African Design Dialogues
Say hello to contemporary African style
As spring glides gleefully into summer, it’s time to liven up your senses with a design refresh. If you are looking to spice up your spirits, a great source of inspiration is contemporary African style, an uplifting blend of storytelling, craftsmanship and joyful colours.
There have long been artistic dialogues between Africa and the West, from Pablo Picasso’s tribal mask inspired Cubist paintings to Yinka Shonibare’s artworks featuring African print fabrics.
These dialogues have stealthily infiltrated the popular culture as a new generation of designers are seduced by the charms of African style.
A great example is the Eternal Sun collection of African print silk scarves, slinky wrap dresses and chic shorts from Vlisco Dialogues.
The Eternal Sun pattern, a vibrant depiction of a golden sun emerging from the rain to cast its rays over a primeval landscape, is based on a classic African print design from 1963 that celebrates optimism and the idea that light always returns.
This is a perfect tonic for our troubled times, especially when accessorised with a gin & tonic, preferably by the pool, with Burna Boy blaring in the background. With an archive of over 350,000 original print designs (Vlisco is a leading manufacturer of premium African print fabrics), I can’t wait to see what stories their future collections will unfold.
Our cross-cultural dialogue continues with the Moroso M’Afrique collection of outdoor furniture, designed by leading western designers and hand-crafted by artisans in Senegal using plastic cords from fishing nets. An expression of African style reimagined for contemporary living, the pieces look great whether in a group or on their own, against a backdrop of verdant greenery or urban concrete.
The Modou chaise longue is a riot of swirls and curves designed by Ron Arad, the wild squiggles from his sketchbook brought to life by the master metal worker after whom the chaise longue was named.
The swooping roof of the Shadowy armchair, designed by Tord Boontje, works as a delightful mini parasol as well as making a strong design statement.
The Banjooli table and chairs by Sebastian Herkner combine bold shapes and vibrant colours in an elegantly restrained design. They are perfect for al fresco dining on warm summer evenings.
This is design as dialogue rather than pastiche, the best way to broaden your horizons with new inspirations.
For more information on the M’Afrique collection and other inspiring design ideas, come visit us at www.do-shop.com.
Light always returns indeed ! 🔆