THAT COLD
FRONT COMING LATER THIS WEEK.
DESIGNERS FROM ALL OVER THE
WORLD ARE IN THE BAYOU CITY FOR
AFRICAN FASHION WEEK HOUSTON.
HERE WITH A PREVIEW OF THE BIG
EVENTUALLY, I WANT TO WELCOME
CREATIVE DIRECTOR, BEN LAPIDO,
AND WE ARE DESIGNER LATOLA.
OLAMI.
I FEEL LIKE PLAIN-JANE SITTING
NEXT TO YOU RIGHT NOW.
YOU BOTH HAVE ON SUCH VIBRANT
COLORS.
WHEN I THINK OF AFRICAN
FASHION, THAT'S WHAT I THINK OF.
>> IT'S A LOT OF COLOR AND
VIBRANCY, BRINGING A LOT OF
LIFE TO THIS WORLD.
>> AND A LOT OF PRINTS AS WELL
TOO?
>> THEY'RE ALL PRINTS FROM A
LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES.
EACH COUNTRY HAS THEIR OWN ZILO
AND THEIR OWN NICHE TO IT, BUT
IT'S REALLY ABOUT PRINTS, BOLD
COLORS, BOLD DESIGNS.
>> AND WITHIN EACH COUNTRY, YOU
HAVE EACH TRIBE HAS A DIFFERENT
PLAY ON COLORS.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> I'M LOVING IT THAT YOU'RE
SEEING AFRICAN INSPIRED FASHION
PIECES REALLY HOT ON THE RUNWAY
ACROSS THE WORLD RIGHT NOW.
>> AFRICA, THERE'S A LOT OF
INSPIRATION GLOBALLY, IT'S
REALLY TAKEN OFF GLOBALLY,
EVERYONE IS DOING THE AFRICAN
TINT, AFRICAN INSPIRED DESIGN,
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS
WHY WE'RE TRYING TO DO THIS
THIS WEEK, HOUSTON FASHION
WEEK, TO INTRODUCE PEOPLE IN
HOUSTON TO WHAT FASHION IS ALL
ABOUT.
>> SPEAKING OF THAT, LET'S
BRING OUT OUR MODELS.
>> SURE.
OUR FIRST MODEL.
>> I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I FELL
IN LOVE WITH THIS RED SKIRT
WHEN I SAW IT IN THE GREEN ROOM
IT IS SPECTACULAR.
>> I'LL HAVE HER TALK ABOUT
THIS.
THIS IS ONE OF HER DESIGNS.
TELL US ABOUT THE SKIRT.
>> IS THERE ANY WAY I CAN GET
OUT THERE?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
PLEASE DO, YES.
>> THIS IS ONE OF MY
COLLECTIONS.
I LIKE IT BECAUSE IT'S VERY
VIBRANT, VERY COLORFUL, ANY WAY
YOU GO, YOU CAN MIX AND MATCH
IS PUT IT TOGETHER
FOR ME, IT'S THE HOLIDAY SEASON
IS COMING SO YOU CAN WEAR THIS
AT THANKSGIVING, NEW YEAR,
VALENTINE'S DA
IT'S IS FREE FLOW, YOU CAN MOVE
AROUND FREELY WITH I
IT'S UNIQUE AND GORGEOUS.
>> LOVE HOW YOU ACCENTUATED
THE WAISTLINE, AND WHAT WOMAN
DOESN'T LOVE POCKETS?
>> TO ME, I LOVE BEING FULLY
COVERED.
>> ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
BRING OUT OUR NEXT MODEL.
>> AND THIS IS GARY.
GARY'S GOT ON ONE OF OUR
COUTURE DESIGNS.
IT'S SOMETHING A LOT OF PEOPLE
WEAR IN AFRICA, REALLY SIMPLE.
>> REALLY COMFORTABLE.
>> REALLY COMFORTABLE AND
DRESSY AT THE SAME TIME SO,
HE'S KIND OF GOT TO DRESSED
DOWN RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS A
GREAT WAY TO DO IT, OR YOU CAN
PUT SOME DRESS SHOES ON AS WELL.
REALLY ELEGANT PIECE, AND
THEY'LL BE FEATURED IN OUR MAIN
RUNWAY SHOW AS WELL.
>> AND THIS WOULD BE A PERFECT
OUTFIT FOR A GUY IN OUR CRAZY
HOUSTON WEATHER.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S VERY LIGHT AND STILL
REALLY, REALLY COMFORTABLE.
