Africa-born 'Fab Five' designers open Milan Fashion Week

Africa-born 'Fab Five' designers open Milan Fashion Week

By fijivillage
Thursday 25/02/2021
Fashion designer Gisele Claudia Ntsama poses with models during the Black Lives Matter collection show at Milan Fashion Week

Five designers of African origin opened Milan Fashion Week's "We are Made in Italy" virtual show on Wednesday, as Europe's fashion world seeks to highlight long-marginalized voices.

The virtual show aims to support Black creators by giving a platform to designers with diverse backgrounds.

Dubbed "the Fab Five", many of the the Africa-born designers moved to Italy at a young age. They faced considerable obstacles on their road to recognition, with some working in low-paying jobs to finance their passion.

DW takes a look at the debut designers and their journeys to Milan Fashion Week.

'I'm not an ethnic designer'

Joy Meribe, a 43-year-old designer who was born in Nigeria, said she decided to leave because "designers have no status" there.

After coming to Italy, Meribe said she faced an uphill battle to gain recognition.

"As a woman and an immigrant in Italy, I had to work twice as hard to prove that I have the same skills as the others," the designer told news agency AFP.

13716750716036a64fba6723123faa[A model walks down the runway wearing a creation from designer Joy Meribe]

She studied for her master's in international business in Italy, where she worked as a cultural mediator. "I'm not an ethnic designer, I live in Italy, I studied in Italy and I produce in Italy," Meribe said.

Her inspiration is "strong, intelligent African women, like my grandmothers."

Meribe's designs feature references to African culture and style through patterns, yet they are influenced by Western fashion.

'You know you are Black?' Born in Cameroon, 29-year-old Gisele Claudia Ntsama has long dreamed of becoming a designer in Italy.

In 2012, Ntsama moved to Italy after eight years of learning Italian. She worked as a cleaner until she received her design diploma from Bologna.

"When I told friends in Cameroon that I wanted to travel to Italy to become a fashion designer, they said, 'Why are you going to study fashion. You know you are Black? What Italian fashion house is going to hire you?'" Ntsama told The Associated Press.

"It is always in people's minds that fashion is for white people. No and no and no!"

Ntsama creates artisanal one-of-a-kind pieces with hemp textiles.

56681000-401[One of the Gisele Claudia Ntsama designs that was worn on the runway]

'This is a rebirth'

Fabiola Manirakiza is a 50-year-old designer who was born in Burundi, but came to Italy as a child. Italian nuns in her school taught her how to sew.

In 2016, she founded her label Frida Kiza in Italy after initially training to become a doctor.

Manirakiza describes her designs as a "mix between Africa and Italy." Botticelli's painting, "Primavera", inspired her silk scarves with Masai prints.

"In general, we are ignored, we are invisible. But this is a rebirth," she told AFP.

56682394-401[Fabiola Manirakiza first trained as a doctor before turning to fashion]

Passion for shoe design

Morocco-born Karim Daoudi is another designer in "the Fab Five" who arrived in the shoe-making town San Mauro Pascoli in northern Italy when he was 13.

He picked up the local craft and created his collection of high heel sandals and boots after working with companies like Chanel and Hermes.

Daoudi said that the bright colors he used in his collection reminded him of Morocco. He works as a postman to finance his designer dreams.

56682378-401[Karim Daoudi moved to Italy with his family when he was a teen in search of a "better future"]

Karim Daoudi moved to Italy with his family when he was a teen in search of a "better future"

'They are works of art' Mokodu Fall is a designer born in Senegal who also brings his African identity into his creations.

The 45-year-old artist worked as a cartoonist, actor, painter and now a designer of up-cycled garments. His textiles are hand-painted with African-inspired images.

"My collection reflects my African origins," he told AFP. "They are works of art that I transpose onto clothes."

56682410-401[After working as a cartoonist and a painter, Mokodu Fall now applies his artistic skills to his fashion designs]

How did the line-up come about?

The show is the result of a collaboration between the National Chamber of Italian Fashion and the Black Lives Matter in Italian Fashion movement.

Last year, Italian-Haitian designer Stella Jean, Milan-based African American designer Edward Buchanan and Afro Fashion Week Millano founder Michelle Ngonmo started the movement to highlight racism in the fashion industry.

The designers showed five looks on the runway, with most of the Milan Fashion Week shows taking place online this year due to the pandemic.

56681045-401[An ethnically diverse team of hairdressers and makeup artists also worked on the runway show]

FEATURE NEWS
Anyone found engaging in drug-related activities will not be allowed to live in the province – Tui Namosi
The Turaga na Tui Namosi, Ratu Suliano Matanitobua, has issued a stern warning to anyone from his province thinking of engaging in drug-related activi...
4 hours ago
LATEST NEWS
Yaqona sessions and kava barrels are breaking families in Fiji – Akauola
People who are knocking off from work and going directly to the yaqona session is a concern because it is breaking families, the government has to ...
3 hours ago

MOH always out of stock as they have to get 3 quotes for all medicine when they run out – Dr Vakamocea
The process that Government and the Ministry of Health are using when it comes to the Fiji Procurement Office and the Ministry of Finance is that ...
4 hours ago

If no change to the Mining Act, I won’t allow any mining in Namosi – Ratu Suliano
The Turaga na Tui Namosi Ratu Suliano Matanitobua has made a strong and bold statement that they will only talk about investments in mining in their ...
5 hours ago

Shona Amputch selected for specialist training in India to advance children’s healthcare in Fiji
Shona Amputch is happy to be one of the five nurses at Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Hospital selected to participate in a free specialist medical ...
5 hours ago

PRF launches Christmas Gift and Stationary Drive to bring joy to children of recycling workers
The children of Collection Pillars of Recycling have a little something to look forward to this holiday season as Pacific Recycling Foundation has ...
6 hours ago



fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan
Latest Videos

Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations

CFL radio frequencies
yb
IN DEPTH
Sporting federations demand answers from FASANOC
National sporting federations who are part of Fiji Association of Sport and National Olympic Committee or FASANOC, are still calling for answers and ...
6 days ago

Continuous Radiology and Pharmacy services are now expected at Government Hospitals
Serious concerns are being raised by the public as the Ministry of Health has decided that radiology services and pharmacies at Government hospitals ...
6 days ago

Ratu Wiliame Katonivere declines Presidential nomination after an internal audit and investigation report
Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka confirms that President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere decided to decline Rabuka's nomination of him to serve a second term ...
7 days ago

TOP