Our Africa’s New Wave package celebrates the rich culture and impact of the globe’s demographically youngest continent. Through a series of visual stories, we’re unpacking the gravity of Africa’s history and influence on the world and why it needs to be looked to as a source of inspiration for radical youth-focused change.
Amira Rasool didn’t set out to be a fashion entrepreneur but that’s where she finds herself today. A writer for several outlets, including Teen Vogue, Rasool has insight into the many ways a fashion brand can be seen and — more importantly — ignored by the mainstream media. Through her work writing about brands and trends, she realized the lack of African designers in the fashion industry.
“We just noticed that there was a bunch of talent that was out in Africa that didn’t have an easy way to access markets in the US and Europe, but also once they’ve gained access, an easy way to actually be able to deliver the goods to them,” Amira tells Teen Vogue in a Zoom call as she goes to meet with one of the many business partners who helped her bring The Folklore to life.
The Folklore started as a shopping platform for people to find and shop different brands primarily from countries in Africa. During the pandemic, the model shifted and now she helps these same brands wholesale with bigger retailers like Shopbop and Nordstrom. “What we saw, particularly after the murder of George Floyd in 2020, was a rise in retailers’ interest in being able to work with some of these brands,” Rasool says, adding that the consumer demand for the brands had always been there but there were often difficulties with shipping and logistics. This newfound interest was influenced by the principles of Pan-Africanism and a growing sense of pride in one’s African heritage.
“Retailers wanted to listen to them, one, because it just makes sense from a business standpoint. If you have consumer demand, go grab the brands. But also understanding their social responsibility in relation to supporting more Black owned businesses is really what fueled them to want to start working with the brands that we were exclusively working with,” Rasool says.
And thus, The Folklore Connect was born, which essentially puts fashion, beauty, and home brands in front of larger audiences. “I wanted to be a part of creating the infrastructure that they can leverage the press,” she explains. “They can leverage people like me, and then turn the notoriety that they get into profitable businesses.”
Teen Vogue spoke with four designers who work with The Folklore about their brands, the future, and the richness of African design.
Oya Abeo, founded by Samiat Salami
Teen Vogue: Can you tell me about your brand? What were the origins?
Samiat Salami: The brand is named after and inspired by my grandmother. She passed away about two weeks ago. My grandmother was whom I’d like to describe as “Alhaja-core.” She was the archetype of a Lagos, Yoruba, Muslim woman who loves gold jewelry, dancing to Fuji music, Swiss lace, and the best quality of everything from fragrance to serveware. Speaking of serveware, she loved to host, cook, and throw amazing parties. She and I are kindred spirits in many ways. We also share an Oriki (a Yoruba praise name) – Abeo. She spent her youth traveling to India, Brazil, and Egypt all in search of products (like gold, shoes, leather etc.) that she sold in Lagos Island. Years later, I would spend a good amount of time looking at textiles in markets in some of those countries as well.
TV: What has changed for your business since working with The Folklore?
SS: So much! Before working with The Folklore, to meet retailers, I had to go to wholesale shows like Shoppe Object and NY Now. While those shows are great, for a small brand like mine with limited resources, they are very expensive. These shows run anywhere from $2,500 to $10,000 for a booth, then there is the airfare, hotels etc. Then multiply that by the buying seasons in the year and it really adds up. I was awarded a booth at my first wholesale trade show through Shoppe Object’s Black Lives Matter Action Initiative scholarship, but replicating the success of that show without the scholarship has been tough.
With The Folklore, I can work with a dedicated sales agent, save on the cost of booths and all the other fees associated with exhibiting. It is a great alternative for a smaller brand like mine. Also, on the show floor, smaller brands have to compete for attention with larger more established brands who spend thousands of dollars on their booths to make it more eye-catching. This also doesn’t make a lot of show room floors diverse in terms of makers & designers. On the Folklore’s platform, buyers are looking specifically for smaller brands like mine who have unique, culturally-rich perspectives and processes. I feel like I get to do a lot less explaining who I am, and a lot more connecting with potential buyers.
TV: Outside of shopping, what can consumers do to help brands like yours gain more visibility?
SS: Be our advocates. Even with the advent of social media and perhaps because of the noise it creates, word of mouth goes a long way. Small brands like mine might not have the funds to work with popular influencers to enhance our visibility but if we have amazing customers that love our products and share it with their communities, it helps in every way.
TV: What do you wish you knew about the business before starting?
SS: That building a sustainable textile business might require reversing consumer expectations and teaching customers to allow us grace. In the age of Amazon and fast fashion, everyone expects a very quick turnaround. Quick shipping is amazing, but it requires a lot of resources to do so. As a small brand, it can be challenging to fulfill the instant gratification that consumers are used to. Especially because my textiles are dyed and printed by hand using traditional techniques. It takes time.
TV: What do you hope for the next five years?
SS: To continue to grow into Africa’s first heritage textile brand. I admire brands like Marimekko and Liberty, London. They seem steeped in heritage and tradition, while still pushing the envelope on what’s possible. I would like to be a Nigerian version of those brands. We just launched our own textile workshop in Abeokuta in the southwest of Nigeria. Instead of working with third party batik artists, our in-house batik artists will make all our textiles. That way, I can guarantee it is the best quality. It’s exciting! I chose to do this in Abeokuta because it is known as the heritage city in Nigeria for Yoruba batik. It is also where my family is from. The house my grandfather grew up in is about 15 minutes away from the workshop and that makes me very proud. I would love to see this workshop continue to grow and provide opportunities, income and training for people.
