These luxury brands that unroll the red carpet to African artists<

Since the day when, at the age of 17, Gosette Lubondo held a little digital Olympus in her hands to document a feast of women in Kinshasa, she knew she would be a photographer.The 28 -year -old Congolese has now found her signature in transparency games giving a spectral aspect sometimes at a dilapidated station in the Congolese capital, sometimes to a school today abandoned, founded by a Christian congregation at thecolonial era.In 2020, it was in Champagne that she put her tripod, at the invitation of the House Ruinart.The brand, owned by the LVMH group, offered her an artistic residence during which she photographed the vineyards like the packaging of the bottles, and staged in the middle of the workers.These shots will be presented in November at the Paris Photo Fair, to the ephemeral grandpa.

Like Ruinart, who also ordered an advertising campaign in Gosette Lubondo, other luxury brands are starting to unroll the red carpet to African artists.Thus unprecedented collaboration in 2020 between Dior and the Ghanaian artist Amoako Boafo.Or the one -year partnership has been established since February between the Nataal media, dedicated to fashion and African creativity, and the luxury sales site Farfetch.New stage of this association, the publication, Tuesday, October 6, of photos featuring Afrodescendants based in Paris, dressed in Valentino in an urban setting where some of their works were hung.

Inclusive has long been the weak point of the luxury industry.But the big brands know this today, without a multicultural strategy, they are likely to alienate a black middle class that is gaining momentum.

« Un vrai tournant»»

Communication director of the Pernod Ricard spirits group, Olivier CAVIL remembers the perplexity of the business business when, in 2016, he asked Senegalese photographer Omar Victor Diop to take the photos of the group's annual report.The order coincided with the opening by the alcohol giant of seven subsidiaries in Africa and the hiring of more than 200 employees on the continent."Highlighting an African artist in such a normalized exercise as an activity report has challenged the felted world of CAC40 analysts," said, amused, Olivier Cavil, recalling that the advertising campaign "was one of thebetter in terms of fallout ”.The eighteen portraits of the group's collaborators were first exhibited as part of the Paris Photo Fair, before joining the Pernod Ricard collection.Olivier Cavil, who is considering calling on another African photographer in 2024 or 2025, is sure they have "accelerated" the career of Omar Victor Diop.

Today, luxury and fashion brands clearly have the ability to propel artists, as much, if not more than traditional actors that are museums, galleries or collectors.During the Fashion Week Men 2020 in 100 % digital format, the artistic director of Dior Men, Kim Jones, had thus presented, in place of the traditional physical parade, a video entitled "Portrait of an artist", partially devoted toAMOAKO BOAFO course."It is a return to the essence of fashion, which is also that of art and lies in the celebration of creation and a trajectory," observes Christophe Rioux, professor specialist in luxury and creative industriesat Science Po.

In his eyes, this operation detonates in a more used environment to borrow exotic and colorful patterns from Africa than to enhance its creators."Rather than yet another quotation or a sometimes ambiguous wink on the part of a brand," specifies Christophe Rioux, it is the deep imprint of an artist, a life and a workOn a luxury house."Amoako Boafo sees in the alliance with Dior" a real turning point "in his career."Being chosen to embody black culture, at this level, it was an honor," he confides, delighted with the international projector that the operation gave him.Lighting that did not leave Jeff Bezos indifferent: at the end of August, the richest man on the planet sent three works of the artist in the space welded to the external walls of his New Shepherd shuttle.

« Véhicule promotionnel»»

Do these partnerships serve the cause of African artists or the image of brands?Christophe Rioux admits it: "There is a danger of instrumentalization of African artists who have become easy sureties for brands, which could impact their artistic recognition in the long term."Art and culture director of Ruinart, Fabien Vallerian defends himself from any brand strategy, adding that" collaboration with Gosette Lubondo is purely artistic ".

The young photographer says also benefit from the benefits of the Ruinart carte blanche, unveiled a few weeks on social networks.Too bad if this work will be visible not on the stand of its gallery or in a museum exhibition, but in the vip lounges of fairs such as Paris Photo or Art Basel Miami Beach."This work remains seen by an audience turned towards art," she protests.

Gallerist Marie Gomiz-Trevize, creative director of Nataal, has always prompted her young talents to spawn with the fashion world."It all depends on how the operations are carried out," she says.When things are done while respecting their art, it can only be beneficial, it is a promotional vehicle not to be overlooked.»»