A unique project in which artisanal African culture and craftsmanship is combined with the contemporary styles of 8 by YOOX.
A unique project in which artisanal African culture and craftsmanship is combined with the contemporary styles of 8 by YOOX.
YOOX is the world’s leading online store for fashion, design, and art that lasts a lifetime and beyond. Earlier this month, the brand launched a special capsule collection titled Tales of Africa, a project dedicated to the artisanal world of African cultures. Collaborating with Lago54 – the first European agency dedicated to promoting exclusively African fashion designers – these six artisanal designers each reinterpret a tradition from their respective countries to give life to unique products. The collection ranges from ready-to-wear garments, bags, accessories, and footwear, all combining innovation with authentic traditions like tie-dye prints, geometric textures, and precious embroideries.
KENTE PROJECT consists of traditional Togolese kente, bazin fabrics, and vegetable leathers.
GALAGO espadrilles are beautifully embroidered with beads, handcrafted in Johannesburg.
INZUKI DESIGNS’ collections come from transforming Rwanda’s artisanal treasures, beadwork, and basketry into contemporary accessories.
iFELE sandals, made in Durban, infuse a hyper contemporary style to the traditional Zulu sandals, the Izimbadada.
IMANE AYISSI’s collection celebrates Africa’s textile heritage, and offers a fresh take on Faso Dan Fani, the national fabric of Burkina Faso.
NKWO mixes aso-oke, a Nigerian weaving technique with denim and traditional dyes. Indigo dye, which acts as an emblem of several West African countries, is reinterpreted with hyper contemporary silhouettes.
“Tales of Africa is an important project for 8 by Yoox, which increasingly aspires to be an inclusive platform that gives voice to talent from all corners of the world. We are delighted to be able to integrate these pieces into our collection and make them dialogue in an authentic way to express a global and contemporary style,” says Giovanni Fedel, Head of Own Label at YOOX.
Tales of Africa is exclusively available on YOOX.
Credits: All images courtesy of YOOX.
