Try out the playful double denim

In the second half of the 19th century when Levi Strauss made jeans as a simple man’s work apparel, the company probably did not envisage that it would become a modern-day closet staple for for the stylish.

fashionJeans is one trend that will never go out of style. One of the common mistakes people make is confusing denim with jeans.

Denim is the fabric whereas jeans are the apparel made out of denim. All jeans are denim, but not all denims are jeans. Denim is used to make not just jeans but also shirts, skirts, bags and other accessories.

With so many varieties in designs, colours and silhouettes, the styling possibilities are virtually endless. The current fad is to pair denim with denim.

For this look, you can play around with a denim dress (long or short-sleeved), denim vest, shirt, jacket, jeans (short or long). For example, you can pair a long sleeved denim shirt (light blue) with a pair of darker skinny jeans.

Remember to tuck in before finishing this beautiful cowboy look with a pair of booties – preferably brown.

For a night out with the girls, a pair of denim shorts is a must-have. The best way to finish off the look is with a lightweight denim jacket worn over a simple white or grey top.

This look was very ‘in’ in the 1990s, and like most older fashion trends, it is making a fierce comeback.

This first appeared in my weekly fashion column in The Observer 

Deception season 5 premieres in style

On Monday evening, the 5th season of NTV’s Deception premiered. NTV hosted the cast, part of the crew, a few fans and media personalities at red carpet event held at Guvnor. Of course Fashion Police256 was present to capture the red carpet action. The cast members dressed like they really knew that all the cameras and lights would be on them. Pretty Katende stood out with her tinted hair and orange top, complete with a red bow tie, red belt and red heels with only the black skirt to torn down the colourful outfit. Maama Nalweyiso, one of the series’ stars stole the show in her flowing orange gown with gold detail in the neck and chest area. No wonder many people wanted to take picture with her. Robin Kisti flaunted some leg. A picture is worth a thousand words so here is what you missed at the premiere of Deception season 5.

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Pretty Katende and Robin Kisti

Pretty Katende and Robin Kisti

Maama Nalweyiso (C) with other cast  members

Maama Nalweyiso (C) with other cast members

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Look out for Nike’s 2015 Airmax

In my previous article that appeared in The Observer, I wrote about the item we need to get rid of. One of the items was the wedge sneakers.  The wedge sneaker is like a regular tennis or sports shoe, but it comes with a platform at the heel.

If sneakers are your thing for that casual look or gym visit, you will need a replacement.  Of course the wedge sneakers were not built for working out but they had the ability to still pull off a casual look in a little dress or pair of jeans.

As you search for a replacement, you may stumble upon different brands but let me introduce to you the Nike Air Max 2015.

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This means the 2014 version is already on its way out so, if you can, wait until the new version hits our streets; that should not be long for a product released on Boxing Day.  Nike is known for pushing boundaries as far as creativity and comfort are concerned and the Air Max line is one of its age-old designs that has kept on evolving with the prevailing trends.

The most talked-about feature of the heel is the reflective sole and the reflective signature swoosh logo that blend with the sleek body.

The main similarities between last year’s model and this are the top mesh for breathability and the colours that fade midway through the sole. It is time to hit the road running in an expensive pair of sneakers as the originals are expected to cost between $130 and 300, depending on the version.

Sexy Irene Ntale lands UBL mega deal

Irene Ntale has ended 2014 with a bang after penning a deal of yet to be disclosed amount of money to be  the campaign ambassador for the Red Card to Drunk Driving campaign which kicked off on Tuesday 16, 2014.

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Ntale takes over the role from Uganda’s legendary referee, Mr Charles Masembe, who served in the position since December 2013. 
Speaking to journalists at the unveiling ceremony of Ntale, Ms Charity Kiyemba, the Corporate Relations and Legal Director UBL said the artiste was chosen as the face of the campaign because of her reputable character, strong values, and appeal to millions of Ugandans between 18 and 35 years of age. 
“As the campaign ambassador, Irene will inspire Ugandans to drink responsibly so that our roads are safe for all users, especially during the festive seasons and Easter, when we celebrate the milestones in our lives,” she said.

The artiste has recorded a campaign song which will amplify the awareness drive about responsible drinking in our society. “The team at UBL has listened to the song and do believe many of you will enjoy it when you listen to it,” Kiyemba said.

She also applauded Ms. Ntale for accepting to be the new campaign ambassador and for the work she has done for the drive so far. “We are optimistic that her efforts during the campaign will enable us to achieve the campaign objectives,” she said.

UBL also recognized Mr Masembe for his work during the 2013 Red Card campaign with a token of appreciation. Ms Kiyemba noted that, “His position as the campaign ambassador contributed immensely to the overall success of the campaign because he inspired many sports lovers who frequent alcohol outlets and sports events to drink responsibly.” Masembe also raised awareness about the campaign and challenged many Ugandans not to engage in the bad habit of drunk driving.

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An evaluation carried out by our research partner Millward Brown, shows that last year’s campaign created huge awareness on responsible drinking. The research conducted among 300 people to measure the impact of our communication on responsible drinking in Uganda showed that 87% of the respondents interviewed, had seen or heard the “Don’t Drink and Drive” responsible drinking message. Of the total number of people interviewed 132 people agreed that responsible drinking is knowing your limits as well as not driving while under the influence of alcohol.

