Cameroonian designer, Imane Ayissi is now Internationally recognized and appreciated after he presented his spring-summer 2020 collection as guest member of the “Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture”.
Gracing this event as guest, Imane Ayissi did his best to highlight the diversity of African craftsmanship.
Imane Ayissi was born in Cameroon into a family of artists and sportsmen. His father, Jean-Baptiste Ayissi Ntsama was a champion boxer, and his Mother, Julienne Honorine Eyenga Ayissi, was the first ever crowned Miss Cameroun. At the same time as he began a career as a dancer, within the National Ballet of Cameroon, he invested in fashion, a passion born in the wake of a Miss Cameroon mother.
Ayissi is the first black African designer to have his designs shown on the Paris haute couture catwalk, and among only 3 other African designers to have shown at the Paris show: Alphadi (Nigeria) in 2004 and Noureddine Amir (Morocco) in 2018.
“I am as moved as I am proud. Happy, of course, that my work is recognized, but also touched that the African textile heritage, which runs through my creations, is thus celebrated. As if something was finally lining up and a new chapter in fashion was opening. Africa, so often fantasized, will finally be able to express itself, in an authentic way and in all that is noble and luxurious, in the eyes of all,” said Imane Ayissi following his Spring/Summer 2020 haute couture collection that showed at Paris couture week in January 2020.
For his couture week debut, Ayissi presented a collection titled “Akuma” (“richness” in the Beti language) to express the idea that true wealth depends on what you do with what you have, be it a little or a lot. On the runway, red raffia from Madagascar covered a strappy dress, strips of Ghanaian kente were assembled on a loose coat, and obom tree bark from Cameroon was shaped into petals and appliquéd onto floor-length evening dresses.
“It’s about the relationship you have with material things, and the respect you have for other people,” Ayissi said. “It’s the way you craft a dress that will give it life.” Ayissi told CCN Style
Ayissi moved to France more than 3 decades ago and model for several brands in those days until he founded his label in 2004. His designs have been worn by many including Zendaya and Angela Bassett and Aissa Maïga.
Again, speaking to CNN Style, Ayissi admits his early collections weren’t always successful, but he remained patient, gradually improving his knowledge of textiles and tailoring. Today, he’s known for mixing ethically sourced, organic fabrics from African cooperatives with the expected couture materials like silk and taffeta.
This is an important moment for African culture as the 51-year-old finally gets recognized. Many fast-rising designers out there will get to benefit from this recognition and have their designs displayed on the biggest platforms.
