What Happened in African Fashion This Week.
- Hamza Olalekan Dosunmu
- 13 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Africa’s fashion industry continues to strengthen its position across design, institutional development, manufacturing, and international market access, with this week’s updates reflecting coordinated growth across multiple segments of the value chain.
From accelerator programmes and global craft recognition to legal education initiatives, financial performance reports, runway representation, and strategic collaborations, the sector is advancing through integrated systems rather than standalone highlights.
The result is a landscape defined by structural alignment — where heritage practice intersects with innovation, cultural visibility aligns with commercial expansion, and infrastructure supports long-term sustainability. African fashion is not only expanding outward; it is reinforcing the mechanisms that underpin durable industry growth.
Clearly Invincible brings you the latest weekly African fashion recap.
Event
Africa Fashion Up Opens Applications for 6th Edition
Africa Fashion Up has announced an open call for designers across the continent and the diaspora for its sixth edition, offering structured access to international visibility and industry support.
The Paris-based initiative provides selected designers with direct exposure to global fashion stakeholders, alongside tailored mentorship designed to strengthen brand positioning and long-term business development.
The programme culminates in an exclusive runway presentation in Paris, positioning participating brands within one of the world’s most established fashion markets. Applications are now open.
Organisation
LULUBELL EDITION Launches Global Multi-City Platform for African Design
LULUBELL EDITION has announced its 2026 launch, positioning the initiative at the intersection of culture, commerce, and critical dialogue within the global creative economy.
Framed as more than a marketplace, the platform is structured as a curated environment designed to centre African design excellence while foregrounding craftsmanship, value systems, and long-term commercial positioning. The programme will unfold across eight cities on three continents over a ten-month cycle, creating sustained engagement rather than a single-event showcase model.
By combining retail activation, cross-market visibility, and conversation-led programming, LULUBELL EDITION signals a deliberate recalibration in how African fashion is encountered internationally — shifting from trend-based exposure to institutionally framed value recognition.
Visual reference: Noémi Ottilia Szabo for Luxury Explained Dakar Fashion Week, 2024 by Guzangs.
Textile
Loewe Foundation Shortlists Fadekemi Ogunsanya for 2026 Craft Prize
The Loewe Foundation has announced the 30 finalists for its 2026 Craft Prize, selected from 5,100 submissions representing 133 countries. The shortlisted works will be exhibited at the National Gallery Singapore from May 13 to June 14, with the winner and two special mentions to be revealed on May 12. The overall winner will receive €50,000, while the two special mentions will each receive €5,000.
Among the finalists is Nigerian artist Fadekemi Ogunsanya, recognised for her textile work We Are Not Lying, Your Language Is Not Enough. The piece draws from traditional Adire Eleko resist-dyeing techniques, layered with embroidery and beading to position cloth as a site of research, preservation, and cultural memory.
Ogunsanya’s practice foregrounds Adire Eleko as a communication infrastructure — encoding proverbs, folklore, and social instruction through cassava starch resist and indigo dye. Her process references historical production methods, including feather-quill drawing and dyeing traditions associated with the Kofar Mata pits in Kano, before extending the surface through hand embroidery and beadwork.
The 2026 finalists were selected by a panel including artist Sara Flynn, curator Antonia Boström, and art advisor Amy Greenspon. For the first time, Loewe’s creative directors, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, will sit on the jury alongside figures including 2025 Craft Prize winner Kunimasa Aoki, architect Frida Escobedo, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art curator Abraham Thomas.
The exhibition reflects the Prize’s continued emphasis on contemporary craft as a field that bridges material experimentation, cultural inheritance, and technical precision. Ogunsanya’s inclusion positions Nigerian textile practice within that global dialogue.
Event
Fashion Law Institute Nigeria × Nigerian Bar Association Lagos Branch Young Lawyers’ Forum Host QPDM 2026
The Fashion Law Institute Nigeria, in collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association Lagos Branch Young Lawyers’ Forum, successfully hosted the first Quarterly Professional Development Masterclass (QPDM 2026) on Friday, 27 February 2026.
Titled Introduction to Fashion Law, the two-hour session provided participating legal professionals with a structured overview of the fashion industry’s legal framework, examining intellectual property protection, contractual structures, regulatory considerations, and emerging commercial opportunities within the sector.
The masterclass reflects growing institutional recognition of fashion law as a specialised field within Nigeria’s legal and creative economy landscape, reinforcing efforts to deepen technical expertise and professional capacity in this expanding area of practice.
Fashion Week
Rema Walks Diesel AW26 Runway in Milan
Nigerian artist Rema appeared on the Autumn/Winter 2026 runway for Diesel in Milan, marking a crossover between Afrobeats and European luxury fashion during a key seasonal presentation.
Beyond a guest appearance, the moment reflects the growing integration of African cultural influence within global fashion systems — where music, youth culture, and market relevance intersect with runway narratives. Rema’s participation signals how African creative presence is increasingly embedded within the structure of international fashion showcases, reinforcing the continent’s expanding role across both cultural and commercial dimensions of the industry.
Economic
Truworths International Reports Modest Half-Year Profit Rise
South African fashion retailer Truworths International posted a 1.3% increase in half-year headline earnings per share (HEPS), reaching 495.4 cents for the six months ending December 28, 2025. Group trading profit rose 2.8% to 2.1 billion rand ($132 million), while gross profit margin remained steady at 51.8%.
The company saw contrasting regional performance: retail sales in Africa declined 3.6% to 7.9 billion rand due to subdued consumer spending, whereas its UK shoe chain Office delivered a 6.4% increase in sales to £191.9 million ($259.72 million). Total group retail sales held at 12.5 billion rand.
An interim dividend of 321 cents per share was declared, up 1.3%. The stock responded positively, rising 3.65% following the earnings announcement.
This performance underscores the growing importance of international operations for African fashion retailers, highlighting opportunities for expansion abroad even amid softer domestic demand.
Collaboration
Dye Lab and Industrie Africa Launch First Exclusive Collaboration
Dye Lab has partnered with Industrie Africa for its first exclusive collaboration, featuring hand-painted pieces created specifically for this release. With limited availability, the collection is positioned as a highly sought-after drop, emphasizing craft, exclusivity, and originality.
Shoppers are encouraged to mark their calendars to secure items from this unique collaboration before they sell out.
Collaboration
British Council Launches Creative DNA Fashion Accelerator in Ghana
Applications are now open for the inaugural Creative DNA Fashion Accelerator in Ghana. Early-stage, growth-stage, and scaling fashion and apparel businesses registered in Ghana can apply to benefit from intensive business development training and access a £15,000 grant fund. The application deadline is 22 March 2026.
My Runway Group has been appointed as the official delivery partner for the programme, which is run in partnership with the British Council. Participating businesses will receive guidance on business growth, grant-making, and market access, including showcasing opportunities in both Ghana and the UK.
Collaboration
Éki Kéré x Adani Det Launch In-Store Collaboration
Éki Kéré has teamed up with Adani Det for a collaboration celebrating intention, protection, and longevity. Centered on African hair as a key visual and cultural motif, the project introduces thoughtfully designed packaging meant to last beyond its first use, reflecting both brands’ commitment to care and sustainability.
The collaboration will be unveiled in-store this Saturday, inviting guests to experience the launch firsthand.
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