Yasmina Atta is a recent graduate of Central Saint Martins’ Womenswear pathway, whose degree collection drew inspiration from African cinema, namely the work of Djibril Diop Mambéty
Introducing New Beginnings, a new series of mini Q&As spotlighting emerging designers, in the wake of Craig McDean and Katie Shillingford’s shoot for AnOther Magazine Autumn/Winter 2020.
AnOther Magazine: What are your hopes for the future?
Yasmina Atta: I always hope for peace and no more top-down deceit and manipulation. A lot of people still do not have basic necessities and this really needs to keep changing.
AM: What is the thinking behind your work?
YA: My work is largely research based, at the moment I am mostly influenced by African cinema. My work is usually guided by what I am reading or thinking about at that moment in time and I try to explore ideas through design.Â
AM: What three words would you use to describe your approach to fashion?
YA: Free, contrasts and light.
AM: What does community mean to you?
YA: Community means to me to be connected by difference and similarity. It means support and supporting others.
AM: What community did you grow up around? How did that shape you?
YA: Moving to England at 11, I found a community with other people from Nigeria and also people who had come here from different countries. Looking back I see we identified with each other because we were different but also because we connected through having similarities.
Follow Yasmina Atta on Instagram here.