Catwalk4Change

An important event scheduled for Friday 6th September at The Waterlily Mile End Road in London- "Catwalk4Change".

Eighteen Forever has been invited to showcase at this event. I will be walking the runway with designs from the website (www.eighteenforever.co.uk) for positive change and, it would be great to see you all FAB Peeps there!

About time we bloggers take a stand against inequality and injustice in the fashion industry. Fashion plays a very crucial role in today's society. Hence, an influential tool to create positive change globally.

Tickets for this event will go live on 1st July. See you there!!

Photo credit: Catwalk4Change 

Lime va va Ley

Take a bliss at today's outfit. Lemon is the ley-way forward. Indulge!!

Photo credit: Eighteen Forever

Let's Change The Way We Shop

Wednesday 24th April was the worst industrial disaster to hit Bangladesh in its history claiming over 1000 lives. According to reports, this is the worst industrial human catastrophe in Asia since the collapse of Bhopal in India in 1984. The eight-storey building known as Rana Plaza collapsed whilst workers were in the building producing garments. The army general official in Dhaka revealed that, 2500 people were rescued from the site and many were injured. However, there is no accurate record of people on site at the time to determine the number of people still missing. This is still a great concern, as many relatives camp outside the site with the hope of reuniting with their loved ones. Absolutely deplorable!

On Friday 10th May, a young lady by the name Reshma was rescued from the rubble after seventeen days in it. This is an incredible story of survival, hope, persistent and faith. Not many were quite lucky or blessed to be out there alive after so many days. Reshma claimed she survived on dry food and bottle water. There are so many important, yet unanswered questions from both the Bangladeshi authorities and the EU. EU authorities claimed that changes will be administered in agreement with Bangladesh officials to ensure safety of workers. This seems like a logical deal, considering that, garments produced in this factory are made for large retailers in developed countries. At present, there is huge distrust between government officials in Bangladesh, media and the community in regards to the lack of cohesion and consistency in their messages.

At the moment, only one positive move has been made. The arrest of Rana Plaza owner- Mohammed Sohel Rana and seven others. From research, it appears that Mr Rana is allegedly a criminal who made his success by exploiting vulnerable people in his own community. The vice-president of Dhaka district Awami League, Ashrafuddin Khan told the BBC that, "Rana controlled an underworld gang in the area, and used it to run drugs and extortion business. If the authorities were aware of his actions, why was Mr Rana not investigated? 

Unanswered questions:
1. What triggered this incident?
2. Who will be held liable?
3. What was the age range of workers at Rana Plaza?
4. What were their working conditions?
5. How are you affected by this disaster?

I hope that you can find it within you to share your views. I know it is disheartening but, if we talk about, it might change the way we view the world. "Let's change the way we shop". 
Let's talk.

Article credit: Eighteen Forever

Please note: do not share without permission. Thank you.

Do What You Love

It is always a pleasure to be invited on a show to discuss fashion. This time, an invitation on The Sporah Show to talk about London Fashion Week, the fuzz and loves! Backstage is always exciting because I get to talk to different people and get an insight into why they've come on the show in more than 5 minutes. As you know, there is little time for so much to say and do on air. Backstage gives a different yet realistic background to people's story. 

I met two lovely ladies who dedicate their times to animals. They organise charity and fundraising events  in support of animal welfare called- Black Nose Day. They are planning a campaign to make Black Nose Day official in the national calendar just like Red Nose Day. 

Would you be supporting?

Later, I met a gentleman by the name John, the organiser of Kigali Show with an inspiring story of his challenges he faced organising the show with the aim of putting Rwanda back on the map. 

It got really exciting meeting with Ethel. Although I am not a huge fan of her fashion style, I think she's doing what she loves and I admire her for that. Ethel is a Afro-beats singer who performed on The Sporah Show after she was hypnotised. Yes she was for her fear of Spiders. Quite funny to watch!

We talked about fashion and weirdly drifted to celebrity gossip. OK, that was really freaky. I do not do celebrity gossip! There are way too many important things to discuss than some self-egoistic individuals with no purpose of direction.

