The trails of indigo run across many cultures of the world.
From ancient Egypt to prehispanic Mexico, in their quest for blue dye, from India to medieval Japan, everywhere on earth, people have met the humble indigo shrub.

Our story spans over three continents…
Some special day in Paris, Aboubakar Fofana, a calligrapher and creator for textile, born thirty four years ago in Mali, attends a course of traditionnal indigo dying by Master Akiyama's, dyer of the japanese imperial family's silk.
This meeting with Master Akiyama cristallizes Aboubakar's ambition. While discovering the outstanding qualities of the japanese tinctorial baths of indigo in fermentation vats, Aboubakar Fofana feels this is the occasion to save from extinction the know-how of African dyers, today supersided by synthetic dyes.
Aboubakar understands that only genuine african indigo will answer the requests of the international fashion and design markets. The challenges are economic, because indigo cultivation can become a valuable crop for the Malian peasants, as much as ecologic because chemical dyes today pollute the precious water.
We will follow Aboubakar's pilgrimage on the roads of indigo : from his parisian workshop to Japan and back to Mali where Master Akiyama, interested himself by traditionnal african dyes, will come to share his knowledges.
Globalization of arts and crafts is shaping a future where each culture could bring its own genius at the junction of a great common river.
The magical history of colors still creates bridges between people.


Mali / Japan / France