I can’t lie to you guys, I honestly think that I’m psychic. I kid you not I started buying in on this trend in late 2018 when I still worked in Topshop, the leather pants in that store sold out within a week, I originally thought it would be a trend to dominate 2019 but it seems to be more popular this year! I am so obsessed I am with leather at the moment. Everything leather I need in my life; shirts, jackets, trousers and dresses (of course all faux leather before you all get on to me). Every-time I go out I literally have to restrain myself from buying another leather item.
Leather has been shown on the runway for two consecutive years at fashion month, last year for the fall 19 shows we saw designers add their own twist by presenting us with colourful leather as it was predicted that leather would replace our beloved faux coats/jackets and wow was that prediction was 100% correct! For me leather is known as a staple item, everyone from when they were a child has owned a leather biker jacket? Am I right or am I right? So in retrospect leather is nothing new to the fashion scene, I mean it was pretty prominent in the 80s/90s so in a way it makes sense that the next big trend during this nostalgic era of fashion would be leather. It’s only right, I mean we’ve been through denim, mom/dad jeans, shoulder bags, halter necks so of course you need at least one leather item to complete your 90s wardrobe. The only difference between leather now and how it was in the 80s/90s I’d say is the fact that a lot more people probably wear faux leather due to the growth in consciousness among the public on how clothes within the fashion industry are made and social media. Another difference is the fact that that era was dominated by leather trousers and long leather jackets, however, now we’re seeing leather mini skirts, leather dresses, cropped leather jackets and colourful leather etc. Additionally, we can now consider leather a more versatile fabric, which before was not the case; leather trousers were known to be too biker, leather dresses gave dominatrix vibes – leather was always associated with sexiness or toughness until now. 2019 and 2020 leather became FASHIONABLE in all forms!
If you don’t own anything leather, then I hate to break it to you but you’re doing life all wrong honey because leather is where it’s at this year! Here are some of my favourite leather items rn;
So the other day I was out window shopping in Topshop when I came across this cute ass denim co-ord that literally reminded me of the infamous denim corset dress produced by Fenty when it first launched last year in May. And then I just started recollecting all of the things that I’ve seen in the past year that are literally Fenty Dupes so I thought why not share it with you guys and we can all do you luxury on a budget together!
Last year I did a blog post on the difference between constructive criticism and hate, this was all in relation to the release of Fenty because I’d seen so much backlash from black people giving their opinion on the brand on Twitter: I saw people saying that the designs had been done before, that the prices were too high all because people didn’t understand that this was an LVMH brand so of course, this makes sense, it makes sense for me to do a blog post on some of the things that are offered on the High Street for those people who can’t afford Fenty. #luxuryonabudget
If you look up the definition of dupe on Google, this is what you get:
dupe: verb 1. deceive; trick.
noun 2. a victim of deception
In the fashion world, it still means a similar thing because in a way you are deceiving people by copying a luxury item and making it highstreet. In less harsh terms a dupe is basically a duplicate of another product. (Duplicate. Dupe. you see how the link?) Dupes will obviously not be 100% accurate as much as they look the same to the real deal because then, of course, that would be Copywrite infringements. Here are my fave Fenty dupes atm;
For those you that don’t know I am Zimbabwean and this is my beloved hometown! Full of wide tree-lined avenues, parks and charming colonial architecture, Bulawayo is truly hidden treasure in my motherland! For years, ever since I could literally crawl my mum has always gone on and on about how beautiful the city of Bulawayo was and I could not agree with her more. I have been going back to Zim every year, sometimes even twice a year since I was 5 but it wasn’t until my latest trip in December 2019 that I truly got to appreciate the beauty of my city. Nothing much has changed from the early 20th century and I guess that is what I love most about the town, the buildings give me such New Orleans vibes! Honestly, if any of you are ever in Zim please stop by Bulawayo because I promise you, you will not regret it!
Fun Fact; Bulawayo’s claim to fame is that it had electric lighting (switched on in 1897) before London did! The population today remains majority Ndebele.
Attractions
Before my mother became a nurse, she was a primary school teacher in Zim and naturally she has been to all these places on school trips and she has also promised to take me since I was 5 and 14 years later I still haven’t been to any, however this year I wanna explore more of Bulawayo so I plan on going home for at least 5 weeks just to tour my city and see everything that it has to offer!
