When Will Africa’s Fashion Phoenix Soar?
Just imagine you are wearing a vibrant Kitenge outfit, but beyond its beauty lies a deeper connection. You not only know the fashion designer behind its creation but also the mastermind behind the intricate textile pattern. Wouldn’t that be extraordinary? Just as you recognize your favorite designer label, such as “Prada,” imagine also identifying the creative minds behind African designs, like say, a “BelloZainab” or a “Kavulani” with the same admiration and recognition.
I believe it’s crucial to understand the origins of any creation, particularly when it stems from a purposeful design process. Just as one acknowledges a painter by name and works, similarly, recognition should extend to the designer responsible for a textile pattern and its inspiration. Understanding this could greatly enhance our appreciation for the talented individuals working behind the scenes, crafting the beautiful designs we wear daily, be it casual, office, or occasional wear.
Recognizing the creators of textile designs is a novel concept in our region, yet it’s essential given our clothing consumption and the neglect of local designs, which is disheartening. Think about the items in your wardrobe. Wouldn’t you want to know the minds behind their creation? In the West, awareness of the designer or brand is prevalent; for instance, “Paco Rabanne” glasses, “Calvin Klein” perfume, a stylish “Zara” jacket, or a fancy H&M slingbag? However, in Africa, it’s rare to find mainstream fashion items designed by Africans, let alone celebrated African designers. Even if there were such items available, renowned African fashion designers are few in number and primarily target a luxury market, which is often inaccessible to the average African citizen.
However, UndaMeta is on a mission to lead fashion in emerging markets towards a more culturally responsive future. The brand takes pride in highlighting contemporary and traditional African-inspired patterns, treating them as cultural treasures. The platform addresses cultural appropriation by promoting African-inspired pattern designs and crediting their creators. With 20 designers and over 140 prints on the platform rooted in African heritage, the brand aims to restore balance between cultural creators and appropriators, ensuring transparency and accountability.
Contemporary and traditional African-inspired fashion and patterns are not just trendy, they are cultural treasures
While it’s not entirely negative for people to adopt African culture — acknowledging imitation as flattery — it’s vital to assert our presence. Despite cultural appropriation, we must affirm our voice and ownership. These are our cultural artifacts, our symbols, and our semantics being utilized. We must arduously display our creative abilities and inspirations as they are, deeply rooted in an authentic African context.
Reflecting on Idris Elba’s advocacy for Africa’s Cultural Renaissance, I respectfully suggest that we carefully consider the fashion/textiles we purchase, assessing not only their quality but also their origins. It has been observed for some time that certain brands, particularly in the Global North, have appropriated African culture, either by claiming designs as their own or by capitalizing on manufacturing “African fabrics” for profit. UndaMeta proudly prioritizes transparency by collaborating with independent designers who specialize in creating authentic African-inspired prints. They are investing in local talent, enabling designers from predominantly African descent to assert themselves and contribute to the local, and hopefully global, fashion, apparel and textile (TAF) industry. This endeavor also offers an opportunity for African youth to overcome poverty by providing them with sustainable livelihoods.
For how much longer will we keep consuming from and replicating the West? When will we recognize the abundant creativity within our region and become supporters of our own people? I strongly believe it’s time we celebrate contemporary African designers by raising them to the world stage. It’s time to embrace our own narrative and craftsmanship, acknowledging the richness of that which is made, sourced, of or inspired by African creativity. To succeed, African players in the creative economy must advocate for strategic collaboration and strong partnerships, emphasizing sustainable business model systems, and highlight overlooked opportunities and unconventional entrepreneurial paths.
Viewing through a fashion lens, I believe a favorable outcome is recognizing that African fashion’s essence goes beyond its allure — it’s about recognizing, celebrating, and fairly compensating indigenous African designers for their locally crafted fashion and textiles. This vision isn’t far-fetched, is it?
UndaMeta is betting on this vision. Just as the resplendent phoenix rises, we envision our authentic African fashion and textiles ascending to global prominence. This would mark a defining moment, our opportunity to soar.