Attendees at the ongoing FESTAC Africa Festival experienced a vibrant celebration of African culture on Friday, featuring a dazzling array of fashion designs that highlighted the continent’s rich heritage.
Models of various sizes showcased the creativity of Kenya-based designers at the Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Kisumu, Kenya. Among the featured designers was Brenda Onono, a FESTAC fashion ambassador and owner of Marumara Creations, who emphasized her mission to tell the African story through her designs. “My pieces draw inspiration from Africa’s diverse cultural heritage and focus on environmental conservation by recycling,” Onono shared.
Fashion duo Faith Achieng and Christine Apondi, founders of Afychrys, displayed a collection that fuses traditional attire from West, East, and South Africa. Reflecting on their preparation, Achieng mentioned, “It took us about two months to create this collection, which highlights our cultural diversity.”
Apondi expressed her concern over the under-representation of African fashion, stating, “Many Africans still opt for Western styles, despite our wealth of beautiful fabrics and designs.” She emphasized the importance of events like FESTAC in promoting African culture, stating, “FESTAC is an excellent platform that celebrates African culture, food, fashion, and music.” She noted, however, that it was disappointing to see some attendees in Western attire, suggesting that those at such events should embrace African wear.
Apondi remains optimistic about the future of African designers, emphasizing the lucrative market potential within the continent: “There is immense potential for African fashion. With over one billion people in Africa, our designers should focus on creating garments for our own market rather than importing from abroad.”
Designer Tabby Yalla, who leads the brand Goddess, shared her vision for incorporating local influences into her designs. “Inspired by Kenyan culture, I aimed to showcase our traditions through my use of Masai fabric and other local materials.” Yalla praised FESTAC for telling the African story through its celebration of culture, stating, “This event showcases every aspect of our way of life to the world.”
Yalla also encouraged fellow designers to harness their creativity and ambition, stating, “The future for African fashion is bright, but we must stay diligent and innovative to compete globally.”
Additionally, a youth empowerment summit was held earlier at the Kisumu campus of the University of Nairobi. The festival continues on Saturday, August 31, featuring a gala dinner and various cultural events.
