Latest news with #AfricanDiaspora
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
From gallabiyas to kaftans, how African style went global
Hello and welcome to The Long Wave. This week, I look at the globalisation of African fashion, and how its popularity is part of a wider cultural takeover. I use the phrase 'African fashion' purely for convenience. In reality, there is no such thing that can be grouped under one name; there are only themes or regional concentrations. North Africa tends to favour a one-piece – a gallabiya, kaftan or head-to-toe swaddle of cloth. Sub-Saharan Africa is less categorisable, with bold prints and waxy or stiff material in west Africa, white linen in east Africa and intricate beadwork in the south. But these, too, are vast generalisations because even within each country the influences differ. The category is more a vibe than a style – that is to say, you know 'African fashion' when you see it. And then there's the distinction between fashion and everyday wear: gallabiyas, tobes, boubous, church outfits. 'Fashion' implies a stylised attempt to channel the genre or interpret it, rather than simply elevate casual clothing. It is a genre that is rising in popularity yet hampered by commercial and stylistic limitations. African and African-inspired fashion houses, based on the continent and abroad, have not only increased in number over the past two decades – African exports amount to more than $15bn a year – they have penetrated the luxury sector. African diaspora designers such as the Haitian-Italian Stella Novarino have become behemoths in the industry, and the Ethiopian model Liya Kebede's brand Lemlem has straddled high end and high street through a recent collaboration with H&M. Several smaller brands have been going strong for years. Zuri, a brand from Kenya that makes a single trademark patterned dress, has a store in Soho, New York. Dye Lab ships internationally and is holding a series of pop-up stores all over the world in 2025. So numerous and dispersed are these labels that a website, Ichyulu, curates almost 40 of them. The movement reached its cultural watershed at the Met Gala last month, for which the theme was Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. Several African designers – including Adebayo Oke-Lawal, the Nigerian head of Orange Culture, and South Africa's Thebe Magugu – were among those who dressed the stars. The rise in popularity is partly driven by a surge in purchasing power among the African middle classes, as well as an increase in younger and more affluent consumers of African origin in the diaspora. The mainstreaming of African fashion has followed the mainstreaming of the continent's music such as Afrobeats. The likes of Wizkid and Burna Boy have pioneered their own fashion collaborations and iconography, merging cultural influences in a patchwork of styles. But the rise of African fashion also speaks to two other factors: the growing clout of Black and African-born celebrities, and their adoption of an aesthetic on their own terms, rather than defaulting to the western mainstream. Black celebs have been making more deliberate fashion choices, particularly on the red carpet for Black-led films. The Kenyan-Mexican actor Lupita Nyong'o wore a cowrie-shell headpiece at the Wakanda Forever premiere in Los Angeles in 2022 and the Nigerian-born British star of Sinners, Wunmi Mosaku, frequently wears African prints at film launches and festivals. Beyoncé's collaboration with Tongoro took centre stage during her 2023 tour. The Senegalese brand hailed the tie-up on Instagram with the caption: 'Welcome to the African Renaissance'. One of the great virtues of African fashion is that it doesn't do mass-market production. Therefore, the quality is higher, the collections smaller and slower to drop, creating a much less disposable shopping experience. But it's not cheap. The higher-end brands, which are sold on luxury websites such as Net-a-Porter and featured in Vogue, are inaccessible to the average consumer. Even an item from a smaller brand can cost hundreds of dollars. Sign up to The Long Wave Nesrine Malik and Jason Okundaye deliver your weekly dose of Black life and culture from around the world after newsletter promotion There is also the matter of physical presence and logistics. Few of these brands have bricks-and-mortar shops across the continent or in western cities. For those in Africa in particular, online shopping can involve an expensive trial of customs and duties – and you can forget about returns and exchanges. It is a great irony that a fashion movement that subverts western uniform for more authentic styles can sometimes itself end up being exclusive. That exclusivity can be self-fulfilling. As a consumer, I feel the conceptual elements of African styles can at times overlook the everyday. African prints are indeed bold – the opposite of the popular 'quiet luxury' (and thank God for that) – but there is a middle ground that sometimes is missed. While the few pieces I have hunted down at sales and pop-ups are coveted and loved, I wish there was more that could be blended – a motif, a nod to a tradition, an emblem – that takes the style away from the event and elevates the mundane. African style is not just about statement but also colour, texture, practicality and even a bit of mischief. To receive the complete version of The Long Wave in your inbox every Wednesday, please subscribe here.
