Monday, March 05, 2007

UK STYLEE - DURO OLOWU & NAYO

Hi!!! Happy Monday....lol
How was your weekend?
Hope y'all didnt get up to anything too naughty....
I know the big event this weekend was the Howard Uni. ASA Fashion Show.
I've seen pics from the event soooo huge props to Cranberry! Uber Fab!

I heard about Duro Olowu several years ago when I read about him in the now-defunct Suede Mag - I LOVED tht magazine...I miss it sooo much :(
Anyways, Duro has gone on to bigger things including winning the 2005 New Designer of the Year award at the British Fashion Awards. His oft-celebrated patchwork print silk 'Duro' dresses are a certified cult-favourite. Duro presented his new collection at the Fall 2007 London Fashion Week.
Click on the pic to read about Duro and check out his collection below.








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I've spoken about Nayo before in my Rising Soulstars post. I absolutely love her music! Anyway, she is releasing her 1st official single 'African Girl' from her upcoming album today. Please show some love and purchase the CD in stores or online @ HMV & Amazon or via digital download or via itunes. She has also been getting some major press including a feature in the UK Independent. Good luck and much luv to her. To listen to her songs - go HERE. To see her vid, click HERE

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You know I had to sneak in some Idols West Africa.
Here are the performances from the 1st Group in the Top 24.
F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C!
Lara - She sang Celine Dion's 'Its All Coming Back'
Timi - He sang Roxette's 'Must Have Been Love'
Ibitoru - She sang Madonna's 'Like A Prayer'
Uche - He sang Monica's 'Angel of Mine'
Ekanem - LeAnn Rimes' 'How Do I Live'
Omawumi - She sang Shania Twain's 'That Don't Impress Me Much'

You can vote online as well so go ahead and vote for your favs.
Wow, Lara looks really different from her KUSH days, she had a baby so I guess that's the reason but she did a great job. I'm sorry I could hear some kind of H-Factor in Ekanem's singing...lol but she's not even Yoruba so I cant explain that one. The Omawumi girl is pretty, it'll be easy for the Idols WA people to package her commercially. Ibitoru is such a great performer...luv it! For the guys, I really like that Uche dude but Timi was good too.

That's it!
Have a great week...
I love that 'Mr. So & So' song by Nayo....its so deep and soulful, its almost eerie + I'm sooo happy that Duro is repping Nigeria even tho his new collection is not my absolute fav.
Thanks to Chi Chi and everyone else who sent me the Duro link.
Let us know what you feel about Duro, Nayo or Idols WA!

43 comments:

♥♫♪nyemoni♫♪♥ said...

Big ups to DURO... Nice pixs..

Uzo said...

I have heard such great things about Nayo's sound even though i havent heard any of her stuff. Thanks for this.

Dimples said...

Nice one Bella!!! Thanks for giving props to the UK!!!

Yeah Duro has nice stuff...not things I would necessarily wear.,…but hey I give the dude the thumbs up…but hold up though is that like $2300 for a brocade jacket?
The cheapest thing dude has up there is $860(£446.88 using today’s rate of $1.93=£1)..and it’s for an halter neck top…a bit pricy I’d say…but what the heck it’s all COUTURE I guess is the lingo they use In the fashion world.

Yeah totally loving Nayo…haven’t bought a CD in a while..but would most likely be buying hers…keep up the good work girlie!!! and we might just have a new and possibly BETTER SADE of the 20th century.

Keep flying the flag for Naija.

Anonymous said...

im 4th yippeee, one day ill be first , anyhooos LMAO @ hearing the H factor and the person aint yoruba lol, anyhooos i need to go study now or ill comment some more but.....lovely post as usual, have a great week! oh yea , thanks for the comment or did i thank u already....

Dammie said...

Ohhh Duro, I wasn't too keen on his latest collection, but he's def got fab designs!!!

Nayo, I think I'm going to love her, as I heard her song over the phone yesterday, and couldn't stop asking who was playing in the background.....she's got a beautiful voice, and I love the jazzy thing she got going!!

XxHave a fab weekxX

Anonymous said...

Nice post, but those guys on WA idols, were they coached to just say "thank you" regardless of the comment, because a lot of thank yous' seem to have been said... I mean, one of the judges asked some guy how are u feeling? and his reply was "thank you" or was is it just me hearing thank you over and over again?

Anonymous said...

