A New Visual Dialogue: Sarah Diouf & Trevor Stuurman Reimagine African Legacy with Vlisco
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By PAGE Editor
In a campaign that feels both timeless and strikingly contemporary, Vlisco, the Dutch heritage brand synonymous with bold printed fabrics, launches the second chapter of “Icons Last Forever”. This time, the spotlight shines on Senegalese designer Sarah Diouf and South African photographer Trevor Stuurman, who pay homage to Malian portraitist Seydou Keïta (1921–2001), whose images of everyday life became enduring symbols of identity and pride.
Keïta’s portraits, often draped in Vlisco fabrics, captured a sense of ceremony in the ordinary, turning daily moments into icons. For Diouf and Stuurman, these images are more than history—they are a visual language that continues to shape African storytelling today.
The campaign unfolds at the Alliance Française de Kaolack in Senegal, an architectural gem and Aga Khan Award winner, where Diouf’s modern reinterpretations of West African silhouettes come alive in Vlisco’s vibrant prints. “My love story with Seydou Keïta started in the early 2000s… it was a new vibration, a new energy,” Diouf reflects. Her designs nod to tradition while boldly stepping into the present, celebrating craftsmanship, color, and cultural pride.
Stuurman, known for his immersive photography that elevates African identity on a global stage, captures the essence of Keïta’s legacy with his own signature flair. “Africa is no longer waiting to be seen. We are leading the way,” he says, infusing each frame with vitality, narrative, and audacious color.
For both creatives, “Icons Last Forever” is personal. Having grown up surrounded by Vlisco fabrics, the campaign is a return to roots—a celebration of memory, identity, and imagination. Each print tells its own story, connecting generations and bridging heritage with modernity.
Founded in 1846, Vlisco has spent nearly two centuries creating fabrics that transcend fashion, becoming cultural touchstones embraced across West and Central Africa. Through this collaboration, the brand continues to honor its legacy while demonstrating that heritage and innovation can coexist beautifully, each enhancing the other.
Sarah Diouf’s Tongoro Studio and Trevor Stuurman’s lens bring this dialogue to life, reminding us that icons—whether in fabric, photography, or spirit—truly last forever.
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