Nigerian Dream Land: Eko Atlantic.

There's a lot cooking up in Africa these days, and it's way more then those yummy Maafe, Benin, and Jollof rice meals that the locals always whip together. As ever so vast, undeveloped and mineral rich as the lands in Africa remain, the city of Lago's, Nigeria however, has taken innovation and commerce to a whole new level. Entitled Eko Atlantic, the contrary of this new city will stem from being built entirely on sand and not only consisting of  thriving business, residential, shopping, and entertainment districts but also attractive tourist destinations and becoming the new financial hub for Africa. In addition, and most importantly, it's sandy foundation will fight flooding and restore land lost to coastal erosion in Lagos. All structures will be built on sand taken entirely from the seabed of Bar Beach. Comparison quotes dip deep into mythological folklore and is best being described as, "Rising like Aphrodite from the foam of the Atlantic." Eko Atlantic will also purify it's own water and generate it's own power which can, and subsequently will, open new doors for green energy solutions to tread their way into Africa.

Environmentally fresh and favorable to Africa's future, Eko Atlantic's ground work began so quickly that it could be up and running as early 2015. Unsurprisingly, their construction blueprint has pin-pointed the cities of Manhattan, Dubai, and Singapore as successful role-models. Familiar traits that could explain why all the elitist criticism hasn't fallen far from it's baseline. Class conscious but with an opportunistic, open-minded and free-flowing edge, New York City could actually stand as Eko Atlantic's most qualified role model for shaking off these elitism accusations. Labeled by some as just a "ritzy little refuge for the rich", Eko Atlantic developers admit that lower class Lagosian's will have just as much impact on the city's long-term success as it's "rich" inhabitants. Just as in any city, the lively hoods of the locals is all of everything that will keep Eko Atlantic alive, level-headed and free of self-inflated capitalism.

Eko Atlantic Breakdown

• Districts(6): Business District, Marina, Ocean Front, Harbour Lights, Avenues, and Eko Drive.
• Underground parking and transport.
• Tram system.
• Major Banks and Supermarket chains.
• A Shopping Mall twice the size of The Palms(currently Lagos' largest mall).

 Check-out more Eko Atlantic Images below. Photo's courtesy of www.ekoatlantic.com:

For more information on Eko Atlantic, you can check out their official website here.

 The SCOOP!

NY Fashion Week RECAP: Arise, "Made in Africa".

By Kate Morales:

There is a reason we Westerners so often refer to Africa as the dark continent, and it has nothing to do with the climate (lots of sun there) or the people (there are white ones too!) It’s just because we have, as a matter of tradition based on ego-centrism, willfully kept Africa in the dark.

ARISE magazine has made a courageous and gorgeous break from that insulting moniker by creating a classy, edgy, forward thinking periodical that is a platform for promoting designers, musicians, politicians, revolutionaries, and seriously stylish people who make Africa their home.

The magazine’s contribution to NYFW was unforgettable and sure to be largely influential. A number of trendsetting celebrities such as Beyonce, Kelis and Rachel Weiss have donned the threads of the featured designers prior to the showcase, and with this well publicized and documented splash into one of fashion’s most sought after stages, the time is ripe for taking note of what’s being “Made in Africa.”

“Made in Africa” highlighted the collections of 8 high fashion, yet ready to wear designers based in various African countries. Some, such as Lisa Folwiyo of Jewel by Lisa, focus on the traditional Ankara fabrics of the country she calls home – Nigeria. This provides steady and fulfilling work for highly skilled artisans in her native land, but she manages to steer clear of the altruistic gimmick routine by breathing new life into tradition with inventive silhouettes.

Lanre Da Silva’s work left a fluttering sensation in our bellies that had nothing to do with the computer animated butterflies festooning the gigantic LCD runway backdrops, or with her heart stopping spill in curtain call. In a night (and an all around Spring season) littered with eye catching prints, her focus on texture was a welcome surprise.

The show stopping duo of KLûK CGTD stood out elegantly in a night of fashion stand outs. Understated and effortless, yet borne out of harrowing attention to detail, their formal wear had a playful flair that stands perfect for sultry South African nights, or anywhere where undeniable sophistication is accepted. 

Above/Below: Top model Georgie Badiel struts in a Kluk CGTD design.

By breaking fashion boundaries and opening our eyes to a world kept forcefully hush-hush, ARISE assembled an evening of daunting talent and inspiration. The strength and style of the people working on, or featured in, their magazine are a force to be reckoned with. It didn’t take a magnificent showing at NYFW to prove it, but I’m certainly glad they did.

Fashionably,
Kate Morales for The Scoop!

Fashion Week Scoop: The Style Salon Runway Show.

