Coming soon: The Etsy of African and ethnic apparel

Shoppers frustrated by an inability to find trendy ethnic clothing will soon been able to access all manner of African inspired apparel via a new platform designed to connect buyers and sellers.



Scheduled to launch April 11, Boutique Africaine will serve as an online marketplace for ethnic clothing, accessories, and home and living items – and serve as yet another reminder of how the Internet enables the creation of new retail business models to serve the perceived unmet needs of niche consumer segments.



In the case of Boutique Africaine, the platform is Etsy-like in that it is intended to connect designers and sellers from around the world with buyers who love eclectic African and diaspora-inspired fashion items and are looking for original products. Diaspora is a term that refers to the “dispersion of a people, language, or culture that was formerly concentrated in one place, to scatter, to displace, to live in separated communities,” according to DePaul University’s Center for Black Diaspora.



Patrons of ethnic fashion often find it very difficult to buy ethnic clothes and accessories in North America and outside of Africa, in general, according to Boutique Africaine founder Franck Hounsokou.



“The marketplace was born out of frustration. I simply wasn’t able to find trendy ethnic clothing to buy in North America. I thought there had to be an easier way than flying to Africa to have access to colorful and beautiful clothing,” Hounsokou said. “I love the styles, colors and patterns of Africa. These days, you can see superstars, such as Rihanna or Beyoncé wearing ethnic prints, and it’s time these products are made available to the general public at an affordable price.”



Because the site is intended to serve as a one-of-kind marketplace, Boutique Africaine has imposed listing rules for sellers that products must use visible ethnic patterns, designs and/or shapes that are vibrant and belonging to a non-western culture.



“You are free to use popular or traditional styles and designs as long as you keep an ethnic flavor that makes your pieces unique and original,” according to guidance offered to sellers on the site. “You may not sell an item that you did not design, manufacture or produce in some way. If you were not involved in the creation process of an item and bought it from a supplier, we strongly suggest that you connect with us to see if it is an acceptable piece that can be sold on the platform.”



Boutique Africaine charges a 15% commission on sales and designers and sellers who want to upload an unlimited number of items also pay a $23 monthly subscription fee. An optional service designed to manage products inventory, customer transactions, and product shipment on behalf of sellers located in remote areas is also available.