Photos From The Arts & Fashion Banquet At The Dorchester, London

Date was Sunday, August 4, 2013. Venue was the very prestigious Dorchester Hotel on Park Lane, Mayfair, Central London. Some say this is London most prestigious and most expensive Hotel in London. It used to serve the Queen of England very well in times past and we heard that the late Michael Jackson and many other stars/celebrities have stayed there before.





The event was the Inaugural edition of the African Arts & Fashion Banquet. It was the crowning glory of the 3 days fashion extravaganza known to all as the Africa Fashion Week London, which had clocked 3 this year. It is the 3rd edition of the annual catwalk & exhibition showcase. For 3 days, from August 1st till the 3rd, 2013 at the massive Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane, in the Shoreditch area of East London, 100 designers and a large number of exhibitors showcased their talents and exhibited their wares, while many thousands of fashion enthusiasts, guests, buyers, media people etc converged at the venue to feed their eyes and buy or make orders.





On Sunday, August 4, 2013 the grand-finale of the whole past 3 days held at the Dorchester Hotel, grand ballroom. Big kudos to the AFWL team led by the founder Ronke Ademiluyi, a really big one to the AFWL Life patron, Princess Fifi Ejindu, who is also the President & Founder of the African Arts & Fashion Initiative. These 2 great Nigerians and their hardworking team with the support of GLO Communications delivered an A-class showcase worthy of several encores. A big thank you to Otunba Mike Adenuga for helping to make the 4 days a reality.





Just slightly above 200 great guests from all over Africa and supported by other guests from the UK were gathered at the venue. We saw the likes of High Chief Edem Duke, who has gradually shown that he is an orator par excellence, Mrs. Obioma Liyel-Imoke, the first lady of Cross-River State, looking gloriously elegant, fine artist of International repute Yinka Shonibare, Senator Grace Bent, Bianca Jagger, the wife of Rock star Mick Jagger, Alexandra Burke, Shingai Shoniwa, Biola Okoya, Nadia Buari, Billie Lee, a top UK architect, Alexander Amosu, June Sarpong, Professor Reverend Julien Ciakudia, who delivered a powerful speech about the re-integration of Africa & Africans, top model and philanthropist Noela Coursaris-Musunka, Adebayo Jones, DG NTDC, Ms. Sally Mbanefo, Kemi Adewunmi just to mention a few.

The AFWL life patron & chairperson of the advisory board, who is also the President/Founder of The African Arts & Fashion Initiative Princess Fifi Ejindu, delivered a powerful speech, where she expounded on the need for Africa & Africans to rise up to the challenges of youth unemployment. She went on further to explain that the banquet is in support of the African Arts and Fashion Initiative, and the purpose of which is to drive an African Arts and style renaissance to motivate, sensitise and most importantly, empower Africa's talented array of upcoming designers and artists. Supporting and promoting African exhibitions globally.

In all it was glorious night, spiced with excitements of all kind. There were fashion shows by the likes of Adebayo Jones, Thula Sindi, Ella & Gabby, Zizi Cardow, Moofa, Kitoko & Sally Intiego. And truth be told they all did very well.  Apart from the fashion showcase there were a couple of musical performances-Debra Dee did so well, a duo also performed and not forgetting the trio of the CEO Dancers who dazzled all with their very well choreographed moves.

We have for you, some of the images for the night.  Event was supported by GLO.