In a recent New York Time story, students and designers talked about the emergence of “kaleidoscopically colorful African prints” for prom.
A new generation of high school students has embraced a bold, colorful style of prom dress that recalls their African heritage. Not surprisingly, they’re sharing the new looks all over social media.
“More often than not, red carpet is Instagram, where, grouped under hashtags like #blackgirlmagic and #blackgirlsrock, they celebrate their fashion sense, and their heritage, in kaleidoscopically colorful African prints,” according to a recent Style section story in The New York Times.
“The trend stems today from the larger culture of black women embracing themselves and their beauty,” Veronica Wells, an associate editor ofMadameNoire, a web-based style guide for young black women, told The Times.
Demand for African-inspired dresses has been “growing for the past two or three years,” Kimberley Mensah-Aborampa explained to the newspaper. Her Ghanaian-pattern special occasion and prom gowns sell on Etsy for about $90. In Ghana, “these patterns aren’t special,” she said. “But here African prints for prom dresses are the in thing.” Read more.
