The 4th edition of the Ankara Festival
Los Angeles 2013, ‘AFLA 13’, held at The Avalon in Hollywood drew a crowd of on
fashion enthusiasts both from California and across the country to experience
one of the largest and most diverse African Fashion and Music events on the
west coast. AFLA 13 was a celebration of fashion designers and people who
embraced the use of traditional African material for contemporary fashion. It
was an “Original Africa” experience.
The African fashion trends at this
edition of Ankara Festival in Los Angeles were far more than dazzling. The high
fashion event held at The Avalon in Hollywood showcased some of Africa’s
hottest designers and popular music artists. The look of this year’s show in
Hollywood brought a new meaning to the word “Revolutionary”.
MUD Make-up Artists were on hand to
polish off the look with a dewy foundation, metallic smoky eyes, and a nude
lip. The bold contoured faces of the models as they strut down the runway were
topped off with straight, elegant styles. The Paul Mitchell School of Sherman
Oaks were present providing all the required hairstyling and hair products. The
designers had the models rip the runway in their most creative Ankara designs,
and finally the crowd was moved by the “Giving Campaign” from TOMS, partners to
AFLA 13, through their #OneforOne & #BeShady campaign, and they further
surprised the crowd where models strutted the runway with a range of TOMS shoes
and TOMS glasses.
The hosts for the event were the superb
duo of Duain Richmond (FELA! On Broadway, Sierra Leone) and Yvonne Orji
(Comedian, Nigeria) who kept the crowd engaged from the beginning to the every
end of the show. They were dressed and accessorized by the all of the designers
on the show. A catch phrase was coined by Yvonne before the intermission which
left the crowd in fits of laughter, “I don’t care if Jay-Z is wearing Tom Ford,
I’m wearing my African Print!”
An African all star line up of designers
included the headlining act Korto Momolu (Liberia), runner up of Project Runway
(Season 5), Afriq Expression (Nigeria) Dewan Apparel (Nigeria) Nice Trads
(Nigeria) Nsaa House of Designs (Ghana) OYATO Designs (Nigeria) Solome
Katongole (Uganda) Sumahrie Collections (Sierra Leone) and Tee’s Designs
(Nigeria).
Music and stage performances were from
Chibbz, Lola Savage, Rahab, Styelzz, Titi Lo’Kei and Kenyan songstress Naomi
Wachira.
Event Partners and Sponsors TOMS, Twin
of A Kind, Primo Arts, Royal Dynamite, Make-Up Designatory (MUD), CURLS, Sweet
Dreams Cakes n’ Things and Arik Air helped bring the event together for a
packed house of guests.
AFLA 13’s event ambassadors were Lara
Okunubi (Philanthropist), Monalisa Okojie (Celebrity Jeweler), and Sammy Rotibi
(Actor)
At the end of the show, a final surprise
was announced: the 2014 Ankara Festival Los Angeles Banner was revealed! The
event is expected to hold on 7th September 2014.
The event producers for Ankara Festival
Los Angeles are Peter “Lentini” Efezohae (Founder & Creative Director),
Bimpe Efezohae (Co-founder & Executive Director), Dunnie Onasanya (Events
Producer & Public Relations), Demola Ogunnaike (Co-Director)
Connect with us- visit www.ankarafestla.com,
follow us on Twitter: @AnkaraFestival, Instagram: @AnkaraFestivalLA,
“LIKE” us on Facebook:www.facebook.com/AnkaraFestivalLosAngeles or send us
an email on AnkaraFestLA@gmail.com
Follow Me On Twitter: @effiongeton
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Follow Me On Twitter: @effiongeton
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