Hiya,
So pictures from the Arise Fashion Week that recently held in Lagos are out and pardon me readers, I am about to have a 'say it like I mean it' moment with this post!
My understanding of a fashion week is that its a time for designers, upcoming and established to set the bar for fashion. The models they send down the runway are supposed to portray what's in vogue from HEAD to TOE. Pick up any fashion savvy European magazine like Vogue for instance and you will read about the fashion trends including HAIR trends set by designers during the latest NY or Paris Fashion weeks. Even Essence Magazine has a segment online dedicated to the past NY fashion week hair styles. Do you want to know whats styles are trending this season?;
Slicked Back hair;
Big puffy hair Teased to the max;
Then there were the Designers who went all out in making a statement;
So pictures from the Arise Fashion Week that recently held in Lagos are out and pardon me readers, I am about to have a 'say it like I mean it' moment with this post!
My understanding of a fashion week is that its a time for designers, upcoming and established to set the bar for fashion. The models they send down the runway are supposed to portray what's in vogue from HEAD to TOE. Pick up any fashion savvy European magazine like Vogue for instance and you will read about the fashion trends including HAIR trends set by designers during the latest NY or Paris Fashion weeks. Even Essence Magazine has a segment online dedicated to the past NY fashion week hair styles. Do you want to know whats styles are trending this season?;
Slicked Back hair;
 |
| Cushnie et Ochs Spring Summer 2012 |
 |
| Ruffian Spring Summer 2012 |
 |
| Badgley Mischka Spring 2012 |
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| Douglas Hannant Spring 2012 |
High Double Knot Updo
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| Gwen Stefanie's LAMB Spring 2012 |
Short shaggy hair with feathers
Messy Low Ponytail
So you can imagine my disappointment as a hair blogger when I looked at the pictures from the just concluded Arise fashion week and saw drab boring hairstyles all across the board! Nothing new or innovative that you could look at and say; that's a cool African inspired hair style! The only designer that stepped outside the bore box went with red Chinese bob wigs!
Horrendous!! I felt like screaming; WE ARE AFRICANS!! Can we swap these boring straight wigs with some cool Bantu Knots?Madonna will rock them and call them her invention! Lets take a look at how some popular designers styled their models' hair;
Jewel By Lisa
Most of the models had their hair pulled back in a boring, dull ponytail(with no tail) like this;
Jewel By Lisa for instance has achieved international acclaim for her unique creative Ankara pieces, just imagine her models coming down the run way with strong Afro puffs! WOOT!!! WOOT!! Who remembers Thread? Models can thread or even braid their hair in very modern silhouettes that could bring a whole meaning to these classic hairstyles. How about long Bob Marley braids like this;
Heck full on dread locks? Are they telling me that if a model with dread locks came in to audition for the show, they will not pick her based on her hairstyle? You might be asking yourself what I asked myself; how will Arise fashion week appeal to non African models if the designers require them to have African hairstyles. Well my response to that question is; the same way African Models have to get their hair( what is left of it) straightened and sewn with a weave, all that stress to fit in is the same way our African fashion week should require non African models to fit into Africa, if they need to wear an Afro wig, fine, if it's braids then they should have braids on, Bantu knots? Cool, roll their hair into knots! Let Statements be made; this is an AFRICAN fashion week!
Yes I know its the clothes most people are there to see but is it really? if it was just all about clothes I am sure Badgley Mischka, Micheal Kors and all the designers I showcased above will save the stress and send their models down the runway in ponytails. Even when ponytails are made in NY Fashion week, its not just any old, dry and dull ponytail! its glossy, rich, most times the hair will be wrapped around the pony, or the pony is messy (like Michael Kors model above) not what I saw in the Arise pictures, cut off the models' heads from the pictures and you will never guess they were walking the run way; its just a case of pure lack of creativity or laziness!! I am seriously considering an idea that came to my mind that will help showcase true African hairstyles. Till then I hope this rant is shared and those who are concerned will sit up! Next Arise Fashion week should inspire everyone from head to toe!!
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| Jason Wu Spring 2012 |
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| Michael Kors Spring 2012 |
So you can imagine my disappointment as a hair blogger when I looked at the pictures from the just concluded Arise fashion week and saw drab boring hairstyles all across the board! Nothing new or innovative that you could look at and say; that's a cool African inspired hair style! The only designer that stepped outside the bore box went with red Chinese bob wigs!
 |
| Re Bahia Arise 2012 |
Jewel By Lisa
Most of the models had their hair pulled back in a boring, dull ponytail(with no tail) like this;
And then she threw in the Odd model in a full fringe;
Tiffany Amber; Guess What? SAME THING!! most models had hair pulled back or with a center part and then out of nowhere a model with a full fringe surfaced;
EJIRO AMOS TAFIRI;
Made models wear Hausa type hats but those left without hats once again had pulled back dull hair
 |
| dull hair! |
Except for just 1 model;
 |
| How Refreshing |
CLAN; DEOLA SAGOE'S Daughters' line; With such a fashion forward mum, I thought there might be some hope but nope, not when it concerns hair styling!! Same old all back hair
You see, most of the designers have sold out ( to western styles) even in their clothes and might totally get stomped internationally by already established names because of their generic and basic style
choices but if they embraced their origin a bit more, maybe just maybe they would stand out internationally!
Jewel By Lisa for instance has achieved international acclaim for her unique creative Ankara pieces, just imagine her models coming down the run way with strong Afro puffs! WOOT!!! WOOT!! Who remembers Thread? Models can thread or even braid their hair in very modern silhouettes that could bring a whole meaning to these classic hairstyles. How about long Bob Marley braids like this;
Heck full on dread locks? Are they telling me that if a model with dread locks came in to audition for the show, they will not pick her based on her hairstyle? You might be asking yourself what I asked myself; how will Arise fashion week appeal to non African models if the designers require them to have African hairstyles. Well my response to that question is; the same way African Models have to get their hair( what is left of it) straightened and sewn with a weave, all that stress to fit in is the same way our African fashion week should require non African models to fit into Africa, if they need to wear an Afro wig, fine, if it's braids then they should have braids on, Bantu knots? Cool, roll their hair into knots! Let Statements be made; this is an AFRICAN fashion week!
Yes I know its the clothes most people are there to see but is it really? if it was just all about clothes I am sure Badgley Mischka, Micheal Kors and all the designers I showcased above will save the stress and send their models down the runway in ponytails. Even when ponytails are made in NY Fashion week, its not just any old, dry and dull ponytail! its glossy, rich, most times the hair will be wrapped around the pony, or the pony is messy (like Michael Kors model above) not what I saw in the Arise pictures, cut off the models' heads from the pictures and you will never guess they were walking the run way; its just a case of pure lack of creativity or laziness!! I am seriously considering an idea that came to my mind that will help showcase true African hairstyles. Till then I hope this rant is shared and those who are concerned will sit up! Next Arise Fashion week should inspire everyone from head to toe!!
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