Natural History museum
Khami Ruins
Bulawayo Railway Museum
National Art Gallery
Chipangali Wildlife Orphanage
Where to stay
Cresta Churchill Hotel
Holiday Inn
Where to drink
Zimbabweans are known to be big drinkers so of course, I had to recommend to you some bars to drink at! Be warned tho, Zims don’t play when it comes to alcohol, these people drink alcohol straight with just ice, they don’t know what mixers are, it’s horrendous but I kid you not, the nightlife is short of boring. My best nights out were in Bulawayo, as in nothing can compete!
Kings Head
Cabana
The deck
Where to eat
I am such a foodie and when I tell you, the food not just in Bulawayo, but in Zimbabwe, in general, is the best. NO CAP! There is no other country that provides flavour as this one does, whether you go to a restaurant or take away shop, you will not be disappointed with the food, ITS THAT AMAZING
For decades, if not centuries African fashion has been the root of inspiration for numerous Western brands and fashion trends. I mean it’s pretty evident considering the topic of cultural appropriation vs cultural appreciation on African fashion has been a hot subject for the last couple of years now. When you take a look at African fashion over the years, you’ll realise just how much it has influenced the fashion industry worldwide, look at the Dior show from last year in Morocco. From the vibrant colours to the eclectic prints and traditional accessories handcrafted by different African tribes, there is no better source of inspiration than Africa!
Machangani bags
South Africans and Zimbabweans have been using Machangani bags for years, we used to use it for storage and carrying things, its basically like a huge carrier bag. Back in 2007, Louis Vuitton came out with their Machangani bag lookalike retailing for over £250. Wow, can you believe that fashion enthusiasts were out here buying this bag for over £250! TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY POUND! I can’t decide if this funny or what, because they literally could have gone and bought one for less than £3 in South Africa. This is a perfect example of how people will buy anything with a designer name.
Basotho Blankets
Louis Vuitton again? Are we seeing a pattern here? I can’t decide if I’m for all of this or if I’m just angry that they are profiting from African Culture when there are so many home brands that aren’t making a profit yet, LV can charge £3000 for something you can get a lot cheaper in South Africa?
The woollen Basotho blanket is traditionally worn by the Sotho people in Lesotho. The blankets date back to pre-civilization in Lesotho. They were traditionally made from only animal skins and are a part of Sotho life from birth to death. A newborn receives their first blanket before they are even born, for many events throughout their lives, and eventually will be buried in one.Despite being largely unavailable outside of Africa for their 100-year-plus existence, their blankets are of such quality and have such a colourful, storied history that they are easily comparable to brands of a similar vintage, including Pendleton, Woolrich, and Hudson’s Bay Company.
Ankara Prints
Now, this is how you do cultural appreciation! Everyone else pleases take notes. In 2016 Christian Louboutin collaborated with Senegalese artists to launch the Africaba Tote Bag. Each handcrafted bag incorporated bold Ankara prints that originated in West Africa. Louboutin contributed 10% of his proceeds to the La Maison Rose, a refuge for women in difficulty in Dakar.
In 2017, English fashion designer Stella McCartney received criticism for using Ankara prints in her spring 2018 runway show in Paris. And then they had the audacity to include only ONE African model the show.
This is a message to every other brand out there that takes inspiration from African fashion, the difference between appropriation in appreciation is this. If you include African designers, help the community, credit your inspiration and do more to raise awareness, then you would not receive so much backlash.
Head Wraps
The headwrap, also known as a dhuku or a doek, depending on the region, is a colourful piece of fabric that embodies Africa’s rich culture and is deeply rooted in African history. For his spring 2018 collection, Marc Jacobs sent models, such as Kendall Jenner and Kaia Gerber, down the runway wearing head wraps that resembled those so inherent in the African culture.
The doek for me is very symbolic, for us Southern Africans it holds a lot of tradition and means a lot of things to a lot of people so I don’t think that brands like Marc Jacobs should ever have it on their runway. To me, it’s disrespectful because you can almost compare it to the hijab
In the last couple of years, we have seen the rise of everything African thanks to this educated generation of the diaspora (which I can happily say I am a part of) who are open to the world and proud of their dual culture. These days everyone is proud to be African, I remember when I was growing up so many people growing up were ashamed to say which country they were from (this may or may have been because I grew up in a predominantly caucasian area) and it wasn’t until I got to 6th form that I saw just how proud people were of their culture and how keen people were to learn about their cultures. The older I get the more I realise just how important it is for me to know about my culture and go back home to Zimbabwe regularly because after all I am Zimbabwean and I want to teach my children the same things that I have been taught so they can pass it on it to their children and so on.
