In this issue

The gentleman’s issue is one of my favourite issues of the year. It could be because this is the one time, we get to focus on what men want and need – fashionably speaking. Coming up with interesting beauty regimes for men is definitely an interesting conversation to have; you would have to be a fly on the wall of that brainstorm room to understand why. The highlight of this issue, however, is the couture conversations. This could be because I was able to join the crew in meeting, shooting and sitting with each of these men, or because, I’m a great fan of light, yet interesting banter on topical matters. Brief and to the point, I hope you enjoy the read. We also have some great men’s fashion and beauty lined up for you, and while we may not have a ‘male cover’ as we always do, I think our Miss Universe runners up, did us some justice.

COUTURE CONVERSES WITH SOME GREAT MEN

As we rally behind the strength and success of a woman, we realise that we cannot do it by ourselves, and we do need the men in our society. ANNE KABICHO and the COUTURE Africa Team caught up with some of these great men - across various fields to talk about work, happiness, purpose and country.

10 mins

DIY SKIN CARE FOR HIM

One great way to get men into skincare remedies is by easing them into it, and DIY home remedies may just do the trick!

4 mins

ACACIA PREMIER HOTEL

FIRST CLASS SERVICE IN KISUMU

4 mins

Neelma Maru

Neelma Maru, 37, is an articulate communicator with a warm aura. Our one on one at the newly opened Mövenpick Hotel & Residences Nairobi, 1st in Kenya and EA, is part of an upscale Swiss group of 85 hotels in the Middle East, Asia, Europe and Africa. 

7 mins

David ‘Tosh' Gitonga

David ‘Tosh’ Gitonga

6 mins

What's Your Shade?

I have seen many a red in my time. Some have made me cringe. If it weren’t for the exceptionally high maintenance of red colour, I would run home and shampoo it all off. Some have been stunners, blessedly. You would imagine women with darker complexion would not be able to rick blonde and red shades. Would you be surprised if I told you there is a wide range of colour you can experiment with? 

3 mins

Dela Maranga

Singer and songwriter Dela Maranga, 29, the girl with the blue hair and advocate of #SelfLove

2 mins

Beauty Is As Beauty Does

“Makeup is not a mask that covers up your beauty; it's a weapon that helps you express who you are from the inside.” - Michelle Phan

2 mins

6 In 56 - How 6 Busy Women Can Enjoy 56 Hours In The Bush!!!!

Early Sunday morning 6 ladies got up bright and early headed to Wilson Airport for a much-needed coffee and breakfast at Java at The Aero Club by 7am. The service was terribly slow at JAVA, Sue went onto google maps to find the kitchen!

7 mins

Making Lemonade: Mike Makori, 31

MikeMakoriwears many hats; TV presenter, Influencer, MC, and an Entrepreneur. Charismatic, honest andlikeable, Mike displays a sense ofdeeprootedwit that perfectly encapsulates a natural charm. It is hard to imagine he had to overcome a speech impediment.

4 mins

Revamping Your Outdoor Space

Outdoor living rooms have lately been popping up all over Instagram and Pinterest. They have now become one of the top three spaces within the home that get renovated to improve lifestyle and value of the property. We also all want to spend as much time outside as possible and an inviting outdoor space is an excellent way to bring your family and friends together.

3 mins

Why Men Ought To Understand Cars

Michael Mwai was the go-to car insider for 12 years, starting out at the East African Standard, Nation Media Group, Business Daily to True Love EA magazine. His love for cars has resulted in a most extraordinary career path, leading to travels around the world where he test drove all the cars you have ever wanted and dreamt of. He run his own design company, using that eye to suss out the attention to detail and point of view to set foot into the luxury world long before it even became a thing with a name. Discovering along the way that car design, this skill requiring up to 10 years of research, meant anticipating what the market needed even before it knew it needed it. Now he runs The Luxury Network which sounds exactly the way you think it does, working behind the scenes with a lot of brands you want to own and some you have never heard of, to live life like it is golden because to him, it is.

10+ mins

Do You Have The Stones For Your Whiskey?

Bless whiskey - whisky…? tastings. They are the life equivalent of teeth brushing lessons age primary tooth. Whiskey, that is good whiskey, costs a certain amount of money and is therefore expected to be a certain kind of experience for the drinker, more so a connoisseur. You would be surprised how much debate is involved in its drinking. To ice or not to ice? Get your rocks off versus use a whiskey mould. Whatever is a man to do?

