A new fashion exhibition curated by Kenyan cultural producer Sunny Dolat is a showcase of 19 designers from across the African continent who have consistently resisted the monolithic fashion system. Housed at Circle Art Gallery in Nairobi, the exhibition is open from 4 – 14 April.
Through the work of fashion designers, including Maxhosa Africa, Papa Oppong, IAMISIGO, Lukhanyo Mdingi, HAWII and Johanna Bramble, the exhibition draws attention to the diverse spectrum of materials, expressions, silhouettes, and knowledge systems that have, in surviving to this day and age, resisted the oppressions of imperial erasure. These designers are embracing, evolving, interrogating or, even, dismantling the ideas of tradition and the traditional in unique ways.
Fashion in Africa has long been appreciated within the context of tradition and heritage, with both antiquity and culture serving as integral elements in design expression and appreciation across Africa. However, a lack of comprehensive exploration and appreciation for the huge diversity within these heritages has fostered an environment where the colonial theory of the monolithic Dutch wax print (itself ironically stolen from Indonesian traditions) somehow continues to prevail as the defining, singular narrative.
By showcasing the new-age custodians of tradition across the continent, Tradition(al) seeks to spotlight, unravel, and celebrate the intricate codes and nuances of these long lived experiences and processes, as expressed in African fashion. These designers are continuing their own paths while beginning new life cycles as they and their practitioners teach, comfort and elevate African fashions, giving their lovers and wearers a sense of true belonging, and demonstrating new ways to live in harmony with our bodies and our lands.
In this way, fashion and design become time machines, styling and retooling our pasts into our presents, reminding us of home
Sunny explains that the 19 designers on exhibit use cultures of home in their branding and values, commitment to reproducing traditional garb, paying homage through motifs in prints, weaves and knits, and more. “In this way, fashion and design become time machines, styling and retooling our pasts into our presents, reminding us of home.”
Tradition(al) is a sister-site of the State of Fashion Biennale 2024 titled Ties that Bind, a dynamic exploration of creativity in fashion, textiles, and contemporary art from across the Global South. The Biennale embraces a decentralised approach, unfolding not only in Arnhem, the Netherlands but also across three sister sites in Nairobi, Kenya, Bengaluru, India, and São Paulo, Brazil.
How do artists from the Global South confront and contest colonial legacies entrenched in clothing and cloth?
Interlocutor-curators – including Kenyan curator and cultural producer, Sunny Dolat – have been entrusted with developing projects that reflect the Biennale’s themes within their local contexts and communities. The event, including Tradition(al), raises critical questions: How do artists from the Global South confront and contest colonial legacies entrenched in clothing and cloth? How do designers navigate inherited traditions while addressing the pressing issues of our time? Rooted in the intimate essence of fabric, the event aims to amplify the interconnectedness among global practices and share the compelling human narratives interwoven into our clothing.
Participating fashion designers
Dickens Otieno (Kenya): Inspired by Kenya’s weaving tradition and his mother’s work as a tailor, the sight of goods piled high in Nairobi’s markets, the contrast of urbanisation and nature in Nairobi and the patterns of decoration that are ubiquitous in everyday functional objects, Otieno seeks to create objects of cultural significance that combine his respect for labour, skill and history with his desire to draw attention to the overlooked beauty of everyday Kenyan life.
Johanna Bramble (Senegal): Bramble is a Dakar-based textile designer who creates luxurious handwoven textiles based on Senegal’s ancestral weaving traditions.
Photo: Johanna Bramble
Ushanga Kenya (Kenya): Ushanga Kenya is a national initiative that was established back in 2017. This initiative aims to create jobs and transformation for the living standards for pastoralist women through the commercialisation of beadwork which has otherwise been a traditional activity with little economic benefit to the communities. By strengthening the business and production capacity for women, the Ushanga model is anchored on mobilizing women into organised cooperative groups, providing infrastructure for production, and facilitating competitive access to local, regional, and international markets through new designs, beading techniques, product finishings, and marketing.
