INTRODUCING OSHUN'S WHISPER: A CONGRESS OF AFRICAN PEOPLE'S (CAP) APPROACH TO FASHION, DESIGN AND BEAUTY IN AN INDUSTRY BECOMING

CONGRESS OF AFRICAN PEOPLE'S (CAP) FASHION CONCEPTS:

OSHUN'S WHISPER NIGHTWEAR 

AND AFRICAN CENTERED FASHION

VARIATIONS OF THESE STYLES OF NIGHTWEAR FORM THE CONCEPTUAL  BASIS OF CONGRESS OF AFRICAN PEOPLE'S FASHION CONCEPTS, AND WHAT WE CALL OSHUN'S WHISPERS AS A BRAND. SUCH A BRANDING COULD BE A CLEAR CUT ALTERNATIVE TO THE EURO CENTERED VICTORIA'S SECRET, WHICH ONLY FOCUS ON SEXUAL ATTRACTION. OSHUN'S WHISPERS EMPHASIZE THE SPIRITUAL MEANING OF DESIGN, TEXTILE, ORNAMENTATION, BODY LOTIONS & et al; OILS, NATURAL HAIR AND PRODUCTS, HENNA DESIGN, FACIAL ART, WAIST BEADS, FOOT ORNAMENTS, HEAD WRAPS, AND THE ART OF AROMATHERAPY. THE USE OF THE AFOREMENTIONED TEXTILES, WAIST BEADS, FOOT ORNAMENTS, HENNA, FACE PAINTING AND OTHER BEAUTY PRODUCTS, WILL FORM THE CONCEPTUAL BASIS FOR OSHUN'S WHISPER, AND EACH DESIGN WILL BE GIVEN A SPIRITUAL MEANING, SUCH THAT ALIENS CANNOT COPY, NOT KNOWING THE INTERNAL DYNAMICS OF OUR SPIRITUAL SYSTEMS. ALSO, THIS IS HOW WE KEEP OUR SPIRITUAL SYSTEMS ALIVE, BY APPLYING THE IDEOLOGICAL TOOLS OF TRADITION AND REASON FROM KAWAIDA PHILOSOPHY.

 SPECIFIC DESIGNS CAN BE FORMULATED FOR SPECIFIC SPIRITUAL RITUALS, SUCH AS MEET, MINGLING AND MERGING; OR JOURNEY TO THE INNER LOVER; ASCENSION; FLOWING INTO THE HEAD; TOUCHING THE HEART; SPIRIT TRAVELING; AFRICA RISING; SPIRIT FLYING, OR; EXPLORING THE TERRAIN. IN THIS WAY WE DEVELOP AN ENTIRE NEW AFRICAN CENTERED INDUSTRY, DEFINED IN OUR TERMS, BASED ON AFRICAN PARADIGMS.  THUS, OSHUN WILL BRING TO ITS CONSUMER NETWORK, FASHION MOTIFS WHICH CAN BE TRACED DIRECTLY TO SPECIFIC AFRICAN TRIBAL TRADITIONS IN ALL OF THEIR DIVERSITY. IN ADDITION TO AFRICAN BEING THE MOST MINERAL RICH CONTINENT, IT ALSO IS THE MOST CULTURALLY RICH AND DIVERSE, AND OSHUN WILL INTRODUCE THIS DIVERSITY TO THE MARKETPLACE IN A MANNER NEVER ATTEMPTED BEFORE. EACH GARMENT IN THIS MOTIF, WILL BE MARKED WITH AN AUTHENTICITY CERTIFICATE, VERIFYING THE TRIBAL GROUP WHICH INSPIRED IT. OSHUN'S WHISPERS BUILDS ON TWO MUTUALLY SUPPORTIVE CONCEPTS; 1. TRADITION AND 2. CREATIVITY WITHIN AN AFRICAN CENTERED CREATIVE AND PRODUCTIVE CONCEPT. BY FOLLOWING THESE PRINCIPLES WE ALSO RE-INFORCE THE VALUE FOR TAKING A SANKOFA JOURNEY INTO OUR AFRICAN HISTORY AND HERITAGE TO LOOK FOR, AND FIND PARADIGMS TO BUILD ON IN THIS DECADE OF AFRICAN RENAISSANCE.   WHO WILL HELP BUILD THIS NEW INDUSTRY? 

