Kakinbow Is Aboubacarim Ndaw’s Second Act—And It Sounds Like a Revolution
In Ouakam, a seaside neighborhood in Dakar where the Atlantic wind carries stories from centuries past, a quiet revolution is unfolding. Not in protests or politics—but in fabric, form, and rhythm. Tucked into a side street, far from the chaos of car horns and vendors, sits a boutique with no neon signs, no loud displays—just […]
Prints of a Place: Banke Kuku’s Lagos-Born Language of Luxury
The designer Banke Kuku. Photo credit: courtesy of Banke Kuku. Banke Kuku is shaping contemporary luxury through a signature fusion of Nigerian heritage and modern print innovation—an approach rooted in her culture and a steadfast commitment to sustainability. In her vision, luxury extends beyond mere fabric or form—it becomes a narrative: the way a print […]
A Letter From Tounes
A Letter From Tounes is part of NOT A FAD, a long-term initiative from Fashion. Art. Development. (FAD) — a platform founded in 2020 to honor heritage not as something fixed or nostalgic, but as a living practice. Through design, artisan partnerships, and storytelling, FAD connects ancestral craft with contemporary aesthetics to reclaim narratives across […]
Luxury Dreams, Local Struggles: The Price of African Fashion Today
African fashion has been experiencing a delightful renaissance. From Lagos to Abidjan, Dakar to Nairobi, designers are capturing global attention with their creativity, craftsmanship, and cultural storytelling. But beneath the glamour, many African consumers are voicing a growing concern: the escalating cost of homegrown fashion is driving them out of the market. As inflation and […]
OUR TOWN: The Film Capturing a West African Movement on Wheels and Waves
Some stories don’t arrive through words. They show up in motion—on boards, in waves, and in the spaces young people carve out for themselves. OUR TOWN is one of them. Directed by Lounseny Soumah, the 35-minute documentary premiered yesterday at MK2 Bibliothèque in Paris. It follows Skate Tour GH, a 2022 road trip that brought […]
The Zimbabwean Fashion Scene: A Quiet Renaissance
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 […]
Style Is Life: Reframing Africa Through the Sartorial Lens of Daniele Tamagni
In Dakar, where the past and future often collide in radiant defiance, Style is Life opened not just as an exhibition, but as a declaration. A necessary reframing of how Africa is seen, styled, and storied—through the radical lens of the late Daniele Tamagni. Here, fashion becomes more than fabric. It becomes language. Protest. Memory. […]
Cover, Don’t Conceal: Marième Mboup and the New Shape of African Modesty
Once considered the domain of religious and conservative values, modest fashion has undergone a dramatic transformation — becoming one of the most expressive and innovative style movements among African youths today. It is evident across major cultural capitals like Lagos, Dakar, and Addis Ababa, young Africans are reimagining what it means to dress modestly. Though […]
Memories Sculpted in Bronze: A Mother’s Legacy, A Daughter’s Light — The Story of IFTIIN
Mariam Racine didn’t plan to become a jewelry designer. Her path to founding IFTIIN—a studio crafting bold, artisan-made bronze jewelry rooted in African heritage—wasn’t a straight line, but a series of reflections, reckonings, and rediscoveries. “It really started with an unexpected job loss,” she says. “That economic dismissal turned out to be a blessing in […]
Kilubukila: Crafting a New Congolese Narrative Through Heritage, Design, and Women’s Empowerment
In the heart of Kinshasa, where the pulse of the city meets the echo of ancestral memory, a quiet revolution is unfolding — not with fanfare, but with fiber. In a modest workshop humming with laughter, looms, and purpose, Congolese women are weaving more than raffia. They are weaving futures. Identity. Power. And pride. This […]