Fashion that celebrates African strength and spirit | Walé Oyéjidé

翻译人员: 宽 彭 校对人员: Yinchun Rui

It is often said that the stories of history are written by its victors,

我们常说历史的故事是由胜利者所撰写的，

but if this is true,

但如果这是真的，

what becomes of the downtrodden,

那被压迫的一方又将如何？

and how can they ever hope to aspire for something greater

他们又将如何去期望追求更加美好的事物？

if they are never told the stories of their own glorious pasts?

如果他们从来没有听说过 属于他们自己的，辉煌的过去？

Ostensibly, I stand before you as a mere maker of clothing,

表面上，我仅仅以一位衣服制造者的 身份站在你面前，

but within the folds of ancient fabrics and modern textiles,

但在古老布料和现代纺织品的皱褶中，

I have found a higher calling.

我找到了更高的启示。

Through my work as a designer,

透过我身为设计师的工作，

I've discovered the importance of providing representation

我发现了为我们社会被边缘化的 成员提供“表现”的重要性，

for the marginalized members of our society,

and the importance of telling the most vulnerable among us

并且告诉那些在我们当中最弱势的一群，

that they no longer have to compromise themselves

他们再也不必妥协让步，

just so they can fit in with an uncompromising majority.

只有这样他们才能融入进 不必将就的主流中去。

It turns out that fashion,

其实流行，

a discipline many of us consider to be trivial,

这个大部分的人都认为不重要的纪律，

can actually be a powerful tool for dismantling bias

其实可以是一个很强大的工具来瓦解偏见，

and bolstering the self-images of underrepresented populations.

以及提升一些不受瞩目群体的形象。

My interest in using design as a vehicle for social change

我致力于以设计作为改造社会的工具

happens to be a personal one.

背后的原因和我自己很有关系。

As a Nigerian American, I know how easily the term "African"

身为位尼日利亚裔美国人， 我知道“非洲人”这一个词很容易

can slip from being an ordinary geographic descriptor

从一个普通的地理形容词变成一个贬义词。

to becoming a pejorative.

For those of us from this beautiful continent,

对于来自这个美丽大陆的我们，

to be African is to be inspired by culture

成为非洲人注定受到文化的启发，

and to be filled with undying hope for the future.

并且对于未来充满潜在的的希望。

So in an attempt to shift the misguided perceptions that many have

所以尝试去转变那些大众对我出生地的误解，

about the place of my birth,

I use design as a means to tell stories,

我利用设计作为我讲述故事的媒介，

stories about joy,

喜悦的故事、

stories about triumph,

胜利的故事、

stories about perseverance all throughout the African diaspora.

关于全体非洲侨民毅力的故事。

I tell these stories

我讲述这些故事，

as a concerted effort to correct the historical record,

是为了以共同的努力修正历史的记录，

because, no matter where any of us is from,

因为，不管我们任何人来自哪里，

each of us has been touched by the complicated histories

我们每一个人都曾接触过这个复杂的历史，

that brought our families to a foreign land.

将我们的家庭带到了一个陌生的土地。

These histories shape the way we view the world,

这些历史改变我们对个这个世界的看法，

and they mold the biases we carry around with us.

并且也造成了伴随着我们的偏见。

To combat these biases,

为了对抗这些偏见，

my work draws aesthetics from different parts of the globe

我的作品吸纳了世界各地的美学，

and crafts a narrative about the importance

创造了阐述“为了包容而战”的重要性的旁白。

of fighting for inclusivity.

By refashioning images from classic European art

通过重新赋予欧洲古典艺术图片以新的时尚意义，

and marrying them with African aesthetics,

并将他们与非洲美学拼接，

I am able to recast people of color in roles of prominence,

我得以重塑有色人种的卓越，

providing them with a degree of dignity

赋予他们在早些时候所不曾拥有的，一定的尊严。

they didn't have in earlier times.

This approach subverts the historically accepted narrative of African inferiority,

这种方式颠覆了“卑劣的非洲人”这一传统观念，

and it serves as inspiration for people of color

是对那些不会轻易把自己视作 没有教养和优雅的有色人种的鼓舞。

who have grown wary of seeing themselves depicted without sophistication

and without grace.

Each of these culture-bending tapestries

这些曲解文化的挂毯，

becomes a tailored garment

变成了被剪裁的服饰，

or a silk scarf, like the one I am very coincidentally wearing right now.

或是我现在特意穿着的这条丝绸围巾。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

And even when surrounded in a structure of European classicism,

即使被包围在欧洲古典主义结构之中，

these narratives boldly extoll the merits of African empowerment.

这些叙述也能英勇的赞美赋予非洲人权利的优点。

In this way, the tools of the masters become masterworks

这样，大师的工具就变成了 用来欢颂那些曾经屈服的人们的杰作。

to celebrate those who were once subservient.

This metaphor extends beyond the realm of art

这一比喻超越了艺术的界限，

and out into the real world.

直达真实的世界，

Whether worn by refugees or world-changing entrepreneurs,

无论是被难民穿着，还是被改变世界的企业家穿着。

when people are allowed the freedom to present themselves

当人们被赋予了自由，

in a manner that celebrates their own unique identities,

能够以欢庆他们独特的个性来表达自我时，

a magical thing happens.

神奇的事情发生了。

We stand taller.

我们站的更高，

We're more proud and self-aware

我们更加骄傲自豪，

because we're presenting our true, authentic selves.

因为我们在表达真实可信的自我。

And those of us who are around them in turn become more educated,

在世人身边的我们，变得更加有教养。

more open and more tolerant of their different points of view.

对世人的不同观点，我们变得更加开放和宽容。

In this way, the clothes that we wear

如此，我们所穿的服饰

can be a great illustration of diplomatic soft power.

能成为外交软实力强有力的图解。

The clothes that we wear can serve as bridges

我们的服饰可以充当

between our seemingly disparate cultures.

我们表面上看起来充满差异的文化的桥梁。

And so, yeah, ostensibly I stand before you as a mere maker of clothing.

确实如此，嗯，表面上我仅作为 一个服装设计师站在你的面前，

But my work has always been about more than fashion.

但我的工作不局限于时尚。

It has become my purpose to rewrite the cultural narratives

它早已成为我重写文化叙述的目标，

so that people of color can be seen in a new and nuanced light,

这样有色人种才能被一种新的， 细微的方式看待。

and so that we,

这样我们作为

the proud children of sub-Saharan Africa,

撒哈拉以南非洲骄傲的孩子，

can traverse the globe

才能带着我们的自豪，跨越全球。

while carrying ourselves with pride.

It was indeed true that the stories of history

确实如此，历史总是由它古老的胜利者来诉说，

were told by its old victors,

but I am of a new generation.

但我是新的一代人，

My work speaks for those

我的工作就是为了这些不再让他们的 未来被苦难的过去所支配的人而发声。

who will no longer let their futures be dictated by a troubled past.

Today, we stand ready to tell our own stories

今天，我们准备好讲述我们自己的故事了，

without compromise, without apologies.

没有妥协，也没有道歉，

But the question still remains:

但问题仍然存在：

are you prepared for what you are about to hear?

你们为你们即将听到的一切做好了准备吗？

I hope you are, because we are coming regardless.

我希望是的，因为无论如何，我们来了。

(Applause)

（掌声）