Fatima Said: Beyond America's Next Top Model

She caught our attention as one of the contestants on America's Next Top Model Cycle 10. Fatima Said might not have won competition, but she definitely is a Top Model.

Fatima Siad is currently signed with New York Model Management in New York City under the editorial division, L.A. Model Management in Los Angeles placed in the women's division, Oui Management in Paris, France, Ace Models in Athens, Greece, and Ice Models in Milan, Italy, as well as with Munich Models In Munich.

Fatima born in Mogadishu, Somalia to a Somali mother and an Ethiopian father grew up in Somalia with her mother and two sisters after her parent's separation till the age of 13. The Somalia Civil war which started in 1991 changed Fatima’s life forever; just as her mother was preparing to leave Somalia for safety, militiamen stormed their home and fatally shot the two younger sisters who were just 8 and 10. After her sisters’ deaths, Fatima and her mother fled to the United States for safety.

Fatima, who placed third in the tenth cycle of America's Next Top Model  is featured in the latest campaign for Herve Leger. 

Fatima participated in the Boston University Upward Bound program while in high school. She was a Posse Scholar and went to Bryn Mawr College in 2004. She later transferred to New York University to study pre-med and political science. She eventually transferred back to Bryn Mawr College to finish her education. 

Fatima has been very vocal about the genital mutilation she experienced as a little girl. In an autobiographical essay she wrote for Orato.com titled Vulnerable Beauty: Finding My Voice, she spoke openly about female genital circumcision and her hopes for changing the practice to make it "less horrendous" for young girls.

Fatima has done a photo shoot for the Boston Globe, Essence Magazine, CosmoGirl, Elle, Marie Claire and Avon's Mark Catalog. She had a ten page spread in D la Repubblica Delle Donne, issue 637.

Fatima did a presentation for Gemma Kahng at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2009. She also walked in the Dazzle Your Senses fashion show at Club Sol. Siad was included in NYMM's show package for fall/winter 2009 New York Fashion Week and received a showcard. She walked for Stærk, Boy by Band of Outsiders, Betsey Johnson and Michael Angel at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2009/2010, for Lublu K. Plastinina in Milan Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2010,and for a designer in the Project Runway Season 7 finale. Most recently, Siad walked for Dries Van Noten, Andrew Gn and Hermès during the Spring/Summer 2012 Paris Fashion Week.

Source:
Wikipedia

Liya Kebede for Grazia December 2011

The Ethiopian Model and Activist is featured on the cover of Grazia's December issue. The 33year old mother of two has  appeared on quite a number of magazine covers and was recently revealed as the new face of the L'Oreal brand.

Celebrating African Women: Forbes 20 Youngest Power Women In Africa

Forbes Magazine/Forbes Online Contributor, Mfonobong Nsehe has compiled a list of the 20 Youngest Power Women In Africa. According to Mfonobong,

“Of course, this is by no means an official or an exhaustive list. But these are 20 women, all under age 45, who wield enormous influence in African business, technology, policy and media. They are change makers, trendsetters, visionaries and thinkers, builders, and young global leaders. They are at the vanguard of Africa’s imminent socio-economic revolution and its contemporary renaissance.”

The List 

Ory Okolloh – Kenya.
Harvard- trained lawyer, activist and founder, Ushahidi

Chimamanda Adichie – Nigeria.
One of Africa’s leading contemporary literary voices, Author of Purple's Hibiscus, Half of a Yellow Sun and The thing around your neck.

Yolanda Cuba – South Africa. 

Former CEO of Mvelaphanda Group, South Africa

Ndidi Nwuneli – Nigeria.
Founder, LEAP Africa.
Co-Founder,AACE Foods

Dambisa Moyo – Zambia.
International economist
New York Times best-selling author of both Dead Aid: Why Aid is Not Working and How There is a Better Way For Africa and How the West Was Lost: Fifty Years of Economic Folly - And the Stark Choices that Lie Ahead.

Khanyi Dhlomo – South Africa.
Founder, Ndalo Media, Destinyconnect.com
Publisher, Destiny Magazine and Destiny Man

Phuti Malabie – South Africa
CEO, Shanduka Group

Funmi Iyanda – Nigeria
Multi-award winning Journalist and Broadcaster
Host, Talk with Funmi
Fellow, The African Leadership Institute and ASPEN Institute’s African Leadership Initiative.

