What Happened in African Fashion In January.
- Hamza Olalekan Dosunmu
- 2 days ago
- 10 min read
Updated: 11 hours ago
Africa’s fashion ecosystem continues to evolve across design, infrastructure, policy, and market access, with recent developments highlighting both global integration and internal structural shifts.
From landmark brand collaborations and international retail expansions to capacity-building programmes, fashion weeks, and policy-driven conversations, these updates reflect an industry negotiating scale, sustainability, and sovereignty.
Together, they point to a fashion landscape shaped less by isolated moments and more by interconnected systems, linking craft, commerce, technology, and institutional support across regions and markets.
Clearly Invincible brings you the January recap of key developments shaping African fashion.
Collaboration
Free The Youth Ghana Partners with Jordan Brand on Exclusive Air Jordan 1 Mid Collaboration.
Ghanaian streetwear label Free The Youth Ghana has partnered with Nike’s Jordan Brand in a landmark collaboration, marking
a significant milestone for the brand’s global visibility. The partnership delivers an exclusive Air Jordan 1 Mid that merges Ghanaian street culture with Jordan Brand’s global sneaker legacy. The release positions Free The Youth Ghana within an international design conversation and signals growing recognition of West African streetwear as a cultural and commercial force.
Collaboration
EU–ACP Business Friendly Programme, in Collaboration with Ethical Fashion Initiative, Trains Women-Led Cooperatives in Responsible Textile Production
The EU–ACP Business Friendly Programme, in collaboration with Ethical Fashion, has delivered targeted training to strengthen micro, small and medium enterprises across the cotton value chain, with a focus on responsible production and sales optimisation. The recent sessions equipped cooperative managers with tools to improve production efficiency, manage dyeing wastewater responsibly and develop creative strategies to access new markets. A total of 147 women participated across Benin (34) and Burkina Faso (113), reinforcing the programme’s role in advancing sustainable practices, market access, and women led growth within West Africa’s textile ecosystem, with support from EU Partnerships and the OACPS.
Business
African Fashion MSMEs Face Structural Barriers to Unlocking AfCFTA Trade Potential
Africa’s fashion e-commerce market is expanding rapidly, yet micro, small and medium-sized fashion businesses remain constrained by fragmented payments, costly logistics and weak data infrastructure. Despite strong demand for Made-in-Africa goods and AfCFTA’s potential to increase intra-African trade by up to 50% by 2040, only 16% of Africa’s trade currently occurs within the continent, with fashion MSMEs particularly locked into national silos. High remittance fees, complex cross-border payment systems, logistics costs consuming up to 60% of product value in some regions and slow customs processes continue to limit scale.
Emerging pan-African solutions such as PAPSS and platform-led models integrating payments, logistics, and data signal a path forward, highlighting interoperability not demand as the critical factor in transforming African fashion into a driver of intra-African trade.
Economic
Tommy Hilfiger Expands to Kenya, Nairobi at Westgate Shopping Mall
American lifestyle brand Tommy Hilfiger has expanded into East Africa, selecting Nairobi as the entry point for its regional expansion.
The new store is located at Westgate Shopping Mall in the Westlands district and began operations this month.
The outlet offers a range of menswear, womenswear and accessories, bringing the brand’s global retail experience directly to Kenyan consumers. The move reflects growing international interest in East Africa’s retail market, with Nairobi increasingly positioned as a regional fashion and commercial hub.
Industry observers note that the launch signals confidence in Kenya’s consumer market, supported by rising disposable income and established retail infrastructure.
The store is also expected to contribute to local employment and strengthen Westgate Mall’s position as a key destination for global brands entering the region.
Collaboration
Core Fashion Kenya Leads Roundtable on Sourcing and Infrastructure
American lifestyle brand Tommy Hilfiger has expanded into East Africa, selecting Nairobi as the entry point for its regional expansion.
The new store is located at Westgate Shopping Mall in the Westlands district and began operations this month.
The outlet offers a range of menswear, womenswear and accessories, bringing the brand’s global retail experience directly to Kenyan consumers. The move reflects growing international interest in East Africa’s retail market, with Nairobi increasingly positioned as a regional fashion and commercial hub.
