My 2nd shoot with an International top model.by Ngugi Velly Vere

Inspiring someone is the best thing you can do for others. May the Lord continue using me to inspire the youths to become better people. Its a gift that im so grateful for. Thank you Jesus. Strive to inspire someone everyday and make a difference.#ChurchSwag

 

As you already know that my Asia trip was off the hook and an remarkable experience. I worked with top stylists from the UK, US and Aussie and it was awesome and life-changing just learning from them. You gat to admit African fashion is abit behind so i took this opportunity not to try prove that im great but to learn from my peers who all have different styles and approach to styling. Besides working with these awesome stylists, i also worked with fashion experts; Ms Rachel Anthony and Mr Adam Masters and some very beautiful top models from the UK, Philippines and Russia. And not forgetting a strong and vibrant production crew and a big fashion network, Fashion One TV/ Bigfoot studios.

The 1st time i met top model Tia Magno, I knew we could work together and produce something huge and fun. Tia Magno is based in the UK but she is half Spanish and her roots are in the Philippines. She is such an awesome woman with an amazing heart and attitude towards life. As we got to know each other, we got connected in so many ways. We had something in common,''God''. And also, she is passionate about helping the less-privelleged which is my ministry so we connected and became friends.

 

I approached her and proposed a photo shoot which she agreed to and then I had to ask Sabel (a top photographer) to collabo with us on our amazing photo shoot. He also agreed and it became a formidable creative team on this particular project. So, Tia was the model, Sabel was the photographer and I was the stylist. Tia's job was just to look fierce and do her magic infront of the camera. Sabel's task was to grab the best shots and direct too. I had to style and coordinate the shoot which was amazing. We had so much fun in the Bigfoot studio and we were all happy with our project results. Sabel is a world-class photographer based in the UK. He runs his studio, Sabel Blanco studio in Oxford UK. He is such an awesome and fun guy, he is open and likes to help when its needed. My time with Sabel on set was thrilling and educative. He taught me alot about fashion photography and it has helped me as stylist to achieve the looks and photos I want in my projects. God bless you for impacting my fashion career through the advise you gave me about shoots and fashion videos.

 

 

Working with Tia was just easy and exciting. She is such a world class model. You don't need much directing with her, you just tell her the vision and she will do all the poses and looks that you want without you directing. I must say these International models are well groomed in such a way that they just take your vision and they run with it and produce excellence. My 1st International shoot was with Alexander Salmeron, it was amazing too. She was like Tia, easy to run with and very cooperative. It was really an honour and a privellege working with these two world-class models. They gave me an experience that has just changed my approach to my styling and i feel like i can style and coordinate a Naomi Campbell or Gucci photo shoot. I learnt alot just by working with these guys. This is an experience that I will never forget and  I just give the glory to the King of Kings.

I am so proud of myself for the incredible job i did. Being a stylist who majors in corporate wear but manages to pull a high-end fashion photo shoots and nails it, its something huge. The pic of myself above illustrates what I have done; I have fought and broken the odds and I have achieved my vision on this particular project and of course many to come. The king has done it. Well done to the Zimbabwean born Internationally renowned fashion stylist, Ngugi Velly Vere aka Vellyvokal and the models and photographer who made this project a success. Tia you awesome my friend, continue fighting to make a difference- We are game-changers.


I style and coordinate; musical videos, movies, concerts, fashion shows, photo shoots, weddings and anything that has to do with fashion. For bookings emailto; ngugy.velly@gmail.com 
Style is a personal thing. Its what defines you.#ChurchSwag

Celebrity kids grab on to fashion by Ngugi Velly Vere

Progress is impossible if you always do things the way u used to do it. #ChurchSwag

The Beckhams seems to be the sort after brand in the fashion world. Football superstar David Beckham's contract with LA Galaxy ended last month but his family brand aint ending anytime soon on the fashion space.  After collaborating their individual brands to one powerful brand, DVB, the Beckham have been getting recognisition around the world and fashion awards in the US. Their son Romeo will be modelling for Burberry and that will be the beginning of his fashion and modelling career that will carry the Beckham brand for a long time. Infact he has already started modelling for Burberry.

