R&B Superstar R. Kelly to Perform For The First Time Ever in Africa

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- On Saturday, 20 June 2009, the inaugural ARISE Africa Fashion Awards will bring ARISE Africa Fashion Week (June 12th - 20th) to an exciting conclusion, with one designer winning the once-in-a-lifetime chance to present at New York Fashion Week in the ARISE Africa Rising show in September. A world-class launching pad for the continent's most promising designers, ARISE Africa Fashion Week -- presented by ARISE Magazine and produced by African Fashion International (AFI) -- will present dozens of collections from across Africa, in Johannesburg.

The awards ceremony will take place at the Sandton Convention Center, Johannesburg, in the sumptuous Pavilion Room from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. A panel of fashion insiders and experts will present awards to designers and models in several categories, including Designer of the Year, New Face of the Year and an Award for Innovation. In addition, esteemed humanitarian, philanthropist and former First Lady of France Cecilia Attias will deliver the keynote address, "The Promise of Africa." Recently she founded the Cecilia Attias Foundation to support non-governmental organizations in the improvement of women's lives globally.

Nduka Obaigbena, ARISE founder and THISDAY GROUP Chairman, said, "The moment for Africa is upon us. At this time of global economic crisis, the people of Africa must turn disadvantage into opportunity and show the world that we are witnessing the first green shoots of the emerging African century. We have all it takes and we're going for it!"

Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe, Founder of Africa Fashion Week and the Africa Fashion Awards, said, "Our goal is to promote and recognize the best of African fashion talent on a global scale and the ARISE Africa Fashion Awards is a further step towards fulfillment of this goal."

Nduka Obaigbena and African Fashion International Chairperson, Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe, will present the Lifetime Achievement Award to a surprise honoree.

Among the event's highlights will be a command performance from international, platinum-selling recording artist R. Kelly. R. Kelly's appearance at the ARISE Africa Fashion Awards kicks off a multi-city tour through Africa and ends in London. R.Kelly said, "I'm very excited about my first visit to Africa, I've dreamed about this for a long time and it's finally here. It will be one of the highlights of not only my career but my life. I can't wait to perform in front of my fans in Africa -- who have been some of the best in the world." THISDAY Music and Fashion Festivals, have brought music and fashion icons as well as world and business leaders, to Lagos, Abuja, London and Washington, DC, including Bill Clinton, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Rihanna, Usher and many more.

ARISE Africa Fashion Week launches at a unique moment in history. The U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama's preference for young, multicultural designers, European fashion houses' rage for African motifs and Italian Vogue's recent best-selling issue on black style all point to an unprecedented opportunity for African designers. The ARISE Africa Fashion Awards will train the spotlight on the source of all this inspiration, Africa, and will provide a platform from which its gifted designers can launch international careers and businesses.

ARISE Africa Fashion Week has already confirmed the participation of over 51 of the best African fashion designers from 20 countries and all regions of the continent. ARISE Africa Fashion Week is set to become an annual event hosted by different countries on the continent each year following 2010, with Nigeria expected to host the event in 2011. Organizers, African Fashion International, are confident that it will become one of the world's major perennial, must-attend fashion events.

THISDAY Music Festival Starring R. Kelly, Presented by ARISE Magazine, tour schedule:

Saturday, June 27th at the Superbowl in Sun City

Monday, June 29th at the Grand West Casino in Cape Town

Friday, July 3rd at the THISDAY Dome in Abuja, Nigeria

Saturday, July 4th and Sunday, July 5th in Lagos, Nigeria

Wednesday, July 8th at Wembley Arena in London, UK

Tickets will be available at Computicket.

www.computicket.com

ARISE Magazine

ARISE, launched in February 2009, is the world's first magazine on global African style, culture, business and politics. Produced in London, ARISE is published by THISDAY Media Group, Leaders & Company Ltd, one of Africa's leading daily news outlets. THISDAY events, including the THISDAY Awards and THISDAY Music and Fashion Festivals, have brought music and fashion icons as well as world and business leaders to Lagos, Abuja, London and Washington, DC, including Bill Clinton, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Rihanna, Usher and many more. ARISE is aimed at a readership throughout the global African Diaspora with an interest in the cultural successes and positive social developments coming out of the continent. Its editorial content and quality are tailored to appeal to young and affluent readers.

ARISE is published by THISDAY Media Group, Leaders & Company Ltd.

+44 207 292 8900

+44 207 440 1100

www.arisemagazine.net

African Fashion International (AFI)

African Fashion International (AFI), founded, owns and operates the African continent's most anticipated and directional fashion weeks, namely Cape Town Fashion Week, Durban Fashion Week (50% ownership), Audi JoBurg Fashion Week (autumn/winter), JoBurg Fashion Week (spring/summer) and Arise Africa Fashion Week, in addition to other fashion-related strategic marketing initiatives.

AFI values key company traits of excellence, innovation, transformation, development, relationship building and integrity.

AFI strives to be globally recognized as the leading authority on African fashion-related strategic marketing initiatives and African fashion brands. AFI aims to improve the quality of fashion design output from Africa, to promote African brands, and to dramatically raise the profile of fashion designers from the continent.

AFI is spearheaded by Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe, Chairperson.

+27 11 269 6960

www.africanfashioninternational.com