Naomi Campbell works the Tina Turner look and harnesses that rock 'n' roll energy in stunning photo shoot

Simply the best: Supermodel Naomi Campbell (right) channels her inner pop diva in a set of stunning photos that pay tribute to Tina Turner in both style and flair

Naomi Campbell

Tina Turner

Tina Turner

Naomi Campbell

 


While the rest of the original supermodels are now occupied with raising their children and launching clothing lines, Naomi Campbell has been a busy woman.

Just days after walking the catwalk in Milan as Roberto Cavalli's grand finale, the 41-year-old has appeared in the pages of V Magazine, in a shoot that pays tribute to the on-stage style and personality of legendary pop diva Tina Turner.

Its inclusion in this particular issue of the magazine is somewhat strange, given that it is otherwise dedicated to sports, but regardless, Miss Campbell looks stunning in the black and white shots taken by Daniele Duella and Iango Henzi.

Styled by Joanne Blades, Miss Campbell strikes a rock 'n roll pose in couture from Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren. Bluemarine and Versace to name a few of the labels featured.

The shoot pays homage to the iconic songstress' love of fringed frocks. Hemlines in each shot range from the mini to the ankle but always reveal plenty of the amazonian supermodel's skin.
Like Ms Turner, Naomi Campbell has a toned physique that would make even the most committed gym-goers jealous. Playfully kicking her legs in the air and waving her arms, she channels her inner private dancer.

Miss Campbell has spoken previously about how she maintains her incredible physique, revealing in an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2009 that she diets on a cocktail of Maple syrup, cayenne pepper, lemon juice and water.

She said: 'I try to do this three times a year. The most I've ever done it for is 18 days. It's good just to clean out your body once in a while.'

Designers Announced for MBFWJ

A model strutting the runway @last year Africa Fashion Week in Jo'Burg

More than 25 designers in 20 Shows over four days will give the country a preview of Autumn/Winter collections when Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg runs from March 7-10.

South Africa’s pre-eminent Autumn/Winter fashion event, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg presented by AFI is being held for the first time in an exciting rooftop venue at sophisticated Hyde Park Corner, Johannesburg’s most fashionable shopping experience.

“Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg, brought to you by AFI, showcases South Africa’s established and emerging designers, offering a platform of visibility, relevance and access to the market,” says African Fashion International (AFI) Executive Chairperson Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe. “It also gives a truly South African perspective on autumn /winter fashion and Hyde Park Corner presents the perfect setting.”

Contemporary South African fashion will be on show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg through some of the country’s top designers including Kluk CGDT, David Tlale, Gavin Rajah, Thula Sindi, Spero Villioti, Heni, Leigh Schubert, Abigail Keats, Abigail Betz and the Dax Martin Chocolatier Collection Brought to you by Magnum.

This Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg, will also showcase menswear designers C-squared, Fabiani and Distinctive Man while emerging designers will comprise of Thabani Mavundla,  Danielle Margaux, Black Coal Clothing and will see the return of Wild Fig, Mosewamosa, Loin Cloth & Ashes, Avant, and Grapevine. New to the platform is Tashkaya.

 Kick-starting Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg will be AFI’s Fastrack shows – a fashion development programme and competition launched last year – which showcases the three finalists’ collections. AFI Fastrack takes a holistic view of the fashion industry providing internships for graduates in the areas of design, production, photography and styling.

The KZN Fashion Council and Trade Investment KwaZulu-Natal, meanwhile, will present a collective show of the province’s most talented designers including Karen Monk-Klijnstra, Genna-Wae Webster, Kathrin Kidger and Siyethemba Ngwenya.

Leading retailer Foschini will be showcasing their winter collection, while Hyde Park Corner will also present a collective show.

“In partnering with Mercedes-Benz South Africa and Hyde Park Corner, we believe AFI has raised the international bar for Fashion Week in Joburg,” adds Dr Moloi-Motsepe.

Sophisticated and elegant, ideally located in the heart of Johannesburg’s affluent northern suburbs, Hyde Park Corner presents itself as the definitive standard for fashion-conscious boutique shopping with a distinguished blend of leading international and local brands.

