Protestors in Foley Square in the Manhattan Borough of New York on June 02, 2020, USA. Photo: Ira L. Black/Corbis via Getty Images
In February, a group of students at Columbia University Irving Medical Center wanted to combine their various avenues of study in order to help stop the spread of Covid-19. So, they quickly mobilized student leaders throughout various disciplines the dental school, the nursing school, the public health school, and the psychology school and they launched the Covid-19 Student Services Corps or CSSC.
The idea was to create a wide-ranging and multi-tiered service-learning model that would help with various issues that arose just after the pandemic landed in the U.S. These initiatives include mental health programs, a community food delivery arm called Hero Meals, as well as telemedicine. Students were and still are encouraged to submit their own proposals for new initiatives where they see more needs have arisen.
In addition, the CSSC created a program called Mask Check, which helped provide much-needed PPE to local shelters and jails in the New York area. Shayna Feuer, who is currently getting her masters degree in nursing, is helping to head up this arm of the CSSC. Through virtual sewing groups, Feuer and her team of around 14 students distribute the donated masks themselves, mainly to shelters and prisons in and around the Washington Heights area, where Columbia is located.
They also lead virtual sewing classes so that Columbia students can help make masks, in addition to the donated masks they receive. And while they were most recently focused on sewing masks that were permissible by the jails (there are strict rules about fabric, elastic ties, and colors for inmate masks), Feuer and the Mask Check team have since shifted focus.
On Monday, they focused their efforts on supporting the protestors advocating for systemic change in the wake of George Floyd’s murder by four Minneapolis police officers. “As allies and public health workers, we want to stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and contribute to safe protesting,” Feuer says, adding:
“Mask Check has fully shifted our focus to collecting and donating PPE to the protestors.” Feuer says that she and her team realized there was a huge need for PPE for protestors in New York, as Covid-19 is still a very present and real threat especially in the black community, which it has affected disproportionately.
“Members of our team have attended protests nearly every day this week,” Feuer says. “We also thought that it was time for us to further step up and show Columbia’s dedication not only to this city but to the nation and the world.”
The first time I saw Fruché was at Lagos Fashion Week 2018. I was sitting in the second row, slowly fading as I battled the onset of catwalk fatigue when the relatively unknown designer showed his SS19 collection.
I sat up.
Fruché is undeniably one of the most exciting new designers to come out on the scene and the collection was a stylish interpretation of the modern Nigerian women, the metropolitan muse who infuses her heritage with her contemporary taste .
The collection was inspired by Bini women and the embellishments were representative of their rich culture. The brand’s Creative Director Frank Aghuno explained, “Powder blue to represent water, feathers to represent the bird of creation, burgundy from the traditional…velvet wrappers tied by Bini women.” Since then, Fruché has continued to delight with their colourful creations.
Word by Ntianu Obiora
A Story Worth Telling
Frank Aghuno has been creating since the tender age of 11, cutting up his mother’s wrappers and hand-sewing his own pieces. Self-taught in every sense of the word, Frank is a sum of all his experiences. He says, “I haven’t had the privilege of attending fashion school yet. Most of my knowledge comes from doing a lot of research and mentorship from Mother, a former fashion designer.
My school being on strike while studying finance at the University of Lagos really pushed me to start something. My cousin taught me to operate the machine and from there I bought fabrics and made my first collection with just N5000. My twin brother Dricky Stickman painted the backdrop for that collection and my younger sister and classmate were my models. We put it up online and luckily for us Bella Naija posted it.
The collection was well received and we got a lot of offers to purchase the pieces. I was very naive but thankful I was doing something I loved.”
Fruché, a combination of Frank’s English name and one of his Igbo names, Uche, is a stunning combination of Nigerian craftsmanship with a feminine sensuality that is luxuriously modern.
Frank explains, “Over the years I’ve experimented a lot with different techniques and my design process is still very experimental because I am self taught so I do enjoy challenging myself and think of new ways to push the boundaries of design and find different ways of telling our story.”
Speaking of storytelling, social media has become essential for creatives to reach out and connect and resonate with their audience. Having successfully harnessed the emotional power of stories, they are finding ways to translate their art through the screen and building a loyal following with just a smartphone and a vision. Frank speaks on the way social media has enhanced his brand and allowed him to reach a much wider audience but stresses the importance of talent above all else.
“Social media is important these days but I think the first thing you need to have is an excellent product. The internet is the world’s first introduction to your brand and it is easily accessible to consumers all over the world. Budding designers should take the time to learn and find out who they are as designers.
What makes your work unique? Research is important. The internet was my teacher growing up. I was obsessed with the late Lee McQueen. I still love his work so much and was inspired by his designs, his process and his career trajectory.”
Restoring the Balance
Being a relative newcomer on the scene, Frank is more than happy to pay homage to the women who paved the way for the industry to be what it is today and women who have personally inspired him on his design journey. “I am very much inspired by Deola Sageo, Maki Oh and Lisa Folawiyo. These women have been at it for years and show no signs of slowing down. I love their drive and creativity.They’re pioneers of our industry and they contributed tremendously to the rise of African fashion and have put a global eye on the Nigerian fashion scene.”
I try to discuss topics like feminism, gender inequality, sexuality and the environment because I truly believe my purpose isn’t just to make clothes but to tell stories of progressiveness even within our culture
Talking about who the Fruché woman is, Frank describes her as “free spirited, adventurous, and full of depth and committed to living her best life.” Frank is impressively vocal about what that woman represents and how he tried to infuse his personal politics into his designs.
