Innovative Malagasy fashionistas recycling and hustling for fashion

A new generation of fashion designers is emerging in Madagascar, with completely no training in fashion design nor exposure to popular fashion weeks.

Manuela is one such designer, currently running the Alizay Fashion House.

With just a dozen employees, the company manufactures high quality fashion accessories, handcrafted using mainly Malagasy raw materials.

““As an entrepreneur, its difficult to recruit enough professionals because today everyone from mothers to daughters know how to crochet but they do not necessarily know the real techniques. There should be a follow-up and an implementation of specifications so that products remain standard,” said Manuela Rakotomanga, manager of the Alizay Fashion House.

Madagascar designers innovate, recycle and hustle for fashion https://t.co/OvhVDcXu8a

— angelika giese (@madrid122) May 18, 2016

Vice Local brand specialises in African wax print patterns on already worn shoes and used bags. “We recycle shoes and accessories, and we try to do our best. You won’t notice that it is an old shoe.In fact half of the materials used are recycled,” said Nanie Andriantsiferana, a fashion stylist at Vice Local.

Having had basic training in sewing techniques, Sacha Bam Bam is a celebrity stylist, dressing up the country’s popular musicians.

“It is true that there should be a real fashion school where we will teach upcoming designers to create but not just in sewing, but to really create a model. Here, there’s in fact no school of fashion design, only those where we learn the basics. I really wanted to create something new… I had to come up with something and manage with my own resources,” she said.

Already successful in the local market, these talented designers are eyeing the global market at a time when African brands are making it big on the international scene.