We Like: Vivienne Westwood

So we decided to randomly post something about designers we like... sort of an inspirational blog post of  designers that are doing something different, that inspire us... and basically style we like. This week we are going to feature Vivienne Westwood for her unconventional style, political views/environmental responsibility and business acumen.


Dame Vivienne Westwood, (born Vivienne Isabel Swire on 8 April 1941) is a British fashion designer and businesswoman, largely responsible for bringing modern punk and new wave fashions into the mainstream.


She studied at the Harrow School of Art, taking fashion and silversmithing, but left after one term. After taking up a job in a factory and studying at a teacher-training college, Vivienne became a primary school teacher. 
During this period, she also created her own jewellery, which she sold at a stall on Portobello Road.


Westwood and former husband McLaren worked together to revolutionise fashion and their impact is still strongly felt today. Westwood has five exclusively-owned shops; three in London, one in Leeds, and one in Milan, others are franchises.


Westwood is also widely known as a political activist but mostly we just like her clothes.Westwood's designs were featured in the 2008 film adaptation of the award winning television series Sex and the City.

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Mos Def and Femi Kuti- Do your Best

I found this song somehow, and was glad I did OMG! Mos Def (my fantasy husband) and Femi Kuti
Listen to this, be inspired and just do your best...lol One Love you all...

Femi Kuti and Mos Def- 'Do your Best'

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We like....Deola Sagoe

Deola Sagoe is a Nigerian fashion designer from Ondo State located in the lower western part of Nigeria. She started designing in 1998 and has since gained international recognition for her outstanding designs. Deola Sagoe has given African fashion in the 21st century the most radical expression imaginable, from the deeply rooted African fabrics to perfectly matched accessories. She is  known for constantly fabulous designs, flawless color combination, attention to details and perfect finish and finesse.

Deola Sagoe has also participated in fashion shows in America, Europe and Africa alongside fashion enigmas like Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Chanel and Missoni, and was the unassuming winner of the ‘’African Designs’’ and MNET/Anglo Gold African designs 2000 (nomination by Andre Leon Tally, US Vogue editor ). Her lines have also been modeled in major International beauty pageants, including Miss Universe. To know more visit her on deolasagoe.net.

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Fela!

Hmmmmmm where to start... we went to see the Fela Musical at the movie theatre it was really great... and fun... and exhilarating and... should I go on....ok you get the point.

We actually wanted to go to London to see it and  when I called to get the tickets there were two singles left, but at different rows and so I got off the phone to ask Alheri if we could still go, but when I got back on the phone the tickets were sold out.

So we had to say goodbye to the London dream, but luckily for us there was going to be a one time live broadcast of the show around the world- in high definition.

In Leeds it was at the Vue so, away we went to see Fela!  And OMG it was spectacular! The role of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti  was played by Sahr Ngaujah who did a great job of portraying the energy, passion and charisma of Fela!

Fela! explores the extravagant, decadent and rebellious world of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, produced  by Shawn 'Jay-Z' Carter, Will & Jada Pinkett Smith and Ruth & Stephen Hendel.

The singing was exhilarating, the dancing captivating, and the whole cast just made me so so proud.

Parts that  especially stood out for me include the spiritual scenes with Melanie Marshall (who played Fumilayo- Fela's mother) singing- really lovely and touching voice.

Another part was where he talked about names and how people from England had English names, those from Germany had German names e.t.c So Basically he was trying to say- names are important and should be reflective of where you are from.

Ok! have to add a personal comment. Really had an aha! moment at that point because I never had an African name but just recently asked my dad why I didn't have one or a middle name for that matter, and he had no answer really... so he gave me an African name- my great grandma's name spelt Zewi but pronounced Zhewi. Sorry for veering off a bit but had to add that.

Finally, the part that absolutely stood out the most and made me laugh so hard was his view on colonialism- "when the tea drinking guests came; diamonds, oil and people went missing, and in exchange they left us with Gonorrhoea and Jesus Christ"

To know more about Fela go to the website @http://www.fela.net/

View some not too clear pics below.

Alheri

Linda

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Prayer Of Peace For Jos

Jos as I knew it...

Jos or J-town as others know it, was known to be a town which welcomed lots of visitors from neighboring towns, states, other parts of Nigeria, and people from all over the world. The weather was one of the  main attractions for the foreigners; as well as  the serenity and  the winding Plateaus... Jos was beautiful; very beautiful.

I used to love going to Jos as a kid. To me, Jos was like artwork with lots and lots of bright flowers and rocks and potato chips..(who doesn't love chips?) I always believed in my mind that everything would be alright once I was in Jos and that nothing could ever go wrong. I was always happy in Jos.  I live in Abuja but I attended both primary and secondary schools in Jos. I went to Kent Academy in Miango, then I went to Hillcrest.

The first time Jos experienced its issues, I was still in Kent Academy and we were  kind of far from the main areas that were affected. On my way back home (Abuja), we were stopped so many times by soldiers. There were even amour tanks roaming about the main streets of Jos. Jos was not safe anymore! Then people started killing other people and places kept getting burned down.

Recently, on a family trip to Jos, we went with the expectations of having  flawless, amazing fun.  After like 20 police stops we made it to Bacardi (not sure if its a bar or a club) the first day was cool, but we had to go back there again the next day because it was the safest place to be, and other places were burned down or not in the 'safe zone' or so they explained.

Below are some of the pictures we took...don't wanna use the really bad internet pics (of the Jos crisis) that are been circulated around.  So these are pics of me back in the day and some from the road trip.

Back in the day/ The Good..

Me (second left, first row) in Kent Academy Chapel

Me (first right, second row) in Hillcrest Baskteball Team

Pouring water on the team captain after the last game of the season

Linda and I in Bacardi..

At Barcardi

Linda Dancing 

Yours truly...hehe

Plate of potato chips, liver sauce, egg and ketchup (I love ketchup)

The rocks... at Hill Station

Linda and Emmanuel (our brother)

Now...The Bad..

Burnt down buildings at Anglo Jos

more burned down buildings

and even more burned down buildings....

 a soldier parading the streets

Jos needs our prayers. 

We all need to come together and pray for Jos so it can go back to the way it used to be. Lots of people have died and the death rate keeps increasing everyday. 

We might not be able to do much, but one thing we can do is pray, so the violence will be put to an end and Jos will be restored.

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One of Linda's favourite songs 'Feeling Good' by Nina Simone

Nina Simone-The High Priestess of Soul  was a piano player, singer and performer, "separately and simultaneously". On stage, Simone's style of music ranged from gospel to blues, jazz and folk, to songs with European classical styling.


Nina Simone's feeling good is making me feel real good right now- I know it sounds cheesy but I just feel like 'its a new dawn, a new day and a new life for me and I'm feeling good' 

Nice soulful, jazzy, bluesy, feel good music...

Check it out
Nina Simone 'feeling good'

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We are liking Asa's new video at the moment...

We have talked about Asa in a past blog post. Asa is one of our Naija soul sistas that is a free spirit, and her new video has the old school 1960's vibe going on...
Its called 'Be my Man' from her new album Beautiful Imperfection

Check It out Below:

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