COPYRIGHT@ Simbamaat Consultants, 2013

                                                                     

                                                                                 

THE CONGRESS OF AFRICAN PEOPLE (CAP) ANNOUNCES COLLABORATION WITH OUR NEW SPONSOR, CUPPEDIA, INC. TO FORMALLY INTRODUCE OUR BRAND, OSHUN'S WHISPER FASHION, DESIGN AND BEAUTY CONCEPTS. WE WISH TO INTRODUCE OUR FIRST DESIGNER, Rehema Yenbere OF Nkisi Nkisi, AND OUR FIRST MODEL, PATRICIA ALLEN OF GHANA. OSHUN'S WHISPER WILL BE INTRODUCING TRADITIONAL AND INNOVATIVE FASHION CONCEPTS ON A PAN AFRICAN PLATFORM WHICH UTILIZES NEW AND AFRICAN BASED TEXTILES, STYLES AND BEAUTY CONCEPTS ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR THE NEW AFRICAN PERSONALITY. OSHUN'S WHISPER WILL BE LOOKING TO COLLABORATE WITH THE MOST CREATIVE, INNNOVATIVE AND PAN AFRICAN FOCUSED FASHIONISTAS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE AS WE EXPAND THE GLOBAL MARKETS FOR AFRICAN CREATIVITY. IN THIS ENDEAVOR WE HOPE TO HONOR OUR ANCESTORS AND LAY GROUNDWORK FOR OUR CHILDREN AT THE SAME TIME, AS WE CONTRIBUTE TO BUILDING THIS INDUSTRY IN OUR IMAGE AND INTEREST.

OSHUN'S WHISPER FASHION, DESIGN AND BEAUTY CONCEPTS SEEKS TO EXPAND THE PAN AFRICAN FASHION INDUSTRY IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:

1. SPIRITUAL INFUSION - AFRICAN CULTURE IS BASED ON PERMEATION OF SPIRITUALISM IN ALL OF OUR CREATIVE ENDEAVORS, I.E. AN APPRECIATION FOR THE HIGHER VALUES WHICH PROMOTE LIFE AND DEVELOPMENT, AND WHICH CONNECT US TO THE DIVINE AND SACRED ASPECTS OF OUR HUMAN PERSONALITY. OSHUN, AS A BRAND, WILL DEFINE OUR CREATIVE MOTIF IN THIS CONTEXT AND REFLECT THE BEST OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AFRICAN AND HUMAN IN THE WORLD.

2. DEFINING AFRICAN CREATIVE MOTIF - THE DEFINITION OF WHAT IS AFRICAN FASHION HAS BEEN USURPED AND UNDERMINED BY ALIENS IN THE POST COLONIAL ERA. AS CONSCIOUS AND COMMITTED AFRICANS, WE STEP BACK ON THE STAGE OF HUMAN HISTORY TO DEFINE WHAT IS AFRICAN CREATIVITY FROM AN AUTHENTIC TRADITIONAL VIEW AND BUILD A FOUNDATION FOR NEW AND INNOVATIVE APPROACHES WHICH ARE CONSISTENT WITH OUR VALUES AND CREATIVE MOTIF.

3. BUILDING AND EXPANDING THE AFRICAN FASHION AND DESIGN INDUSTRY - BY ATTRACTING SOME OF THE MOST CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE MINDS IN THE AFRICAN FASHION INDUSTRY WE HOPE TO INSPIRE AND COORDINATE A UNITY MOVEMENT WITHIN THE INDUSTRY THAT DEVELOPS DIVERSE PAN AFRICAN PLATFORMS WHICH SERVICE OUR PEOPLE AND OTHERS ON A GLOBAL LEVEL. IN ADDITION TO FASHION AND DESIGN, WE WILL EXPAND INTO NATURAL HAIR DESIGN, BEAUTY, FURNITURE DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE AND HOUSEHOLD UTENSILS. 

4. CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT OF AFRICAN TEXTILE MARKETS - OSHUN'S WHISPER WILL INTRODUCE NEW AND NATURAL TEXTILES INTO THE AFRICAN FASHION INDUSTRY, SUCH AS HEMP AND BAMBOO AND GIVE THEM AN AFRICAN FLAIR WITH THE USE OF COLORS AND DESIGN. ALSO, THE CONGRESS OF AFRICAN PEOPLE WILL SEEK TO CERTIFY TEXTILES USED TO MAKE AFRICAN FASHION AS AFRICAN GROWN AND MANUFACTURED. THIS WE DO IN THE QUEST TO REGAIN CONTROL OF OUR OWN MARKETS.

