This Week's Challenge: Our Guest of Honor for our Event, Korto Momolu

Photo provided by Korto Momolu.

How much do I love this designer?!  Korto Momolu has been a huge inspiration for me, because not only does she have the determination of a lioness, but she lives in my hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas.  I wrote a short article about her in August of 2009 on what I call my "experimental blog," Arkansas Fashion.  Funny how things sometimes come full circle in life as Korto Momolu has agreed to make a special guest appearance at The Compassion Fashion Project's first event, Divas Dressing Darlings.  I knew that she was the perfect local celeb to ask to come, because of her past philanthropic efforts not to mention...she is FABULOUS!  She was born in Liberia, West Africa and immigrated to Canada with her family in 1990 where she eventually studied design at L'Academies des Couturiers Design Institute in Ottawa, Ontario.  After graduation she moved to Arkansas with her husband to live and raise their daughter, whom Momolu says is "a constant source of inspiration for her."  If you watch the above video, you will see her pull her daughter up on the stage with her at the end of her showing.  It is a sweet moment.

(Left) Tatyana Ali in spring 2011 jacket, (Right Top) Beverly Johnson in custom dress,
(Bottom Right) Vanessa Williams in custom necklace
Press Kit provided by Korto Momolu.

Obviously, Momolu is best known for her appearance on season 5 of Project Runway where she made it to the finals to show her collection at Bryant Park and inevitably won first-runner up.  Project Runway brought her back for a second show called the "All-Stars Edition" when the show made a switch from Bravo to Lifetime.  Many disputed the fact that she placed first-runner up for the second time and felt she deserved first place, but this is a constant controversy on this show amongst PR enthusiasts who do not agree with the judges decisions.

(Left) Atlanta Housewife Cynthia Bailey, cover, (Right) Lisa Raye McCoy in Today's Black Woman Magazine
Press Kit provided by Korto Momolu. 

In no way has Korto Momolu (pronounced Cut*Oh- Mo*Mo*Lu) let that one show define her as a designer nor otherwise as she continues her business and is a very popular stylist as well.  In fact, when I first reached out to Eljay Deshield, her PR manager, back in February of this year she was busy with her show at New York Fashion Week and has had success after success in the fashion industry.  She has formed a partnership with Dillard's where over 70 stores carry her line of handbags and jewelry.  Her jewelry line ",The Saba Collection," is a high end line created with eco-friendly wood.  Her humanitarian efforts go far beyond her ideas for sustainable design as she has been appointed the "Goodwill Ambassador" for the Tigerlily Foundation and supported the "Go Orange" campaign benefiting the New York Food Bank.  These are just a couple of her non-profit endeavours and now she is helping The Compassion Fashion Project provide aid to the 501(c)3 non-profit, Little Dresses for Africa.  Believe me when I say that this shows her genuine compassion for worthy causes, since we are still grass roots and were thrilled with her acceptance of our invitation.

(Top) Little Rock Family Magazine, (Bottom Left) ShopFlick, (Bottom Right )  Essence Magazine
Press Kit provided by Korto Momolu

So, in conclusion if you will be in the central Arkansas area on June 16, 2011, please come to our event and get your own chance to meet this unique fashion designer with a heart of gold.  We will be serving wine and refreshments, listening to LIVE music by Jessica Carder, and triumphing an amazing cause.  All we ask is that you bring in your new or gently used pillowcases and/or any unwanted sewing machines to benefit the orphans who need our help with clothing in Africa.  Not only does Little dresses for Africa supply dresses for girls and little britches for boys using the pillowcase donations, they also teach the women and older children in the villages to sew.  This is such a special event that you do not want to miss it!  See our "Event" page for more details.  Thank you so much, Korto, for your participation and for my favorite new quote from you:

"Love*Hope*Faith*Repeat*."~Korto Momolu

(Top Left)"The Saba Collection," (Top Right) Saba in Smithsonian Catalog,
(Bottom Left) Sanlori Stationary launch spring 2011, (Bottom Right) Young and the Restless cast wearing Saba
Press Kit provided by Korto Momolu.

