MEDI1TV Afrique : Bassam Fashion Days 3 : L’Afropolitain de Mikhail - 20/10/2024
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00:00Welcome to your show dedicated to African fashion and its many facets.
00:18Today we are at the Grand Bassin Fashion Day 3 show.
00:23This year it is the Afro-Polythene collection of the talented creator Mikel Ndouou
00:28who has caught our attention with a unique style merging African tradition and urban modernity.
00:35Mikel invites us to rediscover the Afro identity in a globalized world.
00:41We will explore with you the essence of this artistic vision where culture mixes with creativity without borders.
00:50Mikel Ndouou Amoua, welcome to Africa Chic.
00:56Hello.
00:58Before starting to give you the floor, I invite you to follow this majestic show of Grand Bassin Fashion Day 3.
01:11This report is signed by Stéphane Soumahoro and Ferdinand Coacuf.
01:18Grand Bassin, historic city and former capital of the Ivory Coast,
01:23has been transformed into a real temple of fashion and African creativity
01:28on the occasion of the 3rd edition of the Fashion Day.
01:32In one night, stylists and creators from the city and those elsewhere,
01:36have rivaled ingenuity to make the city vibrate with creations
01:41that celebrate both cultural heritage and artistic innovation.
01:47Grand Bassin, historic city and former capital of the Ivory Coast,
01:52has been transformed into a real temple of fashion and African creativity
01:57on the occasion of the 3rd edition of the Fashion Day.
02:02In one night, stylists and creators from the city and those elsewhere,
02:07have rivaled ingenuity to make the city vibrate with creations
02:12that celebrate both cultural heritage and artistic innovation
02:17on the occasion of the 3rd edition of the Fashion Day.
02:42Grand Bassin, historic city and former capital of the Ivory Coast,
02:47has been transformed into a real temple of fashion and African creativity
02:52on the occasion of the 3rd edition of the Fashion Day.
03:12Grand Bassin, historic city and former capital of the Ivory Coast,
03:17has been transformed into a real temple of fashion and African creativity
03:22on the occasion of the 3rd edition of the Fashion Day.
03:42Grand Bassin, historic city and former capital of the Ivory Coast,
03:47has been transformed into a real temple of fashion and African creativity
03:52on the occasion of the 3rd edition of the Fashion Day.
04:12A parade that resonated like a meeting between tradition and modernity.
04:17Each creator has brought his unique touch to sublimate the fabrics, colors and symbols of Africa.
04:22Each creator has brought his unique touch to sublimate the fabrics, colors and symbols of Africa.
04:27Grand Bassin is the capital of arts and culture in the Ivory Coast
04:32and all major cultural events have a place here in our city.
04:37It is a place of expression for our fashion designers and fashion designers
04:42but also to allow the greatest name of the fashion design of the Ivory Coast
04:47to come here to Grand Bassin to present their know-how and to magnify their creations.
04:52Clothes woven by Michel Yakis in the basement of the famous Senegalese couturier L'Ampéphale,
04:59without forgetting the Madli creators and the Afro-Lithuanian collection of Maison Mikael.
05:06All of them were able to mix influences to offer original pieces.
05:36The Grand Bassin Fashion Day is more than just a fashion show.
06:01is more than a simple fashion show.
06:03It is a true showcase of African creativity
06:06that attracts not only creators,
06:09but also actors from the cultural world,
06:11tourists and investors.
06:14For this third edition,
06:15the event marked the minds
06:17by the quality of the creations
06:19and the diversity of the talents present.
06:31It was the third edition of Grand Bassin Fashion Days.
06:41I am joined by my guest,
06:42Michael Ndowu Amoha.
06:44Michael, for those who don't know you,
06:46who is Michael and what is his place
06:49in the world of African fashion?
06:51My name is Michael Amoha Ndowu.
06:56I am a young Ivorian,
06:58I am a stylist since 2020.
07:03My place in the Ivorian world,
07:05I am a baby brand as I can say,
07:09and I try to make my own way.
07:11Very good.
07:12So you participated in Grand Bassin Fashion Days.
07:15We saw your last baby, Afropolitaine.
07:20So what should we know or remember
07:23about your participation in this event?
07:26Bassin Fashion Days was a fashion event
07:32organized by the Grand Bassin mayor
07:35and in collaboration with Avantgarde Productions.
07:37I really enjoyed my participation.
07:39It allowed me to make contacts.