Isis Nyong'o – Kenya
Vice President and Managing Director, Africa, InMobi

Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu – Ethiopia
Founder, Sole Rebel

Elsie Kanza – Tanzania
Economic Advisor To Tanzania’s President
Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum

Julie Gichuru – Kenya
Journalist and Broadcaster
Executive, Citizen TV, Kenya

Lisa Kropman – South Africa
Founder, The Business Place

Stella Kilonzo – Kenya

Chief Executive, Capital Markets Authority, Kenya

Magatte Wade – Senegal

Founder, Adina World Beat Beverages

Jonitha Gugu Msibi – South Africa.
Senior Partner, Ernst & Young

June Arunga – Kenya
Founder and CEO, Qwest Media

Juliet Ehimuan – Nigeria
Google country manager, Nigeria

Olga Kimani-Arara – Kenya
Google Country Manager, Kenya

Saran Kaba Jones – Liberia 
Founder, Face Africa









Source:
Forbes

Desert Flower coming to U.S. theaters on March 18, 2011

Having gained wide success in the world of fashion and modeling, Liya Kebede has transitioned successfully into the world of acting, with the starring role in the independent film, Desert Flower. An adaptation of Waris Dirie’s bestselling autobiography, the story recounts Dirie’s rise from childhood in the Somali desert to the catwalks of the international fashion business.

Movie Synopsis:

Somali nomad Waris Dirie runs away from an arranged marriage at the age of 13 and ends up on the fashion runways of London, Paris, and New York. She also becomes a UN special ambassador, speaking out about the traditions that harm women worldwide. Based on the autobiographical novel by Waris Dirie, this inspiring story had thrilled audiences in Europe and now National Geographic Entertainment is bringing it to U.S. theaters on March 18, 2011.

It's all about Couture : AMSALE ABERRA

"When I see that look of confidence on the bride's face…that's when I know it's the right dress—if she feels comfortable and confident, she will look and feel beautiful."

Aberra, who is known professionally by her first name, is the co-founder, co-CEO, and creative director of the Amsale Design Group, which includes the Amsale, Christos, and Kenneth Pool labels. Her wedding and eveningwear is sold in her flagship boutique on Madison Avenue, at leading U.S. retailers such as Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Neiman Marcus, and in prestigious stores internationally.

Amsale Aberra's career as a couture bridal and eveningwear designer happened by necessity. While planning her 1985 nuptials to film executive Neil Brown, Amsale scoured the stores to find a simple, refined wedding dress. She found little in the way of clean, sophisticated gowns, and discovered an untapped niche in the bridal market—elegant and understated dresses.

"Everything was so overdone and with too much ornamentation," says Amsale, who was sure that her taste in gowns was shared by many other brides-to-be. Amsale placed a classified advertisement for custom-made gowns for other brides-to-be who shared her taste in sophisticated, understated designs. And so, with a few responses, a sketchpad full of designs, and a small team of couture sewers, Amsale started her business out of her New York City loft apartment.

Since then, the name AMSALE (pronounced Ahm-sah'-leh) has become synonymous with the "forever modern" wedding dress. Her collections are designed for brides who desire a fashionable, sophisticated and timeless look. Amsale believes: "Twenty years after the wedding, I want a bride to be able to look at her pictures and be as happy with the way she looked as she was on her wedding day."

Amsale's love of fashion began as a young girl growing up in Ethiopia. However, Amsale never considered becoming a designer: "In Ethiopia there were no fashion designers. I never knew that designing beautiful clothes was a profession to which one could aspire."

Amsale convinced her parents to allow her to leave Ethiopia in order to study commercial art in New England. While in school a revolution broke out in her native country, which forced Amsale to stay in the United States to support herself and complete her undergraduate education at University of Massachusetts - Boston through a number of odd-jobs. With limited financial resources, Amsale admits "I would design and sew my own clothes because I couldn't afford to buy new things. That's when I first thought of becoming a fashion designer."

Amsale left Boston, enrolled in New York's Fashion Institute of Technology and began her career as a design assistant for Harve Bernard upon graduation. Two years later, Amsale launched her custom bridal-gown business with her "forever modern" approach to sophisticated design.

Amsale's design philosophy has redefined the perception of the timeless wedding gown. Her innovative twists to time honored hallmarks of the traditional wedding gown—reintroducing "illusion design," modern updates of the traditional bustle, and tasteful color accents including the now-famous "blue sash" gown—have become so popular among prospective brides that they have been recognized as modern classics.

