Next Time Models

ASOS Africa's Spring 2011 Collection

Written By: Nani Hapa—ASOS Africa recently launched its Spring 2011 collection, and while I like the use of batik print, the collection falls a little flat compared to its Fall 2011 collection, which was much more vibrant. Here's what ASOS has to say about the collection:

Sampling a colour palette of rich tones, softened with neutral shades, ASOS AFRICA brings forth a sophisticated collection of cool, laidback pieces. Using hand-woven fabric, produced exclusively for ASOS AFRICA in Mombasa, the collection features a mix of elegant separates and playful feminine pieces, shot through with vibrant Kitenge prints from Tanzania. The collection is complimented by a unique range of accessories from fair trade jewellery brand MADE. Continuing the collaboration with SOKO, Bedi and the Crochet Sisters, our ASOS AFRICA collection maintains its dedication to providing vital employment to underprivileged communities in Kenya.

Take a look at some pieces from the collection below.

Written By: Nani Hapa—“As Africans we are not telling our own stories and don’t have a local tradition of creating our own fictional heroes. Eighty percent of the books sold locally are from Britain or the US. They are written by international authors and the reason they do well is that people who read them are predominantly white middle-class women who have travelled and have been exposed to the locations featured in those books,” says Moky Makura. Intent on changing this, Moky launched Nollybooks, what she calls “Africa’s own Mills & Boon,” with the hopes of getting young South African female readers interested in reading by drawing them into her light, frothy love stories. Read more »

Casio 2010 Marketing summary film including my Baby-G campaign shoot with Britiain's Next Time Model Joy McLaren

See full film at http://www.facebook.com/

Thanks to Sarah Salter, Tim Gould and All at Casio

Window Shop-Aria in Islington

Quail ceramics at my friend Carl Blucher's shop

See http://www.ariashop.co.uk/

Photo's taken on Casio EXILIM Camera

Behind the scenes-She Plays Drums

Thanks to stylist Tahirah Conliffe, hair and make-up by Sally O'Neill

See http://lyndsayevans.blogspot.com/

Photo's taken on Casio EXILIM Camera

Pet of the month-Daphne

Thanks to owners Brix and Philip Start

See http://www.start-london.com/

Photo's taken on Casio EXILIM Camera

Genevieve Nnaji: "What I Don’t Like About Nigeria? … Man, I Never Diss My Own Country."

Written By: Jamelia Mmari—Genevieve Nnaji recently sat down with CNN International's Pedro Pinto for a full-length interview with African Voices. When asked what she likes about Nigeria and correspondingly, what she doesn't like about Nigeria, she had the following to share, proving why for many she reigns supreme:

By Rosie Rittenberry

By Eric Shaw

Austra

I had a chance to catch this wonderful group at the Shangri La at the All Saints party this sxsw. Really lovely live.

"Beat and the Pulse" by Toronto trio, Austra

Does It Matter That The Covergirl And First Playmate Of The Premier Issue Of Playboy South Africa Is A White South African Woman?

Written By: Nicole Parker-Jones—Playboy Enterprises Inc. is expanding it's empire into Africa—South Africa specifically—with the April 2011 launch of a South African edition of its famous (or as some may say infamous) Playboy Magazine. The introduction of Playboy South Africa has resulted in much fanfare, but some are criticizing the magazine for featuring a white South African woman—Tracy McGregor on the cover. Blogger Mika Stefano shared in his post Playboy South Africa, How Wack: "I found it weird that South Africa would launch Playboy SA and not have an African woman on the cover … I’m not saying Tracy is not African, all I’m saying is, I am sure they could have found a black model to grace the first issue of Playboy SA ... its a nice cover, but I dont see anything that makes it any different to Playboy USA or Playboy anywhere else?"

Leandra Medine, Editor of the brilliant blog, The Man Repeller.

New York Fashion Week AW 2011...Before Rag & Bone Men's

Paris Fashion Week AW 2011...Isabeli

Brazilian model Isabeli Fontana- sooooooo beautiful :)

New York Fashion Week AW 2011...Jenna

The inspirational and super stylish Jenna Lyons, president and executive creative director of J. Crew.

