Clothes Culture...

“Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society."
-Mark Twain

There are multiple directions that a discussion of this quote can follow. You could agree with it, arguing that clothes are the most obvious means for individual self-expression and actualization. You could heartily disagree with it, referencing another famous quote which declares that you cannot judge a book by its cover. But I am not interested in such nonsense. I simply wanted a clever segue through which to introduce a woman who is using clothes to have a positive influence on society. Her name is Sela Motshwane, founder of the Touch of Africa fashion enterprise. 

Last night, I went to a cultural exhibition held at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, in which Touch of Africa was displaying their garments and networking with other organizations related to Africa. It was the first time for me to meet Sela and to see the company's products firsthand (after having heard much about both from my good friend, Asha.) I was immediately impressed by two things: the vivid hues of the fabrics, and the humble ambition of the chief executive. It was impossible not to notice the vibrant patterns of the clothes against the stodgy formality of the library setting. And equally as unmissable was Sela's quiet confidence and belief in her endeavor. As I was snapping pictures of her collection, she was open to suggestions and wanted honest feedback, but I could tell she had already carefully ensured that the ingredients would make for a quality presentation.

Emmanuel College, site of the African organization exhibition.

Sela (on the right) along with her Touch of Africa operations administrator, Haile Warner.

Have you ever met someone for the first time, and the experience left you feeling like you wanted to know more? Like you had an inkling that the person was on the cusp of something big? Well, that has happened to me a lot over the past few months. I suppose Cambridge is full of extremely qualified people who have the massive intellectual potential to accomplish huge feats... that's why they are in Cambridge in the first place. It's a center for ideas and exchange and achievement. And sometimes, that can come off as cold and unemotional or purely mental. On the contrary, Sela possesses that unidentifiable "it" characteristic, but with a warmth that made me want to connect with her campaign.

Upon learning of her academic background in Archaeology, Entrepreneurship, and Plant Sciences, I concluded that she must be smart. She's been educated in three different nations - Botswana, South Africa, and England. So, why get involved in the fickle world of fashion? Her answer (in her own words) was that she wanted to "make a difference in international development and change the topic from aid to trade." See what I mean? I knew she didn't just want to make pretty clothes! By ethically sourcing every stage of their garments (the design, the raw materials, the labor, etc.) her company is seeking to generate jobs in previously disadvantaged communities in Africa.

Of course, over the past few years, the retail world as a whole has been warming up to the ideas of fair trade and higher standards of working conditions. As consumers, we are starting to favor companies like Tom's Shoes because we feel better about spending our money when we know that the corporation is doing some type of socially beneficial act on our behalf. I think as time goes on, we will expect an increased amount of responsibility and accountability in all of the products that we buy. When I asked Sela what distinguished Touch of Africa from these other existing brands, she said, "I think our brand if different because the garments have attention to detail, and they all have their own tribal influence, which means the tribes go global through fashion." I hadn't thought of that aspect yet: people groups on the opposite end of the world are given an economic chance to jump into a global marketplace and showcase their unique cultural perspective. I love the way the concept is worded on the Touch of Africa website: these clothes are the fair trade vessel that is "allowing them {African communities} to express their creativity and rise out of poverty on their own terms." And what eye-catching vessels these clothes are!

There is a wide variety of cuts and colors, from bold ethnic patterns to solid and more universal professional wear.

This dress is one of many available on the company website (http://touch-of-africa.co.uk). I would totally wear this with a pair of peep-toe espadrilles. And the tiered skirt is right on-trend with this season's color blocking fad.

I saw this pencil skirt in person at the exhibition, and I really liked two subtle touches that made it a twist on a classic staple: 1. In the center of the front waistline, there is an unexpected little "v"-shaped overlap, and 2. The rims of the pockets are lined with striped piping that adds a pop of interest without being too blatant.

These are only a handful of the stacks of fabrics that the Touch of Africa booth was highlighting at the exhibition. There were a lot of thick and durable linens and cottons, and I wholeheartedly believed Sela when she pointed to the high quality of her company's apparel. These weren't cheaply printed, flimsy polyester materials. Can't you just imagine that top brown pattern being incorporated into a man's button-up shirt? Or maybe a suit jacket lining?

And finally, I became slightly enamored with these sandals. They are neutral enough to be paired with mainstream styles, while still maintaining a distinctly African vibe.

It makes me genuinely happy to know that there are passionate people like Sela in the fashion industry who are trying to bring some humanitarian purpose to an often shallow and vain realm. Like Mark Twain said (and I'm paraphrasing), the well-dressed people are the ones who run the world. Wouldn't it be great to see more of those influential people dressed in ethically manufactured attire? I think they are definitely heading in that direction. Meanwhile, start-up businesses including Touch of Africa will help to accelerate the fusion of fashion and freedom.