Coming off the heels of the just completed ThisDay/Arise Magazine: African Fashion Collective show at Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week, Fall 2009, ThisDay Newspaper claims two US retail giants are looking to manufacture and stock in their retail outlets, nationwide, with collections of some of the African fashion designers who showed at fashion week.
"But by far the most serious and formalised expression of interest was from two retail giants with 6000 stalls between them who have expressed interest in African designs and have pledged to invest in the designs and the manufacture of the African collections for sale in the US from next January." --Source
There are no legal agreements signed, yet, and details of negotiations remain speculative. Nevertheless,it is nice to see the wheels of serious fashion business at work. We look forward to this possibly being the pioneer and precedent in breaking down the barriers that have prevented fashion-forward African designs from being stocked at your local retail stores to cater to YOU, the very Ladybrille woman.
When that happens, just remember we were the first to believe and predict, even when it seemed impossible, "it is only a matter of time when Africa's inspired blouses and dresses will become main staples in the West like the modern takes we see with Kimonos."
2 comments:
Amen sistah! I'm following also and doing some investigation in production. Can't wait to buy Xuly Bet somewhere here in Detroit.
Yippee!
It would be even better if the clothes were manufactured somewhere on the continent. When I first moved here I could find Senegalese fabric at the fabric stores to make clothing, now what's available are "faux" African prints manufactured in India.
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