Inspired: Louis Vuitton [Resort 2012 Menswear & 3 Others]

Thakoon took a bite out of Masaai plaid (see below) for their F/W '11 collection and Louis Vuitton followed suit for their Resort 2012 menswear collection. Fashion continues its obsession with Kenya - from kanga print, to vibrant beads, and now the Masaai's statement plaid print, and this is by no means Louis Vuitton's first - or last - foray into Africa. The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Kim Jones, Style Director at Louis Vuitton Menswear, cites Africa as a strong influence having spent part of his childhood there, so the Masaai reference shouldn't come as much of a surprise. 

More luxury brands are looking to artisans in general and African in particular to infuse their heritage with crafts, culture, and ethics. Others have continued to turn to Africa for inspiration, pure and simple, and Louis Vuitton has had a number of notable Africa-related moments in recent times:

Many will remember Louis Vuitton's Ghana-must-go inspiration for Spring 2007 - Africa's ubiquitous checkered bag elevated to luxury symbol in the hands of Louis Vuitton:

Also, not too long ago, one Vogue reviewer described Louis Vuitton's Spring 2009 collection as 'Josephine Baker African razzmatazz':

Finally, Louis Vuitton's Core Values campaign signed on Bono and Ali last year and featured a little piece of Africa: A charm made in Kenya by local artisans under the guidance of MADE -

What do Africa and luxury have in common? Quite a bit, apparently.

- SLiq

Photos:

NY Mag

Style

ilvoelv

ghule

Inspired: Sass and Bide, Thakoon, Edun

For several seasons back-to-back, some interpretation of some part Africa or other has made it on the global stage. This season, three designers have stood out in our minds so far, each for different reasons.

SASS AND BIDE (UPDATED)

Mudcloth (by way of Mali) doesn't get anywhere near enough its fair share of the spotlight. We love the very modern mix and match of a variety of traditional mudcloth prints in Sass and Bide's F/W '11 collection, the introduction of new geometric shapes, and the contrasting highlighter brights.

THAKOON (LITERAL AND RE-INTERPRETED)

Fashion has been obsessed with Kenya and the Maasai for as long as we can remember, and we love Thakoon's fresh take on the subject. It's a very literal appropriation, but while the Maasai tend to wear their distinct plaid print draped, Thakoon's pieces are bold and structured:

Thakoon also touched on batik print by way of Indonesia and parts of Africa. We didn't find these pieces particularly refreshing or new, but the print will feature on Thakoon's purses and shoes this fall, so all's not lost.

The global/worldly print with very African and Indonesian roots (see Prada Resort 2010):

EDUN (ABSTRACT)

Finally, Edun went against the grain of the obvious use of typically African print and was instead inspired by Kenyan landscapes, houses and wallpaper for its own unique silk prints. While Edun received flack last year for shifting the bulk of its production from Africa to Asia, we love this homage to the continent that inspired it all.

Which of the interpretations are you most excited about?

XO

Photos:

Style

NY Mag

Sweet Tooth: Print Pants

L-R: Jewel by Lisa, Nasty Gal, Tory Burch
Below: Re'Bahia
 
We're ushering February in with one of our most consistent style cravings over the past few months - tribal/batik/global/african print pants in an array of patterns, colours and textures fit for the new global wanderer.

We love the loose, relaxed vibe of the roomy pant and the looks above and below have caught our eyes and hearts: Jewel by Lisa's embellished printastic piece, Nasty Gal's scrumptious batik pants, Tory Burch's silk pantaloons, and Re'Bahia's intricately embroidered pants. Perfection and a half.

 What are you in the mood for?

XO

Photos:

Jewel by Lisa blog

Nasty Gal (shop here)

Tory Burch (shop here)

Re'Bahia

Inspired: Of Eric Raisina and YSL

YSL, Eric Raisina-style. 

Fashion is usually a re-interpretation of something that exists; a re-imagining that goes around in circles and cycles, drawing inspiration from an original and making it something new. At Africa Fashion Week in Dublin a few weeks ago, several of Eric Raisina's dresses took inspiration from Yves Saint Laurent's iconic Mondrian dress, which was itself inspired by the composition of some of Piet Mondrian's paintings:

Raisina's pieces brought YSL's invention to life, presenting it with layers of texture, detail and in a variety of lengths and styles. Following a similar color scheme to the late great Yves Saint Laurent, Raisina elevated the iconic piece, giving it life, movement and energy. A classic is a classic, but Raisina has brought something to the table that has stolen our hearts.

XO

Photos courtesy of google and Africa Fashion Week, Dublin