The world has never been as creative as it is right now, our generation has access to resources that we did not know even existed 100 years ago and this helps to explain why there are so many breakout Africans in various categories from Arts to Music and of course Fashion etc. The reason as to why African fashion has become a phenomenon is because our generation, one of which hasn’t waited for outside interest aka the western world, but instead we have taken matters into their own hands by creating our own businesses, brands, media and blogs to validate what has not been validated up until now and I could not be more proud to be a part of something so beautiful, to be a part of history! It’s no surprise that the western world wants Vogue Africa! We now live in a connected and engaged generation that dares to denounce acts of racism or even ordinary stigmatization by putting up a united front against all of it taking on, for instance, the use of blackface and the absence of black mannequins in fashion, the lack of diversity within the fashion industry etc and most importantly cultural appropriation. A conscious and responsible generation that wants to contribute, in its own way, to a renewal in how the world sees Africa. In other words, every single day we are changing Africa’s narrative!
To summarise – African fashion is riding a wave of creative output and recognition, gaining global press and an international clientele after being ignored and copied for decades. Our time as Africans to show the world what we have to offer has finally come!
The Brands you need to know
I’m going to be completely honest with you, before 2015 I knew NOTHING about African fashion. I was completely oblivious. I think my love for African fashion was initially an accident (I know it sounds crazy right).
I remember I was on Instagram and I came across an influencer in one of the first brands I ever discovered – Grass Fields. Once I clicked on their page a whole new world opened up for me, I was falling in love with fashion all over again! From then on I was OBSESSED and I kept coming across more and more brands alike. This completely changed my mind on the idea of African fashion – in my head, it had always been the typical traditional attire we see our mums wear to weddings and on special occasions or just around the house, basically the Ankara prints. Can you believe I was ever this naive and IGNORANT? Little did I know that African Fashion just like every other type of fashion had evolved with the times and also catered to the younger generation.
In many aspects, African Fashion has changed drastically over the years but it still somehow remains traditional with western influences, African designers have gone way ahead to experiment and create beautiful designs using fabrics from all over the world and I am so excited to share with you my favourite brands;
Last week in my post about how the beauty industry is still failing us I basically described how we live in a world where being “diverse” and “inclusive” has become a marketing tactic to benefit brands with more profits yet we still only make up 10% or less of the shelves but contribute billions of dollars every year to this industry. Make that make sense, please. Though inclusivity is slowly growing in the industry and it’s amazing to see but it still isn’t enough, there just isn’t enough choice.
So what better way to celebrate Black History Month than by checking out some amazing black-owned beauty brands made for black women, with these brands we’re not an afterthought, we are the brand. Some of these brands are simply making a point to include products of all shades, while others are solving skin and makeup woes specific to women of colour in innovative and exciting ways. It’s time to support a broader, more beautiful beauty industry. These black-owned beauty brands aren’t asking for a seat at the table, they’re making one.
Here are some black-owned beauty brands to buy from;
In case you were not aware, late last year I did a podcast on whether or not beauty brands are racist and I thought that it would be a good idea to actually do a blog post on it since I am celebrating blackness this month but I also want to bring attention to the prejudice that we as black people face in the industry as well. Like I expressed yesterday, it’d be nice to look back at posts like these and see how much the industry has progressed in years to come when it comes to the issue of inclusivity. For a long time now, as WOC we have found it extremely difficult to find affordable drugstore products that cater to our skin type. It has always been a struggle to find a high-street brand that takes into consideration our different undertones, textures, and hues, and that stocks more than one variation of Caramel. In addition to base makeup such as foundation and concealer, it is equally important that WOC are able to easily access lipsticks and blushes that are designed for each individual undertone and complexion. IM TIYARD
As a black beauty blogger It’s pretty clear that beauty brands don’t know this but news flash: Black women don’t just know beauty, we LOVE beauty. An article I read recently stated that at least 82% of us say it’s important to be well-groomed, but I can’t lie, I’m surprised it’s not 100% because from the age I could bath myself my mum has gone on about looking presentable and taking care of myself because that is what women should do and without a doubt that is something that I will pass on to my children. That same article also expressed the fact that 52% of us adhere to a set skincare routine, personally for me, from the minute I discovered beauty gurus on youtube at the mere age of 13 I have had a skincare routine (which literally changes every six months lol). People always wonder why black don’t crack and here is the answer, that is our secret, that is why Angela Bassett still looks 30 because we love ourselves and it shows through the fact that we are willing to spend money to achieve our beauty goals. If you don’t believe me, just think about the fact that for years before Fenty beauty the offering for WOC in drugstores was very minimal so since the dawn of time we have always had to splurge more on our products to achieve the looks we want despite us being the ideal customers for almost every beauty brand known to man. It’s 2020 and products suited for us are still noticeably absent from retail shelves.
