Alluring style icons @ Beach centre

BEAUTY, fashion and fun were celebrated in the heart of Atlantic Beach Centre, Victoria Island, on April 17, when Allure Magazine staged its 2011 awards party to celebrate former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, Omowunmi Akinnifesi, and Mai Atafo, an upcoming fashion designer, who were this year’s recipients of Allure Style Icons awards.
  The event attracted industry leaders, celebrities and fans of the publication including Chief Erelu Abiola Dosumu; Rita Amuka; ex-beauty queen, Nike Oshinowo-Soleye; Queen Ahneva Ahneva; Patrick Doyle; Celine Be Ssede and Alex Kothoor.
  Akinnifesi and Atafo polled the highest votes from readers and judges to emerge the icons.
  The search for the 2011 icons began in January with 20 celebrities listed. Readers were requested to vote their choice on a scale of 1 to 50. Four celebrity judges contacted by Allure magazine were asked to make up the balance 50 per cent.
  Elimination was done on weekly basis. Celebrities with the lowest number of votes were dropped. At the time voting closed in March, Omowunmi and Atafo had recorded the highest number of votes.
  Allure Style Icon Search was instituted in 2009 with Dorothy Atake emerging first winner, while Kate Henshaw-Nuttal and Celine Loader were runners up. In 2010, the search was expanded to include men. Pastor Paul Adefarasin became the first male icon while Ms Grace Egbagbe became the second recipient of the award.
  Highlights of the evening of fun were a performance by DJ Sax and a fashion show by Cephas Jewellers in collaboration with Hollies Creation.

The Arise crown goes to…

Maiden Ibru present award to The New Face of the Year – Chika (Nigeria) – model.




THE Arise Magazine Fashion Week, which ended last week, was indeed a splendour of event, with models of Black Coffee, a South African fashion outfit strutting the runway in diverse stunning wears.
  The event also witnessed presentation of awards to some designers and models. Among those recognized with Lifetime Achievement Award were Deola Sagoe, Eredappa, Shade Thomas-Fahm from Nigeria; Mali’s Xuli Bet and South Africa’s Malcolm Kluk and Christian Gabriel du Toit — the duo of Kluk CGDT.
  While Kluk received Designer of the Year award for 2011, the Model of the Year award went to Tanzanian model, Flaviana Matata; and Elite Model Look, Nigeria 2010 winner, Chika Emmanuel won the New Face of the Year award.
  Tiffany Amber won the Fashion Brand of the Year award and Ituen Basi, who unveiled Ankara helmets as part of her collection during the show, won the Creative Designer of the Year award. In the 2009 edition held in Johannesburg, Basi also won the Most Innovative Designer of the Year award.
  Other winners include Buki Akib in the Young Designer of the Year category; Maki Oh was crowned the Emerging Designer of the Year while Pierre-Anthonio Vettorello was Innovative Designer of the Year and Angello Van Mol got Menswear Designer of the Year. Nike Oshinowo-Soleye, ex beauty queen/entrepreneur received the Style Icon award.
  In addition to the awards, five designers were chosen to participate in the Arise Collective Show at the New York Fashion Week billed for September. They are Kluk CGDT, Jewel by Lisa, Bunmi Koko, Tsemaye Binite and Pierre-Anthonio Vettorello.
  Nigeria’s rap princess — Mo’ Cheddah and Tinie Tempah, thrilled guests at the event.

Menswear Designer of the Year – Anjelo Von Mol (Belgium/Ghana)

The Fashion Brand of the Year – Tiffany Amber (Nigeria)

Emerging Designer of the Year – Maki Oh (Nigeria) (Nigeria) with Maiden Ibru

Designer of the Year Award – Kluk CGDT

Model of the Year – Flaviana Matata

Young Designer of the Year – Buki Akib (Nigeria)

Best in Creative Designs – Ituen Basi (Nigeria)

Style Icon of the Year – Nike Oshinowo