Legendary Tanzanian singer, songwriter, and WCB Wasafi CEO, Diamond Platnumz lights up the music stage with a brand new breathtaking single tagged “Achii.”
In this sweet-sounding version, he tapped on the musical dexterities of Koffi Olomide, a very talented Congolese soukous singer, dancer, producer, and composer.
Furthermore, this new release serves as a follow-up to “My Baby (Remix),” his previous delivery which featured the musical talents of Nigerian music sensation, Chike. The production credit of this track goes to multi-skilled Tanzanian record producer, Lizer Classic. Over and above that, this new musical composition is sure to entice you. Nonetheless, you can add to your music collection if you appreciate good music.
Diamond Platnumz Ft. Koffi Olomide – Achii (Official Music Video) [taq_review]
Request a bride. Finding the ideal bridal gown for your special day might be a complete nightmare.
What if, though, you took a different approach and made a garment out of plastic kitchenware? Following the discovery of this bridal outfit made out of plastic cups and plates, social media went crazy. Would you put it on?
A WEDDING DRESS MADE OF PLASTIC UTILITIES: WOULD YOU WEAR IT?
After a woman was photographed wearing a bridal dress constructed out of plastic cups and plates, social media went crazy. Although the material serves as the design’s foundation, the dress really shines because of the skillful usage of recycled plastic materials.
On TikTok, fashion designer Isabelle Tengue posted a video of a woman wearing an unusual bridal gown. While another woman assists in carrying the stunning train of the dress, the woman can be seen in the video strolling down a flight of steps.
The bodice of the garment is nearly entirely constructed of plastic cups, but the front of the skirt has a circular pattern that looks to be formed of plastic spoons and plates. Additionally, the design has some metallic and what appear to be cut-out details. Plastic plates were used to create the rear of the ballgown’s train and skirt, giving it an almost scalloped appearance.
Users of TikTok were eager to praise the video and the distinctive bridal dress design. The video has been viewed more than 14 million times since it was posted. Wow, that’s creativity, a user on TikTok said in reference to the video. Another supporter commented, “This puts all the top designers to shame; this is gorgeous.”
A third person on social media said, “This is incredibly beautiful.”
The Autumn/Winter 23 collections were displayed at the Mall of Africa in Midrand from Thursday through Saturday, October 20–22, as South African Fashion Week (SAFW) returns for its 41st season since its beginning in 1997.
Trans-seasonal designs, which can be worn in both cool and warm weather, have been included as part of fashion week’s adherence to global trends. It supports the gender-neutral and gender-fluid design and champions inclusion and diversity.
The local and international creative partnerships during fashion week have improved.
Inspired by the pyramid-like mounds of the spice displays for the exaggerated woven cut-outs. Also for the vibrant colours mixed with traditional isiShweshwe cloth.
In addition, it continues to be dedicated to “marketing and supporting our designer entrepreneurs, creatively and commercially, while most importantly, providing the visibility required to access the local, as well as global, fashion industry,” as stated by fashion week founder and director Lucilla Booyzen.
Day 1: Fikile Sokhulu’s Gradual Ascent Be on the lookout for Fikile Sokhulu’s understated genius. Her clothing has an ethereal, feminine, and timeless aspect that is infused with ecological and thoughtful ideas.
Her x-factor is only confirmed by her inclusion in the recent Standard Bank Gallery exhibition We Are Culture, which was organized by creative visionary Bee Diamondhead and featured 13 young artists.
Sokhulu, a fashion design graduate from the Durban University of Technology, made history as a student by debuting at fashion week and participating in the Cheers Qingdao Fashion Project in China. She and Mr. Price worked together on a collection, and she was a finalist in the SAFW New Talent Search competition.
Sokhulu was additionally one of four South African designers chosen for the Fashion Bridges project, a partnership between South Africa and Italy through a number of organizations, including Milan Fashion Week and the SAFW, that provided young designers from South Africa and Italy with the chance to collaborate on cross-cultural and artistic exchange.
