Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Happy New Year! I dedicate my last letter of 2015 to the year that was. A year of great learning and growth. This has been a year of great milestones, a little failure and more personal and professional growth than I would ever have thought possible in a span of – well – 11 months. As I get into 2016 I walk into it with my head held high and an open mind. An open mind not because I do not have plans for the fantastic year that is to be, but an open mind because I have seen first-hand what closed-mindedness can do to a person’s outlook  on life and opportunities. I have come to realise that whilst you may have your own personal plans and goals, the universe will always do what it does – and technically – what it is meant to do in your life. You can never be too prepared, and the worst thing is probably being over-prepared for a specific outcome. So as we get into yet another year; my face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the pool of popularity or meander in the face of mediocrity. I will not give up, let up or slow up... If you are with me on this one, whisper a silent Amen!

The gentleman’s issue is one of my favourite issues of the year. It could be because this is the one time, we get to focus on what men want and need – fashionably speaking. Coming up with interesting beauty regimes for men is definitely an interesting conversation to have; you would have to be a fly on the wall of that brainstorm room to understand why. The highlight of this issue, however, is the couture conversations. This could be because I was able to join the crew in meeting, shooting and sitting with each of these men, or because, I’m a great fan of light, yet interesting banter on topical matters. Brief and to the point, I hope you enjoy the read. We also have some great men’s fashion and beauty lined up for you, and while we may not have a ‘male cover’ as we always do, I think our Miss Universe runners up, did us some justice. 

Our anniversary issue celebrates the epitome of female success by highlighting various female ambassadors to Kenya and talking to them about their lives and experiences in our wonderful country. We also discuss the future for women in Africa and beyond – in their opinion – and what a great conversation it is. We also have the lovely Lisa Christoffersen gracing our pages as our celebrity of the month, and our brand-new travel writer for what I suppose shall be very exciting issues to come. We hope you enjoy reading this issue, as much as we enjoyed putting it together.

“… if, when you stop and look around, do not like what you see, make a firm and concrete commitment to change it!”

Our dollhouse theme in this month’s issue of COUTURE Africa magazine, coupled with the piece on the social media mirage by our curious observer makes me think that perhaps – in one way or another – we are all living in a dollhouse of our own making. The excitement we had then, as children, is not different from the thrills we get today, as adults, when we buy that brand new flat screen TV or upgrade the 10-year old fridge. Such is the cycle of life…work hard…get paid…buy stuff…from someone who is also working hard…to get paid from the stuff you have just bought. Oh, the joys of commerce. Then comes your persona… I admit that I cannot leave the house before “putting on my face” even if I am just going to the supermarket and back home because we have to present ourselves a certain way to the general public. Look at our social media pages…riddled with moments only of perfection. Do not get me wrong, I do not think it is a bad thing, I think it’s great – if it’s authentic! I am a true believer that you – consciously or unconsciously, actively or passively play a very present role in the creation of your reality. In the creation of your ‘dollhouse’. What does yours look like?

Allow Your Passion to Become Your Purpose and It Will One Day Become Your Profession.
 
The last article on here really inspires me and is pretty close to my heart. Call it a homage to all who have dared walk down the path less trodden – and have created a life and livelihood around it. So, as we get into the meat of 2019 [January is just the starter pack] I hope that more and more people will be willing to take the plunge into the abyss of entrepreneurship and fully follow their dreams.

Fashion designers are displaying much more novelty than before. Considering the current talent pool, it is probably at an all-time high. Until recently, we had only a handful of them - we knew each of them by name. However, that’s not the case anymore. There are innumerable designers with incredible talent. The evolving runway scene has thrown open many doors for every kind of designer – from fashion Gurus to new designers. With 2018 wrapping up, these are the designers who have been shaking things up. At COUTURE Africa, we celebrate such achievements with the hope that they shall continue to do even more in the new year!

