According to their website, A Leap of Style is a line of bold, globally-inspired, awesomely fitted clothing for the modern woman. The mission is to give women clothing that makes them feel beautiful and feminine, but also bold and confident. The designer is in the midst of preparing to launch a Kickstarter campaign on April 30 to fund production of the next collection (The Blue/Bird Collection). Find out all about it on their website and peep more pictures below.

INSPIRATION 

"I wanted a collection that was sultry, confident, risky and yet elegant."
 Check out the rest of the collection below ....

Le festival international de la mode Africaine (FIMA) took place last week in Niger. This year  marks the eighth edition of the festival which was founded  in 1998 by the one and only Niger designer Alphadi(The festival happens every 2 years). This festival brings together some of the biggest names in African fashion including Mustapha Hassanaly, Alphadi, Pathe O, Daviva, Elie Kuame, Maimour, to name a few.This year more than 200 people in the African fashion industry  including designers , models, stylists made their way to the festival. It also aims to introduce young talents of our continent and to develop their craft. FIMA is not often talked about on the multitude  African fashion websites or covered in the mainstream media ,but one thing we should know is that Fima has been there before all the so called  African fashion weeks. Starting  a fashion festival in Africa is very challenging as it is but doing it in a country where 90% percent of the population is muslin  is even more challenging.

Ayaan and Idyl Mohallim the designer behind Mataano brought us back to spring/summer   at the Africa fashion week with their collection filled of tropical colors. The models walked the runway floor length dresses,  floral  rompers  and jumpsuits, full  and knee  length skirts.  The collection was very chic and playful  and  definitely set the standards very high.  You can learn more about Mataano by reading my interview with them here and check out their previous collections. 

Hey Fashionistas,
I hope you are all having a great week.  The weather is been so good to us in Toronto lately  however I have a feeling that it might just gets cold out of nowhere soon. As much as I like the work of the African designers in the Diaspora I get very excited when I receive submissions from the Designers that are working hard back home because they deserve as much exposure.   Anyways I would like to introduce  you today to a new Brand called Tap Designs.  Thorpe Weyinmi, Adeosun Toluwalase and Patrick Ifie are the designers behind this line . Tap Designs mainly use African print fabric for their designs. This collection "Urban Afrique" is very modern , colorful and chic.

Since an early age she has always been influenced by the creative arts. In 2005 she went on to study fashion and clothing, and after achieving her qualification at Southgate College in 2008, she dedicated the following year towards developing her craft.One of her aims has always been to create designs that incorporate her African origins into the more western, modern style of fashion; an aim she has achieved, and in doing so was able to find opportunities to showcase her first two collections, which successfully graced the catwalk across various shows in the UK.

Eredappa 2011 Autumn/winter collection

  Beshlie Mckelvie, great granddaughter of the influential designer William Shand-Kydd, collaborated with the Sophia forum, (www.sophiaforum.net), the UK Chapter of the UNAIDS Global Coalition on Women and HIV, to create this Exclusive Collection made by Kenyan women. The aim of the project is to raise awareness about the huge issues facing women in relation to HIV. She worked directly with the team of Soko Kenya and aimed to create a sustainable  fair trade employment to some of Kenya's poorest of poor.  The fabrics have been sourced locally using traditional printed Kangas.You can find out more about Beshlie by visiting her site at (www.beshliemckelvie.com)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - New designer Adjoa Osei launches capsule
wardrobe July marks the official launch of Adapt by Adjoa Osei, an exclusive and rare collection from London’s newest designer of the same name.Adjoa Osei’s capsule collection, Adapt is an effortlessly chic array of hand finished jersey vests, loose fitting tops and bright maxi skirts all emboldened with a signature woven West African print detail.

Designer Profile
Nana Afua Antwi, current Top Model of Colour UK  is the founder and creator ‘adopted Culture’ fashion brand and  Akosua Ode Foundation . She is originally from Ashanti Ghana  and she is  known to be one of the top African emerging models in the UK   Ever since crowned the winner for Top model of Color UK it’s been one of her greatest achievement to beat over 3200 applicants to make it to the top of such a well known Model competition for models of Colour and within one year in the modeling Industry she’s got massive exposure and has been a great inspiration for young upcoming models.

Akua Serwaa-Sarfo is a Ghanaian-born aspiring fashion designer, producing apparel for women and accessories for women and men. . She is a full time student (Heath Science) and a part-time designer.She taught Herself how to sew June 2009 and have designed and sewed every piece of IyZaiah’s first collection.

I've got to give a big up to my naija people for their creativity. Over the last year or so we've seen countless of fabulous designers emerging from Nigeria.Being an African designer is not only to use African fabrics but also thinking outside the box.Today I am introducing for the first time Sally Bawa .As their website describes "the Sally Bawa vision is one that was conceived 10 years ago on a cloudy dreamy day amidst the hubbub of the busy Lagos metropolis. It still is a work in progress.

Jamie Boyfriend Jacket

Pearl 11 30 was created in April 2010 by Ade Yusuf, a brand birth out of passion and love for celebrating and expressing one’s individuality through fashion. The brand offers styling (Image branding), affordable ready to wear and tailored outfits that are produced to the highest quality standards. They  have developed a unique factor through their personal style by bringing out the real individual out of our Clients and paying keen attention to details.


The brand personifies sophistication, class and timeless pieces/style. Ade Yusuf " We consider the instinct and everyday needs of practical life; from dresses to skirts, jackets to tops to shirts, pants to jumpsuits, glamour combined with classy chic for play as well as work."

Mina Danielle designs

Mina Danielle designs is a ready to wear African inspired clothing which  was founded in 2009 by Dorothy Attakora, a native of Ghana. Mina Danielle designs are exclusive afrocentric creations that take rise from the beautiful continent of Africa. They feature everything from vibrant batik’s, traditional ashante kente, bold tie dye’s that make a statement, to riveting wax prints and glamorous lace prints.

Modahnik is an ethical luxury line.Fusing her African heritage with her Western design sensibilities, Kahindo Mateene, the designer behind Modahnik, creates modern silhouettes that accentuate a woman’s curves and are visually appealing. The use of Hollandaise Wax, an African influenced colorful fabric, alongside silk satin is at the essence of Modahnik. The creative vision of Kahindo Mateene epitomizes the chic and sophisticated lifestyle of the modern woman without compromising femininity or quality. Modahnik is a socially conscious clothing line that is produced in Africa using fair trade practices. Modahnik’s debut collection for Fall 2010 showcases flattering sexy dressing in ladylike shapes. Ruching, ruffles and bold prints are just some of the feminine details sprinkled in this collection.

According to her website Nigerian born   Joan Ibuzo is a Wife, Mother, Fashion Designer, Entrepreneur and the brain child behind House Of Marie. Joan’s unique talent and modern vision has fueled her rise as the leading creative force behind one of Nigeria’s most celebrated fashion houses. A driven Designer whose passion has always been Fashion.  She organized numerous fashion shows and events and was even highly instrumental in finding the talented Agbani Darego who later went on to win the “Miss World” competition in 2001. Using  a vast array of the industry exposures and archives as a starting point, she transformed House Of Marie’s classics such as the Floral Dress pattern and traditional west African attire and iconography into novel and hugely successful designs. Joan has been making trend setting designs on and off for the past 9 yrs until 2009 when she officially launched her line and Brand “The House Of Marie”.