SL Buy-It-Now: One Mango Tree Scarves [$18.20]

Lately we've found it much easier to include Africa in our closets through accessories, and Uganda-based One Mango Tree's scarves are a good place to start if you haven't already. Here's what you're paying for:

Handmade by a group of skilled artisan weavers at Wawoto Kacel Cooperative Society in Northern Uganda, these scarves are made from gorgeous hand-dyed cotton.  The designs are developed by the artisans themselves - a unique pattern that resembles the ikat weavings of Central Asia.

These scarves pack quite the punch, no? Shop an assortment of colours here.

- SLiq

Shop Liquorice's "Buy-it-Now" series takes our obsession with "Shopping Africa" a little further. Need chic and cheap pieces and not sure where to look? Eager to include Africa on your shopping list but don't have lots to spare? Shop Liquorice's "Buy-it-Now" presents the most fabulous finds on the web, so all you have to do is click and wait for your piece of Africa to make its way to you.

Lookbook: Lola Faturoti A/W 2011 [Ethnic Modernism]

Regular readers may have caught our sneak peek early last month and had their appetites whet in preparation for the main course - which itself makes us wish Lola Faturoti would hurry up and give us e-commerce already. She always brings a distinct sophistication and mastery to her treatment of print and her Fall 2011 Ethnic Modernism collection juggles everything from 60s Op Art to leopard print and polka dots. Silhouettes are at once relaxed and fitted, giving ample room juxtaposition and movement. Other highlights include her toughening it up with leather and fringe (our alter egos would totally wear the Maureen Jacket), the darling bows and pleats, and her use of coral, which we wish we got a little more of.

Thoughts? Any pieces in particular calling out to you?

Shop Africa: Aya Morrison belts

2010 saw several designers diversifying their offerings to include accessories. Can't afford the $1,000+ dress? Try the pocket-friendly necklace. Or in Aya Morrison's case, these staple skinny belts are a good place to start. $35 (or less if you take advantage of their ongoing promotion) for a piece you'll wear over and over again? Not bad at all. Shop here.

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Happy new year from all of us at Shop Liquorice! Please stay tuned all-year round for more exciting updates from Africa's budding - and blooming! - fashion scene & thank you for your encouraging support last year :-)

XO

Sweet Tooth: Silky Smooth

[l-r: Duro Olowu, Orleans Designs, Jewel by Lisa]

Our latest Sweet Tooth craving? Silk. This season, patterns are transferred to this new medium, resulting in a slinky vibe infused with all the ingredients that make for instant, understated glamor. Also, while "tribal" motifs are typically printed on cotton, more and more designers are exploring the place where print and silk mesh with magnificent results. Here are our picks up close and personal:

COLLAGE 1

a) Duro Olowu struck gold several years ago with his kimono-style silk printed dresses and the love affair with silk continues. We love this floral maxi-dress and the mixture of vivid print with a more subdued vintage-like print.

b) This scarf from Orleans Designs (*edit* now Eki Orleans) features an Africa-inspired pattern on silk, quite like several of the dresses from this design house. If you're looking for an accessory that pays homage to a vibrant continent or just an accessory that's bound to make things pop, you've come to the right place. [Buy here]

C) Jewel by Lisa is famous for exploring new mediums and elevating African Print from something commonplace to something beyond. This silk top is absolute perfection and the richly embellished neckline just might make us hunt it down.

[l-r: Nasty Gal, Tiffany Amber, Maki Oh]

COLLAGE 2

d) The love affair with silk started with a major crush on basic silk tanks with breast pockets and this tank from Nasty Gal is the perfect encapsulation of our craving. Basic and ultra glam in the same breath and very high on our wish lists this summer. [Buy here]

e) The Tiffany Amber brand has found its way into yet another Sweet Tooth spread with this beauty. The design house collaborated with renowned artist Kolade Oshinowo and printed one of his masterpieces on silk. We recently saw this piece at one of Tiffany Amber's stores in Lagos and were in awe.

f) Leave it to Maki Oh to create a jumpsuit that features African print of the sort that's not quite mainstream just yet. Maki Oh dips into the ancient world of western Nigeria's tie-and-dye/batik procedures with this one, creating a piece that's a perfect fit for the cultured and stylish. [To order, e-mail info@maki-oh.com]

Hope you enjoyed :-) Anyone out there craving silk as much as we are?

XO