SAARGALE concept store opened a year ago under one of the vaults of the Parisian Arts and Crafts hotspot the Viaduc des Arts. It belongs to the multi-talented fashion entrepreneur Adama Paris, who settled in the French fashion capital in May 2019 to give a platform to African creativity. The store showcases both her own designs and other African designers she likes. We wanted to know more about how such a cool place came into being...

First thing first, SAARGALE means “Paying tribute”. Who or what are you paying tribute to with this store?

We named this store SAARGALE to pay tribute to our craft and people, from our artisans and our African designers to Made In Africa and African fashion in general.

What was the starting point for SAARGALE’s creation?

I've been working in the African fashion industry for many years now and I started from scratch. Since the beginning of my journey, I have always worked to create what didn’t exist for us. We have created several different platforms so far: shows, a TV channel, and we are even preparing to start a factory: Maison SAARGALE. SAARGALE store was a part of that: the need to create my own ecosystem. There was no space which existed for premium African fashion in Paris.
As an entrepreneur, it’s also about opportunity. Currently, there is no established distribution channel for Made In Africa products. It is very hard for African designers to be stocked in Western points of sale. That was my starting point.

As well as being a distribution channel, we feel like this store is a symbol in the French Fashion capital city. Does it represent more for you as an African designer?

As an African designer, it is important for me to be stocked in a Parisian point of sale. In general, we cannot produce the high amounts of stock required in Western stores. We needed a space where we, African designers, who can only produce small amounts of stock - like 20 or 50 pieces - could sell our products. We are on a mission to make slow fashion become the norm in the next 10 years.
We want to show that not having our products manufactured in Asia doesn’t mean we can’t be visible in high street stores. And that’s what we’re dedicating ourselves to. We want to promote slow fashion, we want to promote handicraft. Before, such a space didn’t exist for us.

What can we expect to see at SAARGALE? Are all the brands you stock from Africa? Or are there brands from the Diaspora as well?

SAARGALE is global! It’s “Made in Africa, Made by Africans”. We are not restricted to designers of African origins only. We promote brands that are creating value on the continent. They either have to produce in Africa or be created by people of African origins. We do have brands from the Diaspora like Xuly Bet or Marché Noir. What is more important for us here is the impact of the brand. It must have a positive impact on the continent and its people.

The store is not located in the busiest Parisian shopping area. Can you explain why?

As an entrepreneur, you have to seize opportunities when they come to you. Of course, we would have liked a more commercial area. But the Viaduc des Arts was also a special location for us as a center of Arts and Crafts in Paris. It was an opportunity to showcase our African Arts and Crafts in a beautiful space. We are the only ones selling African style or inspired products in this area.

Although the footfall isn’t very high, the area is very nice and touristy. We picked the Viaduc des Arts for what it represents in Paris. It was an opportunity to showcase our African Arts and Crafts in a beautiful space. Passers-by are usually attracted by the beauty of the products inside. Our challenge now is to bring even more people to us. That’s why we also host a lot of events. SAARGALE is a lively place. It’s not just a store where you come to buy products and leave. It is a place of discovery. At the moment, we have been stalled by the current pandemic. We had plans to open a coffee shop starting from May. That’s obviously on hold but when the situation gets better, people will be able to enjoy the place and have coffee - from Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia, Senegal - or a bissap, whilst reading a book like Little Africa Paris.

Can you tell us about your clientele? Are your clients more local Parisian or visitors? Who is the SAARGALE man and woman?

We welcome a mixed clientele. The 12th arrondissement is an eclectic area and bobo as well. There are a lot of tourists especially during summer and winter but also Parisians from all origins - including a lot of people from the Black community. Those are our peak seasons - December and July in particular, when Parisian people are away.
I would describe them just like I would describe SAARGALE: a place for fashion lovers, enthusiasts and curious people - and not just about Africa. It is a hotspot for people who like travelling and discovering different lifestyles.

Adama Paris shot in SAARGALE ©Renaud Callebaut

Sales are a major challenge for stores or spaces promoting African creativity. How is SAARGALE doing after its first year?

This year was not business as usual. Making any statement about our sales after this particular first year would be irrelevant. We suffered the Yellow Jackets, the strikes and now the Covid-19 pandemic. These crises did not only affect our business but every Parisian business owner. Our location was even more exposed as we were positioned right next to a protest hotspot. Nothing like this has ever happened before.

Unfortunately, this year was full of unexpected - almost unbelievable - circumstances but we are optimistic and we’re working hard. It is a part of our company journey. We’re not in control of a lot of things and we have to adapt. Talking about adapting, we have been producing masks in Senegal so far. And they are selling well.

We are recovering slowly since we started back in business. Only a few people are going out at the moment. Most people are still scared and it’s normal. But whatever happens, we believe in what we do. We’ll do our best and see how it goes!

In Conversation With Adama Paris: Take A Closer Look At The Parisian Concept Store SAARGALE