What are little boys made of?
What are little boys made of?
Frogs and snails,
And puppy-dogs' tails;
That's what little boys are made of.
What are little girls made of?
What are little girls made of?
Sugar and spice,
And all that's nice;
That's what little girls are made of.
An old English nursery rhyme
This, is my favourite issue all through the year. The one that talks about, to and with men. Men, to me, are compelling, enthralling, captivating subjects. Nothing like me, yet in some way, human, like I. I observe women and their interactions with men, and watch men and how they respond, sometimes react, to women, and secrets are always revealed. I have read up, and I am familiar with, PUAs - pick up artists, men who teach men to pull women, and some of the overwhelmingly silly things they teach, some bordering on macho, misogynistic crap. I listen to feminists, and how anti-men they can become, and they stand their ground, declare themselves radical. I listened to my mother who was terrified of my vulnerability to men - or so she thought, because it turned out I was not boy crazy, I just have an intense affinity for male energy. I thrive around it. I surround myself with it. I need it like air.

THE DARKER THE BERRY THE SWEETER THE JUICE
Kenya is constantly described as cosmopolitan. A melting pot. A baby New York. A place without a solid ethnic vibe. Where 42 tribes all have a sense of pride with their own identities. It is a metaphor for Africa. 54 states that will not become unified any time soon. Each with its singular culture. All vibrant. All misunderstood. All agree that TIA is a phrase expressing a barely masked frustration with government. Mired in political fatigue. Such potential, never to be realised. Africa Rising is just hot air. Money comes to you only if you steal it. Nice guys die before finishing last. Only conspiracy theories make sense. Where they have to take you in when Trump kicks you out. Where Sauti Sol will live and die. Where you can look ugly and enjoy it.

THE ONLY THING TO FEAR IS... YOURSELF
The notion that a contemporary woman must look mannish in order to be taken
seriously as a seeker power is frankly, dismaying. - Anna Wintour

BLACK MAGAZINES ROCK
I can’t remember when I fell in love with magazines. It could have
been the Buda catalogues my mother had all over the house with
pictures of lean, blonde women in clothes that inevitably made their
way into her wardrobes. Growing up, there were no magazines for me
to dive into. And, they were also very, very pale the exact opposite of
my family and friends. I know it has become popular to say people
do not see themselves represented and so they start something to fill
that void. I did not realise there were no black faces. At least not until
I stumbled across a copy of Ebony. It was a shocker to me flipping
through the blackness and because this cliche fits, in all its glory.
Slowly, the pieces started to click. There were no magazines with
women like me. There was Viva for a while. My mum confessed
she had been asked to be a covergirl. She turned them down. I was
aghast. She showed me the black and white picture. It is framed and
hangs in both home. She is young, gorgeous, with a TWA and a top
I later discovered was striped pink and white. I could even see the
cover lines! Except she said at the time magazines were associated
with women of a certain character. I think these days we insist on
mistakenly calling them socialites. I wanted to shake her.

BEAUTY IS AS BEAUTY DOES
“Makeup is not a mask that covers up your beauty; it's a weapon that helps you express who you are from the inside.” - Michelle Phan
There was a time I didn’t care to be beautiful. Of course I was also waddling and cute by default so that hardly counts. As I grew older I became aware there was a standard of beauty and I did not meet it. She has soft, clear, light skin with thick dark hair with big round eyes. As she grew older she was allowed to darken a smidge provided she had glorious curves to be ogled at in real life and increasingly, on social media. Then my flawless skin broke out at 29. Hormones. Stress. Genetics. Androgens. Environment. Diet. Dermatologists played blind darts. I sunk money into skin care and lifestyle. I got trolled for having acne. Threads confident in my ugly. That was the actual word used. Ugly. Other women were effortlessly beautiful so why was I working so hard to earn mine dammit! It would seem I was destined to be on the wrong side of beautiful my entire life. 

Yes, this story has a happy ending where I will gloss over all the hard times and tell you I finally slayed that dragon. Killed it. Dead. The end. Insert smiley face. After years of being told I was too black, that my hair was too something, my arms too toned, my body a little too strong and agile-looking, my muchness simply too much, a switch flipped in my head. I hate this cliche but it is ever so perfect. I found my beauty, as dramatic as it was. I embraced me. I realised I only had two speeds when it comes to lipstick: red and a deep plum. No nude lippie for me. I loved how my wild red hair went every which way. I was bemused by all the attributes directed my way simply because of how
I looked.

Carol Odero.

