Test. The third edition of Africa Fashion Day Berlin sponsored by Breeze Berlin presents show-stopping fashion creations of young designers from Africa and the African Diaspora. It is time for global exchange amongst nations to take place at an innovative, a creative and above all at eye level. For decades elements of the African lifestyle, African fashion, African culture have radically infiltrated the western popular culture and everyday culture – whether through single fashion accessories so-called Afro Beauty like dreadlocks, costume jewelry, piercings or tattoos which have liberated individuals appearances trapped in European conventions to an authentic “African” style of the movement, the music – rhythm.
The Menswear Collection of Nigerian Samson SOBOYE is for the fashion conscious Afro-Dandy. It uses color as a means of expression with a fashion forward line of sharp yet relaxed tailoring. The Ankara Dutch Wax African Prints shirts form the backbone of the collection and was the springboard of SOBOYE. An array of delightful prints are the initial inspiration for the collection. The shirts are made by acclaimed Jermyn Street, London shirt-makers and are noted for their excellent fit and finish.
SOBOYE Men’s was successfully launched during Lagos Fashion Week in 2013. Following on from the success of the collection and it’s popularity amongst women a new line of women’s wear has been added to the collection. This will be its first European showing. A considered color palette of Khaki, Navy, Black mixed with prints that have color pops of fuchsia, lime green, terracotta and sand all make for an exciting collection.
The designer 1981 re-examines the theme of “Panels“. Nana examined “Panels“ in terms of armor to protect the body and this is evident throughout the collection. Nana drew inspiration from armor worn by the Samurais of Japan. In trying to simulate how the armor was put together in panels he uses jersey with heav- ier weight to give the garments that rigid structured look.
To soften the look Nana used silk cady, which added a sense of femininity to the collection. As it is one of the main principal philosophies of 1981, the notion of contrast is evident throughout the collection in how he approached the finishing of the garments. Raw cut hems contrast against finished hems giving the collection an overall modern look and feel.
Designer Maxhosa by Laduma Ngxokolo is one of the finest South African knitwear designers and an innovator of Xhosa-inspired knitwear. His collection is called “Buyel’mbo“ which is a Xhosa phrase often uttered by Xhosa elders when reminiscing about the nostalgic lifestyle in the Xhosa homeland. A world where traditional values were the orders of the day, natives never had to seek employment and when the dress code was more elaborate.
The collection explores and imagines how the buyele’mbo ideology could be fused into contemporary fashion. The objective is to remind modern inhabitants how magnificent traditional Xhosa aesthetics could be cultivated into modern dress, and still be astonishing. Laduma is an agent of change, shifting and evolving with the changing times and further engaging in the dialogue that keeps pushing traditional culture to the future.