“With each new season/ collection I try to discuss topics like feminism, gender inequality, sexuality and the environment because I truly believe my purpose isn’t just to make clothes but to tell stories of progressiveness even within our culture. Our ancestors from precolonial times had so many practices and beliefs that are misconstrued to be “western culture/ influences” when in fact our people have engaged in these practices for eons.”’
Frank touched upon Nigerian culture and how what we perceived to be Western influence was actually steeped in our own beliefs of divine feminity and the power of female energy. Whereas many may claim ‘feminism’ has come along to ‘spoil’ our traditions, in essence, it may just be restoring a long upset balance. For Frank, you cannot divorce feminism from Fruché as it is at the heart of everything he designs.
“Feminism plays a huge role in my life and brand aesthetic. I’m very inspired by my mother, who is a vocal feminist. She never subscribed to the traditional gender roles. I think it all stems from watching her from when I was a child. There are a lot of misconceptions about feminism. Feminism really is common sense, it’s women asking to be treated justly and as equals, girls given the same opportunities as boys. Literally your fellow human being saying give me my right to freedom.
I think once society grasps that women just want to live freely everyone would see feminism not as this big scary word but as a driving force for greater justice. We have two shirts from our last collection that says “Freedom is my birthright” and this is what I truly believe.”
For Frank, subscribing to these beliefs is the key to the future success of Nigeria. For him, empowerment means hope and that hope is something we hold on to in the hope of creating a better future not just for young women but for the next generation collectively.
The Fall and the Rise of Design
The common theme between Nigerian designers is their collective frustration at a system that appears to work against them at every opportunity. Logistically, producing in Nigeria is a double-edged sword and one that often spells the end for young designers. “I think that moment of wanting to give it all up comes once a week.
There are so many challenges you face here as a young designer that most don’t go through in other parts of the world. If there were more internationally renowned fashion schools, production houses and constant electricity, manufacturing in Nigeria wouldn’t be as tedious.”
Fruché is undeniably one of the most exciting new designers to come out on the scene
Throwing yet another spanner in the works is the current COVID19 pandemic which has seen the world brought to a standstill and causing entire industries to reevaluate their purpose, value and how they fit into this new normal. For Frank, the one good thing that will come out of a post-COVID world for designers is the onus on sustainability, something that African designers have been championing forever.
“I think post-covid we will start to see a shift in the global fashion industry, even now designers are looking at more sustainable ways to produce, making less but paying workers more. I think the luxury market would do even more work to ensure that there is less consumption and less impact on the environment. Nigerian and African luxury designers have used sustainable practices for years.
I don’t know a single African that throws away or burns perfectly good clothes all in the name of brand preservation. For years our ancestors have passed articles of clothing from generation to generation. One could say sustainability is a part of our culture. Post- COVID, I think fast fashion brands have a lot to learn. Workers need to be paid fairly and sustainable practices need to be adapted at all levels of manufacturing. The less we produce, the less waste there is.
Nigerian luxury brands for instance would never produce 100 – 200 pieces of the same article of clothing. We use our local adire, aso oke, akwete, akwa ocha fabrics which are basically couture techniques that we’ve learnt to make from our forefathers. It’s about creating jobs but most importantly it’s about conscious production and appreciating our own culture.”
The world having its eye on Africa, specifically his brand, is not something that is new to Frank. Thanks to its profound debut, Fruché has attracted a considerable amount of international interest, something that Frank hopes to leverage on for future seasons.
“In the coming seasons we will be looking at international showcases and retail options. With sponsors on our side I’m sure we can make this happen. Hopefully we can continue to tell our stories and inspire the new generation. Currently, our pieces can be found at The Folklore, Industrie Africa, Ditto Africa and Zazaii but in the future, the sky’s the limit.”
A South African e-commerce fashion retailer has received a vote of confidence from an international private equity firm, which has invested R100-million into the business.
RunwaySale, which operates out of Cape Town, received the funding from SPEAR Capital which invests in consumer-based businesses supported by the spending of the African middle class. It has offices in Scandinavia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Exclusive Online Shopping Society
RunwaySale positions itself as an ‘exclusive online shopping society’ – a members-only private online shopping club. It offers 300-plus high-end fashion brands to an exclusive community of shoppers who check the site, mobile app and social media platforms daily in order to take advantage of the latest offers.
Explaining how the Runway Sale business model works in an interview with The Money Show, co-founder and CEO Karl Hammerschmidt said: “We obviously have a lower cost base to work against, so we can pass value on to the consumer and our various brand partners… at the end of the day it helps them to earn revenue… it’s a win-win for everybody.”
Sells Designer Brands At Discounted Prices
Founded in 2012 by the husband-and-wife team of Karl and Elmien, who is now the COO, RunwaySale describes itself as South Africa’s largest such shopping club. It notes on its website that it “sells designer brands at discount prices by hosting flash events”. It claims its prices may be discounted by up to 70%.
“E-commerce accounts for one percent of all retail in South Africa and, even before the coronavirus pandemic, was set to grow exponentially,” said Karl. “The synergies between the SPEAR Capital team and our own gives us the confidence and practical support we need to develop RunwaySale into a leading player in the local and regional e-commerce market.”
Former Tj Maxx Executive Appointed As Advisor
As part of this new partnership, Christophe Gaigneux, who was online chief executive for the European division of American department store chain TJ Maxx, has been appointed to the RunwaySale advisory board.
“The potential for e-commerce to contribute meaningfully to the local economy has never been greater and RunwaySale will be key to meeting the demand we know is building up in consumers across all demographics in South Africa,” Gaigneux is quoted as saying by Business Tech.