I’d like to say that as black women we are trendsetters: think about the number of people that have gotten lip fillers, BBL’s and this whole new thing of “black fishing.” In addition to this, black spending on health and beauty has led to an increase in offerings that appeal not just to Black women but also to the general population. For as long as I can remember many of us have struggled to find options that work for us, ones that don’t leave us ashy or looking like ghosts – even Black models were left out in the cold, with a lot of them having to mix their own makeup. In a viral 2015 Instagram post, Sudanese supermodel Nykhor Paul wrote, “Why do I have to bring my own makeup to a professional show when all the White girls don’t have to do anything but show up.” This is in the 20th century, so imagine how models and actresses in the 90s and way before felt? MAC in the 90s was the first game-changer, they were the FENTY of the previous generation because their Studio Fix Foundation was a one of the first to cover a range of shades – they were arguably the first to create foundations covering a wide spectrum of hues. I would go as far as saying it changed the lives of beauty-loving black women. And years later this was one of the first foundations I bought and one of my first loves! Mac really conquered!
Then in 2017, we had our very own game-changer; Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty which launched with 40 foundation shades, many of them complementing darker skin tones and covering not only shades but undertones too (which is something a lot of brands forget to take into context). This was and currently is the most shades a brand has ever released during their first product launch. That for me set the benchmark for beauty brands when releasing anything like foundation, concealer etc. Fenty proved that inclusivity in cosmetics is not just ethical but profitable. By serving the customers other mainstream brands have largely ignored so to no one’s surprise, the company made more than $72 million in media value (social media exposure gained from word of mouth and press buzz) the first month after launch. And yet brands are still failing WOC? Make it make sense. But we do have to take into consideration the fact that Fenty is not the first brand to launch such a number of shades – smaller brands like Black Opal Beauty have been catering for darker skin tones for decades (my mum was a fan for the longest time, then I introduced her to FENTY) – what we take from the success of Fenty is the fact that it took the backing of a major global company and a celebrity to highlight the huge opportunity makeup brands had been missing. And while many brands have been extending their offer to include darker shades this suggests dark-skinned women are an afterthought, they are not a part of the original marketing thought process.
Saunders says that this is caused by “a self-fulfilling prophecy” which has caused beauty marketers to delay improving inclusivity. The self-fulfilling prophecy refers to the socio-psychological phenomenon of someone “predicting” or expecting something, and this “prediction” or expectation comes true simply because they believe it will and the same thing refers to the makeup industry. This is because darker shades haven’t been offered so brands don’t realise there’s an issue, or because the darker shades available in-store haven’t been up to standard or advertised appropriately people don’t buy them, so sales aren’t considered satisfactory and brands, therefore, don’t invest in better R&D and marketing as they don’t think there’s a market for it. Which we all know is BS because the evidence is there in black and white- statistics say African-Americans spend $1.2 trillion each year on beauty products, and that number is projected to rise to $1.5 trillion by 2021. So why is there a lack of offering for WOC? In 2018 the Black hair care industry raked in an estimated $2.51 billion, as Black consumers have progressively made the switch from general products to those that specifically cater to them #naturaulhairjourney. In 2017 we also spent $127 million on grooming products and $465 million on skincare. Considering this that in 2016, just 22% of the models featured in ads in the UK and US were ethnic (black, Asian, Hispanic) while the rest (78%) were white – cosmetic brands are making an effort in their marketing, but most skincare brands are not – by only featuring white women in their campaigns, they also assume their audience and consumer is white.
The makeup industry is embracing diversity. Whether it’s premium or budget, brands are on a mission to ensure they have foundation shades to cater to a diverse range of skin tones only problem being that all our shades are different variations of chocolate –
There is something really dehumanising about calling [products] chocolate, caramel, mocha and coffee while all the lighter shades are porcelain or ivory.
