Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko like to wear clothes inspired by the traditional boubou that also borrow key details from Western fashion.
“Clothing-wise, he beats every other president in the world.” “His tailor should be get a medal.” Every time one of Senegal’s ruling duo makes an appearance, social media goes into a frenzy of praise for the fashion styles of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. “Now I have customers who come with a photo of the president and ask for his outfit,” laughed a young tailor in Dakar.
“The tastes of the two political leaders are similar to what appeals to young people,” said designer Xalil Cissé. The style in question, called “tradi-modern,” has been trendy for the past 10 or so years. Ousseynou Owens Ndiaye, the designer of the Owens brand, is one of the tailors who has been dressing Prime Minister Sonko since 2016.
“Ten years ago, young Senegalese men only pulled on ‘traditional’ attire for special occasions and religious holidays,” he said. Today, tradi-modern is on young executives and employees everywhere, in offices, trendy bars and mosques.
“Tradi-modern borrows from the classic wardrobe to make it more urban, more suited to everyday life than the traditional boubou,” said Owens Ndiaye. Its quintessential garment is the “demi-saison” (half-season), with a round or Mandarin collar, a length slightly longer than a shirt and a “zipper” a row of buttons that starts at the collar and stops at the chest.
Playing with dress codes
Cissé sees it as a kind of hybrid creation: “It’s reminiscent of the bottom piece of the traditional boubou, but shortened. While the classic piece stops at the ankles, the demi-saison comes down to the mid-thigh or the knees.” A pocket appears on the chest to give it the look of professional attire. Buttons inspired by the North African djellaba can be put on the bust and European-style cufflinks on sleeve ends. Tailors aren’t shy about adding yokes of African fabric, bogolan or wax to a sober tunic.
Another fashionable outfit, worn by young people as well as by the president, is the Turki ndiarem, originally worn by clerics in white or ecru, which is now more form-fitting and available in a range of colors as part of an everyday wardrobe.
Senegal’s prime minister, Ousmane Sonko, in Dakar on September 26, 2024.
The tradi-modern wardrobe plays with codes in this way. The Keyfa brand, a pioneer with a 14-year history, offers “African suits” on which epaulets have been added to Senegalese tunics – a must-have among Senegal’s top executives and politicians.
The president is also fond of what tailors call a “Saharan,” a local adaptation of classic European dress. Gone is the lapel collar, replaced by a Mandarin collar. A few discreet seams on the sleeves and subtle slits finish off the look. According to Cissé, “In both style and principle, [it’s] close to the abacost of the Zaire era, that famous Congolese garment: elegant, but different from the European suit.”
Partner service
An adviser to the current president has become a stylist: “Former president Macky Sall, 62, wore a Western suit for everyday wear and put on a traditional three-piece boubou for special occasions. The new leaders, who are in their 40s, prefer these outfits, where the dichotomies between Senegalese and foreign, old and new, disappear. It’s what happened in every household between fathers and sons.”
‘Made in Senegal’
Owens, Keyfa, Simple Chic, Madomarque, 6point9, Ngorbatchev… There are now countless fashionable Senegalese brands for men. The ones mentioned are among those that dress the ruling duo, but many prefer not to elaborate on the subject. One adviser to the president said, “We don’t want to favor one or the other; we try to buy from different brands.” A two-piece outfit from one of these designers starts at 90,000 CFA francs (almost €140). Prices can go up to 200,000 CFA francs, “depending on the fabric and the time spent,” explained Owens Ndiaye.
Senegal has around 61,000 sewing workshops. The difference between these brands and small workshops can also be seen in the investment in marketing. “We organize fashion shows, we hire models, we offer the option to buy online,” said Owens Nidaye, whose company now employs 15 people. “Social media is central for us.”
“I’ve opened boutiques in the sub-region. I dress Malians, Nigerians… There’s a real Senegalese know-how that is recognized,” boasted Bathji Dioum, the owner of the Keyfa brand, which can be seen on the French rapper Youssoupha or on Ivorian MPs.
“The main idea of tradi-modern is to favor ‘Made in Senegal’,” said Owens Ndiaye. “Young people are looking for a kind of African pride through their clothing.” Some brands are emphasizing this narrative, such as Simple Chic, which has launched a collection called “Valeurs” (“Values”). But the “Made in Senegal” narrative comes up against macroeconomic realities: All or almost all fabrics are imported from Turkey, Asia or Europe.
“We told the new authorities: we can’t do 100% local. They like our work and have listened to us. I hope they will manage to support the creation of spinning mills, of a solid textile sector,” concluded Owens Ndiaye.
