Media mogul, Nduka Obaigbena is sponsoring a African fashion show aimed at countering the prevalent idea of this realm of fashion only containing the "Big Five and leopard prints."
This effort has been one of many African designers, who intend change the perception of African fashion. Since its emergence, African fashion's growth has been hindered by an underlying sense of "romanticized colonialist, stuck in amber, image of bracelets and long necks," curator of "This is Not a Fashion Photograph," Vince Aletti says.
Many designers, like Malian designer Lamine Kouyate, have exceptional and original ideas to display however, besides the glass ceiling of preset notions to break through, designers also have to deal with the other elephant in the room. "One problem for us is that we don't have media talking about this African energy, this sophistication. All anyone is obsessed about is disease and what's going wrong," Kouyate laments.
Nevertheless, designers like Kouyate and his contemporary Nkhensani Nkosi, founder of South African label Stoned Cherrie have been significantly successful at getting their head above water and staying there.
This effort has been one of many African designers, who intend change the perception of African fashion. Since its emergence, African fashion's growth has been hindered by an underlying sense of "romanticized colonialist, stuck in amber, image of bracelets and long necks," curator of "This is Not a Fashion Photograph," Vince Aletti says.
Many designers, like Malian designer Lamine Kouyate, have exceptional and original ideas to display however, besides the glass ceiling of preset notions to break through, designers also have to deal with the other elephant in the room. "One problem for us is that we don't have media talking about this African energy, this sophistication. All anyone is obsessed about is disease and what's going wrong," Kouyate laments.
Nevertheless, designers like Kouyate and his contemporary Nkhensani Nkosi, founder of South African label Stoned Cherrie have been significantly successful at getting their head above water and staying there.
No comments:
Post a Comment