Papama Ramogase, a designer from South Africa, uses fashion as a social movement.
Africa. Your. time. Is.Now. Five words on one t-shirt. That's all Papama Ramogase needed to trigger a movement that went from Johannesburg to the whole world. The South African fashion designer's t-shirt is worn by people of all nations and all ages. Africans, non-Africans, women, men, children, seniors.
"'Africa Your Time Is Now' is not a fashion statement," says Ramogase. “It's meant to break down stereotypes, it's supposed to spark discussions about issues like identity and Afro-optimism. AYTIN is a call for people across Africa to become aware of who they are and what they can do. We have talent, we have skills, we have raw materials, we have everything. But we didn't believe in our strengths for far too long.” No wonder, says Ramogase, that 'Made in Africa' is not associated with modern design, but with traditional craftsmanship.
In 2016 she founded 'Butter Pudding', a fashion label for children. Their first daughter had just been born and Ramogase wanted baby clothes that looked special but were practical at the same time. What she found was too expensive for her - so she designed what she was looking for herself. “Our children are drilled into certain ideals of beauty. I want to strengthen children's personalities with fashion that is out of the ordinary. We have to show them how important it is that each of us is a completely different person.”
