Fashion designer - Yemi Osunkoya of Kosibah Creations

You all remember this picture I used for my Style Night poster? Well, the dress I rocked in that picture was made by Nigerian born, London-based designer, Yemi Osunkoya of Kosibah Creations. He was part of the Celtel/Frank Osodi Red, Bold and Jazzy fashion show 2005, in Lagos, Nigeria.



There are two designers (Adebayo Jones and Yemi Osunkoya of Kosibah) that have blown me away with their designs. I stopped what I was supposed to be doing and stared at clothes...beautiful creations.

I went through my archive and realised I have pictures of some of his clothes from that show...see his clothes and be blown away....

I present to you Kosibah Creations...

And here is the talented designer...Yemi Osunkoya.

A few things you need to know about him...

Yemi Osunkoya is the award winning designer behind the Kosibah Creations label.
Yemi established the Kosibah Creations label in London in 1991 and named the company in honour of his mother. The name Cosiba comes from the Republic of Benin and is the day name of a female child born on a Sunday.

Among the awards that Kosibah Creations and Yemi have won are:
Diamond Recognition from National Weddings UK, Sep 2005
Bridal Designer of the Year, 2002 and 2004, Mahogany Bridal Awards
Highly Commended, National Wedding Show, March 2002
GAB (Gathering of Africa’s best) Award, Through Fashion 2006

Celebrated clients include Louise Rose, leading actress of Universal film Life & Lyrics, Alesha Harvey, Sheila Ferguson formerly of the Three Degrees, Hollywood actress Indra Ové, Miss World Agbani Darego, and singer Stephanie Benson.

Kosibah Creations specialise in contemporary and elegant couture bridal, evening and formal daywear using luxurious fabrics and sumptuous embellishments. Yemi’s signature use of corsetry and boned bodices cleverly recreates the classical and elegant hourglass figure, producing gowns that curve, shape and flatter the wearer. All gowns are made to measure and made to order.

Kosibah Creations gowns have recently been shown at:
Kulture2Couture, Nov 2005, a celebration of leading UK-based black designers, sponsored by the Mayor of London’s office,
Best of Nigeria Expo, Oct 2005,
Hurricane Ivan Grand Fundraising Ball and Awards Ceremony, organised by the Grenada High Commission, Oct 2005,
Red, Bold and Jazzy Show, held at the Eko Hotel, Lagos, Nigeria, July 2005
Harvard Business School, Boston MA USA in February 2006
Kanu Heart Foundation Charity Show. September 2006
Kulture2Couture, Nov 2006 at the V&A Museum

Kosibah Creations is located at Studio 7, 44 St Paul’s Crescent, London NW1 9TN. Tel - +44 (0) 207 424 8832. Visits to the studio are by appointment only. For more information, visit http://www.kosibah.co.uk/.

Is this guy a genius or a genius? I love his originality and the fact that his clothes are made to emphasise a woman's curves...what do you love about his designs?

Style Night Pictures

Here are some pictures from Style Night phase 3, held on Saturday 28th July 2007 at Moods Bar, Surulere.

Ishy Couture

Ishy Couture

Guests

Ishy Couture

Steve Ray Couture

Jimbrooks Clothing

Ishy Couture

Ishy Couture

Ishy Couture

Ishy Couture

DJ Zeez and Laura

Jimbrooks Clothing

Jimbrooks

Ishy Couture

Girl group, Ice Four

Ishy Couture

Steve Ray Couture

Salsa dancers

Designer, Steve Ray, taking a bow

Jimbrooks Clothing

Guests

Steve Ray Couture

Steve Ray Couture

Steve Ray Couture

Designer, Jimbrooks, taking a bow

We did this show in Surulere, not just because we had a tight budget, we also wanted to see what Surulere is like...we've never had a show there ...no regrets!

The next Style Night will hold on Saturday September 29th 2007 at the poolside of fantasyland Ikoyi. It will be bigger and better. We are actually thinking of building a runway across the pool...it's achievable. We've already started working on getting more sponsors for the next event.

Style Night will be a regular fashion show to promote and project the fashion and modeling industry in Nigeria...hopefully with time, we'll take it to the biggest level.

So here's calling on corporate sponsors to help in the realisation of this dream...help promote fashion in Nigeria by being a part of Style Night.

