Bark cloth for international runways

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. Some 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

The event partly put together by activist Winnie Sseruma also brought 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.

 

Wear that suit right

No matter how cool and expensive that suit looks, if you ignore this simple rule. You risk looking trashy instead of classy. Something as simple as how you button up should not be ignored. Let us assume that you have buttoned up the pants (wink) so let us concentrate on the jacket.

What are the rules on buttoning a suit? Why are there even rules on buttoning suits?
Well – the rules are easy enough to learn. I’ve laid them out in the suit buttoning infographic above.
But why do we do this? Why even care about suit buttoning rules?

Two Reasons

1) It sends a signal that you pay attention to the details.

The vast majority of men who violate these rules do so because they do not wear a suit regularly.  These small rules are used by “those in the know” to identify other men “in the the know.”  It’s like a secret knock!

Childish? Illogical? Perhaps, but it’s the reality.

2) In most situations, this makes a suit look better on a man.  

A buttoned suit when standing cuts a cleaner silhouette – when seated unbuttoning allows you to sit more comfortable and prevent wrinkles and button stress/popping. In addition – many 3 button suits re not made to be buttoned on the top (called 2 1/2 suits) and the lower button is almost always in a position where it restricts movement (and provides no added silhouette forming features vs. a single button buttoned!).

Important to note that we’re talking about SUITS here. Sports jackets are usually buttoned the same way but the rules are much more relaxed because it’s a more casual style.

Single-Breasted Jackets

Most modern suits have a single-breasted jacket. How to button it depends on two factors: the number of buttons the jacket has and where the buttons are in relation to your waist. A jacket with a high stance has buttons at and above the natural waist, while a jacket with a low stance (more common these days) has its buttons at and below the waist.

One-button jackets

Single-breasted one-button jackets are becoming more common (and the classic choice for Black Tie) , and should always be buttoned when standing. You may unbutton when seated.

Two-button jackets

Conventional way to button a two-button jacket is to button the top button and leave the lower undone.  A few possible exceptions:

Men who like a very long lapel sometimes button the lower button and fold the lapel all the way down past the top buttonhole. An unusually high-stance jacket might look more proportional buttoned at the lower button. Very tall men may need to use the lower button rather than the upper to keep the jacket from spreading out above their waist and exposing the trouser-front and belt buckle (looks unsightly with a buttoned jacket).

 

Double-Breasted Jackets

Double-breasted jackets are almost always worn buttoned.  It’s very unusual to unbutton one.

Double-breasted jackets are described with the total number of buttons on the suit front followed by the number of working buttons — so a “six-on-four” jacket has six buttons but only four buttonholes.

Generally speaking you want to button all the buttons that have working buttonholes.

If you plan to leave some buttons undone, it is most traditional to fasten the top button.  However, men who prefer a longer line have been leaving the lowest button undone instead for quite a few years now, including members of the British royal family, so you’re probably safe either way.

Three-button jackets

Conventional method is to always button the middle button and to button the top button if desired, while always leaving the bottom button undone.

Fastening all three buttons at once looks stiff and should be avoided!

OUCH!!

Awesome!

Go home. You are ‘tired’

http://www.businessinsider.com

 

 

 

Blankets and Wine Dress Code.

The Fifth Edition of Blankets & Wine Kampala is on this weekend (Sunday afternoon) at The Uganda Museum Gardens. So get ready, pack those picnic drinks with your favorite wine bottle or any other drink and come have unwind. Better still, different brands of wine will be on sale courtesy of Wine Garage. There will also be food stalls. Its fine laid back weekend plot to hang out with friends and family, share jokes over food and drink with The Afro-urban music forming the soundtrack. Oliver Mtukudzi, Maurice Kirya,Naava Gray and Milege Band will be performing. But Blankets and wine is not a kind of event where you just turn up. Its time to run through your wardrobe to see what attire will suite the event. Here are some photos we took during during B&W IV. Browse through them and maybe you can come out with an idea. You are welcome.

The fashion hits and misses at CMVAs

Sophie Tattue and Danze Mosha of Urban TV’s Fashionista. Tattu is wearing a custom made dress by Kwesh

The Club Music Video Awards (CMVA) were held over the weekend. By now you already know that the video for Navio’s Kata and GNL’s Power were the biggest winners of the night with the latter winning the coveted Best Male Video category.

