Today I had the opportunity to sit down with the man behind AMINCOUTURE for an interview that quickly turned into a fitting and streetstyle photo session. While I traded my BURBERRY Mackintosh for handmade Afrocentric outerwear, the interview changed shape from Q&A to heartfelt commentary on home, world travels, religion, immigration and the future of the AMINCOUTURE brand.

AMINCOUTURE owner and designer, Amin (born Lamin Laye Ndoye in Senegal), is one of twenty-one children, a painter, father of one son, self-taught designer and conversationalist in at least three languages. Rightfully-so, he is a self-professed citizen of the world!

Thirty-one year old Lamin adopted the name Amin while residing in the Middle East, where the Muslim moniker was easier to stick (and has positive religious meaning). Since then, his family has also grown to know him by his brand name.

Amin started the brand AMINCOUTURE six years ago in Berlin. (He previously worked for private clients making custom garments.) He currently resides and operates a shop in the German capital, where he sees a balance of creative business opportunities and cold, workaholic personalities. Amin is grateful for the lessons learned from his German friends and colleagues. But this November he intends to return to Senegal where he envisions even more opportunities for the AMINCOUTURE brand, including international travel and molding the next generation of Senegalese designers.

As a child, Amin found his own passion for making clothes and has been doing it since age 15. He credits his entrepreneurial successes to heeding his mother’s advice: “Show them you can do it!” And advises anyone interested in fashion design to “Do it for you. Be happy with the work you do, and the customer will be happy. Learn everyday and everything. [And] never give up!”

Amin does not sketch or mass produce his designs. Instead he tailors all of his garments to his customers needs. He prefers to “start something new and not know what it will be” letting the focus be “totally” on the design. He also fancies to discreetly people-watch for inspiration rather than watch trends or ‘fashion icons’.

Taking his modus operandi a step further, Amin sees great potential for new designers in Senegal (and Africa), as they have the opportunity to control all parts of the design process – from creative thought to cut-and-sew execution. (He contrasts this with large, European operations where division of labor and specialization hinders creativity and yields control to others.)

This is not Amin’s first time visiting northern Europe or Sweden. (He previously exhibited his paintings in Kristianstad.) I hope to see him back in Sverige soon! In the meantime, AMINCOUTURE will be featured in the gallery of JUST AFRICA until the 27th of September. Be sure to check it out!

I would like to extend a special thanks to Lotta Spykman / JUST AFRICA for the introduction to Amin and for continuing to provide a platform for Diasporic creatives. I can’t think of a better way to have closed-out Stockholm Fashion Week!

Cheers,
RL

shirt, pants – COMME DES GARCONS
coat, blazer – AMINCOUTURE
shoes – JIL SANDER