It’s not easy being a critic, but it’s harder not to be. Of all all beings with eight legs the tick is probably the most detested, it sucks life-juice (aka blood) right out of mammals with which it probably doesn’t even share a blood group. Critics on the other hand are usually slanted towards a single blood type, B-negative.
In my critic phase things were probably easier, but they were also much more boring. If I found something wrong with a design or I disliked an aesthetic all I could do was talk about it. My days were full of scouring digital tomes, websites, social media and (no judging please) celeb gossip sites. It was an easy path, a straight and even path and a dreadfully wide one as well. Everyone is a critic really, so this road was rather crowded ( the traffic was terrible I tell you).
Maybe I was dissatisfied with doing too little, but Insomnia soon followed. Sleep eludes you if you have a billion great ideas and no way to see them materialized. I am not old enough yet for cynicism, idealism is more of my thing, and I guess there wasn’t enough of a social motive in a life as a fashion maven-cum-writer-cum-critic-cum-historian-cum-etc.
A higher calling is a terrible thing to run away from, trust me, and fate has a way of catching up with you. I started with one slightly passable idea, threw my time, energy and lunch money into it and watched my baby grow. The idea spiralled out of control, growing bigger and more concise at every turn. Now after many months afk, I finally have the chance to put my words down on paper (or more precisely, on server).
4th Repvblik wasn’t that novel an idea, an urban-heritage-afropolitan brand? words are one thing but to create a new point of difference in a market is very difficult. To those who think it’s just about making a nice product, I’m sorry, the business doesn’t run that way anymore. I moved from the ego-centricity of a eponymous brand to thinking about the strength (and possibly less creative freedom) of a fashion brand. It was a symbol of a brand new revolution in itself and maybe it was just what I needed.
The work wasn’t easy either. Every plan falls apart as soon as the battle starts and 4th Repvblik was no different. Rain, sunshine and empty pockets were just a few of the problems that assaulted me, and soon the meaning of Alicia Keys’ line “Hunger from more than an empty fridge” (Empire State of Mind) became a very real part of my life when deadlines were far from met and debtors started knocking. If you think all battles are fought with artillery, think again.
Thank God though for my soldiers, brave Officers in the battle for a revolution for change in a nation we now referred to as ‘The Repvblik’ these men and women are most of the reason we still stand. Support also came from some of the most unexpected places, family, friends and comrades of like minds.
Fragmenting my life into compartments has not been easy, and frequently the compartments mess up but I wouldn’t give it up for the world.So what is my life now?: Researching on ways to improve access to sanitation and water to Ghana’s poor on one side and Creating amazing stuff for people to wear whilst pushing a positive social agenda on the other. I don’t know about how you see it, but I sleep much better now.
Spider (real name: Temi Adeola) is a reality twisting Magus with a strange past which includes patricide. She kinda-sorta saved the life of Carlos, below, and he is eternally grateful.
Kwesi Woode 