Niellah Arboine
Do you guys agree?
This problem could all be solved if brands employ marketers who are as diverse as the audience they are trying to reach. It really is as simple as that. On tomorrows blog post I’ll tell you to give you guys some names of my favourite black-owned beauty brands because I feel like this blog post is too long.
Happy Black History Month!! I was meant to start to this whole series LAST MONDAY, however, I had food poisoning for a week and then I needed an entire week to recover. I was so pissed because it just set me back completely when I tell you I planned to be so productive this month then that happened! Long story short if you’re ever in Nottingham DO NOT order from an Asain takeaway in this place because I am really not being dramatic when I say that I honestly thought that I was on my death bed. It’s one of those situations where you think that it’ll never happen to you and then it happens and you’re like WTAF 🙁
Anyways …. moving on, to celebrate black history month I am dedicating my whole entire blog to all things black about fashion for the month. 3 posts a week dedicating to everything black (this week it’s 6 since we skipped last week). I just thought it’d be cute to do a little tribute to the true pioneers of fashion and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do! To kick start my series I thought that I would tell you guys about my most iconic black figures within the fashion industry. I do one of these every year, the only difference with this one is the fact that all the people are black, obviously and have done something significant to help black fashion. Of course, this is all solely my opinion hence why I said MY most iconic.
Since I began my blog in 2016 I feel as though people of colour have come a long way but sadly we still have a long way to go in terms of the industry being completely inclusive. I mean, think about it, the first black creative director of a major fashion house – Virgil Abloh was only appointed his role in 2018, just basically over a year ago. Most models cast on the runway are still predominantly caucasian. Most campaign models are still again predominantly white as in they don’t advertise to WOC. Cultural appropriation is still a HUGE problem in the fashion industry. How many black designers do you know? How many black-owned makeup labels do you know? Are our hair products in high street stores? See my point? We still have a hell of a long way to go until there is full inclusivity!
Here are My Most Iconic blacks within the industry;
Naomi Campbell
I mean who doesn’t know Naomi Campbell? In her career, she has achieved so much; she was the first black model to appear on the cover of Time magazine, French Vogue, as well as the first black model to cover American Vogue’s most prestigious issue of the year – the September issue in 1989 and she, was also the first black model to star on the cover of British Vogue. As unbelievable as it sounds, she has had a hell of a lot of firsts in her career. In addition to that, being the true supermodel she is, she has forever been an advocate for blacks within the industry. And to no one’s surprise, last year she was even the first woman of colour to receive the fashion icon prize, this award recognizes people who have used their position and voice within the fashion industry to effect positive change – so I’m not the only one who believes she’s an icon in this industry. Campbell does so much more than you think, her efforts for a more diverse and equal future within the industry, especially when it comes to African Fashion are so inspiring because not many Alist celebrities celebrate African fashion!
Tracee Ellis Ross
Tracee Ellis Ross is one hell of an amazing woman and one that never ceases to amaze me! In October 2018 Ms Ross hosted the AMAs and she used the opportunity to bring attention to 11 amazing Black Designers by wearing mostly black designers for all her looks stating “I wore a Black designer in every look and Pat McGrath on my face,” She says it was a story she wanted to tell through her clothing, and her stylist, Karla Welch, made it happen. “I was inspired by Issa Rae and Jason Rembert, who did it first at the CFDA Awards in June. I strongly believe in using my platform to shine light in directions I believe in, love, and celebrate my people.” That is the type of energy we need from all celebrities and people that have a platform, to me, this is the main reason that this woman is so iconic, she has always voiced her opinion on the lack of diversity within the industry and she actively did something about it by giving these designers a platform!
Virgil Abloh
Considering the number of times I have written about Mr Abloh on my blog, it would be a crime not to pay tribute to him in my black history month series! I mean how can I forget about the first African American that became the artistic director of one of the worlds biggest luxury fashion brands? It’s just impossible! That is a moment in fashion history that I will truly never forget because it was in itself so ICONIC. People like Virgil give the next generation of creatives and black fashion enthusiasts hope that they too can make it big in this industry and be a household name. “Virgil is one of the few designers who truly marries street culture with high fashion – and the first black designer to be given such a position in the gilded halls of LVMH. His appointment is a step in the right direction for diversity.” Edward Enninful, the editor-in-chief at British Vogue, said on the magazine’s website. Virgil is a pioneer in streetwear fashion and one of the most influential people in fashion right now!!!!!!!! He doesn’t follow trends but he creates them through the stories he tells through his designs and for me he is hands down my favourite designer at this moment in time!
