APiF: Please introduce yourself.

Amarachi Nwosu: My name is Amarachi Nwosu, and I am a Nigerian-American photographer, filmmaker, writer, and speaker based in Tokyo, Japan. I am also the founder of Melanin Unscripted, a platform aimed to dismantle stereotypes and blur racial lines by exposing complex identities and cultures around the world. My work has been featured in publications like Huffington Post, CNN Africa, Black Enterprise. I have also produced and shot social campaigns for brands like Adidas Tokyo and Nike.

APiF: What is the story of your latest photo series/exhibition titled Sankofa?

Amarachi: The main reason I created this story and chose the location was for the purpose of transforming narratives on slavery and its connection to Africa. ‘Sankofa’ which translates to Going Back to Forgotten roots, takes the viewer on a journey through Cape Coast Castle in Ghana where thousands of slaves were captured and held captive by western colonizers.

Rather than reproducing the narrative of black inferiority, which the castle often represents, I wanted to create a  story that shows the subjects reclaiming the space and its meaning. One of the main ways I did that was by having a female character as an empowered protagonist in a space where many black women were berated and placed at the bottom of the social ladder.

I wanted to go back to my roots and use imagery as a catalyst to transform how we see black people in context to Africa and the world. While the past cannot be changed, I believe visuals have the power to help spark and educate the minds that will shape the future.

Western culture has used history as a means to empower themselves for centuries and has used imagery as a major vessel for that, as people of color we need to also use these tools to empower ourselves as well.

APiF: What is your cultural heritage, and how does that inspire what you do / as well as this specific project?

Amarachi: I am Nigerian-American, but my grandmother is half Ghanian, so I’m a mixture of West Africa. My culture inspires me because it drives me to learn the stories of my ancestors while also preserving and creating the stories of the future. My goal is to tell diverse narratives on African culture, and I feel purposeful in that mission.

APiF: In the last couple of months, fashion has had several racist/ ignorant moments (Gucci, etc.) – with your images, you are trying to connect to the past and tell a story. Can fashion have an educational aspect?

Amarachi: Fashion, like any medium of art, can be used as an educational tool. There is history in design from all cultures, and we can tell stories with the clothes as a major vessel, so I believe the fashion industry can help educate people in many ways.

APiF: What has been the reaction to your exhibition so far? Was it also exhibited in Ghana, and what was the reaction there? Can you share where the exhibit can be seen next?

Amarachi: Debuting the images during Black History Month in a respected gallery like Ultra Super New in Harajuku in collaboration with the Bae Tokyo platform was a dream come true because it was my first event in Tokyo and for many, it was the first-ever Black History Month event they had been to in Japan. I felt like that alone was history being made, and that is such a big part of my mission.

The photos were able to spark a lot of conversation on identity and culture and talks about the past and how it shapes the present and was able to connect with so many people regardless of their background, and that is powerful to me. Over 100 people came, and I never expected that many people to come, so see the images thousands of miles away from where I shot them and where I am from.

I think the most unexpected response was talking to Japanese people and them telling me that the images and exhibition inspired them to want to learn more about black history and see Africa for themselves. I believe in the value of Africa to the world, but what is even stronger is when the world engages with Africa directly.

I plan to show them in Ghana at the end of the year, but currently, it has been shown in Tokyo and New York City and the Okayspace Gallery in Brooklyn.

APiF: Any tips for young/aspiring creatives?

Amarachi: Do your research, be patient with your process, and stay true to yourself. What is meant for you will find its way, just keep working.

Find out more:

• Website Amarachi Nwosu
• Instagram Amarachi Nwosu

The post Use Imagery to Empower Ourselves: Sankofa Exhibit appeared first on African Prints in Fashion.

APiF: Please introduce your brand.
Nana Quagraine: 54kibo is a new lifestyle brand and e-commerce destination for a carefully selected array of contemporary African design for home, children, and accessories.

