don't be a cameleon

It’s been a while… during this ‘gap period’ I’ve been searching for African pieces & artistry worth sharing with the rest of the universe. I must admit it’s a bit difficult.

During this search my eyes gazed upon a woven piece that chauffeured my mind back to a rural village in uMzimkhulu where I visited my grandmother. My mind wondered off to a 2 hour’s journey to uMzimkhulu where African women sat on the road sides selling and mastering their ancestral craft of weaving mats, baskets, bowls and almost any domestic items worthy of weaving. In year 2011 this is all in the yesterday …

True of the saying –‘when something dies, something is born’. Madwa – a sustainable craft project based in Madagascar, Swaziland and South Africa, offers a great opportunity for African artisans to preserve their unique craft heritage.

Madwa supplies renowned stockists who style exclusive game lodges and international 5star hotels …Not only is ‘something born’, it now lives. This has inspired me and should inspire every African to help preserve their ancestral craft and pay homage to those who created it.


My Nandi feature for this post – Simphiwe Dana

Le nkosazane left me in absolute awe with her Kulture Noir album which saw her win 2 awards for Best Female Artist and Best Contemporary Jazz Album at the 2010 Metro FM Awards . Her music is bathed in consciousness – she celebrates being an African, cries for our freedom and she does not mince her words about how important education is.

She has surely set the bar with her Dana’s Black Culture Education Tour, the tour is to promote literacy and education by asking the public to donate books to children.
Now ask yourself -what can you do to bring about change in Africa ...

African Beauty Defined

Being inspired by all things African - Yoruba Afrique is proud of a beauty entrepreneur making the most of South Africa’s botanical riches. The Nigerian-born Zeze Oriaikhi is the founder of an organic body and hair products’ brand called Malée, dubbed the Korres of Africa.
When she moved to South Africa after living in England for 12 years and started to have skin problems, she knew there was nothing wrong with the products she was using because they were fine when she lived in England. She knew the problem … those products were not designed for the South African climate.
And thankfully to this anecdote Malée was born - http://www.maleeonline.com/blog/

Yoruba Afrique wishes Malée all the best as a young African brand in the skincare sector – a relatively new domain on African shores.

my Nandi feature for this post - Lindiwe Suttle

Yoruba Afrique continues to be fall in love with Lindiwe Suttle’s sense of style and Puma has embraced this “nkosazane’s” eye as she has designed 2 sneakers for Puma – kudos to her.

Naija Inspired!

 “If a nation’s culture – its collective artistic expression – could be distilled into a menu, then Nigeria’s signature dish at 50 would probably be isi-ewu washed down with Dom Périgon. The country is a self-consciously brash mix of traditional and modern, confirming and upsetting all the conventional wisdoms of how its cultural flavours should taste” –Arise Magazine, Nigeria celebrating their Jubilee (50 years of independence -01 October 2010)

The latter is a true testimony of what has flourished out of this country – Fela Kuti serenades our ears with beautiful sounds, Oluchi Onweagba embraces the fashion billboards of New York, Lisa Folawiyo of Jewel by Lisa continuously produces the most gorgeous clothing pieces for women and my all-time favourite female author – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie to name a few.

And guess what … the word Yoruba refers to a Nigerian (West African) ethnic group – On another day, I’ll fill you in on why I decided to call my offering Yoruba or Yoruba Afrique.

My discovery to close off the week is Terence Sambo. He is a junior fashion editor of FAB magazine – visit his blog - http://terencesambowrites.blogspot.com/ for some male design inspiration.

wonda da 1st thought in a newborn's mind ...

I welcome my 1st offering - Yoruba Afrique Lifestyle -  to this new world.

Through Yoruba Afrique I hope to fuse African & European creative tastes to create unique pieces.

Through Yoruba Afrique Lifestyle I hope to explore other African talents & experience their offerings and in the journey of doing so, share it with the rest of Africa.

Proud to note that Zimbabwe will be having their 1st Fashion Week in 2011 - thank you Priscilla Chigariro.

...God bless Africa!