What Happened in African Fashion This Week
- bolaji akinwande
- May 10
- 3 min read
This week, five African designers feature in the Met’s costume institute exhibition celebrating black style, while Afreximbank hosts a meeting to boost cotton sectors in several African countries, and in Egypt, a designer uses their proceeds to fund medical aid in Gaza.
Clearly Invincible brings you all these and more in our weekly update.
Here is everything that happened in African fashion this week.
Personality
GHANAIAN DESIGNER, VICTOR HART, BECOMES FINALIST FOR THE CAMERA MODA FASHION TRUST
Victor Hart is an eponymous sustainable Ghanaian designer based in Italy. The brand blends Ghanaian tradition and artisanal craftsmanship into its designs. The founder has been selected as a finalist for the 2025 Camera Moda Fashion Trust grant, which supports independent Made-in-Italy brands. Victor is one of nine finalists. As a previous winner of the MAX@Co.Design for Change award in 2024, this grant further highlights Hart’s ethos as a sustainable and innovative brand.
Brand
FIVE AFRICAN DESIGNERS FEATURED IN MET’S COSTUME INSTITUTE EXHIBITION CELEBRATING BLACK STYLE
This year, the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute exhibition, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, celebrates over 300 years of black style exploration through dandyism and the art of tailoring. Among the designers featured are five African designers: Kwasi Paul (Ghanaian-American), Labrum London (African-British), Agbobly (Togolese), Torlowei (Nigerian), and 3 Paradis (African-French). Their pieces are being showcased at the MET to promote Black African culture and heritage in line with this year's exhibition theme.
Event
KUMASI FASHION WEEK TO TAKE PLACE IN MAY
The ninth edition of Kumasi Fashion Week is set to take place from May 29th to 31st. Since its inception in 2016, the event has become a key platform for local and homegrown designers to showcase their craft. This year's theme, "Innovation, Identity, Impact," will highlight originality, authentic African expression, and the power of fashion to drive positive change. Tickets and participation forms for the event are now available.
Event
ZIMBABWE TO HOLD FASHION WEEK IN OCTOBER
The Zimbabwe Fashion Trust (ZFWT) has announced the dates for its Spring-Summer showcase, with Zimbabwe Fashion Week scheduled to take place from October 8th to 12th, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency Harare, The Meikles— a luxurious 5-star hotel in Harare. The four-day event will feature runway shows from both local and international designers, alongside panel discussions, networking opportunities, and engaging experiences. Since 2009, Zimbabwe Fashion Week has served as a vital platform for promoting local designers, connecting them with regional and international buyers, and fostering growth within the country's textile and apparel sector.
Organisation
AFREXIMBANK HOSTS TWO-DAY MEETING TO BOOST COTTON SECTORS IN AFRICAN COUNTRIES
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) hosted a two-day meeting with the Steering Committee of the Partenariat pour le Coton (PPC), a global platform supporting the transformation and advancement of the cotton-textile-garment (CTG) sector in developing countries. The meeting primarily focused on improving the cotton sectors in four African countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, and Côte d'Ivoire), aiming to boost economic returns, create employment opportunities, and promote economic, social, and environmental sustainability.
Showcase
EGYPTIAN BRAND MIX AND MATCH SHOWCASES PERSIAN-INSPIRED COLLECTION
Mix and Match is one of Egypt's leading sustainable brands, renowned for using locally sourced linen and cotton to create modest pieces. Their new collection, inspired by the visual and textile innovations of Persian culture, debuted at Takiya Al-Mawlawiyah, a historic landmark in Cairo. The brand also collaborated with Bulga, a leather footwear brand in Egypt. Proceeds from ticket sales for the show are being used to fund medical aid in Gaza.
Showcase
TWO SOUTH AFRICAN BRANDS, MASA MARA AND IMPRINT CELEBRATE 10TH ANNIVERSARY DURING WEAR WEEK
The menswear Autumn-Winter show (AW25) in South Africa happened last weekend and featured some of the country's finest menswear designers, among the roaster were two heritage brands. Namely, Masa Mara and Imprint, who both celebrated their 10th anniversary with a colorful collection featuring bold prints.
Join us in shaping the future of African fashion. Sign Up to become a part of the Clearly Invincible fashion community and for a consultation to aid your fashion entrepreneurship journey.
Fashion Services: Illustrations | Collection Planning | Portfolio's | Consultations
Comments