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“I am not African because I was born in Africa, I am an African because Africa was born in me” — Kwame Nkrumah
AFRICAN HOMECOMING - Aug. 24th 2012 - Amsterdam, NL
DATE: Fri AUG 24TH | TIME: 16:00 - 02:30
GENRE: music - spoken word - dj - debate - market - food
LOCATION: TolhuisTuin, Amsterdam IJzaal + terras
Entrance: €5,- (vanaf 20:00)
You’ve been invited to African Homecoming, an initiative by artist, producer, dj and activist Bamba Nazar. Expect an evening of passionate debate, fresh vogue, inspiration and the electrifying sounds of a continent
on fire!
Join journalist Liesbeth Tjon A Meeuw as she explores “The new wave of Pan-Africanism” with Charl Landvreugd and Amma Asante among other distinguished guests. Let’s decolonize the mind and rebuild Africa! (debate will be English spoken)
Chicago native and Poetess extraordinaire Ebony Leslie Perry will read some of her most outstanding work. As Ghanaian artist FlyBro and his live band bring the ruckus with a sizzling set of tunes in the key of a young,ambitious African in Amsterdam. In closing we have the African homecoming afterparty with Bamba Nazar aka Dj Threesixty. Expect to be electrified by a sonic blast of Africa’s past, present and future. A hi octane musical safari of the continent and it’s diaspora.
Food, fashion and more will be on sale so empty those stockings before leaving the house and spread the word amongst your friends and fun loving
family.
Support your heritage by being present and help bring the spirit of African
Homecoming to life.
”THE NEW AFRICAN MARKET PLACE” will take place between 16:00 and 20:00, outside of the Tolhuistuin on the terrace (free entree).
Come out and support young black designers and entrepreneurs. We have the following on sale:
AFRICA IS THE FUTURE T-SHIRTS BY: COCO$HAY
BLACK DOLLS BY: COLOURED GOODIES
AFRO COUTURE BY: NOMI
FUNK, HIP HOP, RNB, ROCK AND JAZZ VYNL BY: ((BLACKSTEREO))
ACCESSORIES FASHION BY: POEMA JONES
AFRICAN JUICES BY: LILLY
MAGAZINES BY: ZAM
ACCESSORIES BY: CHOCOLATELOVEFASHION
MERCHANDIZE BY: ZWART LICHT
INFO BY: AFRICA IS IN THE PICTURE
THE BLACK LIBRARY INITIATIVE BY: SOAPBOX
LITERATURE BY: VAMBA SHERIF
Tour Eiffel, Paris - France.
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Africa Fashion Week London 2012
Read the article on InspirationNetwork.EULIKE US Africa on Facebook:D
Foto by:
Michelovic | @Michel_Nunes
Africa Fashion Week London 2012
Read the article on InspirationNetwork.EULIKE US Africa on Facebook:D
Foto by:
Michelovic | @Michel_Nunes
“No reproduction without creditline”
Africa Fashion Week London 2012
Read the article on InspirationNetwork.EULIKE US Africa on Facebook:D
Wanlov:
Check his video on Youtube
Foto by:
Michelovic | @Michel_Nunes
“No reproduction without creditline”
2nd August 2012
By Helen Jennings
Africa Fashion Week London will showcase the world’s hottest designers.
Noisettes singer Shingai Shoniwa is an avid supporter of African fashion
African fashion is booming. A new generation of designers are gaining recognition – both because of the sheer strength of their work and as a result of the continent’s rising fortunes.
Africa was once seen only as a source of inspiration for big brands – from Yves Saint Laurent’s landmark collection of raffia beaded dresses in 1967 to Burberry Prorsum’s wax prints for spring/summer 2012. But African designers are finding customers around the world and a thriving industry is growing around them.
Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL) starts tomorrow. It’s in its second year and was the idea of Nigerian entrepreneur Ronke Ademiluyi. ‘My aim is to create more visibility for African designers and to create a one-stop shop for the public,’ she says. ‘We were expecting 500 people last year and almost 5,000 turned up. It was something people had clearly been waiting for.’
This year AFWL showcases 60 designers, including Adebayo Jones, known for his lavish evening and bridal wear, who will provide the gala finale. ‘As I was inspired by Yves Saint Laurent, I hope my participation will inspire young designers,’ he says. The best African designers balance global seasonal trends with an intelligent reimagining of indigenous fabrics and adornments. Ghana’s Aisha Obuobi launched Christie Brown in 2008 and has become Accra’s go-to girl for effortlessly feminine womenswear with detailing such as covered buttons, feathers and fringing. ‘My work is about the beauty of simplicity,’ she says.
Fabulous fabrics: Lavish eveningwear by Adebayo Jones
Stiaan Louw’s menswear is inspired by cultural clashes in South Africa
Stiaan Louw creates menswear that reflects clashing cultures in his native South Africa. His affinity for cut and construction has matured since he started the brand in 2008 and his most recent Olympics-themed collection, Atletiek, features slim, sporty suiting. ‘I want to shift perceptions about male archetypes while creating a global African menswear aesthetic,’ he says. ‘Fashion has the power to inspire and transcend boundaries.’
With her label Maki Oh, Nigerian designer Amaka Osakwe turns indigenous textiles into sensual pieces that evolve traditional dress practices. She launched in 2010 and her latest collection focuses on body-conscious silhouettes made from adire, an indigo-dyed patterned cloth. ‘I want to make Nigerians aware of their own fabrics, which are infused with meanings that have been passed down through generations,’ she says.
Jeffrey Kimathi, meanwhile, uses fibres of the baobab tree for his Jamhuri Wear luggage range.
Celebrities are also catching on. Kelis has worn Lagos label Jewel By Lisa, Solange Knowles is fan of Maki Oh and Michelle Obama is regularly seen wearing pieces by London-based Nigerian designer Duro Olowu.
Urban accessories: Patterned iPad case by Jamhuri Wear
Noisettes singer Shingai Shoniwa is an avid supporter of African fashion. ‘The rich colour palettes and vibrant attitude fit well with where the western world is at the moment. People are turning towards emerging markets. There’s a more confident generation taking risks,’ she says.
The African fashion industry still faces challenges. There’s a lack of formal fashion education, which means there are problems from pattern-cutting and styling to marketing and PR. There’s no continent-wide body to promote funding and poor infrastructure slows production and raises costs.
Olowu is optimistic. ‘The customer must have desire for the products on their own merit and only then will they ask: “Oh, where was this made?”’ he says. ‘There are a lot of talented African designers showing potential and that’s why the fashion world is looking very hard at Africa right now.’
Africa Fashion Week London, Aug 3-4, Spitalfields Market www.africafashionweeklondon.com
Noisettes’ single, Winner, out August 13, and album, Contact, out August 27 (Universal) www.noisettes.co.uk
BOOKTIP:
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Coconut is an extraordinary debut novel about growing up black in white suburbs, where the cost of fitting in can be your very identity. It is against this backdrop of potential loss that two extraordinary young people struggle to find themselves.
Preview | Order online: Amazon | Bol.com