WINNERS VLISCO FASHION FUND 2019

BENIN: JEAN-MARIE SOGBOSSI – AGOSSOU AGOSSI

When developing the new collection, Sogbossie had many things in mind. The modern woman avant-gardist with her exuberance, drama and femininity; Vlisco’s dazzling fabrics, such as the Gallery of Poems, and even the corset of a little black dress. Mostly, though, the inspiration came from the cult of twins in Benin where twins are seen as deities. They say that the twins do not die, they go to get firewood in the forest. This collection is in memory of SOGBOSSI BOKONON-GANTA Clement AGOSSOU and his twin AGOSSI.

NIGERIA: JESSICA NWALOZIE – DIFFERENT LAYERS

An enduring childhood memory for Jessica Nwalozie was seeing her mother dress up in front of a mirror, and how the clothes brought about a change from within. Her collection represents the complexities of a woman’s life. Seemingly simple garments contain surprise elements – when viewed from different angles, they take on a new look. Inspiration for Nwalozie were the patterns on the Vlisco fabric, storytelling and the shape of a mushroom.

DRC: FLORENTINE MWEMA BUKASA – MY LIFE IN PINK

Florentine Mwema Bukasa’s goal was to demonstrate fabric manipulation, introduce other materials as highlights, and play with the Vlisco fabric to create new ways of wearing it. From mixing and matching different prints, puffy sleeves, cut-outs, bows and fabric manipulation. What about a jumpsuit disguised as a two-piece, with boning and a bow tie? For an asymmetrical strapless dress, its diagonals continued right down to the button. And Bukasa completed her narrative with a beaded wedding gown, topped off with flowers in wax print.

TOGO: JANVIER DJOSSOU KODJOVI – L’ÉLÉGANCE À TRAVERS LE MONDE VÉGÉTALE

Vegetables and fruits shine in Kodjovi’s collection. The link that unites the content of the designs can be explained through the fruit trees (cocoa tree, papaya, pineapple), the vegetable (in this case, lettuce salad) and the hibiscus flower (the flower of love). All elements converge in a plant world.

RCI: SONIA NANGBO – ECO-PERLÉ

Sonia Nangbo’s collection was inspired by current environmental issues. Plastic, wax print and pearls tell the story of the commoner, Grace, in five outfits. A Prince, in search of a wife, held a contest where the winner would personify originality, beauty and refinement. Dressed in transparent vinyl, Grace rose above the other 1001 competitors and hypnotised the king. They were wed. This union shows that wax print and transparent vinyl can be an ecological solution, while being both pleasant and beautiful to wear.

GHANA: MINAH KOREWAAH FREMPONG – CLEARSTORY

The collection ‘CLEARSTORY’ examines how architecture can be expressed through fashion. The inspiration came from five vibrant Vlisco designs featuring geometric shapes, colours, grids and lines. CLEARSTORY targets working-class women who like to make bold statements through fashion. The photoshoot concept was to make the outfits stand out, hence the grey background. Some of the techniques used are draping, origami, fabric manipulation and vortex.