Sarah Diouf poses in bold Vlisco fabric while Trevor Stuurman photographs, set against a backdrop of striking geometric patterns — celebrating African fashion and artistry.

Honouring Seydou Keïta | Trevor Stuurman x Sarah Diouf

Icons Last Forever

Icons are not confined to the past, they set the stage for the future. “Icons Last Forever” began by looking back to the timeless portraits of Malian photographer Seydou Keïta (1921–2001), whose Bamako studio became a place where

everyday sitters were transformed into icons. His images shaped not only how Africa saw itself, but how the world came to see Africa. The second part of this campaign continues his story with photographer Trevor Stuurman and fashion

desiner Sarah Diouf, asking:

How do we move this legacy forward today, through new images, new voices, and new global stages?

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  • Black-and-white portrait of Seydou Keïta holding a flower, capturing the Malian photographer known as a pioneer of African portrait photography
  • Seydou Keïta photograph of two women in traditional African dresses and jewelry, reflecting Malian culture and timeless portraiture.
  • Portrait by Seydou Keïta of a mother in patterned fabric with her baby, a classic example of Malian studio photography
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The journey continues in Kaolack, Senegal, chosen with intention. It was from Senegal that Seydou Keïta’s uncle once returned with a camera, his first, setting in motion the career that would redefine portraiture in Africa and beyond. The shoot took place at the Alliance Française de Kaolack, a cultural landmark where art, education, and exchange meet.

“This is a magical time for African creativity. We are telling our own stories, in our own way.”
- Sarah Diouf


At the centre are two celebrated creatives. Sarah Diouf, fashion designer and founder of Tongoro, brings a contemporary vision, creating looks that frame Vlisco prints in a distinctly modern language.

Sarah Diouf wearing vibrant Vlisco fabric with bird motifs, smiling joyfully and styled with bold statement earrings in an African fashion photoshoot.

These fabrics, once immortalised in Keïta’s studio portraits, in Bamako, remain central to the story today, bridging archive and contemporary imagination.

  • Sarah Diouf dressed in flowing Vlisco fabric with blue and purple bird patterns, seated on outdoor steps against a geometric mural backdrop
  • Sarah Diouf in a tailored purple Vlisco suit of the speed bird design, holding a large dove prop against a graphic wall in an artistic fashion portrait

“Africa is no longer waiting to be seen. We are leading the way.”
- Trevor Stuurman

Behind the camera, Trevor Stuurman pays direct homage to Keïta’s visual codes. He references the master’s use of poses, angles, and symbolic objects, devices of identity and escapism, but reimagines them in colour, bringing new vibrancy to Keïta’s timeless style. “This campaign keeps Keïta’s memory alive in a very modern way,” Trevor explains.

Together, Sarah and Trevor co-directed the shoot, uniting fashion and photography in a narrative of legacy and self-representation.

Trevor Stuurman wearing a bold Vlisco suit in red, green, and yellow patterns, styled with a cowboy hat and sunglasses, posing against a black-and-white striped architectural backdrop

Their connection to Seydou Keïta is deeply personal. For Sarah Diouf, his black and white portraits sparked an early fascination with African storytelling. The stripped-down palette became a language she embraced in her own brand, Tongoro, where black and white remain central.

Close-up of Trevor Stuurman in a patterned Vlisco suit holding a Seydou Keïta photography book, highlighting African heritage and fashion storytelling.

For Trevor Stuurman, Keïta’s work was an early influence that shaped his eye for portraiture and continues to inform his practice today.

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From Senegal, the story crosses the Atlantic to New York. Vlisco is proud to sponsor the exhibition Seydou Keïta: A Tactile Lens at the Brooklyn Museum, extending the conversation from archive to contemporary expression.

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  • Trevor Stuurman and Sarah Diouf wearing vibrant Vlisco designs, seated on outdoor steps with a geometric mural backdrop, celebrating African fashion and heritage.
  • Trevor Stuurman dressed in a colorful Vlisco suit and cowboy hat, seated against a geometric wall while holding a Seydou Keïta book, blending fashion and culture.
Sarah Diouf and Trevor Stuurman styled in bold Vlisco prints, posing against black-and-white patterned architecture in a contemporary African fashion photoshoot