“I’m extremely fascinated by the idea of life and trying to represent it in a way that has an aesthetic femininity, a connection to nature, and an organic approach,” Sokhulu explains. I enjoy observing women in my career wearing both delicate and sturdy clothing. This is also apparent in the fabrics I select because I only use natural materials.
Her most recent collection, which explores holy beauty and has the theme “converting dust into gold,” expands on her adoration for women. The American-based Amanda Laird Cherry, who has never missed a SAFW season, is another Day 1 standout. Her clothing is renowned for incorporating cultural anthropology, and her designs are deliciously theatrical and sculptural. Cherry returns to her South African roots this season and draws inspiration from the Victoria Street spice market in Durban.
Rubicon’s Hangwani Nengovhela is also researching her ancestry. Her Autumn/Winter 22 collection, which used muted colors and a restrained design approach, was a memorial to her late father and a time for introspection. In the Rubicon Autumn Winter 23 collection, she draws inspiration from her Venda ancestry to continue down this route.
Day 2: Munkus is One to Watch With its New Talent Search competition, the SAFW has established careers and produced fashion stars for 24 years. Successful designers like Jacques van der Watt of Black Coffee, David Tlale, Anissa Mpungwe, and most recently Woolmark prize winner Mmuso Maxwell have all benefited from it.
The SAFW’s continuous and thoughtful responses to industry difficulties can be credited with the competition’s longevity and success. It has achieved this by putting a strong emphasis on commercial success and by assisting the winners and finalists via a number of platforms. In order to check the sustainability box, Booyzen added the slow fashion criterion to the competition brief around 2017. Textile craft and print were added to the brief in 2019 in response to South Africa’s faltering textile sector.
This year’s New Talent Search design subject, “Show us your print,” challenged the top contenders to alter public ideas of fabric design and think about eco-friendly fabrics.
The winner for 2022 is Thando Ntuli, with her company Munkus, and Day 2 should feature her. Her design philosophy and successful collection, which featured colorful prints and voluminous, asymmetrical, traditional, and layered constructions, were influenced by the conveniences of the home.
Ntuli began her career working with boutiques that support regional products while she was a student at the North West School of Design and Fedisa Fashion School in Cape Town.
As a junior fashion buyer, she was hired by a corporation and immediately realized that it wasn’t a suitable fit for her creative style.
She invested herself in developing her brand and testing out many platforms in search of chances and growth, living by the maxim “apply for everything and think about it later.” She won the New Talent Search competition this year, her second attempt.
Ntuli’s distinctive design aesthetic stems from the way she scrounged items from her mother’s and grandmother’s wardrobes to develop a multigenerational look with millennial, modern elements.
“To me, being at home means being at your most contented and finest. I’m such a homebody, and I believe that South African culture is rooted in the family. My mother, my grandmothers, and the way I was raised are the wonderful ladies who have shaped my life and all I am, says Ntuli.
Her Umama Wam collection for Autumn/Winter 23 is a tribute to her mother.
Day 3: Veterans Evolve The opening performance by Maxhosa Africa on Day 3 on Saturday was a highlight. The brand returns to the SAFW after a lengthy absence, having just shown the Alkebulan collection in London. With it, Laduma Ngxokolo has developed an aspirational brand with a flare for luxury and workmanship.
In addition to the Scouting Menswear Competition, keep an eye out for Ephymol by Ephraim Molingoana. The designer’s ongoing experimentation with new textures, prints, and fashion trends. A pioneer, Molingoana made his debut at the SAFW in 2002 with a collection named Pink Panther that introduced menswear to tailored tailoring and vibrant color. He delivers a collection this time that is gender-neutral.
Wandi Nzimande, a co-founder of Loxion Kulca who passed away, was another pioneer we lost. Loxion Kulca, which has its roots in Soweto’s street culture, will finish this season of the SAFW now that Ole Ledimo is in charge.
