Gabon fashion designer brings traditional raffia to Paris runways

Strands of raffia dry outside in the sun at the studio of Gabonese fashion designer Chouchou Lazare, who has made a name for himself using the natural fibres to craft his award-winning garments.

The natural material derived from palm leaves — and traditionally reserved for Gabon’s nobles and village chiefs — gained international attention on the runways of the world’s fashion capital last week.

“This is raffia from Gabon, it’s special,…