When African Business carried out their survey of Africa’s most admired brands for the first time in 2010, things were looking optimistic for African brands, but since then their representation in the ranking has dropped by nearly two-thirds. What will it take to allow African brands to compete with the global giants that dominate the table? Brand Africa founder Thebe Ikalafeng examines the results of the 2020 survey and reflects on what they tell you.
In the midst of the euphoric and successful staging of the first FIFA World Cup in Africa when internal pride and admiration of Africa was arguably at its highest, African brands also enjoyed their most dominant position in the inaugural Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands ranking. Back in 2010/11, when we launched the ranking of Africa’s best brands, African brands accounted for 34 of the 100 most admired African brands, following a continent-wide poll.
The then president of the African Development Bank, Dr Donald Kaberuka, stated that “Africa’s private sector is poised to become the main engine of growth for the African continent.” Following a decade of growth driven by public investments, the advent of technology, rising exports to China and a fast-growing consumer class, the private sector, the engine of brands, was predicted to fuel the growth of the continent.
With the rise of new African private sector champions, many anticipated the emergence and rise of African brands. Growth was projected to reach 6.2% by 2020. A decade later, in the midst of a global health and economic pandemic, the optimism has been tempered. Growth projections at the start of the year hovered around 3.9% but now there is talk of Africa’s first recession in 25 years.
Africa’s Top 100 Brands 2020
How is this reflecting on African brands? It’s a bleak outcome. This year’s ranking shows a further decline for African brands, representing 13% of this year’s list, little more than a third of their showing a decade earlier. This is their lowest performance to date, down 2% from last year. Asia (16%), Europe (42%) and North America (29%) have all managed to increase their share.
Overall, out of the top 100 most admired brands from our first ranking in 2010/11, only half still appear in this year’s list. This is due to mergers, acquisitions and the obsolescence of many brands. The most prominent changes are in the technology category with the demise of Blackberry (#32 in 2010/11); the consolidation of Vodafone (#54 in 2010/11 and now #13); which acquired Vodacom in 2008 and rebranded in 2011; Etisalat (#40 in 2010/11) rebranding to 9 Mobile in 2017; and Motorola (#39) being acquired by Lenovo in 2014. We’ve also seen the rise of Chinese brand Tecno, which has raced up the ranking from #33 to #5 – a dominant performance for one of China’s premier global brands that’s not even sold in China!
Mergers and acquisitions will impact the rankings in different ways. Following a merger it will take time for a brand to rebuild its presence and this appears to be the case for Absa as it asserts its brand beyond South Africa. Despite rebranding back to Absa in 2018 after UK-based Barclays sold back its shareholding in Barclays Africa to the South African banking group, it has dropped out of this year’s rankings as it rebuilds its brand across the continent, having featured at #76 in 2010/11. The same is true for former South African brewer, SAB Miller, since the multi-billion dollar merger between AB InBev and SAB Miller in 2016. It took the #31 spot in 2011, with its iconic beer Castle at #67, but neither feature this year.
The goddess of victory
American sports brand Nike retained its top spot for the third year in a row as the #1 most admired brand in Africa. Ranked #9 a decade ago, the brand today reigns supreme, buoyed by partnerships with record-breaking African athletes such as Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, the sub-two-hour marathon runner, and also by global collaborations such as the ones with South Africa designer Poppy Karabo and Nigeria’s music sensation Wizkid on his Starboy brand.
Nike also sponsors the shirts of the Nigerian and South African football national teams, thus being ever visible throughout sub-Saharan Africa. As a result of these high-profile actions, Nike continues to reign as an aspirational and go-to brand for sports, fitness and lifestyle.
What is African?
The dominance of non-African brands is unabated. In the survey question to determine the most admired African brands (see our methodology), a host of non-African brands are identified as African. Brands such as Coca-Cola (#2 in 2011 and #4 in 2020) top the list of such brands. The company has been on the continent for almost 100 years and through innovative distribution and engaging localised campaign strategies tailored to African markets, it has achieved ubiquity and a certain Africanness. Where else would you have someone ordering a warm coke, as is often the case in East Africa?
A common theme among the top 10 such brands is their deep local insights, localised marketing and outsize marketing budgets. As a result they have managed to create an intimate and infectious relationship with the African consumer. The strategy for these global brands has been, as Brand Leadership terms it, to “think locally and act globally”.
This is the case for brands such as Vlisco, the Dutch wax fabric designer, which is dominant in its sector, and Guinness, consumed by more people in Africa than its own domestic market in Ireland. The same is true for Vodafone and Airtel.
Africans don’t prefer local
Among the 27 countries surveyed, which account for over 85% of the continent’s population and GDP, only in Zimbabwe (through Econet), in Zambia (through Trade Kings) and in Tanzania (with Azam) do we have a local brand taking the country’s #1 spot.
In Liberia, an African brand from another country, MTN, takes the #1 spot, but in all the other countries, it is a non-African brand: Nike (11 out of 27), Samsung (4/27), Coke (3/27) and Adidas (2/27) lead the way, with Tecno, Orange and Airtel each dominant in one country.
Powerhouse African brands, such as Dangote in Nigeria, Safaricom in Kenya and MTN in South Africa, don’t even make the top spot in their domestic markets, and in North Africa, all the Top 10 most admired brands in Egypt and Morocco are non-African.
Kings of finance
GTBank claimed back the #1 spot this year, in a specific question and ranking of brands in financial services, after falling out of the top five in 2019. Its clever marketing, global presence and some of its flagship food and fashion events have undoubtedly helped make it a fixture of daily life in some of its key markets, especially its home base Nigeria. The bank has taken banking and finance to the people, and associating this with something fun and useful.
