AN EXCEPTIONAL
COLLABORATION
The Sun We Share brings the spirit of exchange into a new creative partnership with haute couture designer Imane Ayissi. With this collaboration we bring two worlds into conversation: Vlisco’s mastery of textile design, colour, and pattern, and Ayissi’s distinctive language of African-inspired couture.
The Sun We Share
The new collection, The Sun We Share, sees celebratory pieces drawn from the Vlisco archive, with connection and jubilation a common thread. Setting the tone for the collection, celestial motifs of the sun, stars, and moon give way to mesmerising contrast colours that draw the eye to the infinite beyond. Bringing together a selection of curated designs, new creations by the Vlisco design team, and the newly imagined collaborative design, Imane Ayissi offers a dynamic new perspective on 180 years of heritage, design, and creativity.
Fashion by Imane Ayissi
The Handshake Design
The first Vlisco design to incorporate drawings of hands dates back to 1897. Long associated with the idea of coming together and creating connections, the symbol inspired Ayissi and the design team to create an entirely new interpretation — a visual expression of two worlds meeting and the first step towards greater mutual understanding.
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The use of colour plays an equally important role in the design. Inspire dby the symbolism of gold in West Africa and the signature fuchsia of Imane Ayissi’s couture creations, the palette is enriched with contemporary shades of grey, silver, and black. Together, these tones create a dialogue between Ayissi’s couture practice, a shared connection to Africa, and a celebration of 180 years of Vlisco.
Limited Edition Radiance
Alongside Wax Hollandais, Grand Super-Wax,and Super-Wax fabrics, The Sun We Share collection features a limited-edition Fil Coupé interpretation of the Handshake motif, celebrating the partnership between Imane Ayissi and Vlisco.
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Woven in Italy, the Fil Coupé is created using a specialised jacquard weave with a three-dimensional structure and areas of transparency, bringing depth, dimension, and a luxuriously tactile quality to this semi-sheer fabric.
180 Years Anniversary Designs
At the heart the collection is the idea of connection. Festive elements bring a sense of joy and celebration, honouring the culture and couture that continue to inspire Vlisco today.
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Colour connects all of these stories. Inspired by celebration, Africa, and modernity, the palette brings together metallic golds and Imane Ayissi’s signature fuchsia with a touch of royal blue, enriched by contemporary gold and rose tones and unexpected embellishments. The result is a palette that is both rooted in heritage and oriented towards the future — vibrant, luminous, and unapologetically joyful.
