London Fashion Week SS18

So who has had a peep at my September video ?

NYFW has little run passed me as quick as the blink of an eye however with the return of Tom Ford to NYFW,  I am reminded yet again in a fresh and slick manner, a tuxedo is an important investment in ones wardrobe (worn together or as separate). Romance is younger and fresh floral gardens (as seen throughout Brock Collection) is an attitude I will most probably start practising loosely before I truly adopt by May and Mr Kors has now highlighted how important a good piece of swimwear is for your wardrobe - no excuses !

Can you imagine October is next door ? Mind you, I always say, ' Can you imagine ?' but Guys!!! Octoberrrr, as in numero 10, as in Christmas is in 2 months, I'm 24 in less than 15 weeks (Jesus steer the wheel at 20MPH please)

September has been truly a month of new experiences, some that has me hyperventilating but also miniature breakdowns but only for a moment though ;). What I love about LFW is truly the buzz around the social scene. I always say that I am completely fine with observing though social media platforms like insta stories /snapchat and twitter however, just to be vybing and connecting with the social and creative scenery within the most diverse and interesting fashion capitals is just such an amazing opportunities. 

Hopefully I will upload a snippet of my time at Rohmir SS18, which (need I have to mention the obvious) was such an amazing and exciting show ! But meanwhile, would love to connect with you guys more on twitter (I've become a little more chatty nowadays there ;) !

Back home I go, to film then eat #bookedandbusy #LFW17 pic.twitter.com/yj7qv1J35H

— Olivia-Zara (@_oliviazara) September 17, 2017

Upendi

Love. Love is in the air people ! Well today was the first official day of London fashion week and love did not really seem to be in the air, just a hella load of water. My Lord did the heavens open this day! Very hectic and slippery. I'm really happy with how the day went, i interned at Bora Aksu and Mark Fast again, and as per usual, to report back - my time there was well spent, learned a lot and met some cool creatives ! But for now, I'm heading back to uni work, have so much to do, so little time (you know how it goes)
I just wanted to share my set of Valentine gifts from a special someone, my mother (cue the Aww's) . She is absolutely hilarious, and full of good spirits, presenting me with my goodies before my 9:45 call time.

Beauty goodies, with an encouraging note from my Mama

Let Marc remind you everyday that you are beautiful, and allow Tom to remind you that your the best when you lips are closed and you do your chores, Happy Valentines day Olivia-Zara, have fun at Bora Aksu ! 

You see ? LOL!

How have you spent your valentines day ?

x

Rohmir SS14

Yesterday, I attended the Rohmir SS14 show at Freemasons Hall in Holborn.

 

 

 

 

 The show was absolutely amazing ! What a beautiful collection, my favourite piece was the yellow jacket, I'm excited with all the colours (especially yellow) this season, and animal print has return yet again, but Rohmir had taken a graceful yet elegant approach. I was also amazed by the hair and make-up which complimented the overall silhouette with the finishing touch by Morelle Davidson jewellery on each model.

To view the finale walk, go to my instagram page as that's where I filmed it ^_^

It was a lovely way to end London fashion week, I had interned at two shows, helped put on House of Oshae as well as attending a show. Sweet.

Next up will be press days in around October/November and then before you know it, AW14 shows will be at a ready in February next year !    

x

OOTD || All Black

I've noticed this season, my all black attire speaks volumes, I'm not really a fan of all black so I bend the rules by accessorising my outfits when interning, but this year i stuck to rules and had fun ! Instead of matching a pair of pants/jeans with a top, I've played about a little bit more. This has got to be a favourite look of mine from the blog, what I wore for the House of Oshae SS14 collection.

 

Sheer Dress : River Island | Leather pants: Jane Norman | Ankle strap sandals : Primark

My favourite picture from yesterday -

 Myself with the amazing stylist Jen ^_^ Check out what she wore on her instagram page @Jenelectro



x 

House of Oshae SS14 - Whitened Youthquake - Photo Diary

So today was the day House of Oshae launched their SS14 collection. Twas a splendid collection and I'm super proud of Jhaniel and her creation ! So glad to be a part of the team. 

I'm super excited for SS14 next year, the use of experimenting with materials and colour is perfect for the season (especially if the spring and summer weather will be like this year) I also really liked how Jen and Taija kept the styling clean and sweet in order for the clothes to speak for themselves.

Here are a few of the looks which I managed to take today , more will be aded by the end of the week AND on the Facebook page ;)

 

 

for more photos and the finale ending, follow House of Oshae on instagram !

x

LFW - Day One ... 7:30am call !

Keeping it simple , unless you want to take a risk with the chance of loosing something ... not many interns are lucky
to put their belongings in a 'secure' place

This year, I started london fashion week interning at Bora Aksu as a FOH (front of house) intern, helping out backstage and making sure the correct people were in the correct spaces, as well as making sure backstage was all calm in order to have things run smoothly.

This year I made sure I didn't repeat the mistake of not packing light. I cannot stress how smart you have to be when packing if you're interning at any show because there is not always a specific place for you to store your stuff, every season, I take my camera and a few bits and bobs (practically the kitchen sink) and at the end of the show, I end up leaving last because someone moved my stuff !