Life is all about Balance; Mind Body and Soul! 
Balance in life is one of those things whose value you discover as you get older. It is also one of those things you do not realise you need until you get it. Now I am not necessarily talking about work-life balance [as someone who works 90% of her waking life, I am yet to become an expert in that area]. I am talking about balance within yourself; mind, body and soul. 
MIND
“You are the books you read, the films you watch, the music you listen to, the people you spend time with, the conversations you engage in. Choose wisely what you feed your mind.”
“If you feed your mind as often as you feed your stomach, then you will never have to worry about feeding your stomach or a roof over your head or clothes on your back.” Albert Einstein
BODY
“Take Care of your body. It is the only place you have to live.” Jim Rohn
“Eat well, move daily, hydrate often, sleep enough, love your body and repeat for life.”
SOUL
“You do not have a soul. You are a soul.” India Arie
“It does not matter what world you live in; what matters is the world that lives in you.”

Some of the most complex female characters on TV are polarising because of sex. Why? For one thing women need to be able to laugh at their own sexual choices and behaviour. They get to make decisions about their own sexuality. Very much the idea behind She’s Gotta Have It, a Netflix reboot of a similarly titled Spike Lee movie. The lead, Nola, has four lovers: three male, one female. So far. How To Get Away With Murder opens with Annalise Keating receiving oral sex from someone we figure out is not her husband. A collection of remarkably audacious stories of Scandalous Women: The Lives & Loves of History’s Most Notorious Women. Then of course there is sex positive, polyamorous, gender fluidity, transgender and terms that were never there for our consideration as teenagers. 
It is easy to admire women who live their lives unapologetically. It is just as easy to resent them. There is a reason Rihanna is a wildly popular as she is. Why she is considered sexy. Her brown skin are more like duck feathers. Water rolls off of it. She shakes it off and on to the next. We like branding ourselves queens and goddesses, thinking only of the part where we get what we want. Being royalty or being a deity is a woman thing. Deities are responsible or they better be! You can’t be a true kween if you think sex unravels only on the physical plane; that it is something you give in order to get. True royalty gives and has a fair grasp on things they decide on. To fully grow up and into your own as a woman you will need to approach sex with more than a little timidity. You are going to have to do the unthinkable - go spelunking into your woman cave. Not THAT cave… the one in your mind, heart and soul. There is a lot that is left up to a woman’s lover. If you love yourself you will have to be your best lover. Take that any way you please.
Carol.

HERE’S TO NEW BEGINNINGS. 
I do not know about you, but I love the holidays!!! Not sooo much because of the festive season – which is great, yes but gets less and less exciting as you grow older – but because of the promise of the New Year! When I was in my early 20’s I was all about New Year Resolutions, 3-month detoxes, new finess regimens et al. But, that would usually only see me until my Birthday in the end of January, or worse yet, if I did get through the first three months, I would usually go back to my “unhealthy” ways with abandon immediately after. Not a very wise way to deal with life. 

Now that I am older, and perhaps a little wiser, I get into the new year with a little more structure and long-term planning. I no longer believe in New Year resolutions but instead believe that you can resolve to become a better version of yourself at any point in time; as long as you feel the calling. So my annual plans usually invove financial goals, travel goals, family and relationship plans, work plans etc. and it is usually done in two phases; the first one in December just before the holidays, as we close the year and a second review on my birthday which conveniently sits at the end of January. At this point you have already seen the pace the year is starting with and you can adjust accordingly. More often than not, I will also do a mid-year review to asses how the year has been so far, and whether I am on the right path to achieving my goals for that year! 

Happy Holidays and an even Happier 2018! 

Love & Light 

O.

The Fashion Issue is nothing if not about resilience. Of the industry, the people, their solutions to problems and yes, it has to be said, the passion that has driven them thus far. There is unpleasantness. There is exhaustion. There is frustration. There is agony! But there is also beauty in the struggle like a flame torch sculpting ice, melting away the edges until eventually, hello David! 

The Africa Issue is both challenging and intriguing. What does it mean to be African in our time? Fashion is not defined by Ankara, lesos or kikoi. It is not about safaris because you live and work in a town or city. We are not The Croods. Africa is a complex place with corners yet to be understood.

What is your definition of power? I ask women this in interviews so many times as I was writing this sentence I finally realised I have never asked the men to define power. And now suddenly I want to know nothing more than what men think power is. Is it the bipolar mother on medication, struggling with ADHD while raising an autistic son? Is it a life lived on the edge so precariously and peppered with mistakes that you know you have to fix and somehow make right. Power is knowing your team and your beat and your body with such intimate understanding you are fearless on stage. It could be that moment when you finally tell your crush, the love of your life or significant other what turns you on, and your relationship hangs in the balance in those few seconds that s/he processes the phrase BDSM in his mind. 

