Urbanknit at LPM's Grande Marche 2011

To round up the year, Urbanknit will be participating in the December edition of LPM, the Grande Marche on Friday the 23rd of December, 2011.

As well as our usual range of clutches, totes, shawls and purses, we will be offering great discounts on the day. There will also be lots of great music, people, foood, drinks, a perfect chance to catch up and grab a bite to eat before the Christmas festivities continue.


Do stop by and say hello.

Date: Friday 23rd December 2011
Time: 12noon-7pm
Venue: The GET Arena, Oniru Estate, Opposite Oriental Hotel, V.I Lagos, Nigeria

The A - Z Initiative

Fat Zebra Owena Clutch, originally uploaded by Urbanknit.

I have been thinking of this idea for quite a long time but I have finally decided to go ahead instead of trying to plan it to perfection before executing it.

There is a tradition in Nigeria where for special occasions friends and family wear the same fabric as the celebrant. This is called 'Aso-ebi'. It is a way of showing solidarity, support, oneness.

It used to be that people would say, please wear 'Alari'. This is a type of Aso-oke, a hand-woven fabric which often ranges between deep red and magenta in colour.

So if you had one like it, which you probably would, you'd just wear it. In more recent times people often buy brand new fabric or have a large quantity custom-made and sent out to friends and family to have made into their own individual outfits. So on the day there is an array of dresses, tops, blouses, shirts and what not all in the same fabric. It makes for very interesting viewing!

After my long ramble I get to the point! A lot of people end up with a lot of Aso-ebi that they no longer wear and as a way of doing a little bit to help, I have taken donations of such fabric.

A - Z is an Urbanknit initiative to donate proceeds from sales of bags, totes, clutches made from these upcycled, repurposed, recycled fabrics to assist orphanges in Lagos State, Nigeria. Its a start!

This image is the very first one and is availabe on Etsy and on Bigcartel. Happy browsing

Urbanknit available at Zebra

For those of you that are based in Lagos and would like some Urbanknit goodies, we have a new stockist! The fab Zebra boutique in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Zebra Living
33, Sinari Daranijo Street
off Younis Bashorun Street
off Ajose Adeogun Street,
Victoria Island
Lagos
Nigeria

This is the last Super snap clutch with the Poppy print and it is available in Zebra, as an extra bonus there is a sale on there on the 1st of May. Go check it out!

Zuribelle Design Suite

Zuribelle, hosts their first Design Suite in Ikoyi, Lagos. This is your chance to get personal attention of the fashion experts in putting together your wedding, evening or prom ensemble.

Enjoy exquisite sample selections from the 2010 collections of world acclaimed designers such as La Sposa by Pronovias, Winnie Couture's Diamond Label, Priscilla of Boston, Allure, Jovani & More. This luxurious event will also feature gorgeous shoes, accessories, and decadent sample treats and cake consultations by the lovely Tayo of Buttercups.

Please call/text 08033341358, email inquiry@zuribelle.com, or write to our facebook page (zuriBelle) for an appointment and to register on our guest list. Walk - Ins are welcome and will be seen as time permits.

You'll Be Sure To Say Yes! To A zuriBelle Dres ::)

PS. There are some Urbanknit bridal clutches on display so go have a look if you can!

Mega Snap- purple and grey Aso-oke

Mega Snap- purple and grey Aso-oke, originally uploaded by Urbanknit.

This is the Mega Snap. It is the same idea as the previous Snap clutches but this one is as big as it gets. It is 12 inches wide at the top. This is definately a statement making clutch.

It was all about experimentation as I used Aso-oke which is by no means easy to work with. Aso-oke is a hand loom woven fabric from Nigeria so sometimes tricky to cut without unravelling the whole lot.

This is modern Aso-oke as, the older more traditional types usually have more lines and colour variations. I have made some clutches using some vintage Aso-oke from Ondo which I will feature soon.

This colour combination just made sense to me. The colours are all completely contrasting and that is sometimes how I dress. I don't bother to match the colours!

The yellow buttons are there to cheer things up, never want things getting to dull.

Thanks for stopping by, see you next time.

Aso-oke

Aso-oke is a hand loom woven fabric from Nigeria. This is made and worn mainly in South Western Nigeria. It can be tricky to work with because of its construction. Cutting it means the interwoven threads become loose and can be quite tricky to sew. I have decided to focus on tackling the difficulties of working with Aso-oke!

It is such a beautiful medium and it offers so many possibilities and textures that are not always present in printed fabrics so I am going to give it a go!

These are two examples of the Snap clutches I made using Aso-oke. The blue one is a more traditional looking pattern and colour combination and the woven thread is cotton. The pink one is a more modern take on Aso-oke and the thread is silk in a metallic finish.

Now what should I make next?