Jason Bolden
So I discovered Jason Bolden late last year when I stumbled upon his Netflix series, Styling Hollywood this was an entire show dedicated to his brand JSN Studio, a multi-disciplined creative studio made up of a growing team of individuals who support Jason and his partner in realising the breadth of their creative output. With projects spanning the country, JSN Studio focuses primarily on residential + commercial interior design, luxury staging and product design. I was at that moment I literally became obsessed with him! Mr Bolden is one of the biggest and busiest celebrity stylists of the moment, his client list includes some of the most inspiring and influential artists and entertainers in American culture; “Selma” and “Wrinkle in Time” director Ava Duvernay; “Empire” matriarch Cookie Lyon, Taraji P. Henson; “Grown-ish” star and activist Yara Shahidi; and, most recently, Amy Sherald, Michelle Obama’s official portrait artist. This incredible man is also apart of the BoF 500 which is the definitive professional index of the people shaping the $2.4 trillion fashion industry, hand-selected by the editors of The Business of Fashion, based on hundreds of nominations received from current BoF 500 members, extensive data analysis and research.
Edward Enniful
If you do not know who Edward Enniful is then I am sorry but we cannot be friends. One of my aspirations in life is to meet this man! In the short space of time that he has been at British Vigue he has done so much for the publication and changed it for the better, he has shown us just how easy it is to showcase diversity in politics, arts and culture! As British Vogues first black male editor he has had more influence in the space of 2/3 years than Alexandra Shulman had in 25 years – he has helped shape a new vision for fashion media — not just in the UK, but globally — where he has placed a “diversity of perspective” at its core. But are we really surprised when his resume includes a stint at Italian Vogue, where he led the magazine’s first “Black Issue“ which featured only black models? It sold so successfully that the magazine had to print 60,000 additional copies. Enninful has described his vision for British Vogue as “about being inclusive. It’s not just the colour of your skin but the diversity of perspective.” His digital prowess and drive to break the storied title into previously unreported coverage areas has seen the publication reach new, younger audiences across social media, video and online. Digital traffic at the title grew by 7.8% in 2018 to 14.8 million monthly unique users, while print circulation has increased 1.1 % since 2017.
Law Roach
I first discovered Law on ANTM in 2016 I think, he is also a celebrity fashion stylist he is frequently credited with Celine Dion ’s triumphant fashion transformation and has worked with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, including Ariana Grande, Zendaya, Monica Brown, Brandy and Jessie J. In 2016 he became the first African American stylist to cover the annual The Hollywood Reporter’s Stylist & Stars issue and was made number 12 in their most powerful stylists list, an accolade that made him the biggest African American stylist in the industry. As well as being apart of the BoF he is also the co-creative director of Zendaya’s clothing line Daya and her collab with Tommy. Roach prefers to think of himself as an “image architect”. It’s a term that reflects the shifting role of celebrity dressers in 2018, where one killer look going viral on social media can lead to overnight fame (with the lucrative contracts to match), and campaigns such as Time’s Up have turned the red carpet into a political platform. “What I do is similar to what an architect does,” Roach explains. “The surveying, building a blueprint, sourcing materials, all that. But I’m doing it with clothes, jewellery, hair and makeup.”
Zendaya
Zendaya first hit our screens in 2010 on one of my all-time favourite childhood shows – shake it up and I have to say every single year without fail I have grown to admire her more and more as time goes on, she has grown and evolved into such a beautifully incredible woman. She is someone I have looked up to for so many years, she is a role model to me and so many more. Zendaya to me is Iconic because last year for her collaboration with Tommy Hilfiger she featured 59 black models, yes 59 BLACK MODELS, one more time in case you didn’t get it, a whole 59 BLACK MODELS aged 18 to 70—including some of the women of colour Zendaya wanted to thank for their influence in fashion, Hollywood, and beyond. She had the legends Pat Cleveland (who, according to a statement from Tommy Hilfiger, was the first black supermodel), Veronica Webb (the first African American to sign a major cosmetics contract with Revlon), Beverly Johnson, Veronica Webb, and Beverly Peele walking the show, along with Pat Cleveland. Zendaya made history!!!!! She was able to show the entire industry how to put together an inclusive fashion show by featuring a size-diverse cast composed solely of black models. There was even full body and age diversity with the hair and makeup by the one and only iconic black pioneers – Pat McGrath and Kim Kimble.
