Footprints in Fashion: THE BLOCC and the Rise of Wearable Art

Footprints in Fashion: THE BLOCC and the Rise of Wearable Art arishoebloc

From a small studio in Lagos, Biodun Ariori is building one of the most compelling voices in contemporary footwear. His label, THE BLOCC (formerly theshoeblocc), crafts shoes that move beyond utility transforming them into sculptural, expressive statements of identity and presence. His work first caught our attention during Guzangs’ debut cover shoot, where he was […]

Thobeka Mbane Is Styling for Liberation, Not Just Looks

Thobeka Mbane Is Styling for Liberation, Not Just Looks Thobeka

In the town of Mthatha, nestled in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, a young girl was falling in love — not with a person, but with possibility. Thobeka Mbane didn’t yet know that fashion could be a language, a tool, even a form of resistance. All she knew was how she felt watching her mother get […]

Toni Tones Wanted to Be a Photographer—She Became a Rising Nollywood Star Instead

Toni Tones Wanted to Be a Photographer—She Became a Rising Nollywood Star Instead ToniTone1

If there’s a “breakout star of 2025” title, Toni Tones has already claimed it. Best known for her chilling portrayal of young Eniola in King of Boys and her fan-favorite role as Lara Thompson in The Smart Money Woman and Azuwa Studios’ upcoming Lara Unlimited, she’s also lit up screens in the award-winning short Angie’s […]

The Zimbabwean Fashion Scene: A Quiet Renaissance

The Zimbabwean Fashion Scene: A Quiet Renaissance zim1

Zimbabwe’s fashion industry is undergoing a nuanced but profound evolution. While the country may not yet be considered a global fashion capital, its creative community is asserting itself with authenticity, innovation, and resilience. Rooted in a rich cultural legacy and shaped by decades of economic and political flux, Zimbabwean fashion is moving from survival to […]

Where the Fathers Are

Where the Fathers Are Blue

Carlos Idun-Tawiah’s portraits reimagine absence, softness, and legacy in Black fatherhood. Timed for Father’s Day, his series Hero, Father, Friend invites us into a world where care is quiet, presence is sacred, and the everyday becomes monumental. Carlos is a Ghanaian artist, photographer, and filmmaker based in Accra. Drawing inspiration from African archival treasures, he explores […]

Waste Not, Wear More: African Designers and Artists Upcycle the Future

Waste Not, Wear More: African Designers and Artists Upcycle the Future From Dakar

As the global fashion industry reckons with its massive environmental impact, Africa is quietly leading a creative revolution — one where waste is not discarded but reborn. On this World Environment Day, we turn the spotlight to a growing community of African designers and artists transforming textile scraps, plastic, and secondhand clothing into vibrant works […]

In Dubai, African Designers Set the Tone for a Global Conversation on Luxury

In Dubai, African Designers Set the Tone for a Global Conversation on Luxury 10 Sarayaa photographed by Sameera Yahampath Photography

Last month, the opulent halls of the Mandarin Oriental Jumeirah in Dubai pulsed with creativity as the AFRA World Fashion Confluence 2025 brought together designers from across the globe under the evocative theme Echoes of the Oasis. At the heart of it all was a landmark partnership between AFRA World and the Lulubell Group, led […]

At the United Nations: Fashion, Culture, and the Urgency of Collective Action

At the United Nations: Fashion, Culture, and the Urgency of Collective Action 25 0519 DN 0168

This week, the UN Fashion & Lifestyle Network convened its annual meeting at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Hosted by the United Nations Office for Partnerships and the Fashion Impact Fund —a program of PVBLIC Foundation in collaboration with the UN Sustainable Fashion Alliance and supported by Lenzing, this edition of the UN Fashion […]