Designer and Saville Row tailor Ozwald Boateng was in South Africa last week to receive an AFI (Africa Fashion International) award for “International Designer of the Year”
Boateng recently celebrated over two decades in the fashion industry with a documentary film titled A Mans Story. The film began in 1998 when Boateng invited a film crew to follow him for two weeks. Two weeks became six months, which then “spiraled into twelve years”. A Man’s Story captures Boateng’s life behind the scenes. The film also examines Boateng’s relationship with Africa, a part of his life, which doesn’t receive much attention in the media. Boateng has made a considerable contribution to Africa’s development through “Made In Africa”, a company set up by him and two others. He has staged shows in Nigeria and Ghana, the latter to celebrate Ghana’s 50 years of independence from the United Kingdom.
And the relationship doesn’t stop there. Boateng has taken his time in South Africa as an opportunity to shoot his Spring/Summer 2012 campaign. I was told by a source that the campaign will feature local models, shot in Alexander township and the suburb of Yeoville, which is home to a large percentage of Johannesburg’s African diaspora. Both places make for vibrant backdrops and I can imagine the campaign will be as striking as an ebony Boateng in a lean, perfectly sculpted red suit.