This Week's Challenge: The Star of our Event...Little Dresses for Africa

Photo provided by Rachel O'Neil (LDFA).

I have been so excited to present this lovely organization for months!  Back in January I was contacted by Jacqueline Carlisle, editor-in-chief of THINK Magazine , and we began a lovely friendship.  Her interests in philanthropic work was inspiring to me and when she suggested that we should plan a cross-border event together, she in Toronto and I in Arkansas, I was immediately on board.  Only I was not sure how to even go about planning an event and what organization would benefit from this effort?

That very same night on the world news, my husband and I were sitting on the couch listening to the usual "talking head" conversation when all of a sudden a beautiful story was told about this amazing non-profit called Little Dresses for Africa.  It almost moved me to tears and as my body became covered in chills my heart started to race.  I grabbed a pen and paper and began to write down as much information as I could to research later.

Photo provided by Rachel O'Neil.

"This is it," I told my husband, John, "I want to do something with this organization."

Upon further research, I was absolutely certain that this was the cause I wanted to promote and bring awareness to.  When I tried to call Rachel O'neil, the founder of LDFA, it was no surprise that I got her voicemail, but it was a surprise when she called me back two hours later!  We chatted only for a few minutes and the positive energy I received from the call only reinforced the fact that the universe was calling me to action.

Photo showing "pillowcase dresses" provided by LDFA.

As their website explains, Little Dresses for Africa is a non-profit 501c3 organization, which provides relief to the children of Africa. Simple dresses are made out of pillowcases and distributed through the orphanages, churches and schools in Africa to plant in the hearts of little girls that they are worthy!  Knowing the history of the girls in Africa and the difficult road that lay ahead, a small group of ladies returning from a short term mission trip to Malawi began to sew simple little dresses made out of pillow cases to be distributed to young girls through the orphanages in Africa.  To date they have received dresses and donations from all 50 states across the USA and received well over 130,000 little dresses that have been distributed in 22 countries of Africa! They have also been able to distribute dresses to countries in crisis, when requested such as Honduras, Guatemala, Philippines, Mexico and Haiti, as well as right here in the US in the Appalachian Mountains and South Dakota.

Happy children of Thobola care of LDFA.

We at The Compassion Fashion Project feel that we do not want to limit our efforts to local charities alone.  As we reach out to other non-profits who are connected in supporting communities nationally and globally, our message will spread resulting in a more powerful connection to humanity as a whole.  Divas Dressing Darlings will be our first event and introduction to our community.  We hope to bring awareness to Little Dresses for Africa, raise pillowcases and monetary donations for the shipping charges.  The Compassion Fashion Project believes that our connection to this particular organization is based in the fact that the treatment of little girls (and boys) in Africa is typically one of abuse and neglect resulting in children not having the proper clothing they need. Even the children who have families taking care of them tend to have such limited resources that oftentimes they do not have the means to properly clothe their children. Little Dresses for Africa is making this happen by not only supplying little girls with clothing, but hand-made with tender loving care, just for them, one of a kind dresses.  This proves that not only are we giving these children the vital resources that they need, but we are providing them with LOVE and HOPE.  Patterns are also designed for little boy britches, so we do not leave out any little ones that need our help.

Beautiful Malawi girl modeling her pillowcase dress.  Photo provided by LDFA.

Over the next several weeks, I will be featuring our incredible sponsors one by one who are involved in the production of this event.  I hope to see you there and if you cannot make it, but want to help, please contact me at: thecompassionfashionproject@gmail.com and I will give you the address to send your pillowcase and/or sewing machine donation.  I think the video at the top of this post says it all..."It's LOVE!"

Bloggers, please feel free to download this artwork and post to your blog!

CONTACT:

Meredith Cavaness Corning for donation information:

thecompassionfashionproject@gmail.com


Below is a video featuring Nancy Zieman from the television show "Sewing with Nancy."  She talks about Rachel O'Neil and then shows you how to sew these cute little dresses on your own!