California Apparel News

Los Angeles designer Ahneva Hilson, known for her Afrocentric apparel creations, is taking on an expanded role as a distributor of African textiles. As a result, she hopes to help impoverished nations get off the ground while infusing new looks into the U.S. fashion market.

Hilson, also known as Ahneva Ahneva, has for years traveled throughout Africa to source materials for her “cultural couture” line, which includes eveningwear, bridalwear, sportswear and custom clothing. During these trips, she has learned about the continent’s apparel and textile industries, as well as its cultures and causes.

Hilson is also the executive director of African Bridge, a Los Angeles nonprofit organization that strives to improve the standards of living in Africa through sustained economic and human development.

Through African Bridge and her efforts as a designer, Hilson is trying to improve trade relations between Africa and the United States. Last month, she journeyed to Ethiopia on a trade mission at the invitation of the consulate general of Ethiopia and the Ethiopian/American Chamber of Commerce. While her primary objective was to source fabrics, she also learned about the needs of the local industry. Many workers, she found, are in dire need of educational tools and technology. To answer the demand, Hilson helped bring about 100 computers to Africa.

The textile and apparel industry is the third-largest industry in Ethiopia, where the average worker earns less than $100 per year. To overcome the country’s main foes—poverty and hunger—the Ethiopian government needs about $122 billion over the next decade.

The emerging fashion industry in Ethiopia may help the cause. Aside from Hilson, New York designer Gadol Ton and business partner and veteran apparel manufacturer Elias Meshesha of Konjo International are attempting to establish a new fashion college at Unity University in Addis Ababa. Ton recently staged a fashion show in Ethiopa based entirely on local fabrics. Meshesha said Ethiopia is for the most part an untapped market. Hilson agreed.

“The fabrics [called shema] are some of the best I’ve seen in all of Africa,” she said. “They’re all hand-woven. The cottons look like silks. There’s lots of sheen and color.”

A lot of the designs feature crosses, prayers and religious motifs reflecting the Christian community of Ethiopia’s production bases, which include Addis Ababa and Bahir Dar. But many are solids in colors such as green, gold and gray and others feature embroidery detailing.

“Some are almost like tapestries,” described Hilson, who loves the fabrics so much she has become a distributor for the Ethiopian textile industry. Prices range from $15 to $125 per yard. Hilson plans to feature them in a new collection. “I’d love to see these fabrics on an Oscar gown,” she said.

Hilson showed some of the early pieces during a fashion presentation in Addis. Nikki Legessi, president of the Ethiopian-American Chamber of Commerce, said the show made an impression with local officials.

“A lot of embassy representatives and trade groups were there and saw how she took the fabrics and used them for daywear, careerwear and eveningwear. “It showed the many possibilities,” said Legessi.

Sourcing in East Africa was not as much of a challenge as she had initially thought it would be. Hilson said she did not encounter any of the attitudes and obstacles she sometimes experienced in other African countries.

“I didn’t see the starvation or much poverty. I saw lots of construction and [traffic],” she said. “The Ethiopian people are some of the most beautiful and friendliest I’ve met.”

The local apparel and textile industry is made up of a number of state-owned enterprises and private- sector businesses. The country has only about five large-scale factories. The local workforce consists of about 30,000 workers. The main textile products are twill, poplin, canvas, yarn and terry cloth. Blankets, shirtings and knitwear are the main soft goods produced.

For more information about Hilson’s fabrics, call (323) 291-2535.