With the growing trends of African designers leading the charge globally, there is a need to trace the origin of fashion in Africa. As a way of understanding the history of African fashion, documentaries serve as a pathway to contextualizing and appreciating some of the craftsmanship, talents, and cultural significance of African fashion. As media coverage and social media dominate the continent and have contributed partly to the importation of fashion from the continent, fashion history across Africa has been told one way or the other. Although it might not be as grandeur as documentaries from their European counterparts, the documentaries coming out of Africa is helping to reshape fashion narratives.
As the diaspora celebrates Black History Month this February, it only feels right to curate a list that honors and celebrates the essence of fashion in the motherland.
From the history of the most stylish people in Congo to a brief history of one of the world’s fashion capitals- Lagos, in addition to a glimpse of what can be said to be the first fashion week organizing in Nigeria.
Here is a list of some Fashion documentaries and where to watch them.
Dressing like Millionaires in Poverty- The Dandies of Congo (2023),
The Dandies of Congo, Elegant People, (2022),
The Congo Dandies: Sapeur bankrupted Father’s business to become fashion King (2015).
Several documentaries examine how a group of stylish millennials in the Republic of Congo use fashion as a means of self-expression. Known as “Sapeurs”, they are mostly found in the capital city of Congo- Kinshasa and Brazzaville. The Sapeurs are often made up of middle-aged men and women who have a taste for European luxury, think of French houses like Louis Vuitton, Dolce and Gabbana, Pierre Cardin, and Versace. The Sapeurs fashion subculture can be traced back to the early 1920s in Congo when men returned from travels from Europe (Paris) and brought back luxury items and clothes from luxury houses which gradually became a subculture that has now lasted through centuries.
Men and women dressed in colorful outfits parade the street, creating a spectacle for the average Congolese. Research shows that these men and women are like everyday regular people with jobs like fishing, cobbling, farming, and the rest. Despite the economic instability, while ranked as the second-poorest country in the World, the “Sapeurs” living in the Republic of Congo, use unconventional fashion as a way of political resistance. Out of Congo, the “Sapeurs” can also be found in Paris, France, where there’s a budding community of this subculture.
Eko For Show: A History of Lagos Fashion. (2016).
Lagos has been dubbed one of the fashion capitals of the world and in this half-hour documentary by filmmaker Bolaji Kekere Ekun, the history of Lagos fashion is spotlighted with a focus on adire and aso-oke, two fabrics that originated from this fashion city. Eko For Show also traces the generation that fashion has passed through, from the 1970s when Austrian lace became a luxury, the commercialization of boutiques, and even the inception of Ankara in the early 2000s. EFS also explores how these two fabrics were gradually infused into modern-day silhouettes by designers like Maki Oh and Deola Sagoe. With better understanding from designers like Lisa Folawiyo, Sade Thomas Fahm (credited as Nigerian’s foremost fashion designer and boutique owner), Omoyemi Akerele, and Nike Davies Okundaye of Nike Art Gallery who helped to retrace the story of fashion in Lagos, Nigeria.
Fashion Week Internationale: Nigeria. (2012)
This documentary, led by Vice News, provides insight into the early organization of Nigeria’s Fashion Week, recognized as one of the leading fashion events in the country. Additionally, it highlights the anti-gay sentiment prevalent at that time, coinciding with lawmakers deliberating a bill to criminalize homosexuality.
Additionally, Fashion Week Internationale: Nigeria addresses Nigeria’s conservative outlook on fashion, where self-expression may be viewed as morally objectionable by certain religious groups. It captures the unrestrained chaos of the backstage environment during the event. The program also highlights ‘Nigeria’s Next Supermodel,’ established by Joan Okorodudu, which pays homage to “America’s Next Top Model.”
Sarah Diouf’s Made in Africa. (2020)
In the heart of Dakar, Senegal, Sarah Diouf the creative director of Tongoro Studio tells the creative process of her now nine-year-old brand. From showing in Cape Town to pop-ups in Paris, Cote D’Ivoire, and New York, which gave the brand visibility propelling it and catching the attention of superstars like Beyonce, Naomi Campbell, Alicia Keys, and Iman. Within a few years of the brand’s inception, she showed up at Fashion Week across cities like Lagos, Cape Town, and Senegal. In addition, “Made in Africa” also spotlighted Tongoro’s face jewelry which would later become controversial years later.
Colours Are Alive Here: A Kenyan fashion designer. (2022)
Produced by filmmaker Seydou Mukali for Aljazeera, the short documentary gives insight into the work of David Ochieng aka “Avido”, Kenya’s fashion designer, and his brand, Lookslikeavido. Operating from the slum of Kibera in Nairobi and known for its use of wax prints. The docu traces David’s humble beginning, his fashion brand, his creative process, and his knack for local artistry. Before the making of the documentary, Ochieng has enjoyed international recognition, from showing at Berlin Fashion Week in 2019, featuring in Vogue Italia and Beyonce’s Black is King.
Noteworthy mentions: Wax in the City (2018).
African wax prints have been around for many centuries and in this One-hour-long documentary, French filmmaker Elie Seonnet, and model Flora Coquerel both travel through French-speaking countries to uncover designers who are incorporating wax prints into their designs.
Written by Bolaji Akinwade.
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