Annansi Clothing Co.

Annansi Clothing Co. is a socially conscious clothing label based in the USA. The clothing label gained notoriety in early 2004 for its t-shirts combining Africa-themed graphics with a contemporary appeal. The name Annansi is a combination of the designer's last name and a reference to the West African Anansi folklore.

History

Annansi Clothing Co. was conceived and founded in 2003 by G. Kofi Annan, a young designer from Accra, Ghana. Influenced by Nigerian singer Fela Kuti, Annan began creating shirts which combined both African and American cultures. The Annansi Clothing Co. shirts were initially sold on the street in New York's Soho district, where it gained popularity. The company went on to get nominated for a Rising Star Menswear award by the Fashion Group International. The company has participated in several high-profile fashion events including fashion photographer Nick Knight's London Fashion Week project, the 2005 American Music Awards, and New York Fashion Week. The company has also been featured in i-D Magazine, Urbanology Magazine and numerous other publications. Over time, the company has grown to include jackets and some women's apparel.

Campaigns

Demand Details!
In 2005, Annansi Clothing Co. debuted its Demand Details! initiative. The initiative focused on using the arts to educate the public AbOUT the effect of blood diamonds mined in war-torn African nations. The initiative launched at the International Hip-Hop Film Festival with the debut of director Kareem Edouard's "Bling: Consequences and Repercussions", a short film about hip-hop's obsession with diamonds. In 2006, the company partnered with Sierra Leonean rapper Chosan for the Bling is Dead project, a spin-off of the Demand Details! program. The Bling is Dead project, which consisted of a Bling is Dead t-shirt and a song "Blood Diamonds", continued the campaign to pressure diamond dealers to stop buying and promoting conflict diamonds. The bling project was covered by BBC 1Xtra's DJ Semtex, Complex.com. SOHH, Highsnobiety, and numerous other media outlets.

Products

Annansi Clothing Co. has collaborated with numerous social awareness groups to address issues like AIDS, health, education, and blood diamonds. The company is continually ACTIVE in changing the perception of Africa and African people around the world.

References

• Interview with the designer

External links

• Annansi Clothing Co. official site
• Annansi Chronicles (company blog site)
• Bling is Dead/Demand Details! campaign site