Who Wore What: Estelle in Mimi Plange Fall 2011

Estelle turned up at BET's Black Girls Rock! event yesterday looking resplendent in red - one of the songstress' most stunning looks yet, following a recent style shift and interest in more ultra femme elegance.

A fitted silhouette, a pleated, ruffled neckline, and a labyrinth of gems pay homage to the ancient art of scarification, and transform Estelle into quite the bombshell. Easily Mimi Plange's most memorable red carpet appearance -- wouldn't you agree?

Visit: Mimi Plange

- SLiq

Photos: The YBF, Zimbio, Beauty is Diverse, Taletela

Who Wore What: Caroline Issa and Michelle Obama in Duro Olowu

An invite to Downing Street for post-fashion week festivities requires something out of the ordinary, so Caroline Issa (who we've featured here before), editor of Tank Magazine, decided on Duro Olowu. Graphic, bold, but still completely graceful. Here are other times Caroline has been spotted in Duro Olowu:

Who Wore What: The Deola Sagoe & Duro Olowu Edition

[Alek Wek in Deola Sagoe. Image via Haute Living]

Africa spotting is one of our favourite past times here at Shop Liquorice, and the WIE Ladies Night Cocktail Hour and Gala Dinner event this past Saturday is our latest playground. 

Who Wore What: The NYFW Edition [Jewel by Lisa, Duro Olowu, Suno NY, Virgos Lounge]

We spy with our little eyes quite a few folks wearing pieces from Shop Liquorice favourites (Jewel by Lisa, Duro Olowu, Suno NY and Virgos Lounge) out and about at New York Fashion Week. First up, we have blogger Joy Adaeze in a Jewel by Lisa dress accentuated with a gorgeous array of accessories. We especially like her chunky floral pumps. Read Joy's NYFW highlights here.

We spotted this photo of Essence Magazine's Janelle Hickman flying from one Tumblr to another, and we're not sure if it's from this round of shows or not, but we love to see a Jewel by Lisa piece out and about.

Bethann Hardison chose a floral Duro Olowu dress for the designer's Spring 2012 collection. There's a Duro Olowu dress for everyone, it seems, and Ms. Hardison wears this one well. Couture Lab has a similar piece here. [Photo via thestyleandbeautydoctor]

It's very blink-and miss, but we love how Thelma Golden wears her support for her husband, Duro Olowu. She is pictured at Duro Olowu's S/S '12 show in one of our favourites from Fall 2011 (now available at Barneys). [Photo on right via HauteFashionAfrica]

Who Wore What: Hafsat Abiola-Costello in Lanre da Silva Ajayi

Taking a short break from our NYFW coverage to bring you the latest cover of Nigeria-based TW Magazine.

This issue sees Hafsat Abiola-Costello (daughter of late Chief MKO Abiola and late Mrs. Kudirat Abiola, and founder of KIND Nigeria) in a silk floral floor length dress adapted from Lanre da Silva Ajayi's Modern Age collection, as first seen at Arise Magazine Fashion Week, Lagos.

Dramatic voluminous sleeves consisting of petals and string adorn an already stunning bodice embellished with swarovski crystals.

We wish more had been done with Hafsat's hair, and accessories had taken another direction entirely, but all in all, another good cover (albeit rather cluttered, unlike previous editions) from TW Magazine.

- SLiq

Who Wore What: Princess Caroline & Desiree Rogers in Duro Olowu

August 5, 2011: Even princesses wear Duro Olowu to balls. Princess Caroline of Monaco chose two pieces from Duro Olowu's Spring 2009 collection for the 63rd Red Cross Ball in Monte-Carlo - a silk dress combining a floral print and polka dots, and a silk jacket with angular sleeves and an upturned collar. Princess Caroline was also spotted wearing Duro Olowu here. 

August 12, 2011: Seven days later, Desiree Rogers chose Duro Olowu Fall 2010 for the 9th Annual Hoodie Awards in Las Vegas. She wore a multi-print dress (very classic Duro) similar to the dress Thelma Golden chose for her appearance in O Magazine here and also at a dinner party here. Get yours here.

Two fantastic appearances indeed.

Shop Duro Olowu online at Net-a-Porter and Couture Lab.

