INTERVIEW WITH BINTA SHUAIBU,MTN/BRITISH COUCIL DESIGNER OF THE YEAR

In this interview with Binta Shuaibu, the winner of MTN/British Council designer of the year, she opened up about her strong passion for fashion, her rising profile and how women can be stylish without having to expose their body. You can click here to see the photos and read the interesting interview 
 To become a successful fashion designer, like Binta,find fashion related courses in online technical schools

-Niyi Tabiti
niyi@gistmaster.com

WOMEN CAN BE CONSERVATIVE YET STYLISH-BINTA SHUAIBU,DESIGNER OF THE YEAR

Binta Shuaibu is the Creative Director of Vintage Colette (VC), a Kano based fashion house. She believes a woman can be conservative yet stylish, beautiful and very fashionable. Shuaibu won the MTN/British Council Young Designer Award for 2011 at the recently held MTN Lagos Fashion and Design Week in November last year. In this interview she shares her passion for fashion and other things. (Excerpt)

What does the word fashion mean to you?

Fashion means three basic things to me; comfortable, artistic and stylish. Fashion is a personal self expression that reflects the radiance from within one’s individuality.

How would you describe the Nigerian fashion industry as it is today?

The Nigerian fashion industry has really improved over the decades and is still on the verge for more improvement. Nigeria is a country with a lot of talented and creative minds. The last decade has unveiled a lot of potentials from the Nigerian fashion industry featuring in the most famous fashion shows in the world.

What are the kinds of fabrics you work with?

Most times I work with silk, cotton and some other fabrics but usually Nigerian, African and western fabrics.

What is your personal style?

My personal style is simple and artistic.

Tell us a little about your background, education, career and how your fashion career started?

I am an indigene of Gombe state but was born and raised in Kano State. I attended St. Louis primary and secondary schools in Kano. I studied Biochemistry and also had my Cisco certified networking academy course from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. After serving in FCT I got married and moved back to Kano where I enrolled at Alliance francaise and obtained an equivalent degree certificate in French language. I then enrolled for a Masters course in International Affairs and Diplomacy (MIAD) at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria which I completed earlier last year that is 2011.

My fashion career was something that started as a hobby from the age of eight when I watched the late Maryam Babangida on television. I began sketching and my fashionable parents also helped me with styling my wardrobe and dressing smartly from a tender age. At the age of 13, my mum sent me to a tailoring school at the women’s centre in FCT for a three month course. I didn’t like the classes because I preferred the cookery classes and also because I was the youngest in the class and was constantly teased by the other women that my parents sent me there because they had plans of marrying me off as soon as I completed my secondary school. They teased me and said I was going to be a tailor in the future. I hated going for the classes.

I eventually continued to sketch as a hobby for myself, family and friends but stopped after a while because people thought my designs were too eccentric. Later on, after having a baby I decided to continue without worrying so much about what others thought. I simply focused on what I felt from the inside and put it down on a piece of paper.

Asides fashion and designing what are your other interest?

Before auditioning for the MTN LFDW, I only worked as an event planner and also did some creative writing. I was asked at the audition how I joggle all that up with family life and my designs too. It is quite simple actually for me because everything I do is creative and I get inspirations from all over. Life itself is also creative from my own perspective. Fashion design is something I have always done effortlessly but I now intend to take it up as a full career and give it my best shot.

What would you say inspires your work, that is, your designs?

I derive my inspiration from the simplest things to the most complicated. It could be architectural, nature based, art or lifestyle.

How do you keep fit?

My personal regimen for keeping fit is dieting and a high metabolic rate which by the way I think is genetic. The combination of these two things helps me keep in shape.

What is your area of specialisation in fashion designing and why do you focus on that aspect of designing?

My area of specialisation at the moment is haute couture. It a bit complex while putting together because of the amount of detailing involved in creating one dress but it’s something I am passionate about and well worth it at the end. I absolutely love it.

Why do you feel you can make success out of a career in fashion and just how confident are you about this?