Mercedes-Benz takes S.A Fashion by storm

New Vehicle for African Fashion

Full schedule of Mercedes-Benz Jo'Burg Fashion

                                                             



LUXURY car manufacturer, Mercedes Benz, has been announced as the new partner of African Fashion International (AFI)) in title sponsoring Africa’s most globally recognized fashion platforms – Cape Town Fashion Week, Joburg Fashion Week and Africa Fashion Week.

The New Mercedes Benz

The new titles will be: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Cape Town, and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Africa, all which will still be brought to you by AFI.

Regarded as the pre-eminent brand associated with international fashion events – including New York, Tokyo and Berlin Fashion Weeks – the title sponsorship commitment positions Mercedes-Benz as partner in showcasing the African style agenda while affording both AFI and MBSA local and international awareness. This new frontier aligns with AFI’s intention of positioning African fashion on a global platform.

AFI has already invested millions of Rands in the development and promotion of African fashion both locally and abroad.

Mercedes-Benz’ alignment with major fashion platforms world-wide brings substantial prestige and bridges the gap of global relevance to AFI’s three existing, major fashion events.

“We welcome Mercedes-Benz into the African fashion world. As an elegant, sophisticated brand, it is the perfect fit with African Fashion International in terms of leveraging the profile of African designers internationally,” says AFI Executive Chairman Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe.

Along with a significant media reach, AFI’s fashion initiatives present Mercedes-Benz South Africa with an opportunity to engage with the market in innovative, stylish, lifestyle focused ways, including strategic opportunities to launch new products.

At the upcoming Mercedes-Benz Fashion Weeks participants will be privy to  previews of the latest and greatest models from Mercedes-Benz that will be will be just as eye-catching as the ramp designs when launched at Cape Town Fashion Week in July and Africa Fashion Week in October 2012 .

“The partnership with AFI presents Mercedes-Benz South Africa with an exciting opportunity to reach influential target groups by engaging with dealers to use fashion to showcase new vehicles through interactive fashion experiences,” says Dr. Martin Zimmermann, President and CEO, Mercedes- Benz South Afric



Significantly, South Africa is also an important global component for Mercedes-Benz with the new C- Class built exclusively in East London being exported world-wide.

In celebrating the African style aesthetic, AFI showcases the best designers from the continent, offering them access to domestic and international market share while also growing a platform for the sustainability of the fashion industry in Africa in creating jobs through fashion and developing new designers in its Fastrack programme.

Last year’s Africa Fashion Week (which included the Africa Fashion awards and Africa Fashion Trade Expo) proved to be the biggest yet with over 30 000 visitors attending fashion shows and the associated Expo over three days.

Under the aegis of African Fashion International, Africa’s largest fashion event is endorsed by SA Tourism and drew 1000s of fashion entrepreneurs, store & boutique buyers, industry professionals and local & international media to Johannesburg for the annual event which aims to accelerate growth in the continent’s clothing and textile industry.

Over 20 international film crews also covered Africa Fashion Week with excellent exposure for not only African fashion but Johannesburg and South Africa as a whole.

LFW: MensWear close show

The last day of London Fashion Week Menswear Day captures the essence of the capital's menswear talent including the eight designers under the NEWGEN MEN umbrella, the dynamic NEWGEN MEN and Fashion East installations and the tailoring of the Savile Row presentations. Today 22nd February is set to be a highlight of London Fashion Week, with 9 on schedule catwalk shows and 3 presentations.

The menswear showrooms return for a second season, located on the first floor of Somerset House. Six menswear designers will showcase in this dedicated space include Baartmanns & Siegel, Junky Styling, Mr Start, Omar Kashoura, Palmer // Harding and Serdar Uzuntas.

NEWGEN MEN began in February 2009, building on TOPMAN and Fashion East’s successful MAN initiative. It has since become instrumental in raising the profile of emerging British designers using the dedicated Menswear Day at London Fashion Week as a showcasing platform.

