Nneka on the Green!

Last night was Nneka's live gig at Ember Creek, it ended up being a big affair, there was a huge turn out (free admission will do that, heeeey!) and she was ready to amaze with her very sincere lyrics. We got to hear our favorite song 'Heartbeat,' so was definitely a night to be remembered. Listening to her live is special 'cause you never know what she's going to do with the music, so you end up hearing a bunch of remixes that aren't on the album! 

Congrats on your win at the MOBO's and we hope you keep giving us great songs! 

The Boss

So I had to share what I discovered while leafing through the pages of the most recent Clam magazine, Bibi (one of our team members) had a whole page dedicated to her titled 'The Boss', we are overflowing with pride. We are also very happy she managed to plug in some IMEKURA tee's. As our good friend Nnenna said when I showed her the article 'Yay Bibi'...

:-(

Sayonara, King of Pop.
You will be missed.

xx

The Teaser is Here!

Relentless is still due out at the end of the year but they managed to bang out a Teaser on time for Cannes!

Rumour has it that it has gotten a lot of positive response and is even generating some excitement! It will definitely be doing the festival rounds when it is done.

If I am able to upload this it will be a miracle but I must try cos I'm so excited about it. I think it is a sign of the coming of the aesthetic that will come from our side of the world and our side of the mind (the so called third world).

Check out Gideon Okeke, Nneka (the chanteuse), Jimmy Jean Louis (The Haitian), some faces you know and some intriguing new comers.


And check out our shirts which show up in it! Hehe!





loves ya!
xx

Sharing is caring

When searching for inspiration you come across sometimes the weirdest things or the most amazing finds. In this case we drooled when we found the Noisettes, their music is definitely on our playlist('scratch your name') as we design our new line. Shingai Shoniwa (who is half Zimbabwean btw) is our new heroine and we see her rocking the new IMEKURA! enjoy!!!!

Made in Africa

We were very impressed when we came across Yodit Euckland. She studied environmental economics at the University of California, Berkley, she's multicultural(Ethiopian, French, American & Sweedish), but most importantly she is earnestly supporting Africa's economy. 

Yodit and her brother Yohannes started Bantu, an exclusive African surf brand, churning out swimmwear, surf gear, decals and the works with an African twist. They designed the swim wear in Ivory Coast, using the vibrant West African print (Ankara) while promoting Africa's textile industry and then all the cutting and sewing was done in Ethiopia (watch out China!), this makes Bantu a truly African brand. So major cool points go to the duo that bring us Bantu.

I spy....

If only we were invited to the wedding that these were dished out... Definitely on our wave length!!!

Whoo Wee!

Whoo!

That was a longer pause than I expected! I apologize, everyone but I plead the following: Nepa, busted computer and no internet. Three fatal enemies to effective blogging.

But yay!!!! We're so back and it feels Ay-mayzin to be here again! Hope you have a minute because I've got some information backed up that I have to share so first off:

1. Sally Races Up the Place!

A long overdue congrats for Imekura team member, Sally Hermanto for successfully participating in the fund raising run, Race Up the Place! She ran up 30 flights of stairs to help the American Lung Association and lived to tell about it! So, as we say in Nigeria, several Gbosas for her!

Sally sent us this message about her experience which is just too sweet not to be quoted:

Hi!
> > I just wanted to give you a big THANK YOU for the generous
> contribution you made in support of my recent fundraising
> run, Race Up the Place. Together you helped me raise $447
> that all went directly to the American Lung Association!!!
> > The winner finished with a time of 3:37. Yours truly got to
> the top in a little over 9 min. In the words of a fellow
> runner, "I may be able to run a whole marathon, but
> running up 30 flights of stairs might just kill me."
> Luckily, everyone survived including the fleet of
> participating firemen who ran up with 60lbs of gear each.
> Truly a humbling experience.
> > Attached is a photo. Sorry there aren't more action
> shots. I wasn't looking so hot toward the end so I
> figured, I'll just include a photo of the firemen. They
> always look hot.
> > Thanks again! I couldn't have done it without you.
> > Sally

And the accompanying image:

Lolz. Yay!!!!!! Good one Sal!


2. BIG news about the Tees.

Our release date which had originally been scheduled for early this year (I believe March-ish? :-)) has been shifted to way later this year in december. Sorry everyone for the delay! We promise that we are not succumbing to the economic crisis or the even more insidious swine flu!

We just found that this timing was more in keeping with our options as far as getting shirts between Nigeria and the States. We're still very excited about what we're working on and we know that those who have always been on the same page as us will feel it was worth the wait! So please continue being the darling understanding image clubbers you've always been to us!


3. Being in a Movie


As most of you know from earlier posts, one of the things that has kept me singularly busy over the past few months was working on the set of the movie Relentless. I will have to dedicate a special post to describing what a life altering experience that was but for now I will just say that the movie wrapped successfully in March and is in post production in Barcelona till its release date in September.

Meanwhile, a teaser of the film is to be unveiled in Cannes either this month or next. I hope to be able to unveil it here too at an appropriate time!

