Every week, Inside Africa takes
its viewers on a journey across Africa, exploring the true diversity
and depth of different cultures, countries and regions.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (CNN)The
country has an international supermodel. It has a world-renown
designer, a centuries-old textile industry, and its very own fashion
school. It's Ethiopia, and it's perched to hit the global fashion
industry by storm.
"I do see a trend of Ethiopian fashion going abroad," admits Mahlet Teklemariam, the organizer of Addis Ababa Fashion Week.
"(Fashion
in) Ethiopia in the past was mostly local. It wasn't known on the
international market," she notes. That, she says, is starting to change.
"A lot of international companies are
investing in Ethiopia. The Turkish have a lot of big companies
producing here and H&M are producing here."
Telling a story
Many
companies are drawn by Ethiopia's textiles -- stunning woven cotton
with a range of rich designs. However, there is also an increasing
number of homegrown designers hitting the scene.
Fikirte Addis studied child psychology, but ultimately the pull of her mother's sewing machine proved too powerful for her.
"I loved cutting (fabric)," she recalls.
"I had a box full of dresses that I would reuse." The self-taught
seamstress ultimately changed career, and she hasn't looked back. For
her, Ethiopian fabrics give new meaning to the concept of weaving a
story.
"When you look at (Ethiopian
fabrics), you might see, for example, the eye of an ox, which is bold
and beautiful, and has a lot of history in it," she says.
Addis' designs have hit the international market in recent years, and she's seen an increasing number of sales from abroad.
"The
industry is in the making. We have a very rich tradition, good stories
and amazing products," she says, adding, "I think we have a very good
shot."
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