Designers ready for AMFW 2012

Due to the phenomenal response to participate in the much anticipated, ARISE Magazine Fashion Week, which last year hosted 5,000 guests, 51 designers, 81 models, 5 musical acts over three days – ARISE organisers have announced that it will return to Lagos in March 2012, only this time it will feature 77 participants from 6 continents – including designers as far away as India, the Caribbean, USA, Europe and Africa. The ARISE Magazine Fashion Week – Lagos 2012 fashion extravaganza will run for an extended period of SIX days from Tuesday 6th March to Sunday 11th March 2012 in THREE tents on the grounds of the luxurious 5-Star Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos, Nigeria.

So far, 66 of the 77 participants have been revealed:

   1. Adama-Paris (Senegal/France)

   2. Amine Bendriouich Couture and BS (Germany/Morocco)

.David at the AMFW last year in Okunoren Twins outfit

   3. Amrapali (India)

   4. Angelo Van Mol (Belgium/Ghana)

   5. Grey (Nigeria)

   6. Bestow Elan (UK/Ghana)

   7. Bridget Awosika (Nigeria)

   8. Buki Akib (UK/Nigeria)

   9. Chichia London (UK/Tanzania)

  10. Christie Brown (Ghana)

  11. Clan (Nigeria)

  12. David David London (UK)

  13. Davida (Nigeria)

  14. Duaba Serwa (Ghana)

  15. Ejiro Amos Tafiri (Nigeria)

  16. Eki Orleans (UK/Nigeria)

  17. Frank Osodi (Nigeria)

  18. Funlayo Déri (UK/Nigeria)

  19. Gavin Rajah (South Africa)

  20. Gloria Wavamuno (Uganda)

  21. House of Divas (Nigeria)

  22. House of Farrah (Nigeria)

  23. House of Nwocha (Nigeria)

  24. Iconic Invanity (Nigeria)

  25. Imane Ayissi (France/Cameroon)

.Nduka Obaigbena and Naomi Campbell

  26. Jacob Kimmie (UK/South Africa)

  27. Jewel by Lisa (Nigeria)

  28. Kastle Designs & Treasure Chest (USA/Ghana)

  29. Kaveke (Kenya/UK)

  30. Kevan Hall (USA)

  31. Kezia Frederick (UK/St.Lucia)

  32. Kiki Clothing (Ghana)

  33. Kinabuti (Nigeria/Italy)

  34. Klûk-CGDT (South Africa)

  35. Koke (Botswana/India)

  36. Korto Momolu (USA/Liberia)

  37. Lanre DaSilva-Ajayi (Nigeria)

  38. LaQuan Smith (USA)

  39. Laurenceairline (France/Ivory Coast)

.Binta at AMFW 2011

  40. Loza Maléomsho (USA/Ivory Coast)

  41. Madam Wokie’s Couture (Sierra Leone)

  42. Mai Atafo (Nigeria)

  43. Maki Oh (Nigeria)

  44. Mataano (USA/Somalia)

  45. Meena (Nigeria)

  46. Mustafa Hassanali (Tanzania)

  47. Nkwo (UK/Nigeria)

  48. Odio Mimonet (Nigeria)

  49. Okunoren Twins (Nigeria)

  50. Osman (UK)

  51. Paul Hervé  Elisabeth (Martinique)

  52. Poisa (Kenya)

  53. Re Bahia (UK/Nigeria)

  54. Sandra Kennedy (Jamaica)

  55. Sandra Muendane (Mozambique/Portugal)

  56. Sunny Rose (Nigeria/UK)

  57. Taibo Bacar (Mozambique)

  58. The Vessel. By Lois (USA/Jamaica)

  59. Tiffany Amber (Nigeria)

  60. Timo Welland (USA/South Africa)

  61. Tsemaye Binitie (UK/Nigeria)

  62. U.Mi-1 (UK/Nigeria)

  63. Virgos Lounge (UK/Nigeria)

  64. Viv La Resistance (Nigeria)

  65. William Okpo (USA/Nigeria)

  66. Zekaryas Solomon (Eritrea/UK)

ARISE will invite this year’s intake of 77 designers to participate in its fashion extravaganza from Tuesday 6th to Sunday 11th March 2012. The event will end on the night of Sunday 11th March 2012 with the spectacular ARISE Magazine Fashion Awards where each designer will hope to secure a Golden Ticket to showcase their designs at the Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week 2012 this September.

