Hello Everyone!!

First, I would like to wish everyone a very joyous and prosperous New Year!! 2010 promises to be the best ever for Upenyu Artwear so I hope you're ready and keep an eye out for what we do next!

**Shameless Plug Alert!!***

You can now Pre-Order your very own wearable masterpiece right now at www.upenyu.com! I've already got my order in :-)

Next, I want to send a very special "you go girl" to our very own Mandy Mtetwa who has been accepted to attend school in Cape Town, South Africa for Animation and Film! Good Luck girl, I know you'll do us proud!

Now, on to new business...

This year, I'm encouraging everyone to make that change in your life that you've been planning on making since the 12th of Never. Whether its to loose weight, get that big promotion at the job, or just be a better you, make the commitment to yourself to get it poppin' in your own special way. Too many times we procrastinate and never accomplish what we want due to laziness and circumstances and when we don't achieve our goals, we bring that regret into our new year, our new beginning. Let's make this year better than the last and bring to fruition our goals and dreams. Let's Resovle to Evolve!

Now, I don't care what you want to do as long as its "relatively" safe, just get up, get out and get something. I know that sometimes its hard to get motivated but here are some tips to help get you going:

1. Ask a friend to help you complete your goal(s). The buddy system exists for a reason people!

2. Set realistic expectations of yourself. Face it, no one can loose 100 lbs. in 2 months and if you did, you're gonna look weird. Don't do it to yourself homie, make a reasonable timeline for all goals to be completed.

3. Think positively. I am a firm believer of "what you put out, is what you get back", so OD on good vibes, it can only help!

4. Remember who you're doing it for. While there are some really great motivators out there for getting your act together, make sure you're making these changes for you and you alone, because if your outside motivator disappears, then so could your resolve.

5. Don't Quit! Yes, I know it'll get hard at some points and I know that haters are there to kick you while you're down and hell, you might just get bored but still, persevere. There are few greater joys in life than knowing you control your fate and having the proof in the form a realized dream or goal. So keep on keepin' on and you won't have the same regrets following you around to the next year.

Well, it's about time that I bring this post to a close. Let the new year bring about the "Resolve to Evolve" in all of us.

Arielle Out!

Kae Couture Interview

Kae Couture Interview

I was able to get these responses from this brilliant up and coming designer in Atlanta, Kenyatta Williams CEO of Kae Couture. In 2007 I got to sit in on one of her very first photo shoots and I’ve been a fan ever since. Her designs are truly original and her professionalism is unmatched. I sat in amazement seeing this high school student sewing each outfit, doing model fittings, scouting locations and pulling off an amazing photo shoot. Don’t sleep on this girl because this is really just the beginning of her career and I know she still has a long way to go.

Her designs make me really want to get my body beach ready.
It might take some time but if I have these swimsuits to look forward to fitting into it just might happen!





Basic Stats:
Name: Kenyatta Williams
Age: 22
Location: Atlanta, GA

What is the name of your line and how did you come up with it?
The name of my line is Kae Couture. I want to come up with a name that represented me and what my line represented. My manager and I sat down a brainstormed for hours. Then we can up with Kae, short or initial for Kenyatta, and Couture, since my pieces are one of a kind custom wears.


How long have you been interested in fashion?
I have literally been interested with fashion all my life. From my childhood days I remember ripping, tearing, and hand sewing T- shirts together to make something new out of it like dresses or stylish blouses.

Can you remember what or who first inspired you?
I have many inspirations. I’m always getting inspiration from the fabric used in the clothing. I was inspired by the many designers and lines. One in particular is Gottex. And always seeing those plain jane suits in the store. I just felt that the world needed a little more Kae Couture in the world to spice up the beaches and the French Rivera

Describe who you are as a designer?
As a designer I’m both innovative and iconoclastic. My design house is based on sophisticated and glamorous adult culture. My main priority with my designs remains on the comfort and personal style of the woman who wears them.

How has your line evolved since you first began designing?
My line has evolved tremendously and will continue for the years to come. My aesthetic has matured so much. Over the years I have learned to have a keen eye for what complement what color or what styles are the best and how to make people say I know that was a Kae Couture swimsuit from a mile away.

