Samata Angel
Samata Angel (born as Samata Elizabeth Catherine Abudulai 23rd January) is an award-winning fashion entrepreneur, author and designer who specializes in women’s wear. Samata is a British African whose family originates from Ghana, West Africa. Angel is CEO of Samata's Muse clothing label. She first came under the public eye when she made history and became the first black British female to show during the Nolcha Fashion Week in New York and after being featured on prominent black entertainment website Concrete Loop for this achievement. Samata recently published a guide book series for emerging fashion designers in business start up.
Biography
Early life
Samata Angel was born Samata Elizabeth Abudulai and uses the alias 'Angel' as her design name. She was born and raised in Cambridge, UK and is the middle daughter of two Ghanaian parents. Angel grew up in Cambridge and moved to London to pursue a degree in Economics, Finance and Management from Queen Mary, University of London. Her primary reason for selecting this degree was due to the demands of her academic-minded parents, particularly her mother who holds a degree from a university in Cambridge (as does her father).
Fashion debut
Since moving to London from Cambridge in 2001, Samata has worked in and around the fashion industry. Whilst at university was heavily involved in London’s fashion scene, working for boutiques and assisting backstage at fashion shows for brands such as Ugly Kids Club. Upon graduating Samata landed a job as Head of Marketing and Sales for a clothing label following a boutique’s recommendation. She then went on to work as Head of PR for Elival Fashion Incubator, a 3-storey boutique in the prestigious King's Road area of London for under a year. At the time she was arguably the youngest Head of PR for such a sizeable boutique. When the boutique closed Samata set up her clothing label Samata's Muse, focused on producing clothing for women.
Achievements and career success
Samata is a promiment face of British fashion and is often named a key face on the British scene. . Angel has been featured on global websites and in magazines and newspapers such as Vogue, Look Magazine (UK), Pride Magazine, New Nation, Concrete Loop, Fashion Capital and Fashion Africa. To date Samata counts Jenny Holloway, Terry Mansfield and Charles Thompson (Screen Nation Film & TV Awards) as her mentors.
Since launching Samata’s Muse has been recognised through awards and nominations including UK Urban Fashion Award 'Best Couture Line 2006 '(Winner), British Female Inventor and Innovator network’s 'Exceptionally Creative Award 2006' (Finalist) Aristoc’s 'Ultra Woman of 2007' (Finalist), UK Urban Fashion Award 'Best Womenswear Designer 2007' (Finalist), Cosmopolitan magazine’s 'Future Fashion Star of 2008' (Finalist), Precious ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2008’ (Winner)., Dods and Scottish Widows 'Entrepreneur of the Year 2009' (Finalist), Shell LiveWIRE Grand Ideas Prize (Finalist).
In 2007 Samata became the first Black British female to show during the Nolcha Fashion Week 1 and was profiled by leading black entertainment logo Concrete Loop . In 2007 Angel was made an Ambassador for Girls! Make your Mark campaign 2, a national campaign to encourage more young women to have ideas and make them happen either through running their own business or social enterprise or by making an idea happen at work. She actively encourages young people into enterprise through public speaking engagements and has spoken at a number of events including at the Leicester Square Odeon in London for ’4Entrepreneurs’, alongside Ruth Badger and Levi Roots, and at the Ministry of Justice Women's Issues Network (WIN) and Brilliant Women conference alongside Patricia Scotland, Baroness Scotland of Asthal and Margaret Mountford.
Notable industry work
During 2007, Samata was also made Fashion Editor of The Talent Magazine, a confident, young and inspiring new glossy set to promote emerging talent. Angel is rumored to have been the mastermind and creative drive behind the fashion content of the magazine which she left months after its launch 3 4. Whilst working as Fashion Editor of the Talent magazine, Samata worked on putting together an issue focusing on key industry issues affecting models, fashion designers and other industry creatives. In particular, her work on this issue impacted teen and male models (Samata interview the Gregory Triplets (three brothers taking the modelling world by storm), providing information and useful guidance to protect and inform during their early career. For the front cover of the first issue of the magazine Samata styled the front cover photo shoot, using British actor Nicholas Hoult and 14-year old model Jessica Pain. The magazine was distributed nationally to 3000 casting directors, modelling agencies, production houses, directors and TV companies, in addition to 20,000 copies circulated quarterly around the UK to all newsagents, Tesco, Borders and WH Smith.
Fashion Journalism
Samata Angel also works as a freelance journalist for leading British fashion website, Fashion Capital, covering key industry events, fashion weeks, industry parties and maintaining a blog for fashion designers through the website. *Angel, Samata. "Samata Angel for Fashion Capital", Fashion Capital, (March 2009)
Philanthropy
In December 2007 Samata traveled to Sierra Leone for a music festival to raise funds for a community development project. Samata organised the fashion show element of the production, coaching models from the UK and from Sierra Leone on runway (fashion) walking. Samt was actively involved in recruiting celebrities and models to take part and support the event, including Blood Diamond actor David Harewood, Screen Nation Award founder Charles Thompson, recording artist Sway DaSafo, MTV’s ‘Making the Band 4’ star Dawn Angelique Richard of multi-platinum group Danity Kane and United Nations World Food Programme initiative CatWALK the World.
Samata also promotes charity Hives Save Lives in media interviews.
Books
Samata’s work within the fashion industry has impacted and inspired a number of groups, namely fashion design students and aspiring designer, women in business, particularly of ethnic backgrounds, entrepreneurs and talented creatives. After carrying out research within the fashion industry on key industry issues Samata launched a guide book series which provides much needed business acumen to fashion design graduates. In September 2008 'Fashioning your Life - A Clothing Designer's Guide' launched providing advice in the fields of marketing, promoting, manufacturing, setting up, money management, design copyright and other important areas. Volume 1 and Volume 2 have been published through Lulu (Company) and feature exclusive quotes from the likes of Nigel Barker (photographer) and Nick Ede. Also listed in the book series are the top fashion schools in the world including Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and Parsons The New School for Design. Samata also occasionally talks at schools and fashion colleges such as London College of Fashion to educate and inspire students hoping to work in the fashion industry.
Future projects
Samata is under consideration for a role in a future James Bond film after producers saw her in a video from the Samata's Muse YouTube channel entitled 'Samata Angel at Elival'.
Music
Samata Angel also uses the name Samata X for her music activities. She is a musician who has recorded with hit-producer DaVinChe.
References
- http://lulublog.com/2009/04/03/lulu-author-samata-angel
- http://globalgrind.com/content/489718/Rapper-SWAY-shouts-out-Ghanaian-star-Samata-Angel
- http://globalgrind.com/content/490149/Samata-Angel-for-Bond-Role?sc=1
- http://www.womeninpubliclifeawards.co.uk/shortlist_info.asp?id=33
- http://www.fashioncapital.co.uk/News/London_Fashion_Weekend_In_Association_With_Elle_By_Samata_Angel.html
- http://www.fashionafrica.com/blog/haute-reads-sit-back-relax/
- http://www.makeyourmark.org.uk/inspiring_stories/samata_angel
- http://concreteloop.com/2007/08/designer-spotlight-samatas-muse
- http://www.clickwalla.com/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1519&Itemid=45
- http://www.pressinformation.co.uk/articles.php?article=150
- http://www.fashionafrica.com/features/interview-whos-haute-samata-angel-of-samatas-muse/
- http://uk-face.glam.com/articles/detail/designer_to_watch_samata_angel/
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