A needle in the desert
2014-2017 #photography #exhibition #press
Alphadi's dream began to come true on the edge of the Sahara Desert in 1998, when the first edition of the International Fashion Festival in Africa (FIMA) took place. A fashion festival in Niger—a country ranked last on the Human Development Index according to the 2020 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report—showcased the creativity and expertise of African designers and stylists so they could gain the recognition and respectability they deserve in the international fashion world.
Alphadi, known in the fashion world as "the wizard of the desert," is a visionary who dreams of transforming the African continent through the fashion industry, moving Africa toward a culture of peace and development.
During the week-long festival, in addition to the fashion shows and competitions, professional talks and debates also take place. In this ideal space for exchange, young African fashion talents establish relationships with prestigious designers from the continent or the diaspora. New networks are generated. The same is true for models, stylists, and artisans linked to fashion.
FIMA raises the possibility (and necessity) of creating a large African fashion industry that can be exported to countries in the North and that serves as a driving force for the development of African countries, even the poorest ones like Niger.
Over time, FIMA has adapted its format according to circumstances. In 2013, due to terrorist threats, the festival was forced to move from the spectacular open-air venue where the first editions took place to a closed and highly protected location. The 2015 edition was canceled at the last minute because the national army could not guarantee the event's security. The tenth edition of the festival took place in Agadez in December 2016, under heavy security measures. His motto was “education and industry for an Africa of interbreeding and peace.”
With this audiovisual project, carried out over several years, I invite you to reflect on the challenges and contradictions that the inhabitants of the Global South face during their development process. This is particularly true when innovative initiatives are implemented outside the boundaries of the development model imposed by the Global North and their interstate agencies, initiatives that also challenge the prevailing cultural and religious status quo in those countries.