07:44It was a very nice edition
07:47and I can't wait to do the next edition.
07:49Why not?
07:51The term Afropolitaine
07:53is often associated with a mix of cultures.
07:56What does this mean for you
07:59in the context of fashion?
08:01In the context of fashion,
08:03for me, Afropolitaine is a mix of Africa and cosmopolitan.
08:08In the context of fashion, I like the mix
08:10because I don't like to ghettoize myself,
08:12I don't want to create,
08:13I don't want to be a stylist for Africans
08:15or a stylist for Europeans.
08:16I like to create, I like the mix of people
08:19and I want to dress the world,
08:20I would like my creations to be worn
08:22by a European, by an African,
08:24by an Asian,
08:26hence my Afropolitainism in my creations.
08:31You will feel it more in the choice of my materials.
08:34I make a mix of African and European materials.
08:38I like to mix materials.
08:41My basic materials are African materials.
08:43When we talk about African materials,
08:46is it the traditional pine or the wax that we know?
08:49I don't work with wax.
08:51The wax is not African,
08:53it's made by Dutch multinationals.
08:57I prefer to work with Ivorian pine.
09:00There are a lot of pine trees here
09:01that we can't even promote.
09:05For example, in my latest Afropolitaine collection,
09:07I work with widows who live in Hainan,
09:10who make a pine tree,
09:12and there is only one that does it.
09:13Now they are many, they have all abandoned it.
09:16So she is the one who has the knowledge,
09:17she tries to make it last,
09:18with small, uniform girls.
09:20It's my way of valuing the Ivorian culture.
09:25I found it very beautiful.
09:26I thought, why don't we go with it,
09:27instead of taking other things.
09:31It inspired me, I liked it a lot.
09:33Is it also a way to give a hand to the latter?
09:38Yes, I think so.
09:40It's also a social will in what I do.
09:43Because I like the idea,
09:45and it hurts me that this technique is lost.
09:48So I try to give it a second life.
09:52Very good.
09:53Afropolitaine, as we said,
09:55is your second collection.
09:58The first is Escale.
10:00But before talking about Escale,
10:03how do you manage to integrate Afropolitaine
10:06into your creations?
10:08Afropolitaine, as I told you earlier,
10:11I'm at risk of repeating myself.
10:12Let's go!
10:13What do you do?
10:15It's a continuity.
10:16My inspiration for Escale was travel.
10:18I love to travel.
10:20When I travel, I try to draw inspiration
10:23from the places I go to.
10:24And then I thought,
10:26it's a logical continuation of Afropolitaine,
10:29which for me represents a modern African man,
10:33a citizen of the world.
10:34So I was inspired by that.
10:37Very good.
10:38So, Escale, Apolitaine,
10:40these are two collections that are in your collection.
10:42Officially.
10:43Officially.
10:44Officially, what do we have?
10:46Officially, I have other small collections,
10:49capsules that I made,
10:50but I haven't really communicated much about them.
10:53So I prefer to focus on my last two collections.
10:57Very good.
10:58And how does Michael manage to integrate
11:00the world or the field of fashion?
11:05So, as I said, at first I was a blogger.
11:10At the beginning of blogging in Côte d'Ivoire,
11:11I started working for webzines.
11:15And then I worked for webzines,
11:18and then I had a communication company
11:20called Precise Communication.
11:22I was in the event.
11:23We organized shows, exhibitions, events.
11:28And at the same time,
11:29I also worked for very well-known brands in Côte d'Ivoire.
11:32I was a bit in the artistic direction,
11:34and then a bit of a manager.
11:36And then I said to myself,
11:37but instead of doing all this for people,
11:40why can't I do it myself?
11:41Because I'm passionate, and people like it a lot.
11:43And in 2020, I tried to launch my brand,
11:45and I saw that people liked it.
11:48So I said to myself, but why don't we do a job?
11:50And then, that's it.
11:52One thing is to be in the field of fashion,
11:55and one thing is to become a creator.
11:59Was it easy to get through the step?
12:02I can say that it was easy,
12:05since I was already in the field.
12:07Before becoming a creator,
12:08I was already in the fashion ecosystem.
12:11So I wouldn't say that it made it easy for me.
12:13It's my work that sent me where I am now.
12:15But I think it was a bit easy for me.
12:17Did Michael already touch the sewing?
12:21Yes, even before I started my brand,
12:23I was already passionate.
12:24Since childhood, as I said, it's innate.