Award-winning New York-based producer, Kevin Krier & Associates and celebrated UK-based Inca Productions have been appointed AMFW 2012 show producers.

ARISE Magazine founder Nduka Obaigbena says: “There has been a surge of interest from around the world including major UK and American brands this year, following our successful inaugural event last year, which is why we have decided to give even more designers an opportunity to participate. The world has recognised that Nigeria has much to offer in the way of vibrancy and extraordinary talent in abundance making it the cultural capital of Africa. Once more we are proud to be associated with nurturing new designers from the vast continent – and continuing our support of those who are more well-known in Nigeria and in the Diaspora.”

AFI Fastrack Returns

Jo’burg Fashion Week 2011 saw the commencement of the African Fashion International young designer search. AFI Fastrack is a national fashion design development platform that aims to nurture and develop South Africa’s young design talent. This platform offers young designers an opportunity to launch their careers through intensive mentorship, business development and coaching for future success.

 

African Fashion International continues to promote excellence throughout the fashion industry of South Africa and the African continent by giving young designers a head start in the industry. Based on the success of inaugural event, Fastrack continues as a fitting opening for the shows at Jo’burg Fashion Week 2012.

Submissions for AFI Fastrack were drawn from 2011 graduate ranges of participating design colleges around the country. These submissions undergo three stringent processes where twelve finalists were finally selected. They will present their collection at the finale on Fastrack day to an independent panel of judges who will then select the final three winners.

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Jo’Burg

2012/13 Autumn/Winter Collections 

Hyde Park Corner Rooftop

African Fashion International (AFI) closed the year on a high note, with the success of Africa Fashion Week which boasted the continent’s best designers. Africa Fashion Week 2011 continues to be praised, as having the strongest designer line-up since its inception and representing the strength of African fashion to the global community. This is apparent in the global recognition that the designers are getting. Michael Roberts, Editor-at-Large of Vanity Fair and a judge at last year’s Fashion Awards, was so impressed by the world-class talent that he produced a photo shoot for the Telegraph UK, while still in South Africa.

After much speculation on what the BIG news could possibly be from AFI , they finally announced at the media launch on Thursday the 16th of February that Mercedes Benz South Africa is the new Title Sponsor for Jo’burg Fashion Week, Cape Town Fashion Week and Africa Fashion Week.

Models from around the world strut the runway, Ajuma Nasenyana from Kenyan, Millen Magese from Tanzanian, Bunmi Ademokoya from Nigeria and lot more. Ajuma won Best AFI Model of the Year.        

AFI is the premier fashion events and promotions company on the African continent, providing platforms to showcase African creative talent. The mission is to take African fashion to the world.AFI presents African fashion and creative talent in a manner that makes local talent globally relevant and ensures that the world has market access to African product and design. Through its numerous Fashion Weeks and initiatives, AFI opens up the continent to commercial projects, both locally and internationally, increasing the geographic spread of Africa’s fashion and the market access to the continent’s apparel. Mercedes Benz is a global luxury brand and has propelled other fashion weeks internationally to become more sustainable for instance Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week. Since Spring of 1994 in Manhattan’s Bryant Park, New York Fashion Week welcomed Mercedes Benz on board and the event has risen to being one of the coveted fashion event of the year. Both AFI and Mercedes Benz South Africa are respective market leaders in their own industries which solidified the partnership. With such strong influence in their respective markets the continent is at a standstill to what this synergy can do for Africa as a whole.

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Joburg will be between the 7th and the 10th of March 2012.

Save the Date!

