Lisa Folawiyo is a force within the Nigerian fashion market. No other designer has spent the higher part of nearly twenty years creating designs that take the essential identity of traditional West African textiles and use them to construct living stories.

Born to a West Indian father and a Nigerian father, Folawiyo describes her beginnings as very creative. Her passion was drawing and sketching. She eventually became a lawyer and practiced for a yr. Folawiyo found solace in fashion since it was a natural calling for her. She credits her mother’s influence because the true source of her fashion journey. She remembers how, as a child, she watched her sew clothes for them and the way she sometimes spent hours in the stitching room.

“She was very special [about] how all four of her children presented themselves to the world in terms of what we wore, and subconsciously I became very aware of what I was wearing, how I wanted to look. Also, my mother is from Trinidad and Tobago and I think so [inspired] my love for colors and prints,” Lisa tells ESSENCE. Folawiyo adds that her late mother was also quite stylish.

Lisa’s journey on the planet of fashion has an interesting prologue – characterised by her willingness to talk out in regards to the developing history of fashion in Africa before the mainstream media took notice of her. At the time, emerging designers and their stories were emerging on the continent, and Folawiyo was one of them, launching her brand Jewel by Lisa in 2005. For her, there was a gap to fill, resulting from the necessity to satisfy a taste that she felt was not being met on the time. In her opinion, it provided a youthful and opulent approach to jewelry.

Next, Folawiyo wanted to spotlight Ankara fabrics, which were essentially the most familiar material for her to make use of on this Afrofuturistic situation; and she or he wanted it to look cool and chic, while also being perceived as modern. But it was also because she wanted to attain the revival of textiles – she loves prints and colours – which Ankara allowed her to experiment with. Over the years, she has managed to make this design more modern, reinterpreting the prints as she sees slot in each of her collections.

What began as Jewel by Lisa later became the label of the identical name in 2015, but with the identical philosophy of reinvention and celebration. Lisa Folawiyo’s brand aesthetic combines traditional African fabrics with modern clothing construction techniques. She accomplishes this feat by consciously giving women the chance to specific themselves through clothes that deviate from the norms of trends. Since its launch, the brand has been renowned for its approach to exquisite craftsmanship, especially in fluid embellishment and beadwork.

“The hand-decoration of each LF piece is based on the art of detail – hours of dedication and skill have been put into each smallest stitch, turning the material into something extraordinary. It is a labor of love that transforms the work from ordinary to unforgettable,” Folawiyo tells ESSENCE. This increases the worldwide visibility attributed to the brand and in addition makes it the brand of alternative for global celebrities resembling Lupita N’yongo and Solange Knowles who wear this individual label.

In almost twenty years, Folawiyo has produced over 30 collections, and it comes as a shock to her to say this out loud. But it is not nearly having over 30 collections, it’s about knowing that it has developed significantly over time. “With each new collection, each season, I learn new things,” he says. “I try my hand at new things, discover new ways, methods, ideas [tell] our history.” The designer also says she does this to specific loyalty to the brand’s core aesthetic.

The idea for her latest collection, “The Starting Line,” got here from a series of thoughts shortly after LF Coll 1 2024 at the tip of last yr. He tells me the way it focused on the thought of ​​winning the race. “We all want to win and that really interested me because that’s the state of existence. Even more so in today’s world where competition is so fierce and the world is getting more difficult every day and we are competing on so many different levels,” he says.

Folawiyo desired to make the previously mentioned collection more comprehensible to the audience, so it combined various games, focusing, nevertheless, on the Nigerian game ayo, which was boldly highlighted in graphics and designs. This was followed by a wonderful show, organized within the affluent atmosphere of Eko Atlantic, during which the artist combined charm with sportsmanship to create a stunning exhibit. The fundamental theme was history, a clash of vivid colours, intricate decorations and strange structures. Ball bust dress, detailed fringe, beaded bags, aso oke corset and fabric footwear.

“The starting line is a reminder that while we may feel the pressure of winning, enjoying the race is just as important,” says ESSENCE. “Life is a sport, and we are all participants in it, lighting up the racetracks, courts and arenas with our unique style.”

