Cameroonian fashion designer Imane Ayissi is making her mark with her SCAD – Essence exhibition

Designer Imane Ayissi is gracious when I arrive to tour his new exhibition in a pristine space on the Atlanta campus of Savannah College of Art and Design. In a dedicated space at the SCAD FASH Fashion and Film Museum, I am greeted by Ayissi, his brand manager Jean-Marc Chauve, and SCAD FASH creative director Rafael Gomes. During the tour led by Jean-Marc and Ayissi, I came to the conclusion that the exhibition is a labor of love that came from this trio. Imane Ayissi: From Africa to the world it is also intended to be a tribute to Ayissi, who comes from Cameroon. The exhibition consists of 43 looks, sketches of each team, Ayissi’s personal works of art and, finally, the spirit of joy. The latter is crucial, especially considering the uniqueness of the space that was chosen to highlight the designer’s talent.

The final element of this space is a velvet dress that Ayissi designed in the 1980s for his mother, Eyanga Ayissi. He says she is one of his original muses. Her style was recognizable and he says she proudly wore the dress to attend a special Cameroonian National Day evening with the designer’s father. Ayissi explains that his father, a boxer, found the material of the dress during a trip to Nigeria. He adds that he wasn’t sure what he was doing, but he persisted and sewed directly to the fabric and his mother. This is one of his fondest memories from his youth.

He coexisted in a family of boxers and dancers. Since he had a family full of creative ideas, he soon followed in his footsteps and started dancing as well. Ayissi details that his siblings had strong personalities. According to the designer, his mother’s elegance, in addition to her external and internal beauty, also led him to design – in 1960, she became Miss Cameroon, which was a huge honor that should not be underestimated. Ayissi also recalls her work for Air France, which led her to wear elegant outfits that were suitable as workwear at the time. Her influence carried him through the years and continues to influence his work today.

He then designed dresses for his sisters and household members. Ayissi’s penchant for transforming past designs into clothes led him to run his eponymous house. His path to this job was a calling. He says that before he started working with his hands to create couture gowns, he was amazed by the beauty of his mother’s clothes.

Designing was his way of expressing himself, especially since he spent time sketching as a child. He eventually joined the National Ballet of Cameroon, which allowed him to tour internationally, working as a model. Throughout his time as a model, he has worked with fashion houses such as Yves Saint Laurent, Dior, Lanvin, Valentino and more.

Over the years, his projects became the most important to him – in 2001 he founded his eponymous label. Ayissi must have felt special when he received the invitation to present his spring/summer 2020 collection as a guest of the Chambre Syndical de la Haute Couture. The decadent designs in this collection titled “Akouma” consisted of gowns and gowns crafted with extreme attention to detail – he became the first designer from Sub-Saharan Africa to be invited to the Haute Couture calendar in Paris after his presentation. Look 22 which is part of From Africa to the world presents a black floral dress made of hand-dyed Obom bark fabric from Cameroon. Swarovski crystals are intricately arranged.

What strikes me most about the exhibition is Ayissi’s transformation of fabrics associated with the African continent into exquisite couture designs. The distinctiveness of his works is ethereal. Take, for example, the fourth look from his fall/winter 2019 collection: an evening dress made of silk taffeta and cotton tarlatan, decorated with silk taffeta appliqués and lined with cotton canvas. The rich shade of magenta elevates the look even more. Another standout item is a dress from his Spring/Summer 2020 Haute Couture collection, made from organic Faso Dan Fani cotton, handwoven in Burkina Faso. This Ayissi design is elegantly structured, breathing new life into the connotations associated with this historic fabric.

With 43 different projects, the exhibition is robust and avoids repetition. The space is divided into sections showcasing various dresses and outfits. One section focuses on black patterns made from African textiles, while another highlights the extensive use of raffia. The black segment of the exhibition illustrates the interaction of shade with shape and movement, accompanied by written commentary. It is worth noting that some of the visuals feature Ghanaian kente patterns in black, offering an exciting perspective that challenges viewers. The idea is that those who walk through the space will understand how many hours went into creating the designs they see first-hand.

The raffia section is a sure-fire way for viewers to understand the standards Ayissi has set in terms of design. Take his custom piece created for Mrs. Angelique Kidjo – it was made of magenta silk combined with Radzimir viscose and natural raffia, which appeared in green – the raffia came from Madagascar. Lined with cotton, Ms. Kidjo wore this design to the 2022 Grammy Awards.

An additional raffia pattern that is equally poignant is the Haute Couture look from the Ayissi Fall/Winter 2023 collection. It was probably one of the most vibrant elements of this space – it consisted of a jacket made of raw Cameroonian raffia in brown and a diagonal skirt made of silk crepon.

Fabrics, materials, shoes and sketches are paintings that Gomes saw during a visit to Imane Ayissi’s salon. Works of art that Ayissi had collected in the past and that were in the living room were also used in the exhibition’s set design. All these elements served as inspiration From Africa to the world and led to flow as you move through a space consisting of multiple rooms.

Even before our conversation ended, Ayissi emphasized the importance of his participation in the exhibition. He said that after visiting Gomes several times at his showroom in France, he felt that Gomes truly understood the beauty and aesthetics inherent in his work. The designer’s willingness to trust Gomes resulted in an incredible compilation. Although editing the look was a difficult process, it ultimately resulted in a concise show that fully showcased Imane’s works through raffia, textiles and other distinctive sections. “It was a lot of work and a process,” Ayissi said.

In an interview, Gomes said that he felt the exhibition was a huge gift. He is proud to have played a significant role in Imane’s first museum exhibition. “We have been following Imane for many years,” he said. Gomes adds that giving SCAD students the opportunity to see Imane projects in the United States cannot be underestimated. He notes that the program also celebrated Imaen’s 20th anniversary of founding his home. We couldn’t think of anything more fitting to celebrate this feat.

Imane Ayissi: From Africa to the world is a testament to SCAD’s ability to showcase the innovations of global talent beyond their everyday lives – the result is extensive and valuable documentation of Ayissi and his work. It also undoubtedly provides an above-average connection between the African diaspora and the Western Hemisphere.

The exhibition “Imane Ayissi: From Africa to the World” is on view at SCAD FASH until February 23, 2025.