- SLiq

Photos:

Style [Here and here]

Zimbio

The House of Fabulous

Who Wore What: ASA in Kemkemstudio

Asa wears 3 looks from Kemkesmstudio's F/W 2011 collection

Fashion and music go hand-in-hand not least because artistes tend to wear their sounds quite literally, so when Nigerian-born Asa revamped her image from tomboy to girly girl with a dash of sexy, touches of make-up crept in more prominently and her wardrobe underwent quite the overhaul. One Nigerian-owned brand, Kemkemstudio, has been with her for the ride.

When Asa shows up on stage or at shoots these days, it's not uncommon to see her in  a Kemkemstudio piece - a firm nod to her Nigerian heritage with a fine blend of contemporary sensibilities. In Kemkemstudio's hands, the traditionally stiff aso-oke typically reserved for social gatherings takes on a more relaxed appeal, but that's not all there is to Kemkemstudio. Creative Director Kemmy Solomon talks of the 'internationalism' intrinsic to her work, and a 'worldly sense of style'. A perfect choice, then, for Asa, whose music takes her everywhere.

3 looks from Kemkemstudio's A/W 2011 collection as seen at Arise Magazine Fashion Week in Lagos. [Photos courtesy of Haute Fashion Africa]

Cover Girl: Deola Sagoe//TW Magazine July/August 2011

In the past few weeks, the Deola Sagoe brand has slowly but surely crept back to the front and centre of our collective consciousness. 2011 kicked off with an appearance at the BET Honors Awards (Anika Noni Rose chose Deola Sagoe for the event), then came the formal launch of their polo and denim collection and the debut of Ori Oke (from the Japanese shibori and the Yoruba aso-oke) at Arise Africa Fashion Week in Lagos. Deola Sagoe also won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the event.

More recently, Deola Sagoe has been interviewed by Essence magazine and has been mentioned in a Financial Times article centred around luxury. She's also TW Magazine's July/August 2011 cover girl, and an effortlessly beautiful and accomplished one at that. Expect a closer look at her influences and what has kept her ticking non-stop for the last 22 years and counting.

- SLiq

Who Wore What + Shop For Less: Mrs O in Duro Olowu

There must be something pretty special about Duro Olowu's Spring/Summer 2010 collection for Michelle Obama to have worn pieces from it 6 times. She is pictured here wearing a tank (same motif as the sleeves in the photo on the left) at the Washington Nationals vs. Chicago Cubs baseball game Wednesday last week. This brings Michelle Obama's Duro Olowu count to 10 (and one accessory).

Need a piece of Duro in your closet? Quite a few of his pieces are available in the Net-a-Porter and Barneys sales. Shop here and here.

- SLiq

Pictures courtesy of Style and Mrs. O

Collage by Shop Liquorice

Who Wore What: Michelle Obama in Duro Olowu

We speculated yesterday that there could be yet more Duro Olowu appearances in South Africa, courtesy of Mrs. Obama, and here we are again. Mrs. O has clearly taken a liking to Duro Olowu's Spring 2010 collection (notice the blue motif in the look on the right corresponds with Mrs. O's shirt). This is her 5th look from the collection and her 9th Duro Olowu piece. She is pictured here speaking to high school students at the University of Cape Town.

- SLiq

Image credit: The Associated Press

Collage by Shop Liquorice

Who Wore What: Michelle Obama in Duro Olowu & ASOS Africa

Since we've been gone, Michelle Obama has had three notable Africa-related moments, two of which have brought her Duro Olowu count to 8 pieces (5 of which she has worn in 2011 alone). We spotted the first look from Duro Olowu's Spring '11 collection on the set of iCarly (above). Her silk knit shirt is currently available in Net-a-Porter's ongoing sale for $392 (down from $980). See a clip of her appearance on iCarly below:

Next up, Michelle Obama arrived in South Africa (she'll also visit Botswana on this trip) wearing Duro Olowu again, this time a piece from his Fall 2010 collection. Naturally, there had been much speculation about whether or not Michelle Obama would support African designers on this trip, and she turns to a tried and tested favourite to end the speculation.

Today, Michelle Obama supported made-in-Kenya label, ASOS Africa, wearing a piece from their Spring 2011 (available here for a little over $60) collection. Regular readers may recall that SOKO Kenya is responsible for the sourcing and production of the ASOS Africa collection, so we can't imagine how wonderful this must be for them. What makes this especially remarkable for us is that we always harp on about how there are many ways to support Africa and Africans, and Michelle Obama shows us that if we can't go high-end, we can certainly go high street. A wonderful testament to Michelle's versatility, and Africa's.

