Time4Fashion

Black fashion

HOW TO SUCCEED IN FASHION. . .

AFRICAN CATWALK, Creativity, Designer, Fashion, TIME4AFRICA, Time4Fashion

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DARE TO BE DIFFERENT

Be the brightest light in a sea of grey sameness.

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PRETTY LADIES ALL IN A ROW

When I see the pretty ladies, all in a row – at the metro, in the marketplace. . . Sure they are pretty and elegant. And they all look the same – same tops, same skirts,  shorts, leggings, whatever, same shoes, same make-up. SAME is a SHAME.

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JUST BRICKS IN A WALL

The guys are even more uniform: same short hair, same designer beards, same tight jackets, skinny pants. Individually, OK they look cool. Together they are like little toy soldiers in the North Korean army.

GAULTIER: « HERE I TAKE EVERYTHING ONE STEP FURTHER »

Find YOUR point of difference, YOUR very own DNA: a twist – métissage – genderbender – afrochic – neopunk – snobby – slutty. . . Above all DARE

BE PROUD – STAND OUT IN THE CROWD 

AFRICAN CATWALK

Africa, South Africa, Creativity, AFRICAN CATWALK, Fashion, Patricia Okello, Per-Anders Pettersson, TIME4AFRICA, Time4Fashion, ZEN4AFRICA

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A STAR IS BORN

Patricia Okello, 23 years, Ugandan model, now based in South Africa and shortly NYC – the Big Apple.
Patricia stars on the cover of African Catwalk, a beautiful fashion book by Swedish photographer Per-Anders Pettersson.
Bravo Patricia, by your intelligence, passion, sheer grit and beauty you made it from Kampala to Manhattan.

Once again the old adage holds true – Where there’s a will there’s a way.

 

PATRICIA OKELLO – FUTURE FASHION ICON – made in Africa.

HOW TO SUCEED IN THE FASHION WORLD – JUST ONE BIG IDEA

Creativity, Fashion, TIME4AFRICA, Time4Fashion

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40,000 BURKINIS SOLD

10 years ago Aheda Zanetti had one big idea – swimwear for women who wished to cover their bodies. Both attractive and modest. She provoked, she shocked and sales rocketed. To hell with the racist politicians – ‘the client is always Queen.’

Today’s moslem women throughout the world are starved for clothes that are both fashionable and modest. A huge market opportunity.

Don’t you wish you had thought of this?

Aheda Zanetti

SHE DID

You can – YES YOU CAN. But instead of designing attractive, but generic, lookalike garments GET OUT THERE. In the attic, the photograph albums of your grandparents, the street, especially of ordinary folk, not the rich and fashionable, the markets. . .

Look for what regular folk are wearing and what is missing. Like fashion for moslems.

I had 3 outfits made for summer in the garden and friends told me « Hey that’s what my grandpa wore in the African village. »  They’re made from light cotton, comfortable and protect my pink skin from the summer burn. See what I mean?

So stop poring over fashion mags, which put you in copycat mode, stop doing generic ethnic, and start seeking your very own, unique, winning idea.

Just like Christian Dior, YSL, JPG, Christian Louboutin – and Aheda Zanetti.

NARROW YOUR FOCUS – CREATE YOUR SIGNATURE LINE.

HOW TO MAKE IT AS A FASHION DESIGNER – ONE B I G IDEA.

Designer, Fashion, Time4Fashion

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CREATE YOUR VERY OWN, UNIQUE SIGNATURE LINE

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BRILLIANTLY

Louboutin

WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF THIS?

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SHOCK THEIR SOX OFF!

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SOLE REBELS – BETHLEHEM MADE IT, WITH OLD TYRES, NO FUNDS

Think Dior – Little black dress. YSL – Le Smoking.  Gaultier – Le Bustier. Louboutin. . .

Most wanabee designers start with a total range of OK but not unique. Don’t do this. Don’t be generic, be the special one to stand out from the crowd.

Find your idea, your signature, narrow your focus – make it your DNA.

Like today’s iconic designers, like Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu in Ethiopia, with a strong idea you can create an empire.

DON’T BE GENERIC – BE YOU, WITH YOUR VERY OWN SIGNATURE LINE.

C R E A T I V I T Y

Non classé, Time4Fashion, Time4Music

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THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GENERIC & GENIUS

 

Just like you I listen to a lot of music. Heck there is too much music to listen to. So I made a rule – if in 10 seconds it doesn’t grab me by the throat I zap and move on.

And then this morning on Facebook I hit on Solomon Burke and my EUREKA moment hit me. From the very first note I KNEW it was Solomon Burke.

WHY? ‘COS HE IS UNIQUE.

When Miles was asked aren’t there any good white jazz musicians he answered « Yeah but they aren’t creative » Cruel, but not entirely wrong – we recognize Miles, Mingus, Monk, Bessie Smith, Billie Holliday et al from the very first note.

When Jean Paul Gaultier was asked aren’t there any couturiers who aren’t gay he answered « Oui mais ils ne sont pas créatif » Cutting, but we recognize instantly a JPG, YSL frock et al at first sight.

So now my mantra is: If from the first note I say « Hey this is different I listen, if not paff! » No matter what the genre.

I’ll bet a dime to a dollar that when you heard the above either you knew instantly that it was the Duke and Mingus, or you went « Awesome I gotta hear this. »

If not you are a Backward Country Girl or Boy. 

Generic is ok for everyday, goodbye. Creative is WOW,  unique, forever and a Lady Day.

 C R E A T I V E  IS  U N I Q U E  IS  G E N I U S – OK!