How Paris pipo taste okrika style from Africa

Woman dey model Marche Noir vintage dress

Wia dis foto come from, Alexandre Bancharel

    • Author, Ijeoma Ndukwe
    • Role, Lomé and Paris
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Charity shops for Europe dey send cloth wey pipo no want again go Togo but one vintage trader for Paris dey give am life.

"Dem dey carry dem go Africa and most of dem we no need - like coats and furs. I dey select am with my guys, and dey send am back to Europe and we dey sell am," Amah Ayivi tok.

Many of dem na charity shop donations wey dem never sell, and e dey cost less than $1 (£0.81) each.

"People no dey buy most of di things wey I want," Mr Ayivi tok.

Yet some pieces go sell for as much as 200 euros ($220; £178) for di Marché Noir concept store wey dey di French capital.

Amah Ayivi dey wear Marche Noir for di streets of Paris with friends

Wia dis foto come from, Amah Ayivi

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Most of di items na from Grand Marché de Hedzranawoe, a major hub for the trade in used clothing in Togo's capital, Lomé.

Mr Ayivi, wey don live for France since im be 12 years, spend im early years for Togo, where im dey return several times for di year to buy stock.

He tok say im dey ship around 4000kg of cloth back to Europe each time.

Amah dey walk through Hezranawoe Market

Wia dis foto come from, Andrew Esiebo

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Amah dey work for Hedzranawoe Market in Lome

Wia dis foto come from, Andrew Esiebo

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Amah selecting scarves for Hedzranawoe Market

Wia dis foto come from, Andrew Esiebo

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"On di floor you fit find treasures," says Mr Ayivi.

"The cloth wey I dey always buy na di blue worker jacket because na something you fit wear all di time."

Amah Ayivi select blue worker jacket.

Wia dis foto come from, Ijeoma Ndukwe

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Amah Ayivi dey inspect rows of blue worker jackets.

Wia dis foto come from, Andrew Esiebo

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Tailor dey customise di restore di clothing.

Wia dis foto come from, Andrew Esiebo

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Dem dey clean, restore and even customise di cloth before dey sell am for Paris.

Customers tok say dem like di "unique" clothes and "global outlook", Mr Ayivi tok.

"We no dey try educate with style, but to show people wetin you fit do with wetin you get.

"Give me and I go show you how to wear am and you no go buy another one."

Amah dey style a man inside vintage blue worker jacket

Wia dis foto come from, Andrew Esiebo

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Amah dey style woman for Paris

Wia dis foto come from, Andrew Esiebo

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Clothes on the rails of di Marche Noir shop in Paris.

Wia dis foto come from, Andrew Esiebo

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One customer buy cloth for Marche Noir.

Wia dis foto come from, Andrew Esiebo

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Images from Alexandre Bancharel, Amah Ayivi, Andrew Esiebo and Ijeoma Ndukwe.