Ladybrille Woman of the Month: Teresa Rodriguez Williamson

Teresa Rodriguez Williamson is the author of "FLY SOLO: the 50 Best Places for a Girl to Travel Alone" and the founder of Tango Diva.com, a famous travel site dedicated to empowering women to travel solo by providing the right resources and information: airlines, hotels, restaurants, night live, shopping and more! She regularly meets with the movers and shakers of these industries to find quality information for Tango Divas across the globe. Since we are traveling across Africa in our April Africa Music issue, it only made sense we knock at this Diva's door to talk about travel and the entertainment business. A lucky Ladybrille reader will win an autographed copy of "Flying Solo" from Teresa! Teresa is also offering all readers and friends of LADYBRILLE.com a discount to a very exciting conference and fun time in Cancun for $1999! The conference takes place June 21st-28th. When you sign up, be sure to tell them Ladybrille sent you!

LADYBRILLE.com: Hey Teresa! How are you?
Williamson: Fabulous! I am [at] the greenroom at ABC Channel 10. I will be doing my regular "travel expert" segment in the next hour.

LADYBRILLE.com: Nice!

LADYBRILLE.com: Okay so let's talk Tango Diva. You are all about letting women know it is okay to "fly solo" and empowering them with the right resources. Tell us how Tango Diva came about? Williamson: I went through a really bad divorce in my twenties and instead of continuing to see a psychiatrist who wanted me to go under 24-hour inpatient care because I got so depressed, I decided to go to London. It was the best decision I made because it gave me a chance to "get out of myself" and see the world through different eyes. I moved to Australia, modeled and worked on a game show where I got to travel through Australia first-class while staying at 5-star hotels. I ate meals alone and I learnt to spend time by myself and not feel any stigma about it. I started sharing my knowledge with my friends and they all said I should write a book. I never followed through, until I was flying home from Machu Pucchu and we lost an engine of our plane. The cabin filled with smoke and I realized that this could be "IT"; and I never did what I really wanted to do – which was write a friendly book that inspired women to travel the world alone and gain the confidence to fulfill their dreams when they get back to their daily life.

LADYBRILLE.com: Whoa! What a story. How come you encourage women to fly solo, especially after such experience, and when we are constantly told to be afraid of everything in today's world? Williamson: Ironic, right? Because, "fear" is False Evidence Appearing Real and my mission in this life is to bring clarity, truth, and joy to the art of travel. Most of the "things" we are afraid of, we can't justify. So, I challenge women to find truth in their fears and to work through them. Travel is my metaphor for change – and through travel there are specific steps that women need to take to be safe, sane, and solvent. That is what my next book is about "Body, Mind, and Solo: The 7 Steps to Successful Solo Travel." There are places women should not go, that is the truth. So, through a few simple steps women can travel without being afraid.

LADYBRILLE.com: What are the most beautiful places you've visited? Williamson: Oh, what a question! I love Thailand. The people are so friendly, the food is out of this world, and the shopping is amazing! I also love Playa del Carmen on the Mayan Rivera – South of Cancun.

LADYBRILLE.com: What is a must have travel item when globe trotting? Williamson: A pashima wrap for the plane and to keep the night chill away. Melatonin to adjust to the different time zones, eye drops and moisturizer, my iphone with books on tape and fun music, my blow up pillow, eye mask, and ear plugs for the plane.

LADYBRILLE.com: I saw one of your clips where you were saying places like Africa can be unwelcoming towards women. Could you let us know which African countries you visited so they know next time to receive you better? Williamson: Ah, thank you. I went to Egypt and I interviewed close to 50 women who traveled throughout Africa. Those who traveled alone said they would not do so again. But the ones who traveled in groups felt safe.

LADYBRILLE.com: I remember when you started TangoDiva.com. It seemed like yesterday. Look at you now! What are some of the biggest lessons you've learned along the way in starting and managing Tango Diva? Williamson: I learned what I am good at, and what I am not. I love writing, mentoring, and inspiring women to follow their dreams. I am not good at managing staff, dealing with day-to-day operations of a company nor do I enjoy writing html code for the website. BUT, if you want to start a business, you need to know how to wear many hats, get down and dirty, and work harder than you ever had before. I also learned how much I like making money!

