Earth’s Palette: African Designers Crafting Ultra-Sustainable Fashion with Natural Dyes
As Earth Day 2025 dawns under the theme “Our Power, Our Planet,” African fashion is blooming with colors drawn straight from the earth. Forget fast fashion’s toxic legacy—20% of global wastewater and 10% of CO2 emissions. An Adire dress steeped in Yoruba indigo, a Kente gown dyed with Ghanaian kola nut, or a recycled denim […]
Threads of Influence II: Colonial Dandyism and the Politics of Dress
From the late 19th to mid-20th centuries, as European colonial powers carved up Africa, a sartorial uprising simmered beneath the surface. In the shadow of Union Jacks, tricolores, and Belgian crowns, African men—across Lagos’s humid docks, Accra’s dusty streets, Leopoldville’s riverfront markets—took the European suit, that rigid emblem of imperial control, and stitched it into […]
The Resurgence of African Menswear Global Dialogue
In Kumasi’s Bonwire, loomers weave kente into vests that hum with royal lineage. In Cape Town’s ateliers, Xhosa-inspired capes ripple, their beads chanting warrior tales. From Lagos to Addis Ababa, African menswear is shredding colonial threads—stiff suits, muted ties—and stitching a vibrant, homegrown identity. Mudcloth jackets pulse with Mali’s ancient glyphs; ankara blazers blaze with […]
Threads of Influence: Pre-Colonial African Menswear and the Power of Style
Before silk lapels, velvet loafers, or custom-tailored suits graced the red carpet, African men were already masters of refined, intentional dress. In pre-colonial times, menswear across the continent was more than fabric — it was storytelling. Rich with symbolism, steeped in meaning, and crafted with care, clothing served as a powerful expression of identity, community, […]
Threads of Influence: A Series on Black Tailoring
A seven-part Guzangs series on Black tailoring, written into and around the 2025 Met Gala’s “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” The Costume Institute’s 2025 theme made Black dandyism the subject of the year’s most-watched fashion event. Threads of Influence spent four weeks reporting around it, beginning with pre-colonial African menswear and ending on the Met steps. […]
The Legacy of Shea Butter: A Ritual, A Remedy, A Revolution
“Shea butter is my go-to. It’s nature’s ultimate moisturizer—pure, simple, and effective.” — Lupita Nyong’o In the ever-expanding world of beauty and self-care, few ingredients have the legacy and sheer efficacy of shea butter. Extracted from the nuts of the West African shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa), this rich, buttery elixir has been the cornerstone of […]
Ilkhe du Toit on Material-First Design and the Journey of Salt
Image credit: Liezl Zwarts. Ilkhe du Toit’s collection Salt begins with a contradiction. The designer grew up on a sheep farm in South Africa where her family exported wool to European mills, surrounded by raw fiber that would eventually become garments. Yet the connection between the two felt invisible. “I didn’t understand how wool became […]
Kohl Through the Ages: A Heritage of Beauty Meets Modern Black Friday Savings
Kohl: a single product with centuries of beauty, mystery, and cultural significance. For centuries, kohl has been more than a cosmetic. It is a symbol of heritage, identity, and cultural pride, transcending borders and generations. From its origins in ancient Africa to its widespread use across the Middle East, South Asia, and beyond, kohl remains […]
Romzy’s “Skin Print” Collection: A Bold Celebration of Diversity
In the vibrant tapestry of African fashion, Roméo Moukagny’s brand, Romzy, emerges as a beacon of visionary elegance. His latest creation, the “Skin Print” collection, is not merely a line of clothing—it is a profound exploration of diversity and individuality. After three years of meticulous crafting, “this collection offers a timeless ode to the unique […]
Mali Fashion Empire Celebrates Cotton Craftsmanship and African Heritage
In a captivating celebration of African heritage and craftsmanship, Mali Fashion Empire recently hosted a mesmerizing workshop shoot that delved deep into the realms of cotton processing and traditional textile techniques. Directed by the visionary Senegalese artist Djibril DRAME, the event, themed ‘Mother Queen,’ unfolded against the backdrop of the Nialan textile workshop in Bamako, […]