Jet Setter

Chat with Magatte Wade, CEO and Founder of Beauty Company Tiossan

Check out this quick excerpt from our phone interview with CEO Magatte Wade. Magatte is the founder of beauty company Tiossan. She is bringing ancient Senegalese recipes and merging them with custom-crafted French fragrances.

50% of the proceeds of Tiossan go to build innovative schools in Senegal.

Her larger than life personality has led her to entrepreneurial success and a celebrated speaker at international conferences on entrepreneurship, innovation, and competitiveness. She was named “20 Youngest Power Women in Africa” by Forbes Magazines, a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum at Davos for 2011, and a TED Global Africa Fellow.

Born in Senegal, Magatte moved to Europe at the age of eight, where she flourished as a student, but also as an ambassador for justice and social change.

Listen Here!

 

Cool French Girls - Hapasatou Sy

It's funny. It really is a season where Africa is rising. Hapsatou was born in France to a family from Senegal and Mauritania. She studied international business and took a trip to New York City. She got inspired and launched Ethnicia a multi-racial and multi-cultural hair salon in Paris, opening her first one on the Ile Saint Louis. Quite a feat if you know anything about France.

She gave a wonderful talk for TED. Check out her blog and website!
HapsatouSy

Finding Your Inner French Girl

Our very own Frogette - Raney Lasusa -  decided to finally write down her rules for Parisian Chic. Inspired by Ines de la Fressange's "Parisian Chic: A Style Guide" - we followed Raney around attempting to capture Paris street style in Dallas. Raney's French-American, and well you figure, she's got to be able to impart some of Paris' secrets.

Raney's French designer of choice - Anne Fontaine. Anne is Brazilian-French and is known for adding that sensual pop to Parisian simplicity and elegance.

You'll love the mini style guide - cool tips on how to unleash your femme fatale. Of course, a feature on French style would not be complete without a little wine tasting lesson - so you can be oh so sophisticated! And last but not least, check out our 3-Day Shopping Guide to all the "French" things to do in cosmopolitan Dallas. We picked our favorite restaurants, boutiques, museums and so much more.

La vie est belle n'est ce pas? Check it out here!

Inna Modja Rocks

Totally diggin' funky pop princess Miss Inna Modja. Love her style and her blog - Rock N' Love.



Cool French Girl from Cote d'Ivoire - Nina Keita

Needed some fashion and beauty inspiration for the holidays. Beautiful Cote d'Ivorian model Nina Keita's gorgeous skin and complexion led me on an adventure searching for natural African products. The big one on everyone's radar is shea butter.

Interestingly, a French nonprofit organization started a beauty and skincare company called Lulu Life. It's made up of 40 women-owned and operated shea butter processing centers in South Sudan.

 Lulu Life Shea Butter is a natural botanical oil derived from the nuts of the vitellaria nilotica, a forest tree found in Africa only. In Sudan it is called lulu, Arabic for the treasured pearl. Shea Butter is said to be the most potent healing butter which helps restore skin tone and provides a protective barrier to lock in moisture.

They have a range of products from Shea Butter, lip balm, shea soap and sugar scrubs. I'm eyeing the sugar scrubs and shea butter.

Websites

Lulu Life

Swahili Africa Modern Imports

 

French actress/singer Lou Lesage

 

Lou Lesage is one of France's cool young actor/singers. She's the daughter of Pierre Emery & Gil Lesage from French Cult Rock Band Ultra Orange. I'm diggin her 60s style - kind of vintage, rocker girl. Cool style. More cool info on Lou here!

Photo from Skyrock @ http://lou-lesage-source.skyrock.com/

 

Parisian Chic: Aissa Maiga

So I just finished reading Parisian Chic: A Style Guide by Ines de la Fressange. Loved the book. Ines outlines the secrets to Paris' understated chic which I love. I'm ready to incorporate her Magnificent Seven Essentials: a man's blazer, trench coat (have that), navy sweater, tank top (have those), a little black dress (haven't found yet), jeans (yes, yes!!) and leather jacket (alas I don't have that). What I love about the idea of Parisian Chic is just the individuality and confidence that comes when you take the time to express your personality.

Her book got me searching for real life French girls who rock that style. Discovered one of France's hottest actresses Aissa Maiga. She's Senegalese/Malian and adds that wonderful exotic touch. Her hair definitely makes up her signature look. Tres belle. Check out her looks.