“Where do your clothes come from?” is a question people tend to not think too hard about. In the United States, most pieces in major stores tend to be produced either locally, in Europe, or in Asia. Hoping to challenge this pattern of shopping, The Folklore is a new, New York–based online concept store that’s bringing African fashion to the U.S. Founded by Amira Rasool, it sells luxury clothes, jewelry, shoes, bags, and home goods made by 20 emerging and established designers from Africa and the African diaspora.
Based in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Ontario, Lagos, Abidjan, New York, and London, the designers include LVMH and Woolmark finalist Orange Culture, swimwear label Andrea Iyamah, and Black Panther collaborator MaXhosa. Everything on the site is limited-edition or one-of-a-kind.
Rasool temporarily left the New York fashion industry to pursue a master’s degree in African studies at the University of Cape Town. On The Folklore, she’s planning to shoot and feature fashion editorials in dozens of cities around the world. Below, see her debut shoot in Taipei, Taiwan, followed by links to shop some of the looks.
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