Loving your blog bella... I just had a random question on Idol WA we hear the audience cheering but where are they seated ... there are like 10 empty rows behind the judges...

Lolita said...

Was not impressed by Duro's stuff, I think the only things I liked were the Trench and the Kimono type outfits. The rest of it was lack lustre.

On WA Idols, I loved Lara(lovely), Timi(awesome) and Omawumi(gorgeous) the most, OMG! They were fantastic, absolutely fantastic talent coming out of Naij, I am so very impressed! They hit their high notes perfectly, they sang those songs as if it was theirs, ah ah...No, this is the best.

Wo Bella, please keep it coming!

On another note, that Nana, is killing me with her comments. lol!
Plus that Dan Foster, is he sure is not Nigerian, because he sounds totally Naija trying to force yankee phonee. Like when he added an "r" to the end of Africa? What gives?

Anonymous said...

finally showed at LFW....

yes he is flying the flag but that collection didnt tickle

Smoothvibes said...

Thanks for the Idol update.... ( still no word on Synt? lol)

Wow... Good for Nayo... I got a demo CD off Amazon a while back.. and YES Mr. So and So song is my Fav too.

Good Job!... Blog on.

Anonymous said...

Hello Bella!

I was wondering how we could get in touch.I work for a pr company in lagos and we have a major activation this year that would require the use of a glam website.At the moment we are scouting for some one who would manage the content on the site.

If you are interested,you could reach me on 0803 727 6591.

Thanks

Anonymous said...

WOW!!!!Lara totally blew my mind away.. she was AWESOME!!!

Was totally felling ekanem though she struggled a bit but she was GOOD! Omawunmi had the energy but not really the dance moves.. and the rest were ok..
But meeen, mad probs to those folks.. awesome awesome job!!

Anonymous said...

go Duro! some of his so-called "it-dress" designs can be found here:

http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/56138056.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF19390335F8FA9CA92A647946E800597FB824EF3EA9A178B7582

http://www.dressaday.com/duroolowu.jpg

http://www.duroolowu.com/MEDIA/splash.jpg

not bad, eh? or at least i think so. he was featured in vogue a while ago so people and def. paying attention. good for him!!

and nayo's soulful edge is comforting. up naijaaaaaa!

Anonymous said...

*so people ARE def. paying attn.

yayyyy for idols! LOVE IT!

Anonymous said...

Hi Bella, Hi Everyone,

Thanks so much for your kind comments. Bella I recently discovered your blog and I'm total a fan. Thanks so much for the support. It makes it all worthwhile and particularly meaningful especially in the early stages.

Viva Nigeria!!!

Nayo

xx

Anonymous said...

Hi Bella, Hi Everyone,

Thanks so much for your kind comments. Bella I recently discovered your blog and I'm a total fan. Thanks so much for the support. It makes it all worthwhile and particularly meaningful.

Viva Africa

Nayo

xx

Anonymous said...

I hope that on WA Idols, it is not only oyinbo songs that they are going to be singing oh.

And bella I miss Suede Magazine as well.

Anonymous said...

ok y does everythng in n9jahave 2 be different. d performers were gr8 BUT DERE WAS NO FREAKING AUDIENCE! y pretend dere was 1 in d first place nd i know it aint dat hard 2 get a group of pple 2 sit down nd watch a show

Anonymous said...

WOW...i have to say, Nayo, if you are listening i love your stuff. I'm on your facebook, you myspace and i check your webpage once in a while. Your music rocks. It will be nice to have you come perform in Atlanta sometime soon. Always a fan.

Joy

Anonymous said...

ok i take my comment back. dere was an audience(loL)i 4 say o!

AbujaBabe said...

I Am over loving Duro Just FABBY!!!
Thanks Bella...

Anonymous said...

omo the Duro dress makes me want to barf anytime i see it.....so overdone and overused. But omo boy is naija so I have to celebrate with him. I love Duro Olowu dresses!! *lol*
I'll give Nayo a listen as soon as I get to a computer with speakers, but people have been saying good things about her. Her's is definitely a story in patience and perseverance.

Anonymous said...

bella...u r the best....the absolute best...i love ur blog n i love what ur blogis all about.... its wonderful that u do everything with class...unlike some others......... more idols!!!!!!!!

Nilla said...

I love some of Duro's outfits, especially The first 2 collections, and I also love the first two on the fifth row of 4 pictures (Don't know whether you understand what I'm talking about self...lol).