Industry observers note that the launch signals confidence in Kenya’s consumer market, supported by rising disposable income and established retail infrastructure.
The store is also expected to contribute to local employment and strengthen Westgate Mall’s position as a key destination for global brands entering the region.
Textile
Quwiyat Lawal Takes Aṣọ òkè and Àdìrẹ to Global Fashion Markets
UK-based fashion designer and creative director of Sisi Sewing, Quwiyat Olashile Lawal, is advancing efforts to position indigenous Nigerian textiles within global fashion markets, citing their adaptability and contemporary relevance beyond traditional use.
Lawal, who has participated in multiple fashion trade fairs in Birmingham, United Kingdom, said the platforms enabled her to engage international buyers and fashion professionals while introducing fabrics such as Ankara, Adire and Aso-Oke to wider audiences.
She noted that her work focuses on reframing these textiles as viable materials for modern,
global wardrobes.
Speaking with ThisdayLive, Lawal said her designs demonstrate how Nigerian fabrics can transition across casual, corporate and ceremonial contexts, while remaining climate-appropriate and culturally grounded.
Through Sisi Sewing, Lawal has developed collections that combine heritage textiles with modern tailoring. Her reinterpretation of premium Aso-Oke, in particular, has drawn attention for extending the hand.
Fashion Week
Hub of Africa Fashion Week Reinforces Addis Ababa’s Fashion Ecosystem
The Hub of Africa Fashion Week returned to Addis Ababa from January 13–17, drawing designers from across East, West and Southern Africa and reinforcing Ethiopia’s position as a stable centre for regional fashion. Founded in 2010 to elevate African fashion locally and globally, the platform is now the longest continuously running fashion week in East Africa.
Designers from Ethiopia dominated the showcase, alongside participants from Kenya, Nigeria, Cameroon and South Africa. Industry stakeholders describe the event as a key anchor for the sub-region, particularly as similar platforms elsewhere face disruption.
The latest edition also highlighted emerging talent supported by international creative programmes, underscoring the event’s role in talent development and cross-border visibility.
Brand
Severe Nature Launches Femme Nature: A Womenswear Line Centered on Lived Experience
Severe Nature has unveiled Femme Nature, its first-ever womenswear line, marking a deliberate shift toward designing for women with care, attention, and intention. The collection emerges from the brand’s recognition of how women have quietly shaped its identity—through the ways they wore its pieces, asked questions, and signaled spaces for exploration.
For its debut, Solidad steps in as Creative Director, leading design, fittings, storytelling, and visual language with women at the core. As she notes, “A woman made this for women. You can feel that in every detail.” Rather than grand spectacle, Femme Nature was introduced through intimate gatherings, conversations, and shared moments, emphasizing presence and connection.
The line lays the foundation for future chapters, welcoming new voices while keeping its core mission intact: to make women feel seen, considered, and at home. This is more than a collection—it is a door opening, and a promise to keep it open.
Event
Fashion Law Institute Africa Hosts Tax Readiness Workshop for Fashion Creatives
The Fashion Law Institute Africa, in collaboration with Ananse Fashionhub, successfully hosted the Tax Readiness Workshop for Fashion Creatives. The session brought together participants for in-depth discussions, thoughtful questions, and meaningful engagement.
By sharing expertise and practical guidance, the workshop aimed to strengthen knowledge and build a more structured, informed, and sustainable African fashion industry.
Brand
GoodGoodGood Debuts SS26 Collection “Unsung Heroes”
GoodGoodGood has launched its Spring/Summer 2026 collection, Unsung Heroes, on NATAAL.
The collection draws inspiration from the 1995 Rugby World Cup, reflecting a moment of national renewal and a commitment to thoughtful, enduring design.
Brand
AURORA by Aminda Explores Transition Through Purpose-Driven Design
AURORA by Aminda presents a collection that explores transition through fluid silhouettes, ombré hues, and colour as a form of expression.
Crafted with recycled and natural fibers and finished with custom buttons made from repurposed plastic,
the collection emphasizes intentional, purpose-driven design that extends beyond seasonal trends.
Event
Kente Gentlemen Unveils Fall/Winter 26/27 Collection “Dans mon jardin – Chapitre I”
Kente Gentlemen has presented its Fall/Winter 26/27 collection, Dans mon jardin – Chapitre I, through an intimate film premiered during Milan Fashion Week Men’s digital showcase. Set in a quiet garden, the film follows a solitary gentleman in moments of stillness, where structured cotton tailoring, subtle textures, and grounded tones emerge through presence rather than spectacle.
Filmed in Côte d’Ivoire, with natural sound recorded near Bouaké, the collection reflects a deep connection to place, time, and slowness, marking the first chapter of a two-part poetic narrative.
Fashion Week
Candid Moments of Omah Lay at 3Paradis AW26 Runway
During the Autumn/Winter 2026 Rest in Paradis runway, Omah Lay was captured in moments that highlight the intersection of memory, emotion, and fashion.
The presentation emphasized presence and atmosphere, offering a reflective counterpoint to conventional runway spectacle.
Fashion Week
Ghanaian Models Make a Statement at AMIRI AW26 Runway
At the Autumn/Winter 2026 AMIRI runway show, Nana Yaw Akuamoah , Vincent Dzogbenu , Muzakir Awudu , and Ottawa Kwami made a decisive impact, asserting presence and creativity on one of fashion’s most influential stages.
Event
TEM Gala & Fashion Awards 2026 Highlights Its Role in Advancing Africa’s Fashion Infrastructure
The TEM Gala & Fashion Awards 2026 concluded in Accra, reinforcing the platform’s role in recognising institutional impact and long-term contribution to Africa’s fashion and creative infrastructure.
This year’s edition highlighted organisations shaping the continent’s fashion ecosystem through education, research, cultural advocacy, and industry development. Honours presented during the ceremony reflected the Gala’s continued emphasis on structural growth and sustained influence within African fashion, positioning TEM Gala as a key convening space for industry leadership and ecosystem-building across the continent.
Brand
Dye Lab Launches Limited “Made in Benin” Indigo Capsule
Dye Lab presents a special indigo capsule collection, crafted in collaboration with Couleur indigo, the Republic of Benin’s master indigo dyers. Previewed in Cotonou at Riverside St Georges and pre-released in December, the collection is available for pre-order on Friday, January 30th.
The capsule features reworked versions of fan-favorite styles—the shirtdress, bibs, crop shirt, culottes, and Osaka top—rendered in rich indigo prints. Each piece combines familiar forms, thoughtful construction, and artisanal craftsmanship, celebrating the shared heritage and creative dialogue between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.
Brand
Pith Africa Announces First International Pop-Up in Paris
Pith Africa is taking a bold step onto the international stage. From March 12–14, the brand will host its first international pop-up in Paris, in collaboration with LagosxParis, France in Nigeria, and Talk Studio Paris.
The event celebrates cultural exchange between Lagos and Paris, showcasing not just fashion, but also art, music, food, and lived culture. Attendees can expect an immersive experience, including workshops, masterclasses, and a mixer that brings the spirit of Lagos directly into the French capital.
This marks the brand’s most ambitious project to date, representing a leap into new markets and a wider global audience.
Report
Casablanca Hosts Orun Project, Showcasing African Craftsmanship and Systematic Development
On January 8–9, 2026, Casablanca hosted the Orun Project, a pan-African initiative transforming craftsmanship into a structured, sustainable industry. Led by Habyba Thiero and the Africa Currency Network, Orun positions African heritage as economic, cultural, and social capital, not just decoration.
The two-day program highlighted seven Houses of Craft—ecosystems where weaving, leatherwork, ceramics, and couture meet contemporary design and sustainable production. Orun trains designers to build systems, ensuring heritage is transmitted, valued, and monetized locally.
Spotlighted talents include Romzy, Bramble, IMI & KIMI, OLOOH, and Yoshita 1967, all turning craft into global, functional design. Casablanca became a symbol of structured, sovereign African fashion, where craftsmanship drives economy, culture, and innovation.
