Arise Magazine African Collective fashion show Fall

Saturday night at Bryant park Arise magazine African Fashion Collective show part 3 took place this time featuring only three African designers, Black Coffee of South Africa, Loin Cloth &Ashes of Tanzania and Deola Sagoe of Nigeria. For the first time I sat on the front row in the big tent. It was such a good feeling to be seated there. Where you sit says a lot about you and how much power you have. If you are sitting row 1,2, and 3 then you are in the game. For me it was not so much about being in the game or not. I just love the idea of being able to take good photos and to look at all the details on the garments up close, even the little tiny ones. Among the models who walked for Arise was the new Face of Africa, Lukando Nalungwe from Zambia who walked the runway in Loin Cloth & Ashes garments.

Black Coffee Fall/winter 2010:

Black Coffee opened the show with an amazing opening scene. For Fall 2010 Black Coffee collection was inspired by the simple structure line of the African masks. Voluminous cocoon look like coats in pastel tones of rose, peach and aloe were featured on the collection. The inspiration was so vivid in structures, cuts and shapes of the coats done nicely especially from behind as the models walked away. However, the oversize coats did not make easy for some of us to see the beautiful draped dresses worn underneath them.

Loin,Cloth & Ashes Fall/Winter 2010:

Anisa Mpungwe inspiration came from her father's hometown of Ifakara in Tanzania. She played around metallic golds and silvers, dark hues of blacks, greys with a hint of eclectic blue on the accessories and some of the foot wear. The collection included flirty form fitting mini dresses, harem pants but done in a more modern way , bolero with ruffles on the hemline and long flowy garments like the skirt worn by the new Face of Africa and giants stripes portraying the zebra effect.