The new collection is expressive and unconventional, according to Ledimo. It presents viewpoints, assertions, narratives, and perspectives on the core of streetwear. It symbolizes an African-born way of life that was influenced by skateboarding, graffiti, punk, kwaito, reggae, hip-hop, the burgeoning amapiano and club scene, as well as the downtown city center art movement.
Delight Fashion Week (DFW) is one of the Kenyan biggest fashion events. Held in October each year, the event celebrates emerging Kenyan fashion designers’ and models’ collections, showcasing them to the world, this year’s theme was “Celebrating Culture & Fabric Manipulation” DFW is also a hotspot for celebrities, who are spotted attending runways for inspiration, the event was hosted by Azeezah Hashim and Co-Host by Jemimah Nempiris This year, October’s DFW ran from October 3 – 7. Receiving over 50k online mentions during the event, this year’s Delight Fashion Week has been the most discussed since 2020. So, what got fans talking?
Designers & Models
A total of 60 students participated in Delight Fashion Week 2022, showcasing and modeling one item from each of their individual designs. The list of student designers from Delight Fashion and Design Tailoring School who debuted their collection on October 7, 2022, below is the list of designers and models.
Delight Fashion Week 2022: Student’s Single Piece Presentation as per the categories.
Designers & Models Group A 1. Rose Alinda 2. Joyce Mwangi(Mudafa) 3. Stancey Norah 4. Juventer Awuor 5. Sharon Muriithi 6. Joy Nyaga 7. Janis Koki 8. Jheria Mohammed 9. Emelda Akinyi
Designers & Models Group B 1. Lucy Ndanu 2. Jeanette Nyapela 3. Stacy Agnes 4. Stecy Jane 5. Regina Wothaya 6. Sarafina Julius 7. Ashley Nereah 8. Sylvia Nduta
Designers & Models Group E 1. Sandra Kalama 2. Amina Arif 3. Trizah Akoth 4. Nyandeng’ Priscilla 5. Vicky Mumo 6. Elizabeth Adhieu Makuach 7. Jedina Nyarinda 8. Stella Amwayi
Designers & Models Group F 1. Lucy Ngolo 2. Nyibol Mary 3. Maggy Kibe 4. Maureen Akinyi 5. Sylvia Mwagongo 6. Joyce Chepkorir 7. Joyce Kinuthia 8. Risper Msembe Designers & Models Group G 1. Richard Mwangi 2. Samuel Poisa 3. Peter Kariuki 4. Abdinoor 5. Sammy Finest 6. David Dimba 7. Jaebet Twite
Miriam Kanama talks about sustainable and eco-friendly fashion and “recycling”, The collection by Demitu Toje, Raissa Ipollo, and Brenda Lemama focused on East African culture.
Global cultures were the focus of Joyce Wanja and Brenda Mwendwa’s collection.
The Invited Guest Designers
Crocheted items are made by Stickning Creations, and pieces made of bamboo and bottle caps are made by Ottyman Arts (Dan).
The Celebrities Guests.
Carol Ng’ang’a Founder and Creative at Crafts With Meaning.
Ashok Sunny CEO and Founder at Ashok Sunny Tailored.
Lucy Rao Founder and Creative Designer at Rialto Fashions.
Mercy Wilson Director at JW Show.
Brightstar Kasyoka CEO Of Star Tailored Designs.
Bevern Oguk CEO and Creative Designer at BOGUK.
Musa Oyoo Founder at Terra Models Management Mombasa.
Royd Bosire Founder at Entrepreneur Fashion Week.
Branice Mayienga Head of Membership Services at Kenya National Chamber Of Commerce & Industry.
Purity Manga Director at Pureza Beauty PALOUR.
The Round-Up As with most live events, such as Delight Fashion Week, there is always a lively discussion going on online. Brands may benefit from providing coverage of live events in order to gain exposure in a widely publicized conversation. Furthermore, influencer marketing is more popular than ever. Brands can increase the impact of their campaigns with a much larger audience by utilizing influencers who have an engaged fanbase.
