The Afrique Belle Collection by Kiebiely Design was a beauty to behold. It featured designs of gowns popularly known as boubou and Kimono jackets. The Afrique Belle collection was showcased at the just concluded Warri Fashion Lifestyle Festival 2024 which also doubled as an attempt to have 100 hours non-stop fashion show. The event was meant to break a Guinness World Record for Non-stop Fashion Show and it was held from the 22nd of April 2024 to the 26th of April 2024 in Warri, Delta state.
These beautiful boubou gowns and kimono are made with Adire and Kampala fabrics. The boubou gowns are well-known by young adults as the ‘rich aunty’ dress because of the looseness of the fabric on the wearer’s body. It loosely resembles a female but looser version of the Jalabia. The Boubou now serves multiple functions from party dress to maternity gowns or even loungewear. The Adire fabrics used are the soft ones that look like they are made from silk. These types are flowy and can make any woman look regal and rich. The Kampala Fabric which was used to make the kimono appears to be less thick, quite comfortable and lined with rayon. The Kampala Fabrics are often known for their glossy look and are often stiff to the touch.
The colours in this collection are quite soothing. Adire fabrics are often made in single colours or mixed colours on one fabric. Some of the designs in the Afrique Belle Collection are available in Brown, Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, Pink/White, Navy Blue and Carton Brown. The Afrique Belle could have done more with colours and Boubou with embroideries for the older Women who may be interested too. Kiebiely Design had good intentions for making the collection and presenting it at the Fashion Festival, but they could have made more provisions for more colours and sizes, this is because available sizes seem to be for only slim women. If there were more designs for plus-size women, it was not made known but hopefully, this is rectified with their next collection.
It is no news that designing can be a really difficult thing to do, however, one should be mindful of the same people one is serving. It is equally understandable that there is room for having a niche but then, the niche can be so well-developed that every woman who is in the pool of those the brand plans to serve can at least find something that works for them. Kiebiely Designs did a good thing with the Afrique Belle Collections, but things can be better in the next collection they release.