Lisa believes that fashion might be talked about greater than just the art of sewing. For example, the subject of overconsumption and the way rampant it’s within the industry has been on her mind currently. Addressing this view, she adds that she believes consumers have gotten aware of overconsumption and counting on the worth of clothing, while becoming obsessive about the thought of ​​sustainability. She says this has led to a concentrate on what’s special to them, beyond searching for their favorite brands or falling in love with designer pieces. Folawiyo also notes that that is a result of the shrinking global economy and its impact on the industry, resulting in the decline of fashion brands that usually are not backed by large conglomerates. She admits that designers like her are at all times adapting, finding what works for them while still creating designs which might be noteworthy.

He believes that the long run of Nigerian fashion is strikingly vivid, especially as an increasing number of people gravitate towards what designers say because that’s what fully shapes the history of fashion; As designers, they create these pieces to expand the alternatives of what to wear, in addition to to visualise Nigerian culture, history and its social influences. “Fashion is fun, exciting, fantasy and whimsy, but sometimes we don’t realize it culturally [it] it is a key part of culture, history and marking time and moments,” he explains.

2024 marks the nineteenth yr for Lisa Folawiyo’s brand and Folawiyo herself, who’s grateful for the fervour that keeps her on the clock yr after yr. “I’m so grateful that I have even more passion than when I started and it keeps the wheels turning,” she tells ESSENCE.

“Every day I wake up really excited to come to the studio, design and work with my team. I’m grateful to still be here. It’s nice to know that people are inspired, that they’re really passionate about what we do, the authenticity and the real commitment to the brand, and I think it’s uplifting that we’re here and still have so much to say.” adds Folawiyo.

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing this manner corporations promote their productsenabling them to achieve this reach consumers in a personalized and interactive way what until recently gave the impression of the realm of science fiction.

Marketers use AI-powered algorithms to sift through vast amounts of data that reveal individual preferences with unparalleled accuracy. This enables corporations to precisely goal content – ​​ads, emails, social media posts – that feel tailored and help nurture corporations’ relationships with consumers.

as researcher coping with technology in marketingI and some colleagues conducted recent research that overwhelmingly shows AI marketing forgets about potential negative consequences.

Our peer-reviewed study included 290 articles published over the last 10 years in 15 renowned marketing journals. We found that only 33 of them addressed the potential “dark side” of AI marketing.

This matters because the imbalance creates a critical gap in understanding the full impact of AI.

AI marketing can perpetuate harmful stereotypes, similar to manufacturing hypersexual representations of womenFor example. Artificial intelligence can also infringe copyright individual rights of artists. And it may well spread disinformation deep fakes and “hallucinations,” which occur when artificial intelligence presents false information as if it were true, e.g inventing historical events.

You may also negatively impact mental health. For example, the prevalence of AI-powered beauty filters on social media could also be causing cultivate unrealistic ideals AND cause depression.

These concerns are high and raise concerns about the potential misuse of this powerful technology. Many people experience these worries, but young women are particularly vulnerable. As AI applications gain acceptance, beauty standards are moving further away from reality.

Our study shows that there is an urgent need to address ethical issues related to artificial intelligence and its potential negative consequences. Our intention is not to discredit artificial intelligence. This is to make sure that AI marketing advantages everyone, not only a few powerful corporations.

I imagine that researchers should consider examining more closely the ethical issues surrounding artificial intelligence and how to use it safely and responsibly.

This is essential because artificial intelligence is suddenly getting used in all places – from social media for autonomous cars making health decisions. Understanding its potential negative effects allows society to be conscious consumers and call for responsible use of AI.

Thanksgiving is just a couple of days away and Christmas is approaching. While the vacations are frequently rooted in love, family and togetherness, they may also be a trying time as differences of opinion could cause discord, especially after a vital election season. However, with healthy communication, understanding and lively listening, even essentially the most demanding conversations might be conducted with dignity and respect. Brit Barron, motivational speaker, teacher and storyteller, is here to help us have these difficult conversations while holding on to our deepest beliefs while maintaining our relationships with those we love. In his recently published book titled

Barron draws readers into the strain between relationship and responsibility, highlighting how we navigate relationships with people we love and with whom we disagree. By sharing painful experiences from her own life, reminiscent of her parents’ divorce and belonging to a faith community that sides with forces that dehumanize BIPOC and LGBTQ+ people, she sheds light on the challenges and hopes of those relationships, showing that the most effective research points to humility, self-awareness, openness to learn and do not forget that others can learn too.