We’ve been working on the concept for 54kibo since late 2017, with the site launching late 2018. 54 is the number of countries in Africa – Kibo is the highest summit on the continent, on Kilimanjaro – to us, 54kibo symbolizes the height of African design.

APiF: What motivated and inspired you to start 54Kibo?
Nana: While I now live in Brooklyn, I spent time commuting (yes, commuting!) between Brooklyn and Johannesburg for four years while working in infrastructure finance based in South Africa. During that period my husband and I were decorating our home in Brooklyn, and I found so many beautiful and unique contemporary African design items in South Africa that I wanted, but they were incredibly difficult to source in the United States.

Knowing that there was such a wide universe of talented product designers in Africa that much of the world couldn’t easily access, 54kibo was created to showcase the breadth of contemporary African design. We do so by curating, procuring, and enabling more direct, easy access to design consumers and talented product designers.

APiF: What is your professional background?
Nana: I’m a former engineer, strategy consultant, investment banker, and infrastructure fund manager with a no longer secret passion for design. Starting this business has certainly enhanced my appreciation for the determination, hard work, hustle, resilience, relationships, experience, and talent required to achieve success as an entrepreneur.

APiF: Any fave or new interior designers you would like to share with us?
Nana: Part of the fun of starting 54kibo has been meeting interior designers – we’ve been so awed by the incredible talent of a number of the interior designers we’ve recently collaborated with especially those we’ve connected to through the Black Artist + Designers Guild. Seeing Beth Diana Smith, Kesha Franklin of Halden Interiors, and Bailey Li’s vignettes (they had to create room concepts using donated items) at the recent Housing Works’ Design on a Dime fundraiser, was so inspiring to us – we wanted to move right into their concepts!

APiF: How did you like the ‘Africa’ collection Oeverallt from IKEA – exposure or exploitation?
Nana: We love the collection and honestly think it was great exposure – and additional validation for the market’s interest in contemporary African design. It has been intriguing to see the enthusiasm shared by many as articles about the launch have been circulated among friends and shared back with us. At the end of the day, we want to help create a market and platform for an incredible array of product designers that already exist – this collection was an excellent platform for the designers included, and for opening the world’s eyes to the beauty and breadth of contemporary African design.

APiF: What’s your tip for new businesses/start-ups?
Nana: Cultivate a learning and problem-solving mindset – figure out the right questions to ask and find the most relevant experts in each focus area. It is also incredibly valuable to be flexible and nimble in your approach to your business as you may find yourself having to pivot unexpectedly. We made one significant pivot early on that brought us down a path that we were ultimately grateful for. Aggressively manage risks but assume you will succeed – build your team and systematize processes from day 1 to save time and effort down the line and easily make things more scalable as your business evolves.

Find out more:

• website: https://54kibo.com/
• insta: https://www.instagram.com/_54kibo/

The post Interview 54kibo: The Height of African Design appeared first on African Prints in Fashion.

ÖVERALLT = Everywhere is the name of the long-awaited collection by IKEA in collaboration with several African Designers. The sneak peek has me excited, and I need to get my hands on the rug as well as the bench. The limited edition includes larger pieces of furniture, tableware, textiles, and a sustainable tote bag, to name a few.

Not sure about the title of the collection ÖVERALLT = Everywhere. Design is everywhere? Africa is everywhere?… But I do like a lot of the designs!

The post IKEA’s Africa collection is hitting stores May 2019 appeared first on African Prints in Fashion.

Living in Australia, she placed her friends into the context of elements from their culture/heritage, that they have been displaced from. In her own words: ‘There is something important about being able to take our icons and visual language and to hold onto them and say “this is mine” and truly feel it.’

The title Third Culture Kids refers to kids from migrants that grow up far away from their parent‘s country of origin. I really like this term and image of a 3rd culture and can totally relate to it.

