Looking to the catwalks of Paris or New York for inspiration is quite possibly doing it wrong, if Australia's biggest ever gallery show of African fashion is anything to go by.
The exuberant showcase of more than 200 garments, photographs and videos from London's Victoria and Albert Museum opens at the National Gallery of Victoria on Friday.
It's proof that the contemporary pan-African fashion scene is absolutely buzzing, according to designer Dr Christine Checinska, who curated the show for the V&A Museum.
"I want people to be overwhelmed, in a good way, when they encounter the richness, the diversity, the innovation, of all of the work that's on show," she told reporters.
"I think if we continue to only look at Europe and America for fashion direction and inspiration, we're absolutely missing out."
The exhibition has arrived via New York and Portland, and its Australian showing includes six new acquisitions to the NGV's textiles collection, as well as commissioned photographs of local designers by Melbourne-based Thomas Suleiman Tumaini.
It opens with a flagship attention-grabbing fuchsia pink silk and raffia outfit, a backless top styled with tailored trousers by Cameroonian haute couture designer Imane Ayissi.
The show then explores the importance of cloth in African design, with strip-woven cotton from Ghana and indigo resist-dying from Nigeria.
While the Australian fashion industry often appears to exist in parallel to politics, the exhibition shows how in Africa at least, politics and history are woven into the very fabric of everyday garments.
Fabric functioned as an expression of political identity as African nations achieved independence during the 20th century, with political parties commissioning designs for cheap-to-produce commemoration or propaganda.
While the Australian fashion industry often appears to exist in parallel to politics, the exhibition shows how in Africa at least, politics and history are woven into the very fabric of everyday garments.
Fabric functioned as an expression of political identity as African nations achieved independence during the 20th century, with political parties commissioning designs for cheap-to-produce commemoration or propaganda.
One cloth from the early 1990s, for example, celebrates the former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela's release from prison.
Also on display are three portraits by award-winning South Sudanese-Australian photographer Atong Atem, from her 2019 Studio series.
"...we're basically submerged and suspended in a thick air of politics and history that we can't escape..." her artwork description reads.
The exhibition includes fashion from 20 African countries, from vanguards such as Ghanian "enfant terrible" Kofi Ansah, Malian "father of African fashion" Chris Seydou, to Lagos-based Shade Thomas-Fahm - perhaps the Nigerian equivalent of Carla Zampatti.
It culminates with a circular room of exuberant contemporary designs, featuring couture outfits, streetwear and body adornment.
There's a seemingly endless spirit of experimentation with shape, colour and materials on display: one design by South African Leanie Van de Vyver is made from neoprene, rope, lycra and leather.
Another, by Cote d'Ivoire label Lafalaise Dion, is constructed from vertical strings threaded with cowrie shells.
Unlike many exhibitions, this one comes with a cracking soundtrack, and Checinska says Africa Fashion has already left a legacy.
"Most of the venues are using the show as a stepping stone to more equitable practice, to consciously celebrate African creativity," she said.
Africa Fashion is on at NGV International until October 6.