What’s your take on the way things are going in the fashion industry today, especially in Atlanta?
The fashion industry as a whole is literally booming. Compare it to the baby boomer era, its popping up everywhere. In the Atlanta network the fashion industry is evolving year after year. With the help of more designers come out of Atlanta and more media I’ll say that Atlanta is not far from the New York, Miami, and Los Angeles market.

What are some of the hardest challenges you’ve had to face as a designer? Have you been able to overcome those challenges? If so, how?
The challenges that I have to face as an designer is to keep it fresh and new. And always being in the public eye to get exposure. You can be in today but out tomorrow. I have been able to overcome that. I always keep Kae Couture out there. Doing show after show and shoot after shoot. Getting interviews for blogs, magazines, seminars and doing product placement. I have hundred of designs and I am constantly creating something new.

What’s your ultimate direction for yourself?
Success is my Vice. Ultimately I want Kae Couture to be on top of the fashion chain no matter what it takes.

What are you working on right now?
Right now I am currently working on my 2010 collection, catalog, as well as an calendar. 2010 for Kae Couture is going to be outstanding. Keep an eye out!

How can fans-to-be gain access to you and your clothing?

www.kaecouture.com

Join Kae Couture’s fan page on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Kae-Couture/51264378363?ref=sgm

www.myspace.com/kaecouture

Any last words?
Thank God for blessing me the talent and the patience to pursue my passion.
Thank you to my Family without them I couldn’t do it.
Thank you to all my supports
Until next time, For The Love of Fashion, Live, Laugh, Love Muah


Some samples of Kae Couture!
Told you this girl was bad!
Go to her website to see more of her awesome work
And if you got any sense you’d go to facebook right now and become a fan!
That’s it from Mandy
Upenyu Lives!!

The Many Shades of Petty - Written by Arielle

Petty: small and unimportant (i.e. petty squabbles/ restrictions) Concerned with small and unimportant matter, especially when this is unkind to other people. (How could you be so petty?)

I was talking to a friend earlier after she texted me about a tiff she had with one of her other friends over something that didn’t seem to merit a fight in my eyes. She told me about how her friend had felt snubbed about an activity that she was not directly included initially. She began yelling on the phone about how she was so angry that she had not been included in something she thought she should.  Now in defense of my friend, let’s call her Candy, she had every intention of including her in the activity but hadn’t figured out how yet, (after all every activity ain’t for everyone). And the other friend, let call her Lollipop, has a history of being very particular about what she wants to participate in, which is of course, her prerogative.

Now, how many of us have had a less than shining moment in regards to making an incorrect assumption? How many of us have assumed the worst of something or someone before getting the whole story? AND how many of us have felt like a complete and utter jackass after we were proven wrong? All of us!!! I know I have ☺ !

But that leads me to the next point, when will we all learn to not sweat the small stuff, especially when friends and family are involved? I can understand feeling left out or forgotten about and I can even understand having a tiny little pang of jealously when you feel like you could have been included in something when someone else was in your stead. However, isn’t the point of friendship understanding one another or at least trying to? When you have a dear friend and you jump to a silly conclusion about what that person did, I feel like that you show them several things you might not want to:

1. You’re insecure in your friendship and probably more than a little insecure in yourself
2. You’d rather start a fight than get to the bottom of what’s bothering you
3. You’re a petty/selfish dumbass!!!

Is that really what you want to show your friends about yourself? I’m 99% sure its not. With any relationship, you have to strive to be honest, open and willing to trust that other person or people with your feelings. It’s taken me a long time to get to this point but when you open yourself up to growth, something magical happens…its called maturity! More people should try it out!

The point of this Public Service Announcement was to get you guy’s wheels turning. Maybe you reacted “unfavorably” to a situation that you weren’t completely clued into or maybe you said or did something and didn’t consider someone else’s feelings when you did it. Now is the time to make amends and say sorry. Life is too short to spend it being angry. Go try on some understanding because we all know yesterday is history and tomorrow’s a mystery but today is a gift, that’s why they call it the present.

Arielle out!