Interestingly, every brand in last year’s top five (FNB, Bank of Africa and Standard Bank) has lost ground in the rankings, with only Ecobank and Absa managing to stay within the top five. The industry is dominated by African giants. International brands do feature in some cases but these are payment companies as opposed to traditional banks – Paypal, Western Union and Visa. We expect to see mobile money and other disruptors muscle their way up the ranking as we see an increase in digitisation and digital-led economies, something which this pandemic has only accelerated.
Where’s the African media?
As part of the survey, we also ask media-specific questions. The top 25 media is once again dominated by international groups, led by the BBC, CNN and Al Jazeera. Only seven of our top 25 originate from Africa which begs the question how much of our narrative do we control.
The major shift has come as non-traditional media have entered the sway. Streaming giant Netflix comes in at #10, ahead of traditional media stalwarts such as SABC, France24 and Sky News. Just outside the top 10, at #12, social media juggernaut Facebook also ranked above traditional media brands such as Sky (#21), France24 (#15) and Fox (#23). Making up our list are other digital players: YouTube comes in at #20, Google at #24 and Instagram at #25. These non-traditional players have increasingly positioned themselves as, and are, preferred media channels among African consumers.
Made in Africa
When prompted to choose their favourite African brand, the split is pretty even between South, East and West Africa. Compared to last year, East Africa increased its contribution by 4% to 36%. West Africa came in with 28% of those brands represented and Southern Africa with 36%. A key driver for East Africa’s growth is the Tanzanian conglomerate Azam, with a diverse portfolio that spans media and consumer goods, and a rebranding that has started to reap rewards and endearment from the region’s consumers.
While its peers are on their knees, the crown jewel of the African skies, Ethiopian Airlines, continues to grow its brand, moving 14 spots to #7. Increased market share from a bigger fleet and new routes, an ambitious growth strategy and its status as an airline that actually manages to make money have turned it, it appears, into the “Pride of Africa”, as it likes to call itself.
Zimbabwe’s stalwart brand, Econet, has slid eight places to #13. It is hard to pinpoint exact reasons but it’s been a tough year for the group which last year pulled the plug on its pay-TV venture, Kwese media. The group has an important African footprint through Liquid Telecom, an internet solution provider, and its reputation will only increase if it manages to acquire a telecoms licence in Ethiopia, which is opening up its market to foreign entities.
Jumia, dubbed “The Amazon of Africa” at its audacious launch on the NYSE, has struggled to match expectations, dropping five spots to #18. Jumia, and many e-commerce brands in Africa have their work cut out, especially with e-commerce giants Alibaba (#92 in the main table) and Amazon (#56 in the main table) lurking in the background. The African consumer may be their next battle ground. Jack Ma, the billionaire founder of Alibaba, launched the Africa Netpreneur Prize last year to support the next generation of African entrepreneurs, with the understanding, as he sees it, that “a digital revolution, will make it possible to turn Africa into a global hub”.
One company trying to create a hub in motor manufacturing is Nigeria’s Innoson. The brand, which comes in at #10 in our most admired African brand category, whose ambition is to eradicate tokunbo (used foreign automobiles) from Africa, manufactures cars and motorbikes in the industrial heartland of Nigeria in Anambra state. Our main top 100 list, however, only features non-African automobile majors such as Toyota (#11), Mercedes Benz (#19) and BMW (#40).
Winners and losers
In the main table, one of this year’s big winners is Indomie, which comes in at #34. An Indonesian based company that entered the Nigerian market over 30 years ago has today managed to turn instant noodles into a staple food in Africa’s most populous country, challenging jollof rice for main billing in Nigerian households. It controls 74% of the market and the brand is so popular that the Indonesian trade minister Enggartiasto Lukita said that most Nigerians make the common mistake thinking of Indomie as a local product. To many Nigerians, all noodles are Indomie!
The second highest mover is Vlisco, moving 50 places to #45. Vlisco is arguably the most dominant brand representing African fashion. Its success has shone a light on African fashion and undoubtedly inspired other global brands, such as LV Basotho’s range of blankets or Christian Louboutin’s collaboration with Senegalese artists to launch the Africaba Tote Bag incorporating bold Ankara prints that originated in West Africa.
The world of fashion has helped African style go global. More recently we saw English designer Stella McCartney also use Ankara inspired prints in her Paris show and Thai-American designer Thakoon taking inspiration from the Maasai for his latest collection. In a resurgence and appreciation of “African fabrics” most of which are inspired by Vlisco, among the “brands” mentioned by respondents were Mozambique’s “Capulana”, Ghana’s “Kente” and Zambia’s “Kitenge”.
The company that has moved most in our rankings is French dairy company Danone, moving up 60 places to #30. It hasn’t all been plain sailing, however, for this brand that celebrated its 100th birthday last year. In Morocco, a major market for the company, it suffered a wide boycott in 2018. However, following some consumer engagement sessions and nationwide awareness-raising it has managed to build back this brand equity. The brand won an award at the Peace and Sport Awards in late 2019 and the year saw the return of the Danone Nations World Cup, with Danone taking kids from all around the world to Barcelona to compete in this prestigious competition.
One brand that has dropped significantly since we compiled the first rankings is Dolce & Gabbana, dropping from #58 in 2010 to #98 today. In a YouGov survey in the US conducted in February 2020, it was the least popular luxury brand in the rankings. This slide of the popularity of the former global trendsetter in America appears also to be the case in Africa.
