heritage day
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OkayAfrica
Sep. 24, 2019 12:53PM EST
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex during a visit a Heritage Day event in Bo-Kaap, Cape Town, on day two of the Royal couple's visit to South Africa. (Photo by Dominic Lipinski/PA Images via Getty Images)

Heritage Day 2019 Has Been Filled with Royalty and Stunning Style

Every year South Africans celebrate their cultural heritage by rocking traditional styles—these are our favorite looks from this year's celebration.

Heritage Day is a day for showcasing and celebrating the many different legacies, histories and cultures that make up South Africa. This year, news around Heritage Day was dominated by the royal visit, in particular the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, who has been spotted rocking looks by African designers, like the Malawian label Mayamiko during her visit. Yesterday, when the couple arrived, twitter was excited by Meghan's first words to the crowd, claiming she was there as "a woman, a wife, a woman of color and as your sister."

Today, South Africans were excited to share in Heritage Day celebrations with the English pair in the Bo-Kaap district of Cape Town, and the couple is scheduled to meet with Desmond Tutu in the evening. This is day two of the royal couple's Africa tour which they decided to kick off in South Africa.

But the excitement of Heritage Day 2019 didn't rest only with the visiting royalty. The day–also known to some as Shaka Day for King Shaka Zulu—had people all over South Africa stepping out in traditional garments celebrating their roots. One of the great things about Heritage Day is that it is an opportunity to truly see the plethora of cultures that make up the country. The different styles show the diversity of South African customs and the many tribes and traditions that call the land home. It is a day meant to share pride in who you are while admiring the pride others have in themselves–and people look super duper fly when they do.

While it is a holiday that has differing opinions as to its importance, many South Africans have taken to social media to show off what they're wearing and why, using the tag #HeritageDay. People celebrated at work, at school, with their families and more. We've stuck close to our screens and put together a roundup of some of our favorite looks from the day. Check them out below.






















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Image courtesy of Daily Paper

Wekafore Releases Fela Kuti Inspired Collab With Daily Paper

The one-of-a-kind 'The Spirit Don't Die' capsule collection celebrates African heritage and a hope for a brighter future.

Amsterdam-based African streetwear brand Daily Paper has joined Nigerian fashion brand Wekafore in creating a unique capsule collection of note. The 'The Spirit Don't Die' collection is inspired by fashion and Nigerian activism icon Fela Kuti, but celebrates the bountiful beauty, potential, and heritage of Africans.

Nigerian designer Wekaforé Maniu Jibril, owner, and designer of the Wekafore brand has been hot since his 2013 debut. The brand has gone on to become a great success within the realm of West African fashion. Wekaforé represents a newer, more fearless generation of African designers and their latest collaborative collection tells the tale.

Daily Paper x Wekaforé 'The Spirit Don't Die' collectionImage courtesy of Daily Paper


The two popular brands share a rich history and intention to further African fashion's reputation in the world, as well as as a shared desire for raw necessity, organic growth, and authentic community engagement, development and, support. The fashion brands are making it known that street and casual wear are more than we once thought - fashion can be inclusive and fun. The stars truly aligned to bring us this partnership guided by similar core values and the hunger to celebrate Africa and her diasporas through fashion.

The Fela Kuti-inspired collection is filled with distinctive and bold pieces, honoring Africa's past while paving the way towards the future. Wekafore is known for their clear integration of West Africa's 1970's cultural golden age, and this limited collection speaks to those themes, making it a no-brainer to dedicate the line to the legendary King of Afrobeat, whose style never disappointed. It's clear to see how Kuti's influence inspired the exciting and vibrant creative renaissance seen in the collection. On using Kuti as his muse, Wekaforé says, "Like Fela, the pieces are very punk, very psychedelic, and very African at the same time. And that represents me 100%. And I think being able to speak that way through a platform like Daily Paper is a testament to contemporary African consciousness."


Image courtesy of Daily Paper

Daily Paper x Wekafore 'The Spirit Don't Die' Collection

Check out more of Daily Paper x Wekafore's collection 'The Spirit Don't Die' collection here.

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