Thanx for the continued coverage of the "West Africa idols".

Have a wonderful week!

Anonymous said...

Loving Nayo........she sings really well. Has a lot of soul.Keep up the good work.

Thanx Bella for keeping us posted on Idols, actually forgot abt them for a moment. I am glad my two favourites (Omawumi & Timi)made it thru to the top 10.Thank God for this show...there's a lot of talent in Naija so big ups to them all.

Anonymous said...

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Anonymous said...

Loving Duro.

Lara has been evicted can you imagine!

She sang well. Iam so sad,:-(
Didnot feel omowunmi singing of Shania Twain she ruined it.

Anonymous said...

this is why I love bellanaija.com the juicy gossip comes out in the comment page! carry on people make i just siddon look

Anonymous said...

Timi and Lara's singing brought tears to my eyes....it makes me proud when i see talented nigerians. Onawunmi's energy was fabulous, nice voice and performance too. I think Lara did better than Ibitoru, Ekanem(is it me or was she screaming a bit) and Uche. Why did they vote her out?? :-(

lol @ Dan Foster's imitation of Randy Jackson's "dawg-pound"


P.S Nayo is tres fab!..ive heard her music too...real good stuff...i'm verry impressed

Good job Bella!

Anonymous said...

the last judge is SCARY!

Thanx Bella!

Anonymous said...

@ Omohemi, relax it's not yet time to lose hope. Lara has not been totally evicted.There will still be a wild card show from which the judges can save her if they want.
There are 4 groups of 6; audience votes and send 2 thru to top 10 making 8, so there will be 2 spots left for the judges to send in their 2 favourites. So fingers crossed....lol

Unknown said...

Pretty run-way, cute models, lovely colour etc however i am not too impressed with the designs. they are like "the-what-you-see-everyday contemporary european dessigns. with the exception of the prints, i do not find anything striking or distinct about it. GOod job to him but he should try and incorporation a more funky,distinct african designs to it.

menn, i don't know about these idols ooo.

where can i purchase the chic's album from.

Favoured Girl said...

I'm in the dark about the WA Idols gist cos I can't watch it here. Not fair!! I love Nayo's voice, girl's got talent!

(Thanks for your comment on my JDTA blog Bella. Tell your friend too that I appreciate it.)

Vera Ezimora said...

Bella, where do u live? I demand an answer!!

Anonymous said...

wow, this nayo chic is killin it mehn, im lovingggggggggggggggg

Anonymous said...

btw i was trynna get nayos song/album on itunes but its not comin up o , wussup with tthat?

MissJ said...

Duro is doing it BIG. I also first read about him in the sadly defunt glossy Suede and fell in love with his stuff. I read somewhere that his stuff sold out in Nieman Marcus or Bergdorf Goodman or one of those NY heavies in mere minutes! Talk about BIG time!


jaja

Remi Fagbohun said...

great line...
another great post bella...i dont know how you do it!!!

Oh and Nayo is great, i am so proud of her!!!

Anonymous said...

RE: Nayo,
Y'all don't get it, although "So & So" is hot, it's really all about "African Girl."

Been a loyal Nayo head for 2 years now. That being said, I'll rip the tongue out of anyone who dares compare her favorably to Sade. (Sorry, this babe, but Sade is... Sade... you understand, I'm sure.)

I can't wait until it's available in the US, but until then, abeg you Jand folk, please support the album. Don't just say you'll buy it... buy it.

Bella, the love... she never dies.

Anonymous said...

Bella... looking forward to you starting a for-profit entertainment business. Seriously, you've got mad talent!

Anonymous said...

There is talent in Naija sha.. but i wonder if they need the services of a beauty consultant. obviously some peeps have not heard the term OTT

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Anonymous said...

Duro Olowu is great!

He is talented, Nice and sincere and I am not too surpised at some of the negative comments posted. Typical Naija bad bele if you ask me. Girls we should be celebrating his success.

I did a summer internship with him last year. I called him out of the blue and he was nice enough to take me on. I learnt a lot about design, quality and great workmanship.

I am also an architect so if an ex-lawyer can impress me on design and cut he must be pretty good. In the end the most enduring fashions are those that are simple and classic and his dresses flatter all women regardless of shape or size and a big plus his clothes are not vulgar or tacky.

Being recognised by Vogue and having your collection featured with other designers like Armani et al on style.com is no small feat!

Great work Duro!!!