Samata (fashion designer)
Samata, formerly known as Samata Angel, is a fashion entrepreneur and presenter. The British-born Ghanaian fashion designer, author and journalist is also best known for her role as Global Campaign Director for Suzy Amis Cameron's Red Carpet Green Dress campaign showcasing ethical fashion on the Oscars red carpet.[1] Samata has written for Guardian,[2] Vogue and Huffington Post,[3] covering sustainable fashion. She is an award-winning womenswear designer whose work in the fields of fashion and sustainability have received coverage from BBC Radio 1Xtra, Essence, ITV's This Morning, E! Entertainment, Women’s Wear Daily, ELLE, InStyle, Essence, Refinery 29 and Red Magazine.[4]
Early life and education
Born Samata Abudulai on 23 January in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, Samata is the middle daughter of Ghanaian parents. Her paternal grandfather was the tribal Chief Yo Naa Abdulai III[5] of the Dagomba people. Samata attended Perse School For Girls Secondary School and Sixth Form College[6] (returning in 2013 to join speakers Sir Gregory Winter and Dr. Harren Jhoti).[7] Eight months after starting an undergraduate degree in Therapeutic Radiography at City University, she switched degrees to study Economics, Finance and Management at QMUL.[8]
Fashion career
Samata began her fashion career as a PR Director for exclusive Kings Road boutique Elival[9] and a self-taught (autodidact designer). In 2005 Samata launched Samata's Muse (now Samata) working with Ken Livingstone on the Festival of Youth Arts Fashion in Piccadilly Circus, going on to become the first British female to show during Nolcha Fashion Week, New York.[10][11][12]
While designing her eponymous womenswear clothing label, the brand was worn by Dawn Angeliqué Richard, Alesha Dixon and Jennifer Lopez. Samata has been invited to Number 10 Downing Street by both Gordon Brown[13] and the Cameron administration for her work in the fashion industry.
On 13 February 201, Samata was announced as the winner of Suzy Amis Cameron's Red Carpet Green Dress contest, an international design initiative to create designs made of sustainable for the Oscars' red carpet.[14] Samata was later named Global Campaign Director of the initiative going on to direct campaigns with Gina Rodriguez, Jake McDorman, Naomie Harris, Olga Kurylenko, Kellan Lutz and Missi Pyle as talent, working with Ekocycle and Vivienne Westwood.[15][16] Samata presents at the Red Carpet Green Dress Pre-Oscar celebrations in Hollywood each year.[17][18]
Fashion journalism and broadcasting
From 2007 and until its closure, Samata was Fashion Editor of The Talent Magazine,[19][20] presenting at the Channel 4 Magazine launch,[21] and styling actor Nicholas Holt[22] for the first cover issue. Samata's journalism work extends to articles for The Guardian, Vuelio, Fashion Capital and Vogue UK, most notably on the subject of sustainable fashion and fashion enterprise. Her London Fashion Week coverage for the Guardian coined the phrase 'Eco-Ghosting'. Samata's interviewees include Suzy Amis Cameron, Missi Pyle, Dame Vivienne Westwood, Georgina Chapman, Keren Craig, J W Anderson, Christopher Bailey and Paul Costelloe. Samata has been interviewed by Berkeley College and Radio 1 Xtra DJ Gemma Cairney for the Brits 'Gossip and Fashion Friday' section.ion.[23]
Published work
After signing a publishing deal with Bloomsbury Publishing, the Fashion Designer's Resource Book[24] was published by Bloomsbury Publishing in February 2013.[25][26] Samata has been interviewed by the U.S Department of State Bureau of International Information Programs,[27] ELLE[28] and InStyle[29] about her book.
Samata's first fiction manuscript, a young adult dystopian, is currently under edit.