Of course, now we really can't wait to see what she'll wear next. Perhaps one or two more Duro Olowu looks? Suno NY, maybe? A local South African designer? Time will tell.

Shop Duro Olowu online:

Couture Lab

Barneys

Net-a-Porter

- SLiq

Photos:

Mrs. O

Huffington Post

Collages by Shop Liquorice

Who Wore What: Kadaria Ahmed x Ituen Basi

The May issue of TW Magazine features Kadaria Ahmed, Editor of NEXT Newspapers, decked out in a colourful array of distinctly Ituen Basi accessories. Needless to say, very few designers have the balance of traditional and contemporary down pat like Ituen Basi, whose work ranges from elaborate and intricately detailed frocks to multi-purpose bows.

Kadaria Ahmed won many hearts when she moderated Nigeria's NN24 Vice-Presidential and Presidential debates. She wore Ituen Basi both times, so the choices for her TW cover shouldn't be much of a surprise.

Each piece Kadaria wears is available online courtesy of our friends at My Asho, so your  first or next Ituen Basi purchase is just a few clicks away. Happy shopping here.

- SLiq

TW Photo courtesy of TW Magazine

Photos and descriptions in collage courtesy of My Asho

Collage by Shop Liquorice

Who Wore What: Suno & Duro Olowu @ Ikram Boutique's 10th Anniv. Celebration

Ikram Boutique (probably most famously known as Michelle Obama's favourite style hunt) recently celebrated ten years of being in business. Being a well-known stockist of Duro Olowu and Suno, we expected to see one or two looks from them -- we got FOUR.

***  

We love the look above from Duro Olowu's Spring 2011 collection - an exquisite silk floral dress with voluminous sleeves for effect.

The second look we spotted (below) took it way back to Suno's debut collection in 2009 when kanga print was all we knew the brand for.

Below, Suno co-designer Erin Beatty wears an adapted S/S 2011 look, featuring a beaded bodice and a ruffled printed skirt.

And, finally, here's Thelma Golden wearing a see-through printed dress from Duro Olowu's Spring 2010 collection. You may remember seeing a similar look on Caroline Issa about a year ago ago.

As for our favourite piece, we'll go with the white and floral maxi - two of Spring 2011's biggest trends very elegantly tackled in one look. Which look most appeals to you? Any you would've worn differently?

- SLiq

Collection photos courtesy of Style and Suno

Party photos courtesy of Paper Mag

Who Wore What: Oroma Elewa in Maki Oh F/W 2011

Oroma Elewa - Editor-in-Chief of Pop'Africana & Maki Oh muse - is pictured here at a dj'ing gig wearing a sheer shirt from Maki Oh's F/W 2011 collection. Trust Maki Oh to make pieces that are anything but standard. If anyone captures the spirit of Maki Oh, it's Oroma, and it's always a delight to see her wear her support. In case you missed photos from Maki Oh's F/W 2011 show at Arise Magazine Fashion Week in Lagos, enjoy the coverage on Fab Magazine's blog and One Nigerian Boy. It'll do your soul some good.

- SLiq

Photo of Oroma: Pop'Africana

Maki Oh Runway Photo: Fab Magazine

Who Wore What: Lisa Folawiyo in Jewel by Lisa

Between collections and look books, the most discerning brands have the important job of keeping their fans and customers interested and loyal. We love Jewel by Lisa's most recent approach - Lisa Folawiyo (Creative Director of Jewel by Lisa) packed a case full of JBL pieces for her New York trip and will showcase 10 of them over the next 10 days. For DAY 1 (yesterday), Lisa went to her most recent collection (A/W 2011 - Africa's Definition of Global Luxury) and picked a graphic shirt dress and gilet. We can't not mention the Chanel boots - JBL has always oozed luxury, so it's only fitting to see their pieces alongside the world's finest. In a nutshell? Very chic, very creative modern working woman.

DAY 2

For Day 2, Lisa went to her S/S '11 Global Minimalism collection and chose a gorgeous pleated mini skirt in a custom JBL print paired with a belted Fulster Mac, LNA shirt and gold strappy sandals. A delightful summer day look from head-to-toe. We're inspired!