Carly Cushnie
Carly Cushnie is the Creative Director and CEO of CUSHNIE a brand known for its impeccable fit designed for the modern woman, the collection is worn by influential women including Michelle Obama, Gal Gadot, Lupita Nyong’o, Ava Duvernay, Jessica Biel, Jennifer Lopez, Ashley Graham, Padma Lakshmi, among many others. Last year when Tom Ford took over as chairman of the CDFA ( Council of Fashion Designers of America) she became the first woman of colour to be nominated to sit on the board. Do you know how much of a big deal this is? It’s a pretty big one and a dream of every designer!
Thebe Magugu
I was so proud of Thebe Magugu when he became the first AFRICAN to win the LVMH prize last year, you would think that I actually knew the man – he was the first AFRICAN winner of the LVMH prize, do you know how much od an accomplishment this is. This man is now apart of history! This was such a huge step in the right direction for African fashion because so many of the continent’s designers struggle to create a lucrative retail business beyond African fashion weeks so it was just amazing to think that he won this! Thebe is about to change people’s misconceptions that African Fashion is just Ankara prints, he is about to open the door for so many more African designers and I cannot wait to see where his career takes him!
Beverly Johnson
I saved my most iconic for last! Beverly Johnson made history in 1974 when she became the first African American woman to grace the cover of Vogue AKA the fashion bible! This was a time when women of colour were largely underrepresented not only in the pages of fashion magazines and ad campaigns but in the industry overall but she did THAT! This woman changed history, a year after her issue was released, every huge publication began to feature black models. This woman basically paved the way for the likes of Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks, Chanel Iman, Adut Akech etc. She is the ultimate bad B
I am a dreamer – I hate reality and I love to constantly picture myself living the most perfect life there is! But most importantly I love to see other people living out their dreams and pursuing their life goals whilst also influencing others around them. That is probably the reason I follow so many people on Instagram – I am obsessed with accounts and people that inspire and motivate me to not only improve or change my lifestyle but to also achieve as many of my aspirations as possible.
When I see other people doing well in the career that I want to pursue it makes me want to work that extra bit harder to be where I want to be in 10 years time – well at the end of this next decade. I will admit that I have slacked a lot these last two years and I kick myself every day but the main thing is that I did not quit. My only problem is that although I don’t lack motivation, I am extremely lazy, in all honesty, I am the best procrastinator you will ever meet in this life. If I had taken this whole blogging thing seriously when I was 15 (when I began), I am telling you, right now I would be so far in this life. No joke.
For the last 3 years, I have been focusing on my education and being a teen and literally just fantasising and getting nothing done but that is something that I am trying to work on this year. In my previous blog post, I mentioned one of my favourite books; the secret and the law of attraction but what we all need to understand (and something that I have learnt the hard way) is that we can have our goals and affirmations but they are nothing if we do not work towards them, instead, they’re literally just words without action – after all, ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. I hate hard work and that is something that I am trying to change in the new year because like most of us out there I want to be successful and happy in life and I have realised that the only way to make this happen is through hard work because nothing in life comes handed to you. But at the same time, I have also realised that it is all about luck and the people that you know, NETWORKING IS KEY and as black people, we have to work x100 to get where we want to be in this life because believe or not we live in a eurocentric society where everyone appropriates black culture but doesn’t want to support black people. One thing that I have learnt in the last 3 years is that if you want something then go out and get it, seek as many opportunities out there as possible because sometimes you have to knock on every single door until you get the opportunity that you want.
By the end of this decade, I will be as influential as the people that I am about to mention. I want to help change peoples lives and be an inspiration for people, especially young black women!
Here are my most influential of the decade;
Rihanna
It would actually be a crime for me to do this post and not mention Rhianna. This woman changed the beauty game for ever and as a black woman, I will forever be grateful to her for this. She saw what was wrong with the beauty industry and she decided to do something about it and that was when brands were like oh shit and finally stepped their game up. She is the reason we have such a wide colour range now and most importantly why bramds now focus on undertones. She is that bitch!