Power is that moment you step into your house at the end of a long day and into this magnificent sanctuary you created, inside this space you call home that looks exactly like you wanted it to when you were 6, 16 or 26. Or not. Power is fuelling your body, making it strong, efficient, alive, awake, knowing you have limits and still, still you are ambitious enough to push past them. Power is being a superhero to your loved ones, when you make a child laugh and get rewarded by the purest sweetest sound. It is the moment you look at your shoe collection and the fabulous clothes hanging in your closets and realise all the things you want to say are spoken with the textures and colours of your wardrobe. When you make a choice saving the environment and money. 

Four Years of Awesomeness…oh how time flies! It was just the other day when we were setting up Touch Media House’s first brand COUTURE Africa Magazine, having the age-old ‘let’s wait for elections to pass before we launch Issue One’ conversations and now, here we are! Four years strong, COUTURE Africa has defied societal norms. “Print is dying,” they said. “Digital is the way to go,” they said. “You will only burn your fingers,” they said. “It’s too much work,” they said. Well, here we are, printing our way to success, overworked? Possibly. But only passionately so. Love what you do and you will never have to work a day in your life, right?! 

Having been in business for over 12 years now, Touch Media House Ltd has definitely been my biggest challenge yet. The best thing about any challenge is that you have to step into the person you have to be to overcome it. See now, mountains will not shrink to accommodate you, you have to grow into the person who can handle them. Once you understand this, you appreciate life, and any difficulties you may face.

ENTREPRENUERSHIP IS THE BACKBONE OF ANY SOCIETY. 
We are the creators, the visionaries, the dreamers, the realists, the leaders, the influencers and now, the trend setters – as entrepreneurship has become the coolest thing in town. Do you dream of starting or running a successful business? Well, gone are the days when our parents and society at large encouraged us to get good grades, get into a good university, so that you can get a good job [well, truth be told, I was born in THAT generation of parenting]. Today, everyone is trying to raise the next Mark Zuckerberg and all young adults are looking to make it as big as Richard Branson. Are all these opportunities really out there, or is the vision of not only building successful businesses, but being a multi-millionaire as a result of them just a façade? So that is what this issue is about. Celebrating entrepreneurship and all its nuances. If you love business, are in business, have a side hustle that you think should be your main business, then this is the issue for you.

The Gentleman’s Issue is always an exciting issue to work on, as this is the one month in the year where we get to celebrate the men in our lives. So, ladies, feel free to share this with the gentlemen in their lives, as we tried to keep all articles light, entertaining and informative for both male and female readers. As we welcome our new Managing Editor, Carol Odero to the COUTURE Africa Family, she kicks off with a somewhat conversational topic on
the Emasculation of Men in our main Feature and talks to Niyat Patel of Marini Naturals and fitness guru Frankie Jus Gym It. We also cross over to other interesting matters such as raising boys, and male PMS [yes, it’s actually a thing] before topping it off with amazing fashion featuring industry heavyweights John Kaveke and Niku Singh as well as newcomers Tasnim Dosaji and Suraj’s wearable art. 

As “He Is COUTURE” is an annual special edition, we welcome your thoughts on all the things about men you would like us to explore for and with you when we next talk all matters MEN.

Love & Light.

@olivegachara

CELEBRATING MOTHERHOOD is always a great thing for any daughter, son or mother [that should cover every being, right]. And this month in COUTURE Africa, we celebrate the great work that has been done by Janet Mbugua-Ndichu in her #IAmMotherHood campaign as well as talk so some fabulous mums [and grandmoms] on their personal style, as well as their beauty and grooming tips. We also celebrate ALL modern mothers, because they make it all look so seamlessly effortless. 