Public speaking
Samata joined Levi Roots,[30] Baroness Scotland, and Ruth Badger[31] at the ODEON Leicester Square as a speaker. On 28 March 2011 Samata was one of three invited to the launch of StartUp Britain, addressing PM David Cameron, George Osborne, Peter Jones, Doug Richard, Vince Cable and an audience of MPs, entrepreneurs and media.[32]
Samata works as a guest lecturer and has spoken at conferences and fashion colleges such as SXSW Eco,[33][34] Central St Martins, London College of Fashion,[35] Berkeley,[36] Ravensbourne and Fashion Institute of Technology.[37][38]
Samata used to write poetry and in 2006 was invited to perform spoken word[39] at the Tate Modern for the Surrealism and Minimalism Festival.[40]
Philanthropy
In 2006 Samata recorded a spoken word charity single for music project entitled Enfants Soldats.[41] Her spoken-word piece "My Right to Be a Child"[42] raised awareness about child soldiers.[43]
In December 2007 Samata organised a fashion show as part of a fundraising concert in Freetown, Sierra Leone for a public sanitation project. She worked with SWAY, Dawn Richards, and WFP initiative CatWALK the World.
In September 2009 Samata designed costumes for the ITV News team[44] as part of the 'Newsroom's Got Talent'[45] fundraiser benefitting Leonard Cheshire Disability and Helen & Douglas House Hospice for Children and Young Adults.[46] The designer exclusively dressed the likes of Romilly Weeks, journalist Steve Scott and Katie Derham for a Grease tribute performance,[47][48] in addition to donating a gown.
A keen philanthropist, Samata raises funds for America's soon-to-be first plant-based school,[49] MUSE School CA, founded by Suzy Amis Cameron and James Cameron, and is an advocate for international organisation Women for Women.
Associated organisations and honours
- Women for Women International charity[50]
- Peter Jones' Make Your Mark Campaign (Ambassador[51])
- Global Entrepreneurship Week (Ambassador for UK and Ghana[52][53])
- Transathlantic Network 2020,[54] a British Council initiative (Selected Member[55])
- Courvoisier's Future 500[56] (Ambassador)
- Red Magazine Top 20 Under 30 and One to Watch[57][58]
- Black Women in Europe PowerList 2010 (Selected Member[59][60])
- SpecSavers Everywoman in Retail (Finalist[61])
Samata is one of Ghana's promiment fashion industry members and was amongst a select group invited by High Commissioner His Excellency Professor Kwaku Danso-Boafo to attend the Screen Nation 'Sons and Daughters of Ghana'[62] at the Ghanaian High Commission. Samata judged the Top Model of Colour finale in The Gambia,[63][64] meeting President of The Gambia, Yahya AJJ Jammeh.
Citations
- ↑ http://www.vogue.co.uk/article/samata-angel
- ↑ http://journalisted.com/samata-pattinson
- ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/samata
- ↑ "20 under 30". www.redonline.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Dagbonweb.com - Timeline Photos | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Stephen Perse Alumni eNewsletter November 2015". us2.campaign-archive1.com. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Inspire Me: entrepreneurship and innovation - Stephen Perse Foundation". Stephen Perse Foundation. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Samata Pattinson". www.qmul.ac.uk. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
- ↑ "Elival, Kings Road, London". LondonTown. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Nolcha Fashion Week - the Fashion Spot". forums.thefashionspot.com. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Nolcha Presents Nolcha Fashion Week: NYC | Fashion Trendsetter". www.fashiontrendsetter.com. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "MSLK and Nolcha Help Launch the Next Top Designer". mslk.com. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Samata Angel named Best Young Designer at 1st annual BEFFTA Awards and meets Prime Minister Gordon Brown". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Winning Designs". Vogue UK. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Climate Revolution". climaterevolution.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Vivienne Westwood to Mentor Red Carpet Green Dress Contest Winner". ELLE. 2012-10-22. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ Red Carpet Green Dress Pre-Oscar Celebration, retrieved 2015-11-26
- ↑ Red Carpet Green Dress 5th Year Anniversary Party, Palihouse, Los Angeles, retrieved 2015-11-26
- ↑ "New magazine for emerging talent in fashion, film, photography and presenting - Ethnic Now". Ethnic Now. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "A taste of new talent". the Guardian. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "La Mode de Yolande: The Talent Magazine Launch". yolandeletshou.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Summer | The Talent Magazine - Nicholas Hoult Fan". nicholas-hoult.org. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Brits Gossip and Fashion Friday, Gemma Cairney - BBC Radio 1Xtra". BBC. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ Fashion Designer's Resource Book
- ↑ "Fashion Designer's Resource Book". Bloomsbury Publishing. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Bloomsbury - Samata Angel - Samata Angel". www.bloomsbury.com. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Unleashing the Entrepreneurial Energy of the Young | IIP Digital". iipdigital.usembassy.gov. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Fashion—But Were Too Afraid to Ask". ELLE. 2013-07-08. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "InStyle loves Samata Angel's must-read fashion book". InStyle UK. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Notley High School NEWSLETTER, 4 Entrepreneurs Conference, London".
