On Ventures Travel today, we feature Adama Amanda Ndiaye, the talented designer and entrepreneur behind the promising “Adama Paris” brand. The Senegalese was born in Kinshasa, Congo and today lives and works between Dakar, New York and Paris. As the daughter of diplomats, she grew up in several cities around the globe. Her brand is renowned in the African fashion world and she embodies the new millennium multicultural designer who reflects a mix of cultures and styles. Her life, split between African and European cultures, is a blend of cosmopolitan trends which rubs off on her identity and understanding of fashion. It is the spirit of the brand Adama Paris: elegant, African, and urban.
Adama Paris clothes young contemporary women at home anywhere in the world. Her collections elegantly bridges cultures without assigning itself to one. Rather, they repeatedly and creatively break through the limited picture of styles tied to a culture. Driven by her wish to share her understanding of fashion, the Adama Paris collection ran on all African fashion weeks as well as in Europe.
Ventures Africa had a chat with this remarkable African woman and here’s what she had to say about travels round the continent.
Q: How often do you get away and what is your favourite African city?
A: Thank you for having me; it is a pleasure for me to say few things about my travels around Africa.
To answer your question, I can travel 4 or 5 times every month. As a matter of fact, one of the most memorable trip I have had, this year, was my trip to Tanzania. Getting to Zanzibar was a great experience for me and, yes, I will do it all over again.
Q: Is it still fun for you to pack up a suitcase and head somewhere new? If yes, where would that be?
A: You know, I have come to realize that I am a bit less excited about packing my suitcase, most of the time, to return back home. There is always this question at the back of my head: “What if I could stay more at home surfing and golfing and take care of my family?”
Nevertheless, it is always fun to pack and head somewhere new. I would love to visit Australia, try their waves and do a bit of surfing in that part of the world.
Q: What are your style choices during getaway seasons? Have you ever experienced any fashion disasters while travelling?
A: I always travel with more than I need J and I have made a decision to keep my style casual. I find it very easy to get into a new space wearing a nice pair of jeans well paired with a cute t-shirt and a cool pair of sneakers. One always needs to prepare for few formal occasions, so my advice to any traveler out there is to include a fabulous evening gown, just in case.
The only few times I experience some kind of a fashion disaster is whenever the airlines companies lose my luggage. Other than that, I make sure I have everything I need in my wardrobe!
Q: Do you know of any African destination that is overrated? Give us your own review of this country…
A: To my opinion, Cape Town and Luanda are overrated!
According to me, these destinations are way too expensive in terms of food, hotel fares…pretty much everything is! I know couple of people who will disagree on this one, but they are allowed. That’s my personal opinion and I am entitled to it!
Q: Take us through your process of choosing your accommodation and making your food choices abroad… Have you ever dealt with a culture clash?
A: Normally my assistant deals with my tickets and accommodation bookings for professional reasons. I am the kind of person who likes comfort when it comes to food and lifestyle, in general. Some people have said I am a bit picky (it’s okay); so I usually would not be keen to try new things as much as I should… So far, this is the only issue I have experienced during my trips on the African continent and in the rest of the world.
Q: What part of the continent would you like to revisit should Africa’s tourism industry improve?
A: From an historical point of view, I have come to fall in love with Egypt and its very rich culture. Frankly, it is a pity that Egypt is no safer than it used to be. Hope things will find their way back to normal and we, fellow Africans, will experience change sometimes soon.