Relentless is a beautiful art film shot all over Lagos about a man who just can't seem to escape his past. It stars rising star and golden boy Gideon Okeke as well as critically acclaimed chanteuse Nneka Egbuna and Jimmy Jean Louis, more popularly known to 'Heroes' fans as 'The Haitian.

Its a must see for Imekura fans because our tees are featured in it!!!!!!!!!!!

Pretty happy about that!

4. Conclusion. This post is turning into a thesis so I'll wrap it up for now! More to come later! Sorry for leaving for so long!

All our love, xx

Still Here!

E don tey!
I know. I'm sorry and I promise gist.
8 more days to complete shooting on Relentless!

Shooting in Ebutte Metta - ey - ey - ey...

Just to let you know!

It's gonna be pretty quiet on this blog for a while because for the next few weeks I'll be helping full time on the set of Relentless. I won't abandon you completely but posts are gonna be sparse. Most of the locations we go to have no electricity not to mention internet. But they're beautiful just the same (i.e. the above image) and it's gonna be a beautiful film.

Exciting factoid for the future: some of our shirts are gonna be featured in this movie!!!! So make sure you look out for it when it comes out! "Relentless," starring Gideon Okeke and the inimitable chanteuse Nneka, directed by our friend, Andy Amadi Okoroafor.

Have fun spotting the imekura originals! Cee and I plan to make a wine night of it!

xx

Two Green Girls Plus One

Cee was going through old photos and found this one!

It's the Imekura team circa 2004!

It was July 4th and we were at a rooftop barbecue in Brooklyn.

If I remember, it was a little brisk for July hence the sweaters and windbreaker!

I loved that sweater. I got it at old navy then lost it somewhere the next year.

*sigh.

Anyway, Me, Cee and Sally! Yay!

On Set with Andy

When we aren't working on our own creative endeavors, we are sometimes on the field, witnessing, supporting and collaborating with others on theirs. This gives us almost as much joy as working on our own projects because it gives us the perspective we need to see the bigger picture which is, of course, our combined contribution to the world and how it affects everything around us.

Recently, I was lucky enough to join Andy Amadi Okoroafor on the pre-poduction set for his debut feature film, "Relentless".

For those of you who haven't heard of this likable, global citizen yet, he is the editor in chief of Clam Magazine, one of the most astonishing, beautiful and eclectic publications to cover fashion, design and creativity. It is the brain child of he and his creative partner, the prolific photographer and director, Andrew Dosunmu.

Clam Magazine's focus is global and with offices in Paris, New York and Japan, and contributors everywhere in between, it really does cover the globe. You can find issues at Jazz Hole and it's totally worth it so get it!

Andy is not a complete stranger to the film medium having worked as an art director in fashion and music videos for such clients as Jean Paul Gaultier and Les Nubians (Temperature Rising) for Virgin Music.

Andy's movie, "Relentless", from what I could see, is shaping up to be a beautiful, visually driven existential story about angst, isolation and loss set against the crazy, driven city/shantyscape of our dear Lagos metropolis.

From what I could glean it's a film that will share some of the beautiful brutality of movies like City of God and Salaam Bombay as well as the inarticulate melancholy of a Wong Kar Wai feature.

Production is backed by Paris based Charivari Films and Clam Films.

Some pretty famous faces showed up for the first cast reading which is what I attended. I'm not sure I'm allowed to mention all their names so I'll just leave that till another time. What I can say, though, is that there was a good energy in the air. The cast read through the entire script which was easy as the dialogue was very lean. We stopped only for a brekky of large chunks of fruit!

I was really happy because I got to handle a camera and cover the entire event and Andy said he might use it on the DVD. I don't know if he really will (blushes) but that would be soooooooooooooooooooo cool.

Anyway, I plan to stay very close to his set so expect random updates on the making of what I believe will be a remarkable addition to the Nigerian film making archives.

Here is a feature in Variety Magazine that mentions the film.

Viva La Ere!

E and Mee

Our sister and muse just went back to school! 

We had a great time with her. It's always nice when she's around, always talking and buzzing and teasing our Mom. Honestly I don't know anyone that has as much energy or that can talk as fast as Ere!!!

She's contributing a lot to our latest collection in ways that will become very evident soon. In fact, we recently shot something that featured her in it and that's all I can say for now as this is classified stuff.

But here is a sneak peek!

We are seriously aiming to release in March. We just have to get our money right (ahem, ahem to the people involved in this!) and to fix the buying function on the website (ahem, ahem, ahem to the other people involved). Think I need a glass of water.

Anyway, image clubbers, you know our aim this year is to go to the nextest level!!! Here's hoping to see you there!

Loves Ya!

xx

Moments From the 2009 CountDown Party that Never was...

Models: Imekura model Ere (in Pink), Cee (in Black) and Bee (in Green)
Location: In Chalet and in car outside Thai Restaurant

Thats how we brought in the new year! We didn't realise that this countdown party started after the new year had already come in. Still don't quite get that. But regardless, we welcomed 2009 fabulously from the interior of my car whilst everyone else in the country was apparently in church!

