South Sudan’s rising models are breaking barriers
South Sudan has an outsized influence in global fashion—nine of the world’s top 50 models call it home—yet the young women trying to follow that path face obstacles that have nothing to do with talent. Khloe Nyanda and Alek Mayen Garang are navigating family resistance, predatory agents, visa rejections due to a lack of local […]
How 1950s African fashion shaped identity and resistance
In the 1950s, African fashion was both an aesthetic choice and a sophisticated tool for political resistance. As the continent moved toward independence, women masterfully blended Western silhouettes—like Dior’s “New Look”—with traditional textiles such as Nigeria’s adire and South Africa’s shweshwe, creating a distinct post-colonial aesthetic. This era saw the rise of iconic women like […]
Francis Kéré’s earthen masterpiece opens in Dakar
In the heart of Dakar, a remarkable new building has just opened—and it is made largely from the city’s own red soil. Designed by Burkina Faso-born architect and Pritzker Prize winner Francis Kéré, the new Goethe-Institut complex wraps around a baobab tree, using clay bricks, natural ventilation, and bioclimatic design to keep interiors cool without […]
How young artists are redefining Nigerian identity
A group exhibition in Lagos recently offered a fascinating window into how young Nigerian artists are navigating identity in an increasingly globalized world. Featuring creatives aged 19 to 26, the show presented works with distinctly Nigerian imagery and lived experiences. Additionally, it showcased digital art steeped in anime aesthetics, dreamlike 3D worlds, grounded street photography, […]
