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Contemporary Fashion in Dakar
Dakar, the capital of Senegal, is a major fashion center in West Africa. Contemporary urban designers in Senegal use fashion to help navigate and define what is traditional, international, and chic. Gold jewelry is part of the larger fashion scene. It is important to note that sañse, as a concept, is different from, and far more complicated, than fashion (mode), though they inform one another. In today's context, fashion can be thought of as more commercialized and commodified, whereas sañse is more dense and culturally entangled, involving ethical choices as well as aesthetic.
By probing notions of international fashion and localized practices of sañse, Oumou Sy's contemporary ensemble challenge long-standing conventional ideas that pit "tradition" against "modernity." Such dichotomies overlook the many diverse and overlapping influences evident in the dynamics of African style. "Traditional" clothing has always been a changing art form. |