The Beat of Africa hit Milan fashion week for the third time as Biffi Boutique and ITC Ethical Fashion Initiative collaborated to bring African fashion talent to the Italian fashion capital. The weeklong designer showcase launched for Vogue Fashion’s Night Out.

Biffi Boutique is one of Milan’s legendary fashion stores, owned by Rosy Biffi. The Milanese boutique located in Corso Genova displayed the Spring/Summer 2016 womenswear looks of four designers selected by the Ethical Fashion Initiative: MaXhosa by Laduma (South Africa), Mimi Plange (US-Ghana), Sindiso Khumalo (South Africa) and Sophie Zinga (Senegal). MaXhosa by Laduma will also show some menswear looks.

The Ethical Fashion Initiative is a flagship programme of the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. The Ethical Fashion Initiative works with the rising generation of fashion talent from Africa, encouraging the forging of fulfilling creative collaborations with artisans on the continent. The Ethical Fashion Initiative also enables artisans living in urban and rural poverty to connect with the global fashion chain. Under its slogan, “NOT CHARITY, JUST WORK.” the Ethical Fashion Initiative advocates a fairer global fashion industry.

Simone Cipriani, founder and head of the Ethical Fashion Initiative, said:

“There is a mountain of talent in Africa. When I was young, Italy was about creativity and artisans. Today Africa is the same.”

DESIGNERS

MaXhosa by Laduma

MaXhosa by Laduma is a South African knitwear brand founded in 2010 by Laduma Ngxokolo. The South African Xhosa manhood initiation ritual practiced by amakrwala was behind the launch of the brand as Laduma sought to create Xhosa-inspired modern knitwear that would be suitable for this tradition. Since, the Xhosa aesthetic has come to be part of the DNA of the knitwear brand as Laduma has explored and reinterpreted traditional Xhosa beadwork, patterns, symbolism and colours to inspire his modern knitwear line. Through his work, Laduma is an agent of change, shifting and evolving with the changing times and further engaging in the dialogue that keeps pushing traditional culture toward the future.

Mimi Plange

Mimi Plange is a modern womenswear brand launched in 2010 by American-Ghanaian designer, Mimi Plange. Lost African civilizations inspire the Mimi Plange clothing and gives the collection a depth of meaning. High quality craftsmanship is reflected in each Mimi Plange piece and the brand prides itself on making well-constructed and fitted clothing. The Mimi Plange woman moves in international circles and is successful, cultured and conscientious. Mimi Plange says “I design clothes for a woman who wears what suits her. She has nothing to prove.” Mimi Plange’s designs have gained the seal of approval from American first-lady Michelle Obama, pop-queen Rihanna and tennis star, Serena Williams.

Sindiso Khumalo

Based between London and Cape Town, Sindiso Khumalo launched her eponymous label after being a finalist in the Elle New Talent competition. The strong and complex graphic prints used by Sindiso have become the signature of her collections. With a background in textile design, the designer has developed her label with a focus on modern sustainable textiles and works with several NGO’s in South Africa to develop sustainable textiles. In 2013, Sindiso Khumalo was nominated for the “Most Beautiful Object in South Africa” Award by the Design Indaba. Her work has been showcased at the Royal Festival Hall in London and the Smithsonian Museum of African Art in Washington. Sindiso studied architecture at the University of Cape Town and Design for Textile Futures at Central St Martins.

Sophie Zinga

As an avid art enthusiast, Senegalese born Sophie Nzinga Sy pursued her creative talent at Parsons School of Design. This led Sophie to set up her own brand: Sophie Zinga. Her brand is strongly influenced by her travels and the fusion of multiple cultures – specifically Sophie’s African roots and her New York City education and entrepreneurial mindset. Quality is a keystone of the Sophie Zinga brand, which uses the finest materials and fabrics (silk, satin, bazin, semi-precious stones etc.) Sophie’s design philosophy is to give the modern woman the key pieces to constantly re-invent her style while exuding confidence whether she is in a board meeting, attending a gala or traveling between New York and Lagos. The Sophie Zinga woman is socially conscious, well-travelled and is part of today’s cosmopolitan world.

