African fashion has long been a source of influence for the global fashion industry. From vibrant textiles to bold silhouettes, African designers have steadily woven cultural heritage and contemporary vision into their creations.
In recent years, African fashion weeks have emerged as pivotal platforms for showcasing the continent's talent and driving the industry forward. These events not only provide a space for designers to present their collections but also serve as catalysts for economic growth, cultural exchange, and sustainable development.
The Rise of African Fashion Weeks
The story of African fashion weeks began to shift in earnest back in 2009, with the debut of the African Fashion Collective-a bold ensemble that brought fresh voices to the forefront.This renaissance formed multiple fashion weeks, high-end boutiques, photography, films, art exhibitions, architecture, and tons of new designers starting their labels.
Several key events have played a significant role in shaping the African fashion landscape:
- Africa Fashion International (AFI): Founded in 2007 by Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe, AFI aims to amplify the work of African designers.
- Lagos Fashion Week (LFW): Founded in 2011 by Omoyemi Akerele, Lagos Fashion Week is Africa's largest fashion event, drawing considerable media attention, nationally and internationally.
- Hub of Africa Fashion Week (HAFW): Created to highlight the growing talent of African designers and brands to the international market.
- Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL): A powerful platform where culture, heritage, and identity converge to rewrite the narrative of African creativity on the global stage.
These fashion weeks have not only showcased the talent of African designers but have also contributed to the growth of the local fashion industry by bringing together media, buyers, manufacturers, and consumers.
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Lagos Fashion Week: A Case Study Lagos Fashion Week showcases Africa’s creative growth at 15th anniversary
Lagos Fashion Week showcases Africa’s creative growth at 15th anniversary
Lagos Fashion Week (LagosFW) is an annual multi-day clothing trade show that takes place in Lagos, Nigeria. It was founded in 2011 by Omoyemi Akerele and it is Africa's largest fashion event drawing considerable media attention, nationally and internationally.Lagos Fashion Week was founded in 2011 by Omoyemi Akerele and is produced by fashion business development agency Style House Files.
The event aims to give the Nigerian and African fashion industry international recognition, by bringing together media, buyers, manufacturers and consumers. As a leading fashion event on the international fashion calendar, Lagos Fashion Week includes runway shows, showroom presentations and an online platform LagosFW Digital.
Lagos Fashion Week also hosts a number of initiatives, talk series and competitions including Woven Threads, Fashion Focus Africa, Fashion Business Series, Green Access and the Visual Makers Fellowship.
As the event grows the overall goal of the event remains as prevalent as ever, which is to continuously engage with the African fashion ecosystem and develop new initiatives to generate lasting impact on the continent as well as open up these designers to the international market, she says.
A key theme this year was sustainability. The 10 Green Access designers, who are shaking up sustainable fashion in Africa, took to the stage during Saturday night’s showcase, each presenting three pieces. Off the runway, The Swap Shop, a pop-up that has been working with Lagos Fashion Week for three seasons, promoted sustainable consumption by giving customers the chance to exchange a donated item for another one.
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In 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Woven Threads initiative was launched focusing on driving the industry towards a circular fashion economy in Africa. A talk series and physical showroom have addressed how the continent can embrace traditional textiles, waste management and the role technology plays in a new creative and sustainable fashion industry.
Challenges and Opportunities
Despite the progress made, African designers still face numerous challenges:
- Financing: Securing financial support remains a significant barrier to growth for many designers.
- Manufacturing inconsistencies: African designers often struggle with manufacturing inconsistencies, production allotments, shipping delays, and staffing to meet consumer demands because of these fiscal constraints.
- Visibility: Despite producing phenomenal work that’s globally relevant, many African designers lack the visibility they deserve.
However, there are also significant opportunities for growth and development:
- Sustainability: The use of natural fibers and affinity for small scale production are ways African designers are combating the global waste problem.
- Investment: Investment is crucial to allow designers to scale their operations, refine quality, and establish solid commercial practices.
