My interview with Farouque courtesy of Mrs. Askew |
Looking down on
the Indian Ocean as the sun rose from its depths, Farouque Abdela, the
self-proclaimed “2nd wonder
of Zanzibar” leered from his sun glasses atop the porch of his shop in Zanzibar.
As if he was turning back time himself, the fourth generation tailor from a
family of the like lit a cigarette exuberating the pride that comes from
pioneers of innovation.
His method of using recycled items such as
sacks, plastic bags, and other litter as material for his designs serves as a
precursor for Abdela’s innovative methodology.
Beyond
Abdella’s “green” approach, His work takes a spin on Masai and Egyptian culture
and design. ”I believe there is a link between the Masai and the Eqyptians”
Abdella explained. His work is heavily influenced by these two cultures.
“Their
physical features and style of dress captivates me, but it’s also about
preserving the culture, I admire the Masai Tribes’ preservation of their
culture through-out the era of colonism”. However, Abdela himself has been
involved, all his life, in preserving the initially neglected fashion and culture
of East Africa.
As a kid Abdela
was kept busy with tailoring tasks, he explained. Being born into tailoring he
recalls how he and his three brothers were called upon to help their father in
his tailoring “If we wanted something from our father we worked for it” Abdella
said as he put out his cigarette.
During the Zanzibari revolution in 1964 his
family left. It was then Abdella enrolled into the London College of fashion.
In his college
years Farouque was introduced to people of many different back-rounds and life
styles.
“Through this exposure to such varieties of
people I gained a diversified perspective” Abdella explained, as children ran
up his porch holding out their hands to him, Farouque pulled out a few pieces
of hard candy and handed it to them one by one before they jetted off. It was
also in school that Abdela made many of the relationships that would aid him in
his later endeavors.
After graduating
Farouque enveloped himself in his work and his efforts did not go unnoticed, in
1999 he was invited to return to Zanzibar for its film festival to do a fashion
show.
While in Zanzibar
Abdela was also called upon to aid the Zanzibar Association of People Living
with AIDS (ZAPLA). It was in this group that his networking allowed him to
create funding and infrastructure Abdella explained. “This was the beginning of
my group coordinating and my most successful charity event, among a few others”
More recently
Abdela‘s involves himself with Albinism awareness, down syndrome charity, and
cleaning up the environment “The bad, you can turn into good” He said.
At the Height of his career Abdela
was requested to showcase his work at the Paris Fashion week
“I was practically hysterical” He
recalls, “I wanted to make an impact” this was the debut of his Masai design.
It was here his work was acknowledged by Princess Diana. “She was a normal
person like anyone else” he explained.
Despite the attention and fame that
his work created, Abdela experienced his first taste of the racial divide of
these times which separated the white designers from him. “I received
significantly less coverage than white designers” he explained. Regardless of
this sobering experience Abdela recalls his Paris debut as “A life changing
experience” this was the moment that changed his self-concept he reminisced as
he pulled on his cigarette.
“Afterwards I sought to destroy
stigmas, restore self-worth, and individual thinking in my community through my
projects and works” Abdella concluded. His works run parallel to the underpinnings
of equality and a universal celebration of difference.
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