Steal like an African fashion designer

African fashion is having a moment like no other, which has me wondering what separates continental designers from our counterparts in the West? Beyond the novelty of these lesser-known narratives or the emergence of alternative materials and silhouettes, I think it's important to lay a foundation that defines African fashion to avoid the generality and lack of meaning that's taken over the global industry. In essence, asking what makes an African fashion designer requires us to be intentional about the industry. And to discuss this, I'm surprisingly (or not surprisingly at all) talking about the work of Harlem couturier, Dapper Dan. Through the grandfather of hip-hop fashion and streetwear, I illustrate 3 tenets of African design: transformation, theft, and waste. From Dapper Dan’s reimagined luxury streetwear to Xhosa initiation trousers, Herero dresses, and West African weaving techniques, this is how African designers have continuously reshaped, repurposed, and reclaimed fashion as a tool for identity and resistance. Chapters: 00:00 African designers in context 04:31 Part 1: Transformation 10:08 Part 2: Theft 20:06 Part 3: Waste 24:07 What it all means Instagram: / okbaddiek TikTok: / okbaddiek Substack: https://khensani.substack.com/ Patreon: https://patreon.com/khensani?utm_medi... Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/khensani Sources: Artist / Rebel / Dandy: Men of Fashion - Google Arts & Culture (no date) Google Arts & Culture. Available at: https://