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Fabric of the future: when Gabon revolutionizes Rafia in Osaka

Updated: Aug 4


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On July 26, 2025, the Cartier Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka was transformed into a unique haute couture stage. A 100% Gabonese fashion show unveiled a hybrid textile blending cotton and raffia, symbolizing an Africa that combines tradition, innovation, and sustainability.



A Cartier Pavilion transformed into a podium for renewal



Conceived as part of the artistic program directed by Madame Nina Abouna , General Commissioner of Exhibitions of Gabon, this event marked a turning point in the way in which Gabonese culture is exported.


For one evening, the Woman Cartier Pavilion abandoned its museum-like appearance to become a podium for the expression of identity. Each silhouette embodied a vision: that of a people transforming their roots into creative power, of a fabric becoming manifest, and of an assumed political strategy, where culture becomes a driving force for sustainable development .


This positioning is in line with the line driven by the President of the Republic, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema , who places the forest, traditions and Gabonese know-how at the heart of a model of sovereign and ecological growth.



An initiative of the Ma Bannière Foundation



Born from the initiative of the Ma Bannière Foundation , chaired by Mrs. Zita Oligui Nguema , this fabric made of raffia and cotton is much more than a textile product. It is a contemporary response to a double challenge: promoting natural materials and reviving local economic sectors.


Designed to be accessible, sustainable and culturally significant, this textile aims to incorporate Gabonese heritage into the uses of tomorrow , while stimulating craftsmanship and innovation.



Two Gabonese designers who are redrawing the contours of African couture Linda & Doriane Leet Cooper



To enhance this material, two iconic designers were called upon:


  • Linda , founder of L'Atelier Issé by Lita

  • Doriane Leet Cooper , artistic director of La Maison 3 Points



Their pieces, exhibited in Osaka, combine rigorous cuts, fluid lines, and symbolic depth. Each outfit offered a modern interpretation of Bantu codes, incorporating raffia no longer as an ornament, but as a central element of rooted luxury .


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Rafia: an ethical textile, an economic ambition



The cotton-raffia unveiled in Osaka is not just an aesthetic success. It paves the way for the structuring of a Gabonese textile industry , from weaving to manufacturing, including dyeing and design.


The Ma Bannière Foundation plans to involve cooperatives, artisans, young designers, and training centers. This is a way to relocate value and foster a low-carbon creative economy.



Gabon, pioneer of responsible Afro-futuristic fashion



By combining ecological requirements, cultural reappropriation and stylistic excellence, Gabon asserts a strong singularity in the international fashion landscape.


This parade was not just an event: it was a signal . That of an Africa confident in itself, shaping its own stories and markets. An Africa that embodies its values in the fabrics it creates.



Dr. Yoan MBOUSSOU

President of the NGO Gabon Terre Avenir



📸 Photo credit: Braddy Jordan / TRIPGABON



 
 
 

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