Photo shoot credits:
Photographer: Jan Lehner
Model: Sycha Mubiaya @ D1
Stylist: Chukwunwinke Obi
Hair & Make-up: Natasha Zaki
Jewellery: Pebble London & Maria Zureta
Sycha Mubiaya was on the cover of Helen Jenning’s book ‘New African Fashion’. The book chronicles Africa’s massive influence on fashion, from Yves St. Laurent’s use of African prints to the present day. About the book:
“It was in 1907, Picasso admitted to the venerable French writer André Malraux, that he was so utterly stunned by his encounter with African art that he kept repeating the words ‘shock’, ‘revelation’,’force’ and ‘charge’. Collectively, the varied superb talents of designers ranging from the veterans Joe Casely-Hayford and Eric Raisina to new talents Gloria Wavamunno, Mataano, Pierre-Antoine Vettorello and Stiaan Louw are all by various degrees inevitably holding sway on a global scale – for good. Consequently, as happened to Picasso aeons ago, the fashion world is increasingly having its ‘African moment’ in this new millennium….”
From Africa-inspired to African-made, this guide is the first to celebrate a new wave of fashion designers who are emerging on the global stage. Ever since the late 1960s when Yves Saint Laurent and Paco Rabanne presented African inspired collections, the textiles, details, and colors of Africa have moved into the realm of high fashion.
In the past few years, young designers from the continent itself have emerged as people to watch in the fashion world. Helen Jennings, editor of award-winning ARISE magazine, offers in this book a brief history of African fashion, beauty and style, follows its influence on modern designers, and spotlights the best designers, photographers, and models from across the continent and the African diaspora. Profiling popular lines such as Duro Olowu, Jewel by Lisa, Black Coffee, and Eric Raisina, Jennings explores the myriad reasons why African fashion is having its moment in the sun. She shows show designers are looking beyond clichés of the African aesthetic by embracing both traditional and contemporary fabrics and garments, and how the passion for ethically and environmentally conscious clothing is fueling this trend. As colorful and exciting as the fashions it features, this volume will appeal to anyone interested in following the world’s most exciting new fashion development.
Uduak Oduok of Ladybrille Magazine reviewed the book which was released last October, had this to say:
“There are a few books that have been written on African style and fashion but none have been as comprehensive and at the same time pan-African as Helen Jennings’ ‘New African Fashion.’ Jennings is caucasian and the current Editor-in-Chief of Arise Magazine. While it could be tempting to easily dismiss Jennings as yet another Westerner trying to tell the world who Africans are, a careful look suggest this would be a mistake.
“As she takes her reader on this explore, Jennings provides insight on the foundation of fashion in Africa. She acknowledges the contributions of the guards/pioneers of fashion in Africa, pays homage to African photographers whose works greatly contributed in helping Africa tells its fashion stories and in a chapter titled “Generation Then,” she outlines the contributions of Africa’s fashion pioneers like Nigeria’s Shade Thomas, Ghana’s Tetteh Adzedu, Niger’s Alphadi among many. From “Generation Then,” Jennings transitions into the “Generation Now.”
“Showing she is on the pulse of the “New” African fashion, Jennings cites the impact of fashion in Africa, providing statistics about employment in Africa’s fashion industries. For example, South Africa, according to Jennings, employs 200,000 people in its fashion industry and generates $2.9billion in revenue per annum. The “Generation Now” Jennings explains have also embraced technology and are using technology to spread African fashion, globally…
‘…New African Fashion from page 20 onwards to 233, provides brief colorful profiles of Africa’s designers and some of their design collections, models and photographers…Overall ‘New African Fashion’ is a good book, especially for the uninitiated in African fashion. For the initiated, it is still a good book to have to serve as a good reference, especially with the short yet informative history of African fashion. For both targeted audiences, it would also make a great gift for your fashion forward and/or fashion obsessed friends and family.”
This is just an excerpt from the detailed review provided by Uduak Oduok for Ladybrille Magazine at New African Fashion by Helen Jennings, Book Review. Check it out.