12:27I can already see the back, I can look at such a person.
12:29I can say, wear this, wear that.
12:30When the person wears it, I say, wow.
12:32So I said to myself, well.
12:34In terms of advice, it was already going very well.
12:37So what are your main sources of inspiration?
12:41Especially the source of inspiration for Afropolitain?
12:44So my source of inspiration for Afropolitain,
12:48I would say that it was my travels and the discovery of Spain.
12:53When I saw it, I said to myself,
12:55I can do beautiful things with it.
12:57So that's it.
12:59It inspired me.
13:00The mix, the colors.
13:03I saw how they did the dyeing with color,
13:06but how can you have red dye with that?
13:11It was really beautiful.
13:12Very good.
13:13So I'm going to ask the director to show us
13:15these images of Michael's creations
13:20so that we can see them in a few minutes.
13:35I'm going to ask the director to show us
13:36these images of Michael's creations
13:37so that we can see them in a few minutes.
13:38I'm going to ask the director to show us
13:39these images of Michael's creations
13:40so that we can see them in a few minutes.
13:41I'm going to ask the director to show us
13:42these images of Michael's creations
13:43so that we can see them in a few minutes.
13:44I'm going to ask the director to show us
13:45these images of Michael's creations
13:46so that we can see them in a few minutes.
13:47I'm going to ask the director to show us
13:48these images of Michael's creations
13:49so that we can see them in a few minutes.
13:50I'm going to ask the director to show us
13:51these images of Michael's creations
13:52so that we can see them in a few minutes.
13:53I'm going to ask the director to show us
13:54these images of Michael's creations
13:56This was the SKL collection during a fashion show.
14:01This was the SKL collection during a fashion show.
14:05SCL was the world very special for the dancing world.
14:10SCL was the world very special
14:12for the dancing world.
14:14Very special group at the time.
14:18And they hit it off with the dance lockdown
14:24of men's fashion for creators who only make men's clothing.
14:29So you were not your first fashion show with your official collections?
14:35No. Officially, this is my second fashion show.
14:39Before, I worked for a couture shop where I already represented a fashion show in Crasse.
14:43I think it was in 2016.
14:46Very good.
14:47According to you, does the Afro-Politan concept allow to reconcile African heritage with global trends?
14:56Yes, of course. It allows because...
15:00I don't know how to say it.
15:02As I said, being Afro-Politan is the mix of cosmopolitan and Afro-Politan.
15:08Then we try to draw the influences and values of other cultures and mix them to give this concept.
15:14I think it influences to reconcile African heritage with global trends.
15:23Yes, I think so.
15:24Because nowadays, when you look at the big couture shops,
15:27they only use African materials.
15:29Rafia and other African materials.
15:32Wax and paint from Ghana.
15:35So I think it's...
15:37We are there.
15:38We are there.
15:39What is the place of creators like Michael Ndouhou on the international scene?
15:45I hope to be known internationally.
15:48It's my dream.
15:49First in Côte d'Ivoire, then in Africa and then internationally.
15:52I don't want to be recognized as an African creator.
15:54I want to be recognized as a creator.
15:56As I am at risk of repeating myself, as I said earlier,
15:59I want to be ghettoized.
16:01I want to be an African creator who can dress Americans without knowing...
16:05He can dress everyone.
16:06You shouldn't stay in the ethnic touch.
16:09Bassam Fashion Days was the third edition.
16:12And you?
16:13What was your participation?
16:15My first participation.
16:18Very good.
16:19According to you, in such an event as Bassam Fashion Days,
16:23does it contribute to the development of the fashion industry in Côte d'Ivoire?
16:29Yes, I think so.
16:31It's good because it allows you to be known locally.
16:37But I would like to put more money.
16:39It shouldn't be just a show.
16:41Then there must be a follow-up.
16:43Maybe invite buyers from other countries.
16:47More press so that it is more followed and more responded.
16:52What is your opinion on all these fashion shows that are organized here in Côte d'Ivoire?
17:01Especially since we know that these shows are not sold.
17:05It's not bad.
17:06It allows us to promote and communicate.
17:10But as I said, we have to add other things.
17:13We shouldn't limit ourselves to the show.
17:15After the show, it must be business.
17:17That's the real problem I see.
17:22It's good to do several events.
17:24But then what's the point?
17:27Do you think that these are opportunities for young talents to be discovered?
17:35Yes, it's an opportunity to be discovered.
