Saturday Star 2024-06-29

The new Netflix documentary Black Barbie, tracks the powerful story behind the creation of the iconic black Barbie doll and its impact on society. With the tagline: “She’s black, she’s beautiful, she’s dynamite”, it captures the significance of introducing dolls of colour into a world which was dominated by white beauty standards. Created by Shonda Rhimes’ Shonda- land, the production house behind hit series like Grey’s Anatomy and Bridgerton, this documentary highlights the contributions of those who brought the first black Barbie doll to life back in 1980. They include Louvenia “Kitty” Black Perkins, a US fashion designer who spent most of her career designing clothing for Barbie dolls, renowned doll designer Stacey McBride Irby and Beulah Mae Mitchell, who worked at Mattel, which manufactures the dolls. Mitchell worked at…

In the latest episode of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls’ Trip – South Africa, the drama continued to unfold as the ladies navigated through everything from secrets in Gucci bags to debates over who should foot the bill on a date. The fabulous cast includes Beverley Steyn from The Real Housewives of Cape Town, Christall Kay from The Real Housewives of Johannesburg, Nonkanyiso “LaConco” Conco from The Real Housewives of Durban, Lethabo “Lejoy” Mathatho from The Real Housewives of Johannesburg, and Liz Prins from The Real Housewives of Gqeberha. Rounding off the group are Londie London (yet to appear) and Nonku Williams, also from The Real Housewives of Durban and Melany Viljoen from The Real Housewives of Pretoria. Here’s the scoop on what went down in episode five: The…

SINGER Céline Dion has shared footage of her suffering a torturous seven-minute seizure caused by her Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS). The 56-year-old My Heart Will Go On singer was forced to stop performing following her 2022 diagnosis of the rare condition, and has now shown the astonishingly vulnerable footage in her new documentary I Am: Céline Dion, which premiered on Prime Video this week. Sports medicine therapist Terrill Lobo says in the documentary: “Part of the disease is that as soon as you go into a contraction, sometimes … the signal to release it, doesn’t understand, so it ends up just staying in a contracted position.” After he gets Dion to lie down on a massage table, the musician keeps on getting the spasms. The Grammy-winning entertainer is then…

Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a rare viral infection related to smallpox. It’s much less severe, but can cause significant health issues. Before 2022, it was not known to spread easily from person to person. Traditionally, people caught it from direct contact with infected animals, such as rodents or through their bites. How does mpox spread? The World Health Organization (WHO) identified a global outbreak of mpox in 2022. This marked a change in how the virus spread. For the first time, mpox was seen to be spreading through sexual contact. While sexual contact has become a notable mode of transmission, the infectious disease can still be contracted through close physical contact, respiratory droplets and bites or scratches from infected animals. A report from the WHO in August 2023…

Loice Dube is thrilled to be African Fashion International’s (AFI) Fastrack Prize Young Designer of the Year 2023. The Johannesburg-based designer is the founder of the womenswear fashion label Lo’ice, which she established in 2015. This label has earned widespread praise for its sophisticated blend of streetwear and high-fashion. And as the AFI winner, Dube received a prize package valued at R150 000 which also includes mentorship at renowned AFI Privé Atelier. She described this victory as one of the best experiences in her career. “The AFI Fastrak programme was an incredibly enriching experience,” Dube told Independent Media Lifestyle. “It was a transformative journey that pushed me in ways I never anticipated.” As part of the competition, AFI, which was founded by Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe and has since emerged as…

As the seasons change, so does the risk of illness for children. Each season brings its own challenges, but by understanding and following simple hygiene tips, parents can help keep their kids healthy all year. If you’re dreaming of springtime, it also brings pollen and allergens. Kids playing outside can unknowingly bring the allergens into the house. To combat this, encourage them to wash their hands and change their clothes after playing outdoors. Summer brings heat and sweat, which can harbour bacteria and lead to skin infections. On hot days, it’s beneficial for children to bathe twice daily and wash their hands regularly to stay clean and healthy. Autumn marks the beginning of the flu season. And winter is notorious for colds and flu. The cold weather keeps children indoors…