Guinean textile entrepreneur Mariama Camara has spent over two decades promoting African textiles globally. Her brand, Mariama Camara, has collaborated with major fashion brands such as Tory Burch, Ulla Johnson, LemLem, and EDUN. However, Camara now believes that the next phase of Africa's textile industry must move beyond global recognition towards ownership, stronger institutions, and greater economic value for the people who hold its knowledge.
Camara's journey in textiles began at a young age, watching her mother and aunt create textiles, a tradition passed down through generations. Her great-great-grandmother came from the Ghana Empire, while her maternal great-grandmother was a renowned textile designer in Kindia, Guinea. For Camara, textile is not fashion, but identity. In 2008, she co-founded the There Is No Limit Foundation with her sister to empower women and girls, and sponsor artisans.
A major breakthrough for Camara came in 2012 when she collaborated with designer Tory Burch. The collaboration took Guinean textiles to global markets, with her designs being showcased in Tory Burch stores worldwide, as well as in major department stores such as Bergdorf Goodman and Harrods. The collaboration also led to Camara becoming one of the first African textile makers to present handmade African textiles at New York Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.
Despite the success of her collaborations, Camara noticed a gap between the value of handmade African textiles and comparable international brands. To address this, she founded the Institute of African Textile, which aims to document, preserve, teach, and strengthen the continent's textile ecosystem. The institute has several pillars, including the African Textile Academy, the IE3 Museum of African Textiles, and IAT Magazine.
According to Camara, the gap between African textiles and international brands is not just about value, but also about confidence, marketing, and presentation. She believes that Africans need to learn how to package and present their work to the world. Recently, Camara participated in the 12th International Shibori Symposium in Basel, Switzerland, where she introduced the Institute of African Textile and its ecosystem.
Through the Institute of African Textile, Camara aims to empower the African textile ecosystem by strengthening knowledge, visibility, and opportunities for its makers. She believes that this can help create more than one million jobs, a goal she has set for herself. By building institutions and promoting African textiles, Camara hopes to give makers more ownership and economic value.
Camara's work has already had a significant impact, with her foundation sponsoring 300 women and empowering 37,000 people. Her collaborations have also helped bring "Made in Africa" textiles into major international markets, while keeping the women and artisans who make them at the center of the story. As the African textile industry continues to grow, Camara's efforts to build institutions and promote African textiles will be crucial in shaping its future.
Key points
- Mariama Camara is focusing on building institutions to promote African textiles and give makers more ownership and economic value.
- The Institute of African Textile aims to document, preserve, teach, and strengthen the continent's textile ecosystem.
- Camara believes that Africans need to learn how to package and present their work to the world to close the gap with international brands.
