In the world of contemporary African fashion, Imane Ayissi has always stood out as an uncompromising trailblazer. As the only designer from sub-Saharan Africa to have been included on the official calendar of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode in Paris since 2020, he has built his reputation on reviving the continent’s forgotten artisanal traditions.
In his fashion shows, the master tailor showcases raffia, the pounded tree bark known as “obom,” Ghanaian kente, and Burkinabé faso dan fani. For years, he has publicly denounced the illusion of wax print being imposed as the sole standard-bearer of African fashion, tirelessly reminding people that it is manufactured outside the continent. Seeing his name associated with the celebrations marking Vlisco’s 180th anniversary is therefore a true symbolic earthquake.
Why would the most virulent critic of wax print accept this collaboration?
To understand this collaboration, one must distinguish the rejection of cultural imperialism from the sociological reality experienced by African families. While Imane Ayissi refuses to reduce African textile heritage to printed fabric alone, he does not deny the immense emotional significance that this fabric has acquired over generations.
While visiting Vlisco’s headquarters in Helmond, the Netherlands, the designer delved into the company’s historical archives:
- There he found patterns of fabrics once worn by his own mother and by the women of his childhood in Cameroon.
- He discovered political and commemorative prints dedicated to Cameroon’s first president, which serve as direct testimonies to his country’s history.
- He came to understand how women in West and Central Africa have made these industrial fabrics their own, imbuing them with vernacular names and deep-rooted social meanings.
This discovery in the brand’s archives contributed to a personal turning point. Rather than clinging to a fruitless opposition, Imane Ayissi chose to engage in a frank conversation with the Dutch brand. The goal is not to renounce her past struggles, but to acknowledge that the journey of wax fabric is now an integral part of Africa’s collective memory.
How the handshake motif seals this unexpected dialogue
The centerpiece of The Sun We Share collection features an exclusive pattern co-created by Imane Ayissi and Vlisco’s design studio, led by Marlou van Engelen.
To symbolize this bridge between two worlds, the fashion designer created a stylized handshake:
- The drawing features a continuous, freehand wavy line connecting a series of hands that come together warmly.
- This rhythmic line evokes the dynamics of reconciliation, brotherhood, and mutual listening that are deeply rooted in African cultures.
- The motif interacts with graphic sun motifs and dynamic stripes drawn from the brand’s heritage collection.
As the designer himself points out, this design represents a shared history, respect between two cultures, and the desire to establish a sincere dialogue regardless of any initial differences.
Italian cut-fabric to elevate the design to the standards of haute couture
Far from being limited to traditional fabrics such as Dutch Wax, Super-Wax, or Grand Super-Wax, this collaboration reaches a new technical milestone thanks to the introduction of an exceptional fabric: Fil Coupé.
Crafted in Italy as a limited edition within the Radiance collection, this material reinterprets the handshake motif in an entirely new sensory dimension:
- A sophisticated jacquard weave that creates three-dimensional textures and subtle plays of transparency.
- An airy fabric that breaks free from the usual stiffness of waxed cotton to offer a supple, sculptural drape.
- Bespoke haute couture silhouettes designed specifically by Imane Ayissi for the official visual campaign.
By transforming the design into a textile weave worthy of Parisian fashion shows, the designer applies his architect’s eye for clothing to a graphic universe he had previously observed from a distance.
When the textile debate moves beyond confrontation to create new forms
Available for purchase starting November 4, 2026, on Vlisco’s online store, The Sun We Share collection paves the way for a fruitful future for all African creative industries.
This event demonstrates that the defense of cultural sovereignty is not necessarily limited to unilateral rejection:
- It is enriched when a visionary designer imposes his or her interpretive framework and high standards on a historic fashion house.
- It reminds us that indigenous traditional fabrics and adopted fabrics can coexist without canceling each other out.
- It demonstrates the maturity of African fashion, which is capable of facing its complex history head-on to write its own rules.
By reaching out to the Helmond House under the shared spotlight of this anniversary collection, Imane Ayissi is not signaling an aesthetic surrender. He is making a gesture of high cultural diplomacy, proving that cultural transmission always benefits from transforming dissent into a creative dialogue of global significance.
To celebrate this anniversary, Vlisco has launched a series of exceptional collaborations, which are featured in the fashion section of Africa Fashion Tour. The brand first teamed up with contemporary African artists to reinterpret its iconic patterns, before unveiling an exclusive capsule collection with Nigerian designer Lisa Folawiyo, renowned for her avant-garde work with printed fabrics.