Lagos Space Programme (Nigeria): Founded in 2018 by Adeju Thompson, Lagos Space Programme is a gender-neutral fashion label with a focus on local craftsmanship, capturing the attention of an audience far beyond the designer’s Nigerian hometown. In his brand manifesto, the designer describes his brand as a movement that celebrates community, tradition, and his own West African heritage.
Papa Oppong (Ghana): Papa Oppong is a fashion illustrator, fashion designer, and a new-age artist. Papa’s fashion journey kicked off at a very early age by way of playing with Barbie dolls. Through his work, Papa seeks to show the world that Africa is a goldmine of talent and potential, and can be as influential in fashion as the rest of the world is.
Photo: papa oppong
Nkwo (Nigeria): Nkwo has been developing innovative techniques, while still honouring traditional Nigerian textile practices like weaving, hand dyeing, and embroidery. Interpreting these methods in a modern way, Onwuka is at the forefront of sustainable fashion. With the Nigerian fashion industry becoming more sustainable in the past decade, Onwuka is pioneering with her brand.
Kiko Romeo (Kenya): Transcending cultures and fashion trends, Kiko Romeo puts sustainability at its core, striving to create longevity in each garment by using handmade and hand-dyed fabrics as well as hand-carved trims, sourced from the African continent. Their fabrics come mainly from natural fibres including cotton, linens and silk, as well as explorations into alternative fibres such as those derived from sisal and orange peel.
Hisi Studio (Kenya): Hisi Studio started in 2019 as Wanjikiu’s senior year design project at the University of Nairobi, where she studied textile design. Throughout the project, she cultivated a clothing collection that was both fashion-forward and accessible to individuals with visual impairments. Her first collection included pieces like shirts with braille logos in the middle and easy-to-wear wrap skirts with braille along the sides
Patricia Mbela (Kenya): Patricia Mbela is a Kenyan fashion and jewellery designer, who is the designer behind the POISA label. As a designer, Mbela has in the past raised concern about the lack of interest in Kenyan’s traditional dressing and has decried the preference for Western clothing, calling it proof that colonialism had a great impact on the attitudes of Kenyans as a people. She urges Kenyans to embrace their culture and heritage and express this even in the way they dress. Mbela’s style has evolved to the point where she considers her designs to be wearable art. She is inspired by the rich beading culture in Kenya, apparent from her clothing and jewellery designs.
LUKHANYO MDINGI (South Africa): With a profound interest in considered and sincere design, the LUKHANYO MDINGI intention is to ensure a pragmatic and mindful approach to product development; looking into human ingenuity as the provenance in creating design that is honest, steady and strong. By collaborating with artisans with a rich history in craft-making, the aim is to build a bridge by bringing their heritage to timeless premium pieces while providing a platform to support them, through continuous work and awareness.
Photo: Lukhanyo Mdingi / CABES
Katush (Kenya): Designer Katungulu Mwendwa’s approach to design can be described as a curious sceptic’s review of the perceptions of Kenyan, African and female identity and how resulting definitions — often imposed instead of self-defined — attempt to ringfence creative expression.
Emmy Kasbit (Nigeria): The Emmy Kasbit aesthetic is one guided by a philosophy that prioritizes keen attention to detail and a reverence for the history of Nigerian fashion. Okoro marries unconventional details including traditional Akwete panels, fringed hemlines, deconstructed necklines, and daring cutouts with a spirit of elegant sophistication, producing quality pieces that the designer says utilise indigenous fabrics to communicate a narrative that is distinctly African. “With textiles, I can tell that story. I can’t tell [an African] story with a Western fabric.”