 In the words of our newest contributor Kate Morales:

Amid the slew of over hyped brands and budding designers trying just a little too hard, a breath of fresh fashion air blew into Central Park West this past Monday. The Style Salon presented a show featuring a handful local designers coming together to display a unique blend of dresses, outfits and accessories.

Held at Landmark on the Park, an easy to miss must-see within sight of New York’s Natural History Museum, the show proved to be classy, understated and thrilling in terms of talent and turnout. The models entered from behind the altar of the church, braving stone steps in slippery heels and chunky platforms, mainstays at all this week’s events.

Kachi designs opened the show with humorous twists on classic silhouettes in a variety of bold prints, reminiscent of Thakoon staples. The stand-out was a fitted, knee length, half-sleeve frock in a rosy toned print, topped with a contrasting chartreuse collar-cum-cape[Above]. Paired with turquoise platform sandals, this look was enough to make us forget hurricane season.


Handbag designer Sukari matched floaty gowns and cocktail dresses in their collection. Quality couture stitching worthy of a Spring wedding. The handbags and clutches for this look would snare even self-proclaimed, “not a bag kinda girl” types into a full-on swoon.

Maria Michele's fresh take on the skin tight and strappy party dress, a look infamously overdone by the Kardashians, had me saying, “Oh yes,” under my breath as I diligently wielded my Olympus at the runway. It was the mixing of fabrics and prints that did it - always a surprise up her sleeve, or in the design’s case, right on it. Gold sequined cap sleeves on a leopard print body and wearable chains dangling from the mostly bare backs make her collection a real head turner.

The show was rounded out with an opulent focus on hats by designer Ikasho. Wide brimmed made the biggest impact in new colors such as red red and sky blue (two big hues to look for and pair for Spring.) Craftily set upon the heads of models wearing nothing but simple white Oxford shirts, the audience is probably booking flights to Florida this instant, being unable to wait for 2012 to give those bold looks a real-life try.

Many thanks to The Style Salon for such an unpretentious and festive show filled with talent that we’ll be sure to watch, and more importantly, wear.

Scoop-fully Yours,


~Kate Morales

The Scoop: Nineteen74.com, Globalize Fashion.

Enticingly creative, climatic, and culturally attractive, Nineteen74.com indubitably feed my mind the identical retrospect to that of an artisans paradise. You know, those collective hardware shops with rows and rows of artistic tools that enforce our right for some good ole' creative expression. Inspirational escapes that are merely in place to seal in all the individualism and creative juice required for us to justify our art forms. Nineteen74.com ultimately boils to life that illustrious pot you've always wanted, every artist just as innovative as can be and unknowingly bridging the gap between global arena and local spectrum. Those of us that sign-up are granted the opportunity to stay afloat with international users and benefit from the reality that we're all just a hop, a skip, and a jump away from Vogue-worthy collaboration.

 Above: A sample of my personalized Nineteen74.com homepage.

Nineteen74.com influences what I call 'The Advancement Obsessed Go-getters of Fashion'(AOGF) that long awaited opportunity to roll over in a reign of new repertoire. Fundamental, underground, and non-nuisanced, they are a new fashion media platform covertly being utilized for networking, partnerships, launching projects, and a host of other things absolutely for FREE.

With our industry, idea's and creative influences continuing to broaden, I've realized that so must my accessibility to other worldly regions. Especially when the new regions I anticipate on successfully infiltrating don't always move and groove with whats popular in the America's. Nineteen74's systematic approach to such a complex blueprint makes way for users to mingle with just the right amount of professional profiles that they need to. Thusfar I've connected with a glorious amount of movers and shakers within these globalized grounds. Including, but not limited to one of our fabulous and uber skilled contributors Ms. Lily Tan Niu of London, England. Many industry people have frowned in disapproval and even blacklisted some professionals when they make it clear that they utilize these websites. Yet let me make myself clear, if it weren't for these websites and their endorsements of brand development, productivity, and the importance of network based opportunity's then I would have never learned the cycle of career building. The transparent downside to these skill-filled havens are their obvious lack of concern over whom they allow membership, though Nineteen74 tends to hold a natural hierarchy via their obvious appeal to some very established and high-quality participants. This lead by example strategy discourages any 'Mayhem' that attempts to spill over from other websites and also protects the globalized initiative of Nineteen74 from becoming downplayed by mediocrity. Yet smack in the middle of this high-fructose corn-syrup of an artist's tool, Nineteen74.com is also backed by an unconventionally easy-going format as well as their very own international publication! Created by the eclectic energy of Nineteen74.com, Schon Magazine is the voluptuous mountain top of inspiration that your career is just itching to discover.


For your very own Scoop of Schon! Magazine and Nineteen74, step into their vision here: Nineteen74.com.

The Scoop: Zoli Models, The Click you never knew.