17:39It's thanks to Bassam Fashion Days that I'm on your show.
17:43So it has an impact.
17:46We have Escale and Afropolitain.
17:49What will be the next collection?
17:53For the moment, I'm in the laboratory.
17:56I haven't found any inspiration yet.
18:01As I just launched Escale and Afropolitain, I'm focusing on Afropolitain.
18:06I have to release the deluxe version for another event.
18:10We'll see what happens next.
18:14How does it work?
18:16Is there a collection every month or every year?
18:19In Europe, we have collections every three months.
18:24In Africa, we only have one season.
18:27I usually do collections twice a year.
18:31There are capsules collections for Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve.
18:38I work on two collections a year.
18:40When we talk about collections, we're talking about ready-to-wear.
18:44Ready-to-wear is a subject that is still very controversial in our country.
18:50It's because of the morphology and the measurements.
18:54What do you think?
18:56Is it an important sector?
18:58Is it a sector with a future?
19:00Yes, of course.
19:02In Africa, ready-to-wear has a future.
19:05But our real problem here is production.
19:08We don't have big factories, so we can't produce en masse.
19:11But I think that in terms of morphology, we can adapt.
19:14There are standards.
19:16You have to start with a base, and then it's good.
19:19There are standards.
19:22You have to respect the standards, and then it's good.
19:25We talked about challenges.
19:27What are the real challenges faced by designers and stylists in Ivory Coast or Africa?
19:38First, there's funding.
19:40We're not very well supported.
19:44I don't know about others, but I'm not very well supported.
19:50We don't have big production units.
19:53Even if we want to produce 2,000 or 4,000 pieces,
19:57we don't have enough people to do it here.
20:01So that's the problem.
20:03For me, it's about funding and mass production.
20:06How do you see the evolution of the Afropolitan concept in the coming years?
20:12I think it will go further.
20:15It will go very, very far.
20:17Africa is the future.
20:19All trends come from Africa.
20:21All the big fashion houses in the world come from Africa.
20:24In all the big fashion teams, there's always an African.
20:28I think the Afropolitan will go further.
20:30Will there be more diversity?
20:32Yes, I plan to diversify.
20:35Make feminine pieces, make accessories.
20:38All while remaining, in my case, very Afropolitan.
20:41Why did you choose to launch yourself only in men's fashion?
20:46I feel very, very good in this.
20:48When I created men's clothing, I don't know, I feel good.
20:53I feel more inspired, I feel more free.
20:56Maybe later I will diversify with women.
20:59For now, I feel good in my channel.
21:01Where do you rank Mika'el?
21:04Is he part of the young creative talents,
21:08these young talents that emerge today
21:11and make the pride of Ivorian fashion?
21:15I rank myself in this table.
21:19I think I try to bring my touch to the building of Ivorian fashion.
21:24And I hope to go far.
21:27Are there any creators who inspired you,
21:30who gave you the desire to make a career in this field?
21:36Yes, in Africa.
21:38In Africa, there are people like Papa Pateau, Mr Niava,
21:42who inspired me a lot.
21:44In Europe, there are a lot of great creators like Victoria Beckham.
21:47I like her editorial line.
21:49I like how she writes.
21:51There is Mr Saint-Laurent, who inspired me a lot.
21:54Your opinion today on this rise in the appreciation of African items?
22:02It makes me happy.
22:04I am very, very happy that today we are recognized.
22:06It makes me happy to see a show in Europe
22:08where Balmain uses raffia.
22:10It makes me happy to see Louis Vuitton,
22:12who works with quintet.
22:14I see that our efforts are starting to pay off.
22:17Very good.
22:18So, if Michael had a word to say to the youth,
22:24to the young people who want to embrace this profession?
22:29I ask them to believe in their dreams and to live their passions.
22:33And that they manage to combine usefulness with pleasantness.
22:38We do this because we want to be under the spotlight.
22:42It is a real job.
22:43You just have to focus and everything will be fine.
22:46It is a job that nourishes your soul.
22:48We have examples in Africa.
22:50We see people who are fashion creators who are good.
22:53Very good.
22:54So, Michael, we are at the end of our interview.
22:57We will just leave you with some images of your exclusive passage,
23:02let's say, at Grand Bassoir Fashion Day.
23:05Thank you for answering our invitation.
23:09Thank you also to all those who followed us
23:12by watching this passage by Michael Ndowu.
23:15See you next week.