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, Titi, this week's subjects: The Rise of African Designers in the Luxury Fashion World, Smells good? The BBC on natural beauty with natural hair, and Breakfast at the Kempinski

The Rise of African Designers in the Luxury Fashion World. In recent years, the global fashion landscape has witnessed a remarkable shift. African designers are not only gaining recognition but are also redefining luxury fashion with unique narratives, rich cultural heritage, and innovative craftsmanship. From vibrant textiles to bold silhouettes, these designers are making waves on international runways and in luxury boutiques. Here’s a closer look at some of the pioneering African designers leading the charge in luxury fashion. Laduma Ngxokolo – Maxhosa Africa. A South African, known for his stunning knitwear, Laduma Ngxokolo is a standout figure in contemporary African fashion. Drawing inspiration from his Xhosa heritage, Ngxokolo’s designs incorporate traditional patterns and motifs, often rendered in bright, vivid colors that tell stories of his culture. His collections not only celebrate African identity but also showcase the potential of traditional crafts in modern fashion, bridging the gap between heritage and high fashion. Oladapo ‘Daps’ Oyebanji – Dapper Dan. Born in Harlem, New York and initially known for his incredible street style during the hip-hop era, Dapper Dan has reemerged as a significant player in luxury fashion. With the backing of major luxury brands, his eclectic designs often fuse Gucci-like aesthetics with African motifs, creating a unique blend of haute couture and streetwear. His work emphasizes the importance of representation in luxury fashion, showing that African influence is not merely a trend but a crucial element of the industry’s future. Sindiso Khumalo’s work (South Africa) focuses on sustainability and social change, making her a vital player in luxury fashion. With advanced textiles and innovative design techniques, she infuses her collections with eco-friendly practices while celebrating African craftsmanship. Khumalo's designs reflect her commitment to empowering local communities and showcasing their artistry on a global stage. Her collections are a blend of modern elegance with a respect for traditional practices, appealing to the luxury market's growing demand for ethical fashion. The Tiffany Amber Collection by Folake Folarin-Coker (Nigeria) continues to be a beacon of African luxury fashion. With a sense of determination, she stepped forward, ready to face the challenges ahead.

Smells good? I was recently given a bottle of Burberry Goddess eau de parfum by my seemingly forever and through thick and thin admirer. Main accords were vanilla, lavender, fresh spices and cacao. A nice and original combination, you don't find a cocoa fragrance in perfumes often, except maybe in perfumes by Demeter. Whilst looking at the package to check if it was an eau de toilet or an eau de parfum (the latter one about 10 times stronger), one rarely gets pure perfume as it goes at an easy 250$ for a small bottle (4000GHS), I also saw the list of ingredients. There was perfume/fragrance, of course. Though fragrance can mean synthetic, there were a few other things as well. Like alcohol, denat, propylene glycol, water, ethylhexyl salicylate, benzyl salicylate, linalool, hydroxycitronellal, limonene, coumarin, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, pentaerythrityl tetra-di-t-butyl hydroxyhydrocinnamate, benzyl cinnamate, alcohol, citral, TRIS (Tertramethllhydroxypiperiinol) citrate, anise alcohol, benzyl benzoate, geraniol, and colours yellow 5 (CI 19140), red 4 (CI 14700), ext. violet 2 (CI 60730). I checked the safety sheets of 3 of these and was told that they were safe. But it looked a bit scary anyway.

The BBC on natural beauty with natural hair. In blog nr. 140, 1st February, 2025, I reported on the recent Miss la Côte d'Ivoire beauty contest requirement that the contestants show their natural hair and that no wigs or extensions were allowed again, and the BBC now has picked up this story and is broadcasting it all over Africa. High time, in my opinion, and this will create hot discussions. British black women spend 6 times more money on their hair than their white sisters, and the huge financially benefitting industry, ranging from extension suppliers to hair salons, is not going to let go just now. To be continued.

Breakfast at the Kempinski (sounds a bit like breakfast at Tiffany's, a very classic film, worth watching, with Audrey Hepburn, a multiple award-winning British actress (1929 –1993) in the lead role. But this was a business meeting with a breakfast buffet offered, and I hastily took a croissant. Which was not bad at all, though a bit too dense and without much of a butter flavour. It could have been fresher. But definitely at least a B+ in this country of poorly baked croissants. For a moment I thought myself in the Mövenpick, originally a restaurant and ice cream maker. They also had scrambled eggs but that was the usual disaster; scrambled eggs are to be made on the spot, or they become cooked pieces of egg. Plus it somehow tasted like bacon, which would have been OK if there had been bacon inside as well. But their beef sausages were very nice, and of a big size. I'll try the croissants in the Mövenpick as well for comparison. Kempinski originated in Berlin, Germany in 1897 as a wine restaurant and only started doing hotels in 1961. Mövenpick only started in 1948 in Zurich, Switzerland, as a restaurant, and initially became famous for its ice cream. It only went into the hotel business in 1973.

Lydia...

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