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By Nwinkus, November 5, 2009 10:11 pm

Vlisco the Hollandais brand has many admirers one of the more creative ones is Lisa Folawiyo a Nigerian fashion designer. In less than four years Lisa has perfected the art of wearing Ankara, being the first to embellish the fabric with sequins, swarovski crystals, beads and the like, she  turned Jewel by Lisa into a coveted luxury label. She is also not afraid to mix ankara with a wide range of fabrics such as taffeta, linen, cotton, chiffon, chantilly lace, and silk. In 2008, Jewel by Lisa featured in the This Day Africa Rising Festival in London, and was one of only 3 designers chosen for the catwalk show at the M-net Face of Africa modelling competition. Most recently, the label showcased a highly raved 40-piece collection at the Arise Africa Fashion Week in Johannesburg, South Africa. Subsequently, another equally successful collection was revealed at the Mercedez-Benz New York Fashion Week Spring Summer 2010 collections. Jewel by Lisa has been featured in several publications such as Arise Magazine, The The New York Post, Style.com, Women’s Wear Daily (WWD), Glamour (South Africa) True Love and Genevieve magazine

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By sally, September 8, 2009 11:43 pm

For the last 160 years in the Netherlands, Vlisco has dedicated itself to creating highly desired textiles that have become part of the vibrant culture of West and Central Africa. Vlisco Wax Hollandaise has become a phenomenon in its own right. These imported product designs have consistently surprised and inspired their passionate and critical audience, through the generations. Vlisco’s craftsmanship is second to none, both in look and in quality. From the beginning, Vlisco has created exciting and expressive textiles, which never use ‘cliché African’ imagery. This has ensured that Vlisco has no equal in this market. In a constantly changing world of consumer preference, Vlisco is committed to remaining at the forefront of African fashion. Whether buying by the yard or ready to wear, continuous updates in design and collections stimulates the creative force of the consumer. The core element in Wax Print is of course the wax. Using two deep engraved copper rollers, with the mirror image of the design, the two sides of the cotton fabric are printed with a pattern of melted wax, hence the name Wax Print. The fact that the cloth is printed on both sides enables you to wear the product either side.  This is the true sign of a quality wax print.  Following this, the cloth is immersed in a bath of dye, often Indigo, that penetrates into the areas that are not covered with wax. After the wax as been washed off in varying stages, a negative image of the printed pattern remains on the cloth. This intricate wax printing process results in unique effects that makes the product so outstanding. In fact, not one single centimetre of fabric is identical to the other!

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By funmil, September 6, 2009 6:48 pm

Nigerian ankara has been used over the last season in different ways by different designers, this is just another example of its versatility its been combined with a skyblue hat and sash.