible for me to choose what I liked the least today.

Words by Yegwa UkpoPhotography: Demilade Roberts

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Inside Eko SignatureLagos

The contrast between Lanre da Silva Ajayi’s pat-terned frocks and eko Signature’s sleek and mod-ern restaurant is striking. At first glance, the two seem out of sync, yet the restaurant’s featured art, which draws on a West African aesthetic, comple-ments Ajayi’s rendering of the modern African woman as encapsulated in her designs. enter Bolanle Olukanni, a thoroughly modern woman and burgeoning media personality whose earthy effervescence ties together the sophisticated feel-ing of eko Signature with the bold contemporary nature of Ajayi’s designs. As co-host of MTn’s popular program, “Project Fame” as well as Eb-onyLife TV’s “Moments with Mo,” Olukanni has captured the attention of the audience who are drawn to her down to earth sensibility. raised in Nigeria, Israel, Kenya, and the United States, Olukanni’s far-flunged upbringing has prepared her for interviewing high-profile personalities like oscar-nominated actor Chiwetel ejiofor and La-gos State governor Babatunde raji Fashola with grace.

Upon entering the lounge at Eko Signature, it is easy to imagine a casual after-work dalliance drift-ing into an intimate dinner at the restaurant. on the menu one can find upscale classics such as creamy mushroom risotto, and herb grilled salm-on- each dish a perfect match to the sophisticated and warm ambience.

Words by Aisha Kazeem Photography: Bernard Okulaja

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As Bolanle delicately sips delicious Italian white wine, her beaming smile is that only of someone dressed and fed- well.

eko Signature is located at Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos

Model Behaviour

Banke Olutimehin is an Industrial Relations and Personnel Management student at the Lagos State University, but she’s also known to grace the runway in her spare time. Banke: It’s usually crazy and tense back stage! Before a show, I pray and

drink lots of water to stay hydrated. It’s a fantastic feeling walking the runway, I feel good. I usually have a blank mind and try to stay focused. It’s all about pro-fessionalism; you have to make it work. Your job as a model is to sell the dress you are in.Agency: Beth Models Statistics: 34-26-37Signature Style: Simplicity does it for me.

Words by Elohor OmonemuPhotography: Obi Somto

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When I find something that works for my sensitive skin, I run with it. I’d moisturised my face with L’Oreal Hydra Fresh Gel Moisturiser for sensitive skin since I was 16. I’d tried so many other more expensive brands that came highly recommended but nothing made my skin feel as good as it did. It was like my face had had a good drink every time I mois-turised so you can imagine how I felt when my beloved product was discontinued. It was back to trying everything under the sun with nothing feeling as good ‘til I discovered Clarins Hydra Quench Lotion with SPF15. I use this along with their Multi-Active Skin Renewal Serum Youth Boost, Gentle Peeling Smooth Away Cream with Primrose Extract, One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser with Orange Extract, and Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Cottonseed. I wash my face with the foaming cleanser, followed by the skin renewal serum.

And then I moisturise with Hydra Quench. My start point is the exfoliating cleanser twice a week. They leave my skin feeling smoother, pampered and, most importantly, very well hydrated.

I have a scar on my forehead from running into a glass sliding door when I was 7. It was at a friend of the family’s home at night time during an open house and an older boy and I were racing each other across the garden. He was more familiar with the house than I was and so knew to stop a few yards short of the sliding door I just carried on at full pelt into what looked like an open living room. The rest is history. *Crash!#* Bang!@# ..... Luckily the scar isn’t unsightly and I often forget it’s there - only being reminded when a make up artists asks me how I got it.

TheBeauty Temi DollfaceProject

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What She Wore

WITh TOnYE GARRICK

With a killer instinct for fashion, upcoming international singer/songwriter, Tonye Garrick’s street style is certainly one to be envied. As fashion is her first love, it is no surprise that we’ll be following her outfits for each day for Lagos Fashion and ‘Design Week 2014. Take a look at her edgy take on the little black dress.

Styling Credits:Black Tuxedo Dress, Konga.comBowler Hat, TonyeGladiator Heels, TonyeMakeup by Lola Maja for Sacred Beauty

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ShockAwe&

Sunny Rose is back again with sexy, bold designs that come alive in flirty fun with Tansey! Prints never looked so delicate and seductive at the same time.

Photography by Obi SomtoMakeupBimpe Onakoya Maybelline NigeriaHair by TJ for Sacred Beauty

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Get the Look

Designer Spotlight

kunbi oyelese is the creative mind behind the luxurious high fashion brand “APRIL BY KUNBI,” a brand that specialises in bespoke and ready-to-wear fashion for women. Kunbi, who is a graduate of the renowned Fash-ion Institute of Technology in New York, came on the fashion scene back in 2010 when she created a dress for nigerian Music star Mo’ Cheddah for the MTV Africa Music Awards. The dress caused quite a stir and created a sizzling buzz for kunbi. Her catwalk debut was at the 2nd edition of the Music Meets runway in 2012 and since then the “April by kunbi” label has grown tremendously. Kunbi opened her first retail store for her grow-ing fashion brand, April by Kunbi in April 2012 right in the heart of Lekki Phase 1.April by kunbi is a brand which speaks to so-phistication and class and this has gotten the brand a string of ardent followers, including Tiwa Savage, Toke Makinwa, Genevieve Nnaji and Ni-yola, who simply love the elegance evoked by an April by kunbi dress.The label which was found-ed in the spring of 2010, being inspired by the month of April – the start of the Spring season, has expanded to include a range of clothing from evening, cocktail, and wedding dresses to casual wear, sleepwear, footwear, accessories, as well as a lingerie line called ‘April by kunbi Intimates’ which was launched earlier this year. Speaking on the inspiration behind her collec-tion showcased yesterday, Kunbi Oyelese had this to say, “The inspiration came from weddings, I really love weddings. I love dressing people for weddings, reception dresses and all. And, also it’s about getting into the December season.” The collection captures the romanticism of wedding

Words by Elohor OmonemuPhotography: Demilade Roberts

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Studio

In the details...

