IN CONVERSATION:
AFRICA’S GLOBAL RISE IN FASHION
Africa Fashion celebrates the ingenuity and global impact of African fashions from the 1950s to today. Works by iconic designers and artists illuminate fashion’s pivotal role in Africa’s cultural renaissance, which laid the foundation for an ongoing fashion revolution.
JOIN US IN CONVERSATION WITH TAOFEEK ABIJAKO, JACQUES AGBOBLY, AND ABRIMA ERWIAH. MODERATED BY CURATORS ANNISSA MALVOISIN AND ERNESTINE WHITE-MIFETU.
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM AND ALÁRA.
Curated by Black Fashion Fair
IN CONVERSATION:
AFRICA’S GLOBAL RISE IN FASHION
THE AFRICA FASHION EXHIBITION CELEBRATES THE INGENUITY AND GLOBAL IMPACT OF AFRICAN FASHIONS FROM THE 1950S TO TODAY. WORKS BY ICONIC DESIGNERS AND ARTISTS ILLUMINATE FASHION’S PIVOTAL ROLE IN AFRICA’S CULTURAL RENAISSANCE, WHICH LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR AN ONGOING FASHION REVOLUTION.
JOIN US IN CONVERSATION WITH TAOFEEK ABIJAKO, JACQUES AGBOBLY, AND ABRIMA ERWIAH. MODERATED BY CURATORS ANNISSA MALVOISIN AND ERNESTINE WHITE-MIFETU.
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM AND ALÁRA. Curated by Black Fashion Fair
ABOUT THE DESIGNERS
three vanguard designers take the stage to reflect on the global impact and innovations of African designers today. Taofeek Abijako, Jacques Agbobly, Abrima Erwiah, with SPECIAL guest sarah diouf, discuss their respective journeys into fashion, their recent projects, and the significance of the current cultural renaissance on the continent and beyond.
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM AND ALARÁ.
CURATED BY BLACK FASHION FAIR.
Taofeek Abijako
Taofeek Abijako is the creative force behind Head of State, a clothing brand that represents postcolonial youth culture. The Nigerian-born, Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist and designer conceptualized Head of State as a high school student and became the youngest designer to show at New York Fashion Week.
JACQUES AGBOBLY
Jacques Agbobly, who hails from Togo, is the founder and creative director of Agbobly (f.k.a. Black Boy Knits). They are known for emphasizing Black, queer, and immigrant design codes, highlighting a global perspective.
SARAH DIOUF
SARAH DIOUF IS THE FOUNDER TONGORO, A 100% MADE IN AFRICA DIGITAL NATIVE LABEL DESIGNED, SOURCED AND PRODUCED IN DAKAR, SENEGAL. PROMOTING LOCAL CRAFTSMANSHIP AND INVESTING IN TRAINING, THE BRAND LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF GARMENT PRODUCTION ACROSS WESTERN AFRICA. BETTING ON E-COMMERCE AND DIGITAL ASSETS TO REACH A GLOBAL CUSTOMER BASE, TONGORO HAS GAINED INTERNATIONAL BRILLIANCE SINCE ITS LAUNCH IN 2016 WITH THE LIKES OF INTERNATIONAL CELEBRITIES SUCH AS BEYONCÉ, NAOMI CAMPBELL, ALICIA KEYS (ETC.) AND WAS LISTED AMONGST FAST COMPANY’S 50 MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES IN 2020.
Abrima Erwiah
Abrima Erwiah is a cofounder (along with Rosario Dawson) of Studio 189, an artisan-produced fashion brand based BETWEEN US and Accra, Ghana. Studio 189 specializes in sustainability and traditional techniques, including plant-based dye indigo, hand-dyed batik, and kente weaving. USEING FASHION AS AN AGENT OF SOCIAL CHANGE AND WORK ACROSS AFRICA AND THE DIASPORA.
Abrima Erwiah Professor at The New School / Parsons School of Design & the Founding Director of the Gromek Institute for Fashion Business at The New School/Parsons School of Design.