What Happened in African Fashion This Week
- bolaji akinwande
- Jun 14
- 3 min read
This week Moroccan designer Artsi Ifrach takes the spotlight on GQ Middle East magazine, while three recent graduates at Central Saint Martins taps into their African roots, delivering a collection that weaves the continent’s cultural heritage, elsewhere Tranoi and Cannex announces the “Africa Now” pop-up set to take place later this month in Paris.
Clearly Invincible brings you all these and more in our weekly recap of fashion news.
Here is everything that happened in African fashion this week.
Collaboration.
IBRAHIM KAMARA COLLABORATES WITH MALICK BODIAN FOR HIS LAST ISSUE AT DAZED.
In March, Sierra Leone-born, London-based stylist and creative director Ib Kamara announced his exit from Dazed, where he served as the editor-in-chief for four years. For his final issue, tagged the “Celebration Issue,” Ib collaborated with Senegalese photographer Malick Bodian for the latest cover issue. The editorial features Nigerian-South Sudanese model Athiec Chol Malel Geng and was shot in Senegal.
Personality.
MOROCCAN DESIGNER ARTSI IFRACH GRACES THE COVER OF GQ MIDDLE EAST MAGAZINE
Artsi Ifrach is a Moroccan designer, founder, and creative director of Maisonartc —a sustainable, maximalist brand championing Arabic culture. The creative juggernaut becomes the latest cover star, with the editorial focusing on Artsi’s creative expression. Artsi is known for using maximalist fashion to dissect history, identity, and craftsmanship.
Showcase.
CENTRAL SAINT MARTIN'S GRADUATE RUNWAY IS MET WITH AFRICAN DESIGNERS AND HERITAGE.
The Central Saint Martins is a public art university in London, England. It is famously known as the school for some of the most established world designers, including John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, and Stella McCartney. At this year’s graduation ceremony, three new diaspora African designers —Megan Alloh (British-Ghanaian), Zainab Mansary (Dutch-Sierra Leonean), and Timilola Shasanya (British-Nigerian) —emerged among the 40 young designers who graduated. Megan’s design explored the cultural exchange between Britain and Ghana using knitwear, Zainab’s collection is a nod to the impact of migration, and features a UV printed leather jacket, braided trousers, tie-dye denim jackets, and more. Lastly, Timilola’s pieces draw inspiration from her Nigerian roots, working with unorthodox materials like metal, broom, and leather.
Event.
TRANOI AND CANNEX TO HOST FOUR AFRICAN BRANDS AT GALERIES LAFAYETTE IN PARIS
Tranoi is a B2B ready-to-wear and accessories trade show that showcases the design of French and international designers during the Paris and Tokyo Fashion Week, while CANNEX is a platform for emerging African designers that offers mentorship, skills transfer, and access to international markets. For years, the two platforms have worked hand in hand, helping African designers to showcase their collections in Paris and Tokyo with the TRANOI PARIS/TRANOI TOKYO trade shows as a way of reaching international markets.
This June, the two powerhouses are hosting a pop-up called “Africa Now” and will take place at the Galeries Lafayette in Paris. The three-week-long pop-up will take place from June 18 - July 8 and will feature four African brands, namely Ghanaian afro-luxury brand (Boyedoe), Moroccan sustainable brand (Late For Work), Kenyan-based jewelry brand (We Are NBO), and Nigerian sustainable brand (Wuman).
Showcase.
EMY AFRICA TO HOST RUNWAY SHOWCASE THIS JUNE
Emy Africa is a multifaceted platform that honours African creatives in arts, sports, media, fashion, and social impact. It is also known for its annual awards that honour significant figures in Africa’s creative space. This June, the platform is set to hold the EMY Africa Expo- a multi-day fair that brings together African enterprises, legacy brands, SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises), and startups to connect. The Expo will feature a fashion showcase presented by Woodin (an African textile brand) and set to take place on 21st June at the Accra International Conference Centre.
Brand.
GHANAIAN BRAND, CHRISTIE BROWN, RELEASES EYEWEAR COLLECTION
Ghanaian-based brand Christie Brown releases eyewear collection. Tagged “Jackie” the limited eyewear was designed in Accra and made in Italy. The new release marks an expansion of the brand into accessories. Back in April, the brand released its SS25 sport-inspired collection.
Event.
THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF ARTS AND CULTURE HOSTS ‘FASHION FOCUS’ IN ABUJA WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS.
The Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy (FMACTCE) will launch the Nigeria Everywhere: Fashion Focus Stakeholder Engagement this June. The theme tagged “Stitching the Gaps- Building Bridges Across Nigeria’s Fashion Value Chain” will feature the debut of the Nigeria Everywhere Creative Collection, aimed at celebrating Nigeria’s growing influence globally. The Creative Collection is designed by the previously announced cohort of Nigerian designers.
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