Keeping Calm in Caven EtomiWe were about to freak out over what to wear for Day 1 of Lagos Fashion & Design Week 2014 until we remembered one of our favourite casually cool brands, Caven Etomi. The brand’s signature t-shirts have a bold mix of tribal signatures and digital prints, uniquely influenced by modern day culture. We absolutely love t-shirts and as Caven Etomi were one of the opening brands for LFDW 2014, it was a match made in Studio heaven. To be styled up or down, Caven Etomi tees are definitely a fun wardrobe staple.

Style Credits:Ore – Caven Etomi Idia Blue Roses Tee + leather pantsTeni – Caven Etomi Nsibidi Courage Tee + CLAN wrap skirt

House of Cramer duo, Afua Rida and Supriya Wassaimal want you to make no mistake, each designer’s collection tells a story that comes together with the right styling. Here from Accra, they’re here working at Lagos Fashion & Design Week for the first time, tak-ing all the key notes and decisions on what it takes to make each collection pop on the runway.

Cinammon & PearlThis is a very deep collection. It tells a story about women, starting with intimate lace pieces and gradually incorporates work wear chic. The cotton finds its way into her play time, and there’s also a party dress and a little African print to solidify her roots.

FrucheThe designer plays with differ-ent hues of colours and different silhouettes and the pieces range from unstructured pieces, to quite avant-garde items.

Gozel greenSo colourful! We love how they played with different colours, yet also found a way to include a lot of black. There’s a lot of layering as well. We think this collection is going to be a big hit!

Photography: Obi Somto, Demilade Roberts

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TheBeauty

runway

Insider

Highlights

Vintage glamour

Au naturel

Cleopatra

LOLA MAjA

This look is reminiscent of a crazy doll, a throwback to the vintage era of the 1920s. It includes lashes both on the top and bottom lashes, with sparkly eyes and is completed with sexy red lips.

PHoTogrAPHy: oBI SoMTo

This look is achieved using natural color, soft and nude lips with a brown smoky eye. The brows are soft and not too highly contoured.

This is a heavy look, heavily black-lined eyes, but no colours in the eyelids. with matte foundation on the lips, in this look, all the attention is on the eyes. The heavy black lining of the eyes is achieved using Maybelline’s Colossal kajal eyeliner.

PRInT

COLOUR

MOnOChROME

The runway report on LFDw Day 1 brought about the best in vibrant prints, bright colours and monochromatic fashion.

Here are some of our faves.

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There’s meant to be a function to the clothing we adorn ourselves in, and emerging designer Kenneth Ize knows. Born in Nigeria, but raised in Vienna

the runner up for last year’s GTBank LFDW Emerging Designer, his collection last year, Son Soufflé, has made his pieces synonymous with freedom and experimentation. Ize studied fash-ion and design at Applied Arts University in Vi-enna, where he created his first collection but this past year he has spent more time in Lagos than

he would have anticipated. While Son Souffé is responsible for Ize’s recognition as a designer to watch, his first collection, Sun City speaks to why his designs materialize distinctively in the trajec-tory of other male designer in Nigeria. Sun City was inspired by the juxtaposition of his experi-ences in the South of France and Lagos, “I went to the South of France with my friends and then came to Lagos right after. The South of France is all about water, and aesthetics and then Lagos was just the opposite in terms of pace, you have

to stay on your guard and be quite fast, but after time I started getting more and more inspired by Lagos and the sun itself.” Sun City plays on natural colors and Ize was par-ticularly captured by the idea of comfort within dress, the purpose behind why we wear what we wear. “I mean a tie is not just for aesthetic pur-poses, it’s also meant to keep your neck warm, which fits most Western climates. But here people under the sun, I wanted to play with the idea of men’s dressing that allowed for freedom and ease,

so the fabrics I used, like linen were extremely significant.”This year his collection is inspired by music, and he started planning immediately after last year’s showing of Son Soufflé. “It’s all about Nigeria, and music. I was really inspired by highlife and a lot of the imagery around it, particularly artists like King Sunny Ade and Ebenzer Obe. I think the music has so many meanings. While he’s coy about giving anything away, he confirms this, “there will be magic on the stage.”

In TheLabWITh KEnnETh IZE Words by Maryam Kazeem

Photography: Bernard Okulaja

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BackStage

Photography: Obi Somto

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Designers

Sunny rosePoosh Lagos

15 Ologun Agbaje Street off Saka Tinubu, VI

Lanre da Silva Ajayiwww.lanredasilvaajayi.com

1B Lanre Da Silva Close, Off Hannat Balogun Dolphin Extension, Ikoyi, Lagos,

nigeriaPhone: +234 (0) 8023941463

Instagram: @ldacouture

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