A Solo Date Day to See the Africa Fashion Exhibition at the V&A

Sometimes a solo date day is much needed. So, for my recent trip, I travelled into London to South Kensington, to head to the V&A to go and see one of the latest exhibitions on, The Africa Fashion Exhibition.

However, first I briefly explored the rest of the V&A as there is so much to see for free! The inclusion of the various cultures really creates the enrichment of the V&A; something that draws in tourists and visitors. Displaying art, furniture, creative sculptures and clothing, there is literally something for everyone to engage in and enjoy!

As a fashion student, I was definitely drawn to the fashion section, and appreciated seeing the fashion styles over time, and recognising the iconic brands like Schiaparelli, Balenciaga, and Dior, acknowledging how the brands have evolved over time to what they have become today.

I bought tickets recently for the Africa Fashion Event as I saw the event advertised through Tik Tok. The ticket cost £10, which is great value, so thought why not!

As I entered into the exhibition, the glamour and beauty of the event was immediately obvious. The walls were painted in bright and vibrant colours, pinks, yellows, and blues, accentuating the colours within the garments.

The exhibition was made to share a glimpse of the glamour and politics of a type of fashion that is always changing and always resisting definition. The styles and designs are shaped by the new ‘Pan-Africanism’, which embraces differences and includes rather than excludes, emphasising on the histories, cultures, and creative expressions. The exhibition highlighted clothing between the 1950’s to the 90s.

Together with the clothing, the large, unique, priceless pieces of jewellery were also on display, as that contributes significantly to the style of the garments and supports the culture and story. These were beautiful, especially the headpiece made out of shells; symbolic of wealth, fertility and womanhood.

As I strolled around the event, I felt that I could almost touch the items of clothing, and really see the finer details, that made the clothing so unique and characteristic. As an example, this white haute couture dress designed and made by Imane Ayissi and was developed to challenge the stereotypes that African Fashion cannot be luxurious. She wove together silk with hemp, embellished the dress with painted obom (bark cloth), resulting in this stunning, one-of-a-kind dress.

Photography supported the event, as a story truly tells us a thousand words! It captured the history behind the fashions and helped me visualise the garments further.

Overall, this exhibition was highly insightful, and would recommend if you can make it at some point before it closes (16th April). I educated myself about culture, saw incredible imagery, and designs that authentically embodied and embraced Africa and its beautiful creative expression.

Images/Edit/Words By Alice Abel