 

 This is how Victoria is setting up the future of her favourite son who is not a football genius like the father. The eldest son Brooklyn seems to have a bit of his father's football gens but he also loves music apparently. Being a Beckham surely has its benefits and open doors. The world is waiting to see if he will excel in this industry. Even if he doesn't, he can still be a house model for DVB apparel.

 

 

 

We have seen celebrity kids taking fashion to another level. Its seems to be the IN thing for celebrities and fashion industry. JLO and Tom Cruise daughters have been gracing the fashion shows lately in rather luxury fashion. You can see what the parents are setting for. I kind of appreciate such grooming for kids with a passion for fashion. Fashion does enhance ones lifestyle and career so i am sure these kids will become gurus. We will see in the next 15-20yrs if these celebrity kids have taken over the fashion world.

 

 

Like mother like son thats wasup. Fashion is what brings us together. Stay blessed.



Style is a personal thing. Its what defines you.#ChurchSwag

Velly Image & Style: Top Shop lands in SA.

Velly Image & Style: Top Shop lands in SA.

Style is a personal thing. Its what defines you.#ChurchSwag

Top Shop lands in SA.

What is the lens through which you view life? What do you base your decisions on? In an ever-changing world, Christians need to be sure of their Biblical Christian worldviews more than ever. Remember God 's name is beyond any situation. God loves you.#ChurchSwag
Luv,peace n happiness

After a year the Spanish  retail giant Zara entered the South African retail market, British High- street retailer Top Shop opened its 1st retail shop in Africa. The British retailer‚ which is known for its cheap chic apparel‚ is part of the Arcadia Group. If you are a high-street fashion kinda person then Top Shop will serve you right.

 The franchise and shop-in-shops expansion will be through a partnership with local players The House of Busby and Edcon‚ which together have the rights for Topshop and Topman.

Top Shop opened on the 22nd of November in Africa's biggest shopping centre, Sandton City mall. I couldn't attend the launch since i was still in the Philippines but however I visited the new store a few days ago. I was quite impressed with the look and feel of the store, its so inviting. I must say, whoever is doing the visual merchandising is doing a great job. I did abit of comparing of the stuff it has with those of local retailers and i must say its not high-street for SA market. It looks more exclusive for a high-street apparel. Its high street in the UK and not in Africa, thats my own opinion. However, i think they need to adjust to the local market and seasons because I saw plenty of winter wardrobe pieces in their shelves but we are in summer right now. I have a feeling they just grabbed the stuff in the UK stock and bought here and didn't even consider the African seasons.

South African fashioners are going to enjoy the chic apparel in this store, its diverse and stylish. I love the quality its quite good compared to other retailers. It serves from edgy to cool chic pieces and i am sure the female fashioners will enjoy more. If I was a woman I would shop for my blazers and leather edgy jackets at Top shop instead of Zara. I enjoyed what i saw besides the seasonal pieces.

The question is will Top Shop survive in this highly contested market with Thomas Pink and Zara already pulling the masses? I think it will be a matter of pricing. If it prices just below Zara and almost as the local retailers then there will be hope for expansion.

Welcome Top shop.

Style is a personal thing. Its what defines you.#ChurchSwag

My International Fashion experience in Asia

Its amazing the way God works out his plans. We on one end we trusting God for something and on the other end he has a mind blowing plan for you. After this Asia opportunity, i have decided to let God be in control and plan my life and im just ready to do what he wants or to go where he wants coz he is an amazing God. If you trust in Jesus Christ, life will never be shattered. You may hit speed humps but you guaranteed to bounce back and excel. Lets continue to seek the Lord and represent him in our areas of influence and all. The word of God is beyond any situation. Keep that in mind.#ChurchSwag


I am not going to say much about my trip and fashion experience in Asia but im going to let the pics below show you how much fun i had and the creative skills  and fashion knowledge i accumulated during my month in Asia. To be honest the experience is beyond words can explain, it was priceless, invaluable but all i can say is God is amazing.

