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Looking closely at the clothing items sold in Amah Ayivi’s showroom reveals the extraordinary nature of his design process. He recovers clothes that arrive in Africa from Europe and the United States through charities, gives them new form and then sells them in France, where they’re considered to be of the highest quality and are highly appreciated by those who love vintage.
Every year, tonnes of clothes are sent to Africa from Europe and the United States. Italy alone sends over 150 tonnes and the second-hand clothing market in Africa, although born out of a desire to help poorer nations, represents a twofold problem. On the one hand, large volumes garments such as furs and winter suits simply can’t be reused and these unpurchased items increase the amount of waste accumulating in landfills. On the other hand, the problem is economic because, starting from the late 1980s, the inundation of the African market with second-hand clothes has caused its textile sector to plunge into a profound crisis from which it is still struggling to recover.
Ayivi goes to Africa several times a year to buy second-hand clothing – in fact 95 per cent of his production originates from markets in Togo. Starting from clothing discarded by Western consumers he tailors new creations which he then sells from his showroom in Paris. “We try with style not to educate, but to show people what you can do with what you have. Give it to me and I’ll show you how to wear it without buying another one”.
The African designer’s words, pronounced during an interview with British broadcaster BBC, sum up his philosophy. The Togolese designer adds that he finds unrestrained consumption in the fashion sphere inconceivable because, as he states: “Dressing is revealing oneself”.
It is precisely in his desire to leave a personal message that we find the essence of Amah Ayivi. Not only does he make clothes, but he tells a story through his garments, which by their very nature show how reuse and recycling can be key tools in overcoming social problems while still giving life to pieces of superb beauty and quality.
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