Think-

"The fashion industry is a really competitive market, if you don't work hard to grow and broaden your network, you will limit your success"- Eighteen Forever

Ethel and I backstage at The Sporah Show. 

                                                     Spiky necklace from New Look

Coral-reef midi dress from Topshop 

Spiky ankle boot & the rings

Photo credit: Eighteen Forever 

Brand Launch

I am happy to announce that EIGHTEEN Forever will be an official Fashion Brand after it is launched on Saturday 4th May at Modo Bar in Liverpool, 4-7pm.

It is has been over a year now working on this clothing line. Here is it is..

EIGHTEEN Forever is an emerging online fashion brand with exceptional unique prints in modern design for women. The brand with a social aim of creating a platform for developing machinists to earn sustainable income through satisfactory designs and collaboration with the brand.

Tickets for the fair are available here: FREE PRESS PASS 
Eventbrite: www.eventbrite.eighteenforever.com
Eventelephant: www.eventelephant.com/eighteenforeverbrandlaunch

Alternatively, you can email Fashion Editor- eighteenf@gmail.com

See you there!!

Flyer design: Vive Designs

Fashion Weekender

Keeping it stylish and trendy with a 3/4 bright colour blazer from H&M. Carefully teamed with mid-length black dress and a Zebra-like high heel shoe. Flying high with my Tab..what could go wrong? Welcome to the weekender!

Photo credit: Eighteen Forever

London Fashion Week to Spring

After a bitterly cold winter, all you need is a bright colour jumper to keep you energised and fashionable in Spring. The perfect bright colour and easy to style is Lemon. Yes! Lemon. Lemon is quite admissible to Emerald, one of this season hot colours according to Pantone. What more you could you possible want? It is easy to go wrong with it because it doesn't compliment everybody's skin tone. Olive and Dark skins have more complimentary texture with Lemon more than lighter skin tones. However, your eyes and hair colour can be a great factor to determine the suitability of Lemon for you.

How do I wear it?
Well, you can find many items in lemon- accessories, tops, jackets and even shoes. Be careful with mixing too much colour with Lemon. It can make you look like Pete the drag Master. Wear lemon with black or white. Keep it simple, chic and classy. I styled this Sloane Crew jumper with sleek black and gold. The gold gives it a glamourous look perfect for a night out.

All items styled at asosfashionder

Bright colour jumper

Bering Ladies Ceramic Black Rose Gold Watch £199
Small Black Sloan Quitted Shoulder Bag by MICHAEL Michael Ko £220
Tailored Crepe Suit Trouser £119
Pele Black Boots £129
Sloane Crew Neck Jumper in Citronelle £105

Bright colours are not the only fashion forward styles for spring. Taking fashion to a whole new stage is this Sporty Luxe outfit. The statement jumper, pencil skirts, white hat and of course, a chance to walk down the street with confidence with this earmuffs. Add some knee socks!!

Sporty Luxe

New Look Barney Backpack £19.99Tailored Crepe Suit Skirt £119White Hat from asos £35KN561A Medium Grey Neon Lip Sticks Knit £305Great Jones Wired Earmuffs £75Teramo £190
Alexandra meets Darling

Don't ask me why I call it "Alexandra meets Darling". It just fit. Perfect Madame, yet renaissance. The earings add some fetish twist with the spiders on them. I bet you didn't notice. The shoe has been spotted on Beyonce at this year's Grammy Awards (more on the Grammy's later)

Asos Jewel Beetle Earring £18Goat Hair Jacket £499Black Mesh Bodysuit £11.99Megan Park Patchwork Skirt £351.07Flis Flower Embellished Bag £129Chloe Clever Black Courts £129
 Printed dressThe biker jacket makes it rock n roll. The printed shirt makes it bold feminine and the andro shoes are totally different from the latter, but it works! What is fashion without fun and risk!! 

Snake Frame X-Body £32Asos Astonished Leather Ankle Boot £60Black cropped Leather Look Jacket £35.99Graphic Print Bodycon Dress £8Mirrored Lens Classic Silver Aviator Sunglasses by Rayban £118Image credit: Eighteen Forever**Please ask for permission before using the images**