Rio is a Junior Fashion Editor of Bang Magazine based in Dar es salaam Tanzania, and a Celebrity fashion stylist and Fashion consultant. Rio is a man who knows what it takes to be a style icon, so when The Exclusive with Sporah got the chance to speak to him, we just had to ask him for some of his fashion secrets.iMag: Hi Rio!
Rio:Helloo!
iMag: Rio tell us brief about yourself!
Rio: MY NAME IS PAUL PETER PAUL ,,,WELL RIO HAS BEEN MY NAME SINCE AGES A NICK NAME GIVEN TO ME BY MY BEST FRIEND SINCE CHILDHOOD,,,SO THAT ADAPTED INTO MY LIFE EASILY I GUESS,,,,,I AM AN 18 YEAR OLD IB STUDENT STUDYING BUSINESS AND LANGUAGES ,,,(PHEEWW CANT WAIT TO FINSH THIS YEAR AND START UNI APPLICATIONS :)>>>>> ,I COME FROM A VERY GOOD BACKGRPUND,VERY RESERVERD,HUMBLE YET STRONG WITH MORALS AND PASSION AND DETERMINATION,MY PARENTS DIDNT MARRY AND THEY ACTUALLY JUST HAD ME WHEN THEY WERE ON A RELATIONSHIP''' NOT BAD THOUGH BECAUSE IT KIND OF HELPED ME GROW AS A STRONG YOUNG MAN ......LEARNING THROUGH ALL LIFE CHALLENGES AND BLESSINGS...LOVE MY DAD AND MOM LOADZ + FAM TOO,,,,AM SIMPLY A N UPPER CLASS TANZANIAN BOY ,WHO THANKS THE ALMIGHTY FOR ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES HE HAS,,,,,, AM NOT SPOILED BECAUSE WHERE I COME FROM HARDWORK IS KEY,,,,AND SUCCESS HAS TO BE WORKED FOR,,,,PS MY MOM IS A STRICT AND FIRM LADY WHO STANDS BY WHATS RIGHT,,,,,,
iMag: How do you describe your style?
Rio:MY STYLE IS PUNK MEETS,CHIC+ FABULOUS+GENT,,,,WITH A UNIQUE RIO TOUCH,,,,,
iMag: What do you have to do to be a fashion designer
Rio: BEING A MENSWEAR DESIGNER IS MY LONG LIFE DREAM,,,,, BUT I AM ALSO FASCINATED WITH FASHION WRITING AND PHOTOGRAPHY,,,,SO FOR NOW YES I AM A FREELANCE DESIGNER BUT AM WORKING AS A CELEBRITY FASHION STYLIST,FASHION WRITER,FASHION ASSISTANT FOR SOME GOOD BRANDS IN TZ (HIRED OR INTERN SOMETIMES) AND YEAH AM JUNIOR FASHION EDITOR AT BANG MAGAZINE......TRULY AWESOME EXPEERIENCE.....
iMag: What is the one key thing to dressing well as a woman?
Rio: I BELIEVE A WOMAN IS A PRECIOUS TOOL TO BE ADORNED WITH PRECIOUS TIMELESS AND PRICELESS WORKS OF FABRIC ART,,,,,SO DRESS TO BE FABULOUS AND CHANNEL YOUR STYLE,,,,, ALSO AM INSPIRED BY QUOTATIONS AS
Fashion is as profound and critical a part of the social life of man as sex, and is made up of the same ambivalent mixture of irresistible urges and inevitable taboos.
Rene Konig
A woman's dress should be like a barbedwire fence: serving its purpose without obstructing the view.
Sophia Loren
Fashion anticipates, and elegance is a state of mind ... a mirror of the time in which we live, a translation of the future, and should never be static.
Oleg Cassini
iMag: what are some common fashion mistake that women make?
Rio: WOMEN MAKE MISTAKES WHEN THEY TRY AND COPY OTHER PEOPLES STYLE,,,,,, NOT ALL THAT SUITS ELIZABETH SUITS MARY,,,,WOMEN PLEASE NOT THAT
iMag: What challenges do you face as a fashion icon in Tanzania?
Rio: THE CHALLANGES I FACE IS THAT MY CREATIVITY IS SO LIMITED WITH RESOURCES HERE AND AM ALSO IN GREAT NEED OF A SUPPORTIVE AND PASSIONATE FASHION SPONSOR,,,,I BELIEVE I WILL REACH FURTHER,,,,THE ALMIGHTY IS GUIDING
iMag: What are 5 things every woman should have in her closet that could help improve her look?
A WONAN SHOULD HAVE A LITTLE BLACK DRESS,A RED LIPSTICK, A PUSH UP BRA,A TIMELSS MAXI BAG AND A SIMPLE WHITE TEE
iMag: You simce to be a fun of bags, What is never miss in your hand bag?