BBC News
30-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Ghana vice president travel abroad for medical care afta sudden illness
Di office of di president for Ghana don confam say di Vice president don sick. Na so she travel abroad for medical care. Inside one statement from di minister of goment communications, dem tok say "di VP Her Excellency Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang bin receive treatment for di university of Ghana medical center on Saturday afta she get sudden illness." Di statement say "di sickness of di VP happun afta work on Friday 28 March." "Based on wetin di medical pipo don tok, im go go abroad for further care," di goment tok tok pesin oga Felix Kwakye Ofosu don tok. Profession Naana Opoku-Agyemang togeda wit di President John Mahama on Friday bin host Iftar for di goment house. Dem join oda Muslims to break dia fast dat day, wia di VP don go around to dey share fruits and oda tins for di place. Professor Opoku-Agyemang tok say "as we bin dey observe dis period of prayer and sacrifice, make pipo uphold di values of love and compassion and service to humanity." Also dat Friday, di Vice president na special guest for di university of Ghana as dem do inaugural lecture for di first full female professor of physics - professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse. Profile of Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang Dem born Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang on 22 November 1951. She come from Cape Coast in Ghana. She don earn many prestigious academic degrees and awards. She earn her Bachelor and Diploma in Education from di University of Cape Coast, Master and Ph.D. in English Literature from York University in Canada. She dey among di executive board of di United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and di editorial board of Harriet Tubman Series on di African Diaspora (Africa World Press Inc. USA). Prof Opoku-Agyemang get many publications on women in literature, oral literature in Africa and she be member of di Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and Fellow of di Commonwealth of Learning. Prof Opoku-Agyemang wey marry 40 years ago, get three pikin and two grandchildren from her pikin dem. Her role in Ghana politics dey progressive for women wey dey di kontri as she dey ginger dem to pursue political leadership for Ghana. She dey bring fresh perspective to national policies wey go advance di educational sector in Ghana. During di period she serve as minister - she win di award for di best performing minister.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Coastal Carolina University to host International Gullah Geechee and African Diaspora Conference
CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW) — Coastal Carolina University will host the annual International Gullah Geechee and African Diaspora 2025 Conference, which will feature performances, activities, and more, a news release said. The conference will be held from Feb. 20-22 at Coastal Carolina University, with Conway Community Day happening from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 22 throughout the city. The university's Charles Joyner Institute for Gullah and African Diaspora Studies will host the event, with the theme 'Reconstruction Through the Lens of Gullah Geechee and Communities within the African Diaspora.' The conference brings together scholars, artists, and culture keepers in the African Diaspora, including international participants, performers, and regional community leaders. The event will hold academic sessions, as well as a community day, featuring free exhibits, talks, vendors, and activities. This year's IGGAD will feature an emphasis on international connections and regional partnerships, with a panel exploring the connections between people of the Maroon culture in Suriname, and the Gullah Geechee people of the southeastern United States. 'It will be a wonderful culture exchange on display,' Zenobia Harper, director of the Joyner Institute and Gullah artist and community member said. 'These are two separate groups of people that are coming together to talk about rice – the thing that binds them to each other and also to West Africa.' Val Littlefield, interim director of the Center for the Study of the Reconstruction Period at the University of South Carolina-Beaufort, will deliver a keynote lecture at the opening dinner of the event on Feb. 20. 'We're working hard to partner with other institutes and organizations that are doing the work of preserving Gullah Geechee and African American history and experiences,' Harper said. 'I'm really happy about that.' For the full conference schedule, click here. * * * Jordan White is a Digital Producer at News13. She joined the News13 team in August 2024. Jordan, a Myrtle Beach native, graduated from St. James High School in Murrells Inlet and is a graduate of Coker University. Follow Jordan on Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Fox News
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
The Black victimization cult in America has found a new home
There are the Black elites and then there are the rest of us. Ibram X. Kendi is one of them. Despite his middle class upbringing and current vast material wealth, he has made a living out of telling America that she is a systemically racist nation and that Blacks are her perpetual victim. He has also made a living out of telling Whites that they are racist unless they repent and become anti-racists in the manner formulated by him. The one thing that Kendi has not done is uplift the Blacks born into the underclass in cities all across America. Though he may profess to care about his brothers and sisters, it is only lip service. For to truly help develop and uplift them would eliminate his bread and butter: racism. I thought good riddance when I heard that Boston University was closing Kendi's Center for Antiracist Research. He had raised nearly $55 million for his Boston University center, including $10 million from Twitter's former owner, Jack Dorsey. During his time there, he averaged $35,000 per 60 minute speech — at the speech he gave at Cal State Northridge, he showed up 15 minutes late for a Zoom speech and still collected the full amount for 45 minutes of work. Not only that, he wrote books that have found their way into almost every K-12 school library across America. This man exploited the aftermath of George Floyd's death to deepen the Black victimization cult in America. So I was glad to hear that