LADYBRILLE.com: So on point! [laughs]

LADYBRILLE.com: Part of the travel experience is definitely culture whether through music, art, food and fashions. Tell us some of the best music you've sampled. Williamson: My first introduction to fusion was a decade ago at the Buddha Bar in Paris. Since then, I have enjoyed the mixes that have come from Monte Carlo DJ's, Caribbean-African beats from Puerto Rico, Brazilian Sambas with deep spiritual rhythms. One of my favorite moments in travel was when I was in Iceland and a group of Icelanders sang me a Viking Lullaby called: Ridum Ridum - A Sprengisandi. It was a song about trolls and fairy while men rode home on horseback.

LADYBRILLE.com: [laughs] What about food? Williamson: I love spicy! Mexican and Thai are my favorites, but there is nothing as delicious as homemade white truffle pasta with a glass of Chianti at the Four Season in Milan.

LADYBRILLE: I am sooooooo jealous! Let's talk fashion! Whoo hoo! Williamson: Shopping girl! Well, I wrote a fashion article for Marie Claire so I was able to go shopping around the world! I had a pair of silk-satin shoe made in Milan at a small boutique called Veronik. I love Bangkok for custom-made suits, London for more shoes, Stockholm for Filippa K jeans sexy skinny jeans, Barcelona for colorful leather handbags, Italy for furs, and Berlin for up-and-coming funky fashions.

LADYBRILLE.com: Have you ever sampled any African fashions? Willamson: No. I need to. Set me up!

LADYBRILLE.com: I got your back girlfriend! Get on Ladybrille blogazine and check out the fashion, accessory designers you like on the right side bar. Let me know which ones you like and I'll put you in touch with them. Maybe you can work some of your favorites on your TV show? Just let me know which one you like! Some are based in the USA.

LADYBRILLE.com: What are some of the African fashion trends you like? Williamson: Color and texture. I met Wangari Mathai, she won the Noble Peace Prize in 2004 for the work she is doing in Kenya. When her tribe of women walked into the room, the energy sizzled. The dresses they were wearing were all handmade with brilliant colors, and all the women wore amazing BIG jewelry. The sense of price and beauty was breathtaking. Many of the islands in the Caribbean boast great fashion trends from Africa, like bright flowing skirts and matching head-wraps. I love it!

LADYBRILLE.com: What about African food? Ever tasted any? Williamson: Ha! You would think that I would have but besides Moroccan and Egyptian, I have not. Do you have any recommendations for me in San Francisco?

LADYBRILLE.com: In San Francisco, I have heard good things about Massawa in the Haight which is an Ethiopian Restaurant.

LADYBRILLE.com: Thank you so much Teresa. You already know I am a travel junkie so will maybe see you on one of those lovely trips. Williamson: I hope so! I will be in Cancun on June 21-28, I would love to have your readers join us!

LADYBRILLE.com: Will let them know. Sounds like an awesome time! Thanks again Chica for giving us a bit of your time. Williamson: Thank you!

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Miss Africa USA Pageant, 2008

April 3rd, 2008-- Ladybrille is proud to annouce that we will sponsor the Miss Africa USA Pageant 2008 which takes place on Nov. 1st, 2008 in Atlanta, Georgia. Produced by the African Women's Development Foundation, Miss Africa USA Pageant is a charity and cultural event that showcases Africa's beauty. The proceeds generated at the event help fund identified projects in healthcare, education and women's rights and initiatives through out Africa.

We believe the goals of the organization, spearheaded by Lady Kate Njeuma, are consistent with our mission at Ladybrille. The young women that take part in this competion are also an example of part of our target audience as they straddle and seamlessly blend two cultures [Africa and Western]. Uduak Oduok, Editor-in-Chief of Ladybrille, will also be there serving as a judge. To compete in the event, log on to http://www.missafricaunitedstates.com/ and apply. See you there!

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Sierra Leone's Chosan Shows the "Beautiful Side of Misery."

