By: Sainabou Sambou
In the heart of The Gambia, where vibrant markets hum with the rhythm of daily life and ancestral wisdom echoes through generations, fashion designer Ya Awa Conateh is quietly revolutionizing how African heritage is presented on the world stage. As the founder and creative force behind Yaws Creations (Yaws Design), Conateh transforms traditional textiles, symbols, and narratives into contemporary pieces that speak to resilience, cultural pride, and bold innovation.
For Conateh, fashion is far more than fabric and silhouette—it is a living archive. “If my designs could whisper the stories of my ancestors, they would speak of strength and cultural memory,” she reflects. “They would tell tales of resilience, ceremony, and craft, market women balancing ambition, griots preserving memory, and mothers stitching late into the night.” Rather than merely replicating the past, she translates these whispers into modern forms: preserving symbolic patterns and meanings while refining shapes to engage with global minimalism. “Each design is a story walking into the future,” she says.
What began as a personal passion has evolved into one of The Gambia’s most recognized and influential fashion houses. Over more than 16 years, Yaws Creations has grown from humble beginnings—starting in her parents’ home—to a professional atelier employing artisans and mentoring emerging talent. If the brand were a person, Conateh imagines it as “cultured, intentional, observant and elegant… curious, disciplined and generous,” a figure that opens doors, creates platforms, and lives with purpose.
The brand’s visual language is deeply intentional. Indigo blue forms the foundation and heritage; colorful Faso Dan Fani fabric embodies continental resilience and African vibrancy; and Leppi off-white symbolizes aspiration—the courage to fuse tradition with forward-thinking design. “Each fabric carries the heartbeat of Yaws: grounding, growing, and daring to rise,” Conateh explains.
One collection stands out as particularly transformative: Tranzition Born, during a challenging period marked by internal struggles, marked a pivotal shift for the brand. “It was a journey through dark shades we had never prepared for,” she recalls. Yet out of that adversity came renewal, culminating in an invitation to showcase at Rhythms on the Runway in Ghana—a prestigious platform celebrating African creativity. “Transition is zen, elegant, and boho,” Conateh describes. “It carries a vibration of divine freedom. Every piece embodies resilience and grounding.”
Conateh’s boldest leap came early: committing fully to a vision that blended Gambian heritage, storytelling, and uncompromising professionalism. Entering the industry as a young woman in a still-nascent Gambian fashion scene posed significant hurdles. “There wasn’t really a structured industry then,” she notes. “One of the biggest challenges was being taken seriously as a young woman in a nascent field.” Through relentless learning, unlearning outdated limitations, and building expertise in both craft and business, she claimed her space. Today, after a decade as a full-time creative, she reflects with pride on the evolution she has witnessed—and helped drive. “There are more designers, more shows, and more professional platforms,” she observes. “Yaws has helped create bridges by mentoring talent, showcasing originality, and introducing sustainable practices.”
Looking ahead, Conateh envisions Yaws as a cultural compass and accelerator for Gambian fashion, amplifying voices locally while positioning African creativity as visionary and globally respected. Her ambitions extend to sustainability, artisan empowerment, and mentoring the next generation. “In ten years, I want Yaws to be a beacon of African creativity, sustainability, and cultural innovation,” she declares.
A recent milestone underscores this global outlook: the “2 Continents, 1 Runway” fashion and cultural show, held in collaboration with Turkey’s İzmir Olgunlaşma Institute and supported by the Yunus Emre Institute. Timed to celebrate The Gambia’s 61st Independence anniversary, the event brought together designers from both nations to exchange textiles and narratives. Gambian creators worked with Turkish fabrics, while Turkish designers interpreted Gambian materials—exploring contrasts and harmonies between structure and fluidity, precision and warmth.
“Fashion is a language and culture is its accent,” Conateh says of the project. “This collaboration was about dialogue between Gambian and Turkish textiles, celebrating stories and aesthetics in a modern collection.” One standout piece: a floor-length gown fusing Okuman fabrics, Gambian cotton, and African ornaments—an embodiment of Anatolian precision meeting Gambian warmth. Backstage tensions and last-minute adjustments only heightened the lesson: “Diplomacy exists backstage just as much as it does on the runway.”
The show itself was transcendent, Conateh recalls—a powerful expression of independence, unity, and cross-cultural respect. “It was a celebration where fashion became voice, bridge, and expression.”
In her studio, creativity unfolds with rhythm: mornings of reflection give way to artisans bringing sketches to life, and the energy peaks when static designs come to life. Guiding her is the Akan symbol Sankofa—literally “go back and get it”—a reminder to retrieve wisdom from the past. “It reminds us to go back and fetch what matters,” she says.
For Conateh, fashion’s true power lies in its immediacy. “Fashion speaks before words,” she asserts. “It bridges cultures, sparks curiosity, and fosters respect. Creativity transcends borders.”
If Yaws Creations could speak directly, its message would be clear and resonant: “Honor your roots. Dream boldly. Create without compromise and your story matters—wear it, share it, and live it.”
Through every stitch and silhouette, Ya Awa Conateh is not just dressing bodies—she is clothing histories, ambitions, and futures, ensuring Gambian threads continue to weave their way into the global tapestry of fashion.
