With the London weather of the Fashion Industry.... African Fashion seems to be dying out....
I was watching the review of the ARISE fashion week on Entertainment Weekly on Channels Television, they were asking the people what they think about the show.
You know the regular blah blah…… it was good and all…. But the one comment that got my attention was a lady who flew in to see the show; her comment was “I came to the fashion show to see some African design in action and all I see are just Western Designs, nothing that’s African, it’s so sad” …….
Why are we so Western with our Fashion?! We threw our Fashion items out the back door, if ever we want to use them we only use them once in a full in moon…..
The Arise Fashion week published some photos about their show in This Day Style Magazine of last week Sunday, I saw the designs by different people from different parts of the world, I was particular about the one designer representing my country, Tiffany Amber, her designs were pretty good, I didn’t really notice anything indigenous at all why??....
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Back in the days Africans were known to go nude, later wear animal skins, and some of us moved on to fabrics like Guinea, Ankara, Swiss Lace and many more, but these days we don’t make use of these fabrics anymore we are so in love with the Western Fabrics and designs Why???........
Its comfortable…….
How would you feel going to work nude? Yeah some heads will turn and who would get the job in their nude?!! Or how would you feel wearing an animal for six hours at work?
The Western fabrics and designs are made to fit you; one can wear them for a pretty long time. One can afford to change ones look, by changing a top or trouser, or skirt and
the use of accessories is advisable.
You can express yourself……
My friends who are fashion designers complain about, African fabrics , they limit ones ability to express ones creativity, no matter the designs done with them it still looks like the same thing!
Some people complain bitterly about the whole letting the whole African heritage down especially in fashion, when was the last time you saw a CEO wear kaftan to work, or school children wear Guinea to school. Or have you ever slept on a bed sheet made of Ankara….
People look presentable when they are suited up, and they have the ease to carry out their daily jobs.
We have now found a place for our local fabrics that’s why we call them traditional attire in Nigeria, you do not give a special name to something you wear all the time.
The local fashion has been given a place in the fashion shelf, only to come out to prove it’s existence, it’s so sad that we have broken up with our local attire and told them that we just want to be friends, some people actually want them as close friends that they now wear T-shirts on Ankara trousers it’s a brilliant idea, and again I know some people who don’t even want to play friends they have moved on and don’t have anything made of their mother land in their wardrobe!
The thing is this our indigenous materials will never give up on us, its just waiting for a designer to get creative with it……..
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