African fashion lies on the ground of rich culture and patterns that reflect African nature and wildlife. With bold and colorful pieces, African clothing reflects the vast continent and its many differences and similarities in culture and fashion. Every textile and every pattern expresses the fascinating history and individuality of this continent.
African fashion was neglected in the past when it comes to its representation in high fashion. Since the African continent has much to offer when it comes to both new markets to generate more sales, but more importantly, as a creative inspiration. Globally African fashion is getting more recognition and with the representation of African culture and African people in numerous movies, African fashion is getting its much-deserved spotlight to shine globally. African designers are aiming to mix contemporary design with inspirational clothing from African culture and its rich history. This allows African designers to express the spirit of their ethics and to familiarize large masses globally with the beauty and innovative, yet traditional pieces African fashion has to offer. With people being fed up with the constant production of trendy pieces, African fashion is going to bring a fresh new breeze to the overly used trends in fashion. There are numerous African designers who have made their names in global fashion markets.
Selly Raby Kane
Selly has made her name both inside and outside of Africa. With some popular clients like Naomi Campbell and Beyonce, we are likely going to hear more about her in the upcoming years. She has found a way to bring Senegalese culture to the people outside of Africa with urban twists. She uses her eclectic and rebellious style to express the uniqueness and beauty of African fashion. She uses 3D shapes and intricate patterns to bring life and add texture to her pieces.
Thebe Magugu
Thebe Magugu is known for spreading the influence of African fashion to the rest of the population. The designer’s pieces dominated the front page of Vogue’s September issue. He also released a collection on an e-commerce site and his brand, which is specializing in women ready to wear clothes is catching more and more attention.
Sarah Diouf
Sarah Diouf worked with Beyonce and was featured in her “Spirit” music video. She has found a way to express her ethnicity and the culture of Africa trough her fashion designs and is challenging the standards in the fashion world.
Tia Adeola
Tia quickly became a favorite of numerous superstar models including Cara Delavigne and Gigi Hadid. She also showcased her collection at the New York Fashion Week and inspired many with her innovative and bold pieces. She was born in Nigeria, raised in London and is currently based in New York. She embraces the differences between global cultures and brings them together in her designs.
As fashion designers, Gabriella and Kelly Davids from South Africa said: “Always interpret no as wait, not give up.” African fashion has been neglected for centuries, but it has finally been given its much-deserved spotlight and it’s ready to take over the world.
John Kaveke, a designer from Kenya said “Don’t let dreams, just be a dream. With god, hard work and determination, it can become a reality.”
Even though the doors are opening for African fashion, it still faces many challenges. The native market is still not ready to accept the idea of luxury and associate it with Africa. There are also numerous problems due to the lack of the textile industry. Additionally, the workforce from Africa doesn’t have much experience with shipping the product overseas to other continents. There is a long road ahead of African fashion, but the world is gradually giving more credit to African designers and is open for change.