AphroChic Magazine: Issue No. 11

2023 has started off with a bang and AphroChic magazine is back, shining spotlights on
all of the beautiful, fantastic, and amazing bits of culture that our community has to offer.
Before we dive in, the editors of this magazine have to take a second to thank everyone
for the love that’s been shown to our latest book, APHROCHIC: Celebrating the Legacy of
the Black Family Home. The press has been great and the reviews are fantastic, but what
moves us most has been seeing what this book means to you. The pictures we’ve seen and
received from people happily posing with the book, styling their homes with it, or even
spotting it at their favorite bookstores, along with your kind words, has been so uplifting
that we really can’t thank you enough.
But enough about us. We have a whole diaspora of talent to see and there’s no time to waste. For our cover story, we take
you to Memphis, where designer David Quarles IV, is taking the local food scene all the way to Spain with his magical design of
Chef Kelly English’s new Tapas bar, Pantà. Then, we are very excited to introduce our new fashion editor, Krystle DeSantos, as
she explores the bright, energetic designs of KAHINDO, led by Ugandan designer, Kahindo Mateen. In addition to ultra-modern
silhouettes and vibrant colors with culturally-grounded patterns, Kahindo offers a look at the future of the inner workings
of the design industry with an eye towards sustainability and fair working practices. From there we head to Natchitoches in
northern Louisiana for a taste of history. From the pages of her new book, Life is What You Bake It, author and winner of The
Great American Baking Show’s fourth season, Vallery Lomas, introduces us to the world of Natchitoches meat pies. The flaky,
hand-sized pastries are an authentic taste of Louisiana.
Sated in body, we turn to the search for peace of mind, taking in the atmospheric tones of Baltimore musician John Tyler’s
Music to Free Your Spirit, a reflection of the composer’s personal search for peace in response to the turmoil and crisis that
have characterized the last few years. Then we cast an appreciative eye towards the abstract artistry of boucherouite rugs, the
handwoven “rag rugs” of Morocco that are increasingly finding appreciation as works of modern art. Following that sense of
wanderlust, we go from Morocco to Italy to spend 24 hours in Bologna, a city with thousands of years of history and architecture,
paired with a food culture that is worth the trip.
On the conceptual side, we further our look at the social and sociological dimensions of interior design with an analysis
of our own living room, where womanist concepts were used to create the space we lovingly refer to as the Womb Room.
We also take another step deeper into Diaspora, looking at how the lenses of Diaspora offered by various frameworks —
beginning with the Triadic model of Joseph Harris — shape our experiences and expectations of each other.
Finally, we profile artist, designer, and sculptor Jessica Jean-Baptiste. The Haitian-born artist’s latest works — the Jamal
and Keisha busts — are a delicate and affectionate look at the faces of Black women and men as we rarely see them. We join
Jessica in exploring her own path to artistry, its role in her ongoing discovery of herself and her culture, and the freedom she
finds in sculpture.
So sit back, relax, and enjoy.
Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason
Founders, AphroChic
Instagram: @aphrochic
editors’ letter
Jeanine and Bryan with
Ola Ronke Akinmowo, at
her community space in
Brooklyn, The Free Black
Women's Library, for a book
signing event celebrating
the launch of AphroChic:
Celebrating the Legacy of
the Black Family Home.