Launching Moyo Shirts: I dream of a Shirt

Launching Moyo Shirts: I dream of a Shirt

People always ask me ‘how I came up with the name MOYO’. The name is actually my daughter's second name, her full name is Moyosoreoluwa; It means ‘I rejoice in the gift of God’. I found it to be very appropriate as I believe my journey of shirt making is a gift from God. I chose it because I love the meaning, it is catchy, easy to pronounce [not the full name of course :)] and I have relished with delight in the different ways people have tried to pronounce it.
This journey in launching our shirt line has taught me some life nuggets.  I have learned that, people might not always get your vision. I have learned not to ride the wave of people's opinion. Instead, I have echoed Henry Ford's philosophy who I quote, "If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses" and we know he went on to be a pacesetter in car manufacturing.  I am embracing innovation, creativity and forward-thinking. Change people’s perception on clothes…1 shirt at a time😊 The route to one's dream will always be lined with obstacles or naysayer. On the other hand, I have had a lot of encouragement and support and for that, I am truly thankful. I know though I can only birth the passion and creativity that God has deposited in me.  
I want to make Moyo a brand name, a go-to for Luxury tops, unique, bespoke, unconventional designs, outside of the box machinations in our Shirt collections. I want to go to the ends of the earth to make you feel beautiful. Someone told me on this journey “aha this is too much now”, No! I disagree, it is not enough. I want to do more, clothes are the second skin to us and an expression of who we are and I want to represent that expression in every way and every dimension as if it is poetry in motion.
I have had so much fun and put in a lot of hard work in creating this line and yet I am not exhausted, there are many more designs in my head and at some point, I had to draw the line. It is ok, the story of Moyo is a never-ending one, hopefully, to be marked with success, beauty, innovation and God's blessing.

I dream of a shirt

I dream of vertical lines and horizontal whispers.

I dream of abstracts into beautiful nothings… abiding comfort and luxury against my skin

Blossoms of colours embracing my imperfect curves yet I am enthused

The power of designs, the lovemaking of threads and fabrics, the joining of patterns- a perfect embrace. 

I am lifted by Ankara, Adire, Aso oke, Brocade, Cotton, Silk, Chiffon,...here you are…Welcome

 Passion of creativity applauds, intricate delicate designs invades my frame

Linen spurned from the earth, blessed by the sun… caress my body in perfect acceptance

Engrained in my DNA I push

Can you feel me?

Arrggg! out of this beautiful cocoon comes perfection, looking at me with wide-eyed purity 

I emerge...

I stand tall in Moyo Shirt

---

The Gift in you

I use to be a good singer...no scratch that...I used to be a very good singer (if I may say so myself *wink*wink).
I remember the first time I sang in church back in my beautiful sun-tanned land of Nigeria, I gave a special number(in Naija terms means a song) which I wrote myself. I wish now I could remember the song or had kept the lyrics but after that day my life changed. Everyone said I sounded wonderful.The choir leader of that church said I must join the choir...the rest they say is history...I discovered a love for singing and writing songs. Back then, I was a very shy girl and I found that in my little room in Apata I could express myself through singing and writing. I had found an outlet and I loved it.

My fondest memories of singing was the first time my Dad heard me sing in a small church in Leeds after initially jokingly telling me 'not to disgrace him o'. Well after I finished singing in church, he was beaming like a proud father. He raved about me all day and to anyone who cared to listen about how good I was and that in his own opinion  'I was better than 'Whitney Houston' Hmmm yes I know:) he was perhaps a little bias...but the echoes of his comments that made me feel ten feet tall and every chance I got I would sing and encourage people around me to as well. I moved to the wonderful town of Milton Keynes and of course joined the choir and continued my love for singing. I was still a bit shy but my voice was high, sonorous and powerful..Then I left for Canada and then I stopped singing. I mean I sang to myself but because I did not put myself out there, there was nothing to measure myself against so I did not improve on it.

 Fast track 10 years and I can hardly hold a tune, how..why..I am natural at this???. I did not nurture the gift in me. I realise now that because God gives you a talent does not mean you automatically thrive in excellence of that gift. Like a seed, it needs to be fertilised, watered, put in the right environment and condition so it can bloom.
I mean the gift is still in me, I know I can sing...like people say its should be like riding a bicycle...maybe so...but what I am saying is develop the gift in you, enrich it...go for classes, practise, make yourself better. Hone your talent. Don't take what God has given you for granted.
As an example, singing sensation Whitney Houston was a rare talent, she broke the height of singing with her majestic voice, an inspiration for many other singers to aspire to but in later years it all went downhill with the demons of drugs and issues that unfortunately plagued her. Guard your heart, guard your gift and nurture it and it will make you stand before kings and people of excellence. This is my rant for today.

