Africaincorp [Flagship]

2008
07.16

Conversation with the Founder of Fouka Riddim

Category: Interviews / Tag: Design, Fashion design, Haute couture, Saint-Laurent, Yves Saint-Laurent / Add Comment

Q: Could you introduce yourself ?

Nader: My name is nader, I am 17 years old , originally from the Ivory Coast I presently reside in Bordeaux a city in southwestern France. I am high schooler trying to figure out my dreams and ambitions.

Q: Where does the idea of starting a clothing brand come to a young man ?
Fouka Riddim: I would say that I have been thinking carefully about this venture for the past two years ( 15 years of age then) and finally a friend of mine by the name of camil joined me and we started to work on some design.

Q: What is the origin of the name Fouka Riddim ?

F.R: Oh ,it is very simple, being a huge fan of the Ivorian music genre COUPE DECALE , I used one of the catchword used in the songs for that matter the word ” Fouka Fouka”. I also figured that it is word that is probably known by many Africans the continent over. The word Riddim is just a slang version of rhythm which is the harmonious sequence of colors.

Q: How much of an influence did the COUPE DECALE movement has on you as a designer ?

F.R: Up until now the COUPE DECALE ,which has an allure and attitude quite different from let’s say the Street wear style, deeply influence our designs. For instance our first design was a printed Shirt with the map of the African continent made up of all the catchwords and lexicon the COUPE DECALE has to offer.
I must say that we try to maintain a fresh outlook on fashion , so we are open to different sources as long as they fit our vision.

Q: Do you feel that a street wear line would meet the needs of the COUPE DECALE public more inclined to wear Haute Couture brands such as Gucci[Euronext:PP],Fendi[],Chanel[Info],Burberry[Lse:BRBY],Comme Des garçons[Info] or Bespoke ?
F.R: I feel like we are at the beginning of a great journey, as all journeys we need to start somewhere, With a simple and affordable line we want to give our customer base the opportunity to have a quality product at a low cost for them. We would like to cover a larger range of designs and price from the lower hand market to the high hand market in the future.

Q: It sounds good to me ,any last word ?
F.R : It is only the beginning of a adventure I hope promising for all the people involved, Our slogan says ” AFRICAN DEJANTE” meaning Free-spirited African , we will see how far we can take our concept.