I am very confident that I would make a wonderful career out of the fashion industry because I am hardworking, and also a perfectionist. From the age of 8, my primary school teacher thought me a poem by Mamman J. Vasta that ended with the words ‘from beginning to end must leave nothing pending’. I have always entwined these words into my daily life and career as a human being, the results have always left me with a smile on my face.

Vintage Colette is the name of your fashion label, when and how did you come about the name?

Vintage Colette is the brand name I came up with for my design house which infuses the use of Vintage designs with contemporary concepts to make any woman between the ages of 19-55 feeling comfortable, stylish and sexy without revealing too much. A woman can be conservative yet stylish, sexy and fashionable without indecent exposure.

What is your take on love, marriage and relationship?

I think it’s best to be married to your friend and someone who deeply understands you. Love is an important ingredient in the equation but in the long run it’s those two things that keep a relation or marriage going.

Locally and internationally, who are some of the people you consider your role models?

Late Maryam Babangida, my parents, Ituen Basi, Coco Chanel, Balenciaga, John Galliano, Elie Saab, Karl Lagerfeld and Oscar de la Renta.

How do you unwind?

I hang out with my close friends and family. Sometimes we go to the movies but generally I enjoy hang outs with my family and close friends.

How do you balance your personal life, home and family with your job?

The same with every woman with an ambitious drive, it’s hectic, but I’m neither the first nor the only woman in this position. I enjoy the full support of my family on this job, adjusting might be tough initially. If there’s anything I’ve come to learn in my few years of experience is that eventually things work out and you’ll reap the fruit of your labour.

What are your dreams and aspirations for Vintage Colette?

You can bet I’m already dreaming big because the journey towards a wonderful career has just begun. My vision is that in a few years from now Vintage Colette would be on all the continents in the world and it all started from the MTN Lagos Fashion and Design Week 2011 competition.

ROAD TO AMA AWARDS 2012 BEGINS

The journey to the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) 2012 has begun  Peace Anyiam Osigwe, the founder of the organization that puts together the annual event disclosed in an email sent to gistmaster.com that nominations starts on 17 March 2012 while the award proper holds on 22 April 2012.

-By Niyi Tabiti

niyi@gistmaster.com

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AWARD FOR CELEBRITY FASHION DESIGNER,MUDI

   CELEBRITY fashion designer Mudiaga Enajemo popularly known as Mudi is the recipient of O’jez Entertainment Awards for February, and the foremost designer who hails from Delta State, has assured he would be present to receive one of the industry’s most prestigious awards on Sunday, February 26 at the celebrity restaurant, O’jez, inside National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
Mudi is being honoured for his invaluable contributions to both the fashion and entertainment industries in Nigeria according to O’jez’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Joseph Odobeatu in a statement. “Mudi is one young Nigerian that has made this country proud across Africa.

His Mudi label has gained grounds in East, West and South Africa and he makes clothes for all celebrities and all classes of people in the continent. Like I always reiterate, O’jez Entertainment Awards was instituted to celebrate Nigerians that have distinguished themselves in their fields of endeavours. Consequently, we are celebrating Mudi on February 26 here at the only celebrity restaurant in Nigeria, for his achievements so far while encouraging him to strive more.”
O’jez and Evergreen bands will be on call to dish out soul lifting highlife tunes to Mudi and other invited guests while comedians MC Shakara, Elenu and compere Charles Inojie will all entertain the award recipient. Odobeatu said: “O’jez Entertainment Awards is fast carving out a niche for itself as one of the industry’s most credible awards.

It is given on merit to well deserving people in the society, it is not solicited for and cannot be bought like some many awards around that is why someone like Prof. Wole Soyinka, Prof. Femi Osofisan, Bahorun Dele Momodu, Ken Calebs Olumese, and Alhaji Bamanga Tukur among many others can proudly display our plaques in their homes and offices.

For over a decade now, we have consistently given this monthly award, (I don’t think there is any monthly award around) to achievers in the society. A time will soon come that if you are an achiever and you have not received the O’jez awards, you are not yet an achiever because the awards committee made up of people like Nollywood actors Zach Orji, Ejike Asiegbu, Charles Inojie and media lobbyist Justin Akpovi-Esade among many others ensures the right person is chosen monthly.

