African fashion: the path to success

When dawn breaks in Canchungo, it casts a soft glow over the red earth and the blue-painted buildings. Stylist Wilow Diallo passed through this town in the coastal region of Cacheu, Guinea-Bissau, while handing out school supplies to local children one day last winter. Aside from his vivid palette, he was enchanted by the distinctive style of the inhabitants and the sight of multiple generations gathered under the morinda trees. This, he decided, would be the perfect location to film a story showcasing the “talent, innovation and diverse perspectives of black creatives who are shaping and redefining the global fashion landscape.”

Africa has a population of more than 1.4 billion, several thousand societies and more than 2,000 languages: the lines that delimit its 54 countries can hardly contain its multitudes, in fashion as elsewhere. “The beauty of African fashion is that it is as varied as the continent itself,” says Dr. Christine Checinska, curator of the VIRGINIArecent exhibition of african fashion (now in the Brooklyn Museum until October of this year). “People’s aesthetic vocabulary is vast. There is an appreciation for the skill that has gone into making a garment, print or fabric among global Africans that may have been lost in the global north. And there is a collective power among designers, in the sense that they want to take others with them on their journey to success.”

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From left to right: Angel wears I am with you raffia/cotton handwoven trousers, £624, and raffia handwoven sandals, £320. lilabare leather harness, £138. valentina wears Ahluwalia Ecovero viscose body, €390. Nathan ostrich feather brooch (to wear on the head), €195. Sandals and stockings, typical of the model. Milanca wears Ahluwalia taffeta top, £470, and ruffled skirt, POA

angel wears creole officer cotton top, POA. Xuly.Bët cotton pants, £255. Jewelry, model’s. Milanca wears lilabare cotton t-shirt, €97. emmy kasbitt Nigerian cotton shorts, £118. vanhu vamwe recycled paracord bag, £300

From left to right: Milanca wears Imane Ayissi Haute Couture patchwork dress, POA. stalite gold-plated stone earrings, £79. mari wears Imane Ayissi Haute Couture African cotton dress, POA

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Diallo, who grew up in Senegal and now lives in Paris, is particularly moved by the way black creatives incorporate African traditions into their work. Quote the Cameroonian dancer and designer imane ayissi who makes cocoon coats from Ghanaian kente cloth, and Faso Dan Fani, traditionally a Burkina Faso woven fabric, into cocktail dresses. flag nigerian brand emmy kasbittknown for its use of Akwete textiles from the Igboland region, and Lagos Space Programthis year’s Woolmark Award winner, whose collections have seen lace and brocade motifs imparted onto garments using a resist-dye technique known as Adire, which originates from Yoruba culture.

The idea that Africa is a continent that must be ‘helped’ is over

Then there’s South Africa Thebe Magugu. Since she became the first African person to win the LVMH Award In 2019, Magugu partnered with Dior on a capsule collection and reinvented a Valentino couture dress for Fashion. “These collaborations have been important for visibility. It’s a way for people to see African fashion through a prism they’re familiar with,” she says. “The biggest brands have gained a new appreciation. The best collaborations are mutually beneficial.”

Adama Ndiaye, the Senegalese founder of the brand Adama Paris, who produced Chanel’s Métiers d’art show in Dakar last December, goes further. “When a big luxury brand like Chanel comes up to us with open arms and asks us to collaborate, she tells us that African fashion is at the top,” she says of the event, which celebrated local artisans and artisans. “It was a great success. The idea that Africa is a continent that needs to be ‘helped’ is over: we are now in control of our narrative, no one else.”

Ndiaye left his banking career in Paris 20 years ago to simultaneously establish his brand and Dakar Fashion Week. “African fashion was not on display anywhere back then,” he recalls. “We brought foreign designers from everywhere, from Brazil to Moldova, to learn about our culture and create a platform for their work as well. Now that there are so many strong African designers, we focus solely on talent from the continent.” The exponential growth of Dakar Fashion Week and events like Lagos Fashion WeekLaunched a decade ago, it reflects the booming clothing and footwear market in sub-Saharan Africa, which is estimated to be worth $31 billion.

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From left to right: Milanca wears Botter Large Fish silk shirt, £855, and long multi-pocket silk military skirt, £1,020. Barbara Bui leather shoes, £454. Angel wears pink martina wool blend trousers, POA. 44 Label Group trainers, £381. valentina wears Botter silk bikini top, £760 and silk bikini skirt, £585. L’Artisane Dakar single metal earring, £35. Sandals, from model

angel wears whitish cotton pants, POA. Milanca wears wales bonner cotton shirt and wool skirt, all POA

From left to right: Milanca wears Thebe Magugu polyester jacket £828 and polyester tailored trousers £345. Lafalaise Dion cowrie shell hat, £435. valentina wears Adama Paris silk dress, £218 and felted wool hat, POA

Milanca wears Thebe Magugu silk-blend jacket, £828. Angel wears panaga cotton t-shirt, €250

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According to Ndiaye, the lack of funding is one of the main challenges facing designers: he is currently working to create a fund for emerging talent. Magugu stresses the significant infrastructure improvements that need to be made: In June, the same week he relaunched his international online store, Johannesburg experienced power and water outages.

“The African fashion industry is being candid about the harsh realities here,” says Magugu. “We’ve moved beyond this notion of an African fashion ‘utopia’, which I love because we’re dealing with reality and not presenting this perfect industry.” Currently, Africa accounts for just 1.9 percent of global manufacturing; As part of its agenda to invest in high-growth sectors and promote women’s economic empowerment, the African Development Bank has identified the creative industries, including fashion, as an area of ​​massive potential growth.

Diallo wanted to include in this session fashion makers who may not reside in Africa, but whose heritage gave them invaluable perspective. In London, Grace Wales Bonner draws on her Caribbean roots and knowledge of black culture to offer a rich and nuanced view of the history of the African diaspora, while Priya AhluwaliaThe namesake label weaves together elements of the designer’s dual Indian-Nigerian heritage, exemplified by her SS23 Africa is Limitless collection. His research encompassed antique museum rugs from Tunisia, album covers from the Ivory Coast depicting graceful Sapeurs, and trinkets from Kenya and Rwanda, all brought together to celebrate Africa, “a vast wonderland of cultural innovation,” as it is called. read in the exhibition notes.

Ahluwalia also has an affinity with African designers thanks to her ongoing focus on sustainability: like Emmy Kasbit, she prioritizes handcrafted or recycled materials. Meanwhile, Diallo, Magugu and Ndiaye describe how in their respective cultures, garments are lovingly passed down from generation to generation.

“Global African creatives build their collections in a more artistic way and evolve,” says Dr. Checinska. “They are not subject to seasons and are more considerate. For many of them, sustainability is ground zero. There is a focus on people, resources, skills and therefore the planet, and that encourages more conscious consumerism.” If there’s one thing that unites African fashion creatives, he concludes, it’s a drive to create a sustainable fashion ecosystem, but also how they demand and exercise their agency.

Models, Angel Da Silva, Mari Seide, Milanca Figuereido and Valentina Gomes. Cast, Braima Djata. Cabello, Tânia Mario Gomes. Makeup, Melissa Righi. Photographer’s assistant, Adam Storm. Stylist assistant, Jordan Renou Rohel. Production, SW Studio Paris