What Happened in African Fashion This Week
- bolaji akinwande
- Nov 1
- 4 min read
This week, as all eyes turn to Lagos Fashion Week for its fifteenth anniversary, African designers are unveiling their Spring–Summer 2026 collections. While the shows are underway, we bring you other key highlights from across the continent.
In Addis Ababa, Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week returns for its 11th edition, while elsewhere, Fashion Trust Arabia has unveiled a new exhibition featuring African designers.
Clearly Invincible brings you the latest in our weekly African fashion recap. Here's everything that happened this week.
Event.
FABE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION LAUNCHES INSTITUTE OF SUSTAINABILITY
The FABE International Foundation is a Nigerian non-governmental organization focused on environmental health and sustainability. Dedicated to the restoration, conservation, and protection of the environment, the foundation launched the FABE Institute of Sustainability (FIS) in partnership with Deloitte on October 30, 2025.
The FIS is a digital learning platform designed to shape climate-conscious leaders across the African continent. It aims to empower a new generation of changemakers through climate education, green innovation, and circular economy leadership.
The launch took place virtually via Google Meet.
Fashion Week.
AFRICA SOURCING AND FASHION WEEK RETURNS TO ADDIS ABABA
The 11th edition of Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week holds in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia this week. The Fashion Week is one of Africa’s biggest trade events for the Textile, Apparel, and Fashion Industry. Over the course of five days, from the 30th October to the 2nd November, ASFW welcomed exhibitors of fashion accessories, home/care services, and leather goods. It also featured conferences, designers' showcase, and factory tours.
Exhibition.
FASHION TRUST ARABIA CELEBRATES ITS SEVENTH YEAR WITH “THREADS OF IMPACT” EXHIBITION
Fashion Trust Arabia is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing funding, guidance, mentorship, and international opportunities for emerging designers from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
To mark its seventh year, Fashion Trust Arabia has unveiled a new exhibition titled “Threads of Impact.” The exhibition, which opened on October 27, brings together over 80 designers from the MENA region, including African designers such as Lagos Space Programme, Maison Artc, and Nkwo. Threads of Impact is curated by Omoyemi Akerele, founder of Lagos Fashion Week, under Qatar Creates, a platform for culture and the arts in Qatar.
Running until January 3, 2026, the exhibition celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and the enduring influence of Arab fashion on the international stage.
Brands.
MAXHOSA AND IAMISIGO FEATURED IN 2025 VOGUE WORLD
Vogue World is a cultural event created by Vogue magazine to raise funds for the Entertainment Community Fund, supporting costume professionals affected by the Los Angeles wildfires. The 2025 edition, which marks the event’s third year, centered on Hollywood, America’s film industry, and its enduring connection with fashion.
Among the designs showcased were pieces from South African brand Maxhosa Africa, featuring the label’s signature knitwear codes, and Nigerian artisanal brand Iamisigo, which presented a green, fringe-like dress. The pieces paid tribute to Afrofuturism and Black cinema, under the creative direction of Ruth E. Carter, the award-winning costume designer behind Black Panther.
Fashion Week.
LAGOS FASHION WEEK HOSTS FASHION BUSINESS SERIES PANEL
As Lagos Fashion Week begins this year, running from October 29 to November 2, the itinerary for the week includes the Fashion Business Series, which will take place over the course of three days.
The sessions will range from conversations reflecting on the legacy of Lagos Fashion Week at 15, to discussions on the significance of cotton in Africa’s textile value chain and how influencers are championing African fashion.
The Fashion Business Series features significant conversations that position Lagos Fashion Week as a core initiative in African fashion.
Collection.
NIGERIAN BRAND MEJI MEJI UNVEILS “BIG QUEEN ON SMALL STREET” COLLECTION ALONGSIDE SHORT FILM
Meji Meji is a Nigerian brand that weaves and celebrates Nigerian heritage through the lens of Black identity. The brand’s pieces are Y2K-inspired and youthful. Its newest collection, titled “Big Queen on Small Street,” blends South Africa’s street culture and sense of community through fashion and film.
The body of work explores South Africa’s creative nostalgia, referencing the country’s Skhothane subculture, street comedians, and 2000s style. The new collection and accompanying short film position Meji Meji as a cross-country innovator deeply connected to Africa’s creative landscape.
Partnership.
LAGOS FASHION WEEK PARTNERS WITH AFRICAN FINANCE CORPORATION AND MORE
The African Finance Corporation (AFC), one of Africa’s foremost infrastructure solutions providers, has announced a partnership with Lagos Fashion Week for its 15th edition. The collaboration reinforces AFC’s commitment to empowering the continent’s youth and creative industries as a driver of inclusive growth.
As Lagos Fashion Week marks its 15th anniversary, the event continues to spotlight circular fashion, responsible sourcing, and regional value chains—areas where AFC’s infrastructure investments are helping bridge Africa’s creative and industrial potential.
Earlier this year, AFC partnered with +234Art Fair and Econank, further strengthening its influence among Africa’s young innovators who are redefining the continent’s global narrative.
Collection.
DESIRÉE IYAMA ANNOUNCES “EVERYTHING, IN TIME” COLLECTION
Desirée Iyama is a slow womenswear brand known for its classic, feminine, lively, and functional designs. Founded in 2020, the brand continues to shape the future of sustainable womenswear. Ahead of Lagos Fashion Week, Iyama has announced its Spring/Summer 2026 collection titled “Everything, in Time.”
The collection draws inspiration from the cycles of life and the beauty of transformation, borrowing the symbolism of bees and honey and featuring colors that follow the sun from dawn to dusk. The showcase will debut on November 1 during Lagos Fashion Week.
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