STYLEETC. An airy
STYLEETC. An airy Yefikir dress with intricate embroidery, epitomising the new-look fashions of the country LOOKBOOK ETHIOPIAN CHIC The east African state is quietly turning into a red-hot cauldron of creativity and craft, thanks to a combination of skilled artisans using revived traditional techniques, government incentives to new businesses and an influx of returning homegrown talent who have honed their skills abroad. JEMIMA SISSONS selects five designers from the new couture coterie © YEFIKIR DESIGN 50 departures-international.com
More images and inspiration from Ethiopia’s sartorial arts, now online DEPARTURES-international.com STYLEETC. see more at Yefikir Design Eschewing the more casual lines of her compatriots, Fikirte Addis’s work focuses on dressy pieces, using hand-spun fabrics and the know-how of crocheters from the southern Ethiopian region of Chencha. Soft cotton dresses are intricately adorned with embroidery, and flowing gowns intertwined with gold make them a perfect frock for a summer party. She also makes bespoke items, and although the brand exports only to the US at present, she is looking to expand worldwide. As Addis explains, “Ethiopia has to offer a very distinct, culturally rich, hand-woven product for the world, which also has a story to tell.” yefikirdesign.com Mafi An ex-model who creates contemporary pieces using traditional skills, Mahlet Afework’s label consists of hand-woven pieces that have an urban feel to them – baseball jackets are made using brightly hued graphic patterns from the south of the country, and bikinis are jazzed up with colourful chevron designs and hand embroidery. “The fashion industry in Ethiopia is in its infant stage,” concedes Afework, who credits this with a lack of fashion schools in the country. But, she says, “in the last five years the private fashion design schools have started flourishing. The government university has recently inaugurated the first fashion design department.” mafimafi.com Lem Lem Ex-supermodel Liya Kebede’s easy-on-the-eye collection is sold throughout the world, including on Net-a-Porter and at Harvey Nichols, Neiman Marcus, Lane Crawford and Saks. Kebede set up the brand in 2007 after she noticed that weavers in her native land were losing jobs due to lack of demand. Key pieces include colourful striped beach cover-ups and pretty pleated dresses, as well as an excellent children’s and home range. “Everything is hand-woven using techniques dating back to the Queen of Sheba,” explains Kebede. “It’s been really exciting to introduce this beautiful Ethiopian tradition to a Western audience who otherwise may not have seen them before.” lemlem.com Sawa Capitalising on a streetwise, urban twist, this footwear label is sold online and in a number of global department stores. Originally based in Cameroon, the brand relocated to Ethiopia for its more attractive working environment, and now all the shoes are made in Addis Ababa. Fashioned from Ethiopian fullgrain leather or suede with reinforced stitching on the upper sole and cotton linings, the vintage-inspired shoes are hard wearing and come in an interesting range of patterns including leopard print and tie-dye. “Our main objective while creating Sawa consisted in spreading the ‘Made in Africa’ word. It was important for us to prove that Africa can transform its natural resources into premium finished goods,” explains co-founder Medhi Slimani. sawashoes.com COURTESY OF THE DESIGNERS Enzi The country’s optimum leather quality (thanks to the high altitude at which most of Ethiopia’s cattle graze) is one of the key USPs for this line, founded two years ago by four friends from Ethiopia and the UK. Although the range is small, the focus is on beautifully made, hand-finished leather trainers, made from cowhide and lined with butter-soft goat suede. “The aim is to change the perception of Africa through the production of high quality and well-designed footwear,” says co-founder Azi Mengistu. Available online, they are also sold in stores globally, including hip lifestyle outlets Konzepp and Moustache in Hong Kong as well as Then and Now in London. enzifootwear.com departures-international.com 51