Barron and I talked about safely dealing with feelings of disappointment and frustration with people we love but with whom we disagree. Read more of our conversation below.

ESSENCE: So why did you create this book and what was your intention?

Brit Barron: I began working on this project in 2021, and one in every of the questions driving it was: what’s on the opposite side of cancel culture? I saw a world where we were encouraged to cut off anyone who disagreed with us, and I didn’t think that was the easiest way to move forward together.

How can we still love the problematic people in our lives while still having boundaries?

The most significant thing we will do to help us stay in relationships is to reject binary pondering, the concept there are black and white outcomes. You might be completely on one side of the road, and someone can eventually be on the opposite, which is a reminder that multiple thing might be accurate at the identical time. And if we will keep it to ourselves initially, then we will keep it for the people in our lives. The second most significant thing we will do is to reactivate empathy, first for ourselves. If we will empathize with the various versions of ourselves that we’ve got experienced, it’ll be good to have empathy for the people around us.

When should we cut off family members? Or should we ever resort to this?

Yes, so in fact there are occasions after we don’t need contact. There are times when the extent of disrespect, abuse, or toxic environment causes us to do this. And I trust people will find a way to know that. I actually have family members that I actually have connected with. I actually have friends who’ve done this, and it’s hard to do something that we must always approach with plenty of intention, but there is certainly a spot for it.

When it comes to being black women, we feel a certain level of guilt when having difficult conversations with our family members; as we talked recently, we actually feel like we’ve got the burden of responsibility to keep our family together in any respect costs.

We feel this greater than other people and other people in our families, and it reminds us that our work is most significant to ourselves. Therefore, our boundaries, empathy, kindness and every thing we give should come first. When we will empathize with other people, we realize that we is probably not those to get them where they need to be. So, even for the people in my life that I not talk to, I still have hope that there can be someone of their life that they’ll hear from because I actually have recognized that it will not be me. I can let go of that responsibility while still helping with the deliverance which will come their way.

What framework do you provide in this book that will help us have difficult conversations?

Removing binary pondering, empathy, and establishing healthy boundaries are critical, mandatory, and spark curiosity. Let’s assume you don’t need to have these conversations. In that case, I believe being on offense relatively than defensive, trying to set some boundaries ahead of time, to say, “Hey, I’m excited to be with everyone, but I don’t have it for political conversations.” ” And if this starts to occur, an apology will help.

We recently talked about how to feel comfortable with confrontation or direct communication. How necessary is this throughout the holidays spent with family?

It’s mandatory. Our ability to communicate directly, not be afraid of conflict and never be afraid of this stuff, but see them as tools that will help us get to where we’re going, is incredibly helpful. I believe especially as black women, sometimes we’ve got certain ideas about how we’d or won’t want things to come off, or ideas about most of these conversations or other people’s perceptions of them. Still, I spent plenty of time trying to reverse the truth that if something is difficult, it’s terrible. I do not think that is true anymore. The things I value most in life come to mind. They went through a difficult moment, a difficult conversation, an internal conflict, whatever it was. So sometimes after I feel like I actually have to be direct during a conversation, communicating is difficult. I remind myself that this does not imply it’s improper or improper.

How can we safely overcome feelings of disappointment and frustration with people we love but with whom we disagree?

We should allow ourselves to hold multiple truth at a time. So a lot of us, especially Black women, are well-versed in this in so some ways. Most of us understand this after we take into consideration our feelings about America, right? We hate it here. I actually have limitless criticisms of this place, but there are parts of it that I love, and it is not my job to resolve which one will win. The point is that each are true. So after we take a look at our family members after we went on vacation, we’ve got people we love who’ve been there for us, have memories, picked us up from school or helped us prepare for prom. We are deeply upset in the way in which they voted or what they said, and our job will not be to see either of them win; the thought is that each of those elements ought to be accurate and that this will shape the way in which we engage throughout the holidays.