fashion: french-congolese designer natty kongo and his collective monde nouveau

Check out the designs of French based clothing brand Natty Kongo Création – the brain child of French-Congolese Designer Natty Kongo. Kongo tells us: “I’m a young Congolese designer who grew up in France. During a trip to Kinshasa, an ancestral vision was revealed to me by elder Mangongele, which inspired the creation of an artistic concept and clothing line, as a tribute to our African heritage. So I had the idea to develop a style connected to this philosophy, defining “Un Monde Nouveau” (A New World), based on freedom of thought, freedom of creation. For my clothing line Natty Kongo Création I use the material Rafia, ancient scriptures, kemetic symbols, and with the help of professional tailors we create an alchemy using these material and current trends. That’s what I call “clothing therapy”, through revaluation of ancestral art, to bring new life to this third millennium. There is also an artist collective around me called “Monde Nouveau” (musicians, cooks, etc.), which includes, among others: STAFF BENDA BILILI from Congo, Apollo J from Guinée, Tiwony from Guadeloupe and Cameroun, Stevy Mahy from Guadeloupe, Mik Flo Ashanti from New York, Difanga from Cote D’ivoire, Fdy Phenomen from Martinique, Sista Clarisse from Congo Brazza, Jupiter&Okwess from Congo, Takana Zion from Guinée,T urbulence from Jamaica, Straika D from Martinique, Dead Prez from New York, Rodrigue Ballon (Kimbo, cook) from Guadeloupe.” Explore below.

By Alexander Aplerku, AFROPUNK Contributor