Over the past couple of years, Senegal’s star has risen exponentially on the global cultural stage. The recently closed Dakar Bienniale, artist Kehinde Wiley’s Black Rock residency, Chanel’s 2022 Métiers d’Art show… indeed, these are just a handful among a litany of happenings that have caused culture vultures to square their focus on Senegal. Long before any of them took place, though, there was Dakar Fashion Week, a showcase that has been casting light on the West African nation’s fashion prowess for 22 years.
Founded by Adama Ndiaye – a fashion designer and entrepreneur – in 2002, Dakar Fashion Week has since established itself as one of Africa’s foremost fashion showcasing platforms. Over the years, its remit has expanded to welcome designers from across the continent, broadcasting their work to an increasingly global audience, though the general focus of its programme remains local talent.
“Fashion is deeply entangled with Senegalese culture and heritage, and dress is always meaningful,” Ndiaye explains, highlighting the boom that the local industry is currently experiencing. “Senegalese fashion is really trending across Africa – in large part because of the authenticity, culture and heritage that our designers invest in their work.”
Since Dakar Fashion Week’s founding day, Ndiaye has maintained a pillar of integrity at the event’s heart. “It’s a celebration of fashion, and an expression of our vision of fashion – how we see and live it,” she says. “We’re not trying to compete with or be like other cities, in Africa or beyond. We just want to show fashion by us, for us and share that with the world.”
Final touches are put to a design by Nougatine.Guy Peterson