Hopefully, God didn't do roll call.

Moments from the end of '08

Cee working...


Smile for my christmas pres camera, Cee!


Lagos, Winter '08


Mee and Cee, poolside!


Cee, always on the look out for inspiration

Space Odyssey 2009

Happy New Year Image Clubbers!

The year has just begun but things are already beginning to happen. Creatively speaking that is to say. Doesn't it feel like a year for creating?

Cee and I are all pumped for no reason! We're trying to channel it into the new line so if you guys see anything weird when we finally release it, just blame it on the random new year mojo.

Our new year's resolution is to explore new ground and bring back something new to add to the global stylosphere.

I'm happy to say that we are back on track with our theme and direction despite our having to temporarily bury one super, awesome, excellent design. I really wish I could be less cryptic and tell you everything but then that would ruin the surprise!!!

What does 2009 feel like for you guys? Any resolutions?

xx

Have a Holly, Jolly, Chistmas!

I like Christmas.

I know it's a commercial marketing scheme for pushing stock at the end of the year at ridiculous prices that they would never have gone for at any other time of year and any real significance the season used to have was lost in the commercial haze long ago. I do.

It's just that I remember Christmas before I knew all that. When the gifts were just that. Gifts. And there was fun in giving and taking. There was a ridiculous amount of hype for Christmas in my life and I can never forget how being excited that Christmas was coming felt.

My all time favourite things about Christmas were the following in no particular order:

1. Gifts! Yay! Somebody loves me!
2. Peoples reactions when they saw the awesome and totally surprising gift that you got them.
3. Christmas Breakfast: A magical spread consisting of everybody's individual favourite breakfasts.
4. Having Christmas brekky in your pajamas and no one making a fuss about it.
5. Tinsel: It's sparkly
6. Christmas Lights: Also sparkly
7. Christmas Carols: We forget about them all year and then at the end of the year it's this bunch of season appropriate songs that we all knew! Best sung at the top of one's voice with pumping fists!
8. Corny Christmas Films: Guilty pleasure. They give me the warm fuzzies.
9. Everybody's good Christmas Mood!
10. Christmas Tree: No better place to put gifts under or perch a star or angel on top of. Plus they wear tinsel and Christmas lights.
11: Ginger Bread Everything: Tastes best on Christmas Day.
12. Santa Clause: I don't care if he doesn't exist. He's a nice man and I love him!

We wish everyone, those who celebrate Christmas, those who celebrate other holy days and those who just celebrate, the best of the season!!!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!!
XX

Creative Difficulties.

*Sigh

No creative process is without its hiccups I suppose.

I have to say, though, right now I feel kind of like Jack Black. You know how Tenacious D sang that song about having met the devil at a cross roads and then singing the most awesome rock song in the history of the world but then forgetting it after so that the song they were singing was actually really just a tribute to that song?

Well we have this design. I don't think it's the most awesome design in the history of the world. But I Loved it. And Cee loved it too. The only problem was it is a controversial design. In fact, according to our loved ones, it's something that could get us hurt.

We argued and harangued and even pouted a lot but nothing could convince our loved ones otherwise. We don't want to compromise the design so it looks like we're not going to be coming out with it. Not yet anyhow.

We're not trashing it though. Even if we have to make just one copy only to be bought by someone we truly trust and only on the condition that they frame it and display it in a hidden gallery in their Fortress of Solitude in Antartica, we will someday print that design.

Meanwhile, maybe like Tenacious D, we should just do a Tribute?

imekura hearts lagos.

Moving to Lagos has been a big turning point for us. So many things have changed. We've changed.

Both of us had to get jobs for one thing. That meant doing grown up things like waking up early and thinking about stocks and real estate. Those parts were scary! But it has also meant actually growing as people. We've had new experiences, seen new things and made new friends. Those parts we liked.

When we got here, one of the first things we did was release a collection that was inspired by the emotions we experienced during our shift. We called it "Lagos" and it featured our citrusy line of "Molue" tops, the sexy Je Suis Africaine v-neck for girls, the "football or soccer" confusion shirt for guys and our first ever tote bags!

We threw a thing to formally launch the collection and the label in Lagos and were able to do it in collaboration with our friends at the Xposure Studio in VI. Their fine work (pictures taken of our friends in our shirts) was the central exhibition piece that night. We printed them out then pegged them to hangers and hung them from a clothing rack instead of the real shirts! That was fun.

Finally we released the most recent of our love notes. Also called "Lagos". This note was really special to us because it was our expression of the mood that was Lagos as we first re-experienced it. Ayetoro was what we were listening to then and we still feel his track "Naija Blues II," which we featured in our note, is extremely eloquent of that mood.

This love note was not just to our image club but also to the whole of Lagos as we saw it. A crazy, beautiful, vibrant, sexy city that's like no place else on earth.

See love note here.

XX