Collaboration
FashionEVO, in partnership with 360 Creative Innovation Hub, has launched the F.A.S.T Accelerator Program (Fashion Advancement & Startup Training), a six-week hybrid initiative aimed at emerging and early-stage African fashion entrepreneurs.
The program combines two weeks of virtual sessions with four weeks of intensive in-person training in Lagos, Nigeria, providing mentorship, practical business guidance, and access to industry networks. It focuses on strengthening business foundations, refining brand identity, improving market readiness, and promoting sustainable practices.
Dr. Yetty Ogunnubi, FashionEVO Founder, said the program addresses the gap between creative talent and business structure in African fashion. Mrs. Blessing Ebere Achu, Founder of 360 Creative Innovation Hub, added that F.A.S.T embeds practical, technology-driven support to help designers build scalable, globally competitive brands.
Applications are open until February 13, 2026. Interested entrepreneurs can apply here.
Fashion Week
Imane Ayissi Showcases Haute Couture at Paris Fashion Week
At Paris Fashion Week, Imane Ayissi presented a live salon show at Hôtel Meurice, dressing models in real time. Key visuals included painted silk columns, an ivory strapless gown, liquid silver draping, cobalt checks, and signature raffia accents.
As the only African designer with a permanent spot on the official Haute Couture calendar, Ayissi continues to expand the definition of couture.
Economic
Euromonitor highlights a growing disconnect between industry growth and wider economic indicators.
Geographical trade patterns in apparel and footwear are becoming increasingly fragmented in 2026, shaped by slower global growth, geopolitical uncertainty and uneven regional demand. Speaking at the Source Fashion trade fair in London, Euromonitor International outlined how industry growth is decoupling from broader economic performance, with value sales
rising while real growth remains muted.
Asia Pacific remains the primary growth driver, projected to account for over 30 percent of global growth between 2025 and 2030, despite China’s slowdown. Emerging markets across Latin America, the Middle East and Africa are gaining strategic importance, with the Middle East and Africa forecast to record CAGR growth above 10 percent. Meanwhile, mature markets in North America and Western Europe are expected to see low single-digit growth, increasing pressure on nearshoring, cost control and sourcing efficiency.
In 2026, trade strategy is shifting from expansion to selectivity, requiring brands and suppliers to balance regional flexibility, cost competitiveness and regulatory stability.
Fashion Week
NSFDW 2025 Showcases Nigeria’s Next Generation of Designers
The ninth edition of Nigerian Student Fashion & Design Week (NSFDW) concluded in Lagos, reaffirming its role as a key platform for emerging African fashion talent. Held over three days at GAC Motors, Victoria Island, the showcase featured 16 student designers presenting collections across heritage couture, contemporary womenswear and experimental streetwear.
Top honours went to Estazwere, awarded Most Creative Designer, and Konvetti, who received the Viewers’ Choice award. Both designers received ₦1 million and secured sponsored showcases at New York Fashion Week and Dallas Fashion Week 2026.
The Most Creative Designer category was judged by Josh Amor, Kola Kuddus and Rhoda Ebun.
Beyond the runway, NSFDW 2025 hosted workshops on sustainability, fashion law, finance and brand development, reinforcing its focus on long-term career development. Founded in 2013 by Abiola Orimolade, the platform continues to connect Nigerian student designers to global fashion circuits, with several alumni now presenting internationally.
Fashion Week
Nairobi Fashion Week 2026 Centres Sustainability and Decarbonisation
Nairobi Fashion Week returned from January 28–31, 2026, at the Sarit Expo Centre with its eighth season themed “Decarbonise,” positioning sustainability at the centre of African fashion discourse. Designers from Africa and across Europe, Asia, and the United States presented collections focused on ethical production, circular design, and reduced environmental impact.
Through runway showcases, panel discussions, and artisan-led retail spaces, the event underscored Nairobi’s growing role as a hub for responsible fashion, emphasising long-term value, local craftsmanship, and climate-conscious innovation over fast-fashion models.
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