4 mins

LET'S GIVE CREDIT WHERE IT'S DUE…

LET’S GIVE CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE…

2 mins

Creating The Ultimate Christmassy Home

On the whole, most Kenyans tend to show restraint when decorating their homes for the festive season. The little decorations put in place seem to have been done in a rush; a standard Christmas tree in the corner, an old dusty wreath stuck on the door (if any), a few twinkly lights haphazardly strewn in the living room and maybe around an outside bush, and the TV playing some “Jingle bell Rock” on 24-hour repeat. Christmas only happens once a year guys, so why not capture the magic of Christmas in your home with these inspirational ideas;

5 mins

Patrick Mutua One Master Stroke At A Time

Patrick Mutua is kicking some serious goals – and to prove his mixology Might, he went ahead to win the 2018 DIAGEO World Class Bartender of the Year thanks to his extraordinary skills set. Sprinkle that with his drive to continuously evolve his craft, you would have to be made of stone to not be captivated. He describes himself as a very humble guy who loves to do a lot with drinks. He calls himself a drinks Doctor. We decided to uncork the makings of this stellar mixologist who is putting Kenya on the world mixology map.

10 mins

Chiedza Makonnen

Founder & Ceo, Afrodesiac Worldwide From Ghana To The World.

8 mins

African Twilight

A Forty Year Odyssey Meets The Return Of A Legend.

1 min

How To Travel With Kids

It is that time of the year when families pack up and head elsewhere on holiday. For a lot of those families, there are little ones who need special care and accommodation. Planning for them in advance will take care of a host of headaches before you even leave the house.

2 mins

Sippy Chadha

Making a career out of film-making requires painstaking determination, resilience, and vision. It can be a tough road to travel. For Kenyan writerdirector Sippy Chadha, following your bliss is her modus operandi. Passionate, intelligent and with a keen eye for films that challenge perceptions of culture and society, Sippy Chadha, by and large, has immersed herself in the world of women in a given situation. We talk to her on bringing a personal story to life and her insights and experiences as one such filmmaker

6 mins

Lisa Christoffersen: Living For Art, Fashion And Adventure

Maybe it is because she was born in Africa, but Tanzanian-born Danish Lisa Christoffersen has always had a strong connection with African art and nature. She has made a successful career as an author, an interior designer, an African art curator and as an organiser and hostess of exclusive bush trips. She is as consumed by her passions in her 50’s as she was in her 20’s making her a powerhouse in the Kenyan art scene. We had the luxury of talking to her about her love for African art, her inspiration and what she covets most.

10+ mins

The Female Ambassadorial Core

COUTURE Africa magazine had the honour and pleasure of sitting with and celebrating female diplomats living, working and enjoying Kenya. We spoke to them about their travels, their thoughts on women empowerment and the future of women in Africa in the lovely setting of the Lord Errol restaurant in Runda. The day-long affair had these leading ladies start their day with a light brunch, a beauty session with Lancôme Paris and a chance to have a fashion moment with Lisa Christoffersen, Deepa Dosaja, Lucy Rao and Carole Kinoti.

10+ mins

The Luxury Of A Work Ethic

Sonal Maherali, 38. Award Winning Luxury Vlogger & Blogger, Wife, Mother.

9 mins

The Science Of Conservation

He calls himself a liberal with conservative tendencies. And I had questions. A lot of them. In fact, lets just dive right into the chat with the 51-year-old CEO of Kenya Film & Classification Board, Dr. Ezekiel Mutua, the man who irks KOT and the liberal creative community and a Kenyan or two who want him to drop dead.

10+ mins

A Woman In Full

Gina Din Kariuki, 56. Married With Two Kids. Strategic Communications Pr Practitioner.

7 mins

Styling Is Like An Episode Of Criminal Minds

Winnie Odande, 32, Fashion stylist, Founder and Creative Director of Dande Styles.

6 mins

Traffic Armour

Living in a city is stressful enough with sky-high rent and slow walkers. When you add never-ending traffic, it is a deadly combo. Driving can ruin your skin in a big way. Between sun exposure and polluted air lies attacked dry rough layers of skin.

3 mins

To Douche Or Not To Douche

Do you have a smell or an itch down there? Perhaps you are terrified if you lean in you will find mossy forests, forgotten babies running around in a game of tap and the car you forgot in the parking lot last Tuesday in 2007.

5 mins

Kenya's Hidden Coast: White Cliff Villa

Kenya’s coastline is roughly 483 km stretching from Lamu to Mombasa in the south. Sandy white in some areas, palm-filed in others, filled with sparkling white coral in others. Majority of visitors to Kenya’s beautiful coastal region choose the more popular areas in the North coast over the more secluded South or islands such as Lamu. Most times, we overlook a spectacular treasure in between - Kikambala, Kilifi County.

5 mins

It's In The Details Kapoeta By Ambica

It’s In The Details Kapoeta By Ambica

1 min

Read all stories from COUTURE Africa

COUTURE Africa Magazine Description:

As East Africa’s Pioneer Fashion Magazine, COUTURE Africa seeks to not only celebrate African Fashion, but bring global fashion and beauty trends into the African market in a relatable and easily translatable way to our readers.

It is because of this that COUTURE Africa has over the years become a voice for the modern woman in Africa. The woman who understands quality, appreciates value and is constantly seeking to look and feel her best on a daily basis.

COUTURE Africa magazine is indeed the go-to read for today’s woman.