>> VERY STYLISH.
I LOVE THE GOLD ACCENTS ON THE
CUFF.
>> TO GIVE IT A LITTLE MORE
DESIGN, A LITTLE CONTRAST THERE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO MODEL NUMBER THREE.
>> AND THIS IS SHELL-LINA.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS, A
LITTLE SECRET HERE, SHE'S GOT A
LITTLE BABY BUMP THAT SHE'S
SPORTING.
IT'S REALLY FREE FLOWING, EASY
AGAIN, COMFORTABLE, BUT STILL
VERY CHIC.
IT'S A VERY CHIC DESIGNER THAT
WE HAVE.
VIBRANT, ONCE AGAIN, WITH THE
COLORS, THE BLUES OUT THERE
AND BOLD PRINTS.
>> YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A BOLD
PERSONALITY.
>> SO THIS COULD BE WHAT GIVES
YOU THAT BOLD PERSONALITY.
IT'S A GREAT PIECE.
>> BUT IF YOU'RE NOT SO BOLD,
YOU CAN DO BLACK LEGGINGS WITH
THAT.
>> YOU CAN WEAR IT SEPARATELY,
MAYBE BLACKTOP WITH THE
LEGGINGS OR BLACK LEGGINGS WITH
THE TOP.
>> AND I LOVE THAT NECKLACE.
CONGRATULATIONS.
LET'S BRING OUT MODEL NUMBER
FOUR.
>> AND THIS IS RAMSEY.
SHE IS WEARING OUR TRIBAL MAXCY
SKIRT AND TOP AS WELL.
YOU SEE A LOT OF THINGS ARE
FREE FLOWING
BOLD PRINTS AGAIN.
GREAT SKIRT WITH POCKETS ONCE
AGAIN, SO EVERY LADY LOVES
POCKETS ON THEREBUT ANOTHER
GREAT PIECE.
>> IT'S JUST A SHOW-STOPPER TO
ME.
YOU ARE GOING TO GET ASKED, WHO
IS THE DESIGNER, WHERE IS IT
FROM, AND IT'S JUST SO
BEAUTIFUL.
>> AND THEY ARE CREATING A
READY-TO-WEAR LINE BY TWO
SISTERS.
IT'S A REALLY GREAT LINE.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE ON OUR SHOW
ON SUNDAY AGAIN.
>> AND WE'RE GOING TO BRING OUT
ONE MORE MODEL.
I'M LOVING ALL OF THE COLORS.
THEY'RE JUST SPECTACULA
>> THIS IS IMANI, WEARING OUR
COUTURE SELECTION.
IT'S GOT SOME DETAILS ON THE
SIDE THAT YOU CAN WEAR IN A LOT
OF WAYS.
RIGHT NOW SHE'S GOT IT IN A
BOW, BUT YOU CAN RELEASE THE
BOW AND HAVE IT FREE FLOWING.
IT'S REALLY A FUSION OF WHAT'S
BACK HOME AND HERE SO, YOU'VE
GOT A LOT OF DIFFERENT PRINTS
ON HERE, THEY'RE REALLY JUST
MESHED AND PIECED TOGETHER.
>> THAT GIVES IT A TOTALLY
DIFFERENT LOOK.
>> THAT'S PART OTHE
VERSATILITY OF THIS COLLECTION.
>> THAT IS JUST FABULOUS.
LET'S TELL EVERYBODY WHAT'S
GOING ON.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH AFRICAN
FASHION WEEK.
>> SO THURSDAY, WE'RE KICKING
THINGS OFF AT THE HOUSTON
MUSEUM OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN
CULTURE DOWNTOWN.
THAT'S GOING TO BE FROM 4:00 TO
8:00.
FRIDAY, WE'VE GOT A NETWORKING
MIXER.
SATURDAY IS ONE OF THE BIG
DAYS, WE'VE GOT A TRADE SHOW
FROM 12:00 TO 6:00.
IT'S A GREAT WAY FOR PEOPLE TO
COME AND LEARN ABOUT THE
AFRICAN CULTURE FROM DIFFERENT
COUNTRIES.
ON SUNDAY, WE'VE GOT THE
FASHION SHOWCASE, WHICH WILL BE
FROM 4:00 TO 8:00, AND THAT'S
WHEN YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE A