This weekend over 40 fashion designers from across Africa will get together for the fifth annual Africa Fashion Week in London! (AFWL) AFWL is Europe’s largest catwalk event featuring African and African-inspired lines and highlights the work of established and emerging African designers for a global audience. Amongst this super talented group, we’ve picked out eight designers whose work inspires us to fly to London and start shopping!
Country of origin: Zimbabwe
Clothing aesthetic: Avant-guarde evening wear
Market: Women
Tarisayi Epha Gweje, Zimbabwean born and raised, is the owner and creator of Chaivo designs. She began designing in 2003, and after being mentored by Creed Katsande, a celebrated Zimbabwean fashion designer, Gweje is now an up and coming designer to watch. She premiered her work at Africa Fashion Week Nigeria in May and is now ready to show the world her creative designs in London.
Country of origin: Nigeria
Clothing aesthetic: Casual chic
Market: Men, women, children
Established in Nigeria in 2010, Grazee Stitches is a clothing line known for its simple but sophisticated and stylish designs for men, women and children. Grazee prides itself on their use of African designs by children which translate into stylish clothes across all their markets while still being sold at pocket friendly prices. They also donate some of the outfits to orphanages in Abuja, where the company is based. Their motto: “Support for the less –privilege remains at the core of all we do.”
Country of origin: Zimbabwe
Clothing aesthetic: Contemporary chic
Market: Women
House of Mucha was founded by Zimbabwe-born LinDi Mucha, who has had a passion for Afrocentric wear since her teen years. LinDi has crafted a unique afro-vintage sophisticated style which is aimed at women of any generation with a contemporary lifestyle. Her understanding of vintage design and traditional African styles allows her to brand a new and elegant AfroVintage brand as inspired by her mother’s fashion style of the 70’s. Although bringing her own Zimbabwe roots into many of her designs, LinDi also travels frequently to source unique fabric and create employment in developing countries all around the world.
Country of origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Clothing aesthetic: Environmentally conscious chic
Market: Women
Launching her first line only a couple months ago, Messy is a 23-year-old daughter of a seamstress with a lifelong love of fashion. Messy arrived in the UK just 9 years ago and during that time she has graduated from the London College of Fashion and interned with Ada Zanditon and Alice Horlick. The result? An environmentally friendly line of clothing made with recycled materials and produced with a limited carbon footprint. Her line at AFWL is sure to impress.
Country of origin: South Africa
Clothing aesthetic: Retro casual chic
Market: Men, women
Martial & Christine was founded and created by Grace Loes, who named the brand after her parents who she credits for her joie de vivre and love of crazy fun African fashion. M& C features designs motivated by passion, joyful colors, elegant lines and beautifully patterned African pagne fabrics. The clothes highlight African traditional style and culture in a modern way with classic silhouettes that promote their interpretation of African fashion and blur the lines between coquette and classy.
Country of origin: Kenya
Clothing aesthetic: Envrionmentally conscious/casual chic
Market: Women, children
Njeme Helena was founded in 2012 by Anne, Cecilia and Annika Ostman to honour their deceased daughter and sister, Helena. Since its founding, the company has focused on African fabrics and a “made in Africa” ethos to create fashion items that will promote the endlessly inspiring African aesthetic and incorporate it with modern design for everyday wear. They aim to bring new skills and opportunities, fair employment, and sustainable solutions to Kenyan tradesmen, particularly female workers, by crafting their clothes exclusively in Kenya.
Country of origin: Angola
Clothing aesthetic: Evening wear
Market: Women
Upon her 2010 graduation from the European Centre for Fashion Design, Soraya da Piedade started the brand bearing her own name as a campaign to empower strong and independent women. Her eveningwear is innovative and exciting while still maintaining a classic and elegant edge for the modern woman.
Country of origin: The Gambia
Clothing aesthetic: Casual chic/eveningwear
Market: Men and women
Now a household name in The Gambia, Yaws opened her shop with the hope of creating something new and different. Inspired by her African roots, she aims to bring an Africentric expression to her lines. The slogan “Freshly Creative Inside” applies to her eccentric vision that she brings to her clothing and her ability to make accessible, haute-couture yet wearable casual chic clothing.
