Designers from Africa – Short-listed by Vogue Italia “Scouting For Africa” Project

Written by: Ghana Fashion & Design Week

The search for Vogue Italia “Scouting For Africa” designer talents has ended with a shortlist of 11 Designers selected from the mother continent of Africa.

The project aimed at supporting emerging talents from Africa, of African nationality finally short-listed 11 designers, amongst the selected designers are, Akosua Afriyie-Kumi, accessories designer of AAKS hailing from Ghana, Orange Culture, menswear designer Adebayo Oke-Lawal from Nigeria, Moroccan designer Artsi Ifrach of ART/C, Loza Maleombho, fashion womenswear designer of Ivory Coast, and South African Katherine-Mary Pichulik, of Pichulik, who is known for her Avant-garde meet skilled craft Jewellery designs.

As one of the most renowned luxury fashion publication in the world, Vogue Italia editor Franca Sozani’s continuous effort to drive sustainable fashion development in Africa has been instrumental in the mission to use fashion as a source for women empowerment through fashion-led job creation, where the focus is set on using available resources from the continent, and improving existing craftsmanship skills to develop viable products that are both aesthetically pleasing and globally desirable.

Design by AAKS – Made in Ghana

Whilst fashion continue to expand in Africa with new ideas and new vision for business development, we are well encouraged that the future for Fashion products made in Africa will continue to grow to become a greater aspect of social and economic empowerment on the continent. Looking around Africa, this promising light is already shinning through positively despite the odds.

Indeed, nothing is without a challenge, like everything else, and anywhere else, the challenges are expected, yet through these challenges will solutions prevail for success.
The fashion industry in Africa, like her mother continent bares a resilient force that continues to push itself through the challenges to the top slowly but surely.

Design by Pichulik – Made in South Africa

New designers such as Akosua, Loza, Orange Culture and Pichulik collections are among many designer brands in Africa that perfectly depicts the possibilities that made in Africa products promises, making use of heritage African traditional skills, textile print techniques, and materials sourced from the continent to create quality and unique fashion products that stands out to be seen boldly and beautifully.

Design by Loza Maleombho – Made in Ivory Coast

Design by Orange Culture – Made in Nigeria

The 11 Designers short-listed by Vogue Italia – Scouting For Africa – emerging fashion talents include the following designers and countries:

GHANA
AAKS, by Akosua Afriyie-Kumi, Ghana
Monaa, by Nana and Afua Dabanka (Ghana)

SOUTH AFRICA
Pichulik, by Katherine-Mary Pichulik (South Africa)
Maxhosa by Laduma, by Laduma Ngxokolo (South Africa)
Simon and Mary, by Dean Pozniak (South Africa)

NIGERIA
O’Milua, by Olajumoke Ademilua (Nigeria)
Orange Culture, by Adebayo Oke-Lawal (Nigeria)

IVORY COAST
Loza Maléombho, by Loza Maléombho, Ivory Coast
Laurenceairline, by Laurence Chauvin-Buthaud, (Ivory Coast)

MOROCCO
ART/C by Artsi Ifrach (Morocco)

MALAWI
Mafrika by Sadia Mustafa (Malawi)

Design by Artsi Ifrach – Morocco