Don’t miss out on the next Delight Fashion Week which will be held on 13th-19th October 2023 marked your calendar and stay tuned for more of the talents from Delight Tailoring Fashion Design School.
DFW is also a hotspot for celebrities, who are spotted attending runways for inspiration This year, DFW ran from October 3 – 7. Receiving over 50k online mentions during the event, this year’s #DelightFashionWeek has been the most discussed since 2020. So, what got fans talking? pic.twitter.com/Ju7ON9Zsgj
About Delight Tailoring Fashion & Design School The Peak of Sartorial Excellence: Preparing the Next Generation of Elite Tailors, The highest standard for training tailors By educating aspiring tailors to the greatest standards possible, the School seeks to safeguard, promote, and expand the value of bespoke tailoring. For those looking to get the advanced knowledge, expertise, and experience necessary for work in reputable tailoring companies throughout the world or to start their own businesses, the School offers a singular chance. Graduates of this program will be equipped with the knowledge and abilities necessary to find a satisfying job in the tailoring industry.
Additionally, the school provides group Master Classes and Professional Workshops, which are perfect for people looking to improve their tailoring abilities in specific areas.
The School’s curriculum emphasizes the ancient techniques of soft-structured hand-craft tailoring, as well as cutting and fitting in accordance with body shape for style, elegance, and comfort. It is provided by highly educated Master Tailors. For inquiries, call us at +254 722 533 771.
The Golden Africa Concours d’Elegance in 2022 will commemorate the Alfa Romeo Owners Club’s 50th year of hosting the annual Concours (Kenya).
The most upscale event on the Kenya Motor Sports Federation calendar, it is open to all models of vehicles and motorcycles. Additionally, it is a happy family day and a social occasion. The judging of 40 motorbikes and 70 classic and vintage cars serves as the event’s focal
A children’s amusement area, live music from a band, flyovers, a parade of all the Concours automobiles and motorbikes, and a grand finale following the award ceremony are additional attractions.
Gate Tickets: KES 1,500 for adults and KES 750 for children.
The Entries
The field is limited to 70 cars and 40 motorcycles on a first come first served basis. The entries in the Concours are of a high standard. Among the past overall car winners are a 1928 Chevrolet, a 1928 Ford, a 1926 Fiat, a 1934 Alvis Firefly, a 1934 Railton, a 1951 Daimler DB 18 Barker and a 1952 MGTD.
In recent years, the overall motorcycle winners have been a 1941 Indian Scout, a 1937 Moto Guzzi, a 1930 Ivory Calthorpe, a 1925 DKW, a 1922 Douglas 4HP and a 1915 Indian Model B.
Method of Judging
Judging is based entirely on cleanliness and condition and there are bonus points for age. As the Concours is open to all makes and types of cars and motorcycles, it is not possible to assess originality and this characteristic is not taken into consideration. The detailed method of judging is contained in the Regulations.
Future and the Past The Africa Concours d’Elegance is a yearly event that takes place on the final Sunday in September at the grounds of Nairobi Racecourse. It is now in its 50th edition in the annual series and has established itself as the most upscale competition on the Kenya Motor Sport calendar.
The Alfa Romeo Owners Club (Kenya) celebrated its first birthday in 1971, which inspired the committee to organize an event. The anniversary was a source of great pride for the club’s members.
The committee drew design cues from the late 1960s Giulia coupes and Spider sports vehicles as well as Concours d’Elegance competitions held in numerous nations worldwide.
Content courtesy of Alpha Romeo, Capital Lifestyle & NFH
Social media has given the world access to outstanding fashion influencers from across the continent and the entire world in this digital age. As new opportunities keep appearing, the Kenyan influencer market has been keeping up with digital trends and conventions.
We get a peek of how Kenyan fashion influencers present their aesthetics through their own designs thanks to the expanding number of Instagram creators, YouTube producers, and TikTokers. You’ve come to the right place if you’re looking for some new fashion inspo, as we’ve carefully selected some fascinating Kenyan influencers for you to check out.
