Diarra Bouso’s pieces are classic, yet fashion-forward and you would never guess that she’s a mathematician, artisan, and former Wall Street Trader from looking at them. All of her talents and skills have influenced her lifestyle brand Diarrablu.
The designer grew up in Senegal and after moving to the United States and graduating from Stanford University with a degree in math education and research, she wanted to find a way to connect her background in math with her passion for fashion. Before long, she discovered that she could doodle and write math code to do the doodles for her.
While it’s not common for designers to code their designs, Bousso lives by her own rules. The equations she writes create Afrocentric shapes and prints that tell stories about the diversity of Africa. Not only does she own the production of the prints, her work is sustainable it allows her to save money without wasting fabric. “Algorithms allow me to solve a very important problem in fashion in terms of sustainability. They also allow me to really explore creativity beyond what’s available, because there are no limits to what you can make,” she told Pop Sugar.
The brand is most known for its oversized kaftans and dresses that can be wrapped 19 ways and their jumpsuits, kimonos, mules, and swimsuits. The garments are custom adjusted to the buyer’s height as is a tradition in African garment making, and the sizes range from XS to 3XL. The pieces are meant to fit for a lifetime as everything is elastic and wraps and the styles are timeless.