#beatofafrica2015

Ethical Fashion Initiative is a flagship programme of the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. The Initiative links the world’s top fashion talents to marginalised artisans – the majority of them women – in East and West Africa, Haiti and the West Bank. Active since 2009, the Initiative enables artisans living in urban and rural poverty to connect with the global fashion chain. The Ethical Fashion Initiative also enables Africa’s rising generation of fashion talent to forge environmentally sound, sustainable and fulfilling creative collaborations with local artisans.Under its slogan, “NOT CHARITY, JUST WORK.” the Ethical Fashion Initiative advocates a fairer global fashion industry.

Over the past few seasons the Fondazione Pitti Discovery has been setting aside a special area for the rising stars on the world’s economic and creative stage with the Guest Nation project. This edition, in cooperation with the ITCEthical Fashion Initiative, focussed on fashion from Africa with a special event “Constellation Africa”, to promote young and talented designers from the continent.

“I believe that Pitti Uomo is the best platform to showcase these innovative designers from Africa, the continent which hosts the future of fashion and couture“, says Simone Cipriani, Head and Founder of the ITC Ethical Fashion Initiative. “The richness of materials and the beauty of their designs are truly unique. This is where our global society is going: interconnectedness. Global and local dimensions brought together through fashion“.

The four participating brands were:

ORANGE CULTURE // Adebayo Oke-Lawal from Nigeria

Orange Culture is a contemporary menswear brand created by Nigerian designer Adebayo OkeLawal in 2011. The brand combines classic and contemporary western silhouettes with an African edge. Orange Culture fuses Nigerian silhouettes, print fabrics and contemporary urban streetwear. Orange Culture is more than a clothing line, it is a “movement” for a creative class of men that are “self-aware, expressive, explorative and art-loving nomads”. Orange culture has been featured by top fashion magazines and was recently shortlisted by Vogue Talents for Africa and LVMH’s 2014 Young Fashion Designer Prize.

MaXhosa by Laduma // Laduma Ngxokolo from South Africa
MaXhosa by Laduma is a South African knitwear brand founded in 2010 by Laduma Ngxokolo. The South African Xhosa manhood initiation ritual practiced by amakrwala was behind the launch of the brand as Laduma sought to create Xhosa-inspired modern knitwear that would be suitable for this tradition. Since, the Xhosa aesthetic has come to be part of the DNA of the knitwear brand as Laduma has explored and reinterpreted traditional Xhosa beadwork, patterns, symbolism and colours to inspire his modern knitwear line. Through his work, Laduma is an agent of change, shifting and evolving with the changing times and further engaging in the dialogue that keeps pushing traditional culture toward the future.

PROJECTO MENTAL // Tekasala Ma’at Nzinga & Shunnoz Fiel from Angola
Projecto Mental is an Angolan fashion brand, founded in 2004 by creative duo Shunnoz Fiel & Tekasala Ma’at Nzinga, which fuses fashion and art. The brand was created in the aftermath of the civil war as a platform to help reshape Angola’s cultural identity, after the country was ravaged by decades of civil war. Suits with an experimental twist are the signature item of the Projecto Mental brand. Projecto Mental takes an avant-garde approach to tailoring as the designers re-imagine and re-invent the traditional suit for men and women. Strong block colours combined with prints & patterns bring boldness to each design.

DENT DE MAN // Alexis Temomanin from Ivory Coast & UK
Dent de Man is a menswear brand created in 2012 by British-Ivorian designer, Alexis Temomanin. Dent de Man’s approach to luxury style is defined by a mix of classic tailoring with colourful patterned fabric. The Dent de Man lifestyle is defined by freedom, quality and “esthétisme”, empowering individuals to dress for themselves. Self-expression is core to Dent de Man’s philosophy. The brand prides itself on the use of vintage fabrics and celebration of ancient printing techniques, Dent de Man adapts decadent and bold Java prints forming unique garments that allow individuals to own distinctive and irreplaceable pieces. All Dent de Man fabric is carefully sourced and possesses its own story and meaning.

