GoSee Book Tip : ‘Pathé’O: Revolutionary Pionier of African Fashion’ - the turbulent life story of an African fashion icon (Edition Patrick Frey)
This book traces the extraordinary journey of Pathé’O, known for combining cultural commitment with entrepreneurial creativity. The fabrics and cuts crafted by a man who once tailored shirts for Nelson Mandela are considered ‘emancipatory statements’ according to NZZ.
Pathé’O’s fabrics are his trademark, and like no other, he is skilled in fusing global fashion trends with the breadth and depth of African textiles and knowledge, thus keeping the local heritage alive and continuously contributing to its evolution. The book published by Edition Patrick Frey is bound in fabric, which was produced by Pathé’O’s dyers for this purpose.
The craftsmanship of his creations enable a better understanding of the spectrum of fashion in West Africa, merging a global present with a rich cultural heritage. The book explores topics ranging from the fashion and textile industry to labor migration, cultural heritage, politics and showbiz, while bridging the past and present.
Pathé’O is an African fashion icon. Originally from Burkina Faso, he is known far beyond his adopted place of residence, Côte d’Ivoire. The designer’s visionary legacy has been influencing the aesthetic standards and experience of fashion on the African continent for more than 30 years and has also led to a recent collaboration with the fashion house Dior.
Designers are inspired by his distinct design aesthetics but also by his progressive approach to sustainability. For quite some time, it was common for politicians and celebrities of former French colonies in West Africa to dress in Western fashion. Pathé’O approached his work with the clear intention of raising appreciation among Africans for a local fashion style and industry.
During the 1980s, Pathé’O became friends with Thomas Sankara, the President of Upper Volta, later Burkina Faso, and a proponent of Pan-Africanism. Pathé’O was heavily influenced by Sankara’s decisiveness to promote local pride and cultural heritage, and from this point on, he solely relied on using locally produced fabrics. His creations became a contemporary tribute to cultural heritage, history and identity.
A further prominent encounter Pathé’O experienced was with Nelson Mandela, who was the first African president to choose his vibrant designs and light cotton fabrics over a Western business suit. And he was soon to be followed by other heads of state, as well as celebrities and sports stars, and of course, Madame et Monsieur Tout-le-Monde.
Design: HAMMER, softcover, cloth binding with cotton batik fabric, 21 x 28 cm, 462 pages, 360 color images, € 68, ISBN 978-3-907236-23-9 Edition Patrick Frey
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