Green skin, crazy hair and see-through dresses... Yes, it's London Fashion Week again

.Mars landing: FYODOR GOLAN pushed fashion boundaries with their structural, outlandish show

.Statement: Deep red lipstick and vivid green eyebrows made for a dramatic look  for one model, while another is covered in glitter to represent the protective shell of an insect

.Impressive debut: The design duo, who won last year's Fashion Fringe prize, is showing on schedule for the first time this year. The lavish collection was inspired, they say, by Russian peasants, tzars - and insects

.Striking: The design pair say the FYODOR GOLAN woman is 'expressive, emotional and sexual'

Green skin, crazy hair and see-through dresses... Yes, it's London Fashion Week again

Design duo FYODOR GOLAN opened fashion week with a bang as they showed an outlandish collection modelled by models with green glittery skin, tribal-style piercings and hair slicked into intricate designs.

The pair, Israeli-born Golan Frydman and Latvian Fyodor Podgorny, made waves with their  innovative catwalk show at London Fashion Week, which they said was inspired by 'Russian peasants, tzars and insects'.

The young duo are firmly on their way up, after last year having been awarded the Fashion Fringe prize, judged by Claudia Schiffer and Roland Mouret among others.

At the time, their fledgling label had been going just one year. Now, with two years' experience under their belts, the collection - their first shown on-schedule at the event - looks yet more accomplished.

Golan studied at the Instituto Marangoni in London while Fyodor studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, before moving to London where they both met.

Between them, the two, who launched their label in 2010, have a wealth of experience to pour into their own brand, having worked with Richard Nicoll, Alexander McQueen, Raf Simons and Issey Miyake.

.Modern day tzarinas: Inspired by the juxtaposition between Russian royalty and peasants, the collection featured luxury detailing, sharp tailoring and sculptural shapes, with the traditional heavy jewellery of Russian's peasant population

DENNIS BASSO FALL 2012 READY TO WEAR.

NEW YORK, February 14, 2012
By Alison Baenen

With a blast of a whistle and the sound of wheels on a train track, we were off on the Orient-Express. For Fall Dennis Basso sent his girl packing on the famed transcontinental locomotive, though she could have been anywhere fabulous. The train shtick was just an excuse for Basso to show off some of his sumptuous luggage, like a carry-on case swathed in Russian broadtail. Of course, the true test of a carry-on these days is if it will fit in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you. Basso is enamored of a bygone sense of glamour, and this collection was aimed at today's first-class flyers.

Over the past few seasons, Basso has slowly expanded from fur into ready-to-wear, noting before the show, "Almost every designer does fur now. And now I'm doing ready-to-wear!" When you put it like that, why not? It's hard to raise an objection to a soft leather skirt in warm topaz, or a perfectly cut cashmere sheath in pearly gray. Basso loves to crossbreed his furs and exotics, pairing mink with lynx and python with raccoon, but he has always showed restraint with his sophisticated daywear, and this season was no exception.

Still, it was hard to see under all those pelts. A chinchilla and lynx bomber jacket in a brilliant shade of orange (Basso called the color cayenne) popped so loudly against the clothes' cool hues that it commanded all the attention. The color looked great as an accent, inside a hooded parka or on the collar of a long, quartz-colored chinchilla vest with deep cashmere patch pockets. About that parka: Basso took a classic puffer, slimmed it down in broadtail, and lined it with double-face cashmere. Sound decadent? It is, but it had a day-to-day wearability that most statement furs don't. If you can tear your eyes from the house specialty, there are plenty of other pieces in this collection that are worth a look. But that's a big if.

ISIS MODELS leave's For London Fashion Week

ISIS MODELS on the rampage again to make Nigeria Proud at this year's London Fashion Week (LFW), billed for February 17-22 in London.
ISIS MODELS the only agency in Nigeria that helps and redefine models from just being a model to super model.
Over the year's ISIS MODELS has be strutting the runway Local and International level; with shows like, Couture Fashion Week, BET RIP The Runway, DC Fashion Week, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, Africa Fashion Week (AFI), Johannesburg Fashion Week, Cape Town Fashion Week, Arise Fashion Week and lot more. CEO/Founder, Joan Okorodudu the owner of ISIS MODELS and Nigerian Next Super Model (NNSM) his one of the best entrepreneur's empowering youth in Nigeria.
Nigerian Next Super Model (NNSM) the only modelling contest in Nigeria which is in the lips of every Nigeria child has been a successful contest for the past 5 year.
Nigerian Next Super Model (NNSM) has produce the life's of, Bunmi Adedemokoya, Aishatu Bello, Claudia Adelu, Sani Binta, Imade Ogbewi, Naomi Orji, Taiwo Ajoke and lot more.
The Focus Nigeria Team showcasing for this year's London Fashion Week are, House of J'ola, Studio 24 and Zohi Taglit.