5. SHOWCASING THE DIVERSITY OF AFRICAN AND PAN AFRICAN CULTURE - OSHUN'S WHISPER'S APPROACH TO FASHION SHALL BE DEFINED BY EXHIBITING THE RICHNESS AND DIVERSITY OF AFRICAN FASHION AT ITS BEST. WE WILL INCORPORATE TRIBAL INFLUENCES, AS WELL AS INFLUENCES OF ISLAND, ABORIGINAL, CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICAN FASHION CHOICES.

6. QUALITY OF PRODUCT AND SERVICE -  AS WE DEFINE, REDEFINE AND REBUILD THE PAN AFRICAN FASHION  INDUSTRY, OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE IS THE ADHERENCE TO HIGH STANDARDS OF PRODUCTION AND SERVICE TO OUR CLIENT AUDIENCE. WE VIEW OURSELVES AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AFRICAN REBIRTH MOVEMENT AND ONLY WANT TO REFLECT THE BEST OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AFRICAN AND HUMAN TO ITS FULLEST EXTENT.

7. TOWARDS BUILDING NEW AFRICAN MEN AND WOMEN; GODS AND GODDESSES - FASHION AND DESIGN IS NOT AN END IN ITSELF, BUT IS A REFLECTION OF A PEOPLES VALUES, VISION AND ASPIRATION TO CREATE A PAN AFRICAN CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION MOVEMENT, WHICH INSPIRES AFRICAN PEOPLE TO WALK AND TALK IN DIGNITY AND TO REPRESENT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A NEW AFRICAN IN A NEW WORLD WHERE WE CAN WALK IN A WARMER SUN.

KEY ELEMENTS OF OSHUN'S WHISPER'S FASHION, DESIGN AND BEAUTY PRODUCTS

1. NATURAL TEXTILES AND DYES - AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE OUR BRANDED PRODUCTS WILL USE AFRICAN GROWN AND MANUFACTURED NATURAL TEXTILES AND DYES, WITH PROPER CERTIFICATIONS AND VALIDATIONS.  THIS IS SO ALIENS CANNOT CONTINUE TO EXPLOIT MARKETS WHICH BELONG IN (GLOBAL) AFRICAN CONTROL.

2. EMPHASIS ON THE SPIRITUAL DIMENSION OF AFRICAN ATTIRE AND HOW IT IS A REFLECTION OF OUR HIGHEST VALUES AND NOT JUST A COMMODITY FOR COMMERCIAL 
EXPLOITATION. THE USE OF COLORS, SYMBOLS AND DESIGN HAVE SIGNIFICANT MEANING
WITHIN A DEFINITE CULTURAL CONTEXT AND FRAMEWORK.4.

3. FACE ART - THIS IS AN INDUSTRY WITHIN ITSELF AND NEEDS FURTHER EXPLORATION, STUDY AND APPLICATION IN TERMS OF ITS COMPLIMENTARITY TO FASHION AND DESIGN. IN MANY TRADITIONAL SOCIETIES FACE ART WAS USED TO DESIGNATE IF ONE WAS SINGLE OR MARRIED, IF THEIR WAS A DEATH IN THE FAMILY, A NEW CHILD WAS BORN, OR READINESS TO GO INTO BATTLE WITH AN ENEMY. SOME OF THESE CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO INNOVATIVE APPROACHES WHICH ALSO UTILIZE THE TRADITIONAL MEANINGS.

4. FOOT ART - THIS TOO, CAN BE ANOTHER ASSOCIATED INDUSTRY WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF FASHION. BEADS, PRECIOUS METALS, SHELLS, ETC. CAN BE ACCESSORIES TO ANY FASHION CHOICES.

5. WASTE BEADS - WASTE BEADS HAVE HAD A DISTINCT HISTORY IN AFRICAN FASHION, AND THIS HISTORY SHOULD BE SHARED AND PROMOTED ALONG WITH THE PRODUCTS.

6. HEAD WRAPS AND CROWNS - THIS TOO, IS ANOTHER INDUSTRY WITH UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES. THESE ARE UNIQUE AND DISTINCT TO AFRICAN CULTURE AND THEIR MEANINGS SHOULD BE SHARED WITH THE CONSUMING PUBLIC.

7. NATURAL HAIR DESIGNS - OSHUN'S WHISPER PROMOTES NATURAL HAIR DESIGNS FOR OUR MODELS AND CONSUMING PUBLIC, AS A MATTER OF CULTURAL IDENTITY AND PRIDE, AND AS AN ACT OF LIBERATION FROM EUROPEAN AND OTHER ALIEN IMPOSITION. THIS, TOO, IS A LARGE INDUSTRY WHICH COMPLIMENTS FASHION AND DESIGN. BRAIDS, LOCS, NATURALS OR SHAVED HEADS PROVIDE MANY CULTURAL OPTIONS.

