THE BLOGGERS WORLD || Meet The Bloggers Influencing African Fashion

THE BLOGGERS

Meet The Bloggers Influencing African Fashion

Chayet Chiénin #FASSION African fashion specialist, 

FATOU NDIAYE EN BY NATACHA BACO

This post was previously published on the Chayet Chiénin’s blog, Nothing but the wax.

Bloggers can seriously influence the way industries think — in fashion and beyond. It’s not for nothing that famous brands, big and small, enlist the services of these bloggers like crazy. These trendspotters, on top of the latest innovations, can ramp up sales of some brands and make others better-known.

In the universe of African fashion, this phenomenon is equally well-known — but it goes beyond direct influence on transactions and sales. We must be equally aware of the influence that is not as palpable and material: bloggers are able to make their interests the flavor of the day, resulting in a globalization and democratization of African fashion (via the trend of wax print fabric).

Globalization comes about when prominent bloggers have an influence that goes beyond the framework of their country of residence. Their blogs and social networks are followed internationally by people like you and me, but also by industry professionals such as fashion journalists, stylists and some even by professional buyers.

There’s democratization because the bloggers’ takes on fashion impact very large audiences, who do not necessarily know African fashion.

It’s undeniable that African fashion, boosted by the trendiness of wax print, has had a more than positive turn in recent years. Lately, it’s been featured in top venues and even in the mainstream press. But if a craving for African prints is on the rise among celebrities and stars, don’t forget the important contribution that bloggers have made and continue to make in this evolution and the industry in general. Here is a small, non-exhaustive selection of bloggers, located all around the world who, in my opinion, are contributing to boosting this fashion.

PS: I chose bloggers who don’t specialize in wax or African fashion, but I won’t forget about all my colleagues, like Kukua from the blog African Print in Fashion or Mary from Pagnifik.

In France, Fatou N’Diaye from the blog Blackbeautybag hardly needs an introduction. Between multiple collaborations with leading brands such as L’Oreal and Kookai, Fatou also the time to ask for smaller brands such as By Natacha Baco or sophisticated, urban African online shops like Moonlook and Inyu.

Fatou N’diaye en By Natacha Baco

Fatou N’diaye en By Natacha Baco

Fatou N’diaye pour Inyu

Fatou N’diaye pour Moonlook

Another French blogger is the beautiful and sparkling Gaëlle-Vanessa Prudencio of the blog The curvy and curly closet. In July 2014, Gaëlle-Vanessa partnered with the Senegalese brand Belya to launch a capsule collection dedicated to large sizes, all made of wax print and woven cloth.

#AFROSTYLE The Big Problem With Calling African Fashion ‘Tribal’

STYLE

The Big Problem With Calling African Fashion ‘Tribal’

“Design is my tool for telling stories about my home.”

By Dana Oliver of HuffPost || #AIMNews

You don’t need to be a veteran style editor or a high-profile blogger to recognize the huge influence African culture has on the fashion industry. From the runways of Junya Watanabe to the racks of H&M, designers and brands have reinterpreted the Ankara prints traditionally worn by African men and women for centuries into ready-to-wear pieces now considered “trendy.” 

While Rwandan designer Matthew Rugamba doesn’t believe African textiles should be limited to African designers and brands, it does irritate him, he said, when designers draw inspiration from different African cultures, using African textiles and then employing phrases like “tribal” to describe them. “Some of the patterns and colors have great significance in different African cultures, so it is condescending to reduce some of these designs to a single phrase,” he told HuffPost.

His objective: “Capture that African style and elegance that you could spot from a mile away.” 

The 25-year-old launched House of Tayo, a bespoke label specializing in unisex neck ties, bow ties and snoods that are made in Rugamba’s native country of Rwanda. The label fuses the bold and vibrant African prints of the past with modern tailoring for a sophisticated yet edgy aesthetic. 

HOUSE OF TAYO

“Dispelling myths and sharing anecdotes of life growing up in various parts of Africa has been an equally enlightening experience for me and for those I share my stories with,” said Rugamba. “As a result, my appreciation for my culture and history became something that I became particularly keen on sharing. One of the most powerful ways I thought I could do this was through clothing. Design is my tool for telling stories about my home.”

Wearing bow ties has been a part of Rugamba’s impeccable style since he was a child. At 3 years old, the designer was appointed page boy/ringbearer in an aunt’s wedding. “It was a civil wedding so it was very unusual to have a page boy. Ever since then, I wore bow ties for all big occasions,” he said. His father taught him how to tie one at the tender age of 4.

HOUSE OF TAYO/MATTHEW RUGAMBA

Rugamba points out there has always been an element of class associated with bow ties. One of the main reasons he started House of Tayo was “to show a side of Africa that many people around the world don’t see — a stylish, dignified and vibrant Africa.” He also realized that many of his friends and acquaintances, who were also proud of their African heritage, believed that the clothes available on the market were either “too conspicuous, very out of style or poor quality.”

“I thought that the bow tie would be a great accessory to show individuality, heritage and personal style in a bold yet elegant manner,” he said.

HOUSE OF TAYO

With no previous experience in fashion or design, Rugamba started his business using savings from a summer job he held before his junior year of college. “I was halfway through my undergraduate degree in international relations,” he said. “I didn’t want to go around raising large sums of capital without a better understanding of the industry I was getting into.”