ARISE MAGAZINE SHINES AT MERCEDES-BENZ FASHION WEEK

ARISE MAGAZINE SHINES AT MERCEDES-BENZ FASHION WEEK

By:  Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger

Photographer:  George Whylie

Videographer:  Maxine Nolan

 

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is currently showcasing Spring 2013 fashions in full swing.  So far the participating designers have surpassed our wildest dreams bringing cutting-edge fashion to the runway in their own distinctive manner.

Although we are only treated to ‘ARISE Magazine’ fashion presentations once a year, we so look forward to the theatrical presentation filled with the glamour that only a top magazine, home of global African style, can deliver.

This year Lincoln Center Theatre was the location for the command performance of ARISE Magazine Presents: African Icons. Designers are selected each year from ARISE Magazine Fashion Week held annually in Lagos, Nigeria.  This is an innovative event to give accomplished designers an international platform in which they can exhibit their creativity.

Five African designers were showcased on Thursday, September 6, 2012.  The big screen in the background caught the looks for all to see the detailed intricacy of each perfectly crafted piece as the models glided down the runway.  It was almost a microscopic moment where guests could view each outfit up close and personal.  Tiny bright lights dramatized the backdrop and the music never skipped a beat.

Maki Oh of Nigeria uses rich textiles to make a robust statement.   Plenty of fringe, flapper dresses, over-the-top sequins, hand-painted prints and organically-dyed textures are all part of her line.  She is deeply inspired by couture and culture and she has a strong belief that cultural heritage must live on.  She brings together emotion, intuition, sex and fashion.

Tsemaye Binite comes to us from UK/Nigeria.  He is best known for his sports tailoring.  The thrill of all this professional attention from stylists is beyond words.  His inspiration for this latest collection is the Claiborne Swanson Frank book ‘American Beauty’.  He brings us much in the way of color blocking, lots of layering with one extreme to the other, from pastels to metallics.

He gives great detail to his tight-fitting gowns and fabrics of washed silk crepe, leather and silk organza.  Bringing something new to the runway, he developed high-tech twills and incorporated laser cutting and embroidery.  These are all timeless pieces.  The woman he dresses signifies strength and a clear understanding of self.

Tiffany Amber, the brand created by Folake Folgrin-Coker, a Nigerian designer, is most notably known for floaty, cruise-ready womenswear.  She uses bright colors with a positive strength and it is easy to tell that her roots lie in her African heritage through her design patterns.  For this collection, she was inspired by the drum and the sensation that it invokes in the spirit and the mind.  She describes these shows as surreal.

Her design success has given her global recognition.  She is the first African-based designer to showcase for two consecutive seasons at New York Fashion Week.  Her collections continue to become a lifestyle and are easy to fall in love with.

Ozwald Boateng is blessed with a talent that has won him a Lifetime Achievement Award.  He is brought to us from UK/Ghana and loves showing his collections in New York.  This current collection uses one color in a brighter/lighter combination from traditional suits to shorts and casual shirts and his textures enhance the outfit.  Coats are a blend of short to very dapper in knee-length and some double-breasted.  He has a distinctive approach to tailoring.  A perfect description would be exquisite artistry meets innovative classicism.

His line is in great demand by men all over the world who have a desire for luxury and a deep understanding of spirituality blended with physical being.

My very favorite designer was Gavin Rajah of South Africa.  He brought 1950’s Hollywood glamour to the runway in sequins, brilliant hues and romantic femininity.  He is known for fine craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail.  This collection was luxe pret-a’-porter.  Gavin was inspired by the works of Umberto Eco and Giovanni Boccaccio.  Important features of the line were cinched waists, bias-cut hemlines, floral bullion embroidery and trapunto detailing.

His collections are loved by Beyonce, Celine Dion, Naomi Campbell and Cameron Diaz.  Jewelry is another specialty that has won Gavin acclaim.  He has been the only African to speak at the Global Luxury Goods Conference in Milan, quite an accomplishment.  He is no stranger to Fashion Week as he started and funded Cape Town Fashion Week.  Philanthropy goes hand in hand with his passion for fashion.  This collection brings us into the world of opulence and glitz.

This was a fashion presentation that we were sad to see end.  It was entertaining and full of life and style and we easily fell in love with each and every collection.  It is no wonder that ARISE Magazine has a passionate following by a record number of readers and subscribers.

PHOTO CREDITS:  Mercedes-Benz Fashion Website