- ↑ "Alchemy in the Odeon | Enterprise Rich". enterpriserich.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Oli Barrett chairs Stars of the Future debate at StartUp Britain launch".
- ↑ "Past Speakers". SXSW Eco. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "SXSW Eco Programme Guide 2012" (PDF).
- ↑ "Inside the Industry: In conversation with Samata Angel - London College of Fashion". LCF News. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Berkeley Bold Fall 2014". Issuu. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Invitation to attend Special Guest Lecture Panel on "Global Sustainable Design and Marketing" at FIT on September 27th, 2012.". Global and Green. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Global and Green". Global and Green. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "SKATE AT TATE AND MORE AT FREE FESTIVAL THIS WEEK!!". Sidewalk Skateboarding Forum | Chat For Skateboarders. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Tate Modern announces major arts festival | Tate". www.tate.org.uk. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Enfants Soldats D'ci & D'ailleurs". www.enfants-soldats.com. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ My Right To Be A Child, retrieved 2015-11-26
- ↑ "Enfants soldats : un collectifsort un album". L'Obs (in French). Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Fiona Bruce as a cowgirl and Jon Snow as a hippy: Newsreaders as you've never seen them before". Mail Online. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ 'Newsroom's Got Talent'
- ↑ "NGT 2013 | At The O2, London". newsroomsgottalent.com. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Piers Morgan and Arlene Phillips judge newsreaders' talent show". Metro. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "ITV News - Newsroom's Got Talent - Grease Medley".
- ↑ "1st U.S. School To Go Vegan • The Raw Food World News". The Raw Food World News. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ Women for Women International
- ↑ "chataboutmoney - personal finance webchat - Take control today - Women mean business!". www.chataboutmoney.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "News". Global Entrepreneurship Network. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Unleashing the Entrepreneurial Energy of the Young". montevideovisas.usembassy.gov. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Talking Transatlantic… The role of the arts in Intercontinental Dialogue and Leadership Development". UMS Lobby. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "TN2020 Members". www.google.com. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/courvoisierr-the-future-500---be-inspired-to-succeed-154891505.html
- ↑ "20 under 30". www.redonline.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Red magazine's 20 Under 30: 'The Hot List'". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Samata Angel | Black Women in Europe ™ Blog". blog.blackwomenineurope.com. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "2010 | Black Women in Europe ™ Blog | Page 2". blog.blackwomenineurope.com. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Specsavers Everywoman In Retail Awards 2009 Finalists Announced | Fresh Business Thinking". Fresh Business Thinking. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ Sons & Daughters of Ghana, retrieved 2015-11-26
- ↑ "Top Model of Colour finale in The Gambia". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
- ↑ "Mr Mahogany 2009 Review (Very Brief)...". www.fashionsfinest.com. Retrieved 2015-11-26.