Esther Akoth Akothee
Diana Marua Bahati
Amber Ray
DJ Sadic
Berhane Lucia
Esther Macharia Ola Wanserska Maureen Waititu Dorea Chege Dr. King’ori Jackie Matubia Arrow Bwoy Adelle Onyango Sharon Mundia La belle fashions David The Student Nana Owiti Don Krg Lobos Bridget Shighadi Wabosha Maxine Backyard Shoez Jacque Maribe Tracy Wanjiru Jacquey ‘Wilbroda’ Nyaminde
In Rwanda, a 24-year-old woman is currently imprisoned for wearing “indecent” clothing to a performance. The woman wearing the See me through dress with her pants completely exposed can be seen in the viral photo that went popular on social media. As far as one could tell from the picture after noticing her black pant, one could tell she was braless, but it was impossible to tell if she actually wore a bra. The Rwandan government then detained this woman and accused her of wearing indescent clothing. Mugabekazi Lilliane has been denied bail and will remain in custody as requested by the prosecution in a closed-door hearing.
News of the arrest sparked outrage among some Rwandans, but government officials including former justice minister Johnston Busingye backed the move.
Mugabekazi Lilliane has been denied bail and will remain in custody as requested by the prosecution in a closed-door hearing. She was accused of “Public Indecency,” a crime that carries a maximum 2-year prison sentence under Penal Code Article 143.
A 24-year-old woman named Mugabekazi Lilliane is in court today on counts of indecent dressing.
The image was captured during a concert in Kigali. However, her attorney requested that the matter be heard behind closed doors. The administration has committed to control indescent clothing.
Prosecutors claimed that she committed a “major criminal” by attending the event in “clothing that disclose her private parts…things that we label shameful.”
“We want the court to remand Mugabekazi for 30 days based on these significant grounds.”
“She may have engaged in public obscenity,” “Faustin Nkusi, a spokesperson for the prosecution, told AFP that the court would decide on Tuesday whether to grant her bail.
Some Rwandans expressed outrage upon hearing of the arrest, but government officials, including former justice minister Johnston Busingye, supported the action.
Busingye, who is currently Rwanda’s ambassador to Britain, tweeted, “The current issue of our young men and women who drink and drug themselves unconscious, stand in public literally nude, is unpleasant.
I support the initiatives taken to address it.
Last week, police spokesman John Bosco Kabera condemned what he called “immorality and vulgarity among young people” in a television appearance.
“This problem is getting worse… you see people walking about in just shirts, no shorts, no pants,” he remarked.
Then, wearing attire that resembles nets, these folks enter public spaces.
The first right is to dress correctly, not to wear indecently, he said in response to the program host’s question on whether “such people did not have a right to dress as they pleased.”
In celebration of sustainability, inclusivity, and diversity, the Camera Nazionale Della Moda Italiana partners with the DHL Young Designer Award and the Camera Buyer Italia.
Milan Fashion Week is not exclusively reserved for large houses or established brands, thanks to the Camera Nazionale Della Moda Italiana (CNMI). During Milan, Fashion Week Women’s Collection Spring/Summer 2022, from Sept. 21-27, 2021, CNMI celebrates and promotes young design talents from around the world at the Fashion Hub. A venue dedicated solely to the most interesting international designers, the Fashion Hub provides high visibility to emerging talents who embody CNMI’s values, like sustainability, inclusivity, and diversity.
An exciting night for new talents, the Fashion Hub’s opening on Sept. 21 brought individuals together to celebrate the recipients of a few coveted design awards the DHL Young Designer Award and the Camera Buyer Italia prize for Fashion Hub young designers presented by Italian actress Fiammetta Cicogna.
The DHL Young Designer Award was given to Gilberto Calzolari, whose collection is on display at the Fashion Hub, and Des Phemmes and Marco Rambaldi, brands included in the official CNMI calendar. DHL promises to support winning designers’ international expansion processes. Young designers working on the “Fashion Bridges – I Ponti Della Moda” project, Michael Peter Reid and Domenico Orefice with a special mention to Alessia Dovero e Sipho Mbuto won the Camera Buyer Italia prize.
