A VIBRANT AND INSPIRING CITY

ENERGY

You instantly feel the electric energy when arriving in Dakar. The hustle is real and bargaining is a must to be able to snag a reasonably priced taxi.

A ride on the newly paved roads funded and built by France will spark a lot of political conversation between you and your driver. Along with the new structures being built to accommodate the rise in Dakar’s ever growing population and to stimulate more tourism.

As you enter the city of Dakar, things intensify. This is what you’ve been waiting for and it does not disappoint you. It seems like Swarms of ebony colored men instantly encourage you to buy anything. It ranges from tangerines and peanuts to “fly emirates” t-shirts and flip flops within an arms reach; just through your taxi window.

NATURE

The beauty of this city, is that it has 2 faces. As you leave downtown, and approaches the marina (coastlines), the energy gets appeasing. Perhaps, palm trees, and the sea have calming qualities.  The wind leads the movements of the leaves on palm trees. Something very inspiring for this collection : The fluidity. Any elements of the natures becomes fragile, goes-with-the-flow of a simple blow of air.  Boys are playing on the beach. All dark-skinned  boys running after a ball, hoping to score a point. One just failed to reach the goal, and sits on the sand probably trying to replay his action in his mind.

Nearby,  there is a secret beach, hard to reach and very rocky. As you get closer, the noise of the sea can be clearly heard. The waves splashing against the rocks, and withdrawing slowly to the sea. Mother nature is a goddess and has not deprive this city of her most astonishing blessings.

These days the city is slightly dusty. The dust flying from the Sahara gives the glare of the sun a hazy effect and makes Dakar one of the top places to watch the sunset.  Very colorful, from Yellow, to Orange, to Pink… The shades off of the colors makes them one of a kind.  This grace inspired the collection. You could perceive shading in some of the pieces. It reflects and glow that life is not only Black and White but there are many others ways to it.

 Dakar has a variety of wildlife to be seen, but the bird watching is unique. There are 668 species of birds in this country. The island of madeleine, also called “Ilot Sarpant” is home of a lot of these birds.  : The great cormoran or the symbol of the island the Red-billed Tropicbird.

CULTURE

Every cuisine is available in Dakar but the seafood is exceptional. Also, traditional dishes like “Thiéboudienne” and “Yassa” chicken or fish are a must try. Be sure to wash that all down with a sweetened hibiscus drink called “Bissap.” – The charm of this, the dishes and drinks are colorful.  Adding colors to your meals.

Talking of colors, they explode everywhere from the women’s traditional dress to the beautifully colored structures and markets of the city. Colors is an essential part of the culture. This is why we wanted to represent vivid colors in this collection.  

How can one speak about culture and not mention the people. The people are some of the warmest in the world and you definitely want to mingle with them. Teranga is a word that you hear a lot. It's a Wolof word, meaning hospitality or welcoming generosity. It is at the core of their culture, and it's one of the many reasons that makes this city so special in my eyes. You will be definitely thoroughly entertained between the many things to see and places to go out socially.

PHOTO CREDITS : PAPE NDIAYE