Walk down the street in Tokyo, and there will be echoes of it everywhere. The subtle, sophisticated chic of iki was born during Japan's Edo period and still defines Tokyo's modern urban pulse. It's seen as a core value in Japanese taste and behavior, from the way people dress to how they express themselves. So what is iki? In its most basic form it's an aesthetic ideal: a subtle, effortless elegance that values authenticity, refinement and unpretentious style. In response to strict social codes banning overt displays of wealth, the merchant class of Edo developed iki as a discreet form of rebellion. Subtle details like luxurious kimono linings or intricate accessories were hidden beneath plain exteriors. Over time this urban code filtered from fashion into the arts - which for the first time in Edo society were flourishing beyond the upper class. Hanako Montgomery explores her home city Tokyo through the lens of its former Edo identity. She traces the footsteps of the people that fashioned iki, and meets the Tokyoites of today keeping this urban code of understated cool alive today through fashion, art and poetry.
As tourist numbers continue to rise worldwide, African wildlife parks are facing unprecedented challenges. In Kenya's iconic Masai Mara Reserve, the home of the Great Migration and one of the natural wonders of the world, the number of wildebeest migrating has dropped as tourist numbers have gone up. We take a look at the delicate balancing act required to ensure the preservation of the migration with evergrowing travel demands. Also: ranked one of Africa's growing companies by the Financial Times in 2024, Hubtel originally began two decades ago as a messaging company in Ghana. Since then, it's turned into an e-payments and commerce behemoth with 23 offices across Ghana. We spoke to CEO Alex Bram about the company's pivot towards fintech, growth strategy, and the importance of staying purely self funded within Ghana.
African Voices starts a new chapter as we focus on some of the Changemakers who are coming up with innovative ways to have a positive impact on their communities.
African Voices starts a new chapter as we focus on some of the Changemakers who are coming up with innovative ways to have a positive impact on their communities.
Walk down the street in Tokyo, and there will be echoes of it everywhere. The subtle, sophisticated chic of iki was born during Japan's Edo period and still defines Tokyo's modern urban pulse. It's seen as a core value in Japanese taste and behavior, from the way people dress to how they express themselves. So what is iki? In its most basic form it's an aesthetic ideal: a subtle, effortless elegance that values authenticity, refinement and unpretentious style. In response to strict social codes banning overt displays of wealth, the merchant class of Edo developed iki as a discreet form of rebellion. Subtle details like luxurious kimono linings or intricate accessories were hidden beneath plain exteriors. Over time this urban code filtered from fashion into the arts - which for the first time in Edo society were flourishing beyond the upper class. Hanako Montgomery explores her home city Tokyo through the lens of its former Edo identity. She traces the footsteps of the people that fashioned iki, and meets the Tokyoites of today keeping this urban code of understated cool alive today through fashion, art and poetry.
We hit the red carpet for a look at the state of Europe's film industry, from Venice to London. In the face of economic uncertainty and rising tariffs, how will the creative industry respond? As countries like Italy and the UK replace Hollywood as the go-to destinations for on-location shooting, we speak to some of the major players in the industry to find out how Europe has catapulted itself forward, and whether it can stay at the front of the pack.
Rising dramatically from the plains of southern Malawi, Mount Mulanje is a soaring granite massif known as the "Island in the Sky." It is home to a fragile and unique ecosystem and at its heart stands the Mulanje cedar , a tree so rare it's found nowhere else on Earth. Once covering vast slopes of the mountain, the cedar is now critically endangered. Illegal logging, wildfires, and climate change have brought it to the brink, with only a handful of mature, seed-producing trees ever documented in recent years. Declared Malawi's national tree, the cedar has become a symbol of both loss and resilience. We explore the bold and deeply collaborative effort to bring this species back from the edge. At the core of this movement are local Malawians, young men and women who grow thousands of cedar seedlings in grassroots nurseries, carry them in woven baskets to high- altitude planting sites, and spend days traversing rugged trails to restore what's been lost. Their work is physically demanding and often overlooked, but essential to the project's success.
Rising dramatically from the plains of southern Malawi, Mount Mulanje is a soaring granite massif known as the "Island in the Sky." It is home to a fragile and unique ecosystem and at its heart stands the Mulanje cedar , a tree so rare it's found nowhere else on Earth. Once covering vast slopes of the mountain, the cedar is now critically endangered. Illegal logging, wildfires, and climate change have brought it to the brink, with only a handful of mature, seed-producing trees ever documented in recent years. Declared Malawi's national tree, the cedar has become a symbol of both loss and resilience. We explore the bold and deeply collaborative effort to bring this species back from the edge. At the core of this movement are local Malawians, young men and women who grow thousands of cedar seedlings in grassroots nurseries, carry them in woven baskets to high- altitude planting sites, and spend days traversing rugged trails to restore what's been lost. Their work is physically demanding and often overlooked, but essential to the project's success.
African Voices starts a new chapter as we focus on some of the Changemakers who are coming up with innovative ways to have a positive impact on their communities.
Walk down the street in Tokyo, and there will be echoes of it everywhere. The subtle, sophisticated chic of iki was born during Japan's Edo period and still defines Tokyo's modern urban pulse. It's seen as a core value in Japanese taste and behavior, from the way people dress to how they express themselves. So what is iki? In its most basic form it's an aesthetic ideal: a subtle, effortless elegance that values authenticity, refinement and unpretentious style. In response to strict social codes banning overt displays of wealth, the merchant class of Edo developed iki as a discreet form of rebellion. Subtle details like luxurious kimono linings or intricate accessories were hidden beneath plain exteriors. Over time this urban code filtered from fashion into the arts - which for the first time in Edo society were flourishing beyond the upper class. Hanako Montgomery explores her home city Tokyo through the lens of its former Edo identity. She traces the footsteps of the people that fashioned iki, and meets the Tokyoites of today keeping this urban code of understated cool alive today through fashion, art and poetry.
We hit the red carpet for a look at the state of Europe's film industry, from Venice to London. In the face of economic uncertainty and rising tariffs, how will the creative industry respond? As countries like Italy and the UK replace Hollywood as the go-to destinations for on-location shooting, we speak to some of the major players in the industry to find out how Europe has catapulted itself forward, and whether it can stay at the front of the pack.
Erinnerung