The African Fashion Show Recap
By Daniel Saun | Fashion Denver Intern
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Authenticity is a term that is used copious amounts of times within the fashion industry. However, is there truly authenticity within the fashion industry today? With consumers eating up fast fashion like it’s their last meal and those that have created womenswear and menswear into a commodity, it is truly hard to find a collection that is genuine. At the African Fashion Show Saturday night, I had the pleasure of experiencing fashion that is as authentic as it can be.
Tribal patterns, vibrant colors, traditional music, and most importantly; culture. Culture is what makes fashion unique and its people are the heart of that culture. From the few fashion shows that I have attended, the African Fashion Show was the liveliest and the most charismatic.
As the models walked down the runway representing and owning the native threads from different countries all over Africa including: Rwanda, Uganda, Nigeria, etc., there was an incredible sense of heart and passion that included the audience. In a way, this was more than a fashion show. This was a representation. A representation of how influential and important all cultures from Africa are. This representation also became educational. The dropback for the center stage and the patterns on all the clothing turned into a realization. I never noticed it, but some of my favorite patterns from designers such as Burberry Prorsum and Junya Watanabe all took influence from very traditional African ornaments.
With such monumental motifs that most of the heaviest players in fashion are continuously paying homage to Africa for her designs, it is a cause for celebration and a celebration it became. As the fashion show came to a close, a guest singer sang and the audience danced, sung a long and some even rose from their seats. The atmosphere was uplifting with a great sense of community. Traditional dancing accompanied by the drums carried the spirit and the enthusiasm of the culture all the way to the end.
According to Davie, a gospel reggae singer from Uganda said, “this fashion show was classic and true to the heart of Africa and her people.”
Check out My African Roots FB for more pictures!