Style
Photo by Gregoire Avenel

Eliana Murargy Is the Trailblazing Mozambican Fashion Brand You Should Know About

We spoke with the designer about her latest collection "Basking In the Osun River," which was the first by a Mozambican designer to show at New York Fashion Week.

Mozambican fashion designer Eliana Murargy has been on a mission to re-imagine luxury clothing in Africa since she first established her eponymous brand in 2011. Her latest collection "Basking in the Osun River," does just that. It debuted at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) last month, making her the first designer from Mozambique to showcase at the renowned fashion event.

Murargy put the myriad African influences in her designs front and center with "Basking in the Osun River"—a name which directly reference the mystical Osun River, which runs from Nigeria to the Atlantic Gulf of Guinea.

The designs themselves, are characterized by ethereal and skillfully tailored garments, designed in solid, earth-tones with feminine silhouettes, inspired by The Aje—a female Yoruba figure believed to hold fierce, cosmic powers as well as the water deity Osun. According to the designer, the collection was created with an "exclusive community of West African tailors."

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Film
Image via Gage Skidmore via Flickr.

Chadwick Boseman to Star as First Black Samurai in Upcoming Historical Action Film

After much speculation, it's been announced that Boseman will play Yasuke, Japan's first African samurai.

Back in 2017, it was announced that a film on Yasuke, the world's first black samurai would be going into production. After much speculation, we finally learn that none other than Chadwick Boseman will play the role of the historical warrior.

Yasuke is believed to have lived during the 1500s, and historical accounts state that he could have been from Angola, Ethiopia or Mozambique, though many details about his life remain a mystery. It is known, however, that he worked under the Japanese ruler Oda Nobunaga, who gave him the name "Yasuke" according to Shadow and Act. There is no account of his birth name.

It is said that upon arriving in Japan in the late 14th century, Yasuke was met with astonishment, as he was the first black person that most Japanese had ever seen. He quickly became Nobunga's body guard before climbing the ranks to become one of Japan's most celebrated warriors.

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