(via Vice Style » News » New African Fashion)

Duro Olowu by John-Paul Pietrus.

VICE: Hey Helen, why did you decide to put the book together?
Helen Jennings: Well, I think in the last few years African fashion has done kind of what Japanese fashion did in the late 80s and just shot up really fast. I did a bit of research and saw there was no book on the subject. Well, whatever was already there was hopelessly out of date.

Why has it suddenly flourished like that? You say in the introduction about it just being a source of inspiration before, but it’s clearly far more than that now.

You know, the place is growing economically and in terms of infrastructure. As is the art scene, interior design, and fashion. You name it, it’s all part of a rapidly growing creative industry. Obviously, it’s also fueled by the internet, blogs, and social media, just like it is anywhere else. Another thing, actually, is that the creative industry’s being seen as an OK thing to do. You know, here it’s encouraged, but there, if you come from a wealthy background, you’re expected go into law, or business, or medicine, or whatever, and I think being an artist was seen as, like, a bum thing to do. Now, things are changing, you’re getting more upper-middle class people being allowed to go and do art and fashion degrees, so it’s all expanding really fast.  

i’m not a fan of Vice, but it’s an interesting interview with Helen Jennings of Arise Magazine here.