The studio series was done in 2015, but it is still very current, beautiful and relevant. And I missed it back then, so thus I decided to share it now after I stumbled over the images again on Pinterest.

Find out more:

• Website Atong Atem
• Insta Atong Atem

The post Third Culture Kids – by Atong Atem appeared first on African Prints in Fashion.

See some past collections from Duro Olowu here:

• Spring 2013
• JCP collection
• Fall 2015
• Fall 2016

How do you like this collection by Olowu?

Images: Luis Monteiro

The post Swing into Spring with Duro Olowu appeared first on African Prints in Fashion.

Nana Amu: I am a Ghanaian global nomad, an eclectic mix of cultural and creative influences. My father was a diplomat, representing Ghana in various countries around the world. I was exposed to a rich tapestry of cultures and variety of art forms in Australia, Italy and the UK where I grew up and developed a passion for art. I taught for 18 years at Ghana International School, teaching a range of subjects from English and Math to Art, before working as the PR Lead for an international marketing company and finally working on my own. I consult in real estate, interior design/ decoration and PR and have also exhibited my own mixed media paintings.

APiF: Your spaces on Airbnb look beautiful and like pieces  of art. What inspires you?

Nana: I am inspired by nature, by balance, simplicity and harmony; by the effect that color has an emotion and mood; by the juxtaposition of color, patterns and natural materials and textures. I am drawn to spaces that have an indoor/outdoor aesthetic, where the outdoors feels like part of the internal space. I love the richness of our Ghanaian pageantry and West African fabrics from Ghana, Mali, Guinea, Senegal and Nigeria. Functional design, good execution and attention to detail is also inspiring to me.

I think visually. My constant need to satisfy my creative inclinations has taken me from painting, styling, bead jewelry designing, work as a make-up artist, designing my clothes to interior designing and decorating. Creativity is an intrinsic part of my DNA. I am self-taught and instinctively use my eye and sense of aesthetic balance to design and create.

APiF: What is your relationship to the bungalow where you are renting a room?

Nana: The house is my home, where I brought up my two children. It was originally a  shack which I bought 20 years ago. The building was then designed by my late ex-husband Paul Fleischer- Djoleto. He was one of the most creative architects I know, and a great believer in innovation and authenticity. There are now just two walls left of that original structure and it would take a lot to imagine the shack I first saw, with goats munching away at the forlorn front hedge!

APiF: What made you consider opening your spaces to Airbnb guests?

Nana: When the kids grew up and went to university, I found myself in a 4 bedroom house, only using half the house except when they were home for the holidays. Thus I did a conversion from a single family home to two semi-detached homes and downsized to a more upscale two bedroom house. I now share my home with guests on Airbnb, hosting interesting people from all over the world.

APiF: Can you summarize the personality of the house?

Nana: The house reflects what inspires me. It is simple, organic, it breathes, it’s a creative and functional use of space, it is bathed in light, it celebrates nature, it showcases
natural materials and eclectic art from around the world. I feel happily transported every day and believe people deserve the joy of loving the space they live in, loving a space that suits their lifestyle, personality and individual needs.

Nana Amu’s Airbnb listings:

• A simply unique designer home
• A unique luxury studio in exclusive prime location

The post Interview with interior designer Nana Amu: Loving the space you live in! appeared first on African Prints in Fashion.

They all emphasize different aspects: some are about diving into he glitz and glam of big African cities like Accra and exploring the hottest restaurants and coolest bars or attend art festivals like Chale Wote. Others focus on sporty activities like hiking and climbing. Some travel groups are all about the educational/cultural aspect of traveling, others are more about partying and a few are even targeting designers & creatives who want to source materials and meet local artisans. All of them want to deliver a unique and instagrammable experience.

Trending countries seem to be Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Morocco and South Africa. Before you join a trip – do your homework and make sure that the focus/theme of a travel group will match your needs and expectations.

