Culture Couture

Niger designer Alia Baré, also the daughter of a former president, is working to weave together a positive narrative of her country through fashion.

- Oluwatomisin Amokeoja

From gracing the runways of Joburg Fashion Week for African Fashion International (AFI) in South Africa to unveiling her latest collection in Lagos, Nigeria, Alia Baré, the fashion designer from Niger, is on a mission to democratize Made of Africa' fashion, ensuring its accessibility to the everyday African.

The daughter of former Nigerien President Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara, Baré, always attuned to feedback, shares insights with FORBES AFRICA during her second visit to Lagos, having been there 14 months prior.

Fascinated by the allure of fashion at 17, she attended the International Festival of Fashion in Africa (FIMA) with her parents in 1998 - a transformative experience kindling her love for the industry. "I have always been interested in fashion but looked at it from afar as it was intimidating for a young African girl, given the perception of fashion as something superficial. FIMA, in the middle of Niger's desert with famous designers like Kenzo showcasing under the stars, left me with deep memories," Baré shares.

However, it took a career shift 15 years later, enrolling at the Raffles Design Institute in Singapore, for Baré to heed the call of her creative instincts. "It took me many years, a banking career that was unfulfilling, to realize that I needed to follow this inner voice for creation. At 32 years old, with two toddlers at home, I registered for a full-time diploma in fashion, and to date, have never regretted it."

Baré's design style bears the imprints of her diverse experiences in Senegal and India. "I fell in love with the diversity of fabrics and colors in India during my three years there." The majesty and feminine characteristics of the Asian aesthetic resonate in her creations, drawing a parallel between Asian and African cultures in craftsmanship and values.