The winners’ project, “Fashion Bridges I Ponti Della Moda,” is an impressive, collaborative affair bringing talent together on an international, multicultural scale. CNMI worked with a variety of partners to make the collaboration possible the Italian Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, the Italian fashion school Polimoda, the South African Fashion Week, the ICE Agenzia (Italian Foreign Trade Agency), the Centro di Firenze per la Moda Italiana, and the Nelson Mandela Forum Firenze.
The initiative paired four former Polimoda students with four emerging designers from the South African Fashion Week. The Milan presentation is the beginning of an ongoing collaboration that continues at the South African Fashion Week in Johannesburg at the end of October.
Other exciting initiatives exhibited at the Fashion Hub include the CNMI’s collaboration with the Hungarian Fashion and Design Agency on “Budapest Select;” the CNMI sustainability program’s “Designers for the Planet” promoting three emerging, eco-conscious brands (Tiziano Guardini, Gilberto Calzolari, and Re-generations); a joint-effort Instagram competition and project by DHL and the Camera60Studio to promote Italian craft businesses’ commitment to sustainability; a collaborative endeavor between CNMI and the Black Lives Matter in Italian Fashion Collective entitled “Black Lives Matter in Italian Fashion,” featuring five new BIPOC designers.
A true collaborative venture, the Fashion Hub celebrates the best and brightest new talents within Milan and far beyond.
Among the most striking looks to appear at Copenhagen, Fashion Week were cowrie-print separates from Aajiya, a Stockholm-based brand founded by Maimuna Cole. Born in Sweden with Gambian roots, Cole says she’s designing with a higher purpose (or two or three).
She’d like to raise the profile of Africans in fashion and hopes to contribute to the infrastructure of West Africa by moving her business there at some point. In the meantime, she’s busy building her own universe and filling it with colorful prints and romantic openwork dresses that are attracting a growing fan base that includes Seinabo Sey, Sabina Ddumba, and Gabrielle Union.
Here, Cole talks to Vogue Runway about her influential grandmother (for whom the line is named), the struggles she faces as a Black designer, and some of the people who inspire her.
When did you first become interested in fashion? Where it all started was when I moved to Gambia when I was 10 years old, and I lived with my uncle and my grandmother. They have a huge atelier there, and every day they’re sewing from the morning tonight. I would see my grandmother taking the leftover fabrics and putting them together, and I always felt it was very cool. She was such a creative woman and really inspiring to me, so I would also just take the pieces from here and there [and try] to make a top or skirt or whatever.
How did you start your business? I started the concept of Aajiya when I was 16, and I’m 27. I was 16 when I moved back to Sweden, and I began small projects here and there. My first one was batik blazers, and the response from that was such that, I was like, Okay, maybe I’m good at this, so let me just start to do it. So I did, but then I felt like I was lacking the business part of it. So I studied business management.
After that, I was like, Now I feel like I’m kind of ready, but how do you start? Where do I go? Who do I connect with? So I went to Senegal for six months and created a collection, my first, which Seinabo Sey wore at Way Out West in 2019, and that became my viral moment. And that’s when I was like, You know what? I’m going to do this as a career.
What challenges did you face? [After that I was] just kind of like, Do I want to stay here in Sweden? Because I never felt like I belonged in Sweden. I’ve never been comfortable. Growing up, I felt like I was always the outsider. I always felt like I was different, the only Black girl in the classroom. In fashion, it felt as if there was no door for us at all, like there was nowhere for us to turn, so we had to just move out of here. It’s like, you guys don’t want us to be part of this. We’re never invited to events; even internships are a problem.