Above is my styling work with International models; Tia Magno and Alexander.

 

 My awesome fashion experience and free vacation. One thing 4sho im a better fashion stylist now. I can take on any job in the world even to dress Michelle Obama, Rihana, Kate Middleton, im ready for all that. There is nothing impossible in this world.



Style is a personal thing. Its what defines you.#ChurchSwag

God and Fashion by Ngugi

What God does if you seek him and trust in his name. God is only moved by those who trust in his name. Even when things are not working for you, his plans are the same and he will come through a the right time. I have seen God walk on water. At a time im trusting God for something, He is busy planning on a big door for me. When God opens doors no men can close them.

I took a career that i was passionate about and i have recieved mixed feelings and discouragements from family, friends, church members and the haters, but i refused to be moved coz i decided to follow my passion. Fashion is what God called me for, to bring change in the fashion world. I took it with a strong  heart and refused to be discouraged by those who don't believe in me.

A few weeks ago, i got a call from Bigfoot Entertainment based in Hong Kong and they had shortlisted me for the Style Wars reality show. I was shocked and excited coz i ddnt see it comin since i wasn'tpraying for that. The call didnt mean i was selected coz i still had to do an interview with the director. I did the interview with her after afew days and i had to wait for a week to get the feedback. After days of prayer and meditating, i got an email that i had made it for the competition. I was over the moon, excited and gratiful. I knew it was only God and nothing else coz it was too good to be true. Got my tickets and everything and i left for Cebu in the Philippines. God just opened a wide door for me to hit hard on my fashio level. On my way to Cebu i  slept in Dubai and Hong kong so i got an opportunity to travel and see some countrieswhich was awesome.

Got to Cebu and the people are nice and friendly. Fashion One gives us celebrity treatment, its like we are at a vacation and just having fun. Its exciting working with a big studio with a team production experts. I just love this door coz i get to learn from other stylist from Europe and America, experience with a big production team and exposure on Fashion One viewed in Europe, Asia and America.

I am making the best of this opportuity. Praise the Lord for this. Seek him and he will work his purpose.
Style is a personal thing. Its what defines you.#ChurchSwag

Style is a personal thing. Its what defines you.#ChurchSwag

How to Determine The Right Dress Shirt for Your Body

Great things happen when little things are done well. God wants us to be the best in everything we do. Excellence is the secret to great achievements.

Just a few days ago after our youth church service, a friend of mine asked me to blog about dress shirt sizes and cuts. This request came after he wore the right shirt size to work but it still looked funny and snaggy and it pushed his manager to tell him to dump the shirt. You can not blame him for that because he bought a shirt of his size but the cut wasn't right for his body shape. So i am going to share abit of what i know and understand on determining the right shirt  for your body.

Dress shirt sizes for commercial clothes are fairly standardized, although there is some variation among specific brands. Generally, dress shirts will be sized by the neck and sleeve measurements, and some companies also include measurements for the waist or list the shirt's body-cut type. This sizing system exists so that customers do not have to rely on general men's dress shirt sizes and can instead buy a dress shirt that separately fits the neck, arm and body. This lil blog will help you to determine your dress shirt size and find the perfect fit.

So the 1st thing you need to do before you decide to buy a bunch of dress shirts, is to take measurements. You need to measure the  circumference of your neck and then full sleeve length and maybe the waist coz some brands use the waist as an measurement for sizes. And remember to always add an inch and half to your measurements and round it off to the nearest even number. After all that is done and you know your sizes, and then you need to understand cuts of different brands. Sizes differ from cuts of different brand; a Zara size 15 is not the same as DH size 15. So you need to understand the cuts and once you understand the cuts, i advise you stick to that particular brand and your shirt shopping will be made easier.

