Historical and contemporary designs from Africa including couture, bespoke, body adornment and RTW were on display at the National Gallery of Victoria in an exhibition themed ‘African Fashion which ran for four months untill October 6. Over 50 designers from more than 20 countries and regions on the African continent were represented in the exhibition which came from the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) in London.
Garments created by Shade Thomas-Fahm, Chris Seydou and Kofi Ansah, regarded as 20th century African fashion icons, were on show alongside work by contemporary designers including Imane Ayissi, IAMISIGO, Moshions, Thebe Magugu and Sindiso Khumalo.
Various accessories, textiles, film and photographs were also displayed in the Melbourne based NGV exhibition that highlighted the creativity, innovation and global impact of African fashions from the mid-twentieth century to the present day.
Africa Fashion was the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of fashion from the African continent ever mounted here.
V&A’s inaugural Senior Curator African and Diaspora Textiles and Fashion and lead curator of the African Fashion exhibition, Dr Christine Checinska, said she hoped Africa Fashion would inspire future generations of creative young people to engage with the arts through fashion and textiles, pointing out that the African fashion scene is as diverse as the continent itself.
According to NGV Director, Tony Ellwood, AM, fashion has the unique ability to express so much about who we are as individuals, but also as communities. He said the exhibition – the most comprehensive ever staged on this subject in Australia – presented a rare opportunity to share the dynamism and diversity of African fashion design with the Australian public. At the same time it introduced the talents of these designers to a whole new audience.
