You know, there's a mark that each piece bears that reflects the resilience
the designer has had to undergo to be able to create that for you.
There's a sense of quality and care and consideration that's
embedded – you know – there's a depth to them.
My name is Nisha Kanabar and I'm the CEO and Founder of Industrie Africa. I was born and
raised as a fourth generation Tanzanian to Indian heritage parents in Dar es Salaam – a warm coastal
city rooted in a mix of Swahili, Arab and Indian cultures. It's played a huge part in shaping my
view of the world. Integrated and diverse in its creativity, from its art scene to its food
and its music. What's really interesting is you rarely find labels here, because
it can be so many things at once. Brimming with opportunities and often underappreciated beauty.
Every experience that I've encountered, imprinted in me something different. But I'd say where it
really began, was how taken I was by the power and role of media and newer markets, and its potential
in creating communities and transforming societal and cultural perceptions.
I guess you can say I've always been a storyteller. After high school,
my instincts just took flight and I ended up going to Parsons School of Design in New York, working
in fashion publishing across multiple markets at media houses like American Vogue and Vogue India.
When talking about African fashion and its unique identity, we're talking about a multitude of
cultures and influences – from 54 independent ecosystems, through decades of exploitation
and resource limitations. Through that kind of resilience comes something quite exceptional.
It's important to remember, however,
that a designer can still be African and not be forced to conform to a traditional
world view of what the global population and media might identify as African.
By establishing Industrie Africa I kind of intended to create a channel for authentic
connectivity, both regionally and globally, to address the media bias we were experiencing,
the gaping lack of global presence, the ignorance on even the most simplest of its vernacular.
The narrative of luxury is tangibly different today.
It's no longer limited to price point or European heritage – it's about provenance, authenticity.
I think that as the industry and its people took ownership of their own stories,
we saw that the world also shifted in its own way.
Think of the global demand for circularity the increased desire the world has for diversity,
think of the rise of the conscious consumer who aligns their purchases with their values.
When I curate, you know, I'm looking for pieces and products that tell a story, but then it
takes those stories, it works past some of the more obvious ways to manifest those stories,
and it creates something. You're looking at incredible
textures that might come in through unexpected elements from a purely visual standpoint.
I personally love when labels defy what is expected. They reinvent their roots,
their techniques, their textiles – to create entirely new design codes.
Look at Nigeria's Emmy Kasbit or Lisa Folawiyo.
There are so many things that give Africa's fashion scene it's edge.
The dynamic resilience amongst us is what kind of sets us apart. It's a raw indescribably magnetic
pulse that people within it are proud to be a part of, almost like a really profound secret.