Angelique Kidjo celebrates her birthday wearing a custom-tailored red gown featuring architectural raffia sleeves and a wrapped blue tie-dye headpiece.
If anyone can convince you to wear red raffia sleeves the size of small sculptures, it’s Angelique Kidjo.
To celebrate her birthday, the music legend shared a striking portrait wearing a look that reminds us why she has long been one of Africa’s most exciting style references. Rather than reaching for a classic birthday gown, she chose a sculptural creation by Paris-based Cameroonian couturier Imane Ayissi, whose work is celebrated for bringing traditional African materials into the world of haute couture. The result is bold, thoughtful, and unmistakably Angelique Kidjo.
At first glance, the rich crimson gown feels beautifully restrained. The high neckline and clean lines through the bodice create a sleek foundation that allows the craftsmanship to take centre stage. Then your eyes travel to the sleeves, and everything changes. Built from layers upon layers of vibrant red raffia, they burst outward in dramatic fan-like shapes, transforming a familiar natural fibre into something that feels sculptural and entirely unexpected. It is one of those details that keeps revealing something new the longer you look.
Originally published by Bella Naija.