What Happened in African Fashion This Week
- bolaji akinwande
- Apr 19
- 4 min read
This week, Clearly Invincible brings you fashion reporting from countries across Africa. In a bold move to boost its economy, Egypt begins plans to launch two textile cities, while the Homecoming festival- one of Africa’s biggest cultural exchanges returns to Lagos for a weekend of fashion and culture. All that and more in this week’s recap.
Here is everything that happened in African fashion this week.
Personality
MICHELLE ADEPOJU MAKES FORBES UNDER 30 LIST
Michelle Adepoju the founder and creative director of Nigerian sustainable and ethical brand, Kíléntár makes the 2025 list for Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe. The annual list is used to recognise young changemakers, entreprenuers, and leaders in various sectors. Michelle makes the list as a changemaker in the art and culture sector, highlighting Kíléntár for its knack for creating unique and contemporary African pieces.
Brand
AFRICAN BRANDS, ORANGE CULTURE, AND TORISHÉJU FEATURE IN AN EDITORIAL FOR THE MET COSTUME INSTITUTE EXHIBITION
Ahead of the MET Gala, Vogue and GQ have partnered for an editorial which highlights this year's exhibition theme "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style". The editorial features two African designers - Orange Culture (a Nigerian androgynous brand) and Torishéju (2025 LVMH finalist). The editorial is an extensive portray of this years MET Gala theme which honours the style of Black people. Model and actor Daryl Diamond wears a piece from Orange Culture SS25 Collection while models Julez J Smith and Imaan Hammam wear pieces from Torisheju's SS25 Collection. The editorial was photographed by Tyler Mitchell with styling from Law Roach.
Opportunities
AFRICAN FASHION INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHES SEARCH FOR 2025 FASTRACK YOUNG DESIGNER
One of Africa's leading fashion platforms, African Fashion International (AFI), has launched its annual search for this year's Fasttrack Young Designer of the Year. The Fastrack feat is used to spotlight new African designers. Applications for the Fasttrack Young Designer of the Year are now open and will close on Monday, 5 May. Previous recipients of the award include Thebe Magugu, Shamyra Moodley, Rich Mnisi, and Loice Dube.
Personality
LISA FOLAWIYO GRACES THE COVER OF MAIRE CLAIRE NIGERIA
Renowned Nigerian designer, Lisa Folawiyo, graces the cover of Marie Claire Nigeria. Titled the power issue, against a red backdrop, it captures the designer in her true essence, wearing the brand's familiar silhouette. The issue talks about Folawiyo's beginning, breaking into the industry, and her brand's decade-long legacy. The cover was shot by Nigerian photographer Kunmi Owopetu.
Event
AFRICA SOURCING AND FASHION WEEK TO HOLD IN NAIROBI, KENYA THIS APRIL
The Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week Nairobi (ASFW) is East Africa's biggest fashion sourcing show which showcases Africa's textile, leather, accessories, and footwear industry. The 2025 edition will feature over 150 global exhibitors from Africa and across the world. ASFW will hold from April 24th-26th and serves as a platform for traders, designers, manufacturers and enterpreneurs to connect and network.
Event
HOMECOMING FESTIVAL FEATURES POP-UP FROM AFRICAN STREETWEAR AND ETHICAL BRAND
Homecoming is an annual festival celebrating music, fashion, art, and sport in Nigeria. Founded by Grace Ladoja, it is dubbed a cultural exchange between Africa and the world, often featuring and inviting cultural tastemakers from across the continent. The festival is taking place from April 17th-21st in Lagos and will feature pop-ups from streetwear and ethical African brands like Gocrazy, What Would You Do (wwyd), Free The Youth, Pith Africa, MoyeAfrica, Meji Meji, Dye-Lab, Tia Adeola, WafflesNcream, and Obida.
In addition, a summit was held on the 18th to spotlight conversations around African streetwear with keynotes from Ozzy Etomi and Rukky Ladoja creative director of Nigerian Adire-niched brand, Dye-Lab
Showcase
ACCRA FASHION WEEK TO RETURN 16TH DECEMBER 2025
The 12th edition of Accra Fashion Week will return on the 16th December 2025, in Ghana. The six-day show will feature designers, models, and fashion creatives from across the African continent. Since its inception, the fashion week has featured emerging brands from South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Senegal, and more. This year’s edition will feature StreetStyle Fest, the FashionGhana Honors and Industry Awards, an International press conference, alongside pop-up markets. African designers can now register to showcase.
Collection
ZASHADU RELEASES THEIR SS25 COLLECTION
Zashadu is a Lagos-based sustainable fashion brand known for its hand-crafted leather bags. The brand unveiled its SS25 collection featuring a wide range of structured mini silhouettes of handbags in colours like Citrine, Green, and Burgundy, which are all handcrafted from locally sourced and upcycled leathers. Each piece from the new collection mixes sustainability with outstanding designs.
Investment
EGYPT SET TO LAUNCH TWO INTEGRATED TEXTILE CITIES
Egypt is planning to develop two integrated textile cities. The location has been revealed to be in Minya (located in Upper Egypt) and Fayyoum (located in Middle Egypt). Each city is expected to generate a combined $3.5 billion in foreign and domestic investments and will also boost the country’s textile exports, which is currently at $2.8 billion. Minya and Fayyoum will encompass the full textile value chain, including spinning, weaving, dyeing, garments, home textiles, and supporting industries, which in return will create a fully integrated production ecosystem.
Organisation
ECO FASHION WEEK BECOMES A MEMBER OF THE UNITED NATIONS FASHION AND LIFESTYLE NETWORK
Eco Fashion Week Africa is Africa’s pioneering zero-waste fashion movement. Rooted in sustainability, the week-long event features engaging activities, like environmental clean-ups, eco-educational workshops, a conference, and swaps created to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The platform is now a member of the United Nations Fashion and Lifestyle Network, a network that plays a role in promoting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by bringing together industry, stakeholders, media, governments, and UN entities. This new feat will help show African eco-fashion as a necessity in terms of luxury, legacy, and leadership.
Brand
DYE LAB COLLABORATES WITH ELECTRONIC MUSIC FEMALE DJs
Nigerian Adire-niched brand, Dye-Lab, has collaborated with Lagos Electronic music DJs for an editorial, namely Aniko, Yanfssss, Weareallchemicals, and Earthsurfing. The editorial, photographed by Lagos-based multidimensional artist Demola O. Mako, features the brand's latest pieces, including barrel pants, culottes, bibs, cropped shirts, and tube tops. The new project blends fashion, culture, craft, and sound.
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