IAMISIGO (Nigeria): Based between Lagos, Nairobi and Accra, IAMISIGO is a womenswear brand from designer Bubu Ogisi, dedicated to preserving the ancestral textile techniques of her heritage. The designer works with small artisanal communities across the continent and shines a spotlight on their age-old techniques. The result is collections of carefully considered wearable art pieces, each captivating in their respective designs
Photo: IAMISIGO
Loza Maléombho (Ivory Coast): Loza Maléombho is best described as a bridge between traditional African aesthetics and contemporary fashion. Loza Maléombho silhouettes celebrate the paradox of the old and new, cultural and futuristic. Loza Maléombho works with artisans (shoemakers, weavers, and bronze workers) who have mastered their craft for generations and incorporate their trade throughout her collections.
Moshions (Rwanda): In the unique aesthetics of Moses Turahirwa’s creations, he uses his creative spirit and knowledge to pay homage to the visual storytelling tradition found in Rwanda and across the African continent. Through innovative designs that often include vintage manipulation, meticulous craftsmanship, and manual printing techniques, Moses reinterprets continental heritage through contemporary fashion, thrilled by the opportunity to celebrate Africa’s vibrant narratives with the world.
Hawii (Ethiopia): Hawii is an Ethiopian brand born from the pursuit of individuality and identity, the brand champions craftsmanship in every piece. From Paris to New York, they have proudly graced the runways showcasing our unique narrative and catching the eye of influential collaborators, including Dr Martens. Hawii’s designs are a poetic fusion of Ethiopian roots and emotions, striving to tell stories of individuality and resilience.
Photo: HAWII
MAXHOSA AFRICA (South Africa): MAXHOSA AFRICA is a South African knitwear brand founded in 2012 by Laduma Ngxokolo. This was with the desire to explore knitwear design solutions that would be suitable for amakrwala (Xhosa initiates). His initial vision was to create a modern Xhosa-inspired knitwear collection that would be suitable for this market. As a person who has undergone the process, Laduma felt that he had to develop premium knitwear that celebrates traditional Xhosa aesthetics.
Doreen Mashika (Zanzibar): Zanzibar-based Doreen Mashika creates breezy, island-appropriate silhouettes inspired by the colours and textiles of her Tanzanian heritage. East African Kanga prints feature prolifically in Mashika’s designs, and most of her elegant pieces are crafted from light fabrics; this is an artful resort-wear fit for your jet-setting lifestyle.
Mono (Togo): Mono, believes that tradition is not just about the past; it’s about the present and the future. That’s why they’re passionate about preserving and celebrating the age-old art of African weaving. Their work is more than just garments; they’re living narratives of African craftsmanship. Each piece is meticulously handwoven, bearing the soul of the weaver and the spirit of African traditions. With intricate patterns and vibrant colours, our robes are a canvas of stories that deserve to be shared.
Exhibition details
Tradition(al)
Venue: Nairobi – Circle Art Gallery
Opening Preview: April 3, 6:30 pm, 2024
Exhibition Dates: April 4, 2024 – April 14, 2024
State of Fashion Biennale 2024 | Ties that Bind
17 May – 30 June 2024 Arnhem – Rembrandt Theater, Velperplein 10, 6811 AS Arnhem, the Netherlands
About Sunny Dolat:
Sunny Dolat is a fashion curator, cultural producer, creative director and co-founder of The Nest Collective in Nairobi. He was a Consultant Researcher for the exhibition Africa Fashion at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About the State of Fashion:
State of Fashion 2024: Ties that Bind brings together creative practices in fashion, textiles and contemporary art from across the Global South. Curated by Louise Bennetts and Rachel Dedman in collaboration with Sunny Dolat, Kallol Datta and Hanayrá Negreiros, this decentralised edition unfolds across Arnhem, Nairobi, Bengaluru and São Paulo, exploring the complexities of tradition, the power of indigenous knowledge, and the political potential of clothing. More information about the programme of State of Fashion 2024 can be found on the website: stateoffashion.org
- Twyg is the media partner of Tradition(al). For more information or interview options, please contact jackie@twyg.co.za
- Feature image: Johanna Bramble