From this history: born in Sierra Leone, ranked as one of the poorest country in the world, raised in London in a single parent home, lost his father to sudden death, hit by an SUV truck in New York which had him going through physical therapy for a year to THIS! Collaborated with Grammy Award Winning Artist Kanye West on the "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" video, recently joined forces with other stellar African artists like Angelique Kidjo, Les Nubians and Vusi Mahlasela for the album, “In the Name of Love, Africa Celebrates U2,” which is released today [go get your copy!], dropped an album “The Beautiful Side of Misery,” which is making waves across the African continent and in Europe, especially with his song "Ride" and launched a clothing line, Paintsoul. Not bad? Mademoiselles, Madame et Monsieurs we present to you, CHOSAN! By the way, watch this space to see how to win some of the goodies Chosan has for you!


LADYBRILLE.com: Chosan, mennnh you are so real! I listen to your lyrics and I am just bopping my head and feeling every lyric, every word. You are so refreshing and very uplifting. What inspires you to spit [rap] with such realness?Chosan: I think that for as long as I can remember, I have always written about what I see and what my experiences in my life have been. My music is a reflection of what I see around me and what I feel.

LADYBRILLE.com: Do you write your own lyrics?
Chosan: Yes I most definitely do. No one can ever express how I feel but me. People should know that I am also a songwriter. Every song that has a hook or melody on any of my work, I created. I actually at some point want to do a project like Quincy Jones were I am writing songs for a collective group of artists.

LADYBRILLE.com: What's a typical day for Chosan?
Chosan: Well a typical day these days, the first thing I do is get up and pray and give thanks because I really believe you ain’t promised tomorrow and one should be grateful for the now. I try not to take my days and time for granted. As soon as I turn on my cell phone, I get crazy amount of messages and emails from London, Africa and so forth. Because of the time zones, their day has already started when New York wakes up. So, I spend a good deal of time responding to all that stuff, a good period of time. [Laughs] These days are really crazy because I have three big projects running at the same time! I’m working on my album, so I’m constantly talking to producers from around the world. And if I aint doing that, I am writing rehearsing or recording.

When it comes to music, I can sit down for hours listening to the same beat making sure I get the best performance I can. Secondly, I have a custom design company called "Paintsoul." We for the most part specialize in creating one of a kind designer pieces for clients.

So I’m on the phone politicking and usually chasing down money. [Laughs]. Speaking to printers, models and a lot of the time marketing for new business. I’m also working on a documentary called "The Big Show.” It’s about the after school program I fell in love with in Brooklyn. We are at the final stages, so that takes up a big chunk of my time: watching footage, consulting editors and trying to make sure it comes out as hot as possible.

This is usually my whole morning and the afternoon. I dedicate my time to an after school program in Brooklyn where I instruct music, performance and drama. This is a big part of my life and I love giving back to the kids and the community. I even teach these kids some African dialects and traditions. It’s the funniest thing in the world hearing a bunch of kids from a rough neighborhood in Brooklyn now speaking "Krio". This has become a big part of my life and I really love my work with what I call my "lil family." By the time I get back home it is REAL late. I make something to eat, spend a couple of hours answering emails again, make a couple calls and then sleep which is usually about two or three in the morning.

LADYBRILLE.com: That’s an intense day . . . how did you get into the rap game? Tell us a bit about that hustle.
Chosan: I got in the game actually in London. I had always been known as the boy who rapped and was nice. I was also known as the boy who would go and paint the trains and walls with his street name. A cousin of mine had a publishing deal and I had to beg him for some studio time. After me bugging him for ever, he finally gave in. With the finished cd, I entered it into a talent competion. I actually won the competition. I was supposed to have a distribution deal put that fell through. So, I ended up taking up all the cds and going to stores and approaching djs and magazines guerrilla style. I’m thankful now because that’s where I learnt the hustle.

LADYBRILLE.com: You talk about being a product of a broken home in your album the “Beautiful Side of Misery.” How did that affect you? Chosan: I think coming from a broken home, growing up, left me with a feeling that I wasn’t like the other kids. Something was wrong with me. I actually went into my own shell. I was real quiet growing up and hung around no one. I took my pain, anger and hurt and put it on paper or expressed it through art.

