Fashion Cities Africa explores the urban fashion scenes from the perspective of local designers, stylists, retailers, photographers and bloggers. The brother and sister team behind 2ManySiblings, for example, takes us to the market in Nairobi where they buy second-hand designer clothes in order to restyle them. The exhibition also includes creations by The Sartists (Johannesburg), Said Mahrouf (Casablanca) and the Maki Oh fashion label (Lagos), which is favoured by celebrities such as Beyoncé and Michelle Obama.
Fashion is hot in Africa
...but there is no such thing as ‘African fashion’. Through the eyes of fashion experts from Casablanca, Johannesburg, Lagos, Nairobi and the Netherlands, visitors discover the lively and diverse fashion scenes that shake up the world of fashion.There are flourishing fashion scenes in several cities, ranging from streetwear to couture, and from experimental to more conventional.
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This exhibition has ended. It was on display in the Tropenmuseum until 6 January 2019.
Local perspective
Africa in the Netherlands
The Tropenmuseum has also invited Dutch fashion agents who incorporate their African roots into fashion – Daily Paper, Doru Komonoteng Loboka en Nsimba Valene Lontanga, Karim Adduchi and Lady Africa – to participate in the exhibition. For Fashion Cities Africa, they share their inspiration, methods and designs with visitors.
Daily Paper x Tropenmuseum beaded bracelets
We teamed up with Amsterdam clothing label Daily Paper to design a collection of hand-made beaded bracelets. Available in six different styles, they are responsibly produced in South Africa by Africa Ignite. This organisation helps inhabitants of the province of KwaZulu-Natal, the rural area around Durban, to earn a living.
Tropenmuseum and Daily Paper have an ongoing relationship. The founders of the clothing label have been involved in previous events and are also regular visitors to the museum. "The Tropenmuseum is one of the places where we gain inspiration for our new collections. You can discover stories from cultures all over the world, without needing to leave the city," says Daily Paper.
The beaded bracelets cost € 8,95 each and are available in the Tropenmuseum shop.
Fashion Cities Africa is created in collaboration with Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove, with sponsorship by BankGiro Loterij, VSBfonds and Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds.
Exhibition Design by NLÉ / Kunlé Adeyemi.