As an addition to my Black Beauty Artwork Collection, I created a mix media version of my illustrations by mixing the original image and my illustrations together.
I want to take a moment and share this interview with The Dukkan Showand Dina Yassin. I just came across it today, when I was browsing through Sole DXBfeed, so I can update myself on what is happening over there.
While I was listening to what they were saying, I felt that I could relate to everything Dina was saying about her fashion journey because she has moved around from UK, US and Dubai to find her path and purpose.
(*Light Bulb Moment) This is something that I am currently going through, since I have now moved back to UK and to hear about her journey has given me more hope, inspiration and motivation to continue what I am doing and that one day, I will come back to Dubai and work harder.
I was just watching this video sent to me by Guap Magazine, which featured The Slumflower, a London based blogger, who spoke to themabout her journey and what it means to be a black blogger in this world.
What she was saying throughout her interview, really hit me and has defiantly inspired me and motivated me to do more on my blog and my creative work.
I wanted to take this time to show my support to my cousin Muna Gasim. I am so proud of everything she has done, since she has moved from Dubai to Toronto last year for her university. Ever since I can remember, she has always been such an ambitious person and when I brought her onboard to Music World Cup , it was the perfect opportunity for us to spend time together, since it was hard to find time with her being in university and me interning.
Since she has been in Toronto, she has started her own website and YouTube Channel, where she vlogs and discusses food, fashion and lifestyle.
Make sure you follow her on her social media channels
1) When and why did you start your blog? I started blogging around this time last year. Actually when I first created Myconik it wasn’t even supposed to be a blog, I actually had the idea of creating this sort of platform/online magazine where other artists/creatives could share their work. That was the whole idea behind calling it Myconik. It’s really just a pun on the words My and Icon. I really wanted to create this complete lifestyle brand, and I still have high hopes for that. However, I always knew that I loved writing poetry, and articles in general. Myconik was a way for me to use my skills as a writer and to essentially leverage that to hopefully inspire people. Even if I haven’t yet reached that cusp of fame or anything, just being able to help one person makes me smile. That was really the reason I wanted to start blogging, it was to share my life with people and connect with them as a writer and as an artist. I’ve always been infatuated with entrepreneurship, and working for myself. At the end of the day, I guess blogging makes perfect sense for that. It was also about figuring out what I really want to do in life. I think that’s a struggle that a lot of people go through. I’m currently still on that journey, but as an individual that has fallen in love with communication. I think blogging, and now recently vlogging with the launch of my new YouTube channel has really helped me grow, discover myself and share that with people. 2) How would you describe your personal style? I would describe my personal style as a mixture between elegant chic and comfort. I absolutely love textures like silk, and I’m a huge fan of keeping outfits classy but at the same time mixing in comfortable elements like a basic t-shirt or a staple coat that look good no matter what. I think definitely keeping it chic, and classy is important to me. I also love simplicity and for me style is definitely all about confidence and how you carry yourself way more than the clothes you wear. That being said if I were to describe my style in a few words it would probably be classy chic with a hint of street. 3) What are your must haves for winter? Well, living in Canada I highly recommend investing in a good winter jacket from Canada Goose or Mackage. I personally love a big black winter jacket, I think they look really cool and you can never go wrong with black. I also love an oversized denim jacket because they are versatile, they go with so many outfits, and you can literally throw it over a fitted t-shirt some jeans or palazzo pants and head out the door, which is a major plus for those busy university days. 4) Who are your fashion inspirations? For fashion I’m actually so inspired by Instagram. I don’t have one individual fashion inspiration but I love looking at pages that have a sort of grungy and glamorous aesthetic. I’m obsessed with peachy/nudes, khaki and greys. I think they look so elegant. I think Camilla Coehlo has an amazing fashion sense. 5) What tips do you have for blogging and vlogging
I think the biggest tip for anyone who wants to start blogging or vlogging is to start, to not be afraid of taking a risk, and to make it a commitment in your life. A lot of people think it is much easier than it looks, but really it is a full-time job and it takes effort and hard work if you want to succeed. Make sure you are aware of that commitment before you start, when I first started I didn’t know balancing university with blogging would be as much work as it really was but if you love it, it is worth it. Also understand the art of compartmentalising tasks and focus on doing things well. Right now since I just started my YouTube I’ve been focusing on that and haven’t updated my website as regularly however that is because I am focused on establishing my YouTube channel and then I plan to go back to regularly writing blog posts. As I said earlier, it’s all about discovery and trying to find your niche, I’m still on that journey. Make sure you surround yourself with people who are supportive but remember at the end of the day you should be your own biggest motivator. Also don’t be impatient, trust yourself, and your instincts, try and learn and improve your craft. Blog about what you are passionate about, don’t ever try to be fake or pretend to be someone you’re not. You’re not going to be liked by everyone but honestly who cares. Just be yourself, and vlog/blog about things you truly love. Also, don’t be too hard on yourself if things don’t pick up in the beginning, and if it’s something you really want to do then keep on pushing hard and stick to it. Make sure you are passionate and always look at the bright side. If you want to be successful you have to work for it and don’t define success by the approval or the opinions of others, figure out what success means to you, and work for it. Not everyone wants to famous and not everyone has the same conception of success, so be honest with yourself, and figure out what your goal actually is.
Posted By Urbanista ( Azza Gasim) Follow me on Twitter/Instagram (@azza_urbanista)
Since I have moved back to UK, I have missed out on attending my favourite event in Dubai, which is Sole DXB. It is one of those events where you are surrounded by like minded people who enjoy the urban culture.
The first time I attended this event was in 2012 and I was beyond excited to meet new people and most importantly, seeing how the urban culture has influenced the people living in Dubai. It was something so inspiring that I wanted continue my support to them and attend as many of these events as I could. By doing this, it helped me build strong connections with the founders, vendors, sneaker-head enthusiasts, break dancers, designers..etc and I hope that one day, once I have found my purpose in life, they can help motivate me.
This year, sadly I will be missing it again! But I hope they can live stream the talks or even post them on YouTube so I can watch and be part of the moment.
Anyone, who is currently in Dubai right now, here is the program of what you can expect from this years event.
They have also released a new short film by Amirah Tajdin called "Grits. Grace Gold." This film talks about the bboy culture expanding in Middle East and what the urban culture means to these young talented dancers.
As I was catching up with all my news feeds on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram this morning, I remembered that Solange Knowles was performing on two songs; "Cranes In The Sky" and "Don't Touch My Hair" from her new album " *A Seat At the Table"on Saturday Night Live.
Watching both performances, reminded me of all the reasons of why she such a big inspiration and it also took me back to the time when I met her in Dubai in 2013.
Link: http://urbanistafashionblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/vogue-italia-fashion-experience-2013.html
One thing I noticed about her performances was that one of her background singers, was Mayah Denyelle Dyson, who happened to be on Kelly Rowland's tv show "Chasing Destiny". Mayah was one of my favourite contenders from the show and even though she didn't make it to the final group, having this experience of performing with Solange Knowles on Saturday Night Live has defiantly inspired me to work hard.
Luckily for me, after Mayah's experience with Chasing Destiny, she was kind enough to a q&a with me for my blog.
.png)