8. BEAUTY PRODUCTS - OSHUN'S WHISPER SUPPORTS MANY MANUFACTURES OF NATURAL BEAUTY PRODUCTS, THOUGH OUR PREFERENCE IS FOR OUR MAIN SPONSOR, ANNA MARIE CARTER'S OILS FOR MEN AND WOMEN. WE DO NOT PROMOTE THE WEARING OF A LOT OF MAKE UP, AS MANY PRODUCTS ARE BAD FOR THE SKIN. WHERE MAKE UP MAY BE WORN FOR CEREMONIOUS OCCASIONS WE ENCOURAGE ARTISTS TO USE NATURAL PRODUCTS. 

9. HENNA ART - HENNA IS A BEAUTY ART USED FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, AND IS ONE WHICH DESERVES TO BE REVIVED. AGAIN, THE CAUTION IS TO USE NATURAL NON TOXIC PRODUCTS WHICH HAVE BEEN TESTED OVER TIME. THIS ART IS REALLY BEAUTIFUL FOR CEREMONIOUS OCCASIONS SUCH AS WEDDINGS, NAMING CEREMONIES, RITES OF PASSAGE GRADUATIONS, ETC. 
  

                                                                                   

VARIATIONS OF THESE STYLES OF NIGHTWEAR FORM THE CONCEPTUAL  BASIS OF CONGRESS OF AFRICAN PEOPLE' FASHION CONCEPTS, AND WHAT WE CALL OSHUN'S WHISPER AS A BRAND. SUCH A BRANDING COULD BE A CLEAR CUT ALTERNATIVE TO THE EURO CENTERED VICTORIA'S SECRET, WHICH ONLY FOCUS ON SEXUAL ATTRACTION. OSHUN'S WHISPERS EMPHASIZE THE SPIRITUAL MEANING OF DESIGN, TEXTILE, ORNAMENTATION, BODY LOTIONS & OILS, NATURAL HAIR AND PRODUCTS, HENNA DESIGN, FACIAL ART, WAIST BEADS, FOOT ORNAMENTS, HEAD WRAPS, AND THE ART OF AROMATHERAPY. SPECIFIC DESIGNS CAN BE FORMULATED FOR SPECIFIC SPIRITUAL RITUALS, SUCH AS MEET, MINGLING AND MERGING; OR JOURNEY TO THE INNER LOVER; ASCENSION; FLOWING INTO THE HEAD; TOUCHING THE HEART; SPIRIT TRAVELING; AFRICA RISING; SPIRIT FLYING, OR; EXPLORING THE TERRAIN. IN THIS WAY WE DEVELOP AN ENTIRE NEW AFRICAN CENTERED INDUSTRY, DEFINED IN OUR TERMS, BASED ON AFRICAN PARADIGMS.  THUS, OSHUN WILL BRING TO ITS CONSUMER NETWORK, FASHION MOTIFS WHICH CAN BE TRACED DIRECTLY TO SPECIFIC AFRICAN TRIBAL TRADITIONS IN ALL OF THEIR DIVERSITY. IN ADDITION TO AFRICAN BEING THE MOST MINERAL RICH CONTINENT, IT ALSO IS THE MOST CULTURALLY RICH AND DIVERSE, AND OSHUN WILL INTRODUCE THIS DIVERSITY TO THE MARKETPLACE IN A MANNER NEVER ATTEMPTED BEFORE. EACH GARMENT IN THIS MOTIF, WILL BE MARKED WITH AN AUTHENTICITY CERTIFICATE, VERIFYING THE TRIBAL GROUP WHICH INSPIRED IT. OSHUN'S WHISPERS BUILDS ON TWO MUTUALLY SUPPORTIVE CONCEPTS; 1. TRADITION AND 2. CREATIVITY WITHIN AN AFRICAN CENTERED CREATIVE AND PRODUCTIVE CONCEPT. BY FOLLOWING THESE PRINCIPLES WE ALSO RE-INFORCE THE VALUE FOR TAKING A SANKOFA JOURNEY INTO OUR AFRICAN HISTORY AND HERITAGE TO LOOK FOR, AND FIND PARADIGMS TO BUILD ON IN THIS DECADE OF AFRICAN RENAISSANCE.   WHO WILL HELP BUILD THIS NEW INDUSTRY? 

COPYRIGHT@ Simbamaat Consultants, 2013