About Me
Hi, I am Fanta from De Montfort, specialising in menswear and print.
My work is very centred around stories from the black diaspora. I like to say that my purpose is to re-create unique, untold histories and narratives through my processes. I try to combine nostalgia and newness together through my sourcing of second hand, dead-stock materials - adding an element of novelty through print and surface decoration.
My final collection is about the concept of being Afropean and my family’s journey in finding settlement in Europe as Africans. Born in the Netherlands and having moved around Europe, my family and I have always struggled to be accepted and to find a real sense of home and community. Looking into my dad’s experience, I learnt that his interest in football aided him significantly in finding a sense of belonging. No matter where in the world he was, whether he could speak the language or not, he could always find a relationship with people and places through the sport.
INSPIRATION
Football, central to every culture, plays an incredible role in people’s lives on and off the pitch.
Growing up with both my father and brother being massive football enthusiasts, I saw them connect with the sport and see it manifest within their clothing choices and their sense of belonging within society. My dad played for PSV Eindhoven national team between 1998 - 2000, as number 10 centre midfield. Using this as the base of my research, I looked at vintage football shirts from European football teams like PSV, PSG and utilised them as print and silhouette development.
When designing,I took references from the late Malick Sidibe’s photography. I think his work really resonates with me and is a unique documentation of freedom and hope in a time that wasn’t so joyous and positive. From this, I extracted key garment silhouettes and details like wide leg flared trousers, long exaggerated pointed collars and cuffs. Furthermore I experimented with clashing the sportswear with the iconic 70s inspired details seen in sidibes work to create a new spin on tradition.
MY WORK
PORTFOLIOS
DETAIL
I have really embraced the value of identity through the materials and clothing I have combined.
All the way through my childhood, my family and I would always send our hand me downs, clothes we no longer needed - to our families overseas in Africa. Instead of throwing them away, it would mean that the clothes are giving a new owner, and a new life. I have tried to emulate this philosophy throughout my collection in which, I have experimented with garments and giving them a new purpose. Using existing vintage football shirts, re-working them into my design alongside using recycled and deadstock material. I have also experimented with traditional techniques such as shibori tie dye onto second-hand football shirts to add a modern and a cultural element.
“It's a world, someone's face. When I capture it, I see the future of the world. I believe with my heart and soul in the power of the image.” -Malick Sidibe
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