Yesterday I launched the page of my research project on Facebook with the aim of reaching out to a diversified audience of scholars and enthusiasts of African fashion. My mission is to enhance the appreciation of Africa’s contribution to culture-oriented fashion and creative work in and outside academia. This means I will not use the platform to just promote my own writing, but …

An article by Laura Havlin that appeared in AnOther Magazine back in September is a good source to get acquainted with the afrofuturist aesthetic and to point to its influence on afrosartorial trends. In particular, Havlin notes the correspondence between the afrofuturist concept of non-linear time and the knowledge that space contains multiple geographies of dwelling and belonging. This is one way of pointing to the relevance of diasporic consciousness for cultural …

Laduma Ngxokolo is a prominent new designer from Port Elizabeth, South Africa. MaXhosa, his brand of men and women’s knitwear made with locally-sourced materials, is showcased at major fashion weeks in the continent and can be purchased at stores in South Africa, Namibia, the UK, France, and the Netherlands. Market projections are positive and so is the feedback from consumers and international actors, including Mercedes Benz and the Norwegian …

Nigerian brand IamISIGO released the lookbook of “Modern Hunters”, its SS2016 collection designed by Bubu Ogisi, with footwear by Tunde Owolabi. The brand reflects on heritage and the visual appeal of vibrant colors, creating “boy-meet-girl” garments that display a consciousness of the changing lifestyles of West Africans. Ogisi states on Instagram that the collection is spread across the idea of hunting being a “sport” …

Designers Africa Fashion Guide covers Adele Dejak’s latest collection of accessories named after the least valuable currency of Nigeria, Kobo. The accessories come in black and gold, respectively Dejak’s brand colour and a symbol of happiness, and are affordable, from $10 to 50. “Kobo represents urban culture and is for edgy people everywhere who want to stand out, who are …

A new short film by Samantha Casolari is out, featuring Lupita Nyong’o dancing to music by Valentin Sip. The caption reads: Oscar Award winner and star of blockbuster-to-be Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Lupita Nyong’o loses herself in candid footage captured during her recent Elle UK cover shoot. This is not the usual behind-the-scene video. With jumpcuts, low light, and an atmospheric soundtrack Casolari …

Though Rosa Parks is best known for her role as a civil rights activist, the Alabama native also worked as a seamstress at the Montgomery Fair department store. She was on her way home from work Dec. 1, 1955, when she was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on the bus to a white passenger. At the time, …