Johannesburg is choked with traffic (thanks to exhaust
emissions, choke is indeed the operative word), the city is a dodgy area (by
any Sandtonian’s standard anyway) and it’s a tad grimy. But boy is it
inspirational. My city is bustling with creative potential, because it is the
historic meeting point of culture and the streets as we’ve come to know
them. Fashion in the city of
Johannesburg is phenomenal; the fusion between tradition and city-fuelled
tenacity is mind-blowing.
We saw the Afrocentric touch ‘toyi-toyi’ onto the fashion
scene last year with much aplomb, dominating the runway for Donna Karan, Gucci,
Tom Ford and Jewely by Lisa most notably, but as Africans, we don’t always look
trendy when we go full on tribal. Let’s just say that the village laughter can
still be heard for the petite lady in her kaftan and desert boots, pretending
to ‘blend in’.
Now keep in mind that Afrocentrism in fashion goes beyond
tribal and animal prints. In Johannesburg, it has become a trend which delves
into “Sophiatown Flavour”, bringing traditional elements like earthy colours
and crafted textures into contemporary pieces.
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| Necklace from Lulu Belle |
Some people call it a blatant abuse of what should be
cherished heritage but I think that Tainted Afrocentrism is nothing short of
genius. And the people seem to agree. Trend aficionados all over the country
have decided to take tribal to the streets, and used the village vibe to
accentuate the Sophiatown Flavour that I’ve been stalking, bringing the
Afrocentric trend to an environment of modernity.
Afrocentrism has become a very symbolic trend, where an
electric blue turban screams Tainted Afrocentrism, and nude brogues scream
contemporary Sophiatown. And why shouldn’t Afrocentrism evolve to a city
feel? Africa’s interpretation of fashion trends has been boxed in for far too
long as being ‘just safari’ and ‘just rural’, and I’m devouring this new wave
of Afrocentric street style.
Gumboots are not a colonial style imposition in this city
anymore; they are a symbol of appreciation of the men on whose backs this city
was built.
A brogue is not a mere A/W trend either; it’s a
hereditary piece, linking us to the city through the fashion of our parents and
grandparents.
Afrocentricism to me transcends the common perception of
multi-coloured prints and brightly beaded adornments. In the same way that our
politics and societies have evolved, so has our influence on fashion and our
interpretation of it.
But let’s not get carried off on that political bombshell,
the best thing about the Afrocentric trend is the freedom of expression.
Tainted Afrocentrism has got to be one of the most fun trends to interpret,
particularly because of its tongue-in-cheek nature; it’s the one trend that
always makes me smile.
Remember when your parents told you how you never respected
your heritage or culture? Ah, if they could only see us now...
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The Inspirations:
Dolly Rathebe in a paisley
headscarf and THAT Drum covershot
Miriam Makeba headgear
and the Mama Afrika smile
Sophiatown- the
jewellery, the jazz, the knee-length dresses, and the scene that made headlines
