Fashion Scount presents WAUZINE 002

Three limited-edition digital publications featuring 11 emerging designers from Kenya, bringing together cross-cultural collaborations between writers, illustrators and creative teams in both London and Nairobi.

Following the success of the Neighbourhood issue which was shot by Maganga Mwagogo, the second of the three issues, titled Joy and Rebellion, explores Nairobi’s city centre, through a fashion story by the fast-rising Kenyan photographer; Sarah Waisawa - showcasing the bold and powerful work of Fashion Scount's designers, alongside an in-depth essay by Abigail Arunga who takes readers through the essence of Nairobi’s Central Business District.

WAUZINE, which derives from ‘Wau’ a Nairobian for ‘Wow’ is designed and created by the team behind Fashion Scout; with Helen Jennings, Co-founder and Editorial Director of Nataal Media as Features Editor, which showcases exclusive photoshoots under the creative direction of Sunny Dolat, Fashion Curator and Co-founder of The Nest Collective. 

Through Sunny’s conceptual eye, the work in issue two joins thousands of other stories and love letters by defiant Nairobians to their city, as part of an overarching super-narrative of joy, mischief and rebellion. 

As the UK partner of the British Council’s year-long Creative DNA programme, Fashion Scout is spearheading this online platform in order to showcase the designers to a global audience whilst celebrating a diverse variety of voices and creativity.

Creative DNA programme supported by the British Council is focused on promoting alternative and innovative approaches to the global fashion system with the ambition of demonstrating that the fashion sector in Kenya is a professional choice for young people and a valuable contributor to the creative economy.

London to host Fashion Utopias to showcase global emerging designers

While London is a multi-cultural cosmopolitan world capital, its role as a leading capital for world design talent will be further boosted come next February when the city will play host to global designers as it has been announced that the February 2016 edition of London Fashion Week (LFW) will see the staging of an exhibition to showcase the work of 80 emerging designers from 25 different countries around the world.

According to the British Council and the British Fashion Council, the exhibition will open on February 19 at Somerset House, London, as the fifth edition of the annual International Fashion Showcase (IFS). 

Entitled "Fashion Utopias", the exhibition is said to be a key part of LFW's public programme, which aims to celebrate the ongoing relevance of fashion in contemporary culture.

This year’s exhibition will also celebrate the 500th anniversary of the publication of Thomas More’s inspirational text, Utopia, which highlights the educational value of honouring different places, people and cultures. The West Wing at Somerset House will be transformed into an imaginary terrain, designed by Hatty Ellie Coward, where the emerging designers and curators will invite attendees to share their vision of the future.

Spanning over 15 galleries, the exhibition will consist of 14 galleries representing a country and one group installation entitled ‘Next in Line’, curated by Shonagh Marshall.  The work from additional designers will be featured and country installations for the exhibition include Czech Republic, Indonesia and Nigeria.

There will be a series of seminars, visits and mentoring opportunities for the designers organised by the London College of Fashion, to help them prepare for the showcase, known as the Designer Support Programme.

A collaboration with the coinciding event - Fashion Scout - will offer the participating designers a chance to show their designs on the catwalk.

A ceremony will also be held during LFW, chaired by a panel of industry experts, who will select the winning Country and Designers, as well as a Curator Award sponsored by Bonaveri.

"At a time when it often seems as if we’ve plunged into a dystopian age, it’s a liberating act to think about exactly the opposite: if we could create a Utopia, how would we want it to be?," said Sarah Mower MBE.  "From the entries we’ve already seen, this year’s showcase will be a chance to witness a phenomenally uplifting inter-cultural compare-and-contrast. Each country’s deeply-felt exhibit is also to be framed with a national curator, a fast-developing field of collaboration on the frontiers between art and fashion."

The IFS is set to run from February 19 to 23, 2016 at Somerset House.

Traditional Crafts and Designs from Thailand highlight unique textiles and techniques

If you’re feeling the blues from the gloomy UK winter, there is a good chance that you are not alone.  A recent research from the Ukash Travel Money Prepaid MasterCard card reveals that more women across the UK suffer from the winter blues than men and are more than likely to book a holiday to combat the blues.   

How about Thailand which many consider to be a favourite holiday destination for that special place in the sun. But often we are attracted to the beach resorts and may not get to see the wide range of traditional craftsmanship available from the land of smiles.

A contemporary twist for traditional crafts.  Clothes by Nakarin Yano, Thailand's award-winning designer made in Chiang Mai in a village where natives are known as an "Ethnic of Happiness".

A recent exhibition of Thai Craft highlighted some of the design and innovative talents that Asian country has to offer.

The exhibition (held at Top Drawer earlier this month) was brought to London by the British Council in association with the SUPPORT Arts and Crafts international Centre of Thailand or SACICT.

Thai designer Prach Niyomkar established Mann Craft to preserve and showcase the unique indigo-dyed textiles and vegetable-dyed fabrics produced in the area of
Sakon Nakhon in Northeast Thailand.

Among the key products on show was a range of dyed and woven textiles in a large spectrum of blue tones as well as hand-painted fabrics using assorted natural dyes from Mann Craft.

According to Mann Craft designer Prach Niyomkar, the unique textiles are produced by local people in the area of Sakon Nakhon in Northeast Thailand, the centre of Thai indigo-dyed textiles where the craft has been produced for hundreds of years.  

Prach established Mann Craft  to support and preserve a weaving tradition.  Calling himself a dyer, he designs each piece and work with local weavers in order to achieve the desired effects.

From the Gemio brand are footwear made of hand-woven Thai textiles.  The shoes have special rubber soles which are said to be durable, super flexible and eco-friendly.  They are produced by the Seshaun shoes factory Akkarachai Techaweerapat which has been making footwear for four decades.

Larinn By Double P also showed laced up shoes made of woven natural-dyed fabrics sourced from the Thai Queen’s SUPPORT foundation mentioned earlier, and in support of weaving communities from the Northern Thailand region.  This brand was founded by two sisters to continue the family textiles tradition.

On exhibit also was a selection of handmade clutch bags from Pakpuraan featuring individually hand-embroidered patterns on leather. 

This was described as a new and contemporary application of the Royal Court of Thailand’s embroidery technique which normally serves religious and royal functions.

From Kaewwanna Natural Indigo were cushion covers and home textiles made from pure cotton yarns dyed in natural indigo known  as "Moh Hom", a crafted associated with Phrae in the North of Thailand.

Elsewhere there was a range of home wares, such as Varni's basketry made with “krajood”, a kind of sea grass from the Pattalung people in the south of Thailand; blue and white pottery and ceramic containers from Thaniya for holding their handmade aromatic products; contemporary designs from Pym jewellery and Maxima Creation; handmade silver jewellery from Agnsa from a village in Chiang Mai, and many more.

Next time you visit Thailand, seek out these unique crafts and products.

All photos by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.