FASHION AND LIFESTYLE
FASHION AND THE INFLUENCE OF THE AFRICAN CULTURE "Fashion is about storytelling through clothing It's about a sense of history and pride and it embod-ies a greater sense of purpose than just a garment tossed on to cover bodies."
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his definition by Shiona Turini, a freelance stylist and consultant, is perhaps my favourite description of the term. It doesn’t limit it to a social concept; instead, it describes it as a form of self-expression.
Just like every form of self-expression, it cannot be cornered into a box. Metaphorically, we can de-scribe it as a language that we all speak differently; hence the classification into styles like corpo-rate, grunge, vintage, chic, etc. Fashion is like art, and like every art form, people interpret it personally — that’s where the beauty of fashion lies. It is this different expression that we call ‘style’, the soul of fashion. Just like a paint-ing, it helps you express yourself and connect with people. The fashion world, much like every other sector in the world today, has gone through a lot of changes, and not just on the aesthetic or cultural side; the legal, political, and administrative side of fashion has witnessed changes as well. For instance, there are a few styles that used to be consid-ered uncool that are the rave now. One of such is oversized clothing.
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The same is true for indigenous fashion where native prints like Ankara and Adire are making a strong comeback, especially since they’re being fused with contemporary styles. We can’t really say where fashion is headed in the next decade or two, but if we’ve learnt anything so far, it is to keep our options open. It is an amazing world and anything, absolutely anything can find its way in or back into the mix. THE INFLUENCE OF AFRICAN CULTURE ON FASHION
Culture strongly influences the kind of designs and styles people love to wear. This is so important because through clothing individuals establish their personal styles and their place in society. For instance, most Africans are connecting more with African designs that tell the story of their cul-tural heritage. This is because a lot of African designers are changing the narrative by telling stories that connect with their African heritage.
