Nomads seeking economic opportunities in the age of artificial intelligence. For fall, Stella Jean used that idea as an opportunity to reflect as she worked with women from the Malian desert. Just as people travel through a country, so does their creativity. In her showroom, Jean referred to ‘placing fibers at the center of the collaboration, consisting of hands and memories when nomads – displaced by forgotten crises – come together with the tribes living there, welcomed by wise, seated women.’
Substances can be a vehicle for trade, equal opportunity and conscious development. Using centuries-old textile knowledge, a group of Malian artisans, led by Madame Collette Traoré, found a temporary space for co-creativity with Stella Jean, called the Laboratory of Self-taught Craftsmen and Anti-Algorithms. “It is both craftsmanship and customization that brings Africa to Europe, and the north to the south,” says Jean. Her collection included narrow fabric strips woven by Malian artisans with motifs referencing their wanderings, violence and discrimination, alongside cotton poplin, thick wool and European Prince of Wales fabrics. Among the fabrics, Gaufré stood out: a thick cotton canvas dyed with tree bark and leaves, it is an exceptional resource and was a highlight of the collection.
