Black people and fashion are pretty synonymous, in my book. Sometimes our niche for flair is labeled flashy, over-the-top and excessive, but we come from a heritage of ancestors who would adorn themselves in gold and wear elaborate threaded and beaded ensembles. That style has been permeated throughout time and still remains relevant today.
“The boldness that African fashion designers use has a heavy influence on today’s market. The fabrics are versatile, and the colors are unique. That’s what keeps it in style,” says Roosevelt Franklin, owner of The African Hut.
The featured inventory of Franklin’s East Loop establishment helped prove my point.
When brought to the Americas, Africans were forced to give up anything that had to do with our West African societal practices. Before European interruption, we had our own norms of life. We were accustomed to wearing a myriad of colorful fabrics, animal hides and beaded accessories. Fashion was not a luxury; it was a way of life. Different garments weren’t only used to protect one from the elements, they also represented one’s social or marital status, or what tribe you belonged to.
Once enslaved, we were forced to adopt the white slave owner’s customs, which included religion, diet and fashion. Even during slavery, with no resources to be fashionable, we still managed to have our own unique sense of style. Women still braided their hair in elaborate patterns and wore decorative head coverings to protect their hair from the harsh working conditions. Women would also repurpose worn-out clothing or scraps from the whites to make new garments or quilts.
During the civil rights era, black fashion was synonymous with us reaffirming our humanity and equality, not only in America but worldwide. Fueled by the Black Power movement, we no longer were ashamed to wear our natural textured hair and our traditional African attire. Traditional West African fabrics like Kente cloth became a common design feature in everyday wear, and still are today. Style icons such as Cicely Tyson, Diana Ross and Angela Davis all embraced what it meant to be black through their talent and influence, and of course by what they rocked.
Over the past 30 or so years, black people have been the epitome of “cool.” Our influence has shaped dominant culture in America and worldwide. This has been a gift and a curse to our culture. We often create our own way of expressing ourselves, only to have culture vultures water down our style for mainstream, commercialized profit.
Elle magazine recently had the audacity to say that Timberland boots were the new trend for this season. Black dudes have been wearing Timbs since the ‘90s, and the mainstream is not going to take credit for a style we set 20 years ago. Our style has been ripped from the street and put on the catwalk like it’s a new creation.
But as natural creatives we constantly make new trends, whether it be a reflection of our social status or in response to community injustices. Today’s fashion forces – like the Knowles sisters, Janelle Monae, Chanel Iman and even “crazy” Kanye – have taken our style mainstream. They have not only taken managed to stay true to their own individual style, but they’ve branded their style and made it popular.
Our gallery of pictures reflect how our ancestral roots still look fly today. Traditional African fabrics will forever remain a part of our cultural style identity. Embracing our African traditions while incorporating modern design techniques are a match made in black fashion heaven.
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