麻豆影视

Skip to main content

Burkina Faso fashion designers: More to nation than conflict

Models participate in the third edition of Ouaga Fashion Week in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Friday May 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Sophie Garcia) Models participate in the third edition of Ouaga Fashion Week in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Friday May 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Sophie Garcia)
Share
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso -

Vibrant African clothes, both traditional and contemporary, enlivened the catwalk in Burkina Faso's fashion week.

Designers say they are striving to make the West African country become known as an emerging fashion hub, to offset its reputation for its recent coup and ongoing conflict with Islamic extremists. Some of the shows were staged on a central street of Ouagadougou, the capital, where residents lined up to see models strut designs for women and men.

The small West African nation hosted its third Ouaga Fashion Week - the first since the pandemic forced its delay. The colorful four-day show closed Sunday amid surging jihadi violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group that's killed thousands.

When the capital was hit by frequent power cuts, models and designers used the lights of their cell phones to put on makeup and fix their hair.

Some 35 designers - chosen from about 200 applicants - from West Africa and Europe, showcased their clothes in the capital, Ouagadougou. For the first time the majority of designers, about 75%, were from Burkina Faso, said Alex Zabsonre, director of the event.

鈥淏urkina is one of the African countries that has a lot of potential to offer as far as fashion is concerned ... That is the reason why I set this project up, to expose Burkina designers and get them recognized at the international level,鈥 he said.

Many of the designs featured Burkina Faso's traditional, handwoven Faso Dan Fani cloth made from cotton, which Zabsonre says has been worn by celebrities including singer Beyonce and fashion designer, Stella McCartney. The country is one of the top 10 cotton exporters in the world accounting for an average of 3% of global exports since 2000, according to the U.N.

Fashion in the country has evolved in recent years so that people have become more clothes-conscious, said Korotimi Dao, fashion designer and founder of Koro DK Style.

鈥淔ashion week is not a challenge, it's an opportunity to hope that everything can become right again,鈥 she said.

Since 2017 the European Union has given $10 million to the Ethical Fashion Project, which has created hundreds of jobs for marginalized women and helps professionalize the textile and creative industry by connecting Burkina Faso producers and designers to the distinguished fashion and interior designers, Wolfram Vetter, ambassador to the European Union in Burkina Faso told The Associated Press.

鈥淚t's time for these unrecognized artisans to play a part in the global fashion arena so that these crafts, traditions and cultures stay alive,鈥 said Mallika Chaudhuri, founder and director of INDOI, a Britain-based womenswear brand. 鈥淲e need to celebrate, revive and maintain local craft where designers and makers work together so that we move towards a more ethical and sustainable fashion industry.鈥

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province鈥檚 police watchdog.

Local Spotlight

For the second year in a row, the 鈥楪ift-a-Family鈥 campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts 鈥 not for themselves, but for those in need.

A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.