Sheww, bare with me ya'll. My initial plan for February was to do a black history posting once a day, yet as I live the life of the traveling model and blogger my time just does not allow. Meetings, events, long-lost friend reunions, etc- just not enough time in the day! Not to mention an article of such depth requires lots of research. However, today I finally bring you the story about a powerhouse modeling agency in the 70's & 80's that has truly inspired me, Zoli Models.

Owned and directed by former male model  Zoltan "Zoli" Rendessy(pictured left), Zoli Models was a small but powerful agency in the 1970's which lasted throughout the 80's and into the early 90's. Zoli himself was a kind, ethnic loving Hungarian man. Was he a black man? No, but clearly a man that had a great love for showcasing the beauty of blacks. Hence the editorial "tearsheet" below, Zoli represented the best models of the 70's and 80's including Pat Cleveland, Mounia, and Alva Chinn, all notable muses of design legend Yves Saint Laurent. Mounia being Ysl's first black model ever.

Nonetheless, Zoli's male model board stood out as elitist as it's female's with the impeccably suave gentlemen of Rashid Silvera, Ben Lawson, and Renauld White. Zoli obviously being responsible for Renaulds timeless GQ shoot which honed him the first black male model to grace it's cover in 1979. Though swiss-born actor Urs Althaus was the actual first black man to appear on GQ's cover in 1977, it was Renaulds cover to become widely recognized as that barrier breaking boost that all the black male models needed. Also opening the door for agency mate Rashid Silvera's GQ cover for it's April 1983 issue. By 1975, the Budapest-born Zoltan Rendessy was raking in an estimated $1.5 million a year from supplying fashion photographers and casting directors with 'Vogue-approved' fresh faces. A skill that would be priceless today thanks be to what the industry standards have depleted to. Back in the day, Zoli models was especially responsible for supplying the freaky, funky, and far-out varieties. They even represented the famed artist Andy Warhol and actress Apollonia Von Ravenstein as "Special Booking's" throughout the 80's.

Left, Right On! teen magazine features some of Zoli's superstar models. (Clockwise) Angelita, Pat Cleveland, Yvette Flowers, Renauld White, Ben Lawson, Robert Chace.
 Right-on!, is an African-American teen magazine which has since drastically changed to a more colorful, teeny bopped format post 90's. Color-crazed and celebrity enthused, even I collected Right-on! as a kid which has ultimately caused this article to drill me with awe. The magnitude of this article's timeless logic wouldn't dare flow with the highly glossed and glamorized pages of their current day issues.

Above,  Zoltan(middle) amongst other models in his Midtown East headquarters. Pat Cleveland(bottom center) was one of his top earning models.

'Zoli' and his relentless hawking of his models knew no business hours. His headquarters and home was a five-story brownstone in Manhattan's East 60s, which also served as a bunkhouse for models when they first landed in New York. There were no weird sex parties or messing around, though it was the setting for some of Manhattan's trendiest parties with a VIP mixture of models were anyone from Woody Allen, Bianca Jagger, Robert Altman, Faye Dunaway, and Sue Mengers showed face. Zoli's home was the epitome of today's modern model flat mixed with a little 'Studio 54' flavoring.

Then sadly in 1982, the founder and President of Zoli models, Mr. Zoltan Rendessy himself passed away from Lymphoma. At the time of his death, Zoltan's multi-million dollar agency was split between his top six employees including his senior booking agents Barbara Lantz, Victoria Pribble, and Tom Laspina. Barbara Lantz took over as President only to eventually sued by Tom Laspina for 27 million dollars over share disputes.

Zoli Models today: The Zoli Models legacy and historic foundation now quietly resides within one of today's most beloved top agency's, Click Model Management. Through the successful merging of these two agency's in 2001, Click retained it's catchy name but adopted Zoli's full service Hair/Makeup and Styling division entitled 'Illusions'.

With offices worldwide and a board of over 1000 models, Click stays true to it's own high-end Americanized standard. A more far-fetched "safe" zone from the original Zoli Models vision.  Click Model Management focuses primarily on Women, Men, Plus Size, Runway, Showroom and FIT models as well as Television Commercials. Barbara Lantz and Victoria Pribble the successors of Zoli Models are now successful entrepreneurs. Memorable muses Alva Chinn and Pat Cleveland have continued to work with Supermodel Iman and legendary agent Bethann Hardison as apart of the 'Black Girls Coalition' which positions industry insiders to change racial status quota's in the fashion industry.

Click Model Management continues to represent a plethora of African and Caribbean descent models today, yet not nearly as many as the renowned Zoli Models.



*Shout-outs to www.modelscomposites.com for the old school comp cards as well as Panchereport for the back-in-the-day industry scoop. *Duplication or re-publication of this story without The Triumphant Scoops consent is prohibited.



Historically,

Tony Triumph