Ivorian designer Lyanel Babli has presented her first collection in Abidjan. Called Mémoires des abysses, it was shown on 30 September 2026 at the Belgian residence in Cocody-Ambassades.
The collection counts twelve silhouettes inspired by the Gulf of Guinea, the underwater world and the fragility of the Ivorian coastline. It was made locally.
Its materials tell that story. Cowries, tulle, silk, organza, pearls and macramé sit alongside reused materials, including plastic bottles, caps and bags collected from beaches, shredded and reshaped into garments.
The show crowned the 2026 Ivorian-Belgian friendship art competition, run by the Belgian Embassy with Maison Elie Kuame as partner and supported by the Ministry of Culture and Francophonie. Ten Ivorian women designers received six months of mentoring and professional support.
Lyanel Babli won the competition's main award, while Julie Kouassi took the audience prize and Anne-Marie Ourega the sustainability prize. Culture minister Françoise Remarck and Carole van Eyll, Belgium's ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire, attended the presentation.
