1.

Amoako Boafo X DIOR homme

Based in Vienna, Austria but originally from Ghana, portraiture and figurative painter Amoako Boafo has become a darling of the contemporary art scene: in just over a year, he went from unknown artist to an industry star, showing his pieces at Miami’s Art Basel and commanding thousands of dollars for a single painting (last year, his piece titled The Lemon Bathing Suit sold for an astounding $881,432). And it’s no wonder—Boafo’s portraits are mesmerizing. The skin of the figures he paints is rendered in swirling, earthy shades, large brushstrokes creating an almost abstract effect. Director of Dior Homme, Kim Jones, has clearly also found Boafo’s work captivating, as he invited the artist to collaborate on a collection for which his paintings would serve as the foundation. Titled Portrait of An Artist, Jones’ and Boafo’s SS'21 collection for Dior Homme is an eye-catching blend of prints and colors featuring tailored sweaters printed with Boafo’s art and other sartorial interpretations of his imagery. “In many ways,” Boafo told Vogue, “the fashion and art worlds are similar. They convey genuine messages about being, and self-worth, much of which aligns with why I create—to elevate individuals and to define oneself.”

3.

Esther Mahlangu X Carol Bouwer

The inimitable Dr Esther Mahlangu is a South African icon, a formidable figure and force of nature who has dedicated her life to putting the patterns and traditions of the Ndebele people—an ethnic group native to the north-east of South Africa—on the map through her beadwork, murals, and canvases. Reds, yellows, blues, greens and pinks, the traditional colors of Ndebele painting, burst forth from Mahlangu’s pieces, the shapes, symbols and shades conveying a reverence for her own culture. And though the now 85-year-old painter has lent her artistic talents to brand collaborations before (a BMW Individual 7 series car she painted for the German automotive company was exhibited at 2016’s Frieze Art Fair), her more recent partnership with South African luxury handbag line, Carol Bouwer Bags, connected fashion, art, and luxury in the most organic way. Crafted from locally and ethically sourced python, ostrich, and crocodile skin, the limited edition of 50 circular shaped purses is emblazoned with what’s become Mahlangu’s signature, colorful style, and serves as a testament to Africa’s knack for innovation that honors tradition.

5.

Karabo Poppy X Rich Mnisi

With a body of work that defies convention, popular South African illustrator, graphic designer, and street artist, Karabo Poppy Moletsane’s aesthetic is unmistakable. An energetic blend of strong line work, brilliant colors, offbeat font, and singularly South African inspirations, her pieces are a portrayal of a contemporary Africa that’s youthful and brimming with potential. It's a sensibility that’s perfectly aligned with that of designer Rich Mnisi. The two creatives’ love for their homeland and out-of-the-box design practices come together beautifully in their 2020 collaborative capsule collection named "Running Errands". And if you thought that name was but a metaphor, think again, because that’s the precise purpose for which Mnisi and Moletsane created this collection: running errands. Containing comfortable and casual everyday pieces—including a hooded sweatshirt, cropped joggers, and bucket hat—the collection embodies an effortlessly cool, laid back aesthetic, one that Moletsane states “combines different artistic styles intersecting multiple identities, just as complex as our country with diverse people and cultures puzzled together.”