Another brand that seems to have lost its lustre is Turkey’s LC Waikiki, falling 32 places to #99. Its higher position last year coincided with a campaign they ran as they expanded their footprint in Kenya and South Africa. This year’s ranking is probably a truer reflection of its position.
Conclusion
So what does this year’s ranking tell us? After an exciting early start to the decade, and despite a vibrant entrepreneurial environment with pockets of excellence, the scramble for the much trumpeted value and size of the African consumer spend is still taking place between brands from outside the continent rather than from within.
What Africa isn’t short of are ideas, blueprints and enthusiasm. But they require financial and government support to really grow and take off. We appear to be moving in the right direction: the African Continental Free Trade Area will help our brands reach new markets; the removal of travel barriers with the African Union Passport will also enable Africans to discover new brands as they travel the continent.
But to compete with the global behemoths will require greater ambitions for our brands to be the ones our people aspire to and respect – “top-of-mind” brands that we don’t only consume but which represent the lives we want to live. That will require a change of mindset from the top down. It can’t be someone else’s story or success. It needs to come from within. The next decade cannot be another promise for an “Africa rising”, an “African renaissance” or “Africa’s time”. Africa’s time is NOW.
Contributors: Tshepang Makofane, Reahile Ramathesele (Brand Leadership), Karin du Chenne (Kantar) and Thabani Khumalo (Malo & Fynn Group).
This article originally appeared on African Business
Every so often we stumble across a particularly great fashion Instagram account before it gains traction and goes viral, and it feels like a delicious secret leading us down a rabbit hole of inspiration. Often, though, these accounts pay homage to the ’70s, ’90s and ’00s, offering us throwback photos of Jane Birkin, Kate Moss or Paris Hilton. While we relish the nostalgia hit these feeds provide, it can get a little repetitive.
That’s why, when we discovered African Style Archive with just 240 followers at the time of writing it felt like a welcome change of step. Curated by Tosin, a London-based art project assistant, the account is “an archive dedicated to fashion and style as seen through the lenses of African photographers”. Portraits of men and women dressed in the most incredible ‘fits think ’70s dagger collar blouses, ’60s wiggle dresses, dance floor-ready flared trousers and printed sun dresses – the account offers a fresh perspective on personal style.
Tosin, who has always been interested in fashion history and photography, conceived the idea after visiting her paternal grandmother’s home in Nigeria a few years ago for the first time since she was much younger. “I was immediately drawn to the many photo albums my grandma possessed. There were individual studio photographs and group shots of my grandma and her stylish friends (my grandma told me they’d put on their ‘best’ outfits to have their photo taken). I found that these photos captured so much of the elegance and sophistication that I strive for in my own personal style that they inspired me.”
Taking photos of the images on her iPhone, Tosin began sharing them on her personal Instagram account. “I got lovely responses so I knew that it wasn’t just me that loved to see these photos. I started doing more research about African studio and portrait photographers in the 20th century and discovered so many amazing artists and images, so I started collecting these photos which are now being shared on the African Style Archive page.” Now using museum and archival websites to source her photographs and amassing a growing collection of coffee table photo books by photographers such as James Barnor, Malick Sidibé and Seydou Keïta Tosin’s page is a treasure trove of slick style inspiration.
From religious to regional dress, there’s no singular definition of African sartorial style, so what does the term mean to Tosin? “I think it’s hard to define in a monolithic sense. To me, it is the presentation of style and trends interpreted with traditional and westernised influences and elements. It is clothes and accessories being worn with a unique way of being presented because of how African hair is styled and how we look.”
The most common misconception about African style more generally, Tosin says, is that it’s “limited to the bold and super colourful Dutch wax fabrics that we see in the media, but there is so much more to it than that. These fabrics are predominantly used to make clothing in west Africa, therefore neglecting other parts of the continent in the narrative.” Her favourite discovery so far is a sunny ’60s photo taken by J.D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere of a woman in thick-rimmed oval sunnies, drop earrings and a headband.
“I love her pose, how she is facing the camera, her top and particularly how she has accessorised the outfit, her sunglasses, also her hair! I think everything about this look works and it genuinely makes me curious as to what the rest of her outfit was and what her personal style was like.”
While the page remains a passion project for now, Tosin has her sights set on collaborations with historians and institutions – “I feel like African style is still underrepresented in fashion and art history” – with a photo book and exhibition a dream for the future. In the meantime, click through to see the save-worthy photographs Tosin has curated, and give African Style Archive a follow.
Turning face masks into a fashion statement in Africa, the face mask has become a global symbol in the fight against COVID-19. But for fashion designers in Africa, the masks are more than just a protective piece of cloth. Here are some of the best styles from the continent.
Who says face masks have to be bland?
In Africa, fashion designers are injecting some style into masks to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic encouraging mask use while letting people show some individuality.
Here are some face mask collection from Africa fashion designer:
Lagos style Protecting yourself and others Lagos style: Nigerian fashion influencer Angel Obasi showcases her red and white face mask with matching clothes.
Integrating each outfit For designers like Sophie Zinga, photographed here at her workshop in Dakar, the task is clear: “As a fashion designer I think we are going to have to integrate each outfit with fashion masks.”
Luxury items High-end fashion made in Africa: This mask, worn by Nigerian fashion stylist Sefiya Diejomoah, is studded with sparkling diamante jewels. “When you come out in a stylish mask, it doesn’t seem as though we’re fighting a war,” Diejomoah says.
