Hi guys! Back with part 2 of the Ankara Festival LA. Here are the rest of the Designers and/or people who showcased on the runway during AnkaraFest Los Angeles. Enjoy!
The Red Pump Project® is a nonprofit organization raising awareness about
the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls. They empower, educate, and
motivate action by boldly driving conversation online and offline around
HIV prevention and issues related to sexual and reproductive health.
The Red Pump serves as a symbol of empowerment representing the strength
and courage of women affected by HIV/AIDS.
Every March, The Red Pump Project asks women across the country to participate in their
signature Rock the Red Pump® (#RocktheRedPump) campaign in recognition
of National Women and Girls’ HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NWGHAAD). The
mission of the campaign is to start conversation and to motivate social
media-savvy women to use their platforms to talk about the HIV/AIDS
epidemic, specifically its effect on women and girls.
In addition, Red Pump also organizes signature events to commemorate the major HIV/AIDS awareness days of the year such as:
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Founders Karyn and Luuvie (I love her blog!) Explaining what their project is about |
Visit their Website
Here to learn more
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Love the pink skirt and the yellow/pink toned jumpsuit! |
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The yellow pants in the middle are awesome |
According to the facebook page, Edentity means Know
Thyself. The designs were very structured, with the use of prints and
color. The Edentity woman is very modern, bold and confident. The puffy
leaves scream power and the bright colors make you stand out for sure.
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Designer Nimekaly with her finale model (left) and My favorite look from the collection on the right |
I have featured
Christina Lowanga before on my
blog
during the first edition of the Facet Fashion Show last year. It's
exciting to see the growth and success of a designer that you know
personally! (She is my niece in the "African" sense lol) Her
collection, like herself, was very bold and screamed trendsetter and
Fashion forward! The overall street style chic collection was fresh, fun
and trendy. There were also some very bold dresses. But the one thing I
really appreciated is the fact she incorporated her country of origin,
Congo, in most her designs like for example the shirt with Congo 1960
printed on it, for Congo's independence year were nice touches.
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The 2 dresses on the left are definitely show stoppers lol and I adore that black crop top |
When asked what inspires her,
Christina Lowanga
replies by saying :"Well not actually what but who inspires me: my
rock, my MOM! She's always behind me pushing me to be the best that I
can be. Also, my close friends for constantly prep talking and
motivation me.
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My 3 favorite looks from the collection! Just amazing oh And Kitoko Means Beautiful in Lingala :-) |
Her new collection is inspired by the African print.
"I fell in love with it the very first time I laid my eyes on it! I
dreamed about it every night and couldn't forget about it. And blue
being my favorite color, everything tied in! Of course my African and
Urban culture had an effect, and honestly I made quite a few designs as I
went along the way."
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I really liked the back of the black dress and the hoodie on the blue dress was a nice surprise |
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Designer Christina Lowanga sharing a touching moment with her dad as he gives her a bouquet after her show |
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I really loved it that she got her daughter to open and close her runway show. She rocked the runway! |
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I would rock each of these male pieces (hides face lol but for real though) |
Evarize by Erica Varize was the closing designer and my favorite of the night. I loved every single piece that hit the runway! Erica's
work, as stated on their website, " intertwines ideas of urban chic with retro bohemian styles,
creating bold expressions of the designer's authenticity and
sophistication. She is favored for her use of high-quallity domestic
jersey knits, as well as exquisite traditional "Ankara" African wax
cotton, which she hand picks and purchases from women in Uganda."
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My absolute favorite pieces from her collection! Just amazing!!! <3 |
"EVarize clothing is designed
to be versatile and wearable, able to be dressed down as sexy casual or
refined enough to be a conversation piece at an elegant event. Erica's
designs are made for all body types, forgiving in the right places and
accentuating a woman's better features. Regardless
of the occasion, a woman donning EVarize can walk in confidence,
knowing the garment she's chosen will be flattering, making her embrace
her feminine beauty." Nothing to add since it is pretty clear ;-)
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More fabulosity! |
In addition to developing her fashion line, Erica has another passion:
teaching young people how to sew. So for the
past 7 years, she has been teaching sewing classes in eight middle
and high schools in the Bay area and offering summer camps for young
kids ( 4th to 12th grade) for 2 week sessions. During the 2 weeks
with Erica, the kids learn sewing basics, fabric sourcing, pattern
creation, clothing reconstruction, portfolio building, and at the end of
the session, the kids put on a fashion show to display to parents and
friends their new creations. How awesome!
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Designer Erica Varize with her husband after her finale show. Such a cute couple! :-) |
Check out her website Here. You can also find her on Facebook and Instagram
There you have it! Make sure you attend AnkaraFest next year so you can experience all the fabulousness yourself :-)
Merci et à très bientôt!
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