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Africa Fashion Week London 2019, African fashion, AFWL - August 04, 2019

Save the date: Africa Fashion Week London 2019

African Fashion Week London, 9 & 10 August 2019. At Freemason’s Hall, Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AZ.

The UnAfrican-ness of Africa's Fabric

Preserving every ounce of one’s African-ness is a duty several expats have taken on. For many, wearing “African” wax print is a means to not only affirm but also reinstate their identity in foreign lands. For others belonging to the Old African diaspora, flaunting a Kente head wrap or strutting a fabulous ankara (commonly called in Nigeria) maxi skirt becomes a means of identifying with Africa. However, the authenticity of our beloved “African” fabric comes into scrutiny when discussing the historical origins and commercialization of these products. During the 1800s Indonesians used a wax resisting dyeing technique for pattern making...

The Business of African Fashion - Ethiopia

Ethiopian craftsmanship is perhaps best displayed by the country’s traditional clothing that combines cotton fabrics with strips of hand-embroidered multi-coloured patterns. During special events such as weddings, guests adorn ‘Habesha’ clothing as they are referred to. Egla Yetnayet Negussie But they are expensive for most people, with some of the priciest garments selling for 15,000 Birr (US$730). Additionally, urban youth who want to keep up with global fashion trends also choose not to wear traditional clothing on regular days. Fashion entrepreneur Egla Yetnayet Negussie, however, hopes to make Habesha clothes an everyday choice. She runs ES Collections, a fashion business focusing...

From New York to East Africa

In 2013 Russian entrepreneur Evgeniya Khromina relocated to Kenya to set up Panâh, a luxury fashion production house. She and her co-founder, Persian fashion designer Morteza Saifi, were previously based in New York, one of the ‘big four’ fashion capitals of the world. Saifi had worked with some of the world’s leading brands for over two decades and was looking for “other challenges that would create social opportunities for people”. “The ethical trend was picking up in the US… We started looking at several places in the world, [including] Haiti and Bolivia, where we could set up an ethical fashion...

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African designer, African fashion - January 15, 2015

Top 10 East African Fashion Designers to Watch

Fashion design in East Africa is flourishing: low start-up costs and demand for high-quality garments has meant that new designers are creating successful brands which hare attracting international attention. Labels have also benefited from the development of institutions such as FAFA and Africa Fashion Week, which have provided designers with the necessary platform to exhibit their work and gain vital media coverage. We discover more about the East African designers who are about to break into the mainstream. Courtesy of millecollines millecollines Rwandan fashion label millecollines is truly helping contemporary African design to cross continents. Founded by Spanish designers Marc...