Economic necessity For many fashion designers in Africa, creating protective gear such as mask has been a way to keep business going despite the economic downturn.
Tackling mask shortages in Rwanda Rwanda-based tailor Alexander Nshimiyimana (second from left, above) told DW he has been producing colorful masks like these because of the stock shortages in the country. Nshimiyimana has tried to keep the price of his masks as affordable as possible so that more people can get access to one. His masks sell for around 50 US cents – while those in Rwanda’s pharmacies retail for around US $2.
Stylish masks in Kenya Kenyan fashion designer David Avido (above), founder of the label ‘lookslike avido,’ poses with a mask he made, created from leftover cloth. Since the first coronavirus case was confirmed in Kenya in March, ‘lookslike avido’ has so far created and distributed more than 10,000 masks for free to communities in and around the Kenyan capital Nairobi.
Cameroon sister designers do their bit Ange Goufack (left) and her sister Edmonde Kennang (right) have been producing these colorful face masks in Cameroon, with added plastic across the eyes. Since April 13, the government there has made it mandatory for people to wear face masks in public to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Donating masks to hospitals in Tunisia When the coronavirus crisis started, Tunisian designer Myriam Riza (above, adjusting a mask at the workshop of her Miss Anais label) was contacted by hospitals suffering from mask shortages. She produces the masks and distributes them to hospitals using donated fabric. To offset the cost of continuing to provide free masks to clinics, Riza decided to create masks for individual paying customers.
Masks with personality in Algeria Mounia Lazali, a designer in Algeria, has sewn and donated hundreds of masks – singer Joe Batoury models one of her designs, above. She told DW people “want to assert their culture and their tastes, so I think that the mask will not escape the fashion effect. If that can encourage people to protect themselves more, art will have succeeded in its mission by entering citizens’ everyday lives.”
Masks for the youngest
A boy in Abidjan is wearing a matching hat and mask created by Ivorian fashion designer Arthur Bella N’guessan.
Individual styles For young fashion buffs at University of Lagos like Uche Helen, wearing custom-made masks is a way to stand out.
Splashes of color in Liberia Liberia-based The Bombchel Factory is an ethical fashion company which helps its all-female staff to become self-sufficient by offering them training in making garments. It is turning unsold skirts into bright face masks like this one, above. For every purchased mask, another gets donated to someone unable to quarantine at home – because they don’t have anywhere to stay.
Donating masks Arthur Bella N’guessan also creates custom masks that match his customers’ clothes. His current daily output of masks stands at more than 1,000 a day and he gives many of them away for free.
Classic print In many African countries, wearing a face mask in public has been mandated by the government to fight the spread of COVID-19. Designers and tailors all over the continent have been stepping up to meet the demand.
Bright colours In the Nigerian capital Abuja the rules are simple: the brighter, the better. This woman is showcasing the pink face mask she is wearing with her hijab.
Matching mannequin A mannequin in the workshop of Ivorian designer Arthur Bella N’guessan sporting matching mask and clothing.
Lagos has more than twice the population of New York City and a robust fashion scene, where designers have long harnessed style as a tool for communication.
The city’s runways have promoted recycling, gender equality and traditional African artistry themes meant to nourish the greater good, said Omoyemi Akerele, founder of Lagos Fashion Week. Some fashion houses are consulting doctors, she said, and sourcing fabric for mask production. (The community has also donated soap to garment workers.)
“Fashion is a voice for change,” she said. “It can save lives.”
Many in Nigeria and the United States haven’t grasped the severity of the coronavirus threat. Warnings from celebrities can help. (The U.S. surgeon general urged Kylie Jenner, for instance, to inform her 167 million Instagram followers about the importance of social distancing.)
A not-for-profit fashion brand based in North Devon has donated more than £3,500 to help the fight against coronavirus in African countries.
Origin founders Alice and Tom Cracknell.
Origin, founded by Alice and Tom Cracknell from Woolacombe, is helping African communities fight the spread of Covid-19 with its Every Single Penny campaign.
Origin has always donated 100 per cent of its profits to humanitarian projects in Gambia, Ethiopia, Mali and more recently, Togo.
Some of the PPE funded by Origin arriving in Togo.
But in response to the global pandemic the husband-and-wife-team have upped their donations to include 100 per cent of all revenue from every garment sold.
The money will be donated in the form of cash grants to enable projects in each country to purchase PPE locally, provide improved sanitation and help educate communities.
Origin founders Alice and Tom Cracknell with a HIV support group in Gambia.
Origin has already donated £3,500 and counting since the beginning of April.
Alice said: “While the UK continues its lockdown, the pandemic is only touching the surface in Africa and it is a sad fact that with less resources the repercussions there will be much greater than those we face here.
“We felt it was extremely important, now more than ever, to continue in our support of communities in developing countries which is why we’ve launched Every Single Penny.
Vivo woman was founded in 2011, and is a proudly Kenyan-owned clothing brand which is designed to make women look and feel great. Vivo tapped into the need of ready-to-wear clothes that were affordable when Kenyan women had very few options to choose from.
“At Vivo, we pride ourselves in having 90% of the products we make, made in Kenya and we’re 100% dedicated to inspiring confidence in women no matter what size or shape they are! “
From a fitness wear clothing line to one of Kenya’s leading women’s clothing brand, Vivo has tapped into the need of ready-to-wear clothes that are affordable and offer a great sense of style and comfort.
With 90% of products made in Kenya, our clothes are designed to make you look and feel great as well as inspire a great deal in confidence in you no matter what size or shape you are.