In her remarks, Ms. Ntale commended UBL for appointing her as the campaign ambassador of the Red Card to Drunk Driving campaign. “I thank Uganda Breweries Limited for putting its trust in me as an advocate for responsible drinking and road safety in Uganda. 
“Today, I too pledge not to drink and drive and I urge all of you; my fans, my colleagues in the industry and my fellow citizens, drink responsibly. Think about the consequences of your actions before you make that decision that could ruin your family, your festive mood and most importantly, your life,” Ntale said. 
Over the last seven years, UBL and its partners, have carried out responsible drinking campaigns to increase awareness around responsible consumption of alcohol and reduce harm or abuse of its products.

Did Daniela deserve award for best dressed guest at the ASFA?

The Abyanz Fashion and Style Awards took place over the weekend at MTN Arena. Among the 22 awards was the accolade for the best dressed female and male guest. Daniela Atim (Jose Chameleone’s wife) won the ladies’ category with her black lacy dress. We present to you more looks that were in top contention for the accolade Daniela Mayanja was the best dressed female guest DSC_2536 DSC_2555 DSC_2567 DSC_2603 DSC_2611 DSC_2617 DSC_2636

ABRYANZ STYLE & FASHION AWARDS (ASFA 2014) ON TONIGHT

Last year, it was called the Fashion Xplosion Men Awards. It returns this year but refreshed and renamed. The Abryanz Style and Fashion Awards take place this evening at the MTN Arena Lugogo. The brain behind it, Ahumuza Brian promises the biggest fashion and style event on the social scene. Ahumuza is a fashion collector, proprietor of Abryanz Collection and has made a name for styling Ugandan male celebrities and now has his biggest store at Garden City. Speaking to Fashion Police256 about the awards he said, “Our primary goal is to see the industry grow and we are making headway. The awards bring together fashion designers, collectors, models, photographers and writers in different categories and there is no prize money attached to them.

This year’s theme is Dress For Success. The idea is to make the people appreciate the industry and understand that fashion is more than just swagg but they need to dress the way they want to be addressed. “The way you dress can determine your success,” he says.

Ahumuza Brian

Ahumuza Brian

The number of categories has since grown. So has the voting system. The categories have increased from 12 to 22. There are two voting systems where the SMS platform run by SMS One is contributing 60% while online is 40%. The online voting system is one person, one vote that makes it even more transparent.

The accolades for best dressed TV Personality (male and female), Upcoming Model (male and female) and Fashion designer (male and female) are some of the most competitive.

There will also be an award for the best-dressed female and male guest. So put your best for forward. Fenon Records will be in charge of the production.

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As expected the main action will be on the runway. Distal from DRC and Tchatcho from Cameroon will showcase their deigns along Ugandan fashion designers like Martha Jabo, Anita Beryl and last year’s winner in the designers’ category-Ras Kasozi. There will also be performances from Desire Luzinda, Atlas, Radio and Weasel among others. Tickets cost Shs 35,000 for Silver, Shs 1.5m for gold and Shs 3 million for the Platinum tickets.

bigThe admin of this blog, above was also nominated in the awards. A big thank you to all of who who took their time to vote.

Bark cloth for international runways

Designer Stella Atal paints on a piece of bark cloth

Designer Stella Atal paints on a piece of bark cloth

Last Thursday, the Uganda National Museum hosted a one of a kind fashion show. The pieces were partly or fully made out bark cloth (lubugo) by José Mendo. At the event, fashion designers based here and abroad hatched a plan to make bark cloth one of the mainstream fabrics on and off the runway. The Bark 2 The Roots programme is a brain child of Josephine Kyomuhendo, a UK- based fashion designer who label José Hendo has been featured on fashion shows in Europe, the New York Fashion Week and recently Kampala Fashion Week. The project is a collaboration with Makerere University School of Fine Artist, fashion designers like Stella Atal,Eva Mynsberghe and Anne Musisi among others. The idea is to bring together researchers, makers, designers, education institutions and buyers (promoting production and export) among other stakeholders to promote the environmental friendly, sustainable and renewable material that bark cloth is. DSC_5388Some designers showcased how the material from the mutuba tree can be used as fabric for clothing and decorated with patterns or mixed with other textiles, while Mynsberghe showcased how she is using the material to make jewelry. José Hendo showed the potential of bark cloth and how it can be maneuvered during designing. Her haute couture avant-garde designs showcased on that day showed how the material can become a global trend. She explained that she is using explosion of colours plus silhouettes and patterns that that can be embraced by the young generation. That way, bark can move forward but keep its heritage.

Jose Hendo (R) demonstrates bark cloth manipulation

Jose Hendo (R) demonstrates bark cloth manipulation

DSC_5368The event partly put together by activist Winnie Sseruma also broughtDSC_5355 together fashion lovers of different generations and eco-sustainable designers. Bark cloth was the only form of fabric way back before textiles like cotton, nylon, and polyester among others pushed it out and left it for the coffin. This project could end the stigma attached to it and put it at the same level with the likes of leather, silk and other fabrics.