Which look is your favourite so far? Stay tuned for 8 more looks over the next 8 days!

- SLiq

Photos of Lisa courtesy of Zara Okpara/Jewel by Lisa PR

Who Wore What: Michelle Obama wears Duro Olowu on the Oprah Show

Just earlier today, we remarked that Michelle Obama's Duro Olowu count was now up to 5, and 3 of those looks were from his Spring 2010 collection. Well, make that 6 total and 4 from Spring '10. Of all the designers she could've chosen for her appearance on Oprah's show (taped today, to air on Monday), Michelle Obama chose Duro Olowu once again. What a phenomenal, breathtaking moment for us at Shop Liquorice and for many of you, no doubt. We're four months into 2011 and it's very, very clear indeed that it's shaping up to be The Year of Duro, and, needless to say, we're exceedingly proud and overjoyed.

Michelle's dress retails for $1,436 at Couture Lab. You can also shop Duro Olowu at Barneys, Net-a-Porter and Yoox.

*edit*

Video footage from The Oprah Show, courtesy of NBC:

View more videos at: http://nbcchicago.com.

- SLiq

Photo:

Huffington Post

Who Wore What: Duro Olowu, 2 Springs Apart

There's a certain woman that wears Duro Olowu convincingly, and Thelma Golden (Director and Chief Curator at the Studio Museum, Harlem, NY and Mr. Olowu's wife of 3 years) ranks pretty high on that list. Here she is at the Art Production's Good & Plenty Benefit (April 11, 2011) wearing a Spring 2008 piece. She almost always wears Duro Olowu, and most certainly wears him well.

A few days earlier (April 7), Michelle Obama wore her 5th Duro Olowu piece and her 3rd from his Spring 2010 collection. Mrs. O is a good lesson on how to approach a Duro Olowu piece if you're colour or pattern shy: contrast with a solid!

- SLiq

Photos:

Billy Farrell Agency
Mrs. O
Style
Vogue

Who Wore What: Michelle Obama in Duro Olowu

Late last year, we were quick to spot Michelle Obama in a floaty Duro Olowu dress (top right). Far from being an isolated occurrence, it turns out Mrs O has been wearing Duro Olowu since 2008 (at leaast) when she addressed an Obama rally in a Spring 2008 green safari jacket (below) - a jacket she has worn at least twice since then.

Who Wore What: Liya Kebede in LemLem

Liya Kebede at A Tribute To The Models Of Versailles wearing Lem Lem Poncho

The first thing that probably comes to mind when one thinks about Liya Kebede is super model - and perhaps all-round super woman comes a very close second. Following a trip back home to Ethiopia in 2007, Liya founded Lem Lem - a label of ethically-produced pieces that keep the tradition of weaving alive in Ethiopia:

Supermodel / actress and World Health Organisation's Goodwill Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, Liya Kebede discovered that traditional weavers in her native country of Ethiopia were losing their jobs due to a decline in local demand for their goods and wanted to do something about it. Recognizing the beauty, quality and historic significance of their work, Liya started Lemlem in 2007 as a way to inspire economic independence in her native country and to preserve the art of weaving...[Lem Lem]

The Handmade Process

Today, Lem Lem's handmade goodness has made its way all over the world and is stocked in several stores and online at Barneys, J.Crew, Les Nouvelles, Lem Lem and Net-a-Porter (coming soon).

Lem Lem's Kalkidan Poncho

At Shop Liquorice, there's a special place in our hearts reserved for brands than not only reference Africa in their work and produce their pieces in Africa, but also brands that preserve traditions and cultures unique to the continent. We're excited about Lem Lem -- are you?

XO

Photos courtesy of:

YBF

Lem Lem

Who Wore What: Eku Edewor and Dolapo Oni in Tiffany Amber + Lanre Da-Silva Ajayi [TW Magazine, Dec. 2010]

The December issue of TW features two of Nigeria's hottest rising stars - Eku Edewor and Dolapo Oni, hosts of MNET's Studio 53. Eku wears a knockout silk print jumpsuit from Tiffany Amber's Autumn/Winter 2010 collection, while Dolapo wears an ultra chic dress by Lanre Da-Silva Ajayi. Screen sirens indeed.

--

XO

Photos courtesy of TW Magazine + Tiffany Amber