utamaduni-blog

Lauryn Hill Performs in Rwanda

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:03:26 +0100

And wear this DOPE Tribal print jump suite

Perfect summer wear colors diggin the red boots

This reminds me of when Lauryn performed in Kenya after floodies

and her hair is looking right i'd seen her in wigs recently just assumed she backslid. Love Lauryn hope to see more of her around our way.

For Tribal print summer wear visit our webstore

Fashion week Dakar

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:06:20 +0100

Dakar fashion week was held July 13th- 20th. With a concentration of fashion weeks in South Africa its good to see more and more African cities hosting their own fashion weeks. Situated on the tip of the Cap Vert Peninsula, the modern capital teems with life and boasts luxurious hotels, a wide range of restaurants, beaches and watersports, a casino and an active nightlife scene. It is also one of the busiest ports for cruise ships in Africa.

The vibrant bright colors synonymous with Africa were full fledged

There will be no jacked up weaves at this fashion week (LOL)

help a sister out, these lovely ladies multi task

The darker the berry........

Here's to more successful fashion weeks across Africa.

credits: vakwetu.blogspot.com

Class in Casual wear: Gwen Stefani

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 12:19:05 +0100

Gwen stefani is one of my style Icons, she knows how to dress up when the occasion calls for it, but she also knows how to dress down and have "style dignity" in casual wear. Here are some of my favz

Exhibit A: When the outfit isn't on point but it feels good on wear Killer heels

Exhibit B: the world of sweaters has really improved, play with shapes and lengths and always do big bags.

Exhibit C: How sick is this vest?

Exhibit D: Be comfortable, the pants with the draw string are too cute, and you know they'll fit no matter what you ate, the baggy vest is still interesting coz of the shape on it and the wedges will give you height and still look good.

for more lessons on how to look cute this summer see our sundresses and summer wear and accessories section.

Bling It!!!!!

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 11:14:35 +0100

It was made famous by the egyptian pharoes and African Kings and nobility and was thrown back into this generation by hip hop, gangsters, rappers and pimps (dont you love how the universe works)

Many of you may not know this but I LOVE me some bling on a man. Fellas don't listen to the critics of bling, they just dont understand that sometimes you want to spend money on something that makes you giggle to your self. Bling is really self indulgent (in a good way).

Dont get me wrong I love it when a man buttons up but he's gotta be able to flip and get gully at the drop of a dime.

The Shirtless bling:
remember this video.... Nelly shut it down. CAUTION: this look is best done by a well worked out, oiled up man (Even Janet couldn't keep her hands off him)

Jesus Pieces: personally I'd do an ankh but to each their own and besides rappers have souls too

Vanity piece: thats the one with your face, name or logo (for your company) on it. You gotta be your number one fan right?? BTW love rick ross.....am the biggest boss (yezr)

Lil john is the king of CRUNK so its only right that he wear this.

Residual self Image Piece: This is an aspirational piece, more of who you want to be, slick rick is a rich Afrian king below so he blinged up like it

This picture of Kanye west was taken at the King Tut exhibition he's clearly channeling that energy

check out the life and styles of African kings

jump into our tribal accesories

Crushing on pearls

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:39:48 +0100

Pearls have been infamous for dawning old ladies in a very "I'm simple plain and have no imagination" kind of way. So its not surprising that they originally put me off.

However, a good friend (and total sweet heart) gave me some amazing pearl earrings and reminded me that pearls were beautiful luxurious beauties that if done right , ROCK

So this is how you do pearls.

Talk about crushes am totally crushing on kelis have y'all seen 4th of July video, she is to dope for words, and quite frankly I think she wrote fire works and acapella especially for me, she was like...."wambui will love these" but I digress.
Do pearls in unconventional ways, like kelisses head piece awesome...takes the grandma right out of pearls

Another one of my favs solange wore pearls on her feet , how completely diva and luxurious of her

Rihanna killed the look by chunking them up, pearls used to be the quiet accesories before it got BOLDED up

Fashion Lessons women of the swahili coastal tribes

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:13:24 +0100

Learn from the creators of tribal trend, tribal chic....