LADYBRILLE.com: Did you have any male role models, growing up, to look up to?Chosan: For me, my mother was my role model. She could study the whole night then sleep for an hour and go work two jobs. She always made sure we ate and that we had food in the house. I saw the strength in her and that she never gave up on herself or me. Other than that, we had some older folks in our community like “A,” who had a barber shop. He was a young black man with his own business. We used to hang out there and learn about business and professionalism. He was like our big brother in the hood.

LADYBRILLE.com: Your music speaks to the heart but is also controversial. Take for example "Blood Diamond." What made you comfortable to just say it as it is?Chosan: Well, first, for those who do not know, I was the voice narrating on the beginning of Kanye West's "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" video. I feel it was the first time the world got to hear my country’s language worldwide. So I was called in by Kanye himself to consult and to perform regarding that piece. The crazy thing is that exactly around that time, me and a good friend of mine Kofi Annan had started a campaign to raise awareness about the whole Blood Diamond issue [the Bling is Dead Campaign]. So what I did was I waited till Kanye’s song had come and gone, and then put mine out. I felt that I had a deeper understanding as a child that grew out of Sierra Leone, and had family affected by it all. So I felt that I had to put my version out there so the world could hear the situation from an African perspective.

LADYBRILLE.com: So you had this campaign you did saying bling is dead. Is bling truly dead?
Chosan: The campaign "Bling is dead" was started by Kofi and I. I was saying that the concept or ideology of the excessive use of bling was played and dead. You got thousands of people dying and being turned into slaves for what’s around your neck or in your mouth, that’s wack! It did not mean never wear gold or diamonds, but instead was saying, “look at what is happening to your people. Look at the war and killings for your shine.” Sometimes you have to have a shock statement to get people’s attention.

LADYBRILLE.com: Ain’t that the truth!

LADYBRILLE.com: What is your impression of Africa's hip-hop scene right now?
Chosan:I think the African hip hop scene is in a good state. Over the last couple of years, it has shown growth. You got groups from Africa that are touring the US like every other day. That helps cultivate a sense of pride. So now you got a whole bunch of young kids saying, “Wow! if they’ve done that, I can do it.”

LADYBRILLE.com: What about your impressions of Africa's music industry from a business angle?
Chosan: I think from a business angle, it still needs what most businesses need in Africa, "structure." People are bootlegging tapes there like its second nature. Plus, how do you work out publishing when songs are aired on radio or videos are being played? So, it’s an interesting one. There has to be a strong structure and model of operation in the there.

LADYBRILLE.com: How can Africa's fashion industry hold hands with its music industry? I feel like the music videos coming out of Africa are not really embracing the urban yet cosmopolitan African fashions coming out of Africa. There is a need to make something fit that does not.
Chosan: I think that music and fashion should be hand in hand instantly. Like for instance, every picture you are going to see me in this year I’m wearing my company "Paintsoul." Why should I promote anybody else’s brand? I got this idea from Damon Dash. All he would push at anytime was Rocawear, Rocafella and Jay-Z all day! Same with Diddy and his Sean John [brand]. Fashion and music go hand in hand. I think where it goes wrong is that people are so caught up in America that they want to wear New York style sneakers, fitted caps jeans and tees etc. So they actually end up wanting to dress like what they see in American hip-hop videos rather than what’s in their own back yard.

LADYBRILE.com: Don’t get me started on that! You just wrapped up a project with “In the Name of Love, Africa Celebrates U2” in honor of Bono. What song did you lend your voice to and how did you become a part of the project?
Chosan:I did a verse on the U2 song "Desire." I’m actually really proud of myself for this one. Because when I first heard the beat, I thought it was too tribal sounding for what I usually do. But, I thought about it and then sat on the drums and the high hats and just went in. It was all live so that really threw me off. But, I really do love that verse and I am proud to be a part of it. I feel like I’m really speaking to the people in any ghetto in Africa. The first line is "My desire burns like hot coals in the ‘Goose’.” If you were born in Africa or lived there then you would know that a "Goose" is a hot iron. So, I feel like I’m really talking to the ghetto communities on that one telling them it’s going to be alright.