Rio: I AM A FAN OF BAGS YEAH""""AND OFCOURSE FEEL FREE TO SEND ME MORE IF YOU CAN,,,,,GENT BAGS BY THE WAY,,,,WHATS NEVER MISSING IN MY BAG IS MY BLACKBERRY AND CONTACT CARD BOOK
iMag: Rio, You know quet alot about fashion, do you think your different from other men? How?
Rio: I AM FASHION AND I LIVE BY IT,,,,AM NOT AFRAID TO DARE AND INCORPORATE TRENDS,,,,,,SO THAT MAKES ME DIFFERENT YET STYLISH FROM OTHER MEN,,,,,I ALWAYZ EVOLVE THATS HOW MY STYLE IS...TODAY AM THE SPY GENTLEMAN TOMORROW AM A CONVERSE AND SKINNY JEAN TEEN ROCK SENSATION,,,,,
iMag: What types of discrimination have you experiences with the way you carry yourself in the community?
Rio: WELL I HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT BADLY SOMETIMES, HAVE HAD FAKE FRIENDS, PEOPLE LOOK ME IN A DIFFERENT WAY SOMETIMES,BEEN CALLED NAMES ON TABLOIDS AND SITES AND ALOT OF OTHER STRANGE STUFF,,,,,THOUGH NO ONE DARE LAYED A HANG ON ME.L...AND ALL I DO IS I WILL ALWAYZ BE ME AND I ACTUALLY DONT CARE OF WHAT ANY MOTHER FUCKER SAYZ,,,BECAUSE I AM TOO BUSY FOCUSING TO SUCCEED,,,AND THEY DONT PUT OXYGEN ON MY LUNGS NOR FOOD ON MY PLATE,,,,,,, I SAY LIVE TO BE YOU AND DONT GIVE A DAMN" DONT LET ANYONE BRING YOU DOWN
iMag: How has your family influenced your life?
Rio: MY FAMILY INDEED HAS ,,,,,I USED TO WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND SMELL THE SCENT OF MY DADS PERFUM "VAN CLEEF & ARPELS",,,I WAS ACTUALLY ON MY YOUNG AGES BUT I REMEMBER HE DRESSED VERY WELL FOR WORK AND HE STILL DOES,,,HE IS MY UBER GENTLEMAN ,,,,PERFECT AND VERY CHIC
MY MOM TO I USED SEE HER ALSO DRESS UP FOR WORK IN HER MINI PENCIL SKIRT AND COTTON SHIRT SHE WOULD PAIR IT WITH A SILK SKARF,A CHAINED BAG AND PUMPS,,,,,, TRES" TRES" FABULEAUX,,,,I WAS FASCINATED AND ADMIRABLE TOWARDS THEIR AWESOME FASHION ,,,,I STILL THINK THE 80z and 90z are fuckin coooool :) though i was born in 1993
iMag: What are some of the issues you are faced with on the day-to-day?
Rio: Nothing much on a day to day basis,,,,,,, all i do is school,then study then work for a few hours and then sleep,,,,and maybe if their projects and schedule to be fixed and worked on then i do so.
iMag: This is one thing many people get confuse about you!
ARE YOU GAY or Your Just a Fashion Icon?
Rio: Rio paul is not gay,,,,,,,all i am is a fashion creature,,,,,ofcourse my dick stands and my blood boils,,,,,,if yall wana hook up halla at a brother here ;)
iMag: What makes you cry?
Rio: Am a composed yet crazy boy,,,,,i have deep feeling and i think am emotional and somewhat fragile hearted maybe,,,,,i cry when anything that touched me breaks my heart,,,weather a big quarrel with parents,or a dis belief from a trustee or when i feel unprogression,,,,anywayz its not alwayz its just a few times that i cried,,,,,mostly i cried on good moments like my birthdays or passing exams or a family or friend care ,,,, etc
iMag: What’s your most embarassing moment?
Rio: When i dont clique with a group of people or a person at an event or place ,,,,,,i feel like an alien and embarrased seriously,,doesnt happen often though
iMag: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Rio: Mama always says am her hero and she always say i should persue my ambitions,,,,,,get educated and live fabulously
iMag: Do you have any regrets? plse tell us.
Rio: I dont regret anything ,,,,,,all the past and all the mistakes and goods things i am ,,,,,are paert of me,,,,i use the knowledge to build a better future and attain more success
iMag: Coffee or Tea?
Rio: I do tea mostly but coffie i will always add milk.......i am kinda eataholic,,,,,hahahahaha :)
iMag: Thank you Rio for your time and We hope to have you oneday LIVEEE on The Sporah Show!
Rio: Thank you Sporah and team,,,,huge hugs,,,,godwilling i will meet you guyz,,,,,stay blessed and stay intouch ,,,, with massive love RIO PAUL the fashion icon
Find Rio Paul on Facebook/Twitter : http://www.bangmagazine.co.tz/.