She extends that viewpoint of individuality to her collection of chic and refined gowns for the bridal party, and in the Amsale Evening collection of couture evening wear—both lines a natural progression from the sophisticated and modern styles of her bridal collection. Amsale's ball gowns, cocktail dresses and evening suits have been featured on the fashion and party pages of all the top fashion magazines, and worn by celebrities and socialites including Halle Berry, Julia Roberts, Selma Blair, Salma Hayek, Lucy Liu, Heather Graham, Kim Basinger, Deborah Norville, Vivica A. Fox, Vanessa Williams, Lisa Kudrow, Heidi Klum, Katherine Heigl and many others. Producers turn to Amsale when they need beautiful designs for films and television programs; her gowns have been featured on "The Oprah Winfrey Show", "Grey's Anatomy" and "27 Dresses."

Amsale's Madison Avenue boutique, which opened in September 2001, has fulfilled Amsale's desire to present her designs in a setting that reflected her "forever modern" vision. The 5,000 square foot boutique is an urban space with a gallery-like atmosphere that provides a sleek, sophisticated canvas and the perfect backdrop for Amsale's elegant designs. The boutique offers a full range of designs from all of the brands within the Amsale Design Group, including Amsale, Amsale Bridesmaids, Christos and Kenneth Pool. The Kenneth Pool line is designed by Project Runway alum, Austin Scarlett, while Amsale Aberra is the Creative Director for the Amsale and Christos lines.

Amsale Aberra, in December 2009 was appointed and sworn in as member Board of Trustees of her Alma matter, the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT).

In addition to the Madison Avenue boutique, Amsale's bridal designs are found nationwide at the finest boutiques and specialty retailers such as Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.

Source: Amsale Official Website
Fashion Institute of Technology, New York

MODEL WITH A CAUSE-LIYA KEBEDE

The Addis Ababa, Ethiopian Beauty born and raised beauty is a model, maternal health advocate, clothing designer and actress. While in school at the French Lycee, a film director spotted the young beauty and introduced her to a French modeling agent. After completing her studies, she moved to France to pursue work through a local Parisian agency.
Kebede's big break came when Tom Ford asked her for an exclusive contract for his Gucci Fall/Winter 2000 fashion show. Kebede's popularity in the fashion industry sky-rocketed when she appeared on the cover the May 2002 edition of Paris Vogue which dedicated the entire issue to her.

In March 2005, Kebede was appointed WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health.She was given the task of advocating on behalf of WHO programmes and initiatives focused on maternal, newborn and child health. She then founded the Liya Kebede Foundation, whose mission is to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality in Ethiopia and around the world. The Foundation funds advocacy and awareness raising projects as well as providing direct support for low-cost technologies, community-based education, and training and medical programs.



Liya was seen for a second time on the May 2005 cover of American Vogue, with the heading “Cover model with a cause”, profiling her work with the World Health Organization as their Goodwill Ambassador for her tireless efforts in raising awareness for the difficulties that women and children face in the developing world. In the letter from the editor, Anna Wintour states “It’s very gratifying that Kebede, who has long been a model of the highest rank, should come into her own this way. This is her moment, and it has not arrived by virtue of outsize fabulousness. She is beautiful, professional, and substantial, which makes her not just a model but a role model"

Kebede is one of a very few African models featured in major fashion photo shoots and runway shows. In July 2007, earning at an estimated total of $2.5 million in the past 12 months, Forbes named her eleventh in the list of the World's 15 Top-Earning Supermodels. In 2008, Kebede was featured on one of the four covers of Vogue Italia's all Black Issue.


Kebede launched Lemlem, a clothing line, in 2008. Lemlem, which means “to bloom” in Amharic, features hand-spun, woven and embroidered women and children’s clothing. Kebede founded the line to help preserve the art of traditional weaving and bring sustainable economic development to Ethiopia . Lemlem is sold at Barney’s, J.Crew, Net-a-Porter.com and numerous boutique shops. Kebede says she hopes this will part a sea of change for her home country. "It's wonderful to be able to donate and help people," she says.


Kebede has traveled to Ethiopia to support maternal health projects on multiple occasions. In 2009, she worked with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as part of their Living Proof Project. Kebede served as a High-Level adviser for the Center for Global Development’s 2009 report "Start with a Girl: A New Agenda for Global Health."


Kebede writes for the Huffington Post about maternal and child health and has been featured in Vogue and on the Daily Beast. She is also part of the Champions for an HIV Free Generation, an organization of African leaders led by former Botswana President Festus Mogae. The Champions advocate for increased HIV prevention and treatment efforts in Africa.





Source:
Liya Kebede
Wikipedia
FashionAfrica