LADYBRILLE.com: Tell the people how they can support your tours, projects, CDs?
Chosan: You can keep a track of Chosan through my MySpace or
Silverstreetz . You can support my custom designs at Paintsoul. My last album "The Beautiful Side of Misery" is out on Itunes. Go support and spread the word! And my new album is going to be available this year by June/ July. I think this is the one that is going to push me over the edge. I have worked really hard on this one recording music in Miami and London so I’m real happy about that.

LADYBRILLE.com: Thank you so much Chosan and keep up the great work.
Chosan: Thank you. I think what you guys are doing is incredible! It’s stylish, it’s sexy, it’s now and it’s African influenced. You gotta love that!

LADYBRILLE.com: Thank you Chosan and keep us updated on your progress.
Chosan: For sure!

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Editor's Note: Happy New Action Packed April 2008!

The nexus between fashion and music seems so obvious. Yet, when it comes to Africa's fashion & music industries, the connection is sorely lacking. In this issue, we make it our job to connect the dots by introducing you to respected African musicians within and outside Africa who "get it" and come through with a fierce fashion and music swagger! From Sierria Leone's Chosan, who is part of the recently released "In the Name of Love, Africa Celebrates U2" to Tanzania's Xplastaz, Nigeria's 9ice and Naira and South Africa's FreshlyGround, among many, it is a month full of exciting features and autographed CD/T-shirt giveaways from these artists!

All music and no business is bad for the pocket book. That's why we call on music insiders to give us a wholistic picture of issues present in Africa's music industry and tips on how our artists can keep more of the monies they earn. We complement all the industry talk with a critical aspect of fashion and music biz, marketing and promotions; which makes "M.A.C.keting 101" with global brand President of Estee Lauder, Mr. John Demsey, a must read.

Teresa Rodriguez Williamson the author of "Fly Solo," TV personality and founder of the famous travel site,TangoDiva.com, is our Ladybrille Woman of the Month! Don't miss out on an opportunity to win an autographed copy of her book plus a discount to all you readers to join her in Cancun from June 21-28th!

Saving the best for last, I thought long and hard on who could help pull this issue together. Someone who had a strong style sense, was entrepreneur minded, highly musically inclined and who believed and practiced the adage, "too whom much is given, much is expected." The answer was clear. I am very thankful to Grammy Award Winning Artist, Common, who took time out of his extremely busy schedule to show some love for Ladybrille. He is our main feature and graces our cover for April 2008. Special thanks to Jodie Blum, Valerie Vogt, Saunte Works and Derek Dudly, Common's team that helped make this a reality. Again, Happy New Action Packed April and know this. We 'bout to bring IT Status quo and Jabbawokeez style! :)

Remain blessed,

Uduak,

Editor-in-Chief

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Clutch Magazine Features LADYBRILLE.com in its Anniversary Issue

Clutch Magazine a respected online publication that delivers sizzling content of Fashion, Beauty, Life and Culture to fashion-forward African-American women in the USA features Ladybrille.com in its anniversary issue.

We are very honored and say a big THANK YOU to Clutch for recognizing all of our hard work. Click here for the article.

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How to Choose the Right Name for Your Business

[Photo by Marketingmo.com]
This article completes our main features for March 2008. Congrats! You’ve decided you want to own your own business. You did the prerequisite self- evaluation. Now it’s time to choose the name for your business. If you decided to go with purchasing a franchise, per our last talk, then you don’t have much of a choice as the name has already been chosen for you. If, however, you decided to start a new business, then there are some important things to consider in choosing the right name for your business.

One of the best advice I got was when you choose a name, practice saying it and pretend answering to it on the phone. Do you like the way the name of your business sounds when you answer the phone, the 15th hundred times? Does it sound cumbersome? If yes, have pity on the employees you will hire who will have to say that name over and over and over again! Here are some concrete tips on choosing the right name for your business. I will use some business names on this site to illustrate my point.

Choose names that are memorable, short and easy to pronounce: Get to the point! Make it easy to spell and pronounce. Examples: Bobby Taylor, Toni Payne, Sun Goddess and Ella Brown.