Kanye West
Kanye West, you either love him or you hate him there is no in-between. Personally I fucking adore this man. When it comes to fashion he is so ahead of his time, he is a visionary, a creative and one of the best that this generation has ever seen, he took simplicity to another level with his brand Yeezy. Think about all of the fast-fashion brands that he influenced to copy the Yeezy style and think about all of the sneakers and trainers that resemble the Yeezy then come back to me and tell me this man isn’t influential.
Stormzy
Stormzy was named by Times magazine as one of the leaders of the next generation. Compared to most grime rappers or people within the music scene in the UK Stormzy is different in the sense that he is our very own version of J. Cole and he speaks about injustice within his music. He is out here changing peoples lives and challenging stereotypes of black people. He is an inspiration to so many black boys that are growing up on road. Stormzy is a man that is greatly invested in black excellence and he is a man that wants to help his class rise rather than rise out of it by himself he is a community man and something that everybody should aspire to be in this world like he said it is his purpose to shine a light where he can and do something where he can, just whatever he can in whatever way shape or form.
Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian was the Queen of this decade. This woman has changed the way that we use social media in so many ways. She is the core reason for influencer marketing and not only that but she is an advocate in everything that she does. Kim Kardashian is one of the most hard-working most inspirational businesswomen of this decade and no one can tell me shit. There is more than meets the eye when it comes to Kim, she is out here handling three businesses, raising a family, juggling her career a law degree whilst also helping people come out of prison. How much more inspirational can she get.
Kylie Jenner
Kylie Jenner, the worlds youngest self-made billionaire of our generation. Whether or not you believe that she is a self-made billionaire we cannot argue that Kylie Jenner was one of the most influential, if not the most influential millennial of this decade. Think about it, this woman got people onto the hype of big lips and they called them Kylie Jenner lips. She is the reason for the increase in lip injections I don’t even know lip injections but I think before Kylie Jenner is that it’s doing it and then she made a business out of it!
Chiara Ferrangi
If you do not know who Chiara Ferrangi is, she is the worlds biggest fashion blogger and the reason why fashion bloggers became so influential in the 2010s. She is the reason that they go to fashion shows, that they collaborate with huge brands like Gucci, Givenchy and Chanel. She is basically the pioneer of this whole fashion blogging industry, she paved the way for fashion bloggers and she’s probably the richest fashion blogger of our time.
Riccardo Tisci
The business of fashion name is Ricardo Tisci one of the 500 people shaping the fashion industry and that is no lie. Ricardo Tisci was creative director of Givenchy from 2005 to 2017 and during his time there he was able to revive the house for the new generation of upcoming luxury consumers also known you and me, his ideas created a foundation for the future of fashion. He’s a man that broke rules that we didn’t even know could be broken, he is so open-minded to do anything and everything and one of the main reasons as to why streetwear is so mainstream now within the luxury fashion market today because of his time at Givenchy. He was also one of the 1st to recognise Kim Kardashian and together they created what we like to call influencer marketing, well that’s what I think anyway.
Conna Walker
Connell Walker is literally one of my biggest inspirations. She started the brand house of CB when she was 17 years old and today she is 25 and has managed to turn her business into a global empire. House of CB is one of the most well-known fashion brands of our time, when I tell you everybody wants a house of CB dress! she is honestly one of the most amazing women that I have ever read about and ever come across.
Riky Rick
Ricky Rick is a South African artist he is also known as the best dressed man in Africa for me Ricky Rick is on his list because he is an inspiration to all All Africans. He is a man that has been able to show people how to push boundaries within fashion in South Africa, this man is not afraid to wear anything and will literally work it like nobody‘s business.
Jackie Aina
*Que Jackie’s intro* this is at unproblematic Queen that is literally my favourite influencer of all time. She mind is on business and talks about issues that we face not on your swimming but as black women in this industry, she calls at brands when they’re not being inclusive she holds influences accountable for their actions and addresses colour is it in the industry without hesitation. Everyone needs a dose of Jackie in their lives!
Now, this is how you do cultural appreciation! Everyone else pleases take notes. In 2016 Christian Louboutin collaborated with Senegalese artists to launch the Africaba Tote Bag. Each handcrafted bag incorporated bold Ankara prints that originated in West Africa. Louboutin contributed 10% of his proceeds to the La Maison Rose, a refuge for women in difficulty in Dakar.
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