Khalalelo Sithole

African Canadian Coded Textile Collection

Textiles
A Fashion & Textile Collection encoding the erasure of African Canadian History

“The preservation of cultural identity and history has long been an issue for African Canadians. We know of Rosa Parks but not of Viola Desmond, former resident of Africville.This constant erasure and exclusion of our important history leads to an overshadowing of our identity in comparison to our American neighbors. If our history is unknown or hidden away, then our identity will be too. While you observe my work, you must look through multiple layers of meanings and symbols each print conveys. Displaying the hidden histories of both my cultures: the Zimbabwean Ndebele and the Nova Scotia Black Loyalists. Both cultures share a similar history of lost identity during times of oppression. Each garment tells a story embedded within the textiles. The coded collection is a representation of my identity and the erasure that has been placed on African Canadian history.

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African Canadian Coded Textile Collection
African Canadian Coded Textile Collection
African Canadian Coded Textile Collection
African Canadian Coded Textile Collection
African Canadian Coded Textile Collection
African Canadian Coded Textile Collection
African Canadian Coded Textile Collection
African Canadian Coded Textile Collection
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Grad Ex 105
2020, The Dora Wechsler Memorial Award
MAAD Program Awards
2020, The Craft Ontario Community Award
MAAD Program Awards

Work by

Khalalelo Sithole

Art & Design

“A passionate fashion and textile designer engaging in impactful print and pattern concepts. Her influences derive from modern trends and sociocultural themes through the use of dynamic compositions...” [More]