Choose Names that are Unique: Examples: Ifa Lethu, Machere, Alphadi, Ladybrille are all unique names. Common names like "Fashion America," "Fashion Diva," "Bella," "Nigerian Entertainment," can and do cause confusion with that of a competitor. All you have to do is google those names and the results are overwhelming with gazillions having those names. You don't want to waste precious time explaining for the gazillionth time, "No! we are not the "Fashion Diva" you are looking for."

Avoid Using your personal Name for Business-Yes, you read me right. The big trend is to use your name to do business. For example, Tyra Banks, Isaac Mizrahi, Deola Sagoe, David Tlale, Vera Wang, Peter Som e.t.c. That is all good and dandy and in fact can be advantageous if your name is already well known and respected within your community. But, when scandal hits [whether via a new owner you sell your business to who screws up your reputation or just associating with someone who is involved in a scandal] or your business takes a nose dive as it did for Isaac Mizrahi, then your name is soiled. Mizrahi bounced back but not everyone can.

KISS! stands for "Keep It Simple [Silly]!" and remains very relevant. Get rid of the fancy names and get to the point. Also factor in the cost of doing business with your name. With cumbersome long names or fancy stuff, it adds up from directory business listings to signages.

Choose Names that are flexible: Lots make the mistake of choosing names that pigeonhole them into one thing. For example, Shoe Lounge. While it is easy to remember and gives a good description of the product offered, at some point you might decide you don’t want to sell shoes anymore. Wouldn’t it be nice to bring along the customer base you have worked so hard for to your new expansion/venture? Ella Brown is a good example for the flexible use of a name. The name is used for couture, cosmetics, fragrance and bridal wear.

Choose names that will withstand the rigors of trademarks.Avoid ordinary, generic names and as I mentioned before even personal names. Again, it is common to see things like: “Fashion,” “Africa”, “Nigeria,” “Entertainment,” used together. The above are so generic and would have a hard time with trademarks because of the rationale that if protection is granted to “fashion,” for example, or “Fashion Entertainment,” one company would have a monopoly and could stop all others from using the name of the goods/services. Personal names also make for weak trademarks but if it has been used for a long time, and has a following it will make the mark stronger.

Be sure your name is descriptive: Ladybrille, while a flexible name like Ella Brown, tells you nothing about what it means or stands for. Adding our slogan, “Where the West Meets Today’s African fashion Industry” becomes important. It quickly lets you know our identity and niche and that fashion is our thing. Another very descriptive name, although long, is “ShopMosaicOnline.com” You quickly know it involves shopping online. Bobby Taylor also does this very well. Her slogan is "Because you are Buzz Worthy." That conjures up promotions, marketing, PR.

Until the next fashion entrepreneur teachings, your assignment is to get your writing pad and brainstorm the right name for your business using the pointers outlined in this article. Good luck and if you wish, feel free to send us the name you chose. Send to ladybrille(at)ladybrille.com. We will publish and open it to our readers to tell you what they think!

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"Learning to Love Africa" by Monique Maddy

"Learning to Love Africa, My Journey from Africa to Harvard Business School and Back."

Visit Monique's site here and purchase the book here.

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Academy of Art University, San Francisco: Fall '08 Collection

We have been meaning to publish this feature on the designs by the graduating students of the Academy of Art University, San Francisco. We just never got around to it! But our Ella Brown Couture interview reminded us to share the excellence that comes out of the Academy of Art with you. Here we go with the ones that impressed us and full info. we gathered on their backgrounds and inspiration for the collections they showed at New York Fall Fashion Week, 2008. Hats off to these fine students. The Academy of Art Univeristy, San Francisco, is the only school that shows at the Prestigious New York Fashion Week each year. [All photos by Randy Brooke]

Sherise Eways, a fashion designer of Palestinian descent, and Melissa Christensen, Jewelry designer, and Native American from the Mashentucker Pequot Tribe in Connecticut collaborated to create these stunning designs. Christensen manipulated metal by hammering and hand bending to mimic the flow of fabrics used by Eways. Our favorite picks was the gabardine petal dress matched with Silver brooch and a White cashmere coat paired with a Black wool pant and Butterfly necklace.

