EdItOR’S nOtE

Issue No 4 • New African Woman • November 2008

contents

5 Your views — Readers’ letters

COVER STORY 6 Beyond Beauty: Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe

Fashion Design 12 Gwyneth Shoes: Meet the brains behind the new line

Beauty Profi le 16 Gerry Elsdon: “You Strike a Woman, You Strike a Rock”

Gerry Elsdon: “You Strike a Woman, You Strike a Rock”

Beauty and Cosmetics The allure of Dior

Beauty and Cosmetics 20 The allure of Dior

Health and Well-being Beauty in your kitchen

Health and Well-being 24 Beauty in your kitchen

Parenting Corner How to handle commercialised kids

Parenting Corner 26 How to handle commercialised kids

Features 28 How sex sells: The rise of raunch culture 30 Muslim women talk about their “ideal” beauty

How sex sells: The rise of raunch culture Muslim women talk about their “ideal”

Women Who Inspire 32 India Arie: Why she is not her hair

India Arie: Why she is not her hair

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Group Publisher: Afi f Ben Yedder Publisher: Omar Ben Yedder Art Director: Jason Venkatasamy

Editor: Regina Jere-Malanda Editorial Assistant: Carole Lambert Production Manager: Michael Messam

Wow! We are already into our fourth issue? And what a treat we have this month, as we feature four inspirational black women, who are not only drop-dead-gorgeous, but motivating ground breakers in the fi elds of fashion, shoe design, music and charity work. In exclusive heart-warming interviews, Dr Precious MoloiMotsepe, (page 6) Gwen and Abenaa Boadu-Frempong (page 14) and Gerry Elsdon (page16) intimately share with us how they got to the top (and how they are staying there), their lessons in life – and they didn’t even mind sharing those essential beauty tips! Imperatively, though, their collective message to all of us is that beauty is about being yourself. Rosamond Richardson, an author of well-being books, whose tips we feature on page 24, is also apt when she says about beauty: “You don’t have to have model looks to be beautiful. Natural is beautiful. Energy is beautiful. A sense of humour and serenity are beautiful and nothing is lovelier than a genuine smile, radiant good health and a sense of being at ease in our bodies.” I love her advice on beauty perfectionism: “ There is only one thing in nature that is perfect, and that is a snowfl ake. Arm yourself with this mantra: I am not a snowfl ake!” Maybe I can also add Naomi Wolf’s words from her famous book The Beauty Myth: “The woman wins who calls herself beautiful, and challenges the world to truly see her.” We also feature the splendidly poignant India Arie – the “I am not my hair” superstar, who is spot on in her hard-hitting lyrics. Parents – get her music! In the parenting corner, Sophia Mwangi tackles the overcommercialised gift culture gripping most families and how it is affecting children’s upbringing as well as core family values. While we agree that, as parents, most of us love to “spoil” our children with gifts now and then, do we sometimes do more good than harm by embracing the commercial route? Is encouraging our children to “earn” their toys, pocket money etc, good parenting or a form of bribery? In the article The rise of Raunch Culture, we revisit the issue of the ever-growing sexualisation of women in the world today by exploring the issue “How Sex Sells”, as we interview author Ariel Levy. From the arguments she puts forward, we don’t think this issue will be laid to rest any time soon.

lessons in life – and they didn’t even mind sharing those essential beauty tips! Imperatively, though, their collective message to all of us is that beauty is about being yourself. Rosamond Richardson, an author of well-being books, whose tips we feature on page 24, is also apt when she says about beauty: “You

serenity are beautiful and nothing is lovelier than a genuine smile, radiant good health and a sense of being at ease in our bodies.” I love her advice on beauty perfectionism: “ There is only one thing in nature that is perfect, and that is a snowfl ake. Arm yourself with this mantra: I am not a snowfl ake!” Maybe I can also add Naomi Wolf’s words from her famous book The Beauty Myth: “The woman wins who calls herself beautiful, and challenges the world to truly see her.” We also feature the splendidly poignant India Arie – the “I am not my hair” superstar, who is spot on in her hard-hitting lyrics. Parents – get her music! In the parenting corner, Sophia Mwangi tackles the overcommercialised gift culture gripping most families and how it is affecting children’s upbringing as well as core family values. While we agree that, as parents, most of us love to “spoil” our children with gifts now and then, do we sometimes do

Regina Jere-Malanda - Editor r.malanda@africasia.comw

All pictures AFP unless indicated. Registered with the British Library.

November 2008 NEW AFRICAN WOMEN | 3