Yes! I am making sure that I don't stop writing ...or singing:) Watch out for my next novel...'Forbidden' coming out soon. If you want to buy my last novel which I am sure you will enjoy reading, please go to amazon to purchase my novel called Madrigal or you can buy directly from me and I will send you a signed copy

On that note, I will be publishing/sharing my  new short story called 'Bus Conductor'...one chapter at a time....so watch out for this

Launching Arachnid Creations

I have been away for too long, I apologise and I will tell you why... As many of you who know me...I am here to fly the flag for Africa.!!!

I have been toying with the idea of creating a fashion line for years and have been sharing my thoughts and ideas with friends until they got fed up with me and like the Nike Motto, they told me to stop blabbing and "just do it"

I googled Celebrities wearing African Fabrics and the results were astounding. See for your self below... Beyonce, Rhianna...etc I think to myself, isn't it just.., soon this fabrics will be re-packaged and sold back to us in the most ridiculous prices by 'Top designers' while we the owners snub what is inherently part of our culture. At first, the question that came into my mind is "am I good enough" but then my passions and love for designing with my stalwart faith in God won.

 Hence I have been working hard to launch my new fashion line primarily designed with African Fabrics called Arachnid Creations. Our motto: "Matchless Designs and Timeless Pieces".

I promise you, my designs is not to be confirmed to "African Parties", you can wear it to parties of course but then to work, church, Barbecues, shopping etc. My collection is versatile and eclectic and most importantly affordable . Don't take my word for it, visit my website on www.arachnid-creations.com and they also say "Pictures can speak a thousand words" so click on this link https://wwwdropbox.com/l/x9WV7 to see the pictures of my Launch. (You might need to download dropbox on your laptop/phone but can be easily done and useful for storing precious pictures)
 Till I reach out to you again.. Enjoy and please leave a comment, I would love to hear from you....Tell me where you could wear some of my designs to:)
 Love ya
Jumoke

What If

To my millions of readers, (calling the things that are not as if they were)

Sorry I have been away since December, I promise not to do that again seeing I have been sorely missed. Yes I know its April but I am still caught up with the festivities of December, not the shopping frenzy bit or spending money I don’t have part but the having good friends around and having loud conversations, shouting over one another and interrupting each other's conversation. Good friends, Good Food, Good conversation, I love it!

I don’t think it has to be January to make a New Year resolution; I give you permission to make it any time of the year! If you have been unsuccessful for the past three months, don’t give up, dust failure off and start again. Let me give a word of encouragement, please forgive me for being so presumptuous that you want my advice. This might sound like a cliché but Go for your dreams, reach for the stars; and do not let anything stop you from reaching your goals. Not the haters, not even you. Sometimes we think we don’t have enough to be successful, we do! What if... the diamond you are looking for is in the inside of you. You just need to give birth to it (...Huh) seriously, that business you were looking to start, do not procrastinate, just go for it. That weight you have been carrying around, start losing it, one day at a time, one resolve, one step before you know it...victory.

Along with your doing, don’t forget to do something nice for someone. As you travel through the underground and you hear the sonorous music of the buskers, do not walk on by, appreciate the beauty in the symphony you are listening to and spare a change. What if when you listen it fuels your senses with renewed vigour for the day? What if...when you tap into the rhythm you will get ‘it’? I know I would want some sort of acknowledgement if I was doing something that creative. Trust me you will feel better afterwards. My brothers, don’t pass by that homeless guy, I know you think he uses his money for drugs, what if he doesn't.., My sister, what if...that boss of yours that is horrible to you at work is going through a divorce or tough times, give him a break. I know he is taking it out on you and it is not fair but at least he is not shooting you down with a gun because he has had a bad day like we sometimes hear on the news. Sponsor a child in Africa or UK; give the gift of your time to people who are needy, what if your money really makes a difference. What if...

Stop waiting for someone else to do it, we complain a lot but it is time to put ourselves out there. Let’s make our generation and fill it with worthy heritages for our children. This is my rant for today; I like to rant for another.

Language Please!

Put your hands up and do a jiggle if your children know how to speak your indigenous language. To the others go to the naughty corner, raise your hands up and pray for God to have mercy on your soul. OK, maybe that is a bit too severe. Let’s get real with ourselves though, by the third generation from our children, our languages would have disappeared from our family lineage. Do you know what beautiful stories, adages, folklore and culture can be passed down through languages?

What is so alarming is that even back in our home countries some parents don’t talk to their children in the native language, what???? Is this a status thing now, that your children should be blowing only  English grammar like a trumpet? It is disgraceful, (I am talking to myself too as I m guilty of this traditional deprivation towards my babies but I am rectifying it and my children are making good progress.) Take pride in your heritage, our language is what makes us disparate and unique, we should unashamedly take pride in the one thing nobody can take away from us...

