#Africa trending

Varsity is probably the phase in our lives where we begin to grow into ourselves and get on with the business of discovering who we are. Post boarding school uniformity and routine, I found myself gravitating towards all things African: Music. Clothes. Hairstyles. Literature. Art.

My Thandiswa Mazwai inspired matric dance outfit, 2002. 

The elite group

The signs were apparent in the latter part of my high school years though. I was already famous for keeping a brush cut and for my matric dance outfit, I stole a page out of Thandiswa Mazwai's fashion book. She was then part of what I saw as an elite group of young South Africans who were baldly and loudly asserting not just their South African-ness, but a broader continental view, which I felt resonated with who I am. 

Part of this elite group included pioneers such as Nkhensani Nkosi who I love and respect:

a) for being at the forefront of re-imagining 21st century African fashion, and

b) for affirming to me that a woman can totally rock short hair, look neat and beautiful - Bless her for this!

Bless Nkhensani Nkosi for being inspiring just by being herself.

Africa has it all: Cowrie shells meet bling, meet leather.

Stories by Africans for Africans

I was also on a staple diet of mainly literature from the African Writers Series during this period. You could say that I became myopic because I only sought stories written by Africans for Africans. I even became a bit of a snob looking down on those who didn't know Chinua Achebe, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Chimamanda Adichie-Ngozi, Tsitsi Dangarembga...In my world, these were some of the only authors who mattered. Who were relevant. I could relate to their fictional and real characters, their stories and emotions.

Mama Africa

I even earned a 'Mama Africa' a.k.a while at Uni of JHB. My outfits, accessories, hairstyles, they all screamed Africa. I would regularly put beats and cowrie shells in my plaited hair. These would get me those "Are you from Africa" questions. [Rolls eyes] Yes! I know I'm not the only one who has heard those ignorant South Africans who speak of Africa as though our country is not part of it.

A bright Africa: Colourful  Shangaan fabric crop top by bad ass Ghanaian tailor extraordinaire Cephas Odonkor. 

All things African

There has been a proliferation of all things African in recent times. Although some of us have been on that tip for a minute, this is a development that I can't say I'm mad about. In social media vocab, it would be said that Africa is trending. The gatekeepers are reluctantly loosening their grip.  African fashion, beauty, art and the entertainment industries a getting some recognition.

Africa goes international: Ankara fabric worn as a head wrap bought from Lusanda Chauke. 

On the global fashion front, African prints are all the rage and are being embraced by fashion houses big and small. They can be seen on runways, celebrities, blogs...even the Chinese have caught on and are producing in masses that trending Khosi Nkosi Empire skirt made popular by Bonang.

Every second block in Jozi CBD has that peacock feathers emblazoned  skirt in various lengths and versions. Sadly, at a fraction of what she sells them at YDE. Now, I'm a die hard bargain hunter but I'm also all for local entrepreneurship. It irks me to see the Chinese profiting from what is quintessentially African. The implications of this on local fashion production is probably a topic for another post.

Tailored Ankara: Shorts custom made from Nigeria thanks to my my friend Lusanda Chauke. 

In the beauty world, we recently woke up to the news that Lupita Nyong'o is People Magazine's Most Beautiful person of 2014. Of course this caused a ruckus on social media. I picked up a mixture of congratulatory and hateration tweets and comments. My observation was that quite a lot of people were not happy about  Miss Nyong'o's inclusion into the 'inner circle'.

Ankara Porn: Bolero and head wrap made by Mrs Kgomotso Molepo. I got the fabric from Olabisi.  Fabric used as background bought from my friend Portia Mahapeletja .

In entertainment, the hustler spirited people of Nigeria are dominating and are enjoying more international popularity than any other country on the continent. Their movie and music industries are among the star performers which have contributed to propelling their economy into a $509 billion powerhouse; officially over taking South Africa as Africa's largest basin of economic activity. The currency converter puts that number into Rand figures that I will not try to pronounce, lest I pull a Zuma on it!

Inspired by black super model royalty:  Molatelo and Naomi.

There are probably more examples that I can cite to demonstrate Africa's trending status, but for the purposes of this post, the above will suffice. I'm just glad that there is some form of deliberate, conscious appreciation for all things African right now. Africa's young ones should see this place for what it is. Not for what is  mostly being sold to us. All we have to do is position ourselves (get educated, work hard, be curious, open our hearts and minds to each other) so that we are able to receive what she has to offer. 

Please note: I take all the credit for the creative execution of the looks featured in this 'Africa Trending' photo shoot. But I would be doing an injustice to my incredible lens guy Songi Langeni, if I didn't acknowledge just how good he made me look! You can  also contact  him (songilangeni@gmail.com) and get your supermodel moment.

Lusanda Chauke is a South African lady based in Nigeria and trades in all types of African fabric. She too has seen that Africa trading with itself, selling its own things, is the future! Contact her on lusanda.chauke@gmail.com

Ghanaian designer Cephas Odonkor tailor makes high quality clothes and is based in Newtown JHB CBD. Drop him a line on kentenewtown@gmail.com.