Also, up-coming fashion/milinery designers, models, make up artistes, singers, comedians, dancers etc, interested in participating in the next show, should contact us.

Lastly, a new guy just joined the company...Femi Oriyomi...he's been with us for only 3days and I'm already...impressed. God has just been sending me young, talented guys ready to work.

Ok, let me know what you think of our show...no hating o...please be encouraging ok? lol.

Cheers.

Happy New Month!

Today is the beginning of an incredible month for us all...August will be beautiful for you and I. God will surprise us this month. He'll take away all our pain, doubts, worries, and he'll fulfil all our hearts desire.

That you've been waiting for shall be yours this month...all you need do is call on him to guide and protect you in everything you do.

May the good lord grant us wisdom in excess to be able to take the right step in the right direction and may he make us smarter than all our challenges. Amen!


Happy August! LiNdA

Naija Gossip

I haven't given y'all Naija gossip in a while...a few people told me not to write stuff about other people I wasn't sure of...I saw reason, but what the hell, what's life without a little gossip right? So here's a little gossip for u&u. But you know what they say about gossip? Don't believe everything you read...enjoy!

Basketmouth robbed in London
Rumour has it that dreadlocked top comedian, Basketmouth was robbed of $3, 00, his luggage, international passport on his recent visit to London. They said he came back to Naija with the help of our High commission and a friend over there. Hmmm...those of you who live in London...did you hear this gist?

Ex-actor Ernest Asuzu in Kirikiri prison
Troubled actor, Ernest Asuzu is currently in Kirikiri. Why? On Monday July 23rd 2007, he went to visit a friend who was owing him N5, 000, at barbing salon at Okota. When he demanded for his money, and his friend couldn't provide it, Ernest destroyed valuables in the salon worth thousands of Naira, after which he was arrested by the police and prosecuted. And because there was no surety on ground to meet requirements for his bail, the actor was transfered and remanded at Kirikiri Maximum prison on Wednesday July 25th. Recall that he destroyed property worth millions at MITV in 2005, that he was locked up for? And the fight he got into at Murphis Nite club in Surulere, where he was beaten mercilessly? He was also sent to the psychiatric ward in yaba sometime last year because his behaviour seemed sick...this is what he had to say some days ago from Kirikiri prison, about his problems
Ernest "It's my enemies again. They want to silence me by all means. Please I want all Nigerians to come to my aid and remember me in their prayer. Each time I keep off the public eye, I won't have any problem, but immediately I make any move to relaunch myself I become a different person. I'm beginning to think that somebody is behind this, because immediately I entered the police station, my eyes cleared. When they read my charges, I broke down in tears as per how and when did this happen?"
I feel sorry for this guy...some people are alleging that an ex actress girlfriend did something to him...don't know the real truth, but I hope God comes to his rescue before he wrecks himself finally.

Mike Ezuronye and Nonso Diobi at war. Rumour has it that this one-time best friends have turned sworn enemies because of a certain lady called Ebiere, who is a student of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology. The girls was supposedly dating Nonso but cunningly got Mike's no from Nonso, called Mike and started an affair with him. Heartbroken Nonso had to part ways with Mike and Ebiere, who rumour also has it didn't care about Nonso's feelings. Mike is said to have introduced Ebiere to his mum and the relationship seems serious...the rumour carriers even speculated marriage between the two lovebirds but remember what I said...don't believe everything you read.


Ben's baby mama joins company
I'm sure not too many of you know that Ben has a love-child? Well, he does. The news now is that the mother of Ben Murray Bruce's love child, Tina Vukor Quarshie, an ex-banker, now works with the Silverbird Group. She is said to be one of the top managers and her coming has not gone down well with some members of the Murray Bruce family.

Paul Obazele Beats Zeb Ejiro
On Saturday, Friday July 27th 2007, Paul Obazele, defeated Zeb Ejiro during the Association of Movie Producers general elections held at the National Theatre, Lagos. So Paul is the new AMP President.

Movie producer sets his Hummer Jeep on fire. Arinze Egesimba, the man who runs Mega Movies, set his Hummer H3 Jeep, worth over 11 million, on fire during the production of his movie titled "Yankee Girls". The movie features Stella Damasus, Omotola, RMD...watch out for that movie

Olumide Ogunlesi, Model Charles Oguntoye' s wives deliver
Funmi, the beautiful wife of Olumide Ogunlesi, the son of Chief Fola and Idowu Ogunlesi, who got married a few months ago ago, gave birth to a baby boy in London some days ago. Also, top model turned designer, Charles Oguntoye's beautiful wife gave birth to a bouncing baby boy some days back...big congrats to them.

