Globalisation, the compression of the world through cultural exchanges and innovation, is not a new incident to Africa (nor any other part of the world for that matter). Africa is interwoven in a millennia-long global exchange, where it has often lost out but also benefited from and shaped the course of global innovation to a far…
MsAfropolitan Boutique interview series – Edith Victoria of All Thingz Nice
The MsAfropolitan Boutique aims to provide a platform where design by women of African heritage can be purchased, celebrated and reach a wide audience. We believe that all creativity is a form of storytelling and when it reaches community the outcome is transformation and empowerment. Customers are invited to a shopping experience that centers around community and empowerment, including distinct…
MsAfropolitan Boutique interview series – Margaret Kadi of Project Sierra Leone
It’s been a few months since the last MsAfropolitan Boutique Interview (with Jessica Huie of Colorblind Cards) and I’m delighted to resume the series. In case it’s your first time here, the MsAfropolitan Boutique is an online shop launched as a tribute to the African Women’s Decade 2010 – 2020 and selling design made by…
Shop design made by women of African heritage
Launched as a tribute to the African Women’s Decade 2010 – 2020, The MsAfropolitan Boutique celebrates the entrepreneurship of Africa and diaspora women as a one-stop shop for fashion, accessories, art and gift collections made by women of African heritage. In 2011, it was featured in the Huffington Post, catchavibe, SOAS World Magazine, Women of the…
Speaking about African feminism at the Global Feminism Symposium, University of Warwick
I am currently in Lagos. I am working on projects with TV and Radio Continental and the STAR company/Seeing through the Arts collective who are using art and creativity to promote important causes in society. There is a similar reasoning behind the MsAfropolitan Boutique, namely to use fashion and creativity to highlight the importance of the African…
1-year anniversary of the African Women’s Decade
Today marks the one year anniversary of the AWD. The idea of a Women’s Decade was hatched in 1975 at the First World conference on women, but it took years of efforts to dig the path that in 2008 manifested as the proposal for an African Women’s Decade (AWD) by ministers of gender and women affairs in…
Fashioning Africa exotic, colonial and tribal
African style is very much in vogue. Numerous runways in both New York and London fashion weeks could as well be called African fashion week. There were African influenced textiles such as the Malian Bogolan, also known as tribal in Donna Karan-review-speak. Proenza Schouler also gave a preview of their take on ‘modern tribal’, a key…
MsAfropolitan Boutique interview series – Jessica Huie of Colorblind Cards
Jessica Huie is truly a woman to be inspired by. She is a serial entrepreneur, founder of not only Colorblind Cards, but also a columnist, an ambassador for government initiatives and the brains behind JH PR. What I love about her the most is how down to earth she is. She radiates a confidence that…
MsAfropolitan Boutique Interview Series – Douriean Fletcher, founder of eKlektik eKhos
The mission of the MsAfropolitan Boutique is to showcase and offer a handpicked range of products made by African Diaspora women on a rotating basis. Visit us here. As part of my journey to achieving this goal, I’ve met many inspiring women whose stories I want to share with you in an interview series features which…
MsAfropolitan presents – Fashion and Talks at the V&A Friday Late: Afropolitans
MsAfropolitan is taking part in Friday Late: Afropolitans at the V&A, the world’s largest museum of art and design. In “MsAfropolitan presents – The rise of Afropolitan Fashion” myself with the help of creative director Ola Shobowalewill conceptualize the contemporary creativity and beauty of Afropolitan fashion for women. Visitors will be able to experience the fusion of bold African patterns and…
MsAfropolitan Boutique Interview Series – Aya Morrison, founder of Aya Morrison
As I was saying yesterday, the great thing about having an online boutique is that I am able to share inspiring stories about African Diaspora women entrepreneurs and discover new beautiful products. Aya Morrison is one of those women with a great story and product range. I caught up with her to find out the inspiration…
What’s great about having an online boutique
As a tribute to the African Women’s Decade 2010 – 2020, I launched the MsAfropolitan boutique last summer to celebrate the creative labour of independent African Diaspora women entrepreneurs. The boutique is currently showcasing must-have fashion, jewellery, art and interior design all made by African women. Each of the designers featured was chosen because they offer a…
The MsAfropolitan Boutique launches in tribute of the African Women’s Decade
It is not sufficient to see and to know the beauty of a work. We must feel and be affected by it. ~Voltaire The African Women’s Decade 2010-2020 was recently launched in the UK by WILPF in conjunction with the Gender Studies department at SOAS (School of African and Oriental Studies). I attended for three reasons:…