Designer Sheria Ngowi Interview with SPorah Njau!

I call him Tanzania's Own Tom Ford... Tho that its wrong to call someone someone else and we all have our won titles..he is the picture painted on my mind when it comes to menswear style..lets face it....this Man is fashionable 011, i bet he's sleepin dreamin of perfect little ties with velvet lined suit no creases...Yeeees Yees....and thats his ectasy..lol.. Sheria Ngowi Marvelous designer,unique sense of style...his designs break the barrier of our modern day African males wear designers, truly someone to be proud of, his Year of the Gentlemen Collection had peoples minds blown away.. The man himself had an interview with Sporah Njau on i-Magazine that i got my hands on.. here are bits n pieces i loved... you can read the rest here

Are Gay Fashion Designers better?


iMag: Do you think that generally gay men are the best fashion designers and stylist!


SN: I don't know, gays are everywhere, and more than likely the ones you see are feminine. Masculine gays who don't act like stereotypical are in all kinds of fields.

iMag: Why are most fashion designers gay?


SN: Well to be honest most famous designers out there are either super old with tons of experience in the fashion industry, or gay.
Usually it’s both.
I’m not prejudicing anyone but that’s how it seems right now.


Men and Fashion

iMag: What do you think of sites like AskMen that encourage guys to dress better?


SN: For me they did a great job especially one of the biggest mistakes men actually make is that they buy clothing that is too large for them. Especially if a man is not skinny, if a man is a little heavier, he thinks that he needs to cover up and wear bigger clothing than he needs. I think your clothing should skim your body, not hide your body.

iMag: For the average guy who can’t afford bespoke tailoring, what advice would you give him when suit shopping?

SN: Bespoke is not a necessity or the goal. The goal is to build a great wardrobe of well-made clothes that will last for more than a season and to add to every season with more and more interesting pieces. Ready-to-wear handmade clothes, created with excellent fabrics are the answer. Save on the surcharge for custom-made clothes if you fit in a standard size, but do not compromise on the quality of the fabrics and on the handwork. Those elements make the garment and make it last forever.

iMag: What one must-have item will instantly update a man’s wardrobe for 2011?


SN: Men's fashion trends differ a great deal from women’s. With men, trends change at a slower pace than women. Men can therefore afford to wear pieces for many seasons without looking out of style. In 2011 men’s fashion is still going to lean more on the classic side with Suits continuing to be slim and following the body’s silhouette. Fabrics for suits will be linen, wool, cotton and velvet. On the casual side people should focus on being minimalistic with few complications on the look, so a simple linen blazer with a v neck tee, a pair of corduroy pants with loafers / leather sandals and a pair of sunglasses will suffice to turn people’s heads.

iMag: What is the most important garment in a man's wardrobe; the one big-ticket fashion item that is worth its price tag?


SN: Very difficult to say; each item is linked to another. A great shirt without a great tie will not "perform" at its best. A great suit with a cheap tie and shirt is a crime. But, let's say, start with a great two-button shirt and a nine-fold tie and the suit and sport jacket would follow, hopefully shortly.

iMag: What are the most common male fashion mistakes?


SN: Wearing everything two sizes too big; pants that are too long; and not investing in a great pair of shoes.

iMag: What is one item of men’s clothing that is worth the investment?


SN: I think if you invest in a beautiful black jacket that fits you well, wear it all the time. Wear that black jacket to work, wear it for evening, wear it in the supermarket, wear it wherever. Because you can always be on safe side all the time.

iMag: What are the most important accessories men should wear?


SN: Watch, Necklace Chain, Bracelet, Ring.

iMag: So, is there anything you see men doing now that makes you cringe?


SN: The vast majority of African men’s fashion makes me want to cringe. I’ve seen and there are a few African countries where men really do care and put themselves together, but for the most part, the African man is pretty sloppy. He doesn’t really care too much about how things fit, and he doesn’t really like to take chances.