I am proud of the O’jez awards,” Odobeatu said.
Mudi in accepting the nomination for the awards in a statement posted on his Media Company, Media Image Managers’ website; www.mymediaimage.net and Facebook page, Media Image Managers, said he was indeed honoured to be O’jez’s award recipient for February. “I am honoured and I feel proud to be nominated for the O’jez Entertainment Awards.

I have attended same awards ceremony in the past where others were celebrated but I never knew it would be my turn. Truth is, I feel proud that some group of people somewhere are taking note of what others are doing and have decided to recognise these efforts. I will have to cut short my trip overseas to be here in person to receive this award.”
The show is expected to start by 7.30pm.

LATEST NEWS:TUFACE PROPOSED MARRIAGE TO ANNIE MACAULAY

Tuface Idibia has finally proposed marriage to one of the women who bore him children. The lucky mistress is Annie Macaulay, a showbiz personality and former hosuemate of the Nigeria Next Movie Star TV reality show.

Tuface proposed to Annie Macaulay at Jay Jay Okocha's Club.The Cross River state born Annie was moved to tears as she galdly accepted to marry the singer.

Already, she has a baby for the Tuface. Pero Adeniyi another woman in the life also has two children for him and she is expecting the third one in the US. Sumbo Ajaba, another mistresss of Tuface has two children for him. There are speculations that the singer has another baby from another woman.

-By Niyi Tabiti

 

WILL BOBBY BROWN ATTEND WHITNEY HOUSTON's FUNERAL?

 The world is still thinking about the untimely death of legendary pop diva, Whitney Houston at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, California. Celebs from all over the world has been paying tributes to the talented star.The latest news shows that Whitney would be given a befitting burial on Saturday in her home town of New Jersey.
 The million Dollar question here is- Will Bobby Brown, her estranged husband and father of her only child, Bobbi Kristiana, attend the funeral? 
 Before Whitney eventually walked out of their marriage and fled for divorce in 2006, Bobby Brown was largely blamed for having a bad influence on her, especially as it concerns her hard drugs addiction.
 Click here to read about the story of Whitney, her fame,fortune, marriage and drug story

Latest news from several media sources in the United States indicated that Bobby Brown flew to be with his daughter who have attempted suicide twice over the death of her mother. 
-Gistmaster

LATEST NEWS:THOSE WHO FUND BOKO HARAM UNCOVERED

This followed the recent arrest of key members of the sect and appointment of a new police chief in Nigeria.

Nigerian agents appear to have made a major discovery in their investigations into the sources of funding of the Boko Haram Islamic sect. According to the Nigerian Tribune newspaper, the State Security Service (SSS) and its local and international counterparts have now traced the group's sources of funding to some Al-Qaeda-linked organisations in the Middle East.

Recently arrested key figures of the group reportedly told security agents that while the organisation initially relied on donations from members, its links with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, AQIM, opened it up to more funding from groups in Saudi Arabia and the UK. Nigerian Tribune said sources in Boko Haram confirmed that Al-Muntada Trust Fund, with headquarters in the United Kingdom, had extended some financial assistance to the sect.

Other sources of Boko Haram funding reportedly uncovered in the investigations are the Islamic World Society with headquarters in Saudi Arabia and some prominent local businessmen, including one who donated a bus and loud speakers and an in-law to the sect's founder, Mohamed Yusuf. A businessman from Bauchi State is said to have developed links with Al-Qaeda in Somalia, having received training from Abu Umar Al-Wadud, its leader. The suspected financer later fled to Somalia in 2009 following the onslaught on members by security forces.

Meanwhile, the team investigating the January 15 escape of re-arrested Boko Haram kingpin, Kabir Sokoto, has concluded plans to bring him before detained Commissioner of Police, Zakari Biu, Punch newspaper said. The meeting between the two, a security source told Punch, would enable the investigators to verify Biu's claims on how Sokoto escaped from police custody. Sokoto was re-arrested on February 10, 2012 in Mitum-Biu, Taraba State in the northeastern part of the country. Punch learnt that the ongoing interrogation of Sokoto and the sect's spokesman, Abu Qaqa, was also aimed at unmasking other leaders of the sect and its accomplices in security circles.

