Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl.

This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, this week's subjects: Roaring Back: Leopard Prints Make a Fierce Comeback in Fashion, LVMH sells off Virgil Abloh’s Off-White streetwear brand, and Spaghetti carbonara with or without cream?

Roaring Back: Leopard Prints Make a Fierce Comeback in Fashion Welcome back, fashionistas! It's time to unleash your wild side because leopard prints are clawing their way back into the forefront of fashion trends. This timeless pattern is roaring back onto runways, adorned by celebrities and influencers alike, proving that leopard never truly goes out of style, it just hibernates for a while. The Resurgence of Leopard Prints: This season, we see the return of leopard prints in a big way. From iconic fashion houses to high-street retailers, everyone is embracing the bold, fierce, and unapologetically adventurous nature of this classic print. Leopard print has transcended generations and styles. It can be effortlessly chic when paired with sleek tailoring or add a touch of edginess when combined with leather or denim. The versatility of leopard print allows it to shift seamlessly from day to night, making it a must-have for every fashion-forward individual's wardrobe. Styling Tips to Rock Leopard Prints. Statement Pieces: Incorporate leopard prints in statement pieces such as a coat, skirt, or a pair of shoes. Let these items be the focal point of your outfit and keep the rest of your look simple to allow the print to shine. Mix and Match: Don't be afraid to mix leopard prints with other patterns. Experiment with stripes, florals, or even polka dots to create a unique and bold ensemble. Accessories: If you're not ready to go all out with leopard prints, start small with accessories like scarves, handbags, or shoes. They add a touch of the trend without overwhelming your outfit. Monochrome Palette: For a sleek and sophisticated look, opt for leopard prints in monochrome colours like black and white. This modern twist on the classic print exudes elegance and refinement. Celebrity Style Inspiration. Beyoncé: Queen Bey knows how to rock leopard print like no other. She often opts for figure-hugging dresses or statement coats in this fierce pattern, exuding confidence and glamour. Harry Styles: Breaking gender norms, Harry Styles has been spotted in leopard print suits, blouses, and accessories. His fearless approach to fashion inspires us to embrace our individuality. Leopard Prints for Every Occasion: Whether you're heading to a casual brunch with friends or preparing for an important business meeting, it's essential to dress appropriately for the occasion while ensuring your personal style shines through.

LVMH sells off Virgil Abloh's “Off White” streetwear brand. Some really die too early, like “our” Virgil Abloh, born in 1980 in the USA to Ghanaian immigrant parents, and who passed away in 2021 at age 41. Abloh had already designed T-shirts while studying architecture when he met Rem Koolhaas who constructed a building on campus and who had worked on Prada runway collections. He also bought dead stock clothing from Ralph Lauren for $40, screen-printed designs on them and sold them for $550. He called this an artistic project, not a commercial one. In 2009, during an internship at Fendi he met rapper Kanye West and together with West's artistic partner, Don C, they launched a retail store, RSVP Gallery in Chicago which became known for its reflection of Abloh's style, and the design for the store interior as well. Abloh started a luxury streetwear line in 2012, to be transformed into the Milan-based “Off White Street Wear” in 2013. His first collection was inspired by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's floating glass home, and Abloh often mentioned that many of his fashion ideas stemmed from architecture. Streetwear was generally seen as cheap but Abloh added an intellectual layer to it and made it credible. This clothing line can be identified through quotation marks, zip ties, capital letters, and barricade tape. He launched a women's wear line as well in 2014. His first concept store for Off-White opened in Hong Kong in 2014, then in Tokyo where he also started the company's furniture arm, Grey Area, then followed by stores in Singapore and New York. In 2018 Off-White was the hottest label in the world, surpassing Gucci. Virgil also partnered with household furniture company IKEA and designed a collection with Nike. During the rise in neo-nationalism in 2017, Abloh worked with conceptual artist Jenny Holzer to create a line emphasizing the positive aspects of immigration, cultural integration, and globalization, and to design T-shirts for Planned Parenthood in response to the Women's March on Washington. In 2018 Abloh was appointed artistic director of LVMH's Louis Vuitton menswear collection and named that year by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. LVMH had meanwhile bought 60 % of “Off White”. And why now this sell-off? Off White could not keep the Abloh style after his demise and the brand suffered, and streetwear presently is less lucrative. And maybe LVMH had only bought into Off-White to be able to tap Abloh's talent. In fact LVMH is not a fashion house but a financial conglomerate with huge investments in fashion brands. LVMH does not create daring groundbreaking concepts or take trend risks, and Off White has become too risky an investment. So back to the core business, making money. Pity Abloh could not continue his skyrocketing journey.

Spaghetti carbonara with or without cream? This is one of my favourite Italian dishes, and when I visit a new Italian restaurant my judgment is based on how they prepare this dish. There's fried bacon in it, onions, egg yolk, cheese, parsley, black pepper and white wine. Simple. No, not simple at all. The bacon should rather be guanciale (cured pork jowl), not easy to get in Ghana, and should be fried very slowly together with the onions that have been smothered in olive oil, not become crispy like bacon for breakfast. If you need to use bacon it should be from a young pork, not some old-smelling swine. Dry white wine is added sparingly and then cooked away again, just leaving a thick sauce. The spaghetti should be al dente (a bit hard), and when the egg yolks are mixed into it the spaghetti should still be so hot that the eggs will cook. If all this is done correctly, and if the egg was fresh, less than 8 days or it will cook differently, and the black pepper and parsley and sauce have been added the spaghetti is to be running, flowing, meaning it does not want to stay on your fork, does not stick together. As this is difficult to achieve, most add cream, which indeed makes it flow, but cools it down and makes the thing taste like yoghurt with crispy bacon. Grazie tante.

Lydia...

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