Eddy vs Kenny St Brown
Recall I told you sometime ago about the break up between Ex-Remedy member, Eddy Montana and Gospel crooner, Kenny St Brown? Well, the lady accused her estranged husband of wife battery, adultery, etc...well Eddie replied her this week by granting interviews with most soft sell mags in Naija...this man talked too much about the whole drama...here's a little of the things he had to say about his wife and why his marriage packed up

Do you see any hope of a reconciliation? Eddy "Hardly! I will always love Kenny but I don't think that as a right thinking person, I should mend fences with her. Any woman that would pack out of her home that has two kids and she professes to be a christian, is not a wife or a mothers. She never wanted to build a family with me, she carried an Ogungbe passport in my house for 3yrs. It took my stubbornness to make her change her name from Ogungbe to Brown. Her family married her off because she was getting old but she wasn't proud of me or the Brown name"

They allege you beat her often
Eddy "That's a brand new lie. I never beat her."
Why did you two quarrel often?
Eddy "It was all due to her infidelity, she was very unfaithful. Are you aware that she dated D1?, Kingsley Ike, and one Bayo at Ajao Estate...long explanation...let's cut it short"

Whats Kenny's relationship with Essence(R&B singer)
Eddy "I started getting uncomfortable with her relationship with my wife after I walked in to find both of them in the bathroom naked, This is a woman who doesn't like me to see her nakedness. What were they doing?"

They also accused you of infidelity
Eddy "Yes, I'm a man, which man would not look for pleasure outside when he's denied it at home? My wife denied me of sex for 8 months. She only came to me for sex when she needed it. That was to have kids."

They said you made your house help pregnant? Eddy "That's not true. My wife and I found out who impregnated the girl"

What's your relationship with Keke Ogungbe
"Keke has never liked me. When I married his sister in 2000, he gave me N25, 000 as a wedding present, and he didn't contribute a dime to my wedding, neither did he come for my children's naming" bla bla bla

Long interview, painful and amusing to read...the wahala with marriage sha! Oh, BTW, Essence denies being a lesbian.

Abike Marries Segun Erewa
Abuja lawmaker, Honourable Abike Dabiri got married to her heartthrob, Segun Erewa on Thursday July 26th, 2007, at a private gathering in a residence in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos. And on Sunday 29th July 2007, another wedding took place at her father's residence in Surulere...the couple met two years ago in South Africa. Congratulations to the couple.

Ekene Dili Chukwu Boss Dies at 74, battle over his assets. Transport mogul, Chief Augustine Ilodibe popularly known as Ekene Dili Chukwu is dead. He died o Sunday July 1st 2007 at St Nicholas Hospital, Lagos at the age of 74 after a long battle with prostrate cancer. Now rumour has it that his wife Ifeoma has taken over the running of his empire and the man's family are set to battle...you know all the 'wahala' that starts after a wealthy man dies? He had two other wives who gave him children...long story...too much drama...moving on...

John Fashanu re-marries
I read that he's now married to a Nigerian wife...didn't know he had divorced his Gabonese wife, Melissa. according to him, he met his new wife at a cafe in London...they fell in love and they are now married...but he refused to give her name, when they got married and if they have any kids together.


Dele Momodu buries mum
On Saturday July 21st, 2007, Dele Momodu buried his mum in a carnival like event that held in Ife. The event was organise was co-ordinated by Ibidun Ajayi Ighodalo's Elizabeth R and was graced by a lot of dignitries. May her soul rest in peace.







Bob Manuel Udokwu, new host for Gulder Ultimate Search. On Saturday July 28th, names of 10 (6 male and four female) finalists for the GUS 4 were announced @ the planet one centre, which is scheduled for the 9th - 29th of August, at Shere Hills in Jos, Plateau State. The news is that top Nollywood actor, Bob Manuel Udokwu will anchor this years competition. Recall that Chidi Mokeme anchored GUS 1&11, while Austin Tin Tin, anchored the 3rd.


I'll get you more gists later, have to get back to work...like I always say, your comments make it worth it...so do drop a line. Take care always!