Flashback: Fashion Experience
As a pivotal event in celebrating decolonize Hamburg we organized the Fashion Experience – Decolonize Fashion event in frame of DIGGAHH festival, that stands for Decolonial / Interactive / Social / Together / Current. The Fashion event took place on the 26th of May, 2024 at Design Zentrum Hamburg.
This event is dedicated to challenging the status quo of the fashion system and promoting fashion decolonization and mindful consumption. Who`s story are you wearing?
We had a full house with over 100 guests out of different German cities as well from Paris and the Netherlands. Through a dynamic mix of media and immersive experiences, the event aimed to spark conversations, raise awareness, and inspire action towards a more inclusive and conscious fashion future. Central to the event was the celebration of the African Fashion Movement, with a spotlight on designers from diverse African countries who are leading the charge for positive change. Our exciting lineup included; South African-born Berlin-based designer Dennis Chuene unveiled “The Magic You’re Waiting for is in the Work You’re Avoiding.”
Amike Studio, the Rwandan brand behind Lupita Nyongo’s iconic beaded purse, takes center stage with their performance titled “Poetic Threads: A Rwandan Fashion Journey.”A Rwandan Fashion Journey with artist Bill Ruzima and Jessie Ovo. Nyambo Masa Mara, founder of Masa Mara and a Rwandan designer based in Cape Town, South Africa, invites us into his world with “Healing The Roots,” a profound exploration of identity and heritage. Meanwhile, award-winning fashion designer Paul Kadjo presents “Knitting the Future,” promising a visionary glimpse into the evolution of style. This mesmerizing fusion of participatory media encompassing photography, film, sound installations, performances, and fashion displays – invited attendees on an immersive journey aimed at igniting conversations around the urgent need to decolonize fashion.
This event is not just about showcasing fashion; but also redefining cultural narratives, empowering communities, and shaping a more sustainable and panoramic future. The Revival, a community-led organisation, joined the Fashion Experience with an immersive installation, that consists of film and sound and that showcased how Ghanian communities are reimagining textile waste in “Farming Fashion: Bridging the Divide.”
Curated by Beatrace Angut Lorika Oola Fashion Experience is a collaborative effort aimed at inspiring solidarity and shaping a more inclusive fashion future. Moreover, in collaboration with the Design Zentrum Hamburg and a guided tour titled “Design Walk&Talk in frame of the exhibition “Conscious and Collective Love (Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe),“ curated by Mawuto Dotou.
This transformative journey was moderated by Tari Weber and musically accompanied by black electronic music by a DJ duo, CHO ROOM and Afrobeats by DJ KWAAFI. In addition, there were sweet bites by Tabitha and finger food by Shani’s African snacks.
Be part of the movement and contribute to our vision of a brighter future for fashion. Watch this space!
We would especially like to thank our sponsors, Villa Viva and Lemonaid. We are also delighted to have received goodies from Einhorn, the sustainable contraception and periods brand, Venya, i+m nature cosmetics Berlin and Mama-T Afroshop . “Our Fashion Experience – Decolonize Fashion event is part of the Open Air DIGGAHH Decolonial / Interactive / Social / Together / Current / Hanseatic City of Hamburg.” DIGGAHH is an open-air event organized by Hamburg-based initiatives from civil society and the BIPoC community within the frame work of “Hamburg Decolonize: An initiative for engaging with the city’s colonial heritage.”
Read more on Fashion Africa Now.
Concept & Creative Direction: Beatrace Angut Lorika Oola
Text credit: Nifemi Ashani
Foto credits: Felix Gyamfi