The brand is known for its bright, versatile, colourful and edgy styles. Vivo clothes appeal across the board, and in particular to anyone who enjoys style and is young at heart.
Vivo’s mission is to empower and inspire women, changing the way they see themselves through fashion,Vivo, which means “alive”, invites all women to thrive in their bodies.
Shifting away from Western centric fashion industry norms, Vivo puts African women’s clothing needs and tastes first with versatile fabrics and fits, while remaining globally accommodating. Vivo customers can find casual, smart casual and activewear attire that reflects regional and community trends.
Shop Zetu is a multi-brand platform that carries products from amazing African brands from clothes, beauty, accessories, jewelry and many more made in Kenya fashion products you.
Officially launched on the 18th of December 2019, Zetu is Vivo Woman’s sister brand that aims to produce trendy and simple basics for women and men with a younger sense of fashion and style, following international and local trends.
Unlike Vivo that was created purely to cater to the female market, Zetu is a unisex brand that will carry items that cater to a more youthful, fun, hip and trendy set of clients.
Currently, Shop Zetu holds more than 11 brands as we continue to grow, namely:
Vivowoman, Zetu, Kipato Unbranded, Pauline Cosmetics, I Am Lipsticks, Ajani Handmade, Guo Studio, Nywele Chronicles, Kidosho Apparel, Shkwela and My Soul Tonic.
In the long run we hope that Shop Zetu will be a one stop shop where our clients can find products for everyone, Kids, Women, Men, Teenagers and perhaps even some bespoke collections from some of our partners.
OUR MISSION:
Shop Zetu is to provide a platform for African brands that produce trendy, quality products as well as organize the fast fashion sector and create a best-in-class fashion centered multi-brand online platform.
OUR VISION:
To bring the value currently lost in the fashion retail value by supporting the local industry & community.
In an effort to further curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the Kenyan government has directed all citizens to wear masks when in public spaces.
On March 30th, Kenya Fashion Council put out an appeal on social media, requesting designers and fashion industry members to share information on their capacity to produce face masks and PPEs.
Within 24 hours, the Kenya Fashion Council had received more than 800 emails from individuals and businesses. By the following day, there were 1,520 emails in total. KFCO also went ahead and created a manual for public use on the creation of a reusable cloth face mask. The same was shared with designers and tailors, enabling them to continue with a form of production and income generation in a time of crisis.
Kenya Fashion Council is working with all the relevant stakeholders to not only provide safe masks for the population but income generation strategies for its designers and tailors whose businesses have been hit hard during this pandemic.
Sterilization Centre – The Safe Masks For All Initiative Kenya Fashion Council has created an opportunity for its members to produce safe masks for the public by partnering with a sterilization centre. This partnership allows members to drop their cloth face masks at the centre where quality check is performed before sterilization, packaging and labeling.
The already tested, state of the art sterilization centre is well equipped and has the capacity 10 sterilize 4,800 face masks per day.
A customer in receipt of the KE-2 mask can rest assured that it is safe for use and free from contaminants. Designers who would like to use the sterilization centre should have the capacity to deliver a minimum of 120 labeled masks. The quality assurance step ensures that only quality masks are accepted for this process, upholding excellence in production.
The masks produced illustrate the KFCO spirit of innovation and excellence as every mask is individually sterilized, packaged and labeled. KFCO has partnered with Brand Kenya and these high quality, safe, reusable cloth face masks are proof that as Kenyans, we are more than capable of impacting, innovating and producing quality goods! We have the answer to our problems and creative strategies are within.
Get Your Ke-2 Face Mask Delivered To You! The Kenya Fashion Council team has been working day and night to not only coordinate production efforts of face masks but also seek distribution channels to ease accessibility of the same. Kenyans can now conveniently place an order online via JUMIA Kenya and receive the high quality KE-2 masks at their doorstep.
The council has negotiated rates for its members with JUMIA Kenya , which means Kenya Fashion Council Members can now set up shop and sell their masks online, automatically increasing their customer reach. KFCO is working towards multiple distribution channels to ensure Kenyans have access to quality reusable cloth face masks.
Kenya fashion council mask available here on Jumia link
Are You A Member? Due to the current global situation as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Kenya Fashion Council has extended its introductory offer on 90% off membership till 31st May 7020! Membership registration starts from as little as KES 2,500. As a member you can access the great rates KFCO has negotiated with JUMIA Kenya and reach your customers online with just a few steps!
SIGN UP TODAY Website: kenyafashioncouncil.co.ke to access discounted membership and join the family! Begin your journey to your online store!
Join The Fight Kenya Fashion Council is committed to reach every comer of society and provide safe masks to all Kenyans. We have partnered with NYS to enable mass face mask production. NYS engaged a total of 53 tailors from Jericho, Ngara, Taveta court, Kibra and Nairobi Textile.
The work commenced on 28th of April and as at 4th of May 16, 122 masks had been produced. We are looking into further developing patterns for other PPEs as well. The community spirit has been strong and a good example of this is David Juma, pictured below.
Mr Juma received support from the Kenya Fashion Council family who donated cloth and elastic materials totaling 30 meters. Mr Juma also received the KFCO manual which has guidelines on face mask creation and uses this to train others.
Get in touch if you would like to join us in our community efforts! Lets join hands and fight this pandemic together. We are stronger together.
Hanifa’s 3D digital fashion show just changed the fashion game, The designer has been using 3D mockups for a while to convey ideas to her team during sample-making, but says “designing content using 3D models and now an entire collection has been a complete game changer for Hanifa.
Fashion designer Anifa Mvuemba, founder Hanifa planned the groundbreaking digital show before the coronavirus pandemic made it essential.
