Couture Comes to the National Museum of African Art in “Earth Matters, Fashion
Matters”
Top African Fashion Designers to
Showcase High-End Collections
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art will host
some of Africa’s hottest designers at “Earth Matters, Fashion Matters” a
fashion show and concert at the museum Saturday, Feb. 22, from 6 p.m. to 9:30
p.m. Katie Rost, a Vogue 100 model, will emcee the sold-out event.
Global Fashion New York Inc. is producing the provocative
show, which will feature eco-friendly fashions inspired by the exhibition, “Earth
Matters: Land as Material and Metaphor in the Arts of Africa.” DJ Adrian Loving
will set the tempo for the evening with a playlist influenced by “Earth
Matters.”
Ten of Africa’s most innovative fashion designers will respond
and interpret with eco-friendly fashions inspired by the “Earth Matters” exhibition:
Thula Sindi from South Africa, Taibo Bacar from Mozambique, KibonenNY from
Cameroon, Chouchou Lazare from Gabon, MaXhosa by Laduma from South Africa,
Patience Torlowei from Nigeria, Mushana from Uganda, Kenema from Sierra Leone,
Abai Schulze from Ethiopia and Sindiso Khumalo from South Africa. The
exhibition is on view at the museum through Sunday, Feb 23
About KibonenNY
KibonenǀNY is the brain child of the most revolutionary Cameroonian
designer Kibonen Nfi. Inspired by traditional Cameroonian garments, West
African fabric and New York’s vibrant fashion scene, Kibonen delved into the
fashion scene with the never before seen ingenious idea of contemporizing one
of the most delicate and intricate hand woven traditional garments of Cameroon
western highlands region, the “Toghu”. Today the African Fashion International
Awards Nominated “Emerging designer of the Year 2013” is a Fashion Design
student at the Art Institute of NYC, a decision she made in order to help transform
her natural talent to a money making establishment. A serious career in Fashion
is unfathomable in Cameroon, but this ideology is gradually changing thanks to
pioneers like Kibonen, who takes it upon herself to cultivate and mature this
untapped industry.
KibonenNY – The Company
KibonenNY (KNY) is a fresh fusion of this rich
culture with contemporary styles, fabrics and trends. KibonenNY aims to capture
an international clientele through its trendy designs, with very sensual
silhouettes. The KNY client is one who is confident, colorful and free
spirited. KNY is for the classy trend setter with a strong sense of style and a
refined taste for contemporary and authentic Africana clothing.
KibonenNY explores traditional African fabrics – Wax prints, Tye-dye, Kanga,
Mud Cloth, Toghu and Nduop
KibonenNY designs Clothing for men women and kids, Accessories - Bags, Ring, Bangles and
Footwear, Home Goods, Corporate Gift items all inspired by Africa
Besides being a fashion lifestyle brand, KibonenNY is an ethical fashion brand.
Cameroon is a country with abundant talent, unbelievable design aesthetics,
amazing and beautiful people yet over 49% of the population live below the
poverty line. This was another gripping factor that urged the formation of my
brand, using the business of fashion to help create employment in Cameroon,
paying employees a fair wage that will not only aid survival but allow them to
improve their standard of living.
KibonenNY has successfully showcased her talent
as well as Cameroons culture and aesthetics at:
-
Mercedes Benz Fashion
Week Africa - Tswane, South Africa, November 2013
-
Africa Fashion Week NY – New York,
USA July 2012
-
Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Africa
Johannesburg South Africa– October 2012
-
Nigeria’s Next Super Model Fashion
show - Lagos Nigeria - November 2012
-
American Chamber of Commerce Fashion
show - Douala, Cameroon – January 2012
Her collections have
received rave reviews and have been featured on BBC - Focus on Africa, GQ Style
SA,
New African Woman and in countless fashion blogs
and newspapers.
On realizing the potential that ethical fashion could provide, KibonenNY
together with some partners formed the Cameroon Fashion Association of America
and instigated the startup of an ethical factory, “Made In Camer” Clothing and
Accessories Fair Trade Manufacturing in Bamenda, Cameroon.
KibonenNY - Earth Matters Collection – The Bamboo Jersey Collection
“When invited to the exhibition Earth Matters: Land as Metaphor and Material in the Arts of Africa,
the first thing that came to my mind was eco fashion and how through fashion we
can help save our environment. “Bamboo
Fabric” – jersey like fabric made from Bamboo came to mind. Bamboo is a
highly sustainable crop as it does not claim farming land, grows very fast and
needs very minimal care. It is a much better CO2 extractor and oxygen emitter
than trees, and all bamboo products are completely biodegradable and
recyclable. The raw material bamboo is certified organic.
After going through the
actual art exhibition that took place at the museum, the work of Osodi spoke
directly to me as I reflected on the theme. I hence picked out the painting
which I had printed on silk jersey and found a way to incorporate it into the
designs.
I clearly went a little out
of my habit by designing very sensual garments all with the aim of bringing out
the fact that we can be ecofriendly at the same time comfortable, sensually
sexy and classy.”
Support
Support for “Earth Matter Fashion Matters” comes from Ecco
Bella (makeup and gift bags), T∙H∙E Artist Agency (models) and Wholefoods. Thanks
go to the students of the Fashion Club at Fashion Design and Merchandising at
Marymount University, The Art Institute of Washington School of Design and
Aveda Institute in Washington, D.C.
About the Exhibition
“Earth Matters” is the first major exhibition exploring the
ways in which African artists and communities mediate their relationship with
the land upon which they live, work and frame their days. The exhibition investigates
the intersection between art and knowledge and brings together approximately
100 exceptional works of art from the turn of the 19th to 21st centuries. It is
divided into five thematic sections: The Material Earth, Power of the Earth,
Imagining the Underground, Strategies of the Surface and Art as Environmental
Action. A sixth section, Earth Works, is the first installation of land art by
three artists to be assembled outside in the Smithsonian Gardens and on the
National Mall.
These categories provide vantage points from which to examine
the most poignant relationships that Africans have with the land, whether it be
to earth as a sacred or medicinal material, as something uncovered by mining or
claimed by burial, as a surface to be interpreted and turned to for
inspiration, or as an environment to be protected. A separate sculpture by
Ledelle Moe (part of section two of the exhibition) will also be on display
outside of the museum.
About the National Museum of African Art
The National Museum of African Art is
America’s only museum dedicated to the collection, conservation, study and
exhibition of traditional and contemporary African art. The museum is open
daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). Admission is free. The museum
is located at 950 Independence Avenue S.W., near the Smithsonian Metrorail
station on the Blue and Orange lines. For more information about this
exhibition, call (202) 633-4600 or visit the museum’s website at Africa.si.edu. For general Smithsonian
information, call (202) 633-1000.
Note: To arrange an interview with the
designers or for selected high-resolution images, contact Eddie Burke at (202)
633-4660 or BurkeE@si.edu.
OK People.Go and support our Camer sis make us proud!Being an art lover, The Smithsonian is on my to visit list..So this is a big deal. Kudos to Kibonen & team!
Pictures courtesy of Kibonen NY.
Y.M.
IRepCamer
