In a world of microtrends, the cool of today can be dead in the water by the next week. A few years ago, the tradition of trends being set by powerful figures in the fashion industry had the terrible effect of creating an overall sameness across fashion. There was very clearly an ‘in’ and an…
Mali has a long tradition of weaving that has given a rise to its textile industry. The country is one of the world leaders in the production and exportation of ginned cotton fibre. It is also known for the production of Bazin, mud cloth and other hand-dyed fabrics. The vitality of this industry has offered…
Nigeria is a source of rich history and culture and its influence extends beyond its borders. Formed in 2013, the Emmy Kasbit brand aims to highlight and capture the heritage of Igbo people through clothes. The Akwete fabrics and prints that are redolent of old traditions serve as the backbone for the clothing label. Its…
Receiving a package is usually a pleasant thing to experience but in the case of Aristide Loua, a gift can be life-changing. While working in South Carolina as a bookkeeper, Loua got two wax shirts that re-invigorated a sense of pride and longing for Côte d’Ivoire; a country he had not stepped foot in for…
Growing up with a father that used to sell clothes, Gideon Akwasi Wiafe or simply Nana Wiafe was always destined for a career in fashion. In 2016, he ventured into modelling but he knew that he could more in the fashion industry. The following year, he started as a fashion stylist and since then, he…
In the last couple of weeks, TikTok has been overtaken by the AI manga art filter. The filter allows users to pose in front of the camera and be imagined by artificial intelligence (AI) in the art style of a manga, drawing on visual elements from the composition. On TikTok, it’s mostly fun harmless fun….
On Saturday, 10 December 2022 – a month ago – Thebe Magugu invited friends and admirers of the brand to celebrate 5 years of the brand at The Pyramid Conference Centre in central Johannesburg. What was described by social media users who were in attendance as a phenomenal party was a beautiful spectacle and a…
In 1973, American fashion designers were pitted against French designers in the Battle of Versailles. The Palace of Versailles was once home to one of the Western world’s earliest fashion influencers, Marie Antoinette, whose adoption of the chemise dress helped spur chattel slavery and the cotton trade in the United States. In an unprecedented move…
More than a decade ago, Mai Atafo was working in marketing with a job promotion to a senior role on the cards. However, his participation in a friend’s wedding would unleash his creativity and set forth his career in fashion. After helping with coordinating and designing suits for the groomsmen, one wedding favour turned into…
Alexa Schempers grew up with a mother who was a fashion designer and she would read every fashion magazine she could get her hands on. Fashion is in her blood and by the time she was a teenager, she knew that not only would it be a career path, but it would also be her…
It bears repeating that sustainability in fashion has always been about more than just recycled plastic bottles, all-star ambassadors or donating previously-loved clothing. As Erica de Greef of the African Fashion Research Institute puts it; it’s a holistic practice. A practice which prioritises community, the planet and decolonisation to best succeed. This is what makes…
According to Matthew Edwards, co-founder of sustainable research organisation, Big Circle studios and designer for his brand, Matte, it’s all about “working stuff out.” The core of Matte’s practice is not constituted by a preoccupation with “the end product” as one might think, but rather, it is driven by a concern and approach anchored in…