#PinkLabelCongo
This pandemic has left the fashion industry distressed. Powerhouses like J.Crew and Neiman Marcus are filing bankruptcy and summer menswear and couture shows have been “postponed.” Over the last few months, think pieces and extrinsic deep dives have been discharged along with the question, “Where is the fashion industry going?”
Mvuemba is founder of the luxury label Hanifa. Her clothes have been worn by Kelly Rowland, Ciara, and Vanessa Simmons to name a few. Since Covid-19, the designer has premiered 3D Models in replacement of real models to correlate with the time period we’re in. Due to stay-at-home orders and social distancing, this came as an innovative and safe way to showcase her pieces.
To take it up notch, Mvuemba presented her Pink Label Congo collection on Instagram live Friday evening through a digital experience. After a few technical difficulties, the show kicked off on the @hanifabridal channel. “We create for women without limitations, I found that the 3D world gave me a place to innovate,” Mvuemba tells ESSENCE. “It’s important to believe in yourself, love what you do, and let the passion inspire you.”
Anifa Mvuemba, Pink Label Congo Collection. (An African woman, a black woman, setting new fashion industry standards) pic.twitter.com/CPpSx3ZoC5
The show started with the designers speaking about her journey from Hanifa’s official launch in 2012. Mvuemba exclaimed how the brand has given her validation. “Growing up I always felt like an outcast. I always felt like I wanted to be “in” or be apart of something and I find that I actually have a voice in Hanifa. That’s what fueled the passion” she says.
The designer goes on to explain how Africa stood as an influence for her latest project. “This is the right time to do a collection inspired by Congo. I’ve heard so many stories about the coltan and the mining issues.” Mvuemba expands on the controversy around the mining practices and how 60 -70% of the world’s source comes from this country. “I wanted this collection to support the families that were affected and the organizations that are doing the ground work,” she concludes.
Considering African fashion is eclectic, Mvuemba took those traditions and incorporated century long nuances within the continent like bold prints and bright colors into her collection. Sending pieces down the runway like the Kinshasa Backless Mini Dress that features the colors of the Congo flag or the Mái maxi dress and mini skirt that resembles the Congo skyline.
“Every single color palette we used in this collection has meaning to it,” said Mvuemba. The collection also features the Pink Label Congo Colette T-Shirt in partnership with the Responsible Sourcing Network. 20% of this classic summer tee will support Congolese families against illegal Colton mining in the DRC.
Dubai Design District (d3) has joined the Arab Fashion Council in a campaign to combat COVID-19, with seven partners poised to create thousands of protection gowns and surgical face masks for frontline medical workers.
The campaign calls on UAE-based fashion designers to use their craftsmanship and haute couture flair to make surgical attire for the UAE’s health care industry, demonstrating the value of fashion and design in Dubai.
d3, Dubai’s heart of creative design, home to more than 9,000 people and 385 companies, has pledged its support to #AThread4Cause a campaign calling on UAE-based fashion designers to use their craftsmanship and haute couture flair to make surgical attire for the UAE’s health care industry.
Seven business partners with more than 50 tailors and pattern makers, will make the medically certified garments. To facilitate logistics, d3 is set to host a unified distribution center, to store and deliver the protection gowns and surgical masks produced by d3 designers as well as other designers based in the UAE.
This will turn the d3 community into a strategic hub for personal protective equipment (PPE) made by luxury brands.
Khadija Al-Bastaki, executive director of d3, said: “As the fashion capital of the Middle East, d3 is both humbled and delighted to support #AThread4Cause. With six d3-based designers, we aim to aid the lifesaving work of vital medical staff by contributing to the UAE’s stockpile of gowns and face masks. d3 is well placed to be able to cater to the needs of the local population, as well as export to the rest of the world, heralded by the strong logistics and infrastructure of Dubai.
This will enable #AThread4Cause to quickly receive the PPE carefully produced by highly skilled, luxury fashion designers across the emirate.”
“The Arab Fashion Council is proud of d3’s remarkable support to #AThread4Cause campaign by joining forces with us and its readiness to strengthen the emergency network of creative force,” said Jacob Abrian, founder and CEO of the Arab Fashion Council.
Michael Cinco’s ‘The Impalpable Dream of SWAN LAKE’ collection is the fulfillment of the fashion designer’s dream to create a collection based from the popular folk tale. Photos by Bethoven Filomeno.
Dubai-based couture label, Michael Cinco, is among the seven d3 business partners taking part in the initiative. Cinco and his business partner Sayed Ali said in a joint statement: “We need to demonstrate the sense of belonging, community spirit and light that only fashion can bring to our world.
We are proud to be part of d3’s response to #AThread4Cause and believe it demonstrates the value of fashion and design in Dubai.”
Yasmine Yeya, founder and creative director of Maison Yeya, added: “The UAE has worked extremely hard to address the current situation and the creative community stands ready to support these efforts because it’s our duty to stand united against this challenge.”
Queen of bridal couture, Yasmine Yeya, Gowns ranged from the straight up lavish meringue-esque creations to slinky stunners with appliqués and elaborate backs, to that signature Yeya hi-lo style.
Cinco and Yeya are joined by Furne One of couture label Amato, Emirati designer Yara bin Shakar, Egypt’s Marmar Halim, Arab/American designer Zaid Farouki and women’s clothing retailer Si Fashion.
To provide the designers with ample material and to support local suppliers, d3 has established a partnership with a Dubai-based Saudi fabric manufacturer who will supply over four tons of technical fabric to the participating brands.
