29, December 2020
France: Fashion designer Pierre Cardin dies at 98 0
Legendary French fashion designer Pierre Cardin died Tuesday at the age of 98 at a hospital in Neuilly in western Paris, his family told AFP.
Cardin was born in Italy in 1922 but emigrated to France as a small child.
Cutting his teeth working at top couture houses such as Christian Dior, Cardin went on to launch his own brand and pioneered the use of licensing in fashion, plastering his label’s name on products of all kinds. His savvy business sense brought him a mix of admiration but also scorn from fashion purists at the time.
In the 1960s and ’70s he upended traditional fashion with his futuristic, avant-garde looks. He became known for his visionary creations, shaking up fashion with bubble dresses and geometrical designs. Cardin was also one of the first to bring high fashion to the masses by selling collections in department stores beginning in the late 1950s.
While he no longer presented runway collections in his later years, Cardin remained active in the industry, attending parties and events and taking young designers under his wing.
He had previously been a mentor to prominent designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier.
His death was also announced by France’s Academy of Fine Arts on Twitter.
“It is with great sadness that the members of the Academy of Fine Arts announce the death of their fellow member Pierre Cardin,” the academy tweeted.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and Reuters)
15, February 2022
Yaoundé: Sp’Ash maiden event was a resounding success 0
The maiden edition of Sp’Ash, a celebration of Cameroon’s amazing talent in fashion, sport, visual arts, music and entertainment, was held on February 5th 2022 at the prestigious Hilton Hotel in Yaoundé, as a prelude to the TotalEnergies AFCON 2021 Finals in Cameroon.
A major highlight of this unique event which fused Sports and Fashion was the appearance of the 2010-2014 Vice captain of the Indomitable Lions – Eyong Enow – who graced the runway in clothes by outstanding Cameroonian designers. Also on the fashion runway was the reigning Miss Cameroon 2022 Samantha Edima, Miss Cameroon 2020 Audrey Monkam, Miss Cameroon 2015 Jessica Ngoa, with Miss Cameroon 2014 Valerie Ayena being the vibrant host.
The Cameroon designers selected for this special event included Inesta, Yves Tchinda, Eloli and Kibonen. Numero Uno department store also displayed a collection of the brands they carry, with a promise of eventually carrying products from select Cameroonian fashion designers in the near future. The eclectic band X Maleya provided the musical performance for the runway walk, whilst LoveNLive also kept guests enthralled with folkloric live music.
The symbolic presence and support of HRH Nfon Ekoko Mukete was a clear sign that Cameroon’s cultural landscape had endorsed Sp’Ash, further evidenced by the opening address of Mme Ewang Grace from the Ministry of Arts and Culture (SWR Regional Delegate).
Among the illustrious guests were: -Mrs Elizabeth Mbayu, wife of Minister Delegate at MINREX in charge of relations with the Commonwealth, Mr Ben Modo, CEO of Prime Potomac, Mr Moctar Ousman Mey, Board Chair of NASLA, Mr Kinge Monono of the Cameroon Embassy USA, Mrs Priscilia Monono of the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr Awasum E.M (JR), President of The Cameroon American Football Federation, Mr Donatus Ach, Inspector at the Ministry of Finance, Nkanya Nwai, renown movie producer and Mayor of Ako Municipality, Bah-Pna Dahane, international consultant for Sports, Arts and Culture
Echoes of this event led the meeting of some Cameroonian fashion stakeholders with Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe, a South African fashion businesswoman and wife to CAF President Patrice Motsepe, and whose company, African Fashion International produces African Fashion Week in South Africa.
This edition of Sp’Ash was sponsored by Afreximbank through its Creative Africa Nexus program, represented on site by Mr Temwa Gondwe and Mrs Khanyi Mashimbe.