Autumn Adeigbo's "6 Nights With Jean-Michel"

Written By: MIM!—It's right around that time of year when our favorite African designers start revealing their collections for the next season, and we're very excited to see what is in store! First up is Nigerian designer Autumn Adeigbo, who released her "6 Nights With Jean-Michel" collection last week. Read what Autumn has to say about her latest collection below:

Update: "Life Above All" The Trailer

Written By: MIM!—Below, watch the international trailer for Life Above All, which as we recently blogged, is in theaters now.

LIFE, ABOVE ALL - international trailer from Dreamer Joint Venture on Vimeo.

Critically Acclaimed South African Film "Life Above All" Is In Theaters Now

Written By: MIM!—We are thrilled to see compelling high caliber movies about the African continent, such as Desert Flower and Viva Riva!, to name a few, being distributed internationally in independent theaters. This month, award winning South African film Life Above All is in theaters Stateside. Below is a synopsis ...

MTV Announces Shuga: Love, Sex And Money Series 2 Coming In Early 2012

Written By: MIM!—Set in Nairobi, Kenya, Shuga the hard-hitting drama that follows the lives, loves and ambitions of a group of young people whose bright lives and fabulous futures are balanced on a knife edge due to their love of living dangerously is returning to the small screen. MTV has announced the hotly anticipated second series will bring some "exciting changes, with the introduction of new characters and increasingly addictive story-lines." Get the latest updates by visiting www.mtvshuga.com.

(Photo Credits: © MTV)

Front Row Fabulosity! Kimora Lee Simmons And Djimon Hounsou At Cape Town Fashion Week

Written By: MIM!—Beautiful power couple Kimora Lee Simmons and Djimon Hounsou were spotted in the front row (seated next to next to Africa Fashion International's Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe) at Cape Town Fashion Week's Lisp, Nucleus and Lalesso Front Row Social. Look out for the next issue of MIMI, where we will have full coverage of all of Cape Town Fashion Week's fabulosity!

(Photo Credits: © Simon Deiner / SDR Photo)

South African Singer Lira Will Embark On A US Tour Starting On July 24th In Philadelphia

Written By: MIM!—Lira is touring the United States this summer with performances in Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, Annapolis, and Washington, DC ... starting on July 24th. To get dates when Lira will be coming to a city near you, visit her official website www.misslira.co.za. And if you want to get a sneak peak at Lira's phenomenal live performances, watch the video below which features excerpts from a 2-hour concert filmed live at Carnival City's Big Top Arena in Johannesburg.

LIRA_A Celebration (Live) from Warwick Allan on Vimeo.

(Photo Credits: © BMG)

House Of Versatile Styles Fall 2011 Collection: De Luxe

Written By: MIMI—After a successful presentation of the new HVS De Luxe Collection during New York Fashion Week, fashion designer and stylist Bukola Are reveals new ad campaigns to promote her new collection. The ads were shot on location in the UK with fashion photographers David Otokpa and Timothy Paule in the U.S. Take a look at some of the images from the collection below.

Nollywood Versus Gollywood: Genevieve Nnaji Is The Most Googled African Actress

Written By: Nani Hapa—The jury is still out over whether Ghana's groundbreaking movie industry, Gollywood, can give Nigeria's veteran movie industry, Nollywood, a serious run for its money. But when it comes to figuring out which stars are the biggest, the debate is over ... at least if we're measuring stardom according to how often Google searches are run about a particular person. We thought it would be fun to use Google Trends to figure out who the most popular actresses are among Nollywood heavyweights—Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola, and Stephanie Okereke—and Gollywood starlets—Nadia Buari, Yvonne Nelson, and Jackie Appiah. (You'd have to be living under a rock not to recognize these women's names.) And according to Google Trends, Genevieve Nnaji is on the top of the game as the most Google searched African actress. Who's in second place? The rest of the results may surprise you ...

Nneka Releases Her Music Video For "Soul Is Heavy"

NNEKA - Soul Is Heavy from Shoemakerhh on Vimeo.