A lot of brainstorming and research has gone into putting this issue together, during which I came across one article that caught my attention, in a way
that none other did. Said article was talking about the modern-day mom and how little guidance has been given to her to help her become who she has to be today; a working mother where motherhood in the workplace is more oft than not considered an inconvenience to the status quo. It is quite ironic because I do remember a male business owner quipping about how expensive it is to hire young women because they always seem to be getting pregnant. I laughed his not-so-witty remark off at the time, but it was not until almost eight years later that I recognized the weight of his words. I too may have fallen prey to this mentality. I hear myself repeatedly telling
women to focus on their profession, career and related qualifications as their claim to fame and/or success and leave home-at-home. I mean, we are competing in a “man’s world…right?” Well, I shall leave this ‘man’s world’ conversation for another day, however, what I have realized is the domino effect our mentality has on younger girls. Suddenly, being a wife and mother is no longer appealing to them… Certainly not when you can be Olivia Pope. And I am talking about Brainiac smart girls who look up to the Oprah’s of this word…and it makes me wonder… Is our aspiration as women – beyond all else – killing future generations [literally]?

So I know that saying every issue is a personal favorite is getting overrated, but THE BEAUTY ISSUE really is. Growing up, as a little girl, I was more of a tomboy than anything else…spending my mornings climbing loquat trees [I was super skinny with long limbs so I would usually get the furthest], and afternoons cycling around the neighborhood climbing people's gates. If you told 12 year old Olive that ten years on she would be spending her days in spas and money on the best cosmetics available, she would laugh you up said loquat tree. But here I am, and there is no place I would rather be. This is because make-up and beauty, “girly” as it may be, is not nearly as
shallow or superficial as it is oft perceived. Granted the Lady Gaga’s and the guy they call the Human Ken Doll may have taken it a good number of steps too far, but where you use beauty to accentuate, not camouflage, great things happen. Teach a woman how to dress appropriately for her body shape, give her a make-over and teach her how to maintain her hair and do her makeup, and the results are simply magical. It is almost like opening her to herself. Her confidence catapults and she somewhat reclaims her personal power, feeling – if only for a moment – that she can do anything and be anyone! Research has shown that an improved image goes a long way in mounding one’s self image for the better and, your self-image dictates to some extent others image of you too [hence my credo fake it till you make it].
My point? There is nothing superficial nor fluffy in taking the time to make yourself look beautiful. Your more confident you will thank you, your partner will appreciate it, and your kids will notice it too. Remember, when life gets difficult, put on some lipstick and attack has become a common adage, and I second that 100%.

I love the Body Issue because I always learn so much when putting it together! The story that takes the cake [no pun intended] is definitely Kunga’s Juicing Diet! His is an inspirational tale of finding oneself that led to the 100-Days of Juicing Campaign you must have heard of by now. We also talk to Madeline Kariuki on her weight loss journey and Uncle Zach on his cancer battle. If you do not feel motivated to be a better you and live a healthier, better lifestyle by the time you are done with this issue, I do not know what will inspire you! Remember, the most important thing in this life is to take care of your body, because it is the only place you have, to live in.

The month of love is here, and with it comes its own pressures!!! I personally think you can measure the strength of a relationship based on how partners deal with the red cloud that is Valentine's Day. Some love it, some hate it, some love to love it, and some love to hate it. Whichever you may be, ensure that your partner knows what you expect. If, like me, it is no big whoop, then say so. But only if you mean it! Do not say "Valentine's Day is really a day created by the cards and gifting business to make an extra buck and I really do not care much about it, or cards, or gifts, or flowers, or chocolate," and then sit there hoping that he will read between the lines and get you said card, gift, flowers and chocolate all topped off with an elaborate dinner for two! If there is something I have learnt about men in my short life, is that they are extremely simple beings! Keep it simple and reduce all risk of unhappiness and drama by stating your expectations well before hand.

My-oh-my… The Holidays are upon us once again. This time it finds me with mixed emotions; I am not sure if I should be excited for the year that was or eager for the year to come. Well as I continue to try and live in the now, embracing every waking moment of being part of the awesomeness that is COUTURE Africa, I would like to thank all our readers for supporting us through 2016 and we look forward to an even more amazing 2017!

As you plan for your holiday break [or your working holiday], we have amazing tips on how to get through them without absolutely losing your mind, wanting to kill your partner and running away from your children, so do have a good read. When it comes to fashion, we have a special feature featuring one of the loveliest ladies I have met, yet, Lucy. This month, we celebrate a different kind of beauty with photographer,Beatty, as a way of celebrating people with albinism for they too have their own special attributes. We also do not forget to bring you all the latest trends that will guide you well into 2017 in both fashion and beauty.

