IMANE AYISSI

Imane Ayissi was born in Cameroun, the son of a family of artists and sportsmen: his father was a champion boxer, his mother had been elected Miss Cameroun in 1960 and his brothers and sisters are dancers and singers.
He was a member of the Ballet National du Cameroun and subsequently toured with singers and choreographers, such as Patrick Dupont, which involved travelling to the four corners of the world.

At the same time, he worked as a model, presenting the men’s collections of famous luxury and pret-a-porter brands such as Cardin, Dior, Lanvin, Givenchy, Yves Saint-Laurent and Valentino. He was also the subject of fashion features, advertising campaigns and artistic projects in fashion shoots by famous photographers.

But, above all, it is to his work as a couturier and designer that he dedicates himself.
He became interested in fashion as a child in the Cameroun (it was there that he made his first garments for his mother and subsequently for one of the largest ateliers in the country).

He collaborates on a regular basis with other luxury brands (he created a line of dresses for the presentation of the Swarovski collection of jewellery and accessories at the Carousel de Louvre in Paris in 2004), but also with more accessible brand labels such as Multiples (a French pret-à-porter label that sells at affordable prices) or La Redoute.

The garments of Imane Ayissi’s « Couture » and prêt-à-porter lines, meld African traditions and realities with western fashion. His collections, often featuring exotic evocative names (Voodoo Mood, Idoutt…) combine craftsmanship, materials and traditional African art inspirations together with his use of innovative fabrics. There is also often an infusion of typically African-style bricolage or recycling work with references to Parisian Haute Couture and contemporary creativity (Madeleine Vionnet, Cristobal Balenciaga,Yves Saint Laurent or Azzedine Alaïa are some Imane Ayissi references) to create a fashion targeted at an international public.

Imane Ayissi is also involved in fashion training projects and the creation of a textile industry designed to help foster economic growth in Africa and, in particular, in the Cameroun.