Wednesday, 29 January 2025

Paris Haute Couture Week: African Textiles Take Centre Stage in Imane Ayissi’s Spring/Summer 2025 Collection

A highlight of Imane Ayissi's new collection in Paris was this brightly hued gown with interlocking floral appliques. 

Imane Ayissi’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection, unveiled during Paris Haute Couture Week, is a testament to the power of fabric as both a medium and a message. Weaving African heritage with an eclectic mix of cultural influences, he presented a vivid array of designs that celebrated tradition while embracing innovation. From intricately crafted gowns to strikingly tailored pieces, the Cameroon-born designer offered a vibrant exploration of history and the art of couture, writes Isabella Lancellotti. Photography by Andrea Heinsohn

Brillian colour and pattern
were cleverly combined to
create a soigne collection.
THIS SEASON, Imane Ayissi explored the cultural and symbolic significance of textiles, merging ancestral African craftsmanship with modern silhouettes. The result was a rich dialogue between past and present, tradition and modernity. The show was held in the opulent 19th salons of the Galerie Bourbon, once the home of Princess Marie Isabelle d'Orleans y Borbon, in Paris' tony 16th arrondissement.

Contrasting with these sumptuous surroundings was the designer's use of modest African materials, such as Kente cloth and raffia, yet elevating them to haute couture. Kente, a vibrant woven fabric with cultural roots in Ghana, was transformed into flowing halter dresses and structured kimono-inspired jackets. 

Meanwhile, raffia, a material Ayissi has long championed, appeared in bold hues of fuchsia and scarlet, adding texture and drama to fringed capes and oversized bows. These traditional elements were juxtaposed with luxurious satins and taffetas, highlighting Ayissi’s mastery of combining contrasting materials.

The new collection featured a series of standout looks that captured Ayissi’s ability to balance opulence with restraint. A brilliant pink bustier with a beautifully draped, patterned skirt, a soigne black gown with a well-fitted, long bodice suggested glamour and understated luxury, while a voluminous white gown with cascading folds showcased his talent for sculptural design. One particularly striking piece, a top made of interlocking floral appliqués (see above), demonstrated the intricate craftsmanship that defines his work.

The designer drew on African materials, such as Kente cloth and raffia, elevating them to haute couture

Raffia is one of the modest materials 
that has become a signature of Ayissi
 and central to his haute couture design
 
Ayissi also paid homage to African fashion history by reinterpreting the kaba dress, a garment with a complex colonial past. Originally imposed by European colonizers to cover African women’s bodies, the kaba has since evolved into a symbol of empowerment and cultural identity.

Ayissi’s modern take on the kaba incorporated elements of global fashion, drawing parallels with Asian kimonos, Korean hanbok, and European gowns from the 18th and early 20th centuries. This cross-cultural approach underscored the universality of design and the shared threads that connect seemingly disparate traditions.

"The starting point for this collection was my desire to revisit two key wardrobe items worn on the African continent: the boubou worn by men and women in most West and Central African countries. And the Kaba, a loose dress originally imposed on African women by European colonizers in the 19th century to cover their bodies and shapes and which became a kind of national clothing in Cameroon," explained the designer. 

Ayissi aimed to make the collection more than just a showcase of beautiful designs; it was a thoughtful exploration of the intersections between cultures. "It is these links, these relationships between elements of apparently extremely different cultures that fascinate me." the designer said. "So, I thought of this collection as a journey between Asia, Africa and Paris through time." This ethos was evident in his use of structural techniques inspired by Parisian couture, such as cinched waists reminiscent of Dior’s New Look, and draping that echoed the work of Jeanne Lanvin in the 1930s.

Ayissi’s modern take on the kaba melded Asian kimonos, Korean hanbok, and European gowns from the 18th and early 20th centuries.

Jpanese kimonos were one 
of the many inspirations for
Ayissi's latest collection
One of the collection’s most unique elements was Ayissi working with Chinese painter Wang Ying. Known for blending traditional Chinese techniques with Impressionist influences, Ying contributed hand-painted prints on silk and eco-friendly bamboo-based fabrics. These designs added a poetic layer to Ayissi’s collection, further reinforcing the narrative.

"This collection also involves the collaboration that I established with the painter Wang Ying, who is also a diplomat and who paints Parisian landscapes with a technique that relates to traditional Chinese painting but also impressionism," Ayissi said. "Wang Ying has produced prints on silk and new ecological fabrics based on Bamboo, but also paintings on fabric."

Ayissi’s journey from Cameroon to the pinnacle of Parisian fashion is quite an extraordinary tale itself. Born into a family of artists and athletes, he began his career as a dancer with the Ballet National du Cameroun before becoming involved with fashion. After moving to Paris in the early 1990s, he worked as a model for some of the world’s most prestigious fashion houses, including Dior, Lanvin, and Givenchy. This experience gave him a unique perspective on the industry and fueled his passion for haute couture.

In 2020, Ayissi made history as the first Sub-Saharan designer invited to show on the official Paris Haute Couture schedule. His inclusion in the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode marked a significant milestone, not just for him but for African fashion as a whole. Ayissi’s work challenges stereotypes and demonstrates that haute couture is not confined to European traditions.

Imane Ayissi’s latest collection is a powerful reminder of fashion’s potential to transcend borders and celebrate differences

Designer Imane Ayissi takes his bow after his show in Paris
Ayissi’s latest collection is a powerful reminder of fashion’s potential to transcend borders and celebrate differences. By blending African techniques with contemporary design, he has created a body of work that feels both timeless and of the moment. His emphasis on sustainability, using eco-friendly fabrics and honoring artisanal craftsmanship, further positions him as a leader in the industry.

As the Paris show concluded, it was clear that Ayissi is not just designing clothes; he is crafting stories. Each piece in his collection is a chapter in a larger narrative about identity, heritage, and the interconnectedness of cultures. In an industry often criticized for its lack of inclusivity, Ayissi’s work stands as a beacon of progress and possibility. With this collection, Imane Ayissi has once again proven that couture is more than just a display of refined skill but a medium for dialogue, a celebration of our differences, and, above all, an art form that can unite us all.

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