Paris: 5 voices to view African fashion beyond clichés
At Sciences Po, a fashion show and roundtable this Saturday will gather designers, researchers, and cultural actors to discuss the gestures, materials, and legacies that shape contemporary African fashion. Imane Ayissi and Christine Checinska are among the speakers.
In Paris, a fashion show this Saturday takes an unusual approach by discussing African fashion through the gestures that precede clothing. At Sciences Po, “African Stitches: Fashion, Gestures, Legacies – Act II” brings together designers, researchers, and professionals to explore how weaving, dyeing, cutting, and embroidery transform legacies into contemporary language.
The event is organized by the Africa Programme at Sciences Po and the Fashion Creators’ Centre of Cameroon. Christine Checinska, the chief curator of textiles and fashion from Africa and the diaspora at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, will open the discussions before a roundtable and a fashion show scheduled for 5:00 pm.
Five speakers will structure the conference portion. Alongside Christine Checinska are Cameroonian designer Imane Ayissi, historian Manuel Charpy, cultural exchange advocate Patricia Kuate, and diplomat and historian Philipp Rößler. The central theme focuses less on a singular definition of African fashion and more on how practices and movements render it diverse.
Imane Ayissi provides a very concrete foundation for this reflection. The Federation of Haute Couture and Fashion presents his house, founded in 2004, as a dialogue between the legacies of African cultures, Parisian style, and artisanal craftsmanship. His 2026 collections are included in the haute couture calendar, with particular attention to the work of materials.
The Fashion Creators’ Centre of Cameroon offers another perspective on the topic. Established in 2010, the CCMC supports Cameroonian talents in training, professionalization, entrepreneurial development, and production. This preparatory work highlights that the final image of a garment also relies on trades, techniques, and structures capable of nurturing creators.
The event takes place this Saturday, September 19, from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Sciences Po, Place Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin in Paris. The fashion show is set for 5:00 pm, followed by a cocktail at 6:30 pm. Registration is required to attend the event.
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