When asked why there aren’t more people of colour in the Italian fashion industry, officials have cited a lack of candidates in homogeneous Italy. Five African-born designers in Italy want to put that view to rest with their inclusion on the official Milan Fashion Week calendar Sunday. Fabiola Manirakiza came to Italy after her parents were killed in her native Burundi in 1972. For her Made-in-Italy Kiza label, she incorporates patterns from her Bantu tribe, as taught by an elder sister, into her Western tailored silhouette, the influence of the Italian family who raised her. ‘’It is not just Italy that needs to see, it is the whole world,’’ said Manikrazia, whose creations were among those featured in the video presentation titled “We Are Made in Italy. Italy is Made of Us.”
Italian-Haitian fashion designer Stella Jean poses for a…