Picture: Narjisee Dubois
Brand Africa in the last years has been one of the topical issues on the continent. It has been discussed and prognosis of the subject put out by experts and stakeholders of the sector.
During the 11th Tourism Investment and Business Forum( Investour) organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Madrid, Spain, one of the panel sessions once again, discussed in detail ways in which Africa can use its best draws to promote the continent.
Business Development Manager of Fadila El Gadi, a luxury fashion Design line in Morocco, Narjisee Dubois on the panel session espoused reasons why Africans should be proud of its traits. She said, through creative designs Africa can show the authentic diversity of the continent.
She believes a society can be represented well with their traditions and the things that make them unique.
“It is important Africa show their identity, they show that they are authentic, they show we still have a part of cultural heritage that is very important and is anchored in the know-how and how we dress and also how we act, and interact with people” she said.
She said people recognise the part of African creativity that makes its people stand out.
Dubois also stressed the need for Africans to share the creative part of their culture “ and when we do, people really appreciate it because generally in the developed countries, they have lost touch with the craft that are manual craft and so lost touch with the tradition and part of the culture.”
“So they come into Africa to look for this kind of pieces and that’s why African brands have success, because they are creative, they are young and they are also embracing tradition as much as they are embracing modernity and I think it’s very important to their creativity,” she stated.
