5 African Fashion Designers We Love
In celebration of Africa Month, we’re looking at some of our favourite designers of African descent that are continuously shaking the fashion world in Africa and throughout the globe.
Virgil Abloh
Virgil Abloh has a lengthy repertoire in the creative world. He is a well-known designer, architect, entrepreneur, DJ, Louis Vuitton’s current Creative Director and founder of Off-White (a Milan-based label since 2012) and the list goes on!
However, his impressive life came from humble beginnings with Ghanian immigrants for parents. With the help of his mother, he learnt how to sew and in fact, he already started creating T-shirts from a tender age at school.
It’s clear that hard work pays off because Abloh became the first American of African descent to become an artistic director at a French luxury fashion house. In 2018, he was named one of the most influential people in the world!
Olivier Rousteing
Rousteing is an African-French fashion designer and has been working as Balmain’s creative director since 2011. In his famous documentary called ‘Wonder Boy’, Rousteing admits that he was adopted at the age of 1 and only discovered his true African roots in his 30s. Although he always assumed he was mixed-race based on his appearance, he later discovered that his mother was Somalian and his father was Ethiopian.
According to The Times, Rousteing says “Instead of feeling like we had to fight for everything, instead of having a Balmain Army — us against the world — I want to bring people in. I want everyone to understand you can have the dream, without perfection. Inclusivity is speaking to not only the fashion elite.”
Dapper Dan
Dapper Dan is a decorated African-American fashion designer, in fact, he even made The Time’s Most Influential People of 2020. However, his career started way back in the 80s where he was known as the go-to designer, especially custom made pieces for the Hip Hop community. In 2017, Dan collaborated with former Gucci CEO, Marco Bizzarri for a men’s collection. Thereafter, he opened an atelier in partnership with Gucci to open the very first luxury fashion house in Harlem, New York.
Rihanna x Fenty
From superstar to revolutionary beauty and fashion designer – we’re starting to believe that there isn’t anything Riri can’t do!
In 2019, Rihanna became the first woman AND woman of colour to create an original brand under the LVMH brand. This speaks volumes since LVMH houses over 60 companies including Christian Dior, Givenchy, Marc Jacobs, Celine, Bulgari and many other luxury brands.
Besides her fabulous pieces, Rihanna also showcases diversity on the catwalk including different body types, people of colour and even a heavily pregnant Slick Woods down the runway.
David Tlale
South Africa’s very own David Tlale was raised in a little township called Vosloorus but now showcases his eclectic designs all over the world including New York Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week and of course Cape Town Fashion week. What’s more, Tlale was a semi-finalist at the South African Fashion Week Elle New Talent Show Competition in 2002. Thereafter, Tlale began working from home by running a design studio and has studios in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Where to Buy High Fashion Accessories
Creating your own style is easy when you have the world’s best designer accessories at your fingertips. Luxity is Africa’s largest and most trusted source of luxury goods. So, what are you waiting for? Shop all your favourite brands now.
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