Chris Seydou
Encyclopedia
Seydou Nourou Doumbia, known as Chris Seydou (May 18, 1949 - March 4, 1994), was a Mali
an fashion designer known for his use of traditional Malian fabrics, particularly bògòlanfini
(mudcloth).
Born in Kati
in Mali's Koulikoro Region
, Seydou lived part of his childhood in Ouagadougou
(now the capital of Burkina Faso
) before moving back to Kati with his mother in 1963. Even in childhood, he designed and created clothing to dress dolls and, in 1965, he became an apprentice of the tailor
Cheickene Camara at Kati. In 1967, he returned to Ouagadougou where he opened his first tailorshop. He soon moved to Abidjan
(1969) and then to Paris
(1971), where he worked first for Yves Saint-Laurent and then at Mic Mac with the stylist Tan Guidicelli. At this time he also met designer Paco Rabanne
.
Leaving in 1981, Seydou moved again to Abidjan, where he created his Chris Seydou line. For the new line, Seydou designed Western-style jackets and miniskirts from traditional African patterns and fabrics, marketing the clothes in the United States
, Europe
, and urban West Africa
. The designs are particularly noted for their pioneering use of bògòlanfini, traditional mud-dyed cloth.
Seydou returned to Mali in 1990, becoming good friends with soon-to-be-president Alpha Oumar Konaré
. In 1993, he founded the African Foundation of Fashion Designers, but died in 1994 following a brief illness. Atelier Chris Seydou, a group of tailors who worked with him in the past, continue to produce a bògòlanfini clothing line in Bamako
.
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
an fashion designer known for his use of traditional Malian fabrics, particularly bògòlanfini
Bògòlanfini
Bògòlanfini or bogolan is a handmade Malian cotton fabric traditionally dyed with fermented mud. It has an important place in traditional Malian culture and has, more recently, become a symbol of Malian cultural identity...
(mudcloth).
Born in Kati
Kati
Kati is a town made up of 37 communes in Mali's Koulikoro Region, about 15 km from Bamako, Mali's capital. It has a population of approximately 40,000 inhabitants.-Economy:...
in Mali's Koulikoro Region
Koulikoro Region
Koulikoro is a region in Mali. It is the second administrative area of Mali and covers an area of 90,120 km². Its capital is the city of Koulikoro.- Geography :...
, Seydou lived part of his childhood in Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou is the capital of Burkina Faso and the administrative, communications, cultural and economic center of the nation. It is also the country's largest city, with a population of 1,475,223 . The city's name is often shortened to Ouaga. The inhabitants are called ouagalais...
(now the capital of Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
) before moving back to Kati with his mother in 1963. Even in childhood, he designed and created clothing to dress dolls and, in 1965, he became an apprentice of the tailor
Tailor
A tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothing professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor took on its modern sense in the late eighteenth century, and now refers to makers of men's and women's suits, coats, trousers,...
Cheickene Camara at Kati. In 1967, he returned to Ouagadougou where he opened his first tailorshop. He soon moved to Abidjan
Abidjan
Abidjan is the economic and former official capital of Côte d'Ivoire, while the current capital is Yamoussoukro. it was the largest city in the nation and the third-largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris, and Kinshasa but before Montreal...
(1969) and then to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
(1971), where he worked first for Yves Saint-Laurent and then at Mic Mac with the stylist Tan Guidicelli. At this time he also met designer Paco Rabanne
Paco Rabanne
Francisco "Paco" Rabaneda Cuervo, more commonly known as Paco Rabanne is a Franco-Spanish fashion designer. He fled Spain for France with his mother when the Spanish Civil War broke out...
.
Leaving in 1981, Seydou moved again to Abidjan, where he created his Chris Seydou line. For the new line, Seydou designed Western-style jackets and miniskirts from traditional African patterns and fabrics, marketing the clothes in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and urban West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
. The designs are particularly noted for their pioneering use of bògòlanfini, traditional mud-dyed cloth.
Seydou returned to Mali in 1990, becoming good friends with soon-to-be-president Alpha Oumar Konaré
Alpha Oumar Konaré
Alpha Oumar Konaré was the President of Mali for two five-year terms , and was Chairperson of the African Union Commission from 2003 to 2008.-Scholarly career:...
. In 1993, he founded the African Foundation of Fashion Designers, but died in 1994 following a brief illness. Atelier Chris Seydou, a group of tailors who worked with him in the past, continue to produce a bògòlanfini clothing line in Bamako
Bamako
Bamako is the capital of Mali and its largest city with a population of 1.8 million . Currently, it is estimated to be the fastest growing city in Africa and sixth fastest in the world...
.