By Michelle Strydom

“Africa month is a chance to highlight and showcase the creative and aspirational side of Africa that is so often misinterpreted. It’s a month to celebrate African pride and empowerment so local and international markets can understand where we are and where we’re going as Africans,” says Patel.

International markets are regularly in the dark when it comes to African culture, which is often the result of confusing African culture with African-American culture. In reality, they are ignored by the media because of harsh conditions and environments. This misrepresentation has inspired a collection that speaks the truth, says Patel.

“The purpose of the collection is to get up close and personal with the industry shortfalls and take the opportunity to showcase Africans in a real and inspirational way. This means, for example, not using African-American models to represent a lived African reality.”

The collection aims to restore Africa’s image not only in stock images but also in the media. Patel further explains why this misrepresentation occurs.

“African woman are typecast into two categories, bare chested victims with hungry children hanging off their hips, or African-American woman baking cookies in a typical American home. These representations don’t take into consideration the many and varied realities of women in Africa."

“With regards to women, the media needs to start showcasing women as strong, independent members of a thriving, functioning society,” says Patel.

International markets are able to see the real Africa and the value of African people in this collection, due to its raw depiction of the environments and the women living there. The collection aims to not only restore pride in Africa among themselves, but also increase awareness of the culture among international brands.

“For too long, African women have been played off as uneducated and vulnerable, when in reality they’re running households, growing industries and supporting themselves. Showcasing these powerful women is, in turn, showcasing burgeoning economies, cities and industries.”

Staying true to African tradition brings forward concerns of relying too much on traditional values and being stuck in a rural and underdeveloped slump. It’s not one or the other. Instead it’s something African youth will need to balance.

Patel explains; “For many young African people – dependent on country, religion or region – it’s about straddling two realities: the contemporary and traditional. It’s not a question of whether either of those worlds have to disappear; it’s how we represent them both at once, in a respectful way.”

African industries are making global changes, and African women are not excluded from the process. With the correct representation from stock images, Greatstock hopes to show how identity can be preserved in an ever-changing world.  

For more information, visit www.greatstock.co.za. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook or on Twitter.