Here is my personal check-list:

• Is it luxury or low budget (will you have a to share a room with someone?)
• Are all activities and trips included in the price?
• Is there room for alone time or is it a packed itinerary?
• What is the age/gender mix of people usually attending?
• How big is the group?
• Are there references/reviews from past participants available?

After doing my first ever group trip last year to Kenya & Tanzania, I went back to just traveling with friends this year. I don’t think traveling in a big group is necessarily for me. But on the plus side, I would have never seen that many places or done that many activities if I had organized the trip by myself.

Here are some travel groups that focus exclusively on trips to the African continent or offer a lot of destinations on the continent (this is just a selection, not an endorsement):

• Africa with Us
• Tastemakers Africa
• Travel Noire
• Calabar Imports
• Africa Fashion Guide (sourcing focused)
• Curious on Tanzania
• Black Voyageurs
• Black & Abroad

What is your experience with group travel? Any other travel groups you can recommend? Comment below!

The post Trending: Traveling Africa appeared first on African Prints in Fashion.

Moulaye Taboure: I am Moulaye one of the co-founders of Afrikrea. I am a young Malian and grew up in Bamako. I studied and worked in Paris for 10 years, and now I am back living on the African continent – currently in Abidjan.

 

APiF: So is Afrikrea the etsy of African Fashion and Designs?

 

Moulaye: Yes, one could sum it up as such for simplicity purpose. But we really aim to provide a better experience than etsy: for sellers first as well as for online shoppers. For example we give customers the option, to pay off orders above 70 USD over the time of 3 months.

 

 

APiF: What is your future vision for Afrikrea?

 

Moulaye: We hope to be able to build the largest inclusive community of Africa Lovers; showcasing that African culture and lifestyle can generate billions of wealth and touch millions of people all over the world.

 

 

APiF: Any tips for young entrepreneurs?

 

Moulaye: As long as you have a strong ambition from personal conviction, we can only recommend 2 things : humility & consistency.

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website

The post Interview with Afrikrea: The etsy of African Fashion appeared first on African Prints in Fashion.

Makeba: It wasn’t so much inspiration as much as it was necessity that forced me to create a business out of making art. I am an artist first and foremost. I am a businesswoman second. Many artists create work for themselves, to spiritually/emotionally sustain themselves. It’s therapeutic. When I decided that I wanted my work to reach as many people as possible, that’s when I had to strategize and develop several marketing solutions to reach the most people. There is a creative problem-solving aspect to marketing and business, which is great, but it is also very stressful. I spend more time managing myself as an artist than I do creating new artwork.

 

APiF: What is your professional background and how did you get into digital art/ graphic design?

Makeba: I have been creating art my entire life. I did not go to art school and I am not a graphic designer. I started creating digital art because of the lack of physical space in the places I’ve lived and also because digital art is a natural reflection of the time we live in.

 

APiF: Is there sth like the most popular print or postcard and if yes who is on it?

• website
• instagram
• etsy shop

The post Black Icons: “Re-envisioning the ancestors through visual art” appeared first on African Prints in Fashion.

Ivorian/French entrepreneur Alice Gbelia was looking for art to decorate her home – she wanted specifically art that referenced her African heritage and represented Black Pop Culture. As she couldn’t find a website that offered what she was looking for, she decided to create a platform that represented and offered art and designs by Black artists. And thus Ayok’a – meaning welcome in  Alice’s local language in Ivory Coast – was born end of 2017.

“The black community is full of talent. I’ve made it a mission to help shine a light on this talent.” Ayok’a is not just a marketplace. The online platform produces different products of their artist’s art. So customers can select any art they like and choose if they want it as a print, on a phone case, on a T-shirt or postcard. Ayok’a is featuring creatives from around the world, like Delphine Alphonse, Pauline N’Gouala and many more.

Find out more:

• website
• instagram
• facebook

The post Ayok’a: A Platform for Black Artists appeared first on African Prints in Fashion.