Imane Ayissi kicked off Paris Haute Couture Week with a cozy ensemble full of eye-catching hues and textures. The Cameroonian-born Ayissi skilfully combined exquisite garments with commonplace items to showcase Africa’s rich textile and craftsmanship heritage.
The colour scheme was bright and included orange, rust, turquoise, fuchsia pink, and red. Shiny cotton, silk crepe, shantung, and lightweight silk were used to create flowing dresses with a variety of fabric strips skilfully woven together, as well as long, draped gowns with trains.
The collection featured patchwork overcoats made from Ghanaian fabric called Kenté, woven by hand using an ancient process, and overcoats made from Burkina Faso’s native fabric, Faso Dan Fani, produced from thin strips.
“I have done a substantial study on African textiles, but it is tough,” Ayissi explained. Unfortunately, Africans are oblivious of our amazing textile heritage because they have favoured wax-printed textiles over genuine artisanal ones, whose production methods have all but disappeared.
“I use [such fabrics] in my collections as part of my efforts to rescue and conserve this legacy. To educate the younger generations in Africa, I’m holding masterclasses,” he continued. Ayissi also uses the obom tree’s self-regenerating bark, which he turns into a substance like leather. He makes corsets out of it and attaches the flowers to some of his clothes.
Thank you for the nice article
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my article! Your appreciation means the world to me, and I’m truly honored by your kind words. It was a pleasure writing about your incredible contributions to African textile creativity and the launch of Paris Haute Couture Week. Your work is inspiring, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to share it with a wider audience. Looking forward to witnessing more of your amazing creations! ✨ #ImaneAyissi #AfricanFashion #Honored