Accessorizing Life: Angela Chimokwu

Written By: MIM!—The spotty economy has most people shying away from self-started entrepreneurial ventures and craving the stability of a 9-to-5 desk job. But not Angela Chimokwu, who viewed the economic downturn as an opportunity to launch her own jewelry company—GlamItOut Accessories. As Angela explains, “I always wanted to do something different and especially when the recession hit the United Kingdom, I needed another form of income besides just working in an office and thought I should go into what I would really enjoy doing because of my interest in it and decided to go into selling jewelry.” Read MIMI’s Q&A with Angela and learn how she accessorized her life by launching a second career as an entrepreneur in the article Accessorizing Life.

(Photo Credits: © GlamItOut Accessories)

Communication For Change Celebrates Stephanie Okereke And More ...

Written By: MIM!—On June 29, Communication for Change premiered RedHOT, a new five-part documentary film series, featuring some of the best acts of Nigerian visual and performing arts in music and film sectors. Filmed over a two-year period, the documentary is a description of the life and work of 17 amazing Nigerian artists, discovering their inspiration.

Created with support from the US charity, Ford Foundation, RedHOT is a tribute to Nigeria’s finest creative talents, showcasing the depth and breadth of Nigeria’s ingenuity. Among the Nollywood veterans featured in the documentary are renowned Nollywood actor and director, Stephanie Okereke, along with creative painter and printmaker Bruce Onobrakpeya, painter Kainebi Osahenye, mixed media artist and scholar Nnenna Okore, top flight musician and photographer TY Bello, comedy entertainer Julius Agwu, music producer, Cobehams Asuquo, veteran flutist Tee Mac, the talented female drummer Ara, celebrated Nollywood directors Tunde Kelani and Izu Ojukwu, as well as engaging dance groups including Crown Troupe and the Society for the Performing Arts of Nigeria (SPAN).

(Photo Credits: © Icy PR)

Lalesso: Beauty And The Beach

Written By: MIM!—Discover Lalesso's perfect summer collection in the article Beauty And The Beach.

(Photo Credits: © Lalesso)

Hello Gorgeous! Deola Sagoe's Ori Oke Collection

Written By: MIM!—The name for Deola Sagoe’s latest collection—Ori Oké—is derived from the Japanese word Shibori and the Yoruba word Aso-Oké. Both words describe methods of creating the traditional cloth of the respective cultures. Discover a collection inspired by the similarities Deola sees within Japanese and Yoruba style of dress in the article Hello Gorgeous! Deola Sagoe's Ori Oké Collection.

(Photo Credits: © Deola Sagoe)

Clothes Call: Nancie Mwai

Written By: MIM!—April 28th, 2010: Nancie Mwai, a young, newly minted stylist, launches the website The Fashion Notebook armed with no more than a passion for fashion and an ambitious goal of making a mark on Kenya’s fashion scene, for as she explains, “life is too short to blend in.”

Cut to the present: The Fashion Notebook is a widely-read and much loved blogazine that has Nancie so busy, her day is a fashion whirlwind. “I wake up, take coffee, go through my mail, write up a blog post, then I read other blogs. Since I am a stylist, I am also constantly styling then I finish my day with meetings, then I head home. Sometimes I rarely get time for lunch. When I get home I check my mails again and respond to my blog comments and plan for the next day. Then I sleep.”

Read on for MIMI’s interview with the stylista in the article Clothes Call.

(Photo Credits: © The Fashion Notebook)

Zama Dube Is Living Out Loud

Written By: Nani Hapa—Zama Dube is defining the voice of the youth in post-apartheid South Africa as host of The Face-Off With Zama Dube on Johannesburg-based youth-centric radio station, YFM, which is known for broadcasting “the soundtrack to an urban life—fast-paced, energetic and uplifting with a mix of a few quiet moments so that you can catch your breath in the middle of Jozi madness.” Born in Kwa-Mashu, Durban, to a single mother, Zama comes from a musical family of natural dancers and singers—it is no wonder then that she made her way to radio while concurrently studying a joint honors degree at WITS University. MIMI caught up with the reb(ELLE) to talk about being a part of, and representing, the young post-apartheid generation. Read our interview with Zama in the article Living Out Loud.

