Unlikely source Vogue Italia editor Franca Sozzani may be the Black Art’s only hopeful.

Vogue Italia editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani is not one to be shy of controversy, even if it does get her in trouble such as the “hire back John Galliano” rant and not forgetting the whole “slave earring” debacle.

However in a positive note Franca Sozzani is doing something which we feel is admiral in all retrospect, she is promoting African fashion and culture with her main asset at hand which is the Vogue Italia magazine.

Franca Sozzani’s plan is to dedicate the May/June 2012 to African fashion. The issue will cover fashion and culture across 5 African countries: Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria and South-Africa. Our thoughts are that this will bring exposure of these fashion cultures to millions of people across the western world.
This is not the first time Franca Sozzani has used Vouge Italia to promote black culture, in the June 2008 edition she had filled the entire issue with only black models making it the first ever international magazine to do so.


“If you want people to buy your products they have to know who you are and what you have for sell,” Sozzani said at that hastily arranged and sparsely attended press conference. “By featuring African fashion and culture in the magazine we are going to help open up the continent to others in a positive way.” Franca Sozzani.

But Sozzani does not aim to stop at just there, she intends to make a platform for these designers to sell their clothing to the western world. A sort of AGOA for fashion designers.

“I’m not talking about charity and compassion,” she said, “but creating jobs for young people and making sure they can make a living from designing clothes.” Franca Sozzani.

Our note: We feel that this may be a massive game changer for Fashion in general. We always want to promote young up and coming designers, we should not be bound by race or colour (we are not living in the 1950’s anymore). Franca Sozzani is doing something which we feel is more than noble. Fashion is not continent bound and neither is creativity, if you look at African Culture there are endless amounts of history and inspiration which we can use in many walks of life, including fashion. We would love to see a unity of all nations and if it means that creativity and fashion is a means to start that then let it be.

article written by: www.frontpose.com