I was like, If you don’t want to open the door for me, I’ll make sure to build my own door. Honestly, it’s sad that you have to leave your own home, your own country, to go somewhere else where you’re appreciated. [In Stockholm] it’s more like, Oh, we have our own circle; let’s stick with that. It’s been like that for years, and it’s not working so far because they haven’t really advanced in the fashion spectrum. If you look at America or England, everything is so diverse, things are happening, but here it’s just flatlined.
I can speak for a lot of Black people here, creatives; we always have to adapt. My story is I had to change my name to Maya because people couldn’t pronounce my name. It’s like, I’m losing my identity to adapt to you. I shouldn’t have to do that. You always have to adapt and it always feels like you don’t belong here. They speak English when they see you. And it’s like, No, I speak Swedish. Or it’s like, “How long have you been here?” No, I was born here. Why does it always have to be that conversation? And it’s daily all the time. I just don’t care anymore; I’m creating my own little bubble and if you want to come, you can come get some knowledge, some culture, some stories, so you can feel where I come from through my clothes.
Do you have any role models? Selam Fessahaye honestly opened the doors for us. I can say that because she definitely made me feel like I can do this too, being a woman and being from East Africa. I was like, Oh, my God, she really did this. And she did not care. She did that. She had the big silhouettes, the colors everything; it was so, so amazing. And for me, that really inspired me to also just not give a shit, basically.
Do you feel more comfortable in Sweden now? I honestly had to create my own world and that is why my clothes are so loud prints, colors…. This is who I am and I’m not afraid to own my space.
How do your Swedish and African roots meet in your work? My work is basically a description of me. I come from two worlds, and I’m putting that together and just creating strength through that. That’s the simplest way for me to explain it. And also African fashion has been so downplayed, and I just want Africans to take space in the fashion industry. It’s coming, it’s coming, but I’m taking my steps as well to be part of African fashion, to lift it up and [to] be more mainstream [so] you can go everywhere and [it’s] not just like a costume, so it’s beautiful. And I’m so excited for this.
Can you tell me about the cowrie print in your latest collection? For me, this collection was an introduction of who I am, where I come from. And the cowrie shell has been so commercialized that the history of it has been kind of lost. So for me it was [like], Let me take that back and educate people and also wear it as armor. It’s just a luxury feel when you know the history of it. In Africa, it was the first currency before the colony, and for me, it was like, this is something rich and also very cool and very authentic, so why not put this as a print and just have loud colors on top of it?
What could the industry do to help you? I think it’s becoming more open to new creatives, a new experience of clothes and not just sticking to just one thing. I’m starting to see that Africans are being more accepted in the fashion industry, like Kenneth Ize. He’s someone who is very inspiring, because he came and had his show in Paris, which was amazing, with fabrics that were made in Africa. That’s what I want to be.
I just want people to accept what I’m making, and in the near future, I’m going to introduce other fabrics, like batik that is handmade. There’s so much luxury in our culture, and I really want to show that to people. As Africans, we wear customized clothes every single time and bring that kind of luxury feel with fabrics that are handmade and sustainable as well.
What do you dream of doing long-term? My ultimate goal is to have a studio in my home country and bring all the tailors together. The thing is, in Africa, they’re all self-taught, and they’re lacking skills that could be very good for them if they want to branch out and create their own stuff. My ultimate goal is to have my clothes made in Gambia. I make them in China right now. I want to move everything here, make all this stuff in Sweden.
And then once I feel like I’m stable enough, I can go to Gambia, back and forth, and just make my stuff from there. I really, really want to be part of the infrastructure in Gambia or Senegal. It’s a higher purpose, it really is. It’s not just to sell clothes or whatever; it’s to bring awareness to Africa, how creative they are, how sustainable they are really, because most of the things that they do, it’s [with] what they have. It’s a big job to do, but I am very determined.
Content courtesy of Vogue Magazine & Nairobi fashion hub
For many people, picking the right outfits to work can be daunting sometimes. This can happen especially when it comes to matching the right colors to produce the right effect. Here are 10 classy corporate styles for career women that will give you an idea on how to style your clothes to work. Wearing bright…