Worst Dressed Celebs at 2012 Grammy Awards

“The Grammy Awards is always known for its outrageous fashion and Sunday night’s red carpet was no exception. From Nicki Minaj‘s red religious garbs to Fergie‘s see-through style, it seems celebs wait for the Grammys to show off their sexiest and strangest getups.”

(1) For someone that critiques fashion, we're not feeling Kelly Osbourne's look at the Awards. That hair has got to go!

(2) Fergie is wearing a dress that you either "love or hate." We chose the later.

(3) Nicki Minaj took a cue from Lady Gaga and went for a shocking, unflattering fashion. However, her makeup was on point.

(4) Sasha Gradiva took the opportunity to make herself known at the 2012 Grammy Awards by wearing a bunch of guns. Though we appreciate fashion risks, this was a little too dangerous for our taste.

(5) Once again Taylor Swift went for a gold dress and we're not too fond of the cut. Also, it looks really heavy.

(6) Combat boots and a mullet dress! We love Robyn's music but this style is a HUGE nay!

.Kelly Osbourne
.Fergie
.Nicki Minaj
.Sasha Gradiva
.Taylor Swift
.Robyn

The making of Nigeria's Next Super Model Season 5 2012

The making of Nigeria's Next Super Model Season 5 2012.

Whitney Houston: A Style Goddess

I was shocked when I checked my Black Berry update about 3am local Nigeria time, in a friend status saying “RIP Whitney Houston” as a fashion writer the only thing that came to my mind

was her style, on and off the stage her beauty, her stage presence. Though it can feel like young female singers these days use everything but their voices to elevate their fame, Whitney was always mostly known for just that: her voice. Her clothes served as, well, clothes much more often than as their own performance art. But she did try a range of hairstyles over the years. Remember Whitney, from the beginning of her career to 2012.

Here are some of Whitney pictures:

Whitney Houston, Greatest Voice Ever, Dies at 48

.In this Sept. 1, 2009 file photo, Whitney Houston performs on 'Good Morning America' in Central Park in New York. Whitney Houston, who reigned as pop music's queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, has died, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012. She was 48.

Whitney Houston 1963-2012

Whitney Houston, the iconic American singer whose battles with drugs, alcohol and ex-husband Bobby Brown marred her star power, has died. She was 48.

Houston's publicist confirmed the singer's death to ABC News. The cause of death is not yet known.

Six police cars were spotted in front of the Beverly Hilton hotel today, where Houston was staying. TMZ reports that paramedics werelled there this afternoon and found Houston unresponsive in her hotel room.

According to TMZ, paramedics' attempts at CPR failed and Houston was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. PT. TMZ reports that there were no signs of foul play.

Houston was last seen publicly on Thursday, when she appeared disheveled and disoriented in front of a Hollywood nightclub. According to the Hollywood Reporter, she got into an altercation with "X Factor" finalist Stacy Francis on Thursday at an event where she was said to be acting "belligerent."

Houston returned to rehab in May of last year seeking treatment for drug and alcohol dependence. "Whitney voluntarily entered the program to support her long-standing recovery process," her publicist said at the time.

The six-time Grammy winner staged a comeback in 2009, but was dogged by rumors that she was using drugs again. That year, she told Oprah Winfrey that marijuana laced with cocaine was her substance of choice during her 1992 to 2006 marriage to R&B singer Bobby Brown. They have a daughter together, Houston's only child, Bobbi Kristina Houston Brown.

Houston's appearance on "Oprah" was her first major television interview since 200

2, when she talked to ABC News' Diane Sawyer.

At the time, Sawyer asked Houston about ongoing drug rumors that had started in 2000, when airport security guards found marijuana in Houston and Brown's bags at a Hawaiian airport. The singer alluded to having used cocaine, pills and marijuana -- but drew the line at crack in what turned into an infamous rant.

