Vibrant. Intricate. Versatile. These are some of the words that come to mind when thinking about Ankara, one of Africa’s most popular fabrics. With roots in Dutch and Indonesia, the fabric has come a long way from gaining reception in West Africa in the 1880s to invading global fashion in recent years. Several things led to this invasion; a rebound of textile industries in Africa, affordability and availability of the fabric, innovative designers and stylists, and social media. Social media has democratized fashion and, in that sense, opened a world of opportunities in a world it made smaller. Fashion designer, stylist, and Founder of All Things Ankara, Nicolette Orji, popularly known as Nikki Billie Jean, knows a thing or two about this. When Nicolette launched @allthingsankara on Instagram in August 2012, only wanted to fill a gap. There were not enough platforms highlighting African print fashion back then, so she created what has turned out to be a multifaceted Ankara print fashion and entertainment brand, consisting of an online publication, shop, and marketplace.
SOURCE: VENTURES AFRICA
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