If business is your thing, then you definitely want to read up on Adil Popat; the force behind Simba Corp and Joan Okorodudu; the founder of Nigeria’s Next Top Model. If you are all about life on the fast lane, we have great insights on fashion and lifestyle from Kaz, Toya Delezi and Sunny Dolat. All in all, something for everyone on our Christmas Issue.

Until next year, Love and Light from the COUTURE Africa Team! @olivegachara

LIVE LIFE • LOVE AFRICA

COUTURE Africa is ‘East Africa’s home of Fashion,’ and this month, we focus on all things – you guessed right, fashion! I truly believe that fashion – as a way of life, means to make a living and form of creativity – is viable and important to our society. I believe this magazine is proof of this! I have been reflecting on what this means for our country, and indeed our continent. When we started, not many were convinced that a magazine focused primarily on fashion was viable. Some thought there were more important issues, or that fashion was not something Kenyans would be that interested in. Today, things are different, and beautifully so. I have watched with pleasure as a small base of designers, stylists and models turns into large units of brands, businesses and organisations that are interested or focused on this wonderful topic: fashion. What does fashion mean to you? In this issue, we explore different ideas and concepts of style. Of course, this is something that we always do; so we just put a little more emphasis and “Vavavoom” into this issue! I particularly enjoyed working on the ‘Safari Chic’ (pg. 64) piece this month, featuring the all-new Jaguar F-Pace shot at the scenic Nairobi National Park, courtesy of Kenya Wildlife Service. It reminds me that fashion is more than fabric, high-heels and looking good – it is a way of life!We also created a list of some of Nairobi’s best-dressed people (pg. 64), something that was not as easy as we thought because Kenyan’s have begun to put a lot of effort into what they wear! While the list is not exhaustive, it is educative and was enjoyable to work on. What does fashion mean to YOU? Join us in the conversation all through the month of October using the HashTags #DoYouHaveYourCouture and #TheAfricaIssue. Do not forget to follow and tag @coutureafrica on your social media platform of preference. Remember, Live Life, Love Africa!

What does it mean to be African? We hear over and over that, ‘Africa is rising’. Do we resonate with this sentiment and more importantly, resonate with our African-ness? Working on this month’s magazine was quite an interesting experience. How do you define which fashion, food or stories are African? We are such a diverse, and beautiful people, the options are endless. It is a special place, ‘this our continent’! The best things have come out of it, and the best people conquer some of the most despicable situations. One quote comes to mind: "What I've come to learn is that the world is never saved in grand messianic gestures, but in the simple accumulation of gentle, soft, almost invisible acts of compassion, everyday acts of compassion”. In South Africa, they have a phrase called Ubuntu. Ubuntu comes out of a philosophy that says, “the only way for me to be human is for you to reflect my humanity back at me," Chris Abani. Ubuntu is one of those things we take for granted, because it is [almost] everywhere we are on this continent. It is in your mother, in your cousins and even in that interesting old lady who wonders when you are going to get married. We, Africans, live off and feed off each other. It can be terrible sometimes, when we choose to focus on the negative. OR, it can be amazing when we focus on what is great, and beautiful and amazing as we tried to do in this month’s Main Feature. If had to choose, I would say I love being a young enterprising woman in Africa today, living in Africa and making my life work in Africa. What do you love about being African and living in Africa? Join us in the conversation all through the month of October using the HashTags#DoYouHaveYourCouture and #TheAfricaIssue. Do not forget to follow and tag @coutureafrica on your social media platform of preference. Remember, Live Life, Love Africa!

No matter where you are in the world, women are statements of enthusiasm. They are one with nature, giving rise to life and constantly striving to improve their surrounding, image, outlook, perspective and anything that says better living. As women in Kenya strive for equality, it is important that we understand the journey that those who went before us have had to overcome. Tumultuous strife, going against what was thought of as acceptable, stepping out of their comfort zone so that their daughters in posterity would have a better life and overcome lesser struggles. This is taking root – slowly and there’s better awareness today than a few years ago. So feel encouraged, hold on to this worthwhile journey with the hope that in the near future, more paths will be cleared and step out into the world knowing what it means to be a woman of substance. This September, we braze time and bring you a sample of women who are amazing as they each curve out their niche in different fields in the NGO world, business, FMCG and communication. It is not an exhaustive list but we hope as you read our main feature, the array of power women will inspire you to strive for better heights. There’s more interesting reads for you in our various sections – did you know that you could make a wine smoothie? Why not try it one of these sunny afternoons as you flip through travel, décor, finance and parenting segments? We drape out in timeless black and white to bring you Yvonne by Afrostreet gorgeous BLAWH collection, Kirat Khalsa and Roma Designs Africa as we also showcase to the men how they can look stunning despite the bipolar weather.
All things artsy, all things inspirational and all things beautiful this September!
Talk to me, @olivegachara and remember to LIVE LIFE, LOVE AFRICA and LOVE OUR POWER WOMEN.

