By Serena Edwards
On Oct. 25, the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) held the symposium “Africa’s Fashion Diaspora” to showcase FIT’s newest exhibit on African fashion. The panel and exhibition included professors who have written on the topic, and fashion designers focused on the influence of African culture on today’s fashion.
The panelists drew their inspiration from their personal experiences, their own culture, or scholarly research on the topic. The panelists included Dr. Christopher Richards, a Brooklyn College professor of Africana Studies, Elizabeth Way, the associate curator of costume at The Museum at FIT (MFIT), and Joelle Firzli, an independent fashion researcher. The symposium was used as an event to acknowledge those that have made an impact in African fashion.
“[The event was] to educate people on the history of international fashion,” Way told The Vanguard. “There is a connection between Black American fashion and fashion in Africa.”
The exhibit, which opened on Sept. 18, aims to “examine fashion as a medium of storytelling and as a vital way for designers to contribute to longstanding and evolving ideas of transnational Black culture spaces,” according to the exhibit’s biography. Some of the pieces included in the event had many different themes and stories that resonated to the African diaspora.
“Mother and motherlands” showcased the “influence of family and lineage, and cultural tradition on a fashion design from specifically a Black perspective.” In the piece it displays the daily activities as a mother in Africa through symbolism of bowls and cups. It also symbolized beauty through flowers in the headpiece. “Reaching For Africa” connected Black American designers to the concepts from African designers. The overall theme is to express “Black solidarity, and celebrate Black cultures.”
Firzli is an independent fashion scholar who explores the intersection between fashion and cultural sustainability. She uses her experience being a Lebanese-Ivorian throughout her presentation to express the importance of cultural sustainability. Firzli presented her personal experiences with Ivorian fashion and textiles. She compared the new designers to their predecessors and said “the young designers have broken away from the influence of their predecessors.” Firzli describes the young Ivorian art scene to be “vibrant and connected.” She spoke about how she was born to design in this area of artistry.
“It’s who I am, who I’ve been raised to be,” Firzli told The Vanguard. “My mother got me into fashion by having me help her make dresses.”
Way, an associate curator of costume at MFIT and a curator of Africa’s Fashion Diaspora, discussed African philosophies influencing fashion. She said “the idea of a person is a person through other people”–a person is perceived by the way they carry themselves too. Way said that notable African figures such as Nelson Mandela followed this philosophy. Way connected the exhibition to larger philosophies of social justice and labor. She talks about Patrick Kelly and how he was able to connect his Mississippi experiences with Kente clothing. It shows how Black America is connecting themselves to the roots that were severed during history.
For speakers such as Richards, African fashion, and more specifically the use of Kente cloth, is a source of great representation and strength for the African diaspora. Kente cloth is used to represent African heritage, pride, and unity. Kente clothing is also used as a symbol of certain ethics. Richards also discussed the topic of Ghanaian fashion and how it evolved. In addition, Richards explained that recognition of African designers is essential.
“In order to understand African fashion, you must actively include designs by unknown creators who can, and should, be recognized as equally,” he said.
Both the symposium and the exhibit emphasized the importance of African culture and women throughout history and within the fashion realm. Richards focused on diminishing African fashion and how history discredits the impact Ghana and African women have made on fashion.
“There are so many Ghana and African designers that have yet to be acknowledged, documented and discussed,” said Richards. “It’s my hope scholars learn that African fashion is just as equally diverse, complex and nuanced as its European American counterparts.”
“Africa’s Fashion Diaspora” is on view until Dec. 24. Interested students can visit the museum for free and find more information at www.fitnyc.edu/museum/