Jee Hyoung used new forms in architecture in relation to the human body with references to space, volume and movement as inspiration. The quilted textiles are inspired by Toyo Ito’s architectures. She was born and raised in Daegu, South Korea. Jewelry was provided by Quoc Lieu, a University graduate from 2000. Our picks: Black wrap around top matched with a cashmere one strap skirt; and a grey organza quilted jacket matched with a black quilted satin pant.

Juhee found inspiration in the work of Louis I. Kahn, an architect of contradiction whose concepts, though modern and elegant, are constructed of basic and often crude materials. Through his influence, she created a sculptured, geometric silhouette and experimented with different construction techniques for her knitwear. She combined fabrics in different directions to make a single garment; used folding and slide techniques; mixed fully fashion, cut and sew, different gage, slippery and dull yarn and elastic and non-elastic yarn to create her unique construction and texture knit fabrics. Juhee was born and raised in Daegu, South Korea. Our picks: Braided trim cardigan and knit grey dress; and another braided vest, metallic yarn dress.

For Bo’s modern and sophisticated silhouette, she used the shape of the Möbius band as the structural concept and was inspired by double exposure for her textile designs. She used different shades of colors to give perspective between layers. Bo was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea. Below are our favorite picks, the grey wool jacket with pink wool skirt; and
grey wool jacket with pink and grey wool skirt.

Shady was born in Khartoum, Sudan and raised in Cairo, Egypt. The song Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) by the Audio Bullys with vocals by Nancy Sinatra influenced the mood of his collection and embodies the mindset of the man wearing his clothes. The silhouette represents the weight of the world on his shoulders but standing strong and being a fighter. Further inspiration was found in Islamic military costume, architecture, the Japanese anime TV show Grendizer, and the work of Shady Abdel Salam, a famous Egyptian cinematographer, director and costume designer. We think Shady will be a household name in future. Our picks: Dark green cotton twill shirt matched with Dark blue wool wide pant, the Brown calfskin jacket matched with brown wool pant; and Dark brown/purple coat and cotton twill pant.

Zegna Baruffa Lane Borgosesia S.p.A and Loro Piana sponsored the yarn for Marie’s knitwear collection in which she utilized the ideas of Japanese art forms origami and noshi (a good luck token made of folded strips of paper) by manipulating her woven fabrics. Op Art is shown as an influence in her contrasting use of black and white. Marie was born in Dearborn, MI and raised in Grosse Ile, MI. Our picks: Black wool cropped jacket, draped sweater and pleated pant; and pleated wool blouse, geometric knit skirt and knit tights.

Born in Pittsburgh, PA and raised in Indiana, PA, Felice created a collection inspired by fiber artists, the arts and crafts movement, nature and the environment. Most evident of her inspiration are her felted-wool applications, which look like dreadlocks. She has blended organic wools and leathers resulting in a sculpturally modern silhouette with a Haight-Asbury feel. Scarves by Fashion and Knitwear Design student, Daniel Emir Armosilla, who will present his Spring ’08 collection in September. We like her black leather honeycomb skirt and dreadlock scarf.

Soo Jung found inspiration for her collection in the movie Blue Swallow (Cheong-yeon) about Park Kyung-won, the first female aviator in Korea. Based on the early 1900s when Korean society was conservative and discriminative against women, the heroine had passion and an independent spirit for her job. Pilot uniforms and Asian influences are reinterpreted by Soo Jung who was born in Yeosu, Korea and raised in Seoul, Korea. Both Soo Jung and Ivanka collaborated with their collection.
Ivanka used the pilot’s point of view overlooking the land from above for her textile inspiration. Instead of using the more traditional patchwork approach to represent the land, she combined textile techniques with hand drawing to create the feel of paintings. She bonded newsprint paper and brown paper to the base fabric, applied pigments using silkscreen techniques and drew patterns using a knife. For some, she used a chef's torch to create a burnout effect. The overall impression is that of an art piece instead of a typical printed textile. Ivanka was born and raised in Pernik, Bulgaria.

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