Threads of Influence IV: The Elegance of Defiance
The art of tailoring has long been a site of Black resistance, elegance, and reinvention. From the studied poise of precolonial kings to the audacious flamboyance of the Sapeurs, tailoring has shaped how the world sees Black style — and how Black people see themselves. The 2025 Met Gala theme, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, affirms […]
The Future Feels Different Here: 7 African creatives who are reshaping design on their own terms
On April 21, the UN observed World Creativity and Innovation Day. But for many African designers, artists, and architects, that kind of thinking isn’t tied to a calendar. It’s just how the work gets done. Across the continent, new ideas are taking shape. Quietly. Experimentally. Sometimes defiantly. Some are working with buildings left unfinished for […]
Homecoming Festival 2025: Lagos Culture on Full Display
Over the past eight years, Homecoming has established itself as a cultural convergence point that redefines youth identity across the continent and its diaspora. Founded by cultural curator Grace Ladoja in 2017, the annual multi-day event returns each year to Lagos in grand style. It seamlessly blends music, fashion, sport, and art—creating a hybrid space […]
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 […]
My Father’s Shadow: Nigeria’s First Official Cannes Selection and the Team Behind It
African cinema is finally commanding the attention it has long deserved. The shift is visible, and it is accelerating. Last year, C.J. Obasi’s Mami Wata premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where cinematographer Lílis Soares received the Special Jury Prize for Cinematography in the World Dramatic Competition. Now, in 2025, My Father’s Shadow, a feature […]
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. […]
Novo Atlantico by Tansi Makele: A Cinematic Exploration of Afro-Diasporic Identity and Resistance
This is the exclusive premiere of Novo Atlantico—a striking new film by Franco-Congolese filmmaker Tansi Makele that reimagines resilience across the Atlantic. Tansi Makele is a name you’ll want to remember. This Franco-Congolese filmmaker, raised in the suburbs of Paris, has a gift for turning everyday moments into cinematic gold. As a kid, he was […]
Vibrate Film Lab: Ghana’s New Haven for Analog Photography Unveiled by Surf Ghana Collective
In the 1950s, Ghana’s film photography scene burst to life, driven by pioneers like James Barnor and Felicia Abban. From Barnor’s Ever Young Studio to Abban’s trailblazing work as Ghana’s first professional female photographer, they captured a nation stepping into independence with analog cameras and darkroom magic. But as decades passed, digital technology, economic shifts, […]
The Enduring Power of the Drianké in Senegalese Culture and Art
In Senegal, particularly in the lively streets of Dakar, there is a woman whose presence commands respect and admiration. She is the “Drianké“. More than a symbol of beauty, she embodies wisdom, resilience, and leadership. Her influence stretches far beyond her carefully curated attire and radiant presence; she is the weaver of traditions, the keeper […]