African Designers Embrace Heritage in Fashion and Interiors

Mitchelle Chibundu, founder of Designer Babe®, champions design learning through her inclusive platform that has grown to over 75,000 members, facilitating creativity and career growth for aspiring designers. South African designer Hanneke Lourens transitioned from fashion to woodworking, finding parallels in the two fields that emphasize proportion and beauty. Kelechi Ejikeme, a Nigerian-British designer, left her legal career to create a rug collection inspired by Nigeria's landscapes, utilizing sustainable jute sourced from India and Nepal. Amechi Mandi, a Cameroonian-Nigerian designer, aims to revive indigenous textiles and pre-colonial traditions in his work, moving away from clichéd motifs in African design. At Moscow Fashion Week, Rwandan designer Olivier Niyitanga showcased Tanga Designs, which blends contemporary styles with traditional African prints, aiming to honor African heritage through sophisticated fashion. Together, these designers represent a dynamic shift towards embracing and celebrating African culture in the global design landscape.