"First of all, let's get one thing straight," she told Sawyer. "Crack is cheap. I make too much money to ever smoke crack. Let's get that straight. OK? We don't do crack. We don't do that. Crack is wack."

In August 2009, Houston released "I Look to You," her first studio album in seven years. It sold 304,000 copies in its first seven days on the market, sending Houston back to the top of the charts and giving her the best debut week of her career.

In 2010, Houston launched her "Nothing but Love" world tour. Though some said Houston's signature voice showed the stress of her ups and downs, she soldiered on, putting on shows in Asia, Australia and Europe even though fans and critics panned her performances.

At her peak in the 1990s, Houston was a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. She was one of the world's best-selling artists, selling out stadiums with powerful, poignant renditions of her greatest hits like "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," "How Will I Know," and "I Will Always Love You."

Houston won six Grammy awards, two Emmys, 30 Billboard Music Awards, and 22 American Music Awards, among others. Her album "Whitney" was the first album by a woman to ever debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Charts. She has sold more than 170 million albums world wide.

Her success launched her into the film industry, where she starred in hits like "The Bodyguard" and "Waiting to Exhale." Her struggles with drugs, alcohol, rehab (she went at least three times) and Brown, against whom she filed a charge of domestic abuse in 1993, pushed her out the spotlight.

In 2009, talking to Winfrey about why she took a break from show business, Houston said, "It was too much. So much to try to live up to, to try to be, and I wanted out."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

. Goodbye...Whitney

Retrospective: Vintage Satisfaction

The duo of ISIS MODELS, Claudia Adelu (Nigeria Next Super Model winner 2010) and David Avwunuvwerhi (Up coming model who was a nominee for 2 awards for the Most Promising Men Model and Face of FAB last year) claim a spot as one of the 4 models/Ambassador for Retrospective, the two other models are Funola and Nwando (Miss Lacasera 2010).

Retrospective takes pride as the first vintage store shopping and premier vintage clothing and accessories boutique in Nigeria.

Retrospective brings you a large collection of vintage and retro to satisfy a range of tastes and sizes, from Art Deco pieces, brooches, handmade tooled leather and skin bags, 60s cocktail dresses, to ties, sunglasses, Western classic shirts to limited edition designer denim, all waiting to be rediscovered by the discerning man and woman of style.

Founder Yoanna and Elfreda Okwesa who were influenced by their uncle John Uku-Ivegbuna – a vintage connoisseur and social rights activist – and their mother’s eyes for antique pieces.

Yoanna and Elfreda have appreciated vintage from an early age remain enthusiastic students of the art of collecting. Wherever, the pair has travelled, they have found themselves in flea markets and thrift stores, picking up old curiosities to decorate their rooms with and clothes for playing dress up. The sisters would often play with the dream of having vintage boutique given that they had enough finds to do so and after holiday trips to Nigeria and discovering that there was no ‘real’ vintage shopping experience, Retrospective was born.

Headed by Fashion Editor, Creative Director and Stylist Yoanna ‘Pepper’ Okwesa and her two sisters – Elfreda, an art lover, excellent student of Capoeira Angola and aspiring film director,

and Kim, a future gold Olympian and shopaholic – the first Retrospective store opened early

2011 in the heart of Lagos, Surulere, home to the National Stadium and Nigeria’s Nollywood

Retro Bouquet location is at: movie industry followed by the second branch in Victoria Island later in the year. The stores opened as Lagos’ first vintage treasure troves, presenting one-of-a-kind garments, jewellery and accessories made anywhere in time from the Victoria era to the

nineties, including designer pieces for the discerning, fashion-forward man and woman who aim to interpret the tastes of the past while incorporating the style of the present.

Contact:

Surulere

2 Aderibigbe Street, Ikate, Surulere off

Alhaji Masha, near Ogosco bus stop,

Lagos, Nigeria.

Victoria Island

Shop 8, Prime Shopping Complex,

24 Muri Okunola Street, Eti Osa LGA,

Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.