AIR AFRIQUE
All aboard with the new eponymous magazine empowering Afro-diasporic creativity with the support of Bottega Veneta
The Italian-luxury label Bottega Veneta has launched a new partnership with Paris-based art collective Air Afrique, a new platform dedicated to Afro-diasporic art and conversations. Named after the renowned pan-African airline that operated between 1961 and 2002 and co-owned by countries of Senegal, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger, Congo, and Chad; the title aims to transmit African cultural heritage and foster cross- border creativity.
The airline functioned as a significant vehicle for the projection of African soft power on the global stage. In addition to facilitating mobility between West and Central Africa and the Mediterranean and Atlantic regions, it actively participated in forms of artistic and cultural patronage, notably through its engagement with events such as the FESPACO film festival and the Dakar Biennale. From 1964 to 2000, the airline also published Balafon, an in-flight magazine produced in both French and English. Framed by the tagline “for a better knowledge of Black Africa,” the publication articulated a pedagogical and cultural mission, seeking to deepen passengers’ understanding of African histories, cultural diversity, and social traditions.
Air Afrique magazine, published in French and English, weaves archival material from the airline’s cultural patronage and contemporary cultural expressions from French, French-Caribbean, and African artists and writers. The magazine aims to transmit a sharp, precise aesthetic that reflects the African cultural heritage by combining the richness of historical contributions with the vibrancy of present-day creativity.
“Air Afrique was more than an airline. It was a cultural platform. We want to share the Air Afrique archive and create our own archive−to capture this moment of change in Black awareness and expression,” adds co-creative director Djiby Kebe.
Bottega Veneta will release a limited-edition series of blankets by Franco-Sudanese designer, Abdel El Tayeb, a designer in the Bottega Veneta studio. Specially commissioned by Matthieu Blazy to mark the relaunch, each blanket is a unique composition of the finest wool, silver leather, and shearling from the brand's archive. Under his personal label, El Tayeb combines Sudanese craftsmanship with Western tailoring in an aesthetic that mixes couture and ease. The label aspires to create a space for Afro-descendants to express their multicultural identity. The Air Afrique Afro-futuristic blanket designs are inspired by the vibrant patterns of the traditional toub dress worn by El Tayeb’s mother.
The Air Afrique collaboration exemplifies Bottega Veneta’s distinctive approach to print media partnerships−one rooted in the cultivation of new and revived cultural magazines. In 2022, the house supported the return of BUTT, the iconic publication centred on queer culture and sexuality. This strategy builds on a longstanding relationship with influential media, dating back to the seminal 1978 Interview magazine campaign, “When Your Own Initials Are Enough.” Within this lineage of meaningful creative alliances, Air Afrique emerges as Bottega Veneta’s latest marquee endeavour. Drawing strength from a rich historical legacy, guided by a clear and compelling mission for the present and future, and bolstered by the support of a globally influential patron of the arts, Air Afrique is positioned for both immediate resonance and enduring cultural impact.
All aboard with the new eponymous magazine empowering Afro-diasporic creativity with the support of Bottega Veneta
The Italian-luxury label Bottega Veneta has launched a new partnership with Paris-based art collective Air Afrique, a new platform dedicated to Afro-diasporic art and conversations. Named after the renowned pan-African airline that operated between 1961 and 2002 and co-owned by countries of Senegal, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger, Congo, and Chad; the title aims to transmit African cultural heritage and foster cross- border creativity.
The airline functioned as a significant vehicle for the projection of African soft power on the global stage. In addition to facilitating mobility between West and Central Africa and the Mediterranean and Atlantic regions, it actively participated in forms of artistic and cultural patronage, notably through its engagement with events such as the FESPACO film festival and the Dakar Biennale. From 1964 to 2000, the airline also published Balafon, an in-flight magazine produced in both French and English. Framed by the tagline “for a better knowledge of Black Africa,” the publication articulated a pedagogical and cultural mission, seeking to deepen passengers’ understanding of African histories, cultural diversity, and social traditions.
Air Afrique magazine, published in French and English, weaves archival material from the airline’s cultural patronage and contemporary cultural expressions from French, French-Caribbean, and African artists and writers. The magazine aims to transmit a sharp, precise aesthetic that reflects the African cultural heritage by combining the richness of historical contributions with the vibrancy of present-day creativity.
“Air Afrique was more than an airline. It was a cultural platform. We want to share the Air Afrique archive and create our own archive−to capture this moment of change in Black awareness and expression,” adds co-creative director Djiby Kebe.
Bottega Veneta will release a limited-edition series of blankets by Franco-Sudanese designer, Abdel El Tayeb, a designer in the Bottega Veneta studio. Specially commissioned by Matthieu Blazy to mark the relaunch, each blanket is a unique composition of the finest wool, silver leather, and shearling from the brand's archive. Under his personal label, El Tayeb combines Sudanese craftsmanship with Western tailoring in an aesthetic that mixes couture and ease. The label aspires to create a space for Afro-descendants to express their multicultural identity. The Air Afrique Afro-futuristic blanket designs are inspired by the vibrant patterns of the traditional toub dress worn by El Tayeb’s mother.
The Air Afrique collaboration exemplifies Bottega Veneta’s distinctive approach to print media partnerships−one rooted in the cultivation of new and revived cultural magazines. In 2022, the house supported the return of BUTT, the iconic publication centred on queer culture and sexuality. This strategy builds on a longstanding relationship with influential media, dating back to the seminal 1978 Interview magazine campaign, “When Your Own Initials Are Enough.” Within this lineage of meaningful creative alliances, Air Afrique emerges as Bottega Veneta’s latest marquee endeavour. Drawing strength from a rich historical legacy, guided by a clear and compelling mission for the present and future, and bolstered by the support of a globally influential patron of the arts, Air Afrique is positioned for both immediate resonance and enduring cultural impact.