Trace My Fashion initiative will be launched on April 24, marked as the Fashion Revolution Day. Two years ago, on the same day, the largest industrial disaster in history, known as Rana Plaza Disaster, took place in Savar, claiming the lives of 1133 RMG workers, due to negligence of factory owners. This day became Fashion Revolution Day, to commemorate the workers who lost their lives and the survivors in a single day and to call for a positive change so that such an incident never happens again.

We at Fashion Revolution, believe in a fashion industry that values the people, the environment, creativity and profit in equal measures. Our mission is to bring everyone together to make that happen.

Fashion Revolution Day is an opportunity to celebrate fashion as a positive influence, raise awareness of the fashion industry’s most pressing issues, show that change is possible and celebrate those who are on a journey to create a more ethical and sustainable future for fashion. Together, we will rally the high street, the high end, the innovators, the fashion students, the media, the public, the activists, the makers, the wearers – and everyone in between.

The event will highlight QR Code project #tracemyfashion in order to promote transparency in the Fashion Industry. Fashion Revolution Bangladesh in partnership with BGMEA University of Fashion & Technology – BUFT and Hong Kong-based non-profit, Lensational will launch an interactive platform to answer #whomademyclothes and Norway based organization Fashion Footprint.

A few companies including RMG industry giants like BexTex (Upcycle Project) and Desh Garments, and social initiatives such as Living Blue and Freindship Bangladesh, have stepped forward to open up about their brand and supply chain, the steps they are taking to rectify and improve their worker and environment standards, wages and safety issues of their workers.

Trace My Fashion has also partnered up with Lensational a Hong Kong based nonprofit to tell stories about the workers through their lenses. Workers from a factory were given digital cameras after a workshop on how to use cameras by Lensational in collaboration with BUFT.

Trace My Fashion website will be launched on April 24 at Daily Star-Bengal Art Precinct and will feature the recent case studies jointly Bengal Research and Design Initiative and students of BUFT in order to learn about sustainability, transparency and ethics from these case companies. We are encouraging fashion students of BUFT to participate in this exercise, to research, experience and explore the nature of the situation and its solutions. They have prepared questionnaires based on their research to understand workers welfare and the environment standards and measures taken by each case company.

We have partnered up with Fashion Footprint , which will launch on Fashion Revolution Day in Oslo, Norway. We aim to incorporate the Fashion Footprint traceability tools n our future programs.

Through Trace my fashion initiative and Fashion Revolution Bangladesh, we aim to document the positive changes of Bangladesh’s RMG Sector and exhibit our findings on Fashion Revolution Day. We want to give consumers more than the label ‘Made in Bangladesh’. Many factories and brands are weary of new initiatives. Therefore, our aim is to grow gradually.

On Fashion Revolution Day we will present our case company products through QR Codes. Through QR Codes BUFT Students and Trace My Fashion will present an interactive experience (through website link) highlighting the ethical practices of these case companies for consumers. Interested visitors will be able to use their smart phones as scanners on the QR Code, which when scanned, will provide information on the company, its supply chain, the invisible workforce behind making the products.

We have also partnered up with local Media Dhaka Tribune, Daily Ittafaq, Colours FM , ICE Today and ICE Business Times to do our campaign, research and publish periodical articles

Our initial aim is to get the factories and brands to open up to us.  It has been almost two years since the tragic Rana Plaza incident took place. The incident has been a wake up call for the sector and in these two years we have seen a complete transformation of the Bangladesh Apparel Industry. The praise of reformation comes directly from the international experts like ILO, Accord, and Alliance who have been looking into the inspection of factories. Bangladesh RMG sector and BGMEA has amended labour laws; initiated relevant trainings, with the help of Bangladesh Government, have compensated the victims of Rana Plaza, and rehabilitated the injured workers and their families. We encourage the commitment of the brands to provide support through these changes.

Our plan is to eventually add the certificates of audit firms like Accord and Alliance to the case companies we feature on our website. The positive side is that various stakeholders in RMG industry is actively taking part in improving the overall situation because they want to remain on top of this billion dollar industry and gradually aim to achieve even a higher standard through ethical practices within their capacity. Since the movement has begun, change is inevitable.

For further details please contact Nawshin Khair nkhair@gmail.com Fashion Revolution’s Country Coordinator for Bangladesh