Fashion Weekend Gambia Highlights Amazing Gambian Designer Talent In Pictures

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Fashion Weekend Gambia 2016 was hosted by the spectacular Coco Ocean Hotel in Bijilo, The Gambia. Held in the open air grounds of the hotel at the beginning of December to promote the Fashion Design talent and the creative flair of African Design.

 

Among the array of design styles showcased several emerged with a strong aesthetic and identity, and showed that they are certainly ones to watch and ready to be showcased on an international platform.

An edit of the standout collections as selected by London based Fashion Stylist & Designer Samson Soboye are high lighted below:

NFC
Ndeyfatou Cessay’s collection was totally original and frivolous. Colourful jersey and cottons were hand-painted to good effect using age-old Batik techniques. Familiar silhouettes were given a fresh look with plaited fabric neck and hemlines and exaggerated sleeves.

Nyanya
Nyanya’s collection used hand woven fabrics in striking colours and bold silhouettes that were reminiscent of 80s Power Dressing. The statement pieces were softly tailored and exude the confidence of designer not afraid to to be brave in their vision and skilled enough to execute to a high quality.

Phuzion
The Bridal collection by Phuzion is a fresh and modern collection designed and made with flair and imagination. Totally glamorous and totally desirable, this is a collection for the discerning bride. Presented with floral head-dresses and gold glitter lips, the message was clear – brides want to look beautiful on their wedding day and any piece from this collection would surely deliver this ambition.

SOBOYE
A Kimono inspired offering in jewel colours and African print. The collection celebrates a cultural fusion with the mix of Japanese, Indian and African fabrics to present a cohesive style of dressing that is for the well travelled woman influenced by her travels and experiences and mixes divergent styles to present an eclectic look.

Sowe Pullou
This collection showed some great ideas and was innovative in its use of embellishment. Hundreds of multicolored buttons were used to decorate the garments making for a quirky yet sophisticated collection. Simple shapes in restrained colours were given an instant uplift by their usage, yet still felt fun and youthful.

The Badjiz Design
This collection was one from a designer with a clear message. This was all-out feminine glamour. The collection was filled with ultra-glam red carpet numbers that reeked of celebrity status and set for A-listers on the social circuit. Form- fitting gowns in striking colours is certainly not for demure wall flowers, every piece a showstopper…

Writer: Samson Soboye
Photographer: Lena Nian
Make Up: Sainabou “Naboughal” Secka, Melanin Queens
Models: Sally Jatta & Mariatou Manneh
Agency: Emid’s Promotions

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