Looking ahead - writers Mandy and Ari

Mandy: if the big thing about this year was change, so then what’s next year about? What’s the new beacon of hope that people are gonna cling so dearly to? It can't still be change. This year is almost up and I know I’ve been through a lot of change but I really hope that’s not what to expect next year. I need stability at this point.

I know that change is inevitable, the world will continue to develop and I am destined to evolve but I really need to see a point where I’m going to plateau and find that steady ground I can rely on.

Ari: ok so I had a time trying to figure out what the hell I wanted 2010 to be about so I decided I couldn't predict the future and decided I wanted my theme for next year to be "re-invention". And by that I mean, I want the world to reinvent itself, lol. I want to turn on the radio and not hear the same song being sung by different artists or go to the mall and not see a certain decade being pushed on me telling me how its "coming back in style". I'm the kind of person that craves the "new" and "improved" but for some odd reason, I keep getting shoved the same warmed over crap, lol. But I'm even looking to reinvent myself, too. I want to start this new coming year as a better, more focused and creatively daring person.

Mandy: My attention is really in the Upenyu clothing line. I’m really excited about being able to transform my designs into a wearable line and working with you on a fall fashion show for next year. That is going to be incredible. In our group of friends, collectively we are more than capable of re-inventing the stereotype about a t-shirt clothing line. 

Ari: That's why I'm excited about your line and the fashion show. Its a way break out of the boring day to day and move on to what I actually want to do with my life. That what I think the concept of the show should be, or at least one of the themes. Since Kenyatta has all of these off the wall designs for her swimsuits and you and Yoli have all these cool fashion designs how can I not be inspired! I’m actually kind of bursting with ideas and I can't wait to tell everyone about them and hear everyone else's ideas too :)

Mandy: 2010 is going to be a big year. It’s around the corner though. 2 months is not a lot of time. We’ve gotta get the wheels in motion, and FAST lol!

So readers I put it to you, what do you hope to see in 2010?

Blog Intro

Mandy:

So I was trying to write my very first blog entry and I sat and stared at the screen for hours. Trying to find the perfect way to begin had me stuck. Something about typing on a computer and you know whatever you write can be erased and done over somehow makes it harder for me to think. Since it can be changed I write, erase then re-write over and over again. So I decided to sit down with a pen and paper and amazingly my hands couldn’t stop moving. Its like the feeling of writing is so much more organic that way. I’m pretty good at typing but my thoughts flow more freely when I don’t have a cursor blinking back at me. The sad part of it all now is that I still have to go through everything I wrote and type it up onto the computer. My handwriting is so awful though so I’m still glad that I can type this up.

I guess in many ways I do appreciate a more old school way of doing things. Even though I have a digital diary I still have books I take everywhere and write my thoughts. Something about seeing it in my hands makes it real. I enjoy the sensation of holding something. Flicking through the pages, being able to sit in any position I want and enjoy the moment. One of my favorite things to do was to flip through magazines. Yes reading was very informative but I could look over a magazine 10 times in a row just to look at the pictures. I would canvas every page not having to worry about resolution or zooming in and out. Everything was right there in front of me. I could look at page 10 and page 35 at the same time.  Fold up the corners on pages I wanted to go back to, that was enjoyable for me. Looking through a magazine on a website can never fulfill me in that way. But it saves a lot of paper!

Anyway, coming in from my tangent, the idea of making something digital tangible was always something I enjoyed doing. I know putting images a t-shirt is no original idea but I love the concept of something that lived on a screen was transformed into something that a living person walks around it. A shirt with the same design will become a part of someone’s memories. It will go to the grocery store, it will go to a barbeque in the summer and under all your layers in the winter. The idea that art then becomes mobile is exciting to me. It travels to destinations a painting on a wall never will.

Upenyu has given me an outlet for my artwork where it will not be confined by 4 walls but will breathe and be free in the world, something that I want for myself.
Upenyu is my freedom.
Who knew that “life” would be so liberating.

My blog (hopefully) will not just be pages and pages of me rambling on about my perspective on life, I intend to extend my reach to all over the world and converse with a diverse range of people on their take on life. Some formal and some informal conversations just to see life from all angles.

Thank you in advance to all those who participate with me in the exploration on all the things that make life so intriguing,