What Happened in African Fashion This Week
- bolaji akinwande
- Sep 13
- 4 min read
African fashion entrepreneurs and founders are featured on Vogue’s Business Innovators list, a testament to the continent’s ever-growing talent. Meanwhile, as fashion weeks around the world gear up for their Spring/Summer offerings, South African Fashion Week has announced a strategic hiatus. Also this week, African designers showcased at the CANEX International Trade Fair, and nominations for the Twyg Magazine Sustainable Fashion Awards are now open.
Clearly Invincible brings you the latest in our weekly African fashion recap. Here's everything that happened this week.
Personality.
FIVE AFRICAN FASHION ENTREPRENEURS AND FOUNDERS MAKE VOGUE BUSINESS 100 INNOVATORS CLASS OF 2025
The Vogue Business 100 Innovators Class of 2025 is an editorial initiative by Vogue Business that champions and honours groundbreaking fashion entrepreneurs and founders worldwide. This year’s list features five African fashion entrepreneurs and founders: Adebayo Oke-Lawal (founder and creative director of the Nigerian brand Orange Culture), Yinka Ashogbon (founder of the Lagos-based streetwear brand Ashluxe), Bubu Ogisi (founder and creative director of the Nigerian wearable-art brand IAMISIGO), Nisha Kanabar (founder of Industrie Africa, an online retail platform showcasing the continent’s luxury commodities), and Torishéju Dumi (founder and creative director of her eponymous British brand, Torishéju).
Innovation.
SOUTH AFRICAN FASHION WEEK ANNOUNCES HIATUS
South African Fashion Week has announced a strategic break, citing global shifts in supply chains, the rise of fast fashion, and the ongoing urgency around sustainability. The pause also serves as a period of readjustment and re-evaluation, marking the beginning of the next phase in marketing the Creative Designer Fashion Industry.
Founded in 1996, South African Fashion Week (SAFW) has played a pivotal role in promoting and supporting South African designers both locally and internationally.
Event.
ETHICAL FASHION INITIATIVE TO HOST FOUR-DAY EXHIBITION ‘THE COTTON ROAD’ THIS SEPTEMBER
The Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI) is a programme under the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. Founded in 2009, the initiative’s mission is centred on promoting sustainable and inclusive development in emerging economies by advancing trade and employment within the creative and cultural industries, particularly fashion and textiles.
The programme operates in five African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, and Mali. This September, EFI will host a four-day exhibition titled “The Cotton Road – A Journey from Seed to Garment” from 25–28 September at 10 Corso Como, a concept store in Milan. The exhibition will also feature side events, including artisan demonstrations, spinning and weaving showcases, an African Designers Display, and two roundtable conversations in partnership with the United Nations Alliance for Sustainable Fashion, alongside leading African designers and creatives.
Opportunity.
TWYG MAGAZINE ANNOUNCES NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2025 SUSTAINABLE FASHION AWARDS
Twyg is a South Africa–based media platform that explores sustainable living through fashion, beauty, travel, and design. The platform has announced the nominations for the 2025 Sustainable Fashion Awards, which recognize fashion creatives fostering ethical practices in South Africa. The nine categories are: Emerging Designer Award, Student Award, Accessory Award, Innovation in Design and Materials Award, Trans-seasonal Award, Farm-to-Fashion Award, Pan-African Artisanal Fashion Award, Retail Award, Tastemaker Award, and the Changemaker Award.
Applicants must either be South African or legally working in the country.
The application deadline is 3 October 2025.
Showcase.
AFRICAN DESIGNERS SHOWCASE DURING THE 2025 CANNEX INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR
Back in May, Alger Fashion Week -Algeria’s leading fashion week,became an official partner of CanexIATF2025 (the Intra-African Trade Fair, held annually). The fair took place from 4–10 September in Algeria and featured showcases from several African designers, including The Ladymaker (Nigerian womenswear brand), Kibonen Nfi (Cameroonian-American brand), Winston Leather (Nigerian leather goods brand), Makeba (Algerian ready-to-wear brand), Asantii (Rwandan ethical brand), Lorallan (a UK-based accessories brand founded by Nigerian-born designer Lara Olutunbi), and Alphadi (a Niger-based brand). The showcase was a rich blend of regional culture, bringing together designers and brands from across .
Opportunity.
LAGOS FASHION WEEK EXTENDS 2025 GREEN ACCESS APPLICATION
Lagos Fashion Week has extended its Green Access application until 19th September 2025. The Green Access program, founded in 2018, is a fashion accelerator initiative that champions young designers committed to resource efficiency, biodegradability, longevity, and recyclability in fashion design. This year’s theme explores how Africa’s rich cultural heritage and craftsmanship can be harnessed as tools for material innovation, youth development, and waste reduction. The platform is seeking designers, accessory makers, and creative technologists who incorporate sustainability into their craft.
Event.
GTCO FASHION WEEKEND TO TAKE PLACE ON NOVEMBER 8TH AND 9TH
GTCO Fashion Weekend, formerly known as GTBank Fashion Weekend, is a Nigerian multi-day fashion event featuring runway shows, retail experiences, masterclasses, and a streetwear hub. The ninth edition is set to take place on November 8–9, 2025, in Lagos, Nigeria. Since its inception in 2016, GTCO Fashion Weekend has grown into one of Africa’s leading fashion platforms, often featuring international brands, fashion creatives, and entrepreneurs as a way of promoting commerce in the fashion industry.
Collection.
NIGERIAN BRAND VICNATE RELEASES NEW COLLECTION TITLED MODERNIST MORES
Vicnate is a Nigerian contemporary brand known for its simple yet elegant silhouettes. Founded in 2019, the brand has collaborated with the likes of Naomi Campbell and has showcased collections in Lagos (Arise Fashion Week), London, and New York. Drawing inspiration from romance, literature, and film, Vicnate is set to debut its new collection, tagged “Modernist Mores” on September 13.
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