7 looks that capture the essence of ADAMA’s Flowers & Seeds Gala

Arts patronage met creative expression against the backdrop of the Flowers & Seeds Gala, an annual fundraiser for the African Diaspora Art Museum of Atlanta (ADAMA).

The event, which celebrated Black art and culture from across the African diaspora, honored sculptor Curtis Patterson and painter Hasani Sahlehe with the Nellie Mae Rowe Award, supported by the Judith Alexander Foundation. The money raised from Flowers & Seeds will support the museum’s capital campaign and building fund.

Here, selected gala guests describe their evening look, which capture the essence of the event and the artists it championed.

Salah Ananse
As a DJ, my approach is to always give the crowd something they don’t expect. Jumpsuits aren’t common for men outside of workwear, and this one, made by Wow Wow by Wunmi, brought a tailored approach with African flair. The fabric was dyed in Togo. What could be more appropriate for an ADAMA event? As soon as Wunmi showed us the fabric, my wife and I knew we had to have jumpsuits made.

Nia Umoja-Khalid
As an artist, I like to be the art and wear the art; this vintage dress was perfect for expressing my style. I have over 50 sequin vintage pieces that I have collected over the years. This dress was gifted to me over 10 years ago, when I graduated from college. It came from my mentor, who owns a vintage boutique. She reminded me to shine bright, be bold, and stay in a divine flow like the ocean. Today, I make art that is healing and embodies that connection to nature.

Photography by Inari Briana

Issa Gray
I wore a custom suit designed by Atlanta’s own Sylvia Mollie. The fabric, a handmade indigo batik, was produced in Ghana and features the Adinkra symbol Bese Saka, which represents unity, power, and abundance. This symbol holds deep meaning for me, as it’s shared by both ADAMA and my company, Ire Aje, as our logos. While the designs differ slightly, the message is the same—and it felt powerful to show up fully aligned with that spirit.

Lisa and Kamau Bobb
My “Western-Afriq” look was inspired by Afro-futurism and, of course, [Beyonce’s album] Cowboy Carter. I wanted to incorporate bold color and a contemporary African woven textile and mix it with glitzy country-western staples. My pants were handmade in Ghana from a sustainable clothing line that weaves all of their materials for minimal waste. My husband Kamau’s look was an artistic take on his minimalist “daily uniform” of black jeans, a black T-shirt, and black boots. He went big with a traditional Ghanian fugu, in an infinity wrap fastened by a truly oversized safety pin. One accessory was all he needed to turn his minimalist look into maximum style. —Lisa

Vikki Millender-Morrow
After a recent trip to Zanzibar curated by Jamila and Fahamu Pécou, I was inspired to wear attire that represented the regalness of our African ancestors. I paired this blue and white dress, which I previously purchased from the luxury African clothing boutique Etal & Co. in Phipps Plaza, with my Valentinos and a head wrap I ordered via Amazon. I wanted to embrace the theme of ADAMA’s Flowers & Seeds Gala, where attendees were encouraged to embrace Afro-opulent attire to make fashion a part of the experience.

Photography by Inari Briana

Tre Hamilton
My style was inspired by the people of the African continent, and I wanted my look to consist of items from different parts of Africa. As my statement piece, I chose the shúkà to represent the Maasai in eastern Africa. Then I selected a tailored suit that complemented yet contrasted the shúkà’s colors. My sneakers were a Nike release called “Little Accra,” which is an amalgamation of inspiration from different facets within Ghanaian culture. I wore rings and other jewelry from Egypt, Zanzibar, and Kenya.

Iman Lemma
The rich cultural heritage of Ethiopia inspired my outfit. I wanted to wear something traditional from my home country, Ethiopia, but with a modern twist. The linen material is incredibly comfortable, and I loved how the blue and yellow complemented each other so well. I enjoyed accessorizing the dress.

This article appears in our June 2025 issue.