Lagos – Bonita Valli

Eugene

Remember my post The Spider King’s Daughter? Well, lo and behold, I spotted the object of my desire at Terra Kulture last Tuesday and just HAD to buy. I was going to give her a Nigerian name seeing as she’s the Nigerian interpretation of the Pandora, but Taiwo classed that too cliche and so we went with Eugene. Uncommon yet precious.

No. She’s no Charlotte Olympia, but she sure as hell will do! Hope you like as much as I do.

xXx

Ps: Eugene comes with two ankara purses AND a chain strap. Can you say BARGAIN?

PPs: Does anyone know the designer?

PPs: Have you spotted my shellac nails? I’m thinking I should do a post on them.

Once Upon a Sunny Christmas

It’s not difficult to get me in a good mood. My friends often tell me that I’m too easily pleased and excited more often than necessary. Given the aforementioned facts, you can only imagine the excitement that raged through me on Saturday, November 30 when my friends from Uni, Sarah and Mayuri arrived in Lagos, Nigeria with the intention of spending an entire week as far away from home as their minds only ever dared to travel.

You’d imagine that the cheerful warmth, sticky humidity and bright sunshine of the Nigerian Christmas differs significantly from the bitingly cold and pristine white of the British Christmas. So it was no surprise that a spell of confusion accompanied by a smile with disbelief covered Sarah and Mayuri’s faces every now and then.

We spent endless hours stuck in traffic, several instances encapsulated in awe and countless moments drunk with laughter. Below are pictures once upon our Sunny Christmas….

xXx

Ps: I’ve had my natural hair out for over a month!!! I’m so proud of myself. Nappy Beauties, visit my friend Esione’s blog: http://beautifullynappy.wordpress.com/

Pps: It’s CHRISTMAS!

Anniversary GIVEAWAY

They say idle hands are the Devil’s workshop and so a year ago, when I was through with exams and seeking a fulfilling way to occupy my new found freedom, I started a Fashion Blog. To celebrate my blogs first anniversary, I have decided to hold my first GIVEAWAY.

Up for grabs is one item that summarize my fashion and encapsulate my style:

HOUSE 38 blouse.

This seemingly simple blouse materializes my personality from the sequin embellished collar to the unsuspecting drop hemline. The chiffon feel is best suited for the easy, breezy, laid-back days, while the red buttons add an understated pop. Available only in a British size 8/10 (I’m not too sure, I got rid of the tag), all you need to do is post a comment along with your name and email address. Feel free to enter as many times as you want. The deadline for entries is the 6th of June 2012, after which I will no longer accept entries. Unfortunately, I’m only able to ship within Lagos and to the UK.

*Necklace not included*

xXx

Ps: Don’t forget to leave your name and email address

PPs: The winner will be chosen using a random generator

PPPs: I slipped today at work and came crashing down flat on the tiled floors of the 17th floor. It was an ugly sight and hurt my tooshie 😦 Luckily, I had a ponytail to cushion my head 🙂

Day 1: MTN Lagos Fashion and Design Week

Style House Files presented the first Lagos Fashion and Design Week sponsored by MTN. The show ran from Wednesday the 26th to Saturday the 29th and seeing as I was interning backstage as well as front house for the duration of the event, I experienced a lot of drama and was under immense pressure.

Leading up to the event, I had showed up late at a briefing with Blow London, the PR team in charge of the event. This is because until the very last minute, I was uninformed about the time and date of the briefing. You can only imagine my fury to find that not only was I the last person to get there, but I was also the only one that was informed at the very last minute. All eyes were on me as I walked in and all talk about punctuality appeared to be directed towards me solely. From then on, I made up my mind that I’d do everything in my power to alter this perception.

On Wednesday the 26th we were all to arrive at the venue, Eko Hotel, at 9:00am prompt, however I showed up at 8:30am and my plan was already in full swing. Michael B from Blow PR told me just how impressed he was with my punctuality and as a result, I was made the coordinator of all interns backstage. Equipped with a walkie talkie and clipboard I started assigning interns to the various design teams.

Right before the show started, I was told that I’d be working front house as well as backstage as I would be calling the show assisted by John backstage, Ola the sound technician, Dada the lighting technician and Jenny, Darrell and Micheal the front house team. As you can imagine it was manic, there was tons of pressure and communication was key.

Nevertheless, I pulled off the job and still managed to get a good view of the show. I must say, I was particularly impressed by Phunk Afrique’s Collection. The splash of colour, the feminine maxi’s and the chiffon were all objects of my wardrobe fantasy.

My backstage Pass

Right before the designers began coming in. I had to wear all black!

A list of the models and their groups.

Akpos Okudu (a nominee for MTN young designer of the year). You might remember her from my LPM post.

Jess Stefani another nominee for the MTN young designer of the year.

IamIsigo yet another nominee

Koketso pieces

Me and Funke Ogunde, the designer of Phunk Afrique

My favourite piece from the Phink Afrique Collection

Another one of my favourites from the Phunk Afrique Collection

xXx

Ps: I take no credit for the last two photos.

Pps: Sorry, it’s a rather long post.

House 38

There’s something about fashion that makes my pupils dilate, I get these involuntary spasms and a bit of a twitch before my body manages some form of composure…. Well Saturday evening was no different.

Accompanied by Taiwo, I hunted down the store I’d been hearing about all over Twitter, House 38, and upon arrival at their opening week sales, we were welcomed by Sinmi, a co-owner of the label. She made us feel very much at home as we were fixated by the exquisite beading incorporated in their pieces. I was half way through the burst of colour when Damola, the second half of the brand, came out to greet us. Not only were the owners themselves an absolute pleasure to meet, but the effortless chic transcended in each impeccable piece was a rarity in modern day fashion. There was a piece for every occasion and I was thrilled to have found my Lagos shopping spot.

Here’s how my interview with House 38 went:

1. House 38 is an interesting name choice. What brought you to it?

We went through the process of trying to find a name that said something about both of us, that we both loved. The conversation went back & forth, until we decided on House 38 – which is the house we grew up in.

2. What do you hope your pieces say when others wear them and in a sense represent you?

We tend to design our clothes to showcase our love of timeless and classic style. So, in a sense, our pieces should not be seen as trendy but as clothes that would stand the test of time.

3. What’s the one accessory that would go with any House 38 outfit?

A pair of black pumps.

4. How would you describe Lagos fashion?

An amalgamation of so many influences that just creates this very vibrant scene. The best thing about Lagos fashion is that there are some people that follow trends, but at the same time there’s a class of people that you see on a daily basis that are not afraid to step outside of the norm. They are not afraid to experiment with color, texture, and fashion in general. So as designers, Lagos fashion is very inspiring because it creates this fearlessness, as you would sense that there’s someone out there who understands your vision.

5. I’m a fan of all things Harry Potter so I have to ask: If you stood in front of a boggart, what would be your biggest fashion faux pas?

[S says I LOVE YOU!!!] Unfortunately, D doesn’t watch or know anything about Harry Potter.]

S: Gosh! It’ll have to be this pink denim with a rainbow wash on it, and sequins.