Apart from Club making an impressive first impression and setting the bar too high for any contenders and possibly themselves, the event showed another side of Ugandans. They rocked that blue carpet (another pleasant surprise since we are used to the red one).

Ahumuza Brian and Kim Swagga. Kim is wearing pants by Givenchy that had everyone talking. Brian is wearing a Versace shirt. There is no doubt that he really owned this look.

There has been a way we like to turn up to events like we were just passing by. But the CMVAs showed that the majority of the guests and performers prepared themselves got their makeup and wardrobes ready for the event. It must have been the promise of a BET kind of event that got guests thinking.

Denzel arrives with co-presenter Sheila Salta. Nice ‘couple’!

Some men like Prince David Wasajja, Roger Mugisha, Maurice Mugisha, Danzel Mosha, Fred Kigozi and Denzel Mwiyeretsi among others, chose to go formal with skinny ties or bow ties.

L-R Bush Baby, Lenny Kirya, Maurice Kirya and Cinematographer Josh Mwesigwa aka Josh the Fixer

Navio, JB and Unique

Not all was formal though. Some guys especially the so-called fashion-forward men raided downtown and Abryans Collection to look good for the day. Kim Swagga, UBC’s Calvin The Entertainer, singer Levixone Lala and NTV’s Douglas Lwanga were dressed by Brian Ahumuza of Abryans.

Levixione Lala performs.

Rapper Gasuza and DJ Global represented the urban fashion forward men

According to Ahumuza, it is true more and more people are embracing fashion trends and most of the guests looked well put-together. But he is quick to add that its mainly the people with a fashion sense that are growing each day.

Prince Wasajja looked every inch royalty

Some ladies were styled by local designers. A keen fashion eye could see works of fashion designers Brenda Maraka, Xenson and Juliana Nasasira’s Kwesh fashion house. Singer Naava Grey and Urban TV’s Sophie Tattu were dressed by Xenson and Kwesh respectively.

Carol Mugasha, NTV’s Sheila Gashumba, NBS’s Vicky Bagaya and NTV’s Robin Kisti

Tattu looked stunning in that figure-hugging red dress. The way it accentuated her curves, one could tell it was definitely custom made. Maraka says more and more people are embracing local designers for the unique look.“Instead of spending a lot of money on a particular design many people are coming to us for a cheaper and unique look,” she told Fashion Police256.

Hips don’t lie

Naava Grey in a denim dress from Xenson Senkaaba’s Urban Present collection

The off-looks

Maybe the night’s hosts Caroline Mugasha and Gaetano Kaggwa did not have to change since it was a brief event, but at least the change would have saved us from Gaetano’s faded baggy jeans and orange shirt. The contrast between him and his meticulously put-together co-host was enough to cause a headache.

Gaetano Kaggwa

It is obvious that Sanyu FM’s Fat Boy did not know he was going to present an award that night. Otherwise there is no way he would have dressed like that. The untucked long sleeved striped shirt won over a pair of jeans was not a sight to behold on stage. Did he have to keep the pair of black sun glasses hanging around his neck like he was coming from the beach?

Sanyu FM’s Fat Boy (aaarrrgh!!) and NTV’s Robin Kisti.

Pairing him with NTV’s Robin Kisti in her flowing gown made him look even worse.The choice of colour for her gown – starfish orange – made her stand out.

The Straka wannabe 

Me and my date!

Looking at the event wholesomely, it is in order to say, we are getting there.

NOTE: Feel free to share your thoughts. Leave a comment. Connect with us via Facebook and Twitter. Also drop me a line at barangasam@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

Fashion from CMVAs

We are glad to have been part of the 1st edition of the Club Music Video Awards held last weekend. We are still compiling the pictures and a full report from there. Be on the look out.

Fashion Police

Stella Atal showcases at Club Silk

There was no better way to end the fashion calendar at Club Silk’s monthly fashion show. Stella Atal showcased three collection in her unique Afrocentric style. Recycled wear, Sunshine, Old Skool were the collections she showcased. Old skool simply blew me away. More pictures and details coming soon.