AFRICAN
HERITAGE NIGHT FLOWED WITH FLAMBOYANT ELEGANCE
By
Margaretta wa Gacheru (posted October 23, 2017)
The African
Heritage Night 2017 was reminiscent of previous AH events which have been
organized over five decades since Alan Donovan, the American designer and
former USAID worker first arrived in Africa back in 1967.
It was an
extravaganza of fashion, beautiful faces and music by another band assembled by
local artistes in conjunction with Mr Donovan. In the past it was the African
Heritage Band, organized by Job Seda (who later became the acclaimed Ayub Ogada)
that performed at AH events.
This time
round, it was Papillon with his marvelous musicians who provided the live musical
fire of the night. But then the fashion show, choreographed by Nigerian designer
Paulina Otieno,
featured an eclectic range of musical accompaniment including
Fela Kuti and Ayub Ogada..
The star
designer of the night was the internationally – known Nigerian batik artist,
Nike Seven Seven Odundaye. Credited with reviving the vanishing Nigerian textile
of Adire, Nike’s indigo-blue tie and dye fabrics have been exhibited all over
the world.
The one big
difference in this year’s African Heritage Night was the absence of Mr Donovan
who has been well but who was meant to be the star of the night.
In his
absence, Mr Donovan was appreciated by everyone from former AH model Emma Too
and Harsita Waters of Alliance Francaise to members of the Nigerian High
Commission and Strathmore University’s Dr Luis Franceschi.
Former African Heritage model and designer Emma Too
But even in
his absence, Donovan’s presence was felt and tangibly seen in the Pan-African
textiles that covered two floors of wall space, filled the cat-walk with
elegant, original fashions made from the same fabulous hand-made fabrics and
even the band Papillon that the designer has encouraged and assisted all along
the way.
Ultimately,
it was the fashions that were most breath-taking. Made from textiles that came
from Cameroon, Congo, Mali, Madagascar, Nigeria, and Kenya, the fashions stole
the show.
But without
doubt, the designer that was also a crowd-stopper was Nike Okundaye. With her
elegant hand-stamped indigo-blue Adire gown, flame-red coral beads and flamboyant
‘peacock’ headdresses, she was definitely the presiding African Queen of the
night.
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