PHILOSOPHY
Among the myriad of wax print designs and fabrics, which have effectively been marketed and sold across the African continent for decades now, it’s easy for anyone to get lost into what is perceived to be African fashion.
There’s surely a lot of misconceptions out there about what is meant by “African Fashion”. What even qualifies a style, a trend, a fashion, to legitimately be called African?
“African Fashion” is for all of us to discover; it is too expansive to narrowly be defined, and it doesn’t need to be. Fashion in Africa encompasses a multitude of traditions, cultures, textures, forms, techniques and philosophies, all together, and so is far removed from the confines of a single story. Its plurality, interwoven by a seamless mystery makes it all truly poetic, colorful, and enchanting.
That’s my approach: to mold a perfect balance of color, poetry, and culture, well before infusing that chemistry into each design. The African identity remains consistent in the continuing research, discovery, (re)design, and use of local textiles.
I for one fell in love with the Kente cloth. And I never looked back.
Aristide Loua
Creative Director - Founder.
For every season, there’s a great deal of pain and sorrow, solitude and Sodade. Soon enough the days of healing, truce and solace will come forth. And Lord, would they overflow and overwhelm us with love and happiness. I personally find peace in reading this very poetry, that is life. And to that, I sincerely say: more life, more poetry.
Sodade is a collection which reflects on the similarities between colors and emotions.
Each color is an emotion. Blue represents hope. Pink, romance. Yellow, happiness. And the dark color speaks for sorrow, or despair. Sometimes I feel a bit of romance, a drop of poetry, when I feel so much hope for a bright future. Other times, I rejoice in happiness, even when my soul drowns in an ocean of sorrow. And this last contrast of emotions can be reflected in a suit jacket, all in dark color, but with the flaps of the pockets and the lining are rather in bright yellow color.
I try to normalize, accept and feel every emotion as they come. It's good to feel things as they are.