Paris Fashion Week AW 2011...After Rochas

Sade To Release "The Ultimate Collection" Album and Announces New Tour Dates

Written By: MIM!—As a follow up to the platinum-selling Soldier Of Love, which spent three weeks at the top of the Billboard album chart and garnered a well-deserved GRAMMY, Sade is back with The Ultimate Collection.

Soul Video: Leonie Casanova's Broken

Written By: MIM!—Leonie Casanova is a London-based singer-songwriter who was born and raised in Zambia. She was schooled in Swaziland, England and the USA where she studied Economics and French Literature before working on Wall Street. Leonie's background has deeply informed her approach to song-writing and what to her is the intrinsic and essential story-telling element of this process. She is a smart and sensitive lyricist and vocalist and manages to cross and fuse genres and musical "textures" fluidly.

She was approached by the director and producer of the film The World Unseen, a drama set in 1950's apartheid South Africa in which Leonie also stars in. Leonie was able to draw inspiration not just from the complexity of the relationships and topics explored in the novel (and the script), but also from her own experiences as a child in and in close proximity to South Africa, during and post Apartheid. Watch the music video for Broken below.

Leonie Casanova "Broken from MAREK KREMER on Vimeo.

For more information about Leonie Casanova, visit her Facebook and MySpace pages.

(Photo Credits: © Enlightenment Productions)

Weekend To-Do List: Watch "Skin" Starring Sophie Okonedo (Now Out On DVD)

Written By: MIM!—Skin is one of the most moving stories to emerge from apartheid South Africa: Sandra Laing is a black child born in the 1950s to white Afrikaners, unaware of their black ancestry. Her parents are rural shopkeepers serving the local black community, who lovingly bring her up as their ‘‘white’’ little girl. But at the age of ten, Sandra is driven out of white society. The film follows Sandra’s thirty-year journey from rejection to acceptance, betrayal to reconciliation, as she struggles to define her place in a changing world—and triumphs against all odds. Watch the trailer below, and catch it on DVD now.

SKIN Trailer from Sandra Laing on Vimeo.

For more information, visit www.skinthemovie.net.

In Limited Theatrical Release Now: Desert Flower Starring Liya Kebede

Written By: MIM!—Desert Flower, the biopic about model Waris Dirie starring Liya Kebede in the title role, has made its way Stateside, and is in limited release across the United States. If the trailer below doesn't convince you just how powerful this story is, read our interview with Waris from October 2005: The Truth About FGM. The critics are also moved. The New York Times writes, “The film, based on Ms. Dirie’s memoir of the same title, is heartening both for Ms. Dirie’s rise-and-overcome tale and for the reminder that a helping hand from a stranger can still occasionally be found in this unkind world. But, of course, it’s also disheartening because of what was done to Ms. Dirie, a moment revisited in a hard-to-watch flashback. The film makes bluntly clear that this is a trauma that lasts a lifetime.” This Day Live echoed similar sentiments, “It is hard to sit through Desert Flower without the nagging thought about the inhumanity of the female genital mutilation, or FGM for short. It is also hard not to credit Waris with not only the courage of escaping from the clutches of this bestiality, but also for telling the world her story.”

Desert Flower (Wüstenblume) - Trailer English from MajesticFilm on Vimeo.

Sunday's Child: Sunday Omony

Written By: MIM!—Sunday Omony was born in the war-torn region of northern Uganda. When she was six years old, her family migrated to Canada. Despite being miles away from her home country, Sunday has remained connected—to name a few of her volunteer efforts: she continues to partner with organizations promoting peace and human rights, and she is involved with GuluWalk, a campaign that supports war affected youth in northern Uganda. A firm believer in giving back, in 2004, she founded a non-profit organization called Immigrant Youth Empowerment Society. We caught up with the model (and hilarious comedian) to find out more about Sunday's child.Read more »