Ever wondered where the African wax fabric comes from? I like this guest post by Nma Uche (nmauche) as she blogs for Zigida.
I have ordered a few pieces from Zigida myself and will be reviewing as soon as I receive them! Excited 🙂
My favorite is the Village Molekai dress…Gorgeous!
Black and white is such an easy but classic combination and I love a midi paired with over-the-knee boots 🙂
I will provide reviews of some of the garments and accessories available at www.zigida.com in the order I receive them. The store is not yet open to the public but feel free to register to be notified when it is ready. In meantime, stay tuned for my reviews here at ebelandi.com 🙂
The Brand: Fenix Couture
The IT Factor: Bright colors and structured lines with the expected Dutch wax prints
The Inspiration: Per the website, the label is inspired by nature, “which is reinterpreted to render its designs in dramatically romantic prints and imagery. The goal of the Label is to bridge the gap between print wax materials and other materials in the consciousness of the fashion world”
The Designer Behind the Brand: Josephine Akioyamen, Nigerian-born with formal education at Nicky Africana Fashion School in Lagos and at the George Brown College in Toronto Canada
Country of origin: Nigeria – Canada
Notable Awards: None that I could find
Website: Fenix Couture
Where to buy: Fenix Couture Online Shop
Sissi’s Notes: I love the structured looks because they say classy, polish and feminine without being overtly sexy. My favorites above and below. All images courtesy of FenixCouture.com
The Brand: Viktor & Rolf. Images under this post are credits to Style.com
The IT Factor: For their Spring Summer 2015, the fashion house went for over the top and 3-D effects. I like the use of the Dutch wax prints to create illusions of floating flowers; however, the designs are so over the top, I wonder who can wear them in everyday life…I loved the simpler cuts of the Fall 2015 line instead. Sharp, colorful and elegant.
The Designer Behind the Brand: Viktor & Rolf.
Website: V&R
Last March, I had posted on Stella Jean’s collection for Farfetch.com. I have found more details on the designer after stumbling upon the Abina website, and was pleasantly surprised 🙂
The Brand: Stella Jean
The IT Factor: You have Italian crisp master tailoring with ankara, Dutch wax prints. I LOVE!
The Inspiration: Thanks to Google Translate, the website states that “the style of Stella Jean reflects and evokes his métissage and his Creole heritage that blend the cultures of the old, and the verve of the new continent” all coming together in a femininity conscious of her precious uniqueness” . The moto is “Wax & Stripes Philosophy”.
The Designer Behind the Brand: Stella Jean. What caught my attention is that Stella is of Haitian origins, so I could not understand her connection to African prints, really. Well, she feels connected to West Africa (am guessing that is where Haitians are originally from per her website, but I will need to dig deeper on the subject, maybe on my next Afrique et Culture post 😉 ) To me, her clothes look African, but they feel Italian. Very sharp design, and pricey to match it.
Country of origin: Italy – Haiti
Notable Awards: None that I could find…very surprising.
Website: Stella Jean
Where to buy: Farfetch.com, matchesfashion.com. Some of my Favorites below.
link to purchase dress
link to purchase dress 
link to purchase skirt
link to purchase skirt
link to purchase top
Sissi’s Notes: So sharp, please keep up the good work, Stella! And maybe a cheaper line for those of us who cannot spend $2,000 on a single clothing item.
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Patterns - Colors - Inspiration
Natalie. Writer. Photographer. Etc.
Data Scientist based in Victoria, BC
...The voices in my head ...
eBelandi 