he was gone from Boston University. Then I heard he was moving onto Howard University to set up a nearly similar center called the Institute for Advanced Study. A representative from this new center stated that it's purpose is "advancing research of importance to the global African Diaspora, including inquiry into race, technology, racism, climate change, and disparities." It also promises that it will be "built on the highest standards of intellectual inquiry." What malarky, to put it politely. We have had over 60 years of victimization poisoning the minds of Blacks and we're on the bottom of nearly every educational statistic. Too many of our Black academics focus on race and not on development. Kendi is nothing more than a race hustler dressed up in the uniform of academia. That is why I was disappointed that Howard University, perhaps America's most famous historically Black university, was taking in this racial victim charlatan. We have had over 60 years of victimization poisoning the minds of Blacks and we're on the bottom of nearly every educational statistic. Too many of our Black academics focus on race and not on development. Like Kendi, they exploit Black pain for the money in the bank account, the fancy car they drive, and the rosy house they live in and when they're asked how much longer before Blacks get justice, they always say, there's so much more work to be done. I am the opposite of Kendi and his peers. I don't believe in the politics of Blackness or exploiting our history of oppression for gain. I believe in the only one thing that matters in this nation: individual development. What a waste to give Kendi all that money when it could have been put into foundational development that equips the young with a mind, thereby allowing him or her the opportunity to truly thrive in the world. That is how you achieve true diversity — by developing those who were born into less fortunate circumstances. So it is my hope that Howard University recognizes its responsibility as an education establishment to reject the Kendis of America and move forward onto the path of development — a path we should have been on since the 1960s. We have squandered far too many young minds to the race hustle and it is our sacred duty to our people who survived slavery and segregation to do right by the youth of today. We cannot afford any more dead ends.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
South Fulton mayor defends controversial spending during ‘Mayor Mondays' event
Some City of South Fulton residents got to hear from Mayor Kobi himself on Monday as he defended himself against allegations that he misused taxpayer money. 'There are all of these allegations that these were personal trips,' the mayor told Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln. Residents participated in what the mayor is calling Mayor Mondays. There residents were given a tour and participated in a conversation. 'I think the mayor gets some unjust criticism,' resident Mike Johnson said. Residents were shown a $20,000 media studio, a multi-recreational table, that converts from a working table to a pool table, that's worth more than $1,000 and other renovations the mayor made to his office. 'There's not a purchase that we've made that I didn't talk with the city manager about,' the mayor said. The mayor told Lincoln all of the international trips he went on were business-related and were a part of his economic development and world tour. In an excerpt the mayor wrote on his website he said: 'Mayor Kobi has a vision for economic development in South Fulton, Georgia beyond warehouses and data centers. By circulating our dollars not just locally, but throughout the African Diaspora, we can build an independent, international financial network. With a median household income of $82,000, one of America's highest homeownership rates, and a population that is 92 percent African American, South Fulton — the Blackest City in the United States — is perfectly positioned to be a global hub of Black commerce.' RELATED STORIES 'I told everyone no:' Former purchasing manager says South Fulton mayor has a problem with spending South Fulton mayor walks out of city council meeting early after expenses questioned $1,800 table, flight upgrades: Residents want South Fulton mayor investigated for his purchases Trip to Ghana, drone, flights: South Fulton mayor made $26,000 in unauthorized purchase The mayor detailed all of his spending on his website. In July he was invited to Paris for a conference by a politician to speak at the 'When World's Collide' conference. In September he was invited to Kenya by the Pan African Council. And in January the Ghana Tourism Authority invited the mayor to speak. Kobi told Lincoln, that every international trip he went on, was for economic development purposes for the City of South Fulton. South Fulton Mayor Kahlid Kamau, now known as Mayor Kobi, is currently under investigation for purchase card and purchasing order expenses dating back to 2022. Lincoln reviewed multiple city policies and ordinances. A January audit trail shows a $19,000 purchase order for an unapproved media lab. City ordinance states any purchase over $2,500 must be approved by the city manager. A city official told Lincoln they are looking into why some purchases were not approved by either the current interim purchase manager or the city manager. Documents also show multiple airline purchases where the mayor bought unapproved flights for himself and employees. Banks statements show a plane ticket was purchased for employees to Paris, Toronto, and South America. 'You have a travel policy, you have a (purchasing) card policy, you have to get authorized to travel before you make that P-card purchase, he wasn't authorized to travel, he made the P-card purchase because he has the card and was allowed to swipe it,' former City of South Fulton purchasing manager Malcolm Whichard said. City ordinance indicates only the city clerk has the authority to approve employees to go on trips. Several transactions also showed multiple flight upgrades. The city's P-card policy only allowed for economy flights to be purchased and doesn't allow upgrades. On Tuesday, the city council filed an ethics complaint against Mayor Kobi. Once the investigation is presented to the ethics board, it will decide to recommend resignation, repayment, or other sanctions. Channel 2 Action News reached out to the City Manager's office for a comment regarding authorizing P-card purchases, but so far has not heard back.
