Alphadi (born Sidahmed Seidnaly 1 June 1957)
[Niger's Alphadi pushes African fashion to global scene]
Sophie Mongalvy (AFP). 2011-06-01. is a notable
Nigerien
This article is about the demographics, demographic features of the population of Niger, including population density, Ethnic group, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of t ...
fashion designer often known as the "Magician of the Desert". He is Mauritanian, from an upper caste lineage,
on both his parents sides. Alphadi was born in
Timbuktu
Timbuktu ( ; french: Tombouctou;
Koyra Chiini: ); tmh, label= Tuareg, script=Tfng, ⵜⵏⴱⴾⵜ, Tin Buqt a city in Mali, situated north of the Niger River. The town is the capital of the Tombouctou Region, one of the eight administrat ...
,
Mali
Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Ma ...
, but moved to his parents native Niger at a young age.
Alphadi studied at Cardon Savard Studios in Paris, started his label in 1984,
and his first haute couture line was released in 1985 at the Paris International Tourism Tradeshow. His line has since extended into
sportswear
Sportswear or activewear is clothing, including footwear, worn for sport or physical exercise. Sport-specific clothing is worn for most sports and physical exercise, for practical, comfort or safety reasons.
Typical sport-specific garments ...
and
perfume
Perfume (, ; french: parfum) is a mixture of fragrant essential oils or aroma compounds (fragrances), fixatives and solvents, usually in liquid form, used to give the human body, animals, food, objects, and living-spaces an agreeable scent. ...
. The Alphadi line, which has 'Complexe Alphadi' boutiques in
Niamey
Niamey () is the capital and largest city of Niger. Niamey lies on the Niger River, primarily situated on the east bank. Niamey's population was counted as 1,026,848 as of the 2012 census. As of 2017, population projections show the capital di ...
(on Rue Vox),
Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is ...
and
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...
In 1998 Alphadi was the one of the three African fashion designers to win the
Principal Prince Claus Award; the other two were
Tetteh Adzedu
Tetteh Adzedu is a Ghanaian fashion designer. He was born in 1949 in Odumase Krobo.Prince Claus FundJournal #2, page 40-41
Adzedu initially learned to be a tailor, and went on with a study in fashion design. In 1978 he graduated at the Ardis Scho ...
from
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in Ghana–Ivory Coast border, the west, Burkina ...
and
Oumou Sy
(Oumou Sy) (born 1952 in Podor, Senegal) is a Senegalese fashion designer frequently referred to as "Senegal's Queen of Couture"."Art of Africa: The 50 best African artists", ''The Independent'', December 1, 2006. https://www.independent.co.uk/n ...
.
In 1998, he created the first FIMA, the International Festival of African Fashion which was located in Niger. This event allowed African designers to come together with other international designers such as
Yves Saint Laurent,
Kenzo
is a common masculine Japanese given name.
Possible writings
Kenzō can be written using different kanji characters and can mean:
*賢三, "wise, three"
*健三, "healthy, three"
*謙三, "humble, three"
*健想, "healthy, concept"
*建造, "bu ...
,
Jean Paul Gaultier
Jean Paul Gaultier (; born 24 April 1952) is a French haute couture and prêt-à-porter fashion designer. He is described as an " enfant terrible" of the fashion industry and is known for his unconventional designs with motifs including cors ...
and
Paco Rabanne
Francisco Rabaneda Cuervo (born 18 February 1934), more commonly known under the pseudonym of Paco Rabanne (; ), is a Spanish fashion designer who became known as an '' enfant terrible'' of the 1960s French fashion world.
Early life and educat ...
. Since then, the event has been going on every 2 years.
Festival international mode africaine
France24, 2007-11-26. In 2007, he launched a new contest during the FIMA and Hip Hop FIMA Contest.
Alphadi maintains production facilities in Niamey and Morocco, and splits his time between homes in Niamey and Paris.
Awards
References
Alphadi Profile
*360° - GÉO (episode, TV5
Directed by Roberto Lugones, 2004. Country: Germany / France. Running time : 52'
External links
*
{{ACArt
French fashion designers
Nigerien fashion designers
People from Timbuktu
1957 births
Living people
Malian emigrants to Niger