Kenyan fashion curator Sunny Dolat has been appointed to the advisory board of Industrie Africa - one of the continent’s leading designer platforms.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, the cultural producer who was the only East African appointed to the board of six, stated that African fashion had a lot to offer in the word and deserved more appreciation globally.
"I am excited and humbled to be in a position where I can elevate African cultures through art and I get to serve alongside people in the fashion industry that I have looked up to for years," he explained.
The advisory board consists of other influential figures from around the continent including, Alexander Julian Gibbson, a Nigerian-American creative content specialist; Roberta Annan, a Ghanaian businesswoman, and champion for the African creative industry.
Also on the board is Hanneli Rupert, a South African retailer and advocate of ethical and sustainable practices; Vika Shipalana, a South African luxury connoisseur and entrepreneur and Omoyemi Akerele who is widely regarded as the driving force behind Nigeria’s flourishing fashion scene.
"The global narrative of African fashion has recently been underpinned by a seismic shift in perception as seen through increased diversity in mainstream coverage and fashion’s biggest prizes championing regional designers," the organisation explained.
Dolat had been an influential force in the Kenyan art scene co-founding The Nest Collective in 2012 to showcase film, fashion, visual arts and music, which became a gathering place for young and emerging creators in Nairobi.
The stylist also co-founded the HEVA Fund, dedicated to supporting emerging artists in the fields of fashion, art, and music.
Observing that the fashion industry goes beyond clothes, Dolat has also embarked on projects that provoke dialogue, on everything from the infrastructure of the regional fashion industry, to his most recent book Not African Enough that interrogates what exactly qualifies as ‘authentically African’.
Dolat explained that it was important to redefine the narrative around mainstream pan-African fashion and culture, which is what Industrie Africa is about - showcasing Africa's nuanced diversity with trusted discovery and thoughtful commentary.
Set up in 2018 Industrie Africa quickly gained traction in over 100 countries across the world as an indispensable resource for the industry, working to advance regional voices by crafting a unique digital showcase for today’s African fashion design pioneers.
Industrie Africa is the first 360-degree digital platform that provides direct access to the world of high-end and emerging African fashion.
