Africa, The New Fashion World

           

                                               Photo credit: Eric Petschek 

Africa's fashion industry has flourished in recent years, growing as a major force to be reckoned with. African designers are becoming increasingly creative and original, utilizing their unique fashion styles to tell stories about Africa's diverse cultures, languages, and history. With prominent fashion weeks like Lagos Fashion Week and SA Fashion Week, among others, showcasing trendy ethnocultural styles, African fashion designers give the “Big Four” fashion events a run for their money and audience. While famous fashion brands like Yves Saint Laurent draw inspiration from Africa, it's refreshing to see African designers truly showcase their originality. No one can tell the African story through art like an African can. Anyone who follows the African fashion industry knows how it represents all regions, tribes, and ethnic groups, thereby promoting our cultural heritage, diversity, and pride in its history. From Kente, Iro ati Buba, Boubou, Kanzu, Habesha kamis, Djellaba, Shuka, Dashiki, Isidwaba, Isiagu, Toghu/atoghu, and more, African fashion styles are vibrant, colourful, and soulful. They capture the essence of the African experience in a way that the rest of the world pales in comparison. While we have the likes of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Angelique Kidjo, Youssou N'Dour, and Brenda Fassie, among others, to thank for putting African music on the global map, we have the likes of Laduma MaXhosa, Imane Ayissi, Lisa Folawiyo, Katungulu Mwendwa, Orange Culture, Thebe Magugu, and others to thank for putting African fashion on the global runway. Another exciting development is seeing old fashion styles submerged into contemporary designs in more creative cultural ways. For example, the corset Ankara style in Nigerian weddings is one of my favourites. Not only does it make the wearer feel breathtaking (literally and figuratively), it also serves as a great fit and reminds me of the Renaissance fashion era. During that time, while other women went to balls, African women were stripped of that privilege due to slavery. The corset style being infused into African fashion is a subtle reminder that today and forever, no one can restrict or take away our power to look as fashionable as we'd like. In conclusion, the African fashion industry is a world of its own, diverse yet unified. It has evolved and fought its way to where it is today, and we are excited to see it continue to flourish and grow.