Essay Instructions: inspirational introduction speech for Africa Fashion Week NY for the Master Class, ?Off the Runway?. The speech must include the following and not from any other source.
Introduce the speakers
Talk about Africa Fashion Week New York
Talk about the Founder, Adiat Disu and speakers for each of the classes listed below
Talk about the purpose of the Master Class, ?Off the Runway??hearing directly from industry experts on disciplines in
Talk about how this is the business side of Fashion people rarely talk about. Talk about how folks only focus on what you see ON the runway and not OFF the runway. Here we are in an intimate session where experts break it down...based on their own experiences. It's a real master class.
Fashion to help you achieve success. Learn from the best. Inspire them to open their minds and hearts
Make the speech moving enough so the audience looks forward to speakers and class lineup. End on an exciting note. Upbeat tone
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About: Adiat Disu & Associates have partnered with the United Nations Foundation for its Master Class ?Off the Runway? during its fifth annual Africa Fashion Week on Thursday, Sept. 4 at 6pm. The event is supported and proclaimed by Michael Bloomberg, the former Mayor of New York, and will be open to participants of Africa Fashion Week and to a selection of Pan African entrepreneurial students, specifically young women in the business of fashion.
The Master Class will host speakers who are leaders committed to the advancement of women, entrepreneurship and Africa. The speakers have made a significant impact in the lives of others in Africa. The speakers are:
Speakers:
Founder: Adiat Disu
Adiat Disu, Chief Communications Officer at Adiree PR & Communications. Director, of Africa Fashion Week(s).
Adiat Disu, a Public Relations & Communications Director, Economic Leader, and Ambassador promoting Africa?s Entrepreneurs, has been featured in a two page spread in Black Enterprise as a young leader promoting Economic Growth In Africa through Fashion. Black Enterprise & FORBES
As a young entrepreneur she was selected to speak to African Women Delegates at the United Nations, during the African Women Entrepreneurship Program, with Diane von F?rstenberg as the keynote speaker (Read more at the LA Times) and elected to speak in Washington D.C. to African Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) about the challenges and opportunities of competing globally, with Hillary Clinton as the keynote speaker.
? ?Power Woman of The Diaspora? Black Enterprise
? ?Communications Strategist That Understands The Business Of The African Fashion Industry? FORBES
? ?Director of Africa Fashion Week(s)? Arise TV
? ?Everyday Hero: Young Entrepreneur Promote Economic Growth In Africa? Black Enterprise
? ?PR Strategist Bringing Africa To A Global Audience? Video CNN International
? ?Luxury Marketing Specialist With A Cultural Twist ? Washington Post
FORBES Africa ?Top Mover and Shaker in the African Fashion Industry,? Disu focuses on re-conditioning consumer thoughts and behavior towards Africa.
1- Class - Celebrity Spotlight: David Tlale
David Tlale
Over the past 10 years since he launched his brand in 2003 winning the ?Elle New Talent in South Africa, and being noted as the Best Designer by the Sunday Times in South Africa, this award winning designer David Tlale has proven that he is indeed a design force with creations that go far beyond expectations.
The year 2005 was a testimony of a great journey unfolding when Tlale was appointed ?Head Designer for Carducci Woman? under the House of Monatic Group in Cape Town South Africa.
In 2007 Tlale focused on growing the David Tlale movement, and was one of the 4 young South African Fashion designers to be selected to present their Couture Collection during Paris Couture week. This was the turning point for the brand where Tlale began to view his brand through the eyes of the world.
2008 was a fruitful one for the David Tlale brand; a year in which Tlale: was voted the most stylish designer at the South African Style Awards, he was also voted Mzansi?s South Africa?s Star Designer of the year. Nominated for the Mercedes-Benzes Fashion and Art Awards along with many other accolades and nominations, Tlale was invited to judge the Elle New Talent competition a place where his journey in fashion began.
2- Class - Faith / Inspiration / Motivation: A.O Solomon :
A.O Solomon, A Walking Ministry, Motivational and Inspirational Leader, Founder of Shadow of the Almighty Ministries
Apostle A.O. Solomon, spiritual shepherd to thousands, is founder, president and overseer of The Shadow of the Almighty Ministries, a ministry with a reputation for evangelism, prophecy, deliverance and healing that has grown into ten branches across the United States, and the Shadow of the Almighty Prayer-line, which has a world-wide presence and ministers to more than seven thousand participants daily.
The Apostle was born and raised in Nigeria. He grew up in a Muslim home but later gave his life to Jesus Christ. He has been in the ministry for about 20 years as a deliverance minister, a prophet, a motivator, and a sound teacher of the Word of God. God has used him to touch multitudes of lives through spiritual warfare across the globe and powerful crusades spanning major U.S. cities.
Beyond the pulpit, Apostle Solomon is also an accomplished author whose books include Captured by the Night, Defeating Marital Problems, Destroying the Pregnancy (Desire) of the Enemy, Becoming a Winner in Life and the much-sought-after Operation Take Over the Day (365 Days Devotional). He is happily married and blessed with children, describing himself as ?one of the foolish and weak things that God is using to confound the wise of this world.?
3- Class - PR / Branding : Zara Okpara :
Zara Okpara, PR and Media Relations Director of Jewel by Lisa
Zara Okpara is a Brand Development & Communications Expert. Born in Lagos, Nigeria ? she began work in Public Relations, after her training in Luxury Brand Communications in Paris and the UK. She is well recognized as a pioneer in the industry, known for harnessing a brands vision and turning that into a global power house.
She equips local brands for success on the global stage while providing international brands local intelligence.
For over five years, she has been influential in successfully expanding the global reach of premier luxury brand, Lisa Folawiyo (Jewel by Lisa).
