Helen Jennings, Mataano and Mimi Plange Equal Excellence

Last night at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building of the New York Public Library in the heart of NYC, an eager crowd of hungry minded fashionistas, including bloggers, writers and editors, were more than adequately fulfilled by the plethora of knowledge and inspiration being spread around the room.

Thanks to the magnificent panel of speakers being moderated by the very capable Enyinne Owunwanne, founder of Heritage 1960, a site that is dedicated to enhancing the image of African fashion, by providing an outlet for eager-minded consumers who are looking to embrace the African aesthetic on a global scale.

And that was also the piercing theme of the evening. Helen Jennings, who is currently the editor of ARISE Magazine, was there to discuss her new book, New African Fashion. She eloquently explained the relevance of her book and gave her interpretation of the global response and rising interest in all things Africa, particularly in the fashion world. It was an insightful and informative interlude that proves beyond a doubt that her new offering deserves a permanent spot on any coffee table.

Designer extraordinaire, Mimi Plange, who is conquering an industry that only a lucky few seem to be able to navigate with ease, gracefully and generously shared some of the inspirations behind her irresistibly complex stunning designs. With the help of a slideshow, we got to understand and appreciate her creative process through the graphic visuals of intricately scarred patterns on the skin of a certain indigenous group in Africa and how those patterns are whimsically showcased in some of her pieces. For those who were unaware of Plange’s wealth of talent, they certainly became believers and for those of us who were already her loyal followers, it re-assured us of her almost blindingly bright future in the fashion industry.

We also had the pleasure of relishing in the ultimate success story. Mataano a wonderfully eclectic but classic line of womenswear founded by two Somalian twins Ayaan and Idyl Mohallim, has also taken the fashion world by storm. They both humbly shared the genesis of their collaboration and it definitely explained their ascending popularity and exposure, thanks to appearances on Oprah and CNN.

All in all, it was certainly a night to remember and it reiterated what has always been a solid fact. That Africa is a continent with riches that will slowly but surely set the tone globally in every creative medium. Our time is NOW.