 

I only know of two cut types of dress shirts which is the regular cut(traditional cut) and the modern fit(slim cut), they could be probably more but i will share on what i only know. Slim cut is an athletic cut which hugs the body and the shoulders are tapered  known as the modern fit  while a regular cut is looser and known as full-cuts. Full-cut shirts give you a lot of room in the body. Slim fit works best on an athletic body which has broad shoulders and narrow waist. So if you know that your body is athletic then your cut can be optionally be slim cut. There are brands like; Zara, Polo, Paul Smith, D&G they have a silhouette that draps well with any body. Infact your best bet is to get any Italian or some French brands, there are most slim than regular. Because some Italian brands have ultra slim, their regular will be slim cut too but for looser fits.

 

A slim fit will generally follow the shape of the body without stretching – so, if properly measured and tailored, it will not “stretch” around on a bulging stomach or love handles. Along with the fit around the body, a proper slim fit dress shirt should also maintain its slimness along the length of the arms. A slim fit dress shirt, more than any other fit, is a style you definitely want to consider having tailor-made. A generic manufactured slim fit is highly unlikely to fit all parts of the body properly, as there is less leeway with extra fabric for room, whereas a properly tailored slim fit dress shirt will enhance the features of any body in a positive way.

Regular cut is for men who have a rounder body and who need some room in the shirt. This is a traditional shirt cut though. This does not mean you should wear an oversize shirt- you need to wear a shirt that sits well on your shoulders, and the sleeves and waist are perfectly intuck. Regular cuts are slowly getting old school because if a slim cut is tailored well it can suit a rounder body well. What you probably are most used to seeing is the Regular Fit men’s dress shirt. It is considered more traditional, though it is quickly loosing ground to the more slimmer fit dress shirt. The Regular Fit uses typically an additional 4 inches of fabric more than the actually chest measurements. This can provide some extra flexibility for the wearer.

A regular fit dress shirt tends to hide the defined shape of the body, due to its loose fit on the wearer. For a more fashionable or stylish fit, a slim fit dress shirt is recommended. You might be surprised how well a slim fit compliments your body, even if you have a few extra pounds- provided the shirt is tailored to your body.
For good cuts try; Zara, Hilton Weiner, Taylor & Wright, Markham, Ralph Lauren, Sean John, Paul Smith and some H&M. Be empowered by style. Bless


Style is a personal thing. Its what defines you.#ChurchSwag

Velly Image & Style: TIPS OF HOW TO FIT THE RYT PAIR OF GLASSES AND SUN...

Velly Image & Style: TIPS OF HOW TO FIT THE RYT PAIR OF GLASSES AND SUN...: Hello fam. Its good to meet you again via my Styling blog, hope you had an awesome blessed weekend. Life can only be stronger and good if ou...

Style is a personal thing. Its what defines you.#ChurchSwag

TIPS OF HOW TO FIT THE RYT PAIR OF GLASSES AND SUNNIES

Hello fam. Its good to meet you again via my Styling blog, hope you had an awesome blessed weekend. Life can only be stronger and good if our lives are godly and are under the shadow of the Almighty God. Whatever you might be going through, just cry out to the Lord and he will stretch his hand to you. We live a life of purpose and everything that happens, happens for a reason and trust me God will never abandon or forsake you.  Always rejoice in the Lord and  all happenings will always happen for your good. God is perfect, He is never wrong.Anyway lets move on and talk about glasses and sunnies and how to buy them.
 
We've all been there. You walk into a store and impulsively buy a pair of glasses or stunners. You rock them once and decide that they make you look like nuts. So you throw them in a drawer and leave them there with the other half dozen pairs you own that barely seen the light of day kikiki. The moral of the story- dont go freestyle when buying glasses. Before you buy have a long, hard think about the shape of your face and what types of frames would best suit you. A store like Sunglass hut has alot of mirrors so you can love yourself infront of the mirror til you get something that rocks you proper. Buying stunners is lik buying a pair of denims, never go freestyle coz a wrong piece can waste your money coz you will never wear it again. Be smart in your shopping. Shortly i will show you the shapes that go with different faces. Hope from now you will purchase the right pair of sunnnies.Style is empowering so im trying to empower you