- By Kimeng Hilton Ndukong

LIONESS KILLS ZOO WORKER

  A lioness sprung at the throat of a zoo worker on a rural conservation farm and killed him, apparently because security gates were left open, the Johannesburg Zoo has announced.

Colleagues heard Joe Ramonetha screaming and rushed to help but it was too late, said zoo spokeswoman Letta Madlala. The 63-year-old was declared dead on arrival at the hospital, she said.

Ramonetha had been feeding the 11-year-old lioness or cleaning out her enclosure on the zoo's conservation farm in Parys, about 120 kilometres from Johannesburg, Madlala said.

Investigators found "It was evident that a terrible accident had occurred - gates were left open - the incident thus occurred due to human error," the zoo's executive manager for education, Louise Gordon, said in a statement later. She said there had not been a fatal animal attack at the zoo in 50 years.

"The staff are trained to close all gates on entering the facility, to let the lions out into the outside camp area, secure the entrances to the night rooms and passage before any work commenced," Gordon said. "Joe was attacked in the staff passage and sustained a fatal bite wound to his throat."

Zoo workers need to learn and practice stricter precautionary measures in dealing with wild animals.

Madlala said Ramonetha had worked for the zoo since 1970 and is survived by his wife and four adult children.

Zoo managers would meet to decide the fate of the lioness called Nyanga, she said.

South Africa has about 2700 free-ranging lions and 4000 lions in captivity. 

-AP

MEET GRETA WALLACE:THE DESIGNER WITH A DIFFERENCE

Greta Wallace is an independent fashion design professional who retails the Simply Greta fashion line from a Brooklyn, New York brownstone. Ms. Wallace manufactures some of her clothing in silk charmeuse, and her bias-cut skirts are as luxurious as anything you would find on Madison Avenue. The Simply Greta line tends towards loose-fitting skirts and shirts topped by her signature shrug, long tubular pieces with an opening for the torso, one for the head and two for the hands. If your looking for a resort-wear, or a relaxed style that can transition from work to recreation; Simply Greta has styles that compliment every body figure.

SIMPLY GRETA 2012
Studio: 718-257-1283
Mobile: 917 340-2347

WHITNEY HOUSTON DEAD: THE STORY OF FAME,FORTUNE,MARRIAGE, DRUGS AND END OF THE ROAD

 By Niyi Tabiti
  I was close to tears when i heard the breaking news of Whitney Houston's death.Whitney who died at Beverly Hilton Hotel in California was one of the most respected female singers of her time. She had a role model figure. Younger people wanted to be like her. She was famous, fashionable and was swimming in fortune.
  
 Everyone was shocked when she got married to Bobby Brown in

LATEST NEWS:WHITNEY HOUSTON FOUND DEAD IN HOTEL ROOM

American born international singer and actress, Whitney Houston is dead.She was found  dead at the Beverly Hills Hotel on the eve of this year Grammy Awards.She died at the age of 48

It was indeed a sad end to the pop queen once regarded as a good role model but who turned to hard drugs after her marriage to another singer, Bobby Brown.

Fox News said they have confirmed the death of Whitney.

Already, gistmaster.com gathered that there would be a special tribute songg for the late singer at the Grammys. Jennifer Hudson and Chaka Khan would be performing in her honour.

Hoston started singing in church.She was greatly influenced by the likes of her mother,Aretha Franklin. The award winning star was one of the highest earners in the American music industry some years back. She also played the lead role in the movie, Bodyguard alongside Kelvin Costner.

Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston met in 1989 at the Soul Train Awards but they got married on 18 July 1992 in New Jersey. They had a daughter together in 1993-Bobby Kristiana. It was a marriage that went through a lot of scandals due to regular arrests, drug abuse, domestic violence and infidelity.

Bobby Brown had three other children from three different women from previous relationships.

Eventually, Whitney quitted the marriage to Bobby but the drug addiction didn't quit her. Though she was said to have been well rehabilitataed, the drugs had already done its worst on her, making her a shadow of the the elegant and cerebral world star.

By Niyi Tabiti

news@gistmaster.com