Now, I simply have my business cards, my phones (which i put in my shorts underneath my skirt/dress), chewing gum and lipgloss - alongside my camera. I felt really bad last season why I had to turn some interns away because a) they carried too much 'luggage' and b) not wearing the correct dress code. Tip: if you are told in your confirmation emails to wear black, wear full black, not off-black or navy blue, or a black ensemble with neon pink/green accents. Keep it simple, keep it clean. I decided to just wear my topshop jersey dress and converses ! Something I would be comfortable and ready to do any task in, running OR jumping in lool. 

I don't need to talk about timing as well - you all should know the deal, PR's and backstage/security MAY be stressed trying to do 100 things in 20 seconds and handling your lateness is not really ideal.

Images : Fashion 156.com

Just a few pointers about life as an intern, interning at Bora Aksu is great though, I've been interning at 3 seasons now ^_^. This season was a special season for Bora as he was celebrating 10 years at LFW, and what a better way then to actually kick start the season with a collection which referenced his Turkish roots. The traditional Turkish elements were evident throughout the collection, from the range from colours to bell shaped sleeves, lacework and the light tassels which were inspired by Aksu's childhood times, the bursts of fuchsia and rich yellow fabrics were playful yet soft and simply beautiful. It may have been raining outside, but inside the show space, summertime was in the air !

Kiwi & Yam

Last month, I attended a fashion and fundraising event organised by Vir2ous Ltd called Fashion Exposed. The annual charity fashion show (and overall event) celebrates the 'Patterns of Culture', a beautiful way of bring all the different art forms together for young people to express their talents like fashion or poetry.

The talent that night was amazing! It was so good to see not only Vir2ous Ltd grow as an events company, but also continue to provide a platform for such electric independent designers. After the showcase, I met up with one of the designers and asked her a few questions, so read on to find out more about ... Kiwi&Yam. 

- Yes you read it right loool 

  

Kiwi and Yam is a London based street wear brand where British multiculturalism meets urban rebellion. I met up with Misi (The Founder) to ask her a few things about the brand !

 Kiwi and Yam, a very strange combination, what's the inspiration behind your brand ?

Lol, Yh it is quite a random mix but there is some method to the madness. The Kiwi represents the vibrancy of the brand whilst the yam represents the raw ethnic edge. The inspiration behind the brand is really just everyday people in London, we all live here happily together but most of us are from a different ethnic background. Kiwi&Yam is a celebration of British multiculturalism, in the form of street wear apparel.

Describe your potential customer?

Someone who isn’t afraid of the new, who sets trends and not follows.

What does heritage mean to you?

It means a lot to me. I am a British born Nigerian and my heritage really plays a big part in who I am today. Not only has it helped broaden my cultural knowledge but also given me a sense of versatility.

Where do you see KIWI & YAM in 3 years time?

Oh wow! In 3 years time I would have liked Kiwi&Yam to be a well established brand preferably stocked in more than one country. I would also like to have opened a flagship store.

Your launching for the first time Friday 13th September, could you please give a hint to Miss Olivia-Zara readers what will be in store?

Well as you have already seen our signature Varsities will be up for grabs, but we will also be releasing pieces from our Urban Rebellion range with is part of our new campaign. (There’s lots going on with that so make sure you look out)

Where are KIWI & YAM stocked?

At the minute it isn’t stocked anyway but you can pre-order by email. It will be available on ASOS marketplace from Friday the 13^th of September.

What advice would you give to people who are trying to break into the industry? Independent designers always say to just be original? But what's your other ingredient to be a success in creating and leading a brand like KIWI & YAM?

I would say don’t wait! Too many if’s and but’s help me back but once I decided to just go for it I started to see results. Also I’d say just follow your instincts, every mistake is a lesson learnt not an opportunity lost. Be innovative and be you!

Remember that they are launching at the end of the week, be sure to follow them on their twitter, facebook , tumblr and Instagram !

London Fashion Week | Street Style

As some of you may know, today is that last day for London Fashion week. During the past couple days, I underwent street-style hunting at Somerset House. I did also intern at Bora Aksu on Friday (as usual, lovely experience and thank you Goodley PR) and loved the fact that this year, I actually took it upon myself to engage with the subject (the person). 

Alright so back to the blog post, this year was totally about looking for the street style trends, what seems to be booming, and what looks like a trend which is not quite there yet, but will creep up later.

 

- Neon (yet again), but in a way I'd think is easier to execute. Most people feel that neon is not a color that suits practical day-wear for the Spring, or can sometimes look a little 'off'' at night. Personally, I believe that you need a little neon in your closet, whether that be an accessory or footwear. Those two options from an outfit can jazz up your ensemble. Also, it's a good way of combining it with the monochrome trend which is kind of in full swing now. Neon is an alternative for that 'pop color (red/fuchsia/cobalt blue).

-Shades Rain come or sun shine, you need a range of glasses, try looking round thrift shops, or going to vintage fairs as they really do hold the treasure which you cannot find in the mainstream retail shops. There are only so much that Urban Outfitter and New Look can provide!

This is all I can show now, but do look out for more street-style on the facebook page, and in the next issue of Amor Magazine  

And I leave you with a ...

TIP: Always leave a positive and memorable impression, whether it's a friendly gesture like smiling or displaying your basic manners which your mother tuned into your head countless of times; that's how people remember you; and that is how your business card won't get chucked on the ground after you turn your back against that person whom you did not say thank you too !

x