Go sleeveless and chunk up on bangles and bracelets

Pure high quality leather is the only way to go

The leso is timeless fabric, it'll never go out of style

When hanging out with your gals don't clash always compliment each others look

credit: swahiliculture

FREE SHIPPING on all purchases over $100

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 14:36:11 +0100

Yes ladies and gents, we are giving you an opportunity to go kuku on our website. All purchases over $100 get free shipping.

Here are some fantastic items you can get for about $100
   +
Siri plus tribal mini= $115 qualifies for FREE shipping

Another example
   +
Confused Zebra $55 plus short and sweet $55 = $110 Qualifies for FREE shipping

OR

+ +
Jungle mania $ 65 Plus Custom order fee $15   plus matching elasticized belt $25 = $105 qualifies for free shipping

Mix and match, buy a bunch of items you've always lusted after but was scurrrrred to buy coz of shipping :)

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!!!

Our Services

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:59:35 +0100

Custom Orders: For an additional $15 we will custom make any of our clothes to your specific measurements. After you have completed your purchase process fill out the custom order form. You can custom make items from previous collections that have been discontinued. All custom orders are shipped in 2 weeks or less worldwide.

Whole sale orders: We offer special pricing for any whole sale orders. Businesses or individuals that want to purchase more than 12 items will receive whole sale pricing. Simply fill out the whole sale order form and we will give you a quote within24hours of request.

Take advantage of our services to make your purchase extra special. for additional inquiries please email us at utamaduniwear@gmail.com

The Life and STYLES of African Kings

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 08:08:01 +0100

African Kings by Daniel LAINÉ

The Nyimi Mabiintsh III is fifty years old. He acquired the throne at the age of twenty.

As a descendant of god the creator, the king is attributed with supernatural powers.

Due to his top position he is restricted by several contraints: he does not have the right to sit on the ground, and he cannot cross a cultivated field. Apart from his cook, no one has seen him eat. Moreover he never travels without him, and his personal cooking ustensils.

It took me three weeks to photograph the Nyimi( king ) of the Kuba in his royal apparel, the "bwantshy". The outfit made out of material stitched with beads and "cauris"( small shells used as money in Africa ), weighs 160 lb. It takes more than two hours to dress the King, and two days of spiritual preparation to be sufficiently purified in order to wear the outfit.

The weight and the heat of the bwantshy is such, that it is impossible to wear it more than one hour. The preceeding King had only worn it three time during his entire life.

Akan chief from Ivory Coast wearing solid gold ceremonial glasses during traditional ceremonies in Dabou.

Xhosa of the Transkei, the king lives poverty on a kraal (farm) in the Umtata area. His authority and prestige have not survived the Xhosa people's tragic history. In the early nineteenth century. Nguika, a Xhosa chief, committed the terrible blunder of appealing to the English to defeat his rival, Ndamble. The English made him pay dearly for their support. For over fifty years, they harassed the Xhosa. Not content with defeating them, they humiliated them. Sir Harry Smith, an English high commissioner, had a peculiar sense of decorum: he imprisoned Chief Sandile and his Xhosa warriors when they came to sue for peace, and forced the chief to kiss his boots. In 1854, when the Crimean war erupted between Russia and England, the Xhosa believed that the Russians were blacks come to free them. They acted on the prophetic vision of Nongqawase, a sixteen-year-old Xhosa girl, who had seen her dead ancestors emerge from a river in carriages and order her people to slaughter the livestock and stop cultivating the land. On the day of deliverance, the two red suns would appear. Then an army of the dead would arise, hordes of livestock would invade the hills, and the Russians would sweep the English from the surface of the earth. Those who refused to follow the prophecy would perish in a terrible hurricane. Some Xhosa believed in this formidable vision. In the years that followed, more than twenty million Xhosa would die of hunger.

Dress like an African queen shop apparel or shop accessories

Credits:African Kings by Daniel LAINÉ

Cape Town Readies for FIFA world cup

Fri, 28 May 2010 14:37:47 +0100

CAPE TOWN — The hottest ticket this summer isn’t a trip to Saint-Tropez, Capri, the Greek islands or the Hamptons — it’s the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, which kicks off on June 11.

