Words by Netzayet Itzea & Alyssa Klein

The fashion of Malagasy stylist Coco Masombika merges the past and present with a marriage of traditional embroidery that combines cotton, linen, wool, mulberry silk and Madagascar's natural pigments. "Madagascar is rich in color, culture, and recycled materials," she tells Okayafrica. Her work, she mentions, is "drawing, painting and finishing with a relentless search for new materials and patterns." For Masombika's 2015 collection, she's teamed with French photographer David Bioux on a vibrant outdoor shoot. Bioux, who only took up photography after relocating to Madagascar in 2012, tells us "Malagasy designers are very creative and above all very active. The capital has no shortage of parades to present new trends and collections by these talented artists." He cites 20+ year veteran Pierrot Men and Rindra Ramasomanana as two of the country's biggest photographers, along with Nanouh Rahajason and Hoby Ratsimbazafy. See photos from Coco Masombika's 2015 collection shot by David Bioux above.