- Collaboration: Collaboration and partnerships from the wider industry are essential to provide workshops with leading banks, stakeholders and private equity firms.
Traditional versus Contemporary Fashion
Both traditional and contemporary fashion were seen on this season’s runway in Lagos. From male abayas to cropped quilted bomber jackets, the schedule highlighted the nuances and variation of African fashion. Many of the designers brought a new flare to the runway such as British-Nigerian designer Abigail Ajobi, founder of her eponymous streetwear brand, who first showcased her Spring/Summer 2023 collection during London Fashion Week in September; other designers are putting a modern spin on traditional textiles and silhouettes.
Traditional patterns and textiles speak to the luxury African consumer, says Emmy Kasbit designer Emmanuel Okoro. However, it’s the trendy silhouettes such as a tailored cropped blazer, or popular materials like wool or sequins, that help his brand break into international markets. “What we are trying to do is tell our own stories through the fabrics we use even though the designs are a bit westernised,” says Okoro, adding that 90 per cent of the fabric used in his SS23 collection is Akwete - a traditional Nigerian textile that originates from the Abia state.
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Supporting Designers Pre- and Post-Fashion Week
Securing orders before the end of the buying season is a common pain point for many young and emerging designers, particularly those who are only showcasing in Lagos, says The Folklore founder Amira Rasool, who held a buyer preview 11-14 October, ahead of the fashion week.
Rasool says this is the direction wholesale buying will gear towards in the near future. “Not everyone is going to be able to make it to Nigeria or South Africa,” she says. “And that's why the Folklore Connect exists, so that we can try to make it as efficient as possible, and still give [buyers] as much of that in real life experience as possible.”
Beyond securing buyers and stockists, finance support is needed to support the influx of demand for young designers. The Bestseller Foundation is providing the financial support to help improve the infrastructure for designers as well as the overall fashion week.
The Academic World and African Fashion
The academic world followed suit - with more visibility came more for research and preservation. “There was a very small group of researchers, especially in anthropology and art history, who were studying African textiles and dress practices - in traditional, formal contexts - during the 1980s, 1990s, and early-2000s,” says Elizabeth Way, FIT’s curator of Costume and Accessories who wrote the book Black Designers in American Fashion.
“The growing visibility of African designers through traditional media, and especially social media, has also made them easier to research and has attracted interest.”
Climate-Centered Solutions
If the industry continues to amplify and embrace African fashion, then a deep understanding of fashion waste colonialism is also vital.
While stats are varied on the exact amount, the fashion industry is a major contributor to global climate change via the use of fossil fuel-based textiles, likely somewhere between 7-10% of greenhouse gasses, according to 2022 Greenpeace report. It’s also a major cause of water pollution worldwide with over 80% of its supply chain impacting the Global South. The biggest net importers of used clothes were Ghana ($181M net trade value), Ukraine ($154M net trade value), Nigeria ($123M net trade value), Kenya ($122M net trade value), and Tanzania ($102M net trade value).
While the West views mass production and visibility as a sign of a success, African designers have mastered small-scale, niche business models that limit excessive waste. The use of natural fibers and affinity for small scale production are ways African designers are combating the global waste problem.
“If African designers are held to the same expectation of infinite growth as Western businesses, it will result in the same race-to-the-bottom, volume-over-value business models that are driving fast fashion’s waste problem today,” Assam says. “We have to evolve the relationship between investors and businesses to allow for the development of longer-term, sustainable business models that benefit all stakeholders - investors, business owners and laborers alike.”
Africa's Future
In conclusion, African fashion weeks have played a crucial role in promoting the continent's talent and driving the industry forward. Despite the challenges, the future of African fashion is bright, with opportunities for growth, sustainability, and collaboration. By embracing its unique cultural heritage and contemporary vision, African fashion is poised to make an even greater impact on the global stage.
“Money is required. I don’t think we can and should look past money,” Erwiah says about what African designers need most right now. “We need infrastructure, education, training, and technology. You need to build the foundation to allow the sector to thrive if you want to see it succeed in the long term and to be able to achieve its full potential.”
