The appeasement of Great Britain with its colonial past also passes through fashion and recognition of the creative individuality of the matrix African, which for many years has penetrated into the culture of the black continent and imperceptibly also influences the Western and European. 170 years since foundation Victoria and Albert Museum in London, opened in 1852, the institution opens its first African fashion exhibition on Saturday 2 July. After two years of preparation Exhibition Africa Fashion get off at a museum that owes some of its most valuable pieces in its permanent collection to colonial conquests. Among all the treasures of Makdala looted during the British military campaign in Ethiopia in 1868 during the reign of Queen Victoria.
“This is a transitional moment that marks our commitment to celebrate African creativity in all areas,” he explains. Guardian curated by Kristin Chechinska, who reflects on the delay of a cultural initiative that should have been born many years ago. “We wanted to showcase the pan-African fashion scene – that’s really what brings the show’s creators together. So, whether it’s Morocco in South Africa or Ghana in the west, [vogliamo] try to break down these old colonial borders strategically,” continues Chechinska, who personally recruited African designers to organize the exhibition.
Located in the fashion department of the museum, Africa Fashion It is divided into two parts. The lower floor features period clothing and images from the 1950s, while the upper floor is dedicated to contemporary designers and photographers.
Among the most important historical documents are a Kente portrait of Ghana’s then Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah as he declared his country’s independence from British rule in 1957, and popular studio portraits by photographers including Rashidi Bissiriou, Sanle Sori and Seydou Keita. , from the 1960s and 1970s. African stylists represented include Alfadi, a Nigerian designer who used the metal work of his Tuareg heritage for glamorous dresses in 1980, and Shade Thomas-Fahm, a Nigerian women’s designer favorite for workwear in 1970. All famous personalities in Africa, but almost unknown outside the continent.
On the other hand, brands such as Rich Mnisi, Orange Culture and Sindiso Khumalo stand out in the modern section, which in their collections address current topics such as feminism, LGBTQ+ rights or people’s independence. The aesthetics of African fashion has long been culturally embraced by European designers who use prints and patterns for their catwalks in Milan, Paris, New York..
Africa Fashion he deliberately omits this sensitive issue, which would involve many figures in the fashion system, but the contamination is obvious, and giving these creative people a place in a world-famous museum like the V&A means at least an acknowledgment of a debt to them.
Source: Elle