Have you seen the Chinese, Spanish, Indians, how they rap with their children with pride in their respective languages. Do you know it has been proven that if a child is taught in their indigenous language, they activate the part of the brain that makes them clever (without getting too technical)  and they do well in other languages as well. Wake up people! Nobody is selling this ignorance to us; we are the ones buying this crap ourselves. Do you know the pleasure I take in being able to trade secrets with my daughter in public when I want no one to understand what we are saying, one of the many perks.

Forgive me for being so harsh, it is out of love and the wish to preserve the beautiful things we have in our culture. Some of us are so readily open to take on other trends ( I call it trend because they are so transient that I can’t call it culture) we imitate the way the white man speak, we like to dress the way they do and in our taking we have taken some disgusting stuff as well and forgotten where we came from. I am not saying we should be parochial and not open ourselves to new things but let’s embrace what is ours first, It’s not too late, speak it to them, teach them, sing to them in your language. Eventually when they go back home, they will not use their left hand to give directions to their home and no one will be able to sell them BS. Keep the cord strong, the flag flying; teach your children your indigenous language, you will be amazed on how quickly they will pick it up and how interested they are in learning it. Don’t leave it till it’s too late

This is my thought provoking rant for today, I leave to rant another day

 Please leave a comment...

I know you! Do you know me?

 I remember my first day at work in Canary Wharf, I was in awe at the fast paced atmosphere  of the place, even the air felt rushed , the expensive suits, the tall buildings, the decadent gourmet shops. The smell of coffee and power perfumed the air, with the proverbial noses stuck up there too.  At first, I could not curtail my exhilaration, I felt like shouting ‘can you handle the truth’ (as in Tom Cruise wannabe in ‘A few Good Men’). I had been let loose and I wanted to leap over walls but after two weeks of not making a single friend and being shunned and scorned by  the  sparse people around me who I can call my own, quickly my elation turned into whimper of emotions. I felt lost and alone.

  For the first time in a long time I felt invisible, every one scurried along like the world was about to end, I heard animated conversation between two people on my left and they were talking about graphs and paragraphs, Huh? I looked down at my own work outfit with disdain, the pride I took that morning in wearing my slim fitting blue guinea brocade shirt tapered on the sleeves and collar with green Ankara was fading fast. I sat down on the benches in the indoor shopping mall feeling sorry for myself. I looked up and the glimmer of hope showed itself in another African sister coming my way, to me she looked like an angel, I was sure I could strike up a conversation with her. She was dressed to perfection, ‘looking tight’. I stood up and said hello, if looks could kill, I would be dead by now.

 So why do we not like to acknowledge one another? Do you know how you make me feel when I meet you in the lift and you turn your face away, when I say hello and you don’t answer. Do you know how you demean our  race when you will only talk to me when no one is around, why is it that it is from you that I get the most hard time from, when you should be my Iroko tree..  We have been through a lot you and I, don't you know! you are my solace. When I see you I am happy,. Why are you not happy to see me succeed like you, surely our struggles should not be in vain? Yes! You might have been burned before but we have got to come together and change the way we see one another. It starts with you and me. No one will respect us when we are not strong together, you are part of me and I you. I know you,  do you know me? Please say YES

This is my soul searching rant for today, I live to rant another day

Like A Peacock

Like a peacock, let us strut our culture, our heritage with pride. 

 "African clothing is the traditional clothing, often vibrantly coloured, worn by the indigenous peoples of Africa. In some instances these traditional garments have been replaced by western clothing introduced by European colonialists.” (whyyyyyyyyyyyy I scream.) Let us take a cue from the Asian culture and wear our Ankara, Guinea Brocade, Lace, Kente, Adire etc to work, to play, to church, to parties, let us splash it all over our houses with pride, for curtains, our cushions, bed sheets because they are beautiful and gorgeous. No one will put Africa on the map except us, the media often paint us in a negative light and this is one area we can stand together, one step at a time I say.  Let us start by embracing what we can truly call our own, let’s express ourselves through our clothing. I wear my African clothing to work with a modern twist; I sew my work shirts with Ankara, complete with cufflinks and embroidery. I dare to be bold and people compliment me all day. Why has curry become a phenomenon now in UK. I will tell you why because the Asians value their culture and they have spread it as the wind carry seeds. Let me ask you a question, when you see an Asian person in his/her traditional attire, do you blink or think it odd, NO! we are so use to seeing them in their beautiful array of clothing that we have subconsciously accepted it, why can’t we Africans do and be the same.

This is my beautiful rant for today, I live to rant another day