She has since included other global brands such as Inglot cosmetics, KOJ Eyewear, and Lagos Fashion & Design Week in her roster of clients.
4- Class - IT/Digital / Website
Nana Poku, Founder and CEO of 54 Kingdoms and CAMOG LLC
Nana Poku?s love for fashion and creativity led to starting his own clothing line. Along with his friend Kwaku Awuah, they started 54 Kingdoms, a one-stop center for afrocentric fashion that tell the stories of the African diaspora through the pieces they create. It all started off as a print T-shirt business and from designing edgy tees, they have diversified to include men and women fashion clothing, accessories, and travel bags.
5- Class - Sales & Distribution:
Kithe Brewster, Celebrity Stylist
Early in his career, Kithe spent fourteen years in Europe honing his skills as a fashion editor and stylist. Living in Paris at nineteen proved to be the right move for Brewster, who immediately grasped the French scene, becoming a hot stylist almost instantly. After seven years in Paris, Brewster moved to London where music styling became his bread and butter. Working with artists like the group Bewitched, a post Spice Girls multi-platinum selling band that he imaged from the start, their video ?Cest La Vie? was credited for the return of denim to the mainstream.
While in London, Kithe got his start working for magazines such as Elle and Scene. Brewster emerged in this arena too. He was soon juggling assignments and contributing to an array of American and European magazines including: Vanity Fair, Flaunt, Chic (Dutch), Scene, British Elle, French and American Jalouse, and Surface. His work for these publications gained attention from the creme de la creme in fashion, as well as European and Hollywood celebrity elite. As legend of his work spread, new opportunities opened in the United States. On Brewster?s first booking in Hollywood, he was held over for two months, juggling sitting after sitting with actresses, actors and musicians, his charts were booked to capacity!
With his return to the U.S., Kithe?s work has become highly sought after by those at the top of American pop culture. After working with Julianne Moore just once, on a Flaunt Magazine cover, she rang him to ask that he take her under his wing and become her stylist. He eagerly agreed, as he had become a fan of the then, up and coming actress. The duo took fashion by storm. Kithe went on to make her a sensation on the red carpet and in 2000 she was nominated for many awards, and together they made their first trip down the red carpet for the Golden Globes, and the Academy Awards! With them they took another first visit to the Oscar red carpet, Julianne wore custom Chanel Couture by Karl Lagerfeld.
That was the first time that Chanel had been worn on the Academy Awards red carpet. Make up legend, Kevyn Aucoin was also taken with his work, and booked Kithe to style 80 percent of the styling in sadly what would be his last book. Kevyn told Kithe that he was one of the best stylists that he had ever worked with. Brewster collaborated on shoots with Celine Dion as Maria Callas, Gwyneth Paltrow as Faye Dunaway in Bonnie and Clyde, Julianne Moore as twiggy and even Kevyn?s mother as the legendary CoCo Chanel, and a multitude of others that will forever be part of fashion history.
6- Class ? Philanthropy: Gavin Rajah and Bisila Bokoko
Gavin Rajah, UNICEF Ambassador and South Africa?s Couture Designer
Listed by FinWeek as one of the top 40 most influential leaders in South Africa in 2007, Gavin Rajah is a household name in his home country. His work has enjoyed international exposure in the likes of L?Officiel, Vogue, Milano Finanza, icon, Luna, Avant Garde, Harper?s & Queen, Uomo Collezioni, Donna, BBC, CNN and Forbes. His couture pieces are part of the wardrobes of avid collectors around the world, and he counts some celebrities including Naomi Campbell, Beyonce, Tina Turner, Celine Dion, Paris Hilton, Solange Knowles and Cameron Diaz as owners of his work.
He has been the only African to speak at the Global Fashion Conference in Milan and his paper on?Creating an Identity in Fashion: South Africa the future of Fashion?? made headlines in the Wall St Journal and Milano Finanza. In 2013, Franca Sozzani of Italian Vogue listed him as one of 100 talents around the world to watch.
Since 2006 the F?d?ration Francaise de la Couture Parisienne has invited him to show his collections. Paris and Cape Town remain his cities of choice to show his collections. His also the founder of Cape Town Fashion Week. He is the recipient of numerous awards and most recently was awarded second prize for in the Couture section of the International Design Awards for 2013. Gavin also runs a high end bespoke event
agency based out of Cape Town.
The United Nations has appointed him a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for the work he has done to uplift the lives of vulnerable communities in South Africa and with this appointment he joins the ranks of Roger Federer, Shakira, Ricky Martin and Angelique Kidjo in working for children?s causes around the world.
Bisila Bokoko, CEO, Founder of Bisila Bokoko Embassy International and Bisila Bokoko Africa Literacy Project.
Bisila Bokoko is the founder and chairperson of The Bisila Bokoko African Literacy Project (BBALP), a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote literacy among the African people. Ms. Bokoko has focused her efforts on organizing people and resources to build modern libraries in Africa.
In addition to running a nonprofit organization, Bisila is the CEO of BBES, a business development consultancy from the ground up that represents, promotes and markets brands internationally; leverages influence with key global business leaders and market influencers to create pathways into new markets. Connects businesses with celebrity game changers to serve as spokespersons, industry experts, platform providers and partnership brokers. BBES works closely in trade issues, global trade with international organizations and Embassies.
She also works as a Spokesperson/International Brand Ambassador and Business Developer for companies where she helps to create pathways and opportunities. She actively participates in Empretec Women Programs at the UNCTAD in Geneva where she helps to foster entrepreneurship capabilities among women in Latin America and Africa.
7- Class ? Media:
Zandile Blay, Journalist and Entrepreneur, Adjunct Fashion and Beauty Journalism Professor at the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Principal of BDM, a creative agency and Africa Daily Groupe