One of the biggest events in international sports, the World Cup takes place every four years, with millions of devoted football (also known as soccer) fans around the world following every game during the five-week tournament. It is said the World Cup is even bigger and more popular than the Olympics. This is the first time in the cup’s 70-year history that it will take place on African soil, and the football frenzy is definitely reaching fever pitch in South Africa.

Though the opening and closing ceremonies will take place in Johannesburg’s impressive new stadium, Soccer City, Cape Town also will see some action.

On Cape Town’s streets, the vuvuzela, a native South African trumpet, blares in low but sharp-toned triumph, while the national flag and those of the 31 other participating countries gaily festoon cars and buses. On casual Fridays in this most casual of nations, everyone, from shop assistants and students to office workers and chief executive officers, is encouraged to wear football-inspired gear, preferably the bright yellow-and-green T-shirt that is the uniform of the national team, fondly nicknamed “Bafana Bafana.”

Even Nike, Adidas and Puma have gotten in on the action. Adidas created a giant Bafana Bafana jersey that is touring the country, collecting signatures scrawled on the T-shirt itself.

Nike launched the “Bleed Your Colours” campaign, teaming up with renowned South African designer and illustrator Kronk to create a crest and a mascot that would be colorful insignia and a two-headed mascot, representing both fan and footballer.

And Puma unveiled a collaboration with Kehinde Wiley, one of the world’s most sought-after urban artists, to create its 2010 Puma Lifestyle Africa collection. Seven of Wiley’s boldly patterned and wildly colored graphic motifs appear in the collection of apparel, footwear and accessories. In addition, Puma commissioned Wiley to create original works of art inspired by three of football’s biggest stars — all African: Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o, Ghana’s John Mensah and Ivory Coast’s Emmanuel Eboue. The artworks are part of a global art tour that commenced in Paris this year and culminates in Cape Town, at the Studio One Gallery on Bree Street, just in time for the World Cup.

In between matches and training sessions, Eto’o himself might be spotted on Cape Town’s streets, along the Waterfront or hanging out in the seaside cafes and bars on the Camps Bay promenade. In fact, there should be plenty of famous players for fans to see, including Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, Gianluigi Buffon and Thierry Henry, as Portugal, England, Italy and France are all scheduled to play first-round matches in Cape Town, in the newly rebuilt 68,000-seat stadium in Green Point.

The stadium is only one of several ambitious building projects the city of Cape Town has undertaken in preparation for the World Cup. Recently, the scaffolding was lifted off the revamped Cape Town International Airport, and the result is a dramatic, modern and glamorous edifice whose roof slopes, dips and curves to echo the wings of an airplane.

Indeed, the new Cape Town is sexy and glamorous, and the so-called “Platinum Mile” extension in the V&A Waterfront shopping complex is proof of that. Completed toward the end of 2007, the Platinum Mile was built with the intention of luring luxury labels to the massive mall. While most of the labels were opening their second South African boutiques after Johannesburg, some, such as Jimmy Choo, Burberry and Gerard Darel, have chosen to bypass the bigger city in favor of Cape Town for their South African debuts.

“Cape Town is fast becoming one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world,” stated Tamara Mellon, founder of Jimmy Choo, upon the opening of the brand’s 800-square-foot store two years ago. “It is an exciting new market with a genuine demand for luxury.”

Burberry, whose 2,346-square-foot Platinum Mile boutique incorporates the new design concept created by creative director Christopher Bailey, certainly is aware of the international allure of Cape Town.

Ceo Angela Ahrendts said, “One of our key company strategies is to accelerate retail-led growth on a global basis. We recognize the potential in the South African market with both local luxury fashion consumers as well as a flourishing tourist market and anticipate further expansion in South Africa.”

Matt Morley, commercial director of the Southern Africa Luxury Association, pointed out that “Cape Town is more about positioning, really. The market is seasonal — the summer months are December to March, when mainly Northern and Western Europeans make their way down to Cape Town to enjoy the glorious sunshine when it’s winter back home.”

It was important for luxury brands to get a foothold into the market for many reasons, he added. “Luxury brands need to have a presence in this market in order to cater to these well-heeled tourists, as well as to build brand awareness for the future, when the South African middle class does rise up. It’s got to be a long-term vision,” he said.

credits:

by Bambina Wise

Posted Monday May 24, 2010

From WWD Issue 05/24/2010