AfricaIs aCountry

Livetweet Recap: NYT (and Vogue Italia) “Rebrands Africa” (again)

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Livetweet Recap: NYT (and Vogue Italia) “Rebrands Africa” (again)

By
Elliot Ross

From a series of tweets I did on the New York Times story “Rebranding Africa” which you can read here.

  1. Coming up: Elliot livetweets a read-through of @NYTimes latest infuriant, “Rebranding Africa” http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/15/fashion/15iht-fafrica15.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1337010111-kaoVJMBzdBP2Ilyfay7RvQ h/t @siddhmiShare on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 12:45:32ReplyRetweet0
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  2. “The continent is entering the fashion arena”. What? It wasn’t in it already? Is this like when it hadn’t “entered history”?Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 12:49:10ReplyRetweet0
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  3. Oh, I see, this is a remix of Sarkozy’s Hegelian mash-up in Dakar, but for fashion. Great idea @NYTimes!Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 12:50:21ReplyRetweet0
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  4. Apparently Africa is entering fashion because of “the quality of its handwork”. Nope, me neither.Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 12:53:21ReplyRetweet0
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  5. I wonder what else Africa might be about to “enter”? Planet Earth? The Solar System? Suggestions to @NYTimesShare on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 12:51:55ReplyRetweet0
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  6. On the plus side, Suzy Menkes is right to identify early on that Africa is, in fact, a continent.Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 12:52:36ReplyRetweet0
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  7. Key is the “Rebranding” of Africa. Yawn! For fuller critique of this kind of guff see https://editor.jacobin.com/africa-is-a-country/2012/04/26/positive-news-from-africa/Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 12:55:32ReplyRetweet0
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  8. Rebranding constitutes no kind of “change in attitude/perception” because it offers Africa for consumption/ exploitation as of oldShare on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 12:56:36ReplyRetweet0
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  9. This month’s Vogue Italia is dedicated to Africa. Well that’s nice. Why is @NYTimes reporting on it? Seems like a very long plug?Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 12:57:28ReplyRetweet0
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  10. And the cover star of that Africa edition of Vogue Italia. It’s the obvious choice: Ban Ki-Moon. African style icon, for sure.Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 12:58:08ReplyRetweet0
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  11. @Okwonga @AfricasaCountry It read like an unabashed press release for Vogue Italia, didn’t it! Just absurd.Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailsiddhartha mitterMon, May 14 2012 14:12:11ReplyRetweet0
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  12. Oh God isn’t Africa so confusing? What with the poverty AND the creativity in THE SAME PLACE? You’d never find that in, say, New York CityShare on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 13:00:02ReplyRetweet0
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  13. Ban ki-Moon is a Goodwill Ambassador for Fashion4Development “to support the UN’s wider issues in helping Africa”. Nonsense on stilts.Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 13:01:50ReplyRetweet0
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  14. Uh-oh> ” For Ms. Sozzani, “positivity” is the key word in taking an uplifting attitude to a nation where “the image is so low.” “Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 13:02:48ReplyRetweet0
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  15. Did the @NYTimes just refer to the nation of Africa? I think it did you know!Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 13:03:36ReplyRetweet0
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  16. Attn @NYTimes fact-checkers. A minute ago Africa was a “continent”. Now it’s a “nation”. We’re as confused as ever.Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 13:05:00ReplyRetweet0
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  17. @siddhmi I know, eh! Copy editor should be hanging his/her head in shame. @AfricasaCountryShare on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailMusa OkwongaMon, May 14 2012 14:30:56ReplyRetweet0
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  18. Sozzani: “All the pictures are made in a glamorous way—there is nothing sad, trashy or poor”. Well that’s a relief!Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 13:05:50ReplyRetweet0
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  19. Very important to ensure that the poor are never photographed in Vogue Italia. Sorry poor people, you’re just not cool enough.Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 13:07:38ReplyRetweet0
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  20. Sozzani:”if we can give an uplifting image it is helping people who wouldnt have considered Africa at all” Yes vital that those ppl get helpShare on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 13:08:33ReplyRetweet0
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  21. [Also helping with rebranding]: “the lush beauty of the country & its allure as a tourist destination”Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 13:10:36ReplyRetweet0
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  22. All so confusing Africa fluctuating wildly b/w status as country and continent. Surely crucial to establish prior to confident “rebranding”Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 13:12:17ReplyRetweet0
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  23. “The emergence of Africa as a source of fashion creativity is about more than elegant images.” What, you mean they have clothes?Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 13:15:05ReplyRetweet0
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  24. There was I with the idea that Western fashion houses had been appropriating African style/design for ages. Welcome to fashion, Africa!Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 13:17:40ReplyRetweet0
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  25. @AfricasaCountry I’m so glad we’ve been let in now. All we need is an African For Us By Us. Yes, I know, FUBU made ugly clothes.Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailBringMeTheAfricanGuyMon, May 14 2012 13:19:56ReplyRetweet0
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  26. @BBCAfricaHYS @AfricasaCountry Menkes repeat rebrander: ’09, Africa’s “sculpted geometric shapes & rich, spicy colors” http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/31/fashion/31iht-fafrica.htmlShare on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailsiddhartha mitterMon, May 14 2012 14:17:30ReplyRetweet0
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  27. Is “rebranding” really the best way to think about, for example, no longer believing in loads of racist, supremacist myths?Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailAfrica is a CountryMon, May 14 2012 13:20:29ReplyRetweet0
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  28. @AfricasaCountry World Economic Forum taught us last week that Africa is “a clean sheet of paper” http://bit.ly/JdWW7QShare on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on Google Share on LinkedinShare by emailBeyond AidMon, May 14 2012 13:12:33ReplyRetweet0
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