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…
Speaking on the ‘Inspirational Nigerians panel’ at Africa Rocks Expo
I will be taking part in the inspirational Nigerians panel at the Africa Rocks Expo this Sunday, a one-day event celebrating African culture and showing why Africa is a great place to visit, work and do business in. This year’s expo focuses on Nigeria and “aims to dispel the misconceptions and show people that Nigeria is…
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…
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 – Mary Ononokpono of Mononoko
The mission of the MsAfropolitan Boutique is to showcase a handpicked range of products made by African Diaspora women on a rotating basis. Visit us here. Through this work, I meet many inspiring women whose Afropolitan stories are featured in an interview series features which you can follow here. Last week the MsAfropolitan Boutique added its…
African style in an ethical context
Not for the first time but nevertheless significantly, African fashion (that is to say fashion from the range of African countries and the diaspora!) is again at a historical conjuncture marked by an increased consumption of what the continent has to offer style-wise. This time around the African fashion revolution is coming at an age…
Listed as 1 of 7 African diaspora women using fashion for change
Do you know of the Africa Centre in London’s Covent Garden? If you don’t it’s a kind of home away from home for Africans in London. It hosts regular events of interest to diaspora groups, it sells books and other lovely products and it’s of historic significance. Despite this, it was revealed this year 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…
Breaking it down – V&A Friday Late Afropolitans
Last Friday MsAfropolitan and I (some split-personality going on) participated in a wonderful event at the V&A Museum in London. We presented a fashion show and a panel discussion to a visitor count of over 5,000 people. Here are some of our, okay my, thoughts on the event. By the way, if you’re new to…
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…
This is not a fashion blog
Sometimes people introduce me to others as a fashion blogger. And although I once wrote that fashion is not for African women I like the creative art of fashion. The way we can express our individuality by what we wear. I love the burst of African fashion on the international scene thanks partly to magazines…