Africa thrives on rich colors, cultural diverseness, and traditional handicrafts that live on until today thanks to wonderful creatives. The post-obit brands create a cantankerous-cultural dialogue through fashion by reinterpreting African traditions with contemporary designs and cuts. Read furtherand discover 12 hip and conscious fashion labels inspired past the beautiful African civilization – Queen B herself was spotted wearing i of them with pride.

Buki Akomolafe

Based in Berlin, designer Buki Akomolafe combines her High german/Nigerian roots into her high-end article of clothing for women and men. Precise cuts, flashy colors and an androgynous bear on make her collections outstanding. They are locally handmade in a small atelier in Berlin using eco-materials such as certified cotton, organic hemp-silk, and African wax print. Don't miss out on having a look at her reversible quilt pieces, they are limited in stock!

Website: bukiakomolafe.com
Instagram: @bukiakomolafe

Mayamiko

A limited number of printed fabrics from Africa embracing local artisanal traditions make Mayamiko'southward collections oh so special. All of their clothing and accessories are season-less, making you honey them all yr round. Mayamiko lifts upwards financially disadvantaged women out of poverty by nurturing their creative talent in their Fashion Lab in Republic of malaŵi where they carefully arts and crafts each garment. Among many pieces, the Chifundo maxi dress is dedicated and named after 1 of these wonderful women. The label also turns their fleck fabric into recyclable germ-free pads and donates them to immature women in the community so they experience safe and aseptic during their periods. Actress and activist Emma Watson is an official Mayamiko supporter and was proudly wearing their beautiful Laos Dome Earrings on the Ellen Bear witness.

Website: mayamiko.com
Instagram: @mayamikodesigned

Osei Duro

Osei-Duro produces textiles and turns them into fashionable contemporary garments in Ghana, India, and Republic of peru. Each item is manus-dyed using traditional techniques such equally W African batik, botanical dyeing, cake-printing, hand painting, wood carving, and many more than! The socially responsible brand works with local artisans, designers, and fine artists.

Website: oseiduro.com
Instagram: @oseiduro

Tongoro

Okay, Beyoncé loves Tongoro. Practise nosotros need to say more? – Not really, just we will. The 100% Made In Africa label creates argument pieces with 70s-inspired prints for conscious women mainly using silk sourced on the continent. Tongoro's Afro-boho-chic dresses, ensembles, jackets, and more are produced by local tailors in their atelier in Dakar, Senegal ?.

Website: www.tongoro.com
Instagram: @tongorostudio

lemlem

Yous might have seen Liya Kebede starring the embrace of prestigious fashion magazines or on the catwalk for well-known designers. But Liya is more than than a successful supermodel from Ethiopia. She is a maternal health abet and founder of lemlem. The brand offers wear and accessories for women, men, and kids made past craftswomen across Africa. Nosotros find it fascinating how their traditional hand-weaving techniques come to low-cal in lemlem's African motifs – only similar their popular tibeb pattern.

Website: lemlem.com
Instagram: @lemlemofficial

Sakina M'Sa

Sakina M'Sa was born in Comores, graduated from L'institut Supérieur de Mode in Marseille, and now lives in Paris. Meanwhile, her proper name has become a statement in the contemporary Africa-inspired French fashion globe. You lot tin can find her bold pieces in her own eco-mode boutique & workshop Front de Mode located in the Haut-Marais district . In here, you can besides discover over fifty other eco-friendly brands. A must-get when in Paris!

Website: sakinamsa.com
Instagram: @sakinamsa

Afriek

Afriek is a Dutch brand fabricated in Africa. For each collection, the designers work closely together with local tailors in their atelier in Kigali, Rwanda. Here, every personal input from anybody counts equally. This results in African-inspired styles and colorful patterns with the name of the tailor in (almost) all items. Curious who fabricated yours? – Await information technology uphere!

Website: afriek.com
Instagram: @afriek

Akoma 1260

Ghana X Republic of colombia: the ethical luxury mode label Akoma 1260 uses handmade African fabrics and responsibly crafts them into exclusive prepare-to-wearable garments in Colombia. Founder Stephanie focuses on tailored outerwear for women with a mod edge, aiming to express the cultural heritage of both Africa and her dwelling state Republic of colombia.

Website: akoma1260.com
Instagram: @akoma1260

Arraei Collective

With a simple and conscious lifestyle in heed, the South African designer and artist Natalie Florence decided to create a capsule collection of v timeless pieces using predominantly hemp – one of the world's virtually sustainable resource. This way, she wishes to bring people and nature closer together. Under fair weather, the unabridged drove is handcrafted in Vancouver, Canada.

Website: arraeicollective.com
Instagram: @hempt_arraei

Studio 189

The CFDA + Lexus Sustainable Mode* Honour Winner 2018 creates handcrafted textiles that are going to exist launched soon! They only showed their 1st collection at New York Fashion Week with Alicia Keys and Naomi Campbell in the front row. We are suuuper excited!

Website: studiooneeightynine.com
Instagram: @studiooneeightynine

Zuri

The vibrant colors and patterns of the cotton fiber fabrics Kitenge and Ankara are Zuri's main inspiration. Past sourcing their textiles from E Africa-based manufacturers, the mode brand hopes to support the local industry in Kenya. Zuri helps create jobs through workshops, pays a fair living wage to their skilled tailors, empowers women, and, at the same fourth dimension, creates stunning dresses, shirts, and bags that will make you become an African-impress lover (if you aren't one already).

Website: shopzuri.com
Instagram: @zurikenya

Ashepa

Republic of kenya-born founder Chetna created Ashepa out of her fascination with the vast array of tribal culture in her domicile land. She strongly believes in the rich African heritage and the incredibly talented artisans in Africa. Their distinctive home goods, jewelry, and accessories are all ethically fabricated by paw. And with each detail, y'all empower artisan women with a fair source of income (3 times more than than the average wage in Kenya).

Website: ashepa.com
Instagram: @ashepa_lifestyle

Text: Mia Windisch-Graetz, Photos: Brands

Originally published on xviii November, 2018