Africa Fashion
As much of Africa won independence in the mid-twentieth century, a wave of liberated creative expression swept across the continent鈥攁nd its evolution hasn鈥檛 stopped since. Showcasing a dazzling array of garments alongside music, visual art, and much more, Africa Fashion celebrates the ingenuity and global impact of African fashions from the 1950s to today. Works by iconic designers and artists illuminate fashion鈥檚 pivotal role in Africa鈥檚 cultural renaissance, which laid the foundation for an ongoing fashion revolution.
Making its North American debut in Brooklyn, Africa Fashion is the largest-ever presentation of the subject: more than 180 works, including standout pieces from the Museum鈥檚 collections. Organized thematically, this multisensory experience features immersive displays of haute couture and ready-to-wear apparel, as well as photographs, literature, sketches, music, film and catwalk footage, textiles, and jewelry. More than forty designers and artists from twenty African countries are represented, from the vanguards who first gained worldwide attention, such as Kofi Ansah (Ghana) and Shade Thomas-Fahm (Nigeria), to the newest generation of cutting-edge creatives, such as Thebe Magugu (South Africa) and Gouled Ahmed (Djibouti). Many of their works are on view for the first time in the United States.
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As much of Africa won independence in the mid-twentieth century, a wave of liberated creative expression swept across the continent鈥攁nd its evolution hasn鈥檛 stopped since. Showcasing a dazzling array of garments alongside music, visual art, and much more, Africa Fashion celebrates the ingenuity and global impact of African fashions from the 1950s to today. Works by iconic designers and artists illuminate fashion鈥檚 pivotal role in Africa鈥檚 cultural renaissance, which laid the foundation for an ongoing fashion revolution.
Making its North American debut in Brooklyn, Africa Fashion is the largest-ever presentation of the subject: more than 180 works, including standout pieces from the Museum鈥檚 collections. Organized thematically, this multisensory experience features immersive displays of haute couture and ready-to-wear apparel, as well as photographs, literature, sketches, music, film and catwalk footage, textiles, and jewelry. More than forty designers and artists from twenty African countries are represented, from the vanguards who first gained worldwide attention, such as Kofi Ansah (Ghana) and Shade Thomas-Fahm (Nigeria), to the newest generation of cutting-edge creatives, such as Thebe Magugu (South Africa) and Gouled Ahmed (Djibouti). Many of their works are on view for the first time in the United States.
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Celebrating the outstanding creativity, ingenuity, and global impact of African fashions from the start of the independence era to today, Africa Fashion is the largest-ever presentation of this subject in North America.
Making its North American debut in Brooklyn, the exhibition features over 180 works, including fashion, music, film, visual art, and photography, as well as textiles and jewellery from the Museum鈥檚 Arts of Africa collection.
Clothing can be transformative. This exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum transports visitors to the historical moment when nearly an entire continent shed its colonialist attire and stepped onto the world stage.