(Photo Credits: © YFM)

The New Issue Of MIMI Is All About Reb(ELLE)s

Written By: MIM!—Read the latest issue of MIMI and discover how our four Soul.Substance.Style Reb(ELLE)s: Zama Dube (our cover girl), Nancie Mwai, Angela Chimokwu and Bethlehem Alemu dared to not only dream big but also defy convention. Also in this issue, find Deola Sagoe's latest collection, Ori Oré, that was inspired by both the Japanese and the Yoruba cultures, see how Lalesso is bringing beauty to the beach, and tackle serious questions such as "what does it mean to be black?" in the article Beyond Black and "what will it take to get proper housing in South Africa's townships?" in the article A Winding Path To Descent Housing.

Happy reading (and don't forget to subscribe to MIMI by following us on Facebook for the most up-to-date information from us)!

MIMI Related Links: Volume 7, Issue 3: Reb(ELLE)s

(Photo Credits: © YFM)

Soul Video: Sade "Love Is Found"

Written By: MIM!—Sade has released her video for Love Is Found. Watch it now on www.vevo.com.

(Photo Credits: © JC Epic Records)

Soul Video: Melissa Nkonda "Nouveaux Horizons"

Written By: MIM!—Melissa Nkonda’s debut album, Noveaux Horizons, is an homage to her Algerian and Cameroonian roots as heard through the genres of pop, soul, jazz, latin, and African rhythms. Although she primarily sings in French, Melissa infuses bits of English on singles such as Nouveaux Horizons, I Dance Alone, J’ai Fait Tout Ca Pour Vous (with British singer VV Brown), and Africa, there is something good for the soul for everyone on Melissa's album. Watch the video for the single, Nouveaux Horizons, below.

MELISSA NKONDA "Nouveaux Horizons" from Sebastien Caudron on Vimeo.

(Photo Credits: © Album Cover Art)

In Theaters Now: Viva Riva!

Written By: MIM!—Director Djo Tunda Wa Munga’s Viva Riva! is all the buzz with critics and fans alike. The winner of six African Movie Academy Awards, an MTV Movie Award, a Pan African Film Festival Award, and many more accolades. The synopsis:

Riva is a small time operator who has just returned to his hometown of Kinshasa, Congo after a decade away with a major score: a fortune in hijacked gasoline. Wads of cash in hand and out for a good time, Riva is soon entranced by beautiful night club denizen Nora, the kept woman of a local gangster. Into the mix comes an Angolan crime lord relentlessly seeking the return of his stolen shipment of gasoline.

Director Djo shares, "In making Viva Riva! I wanted to find a new way to talk about life in Kinshasa today—to describe how my hometown works and how it doesn't work. I also felt the time was right to depict aspects of life in the capital that everyone knows exist but no one has ever talked about publicly.." Watch the trailer below ... and if your attention is as piqued as much as ours, go see the movie which is playing in theaters now.

Viva Riva Trailer from Superhero Screen on Vimeo.

(Photo Credits: © Formosa, MG Productions, Suka!)

Style Video: Vlisco Nouvelle Histoire

Written By: MIM!—A few months ago, we brought you VLISCO's Nouvelle Histoire collection, now the collection comes to life in a promotional video showcasing the company's modern take on its iconic pieces.

Vlisco NouvelleHistoire from MOST Original Soundtracks on Vimeo.

(Photo Credits: © VLISCO)

Soul Video: Asa, Why Can't We (Directed By Raphaël Frydman)

Music Video Asa "Why Can't We" from Raphael Frydman on Vimeo.

Double Your Shoes On An Afri-Chic Budget

7D - Shoe-Wrap Advert from Nel - VillageBoi on Vimeo.