Ever had cause to wear an outfit made by an African brand? How did the colours, the patterns and the texture of the cloth make you feel? Regal, yes.
If you think you have not worn an outfit by an African brand before, there is a large chance that you have! Are you someone who has been styled by an African fashion designer around you before? Well, there you go.
There are young and budding fashion brands everywhere, and the likes of Lisa Folawiyo of Nigeria, Laduma of Ghana and Loza Maléombho of Côte d’Ivoire— who is our focus today, have made it to the spotlight.
About The Loza Maléombho Brand
The Loza Maléombho brand is an eponymous womenswear fashion brand that was established in New York in 2009. They relocated to Côte d’Ivoire in 2012 where production now takes place. Loza Maléombho fuses traditional cultures and contemporary fashion.
The brand merges Ivorian culture with contemporary New York City urban fashion. It is therefore not rare to see well accessorised African attires designed by the brand.
From tops to dresses, shoes and accessories, Loza Maléombho is at the top of its game. In an interview with CNN, creative director, Loza, explains that she draws inspiration from her desire to create a balance for people like her who have been well exposed to African and non-African cultures.
Most people who had to travel out of their country to study and come back or shuffled between two countries, experience a clash of cultures which affects their fashion. Loza Maléombho wants to be that bridge that perfectly connects and represents both cultures.
Loza designs her outfits herself. She sits with her pencil and scrapbook, envisages a look and makes sketches. Her designs have caught the eye of and have been rocked by Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland amongst other celebrities.
In the movie, Black is King, produced by Beyoncé, Loza was one of the few designers used in the movie. Her designs also featured in the movie Coming 2 America, a sequel to the 1988 movie. It can therefore not be ignored that Loza Maléombho has made a name for herself in the international scene.
Top Competitors
• Lisa Folawiyo
Lisa Folawiyo is an eponymous brand by Lisa, a Nigerian fashion designer known for her ability to tailor West African textiles into modern fashion.
Lisa Folawiyo is majorly a womenswear designer, who fuses African and modern concepts too, which makes her a worthy competition.
• MAXHOSA BY LADUMA
MaXhosa is a South African knitwear brand founded with the vision to create a modern Xhosa-inspired knitwear collection that would be suitable for the market. It was founded in 2012.
Laduma does no direct harm to the sales of Loza Maléombho, however, it is a brand that merges African and non-African concepts too.
• Ozwald Boateng
Owned by British Ghanaian Ozwald Boateng, the brand Ozwald Boateng is a menswear brand that focuses on outfits for men, such as suits, jackets tail pants. While Boateng is a menswear brand, both brands are in the spotlight and are often compared.
Target Audience.
Loza Maléombho is majorly a womenswear brand that gets wild with creativity. Her outfits can be rocked by every woman who wishes to make a statement with her African attire. Such a woman must however be ready to pay handsomely for one of their pieces.
Daring, strong and wild, those three words perfectly sum up the Loza Maléombho brand. There is so much creative energy in this brand and we look forward to more.
3 comments
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