So… You know I have had the same HP laptop for my editorial work for the last 3-years, right. I bought it three years ago at the onset of COUTURE Africa magazine, and with its in-built Beats by Dre speakers, it has served me exceptionally well… writing from the COUTURE Africa HQ, from my home office, from my bed, by the beach, on the plane… I have literally carried it EVERYWHERE with me. I remember someone laughing at me recently because some of the letters on the keys have rubbed off…now we just type from memory [who types looking at the keyboard anyway]. Point of the story is this: just as those letters have rubbed off my keypad with the ultimate goal of ending up in these pages, month upon month, year upon year, we hope that the COUTURE Africa message has rubbed off on you too. A message that celebrates all that is authentically African, from our fashion to our food, our people to our stories! Over the last three years, COUTURE Africa has indeed morphed from being just a magazine to becoming an experience and a community, and we are glad to have you as part of that amazingly fashion forward, futuristic community.

The cost of urban and urbane living has and continues to get insanely expensive, it seems. But has it really? I ask this because we find that more and more, pop culture is influencing what ideal lifestyles are. This has happened in the past with beauty ideals, and it took well over 10-years for women to hone their personal power and embrace themselves regardless of body shape, body size and/or skin tone. It is interesting then to see how long this opulent way of living shall last before people have enough confidence and satisfaction in themselves and their lives to become authentic. This does not go to say that we are living in-authentic lifestyles, however when ‘sponsors’ have become acceptable ethos in society, then we know there is something going wrong somewhere. So in this issue, we talk about money and the influence it has on our lives. How much does it cost to live that ‘fabulous’ lifestyle, and what are people willing to do to achieve it? 
Follow this and more interesting conversations on social media @coutureafrica on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and let us know your thoughts on the above. I think this shall be a very exciting month! 

What is the measure of a man? A true gentleman? This is the new-age question that we try to demystify in the next couple of pages, so I can guarantee you a great read. A read that all ladies should share with the important men in their lives. A read that all ladies should use as [dare I say] a benchmark when relating to the men in their lives. Because at the end of the day, a guy is a man by birth, but a gentleman by choice. He Is COUTURE is dedicated to all the great men in East Africa and beyond working every day to become better people for themselves, their partners, their colleagues and their families.
This month we touch greatly on men’s fashion and style – from the dapper to the casual – as well as basic grooming tips for the ‘manly’ man. We also do not forget to give you all the fashion style and beauty trends for our COUTURE female readers as we continue to try and be disruptive yet informative with our content. We have interesting conversations for you from Sean Cardovillis and Kevin Ombajo to Pierra Makena, who’s making strides in what was known to be a man’s world, and our cover star Nick Mutuma amongst others.
Lots has been said through these pages, and I would like to hear more from you on our social media [@coutureafrica across all platforms]. What is your take on today’s generation of men? Is chivalry really lost, or are we, as women, lowering our expectations of men? Talk to me, @olivegachara and remember to LIVE LIFE, LOVE AFRICA and LOVE OUR AFRICAN MEN.

The Gentleman's Issue 2019

6th Anniversary Edition

The Doll House

The Creative Economy

This Year In Fashion

It’s Movember Again!

This Is My Africa

The Power Issue

5th Anniversary Issue

April 2018 - The Beauty Issue

March 2018; The Body Issue

February 2018; The Sex Issue

December 2017/January 2018

November 2017

October 2017

September 2017

As East Africa’s Pioneer Fashion Magazine, COUTURE Africa seeks to not only celebrate African Fashion, but bring global fashion and beauty trends into the African market in a relatable and easily translatable way to our readers.

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COUTURE Africa Magazine - December 2015 - January 2016

COUTURE Africa Magazine - December 2015 - January 2016

In this issue

COUTURE Africa Magazine Description: