I do bleat on about the west stealing from Africa. I am passionate about growing African fashion and design. But I will always admit when I may have overstated. So let me tell you about the fashion house Suno, how they are Americans designing with African prints and how I can forgive them. Sort of.
Suno was founded in 2008 by Max Osterweis. He had travelled to Kenya for years and collected lots of textiles. He decided to do something with them. So far, so hackles rising.
But although the design and devlopment for the label takes place in New York, it turns out that these garments actally artisanally produced in Kenya.
Hmmmm. That's better. Developing and sustaining jobs on the continent. Some authenticity. I can give this one a conditional pass.
And then I saw that one of my favourite favourites, Albertus Swanepoel designed the hats for the new collection at NY Fashion Week. Oh, how that put a song in my heart. Egte African.
(PS: more on Albertus tomorrow. I will tell you all about how I met him and then was shamed.)