1.SUNNIES THAT SUIT A ROUND FACE.
Full cheeks and a curved jaw line call for frames with a contrasting, angular shape. In order to create a sense of balance, make sure the corners are slightly rounded, not sharp. These are the kind stunners Rick Ross is suppose to wear but he takes risks by wearing the Diddy style stunners, thank God to the bling- it makes his look come out well but otherwise he aint suppose to wear those styles. Gucci, Police and kors will do. Be empowered

2.SUNNIES THAT SUIT A TRIANGULAR FACE.
If you have a broad forehead and narrow chin like Trey Songz below, choose sunnies that mimic your bone structure and help to accentuate the eyes. A pair of aviators or Tom fords' would work well. And remember to consider the gradient lenses and the how they hold on your nose coz you dont want to be constantly pushing them up the bridge of yo nose. Be empowered by style

3.SUNNIES THAT SUIT A OVAL FACE.
Long, lean faces need frames that accentuate width. Forget delicate,Taio Cruz- style glasses and opt for heavy plastic or metal wraparound and frames with oversize lenses like the LV, Gucci, Carerra, Prada etc. The Diddy and Jamie Foxx kinda style will be perfect for your face. Be empowered.

The same guides apply to women as well. So women take the guides and buy the right pair of glasses and stunners that suit your face shape. Be empowered for succes for style empowers. Til we meet again, God loves you. Love, peace n happiness.


Style is a personal thing. Its what defines you.#ChurchSwag

Spring 2012 Must Haves. by Ngugi Velly Vere

Hello fam, hope we all blessed and well, and enjoying the spring. Lately, sad things have been happening in this world particulary in South Africa; lives being lost, jobs being lost and too many strikes in South Africa. This world we living in only needs Jesus to take control of your life. Beloved fam if you haven't found Christ, i encourage you to reach out to the hand that blesses and forgives before its too late. Christ Jesus loves each and one of us regardless of our wrong doings and he is ready to forgive and welcome you into his home of everlasting joy and peace. Anyway lets revert to the style section. Previously when we shared about the Spring Essentials we just gave the skeletons but today we add the  flesh so that you can have a clear idea of what we talking about and also for easy shopping.  Trust me if you don't have any of these pieces i am going to give you, aaah you so outdated and you need to shop asap.

1. Neon colours - these are your bright vibrant colours that add live in your space e.g pink, emerald green, tangerine, lemon yellow, turquoise and many more.
Don't wear many neon pieces at the same time unless you are a style connoisseurs like the gentle below in a hot red suit and yellow crewneck sweater. The best thing is to mix your neons with pastel colours. That way you appeal fresh, stylish and not too loud but sending a bold statement still.

2.Floral prints on jeans and pants are so in style, they take the ordinary in you into an exquisitely unique stylish china. Personally they aint my thing so i will let it pass but for many of you it will work just right if you mix it with solid colours.

                                      



 3. Maxi dresses are good for weekendss when you really want to relax and to allow your skin to breath. It will be nice if you own a tribal print maxi or a patterned one. Usually women own more than one of these because of the comfort they give. Wear with flats, a beautiful contrasting handbag, chunky jewellery and a pair of shades.

 

 

4. Coloured jeans are a must have for they have versatile functions and can blend with most pieces in the wardrobe. Try red, sea blue, neon pink, ague green, blue,yellow and lavender.

5. Bright printed dress sends a vibrant chic elegant statement. It must be bold and bright cool comfyy chic style.

6. Colourful blazer is the most important must have in your spring wardrobe. Its your new black dress. Be different and rock a bold coloured blazer with a denim, chinos or even a dress or a skirt to work. It versatile and works magic on any look, it stuns an ordinary look.

I hope these few spring guidelines will help you look constantly fabulous this spring and help you to achieve desired life goals. Style is empowering and it brings confidence in you to tackle and achieve things. For more style tips and advice email ngugy.velly@gmail.com