D.E.C.A.D.E.N.C.E
A Pan-African Fashion Editorial Series curated by Solange Boccovi
D.E.C.A.D.E.N.C.E is an editorial column which explores African fashion subculture through the eyes of its many talents. Our fashion editorial approach is rooted in the cultural, social and economic developments across the continent.
With bold, access-all-areas style, D.E.C.A.D.E.N.C.E will seek to explore the impact of contemporary societal taboos on artists, and faithfully document the creative process, from its highs to its lows. The series will show how society - past and present - shapes cut, fabric and design to create a rich and vibrant signature.
The ‘Dandys’ of Abidjan
If I could turn back time, I would probably step into the era of 18th-century dandyism.
Fashion goes beyond trends. It influences and brings communities together. It crystalizes the styles of ages past in a timeless continuum - to be reinterpreted by those in the present.
In Abidjan, I witnessed the phenomena - animated characters dawning styles that were all the rage two centuries before.
This story is not unique to Abidjan. In fact, from Brazzaville to Abidjan, people are woven together by African dandyism.
BATTA BOX
While Europe is still on the verge of finding solutions for the stock of unsold clothes piled during the pandemic, using and reusing second-hand garments has forever been part of African culture.
Stuck in traffic, I encountered a triple D agent: 'BATTA BATTA' slipping from her lips, as she described the pile of second-hand bras she had for sale. All sizes displayed like trophies on the dusty side streets of Lagos.
SWAGGA : The Relentless Quests Towards Power Dressing
Swag is to fashion what negative space is to architecture. It can be perceived as bad in its essence but can serve an aesthetic function that makes featured lines pop. As a social construct, it brings communities together while it holds the power to segregate.