When it comes to fashion, Africa is a continent with no shortage of ability. While individuals like Virgil Abloh stand out as some of the most significant designers of our generation, the industry is home to a large number of creative people. Designers from throughout the continent are coming up with new textiles, patterns, and textures to create stunning clothing for consumers around the world. The entire globe is enthralled watching.
Others in South Africa are embracing natural components to redesign everyday clothing, while many Ghanaian designers are eschewing traditional wax cloth and kente clothes.
Additionally, there has been a surge of environmentally conscious designers that reuse deadstock materials to create brand-new products. Former Balenciaga employee Bobby Kolade founded Return to Sender in 2022 with the goal of bringing Uganda’s textile sector back to its pre-mid 1970s apex, when more cotton was processed than exported.
Designers from the United States, including Anifa Mvuemba of Hanifa, are doing important fashion exhibits in unusual locations like Washington, DC. “I’m purposeful. She said to Teen Vogue in 2021, “I like doing things my way and I dislike conforming, being put in a box. “I honestly find it unsettling. I stayed loyal to myself and pushed myself with this performance in D.C. The result was astounding.
African fashion designers are emerging both on the continent and in the diaspora. Togo-born Jacques Agbobly received a 2019 CFDA Scholarship and attended Parsons. Born in Austria of Nigerian parents, Kenneth Ize is a finalist for the 2019 LVMH Prize. And Maram Aboul Enein, who later went on to work for Pierre Balmain, Zac Posen, and Oscar De La Renta, fled Egypt for Canada as a young girl.
AlgeriaIlyes Ouali won “Fashion Star Arabia” in 2019 and takes heavy inspiration from the glitz and glamour of the ’70s in his recent work.
AngolaFashion designer and criminologist Nadir Tati uses fashion as a means of celebrating Angolan womanhood and promoting a culture of peace.
BeninWith his brand Allëdjo, Kassim Lassissi aims to channel all that he has encountered while traveling across the world, into sustainable fashion and style.
BotswanaFrom shining gold bodycon dresses to floor-length bridal gowns, DihDah offers a range of striking pieces.
Burkina FasoPathé’O has designed head-turning garments since the ’70s, dressing African leaders such as Nelson Mandela.
BurundiContent creator, stylist, and entrepreneur Juan Nsabiye crafts bespoke suits, with a focus on elegance for all genders.
Cabo VerdeStylist-turned-designer Marvin Lima uses his brand Virtuoso to recognize African videographers, photographers, makeup artists, and models.
CameroonWith a background in environmental engineering, Liz Ngwane creates both upcycled and one-of-a-kind garments under her slow-fashion brand Margo’s Mode.
Central African RepublicO’poma Designs founder Olga Nganzi Samba-Pamza incorporates African kitenge fabrics into her clothes, which often teem with colorful hues.
ChadDuring the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jonas Berassengar sewed masks for members of his community, to extend the accessibility of protective measures.
ComorosSakina M’sa fuses her interests in contemporary art, dance, and philosophy into her art direction and fashion design work.
Congo“For women without limits” is Hanifa’s motto, which founder Anifa Mvuemba furthers through increased access to shows as well as inclusive sizing and model casting.
Cote d’IvoireLoza Maléombho fuses contemporary and traditional silhouettes through footwear, accessories, and made-to-order garments with gold accents.
DRCDesigner and creative director behind Moulandzaou, Aton Tsiba creates genderless clothes with loose form and fluorescent color palettes.
DjiboutiYanie Ayoun draws inspiration from her mother and designs for the next generation of Djiboutian youth.
EgyptMaram Aboul Enein reflects on her own spiritual journey with the brand MARAM and plays with texture through sequins, ruffles, and electric colorways.
Equatorial GuineaVisionary Society founder Diosdado Sima draws from his early interests in typography and streetwear to create a brand centered on community.
EritreaFormer costume designer and stylist Selam Fessahaye launched her brand in 2018 and features gilded embroidery and beading in recent work.
EswatiniFor her label Mamakatessa, Temahlubi Dlamin uses silks and tulles of every shade to make gowns for a plethora of occasions.
EthiopiaMaisha Marshall-Ende’s label Lehwatch explores cultural exchange, as its name translates to, and uses Ethiopian fabrics to create garments inspired by her move to Canada.
GabonTeddy Ondo Ella’s label draws inspiration from Gabonese culture and dress, utilizing traditional pieces such as sarong wraps paired with bold patterns.
GambiaMasaneh Badjie’s dresses are rich with detail, including corset-style boning, appliqué, and crystal beading.
GhanaFree the Youth began in 2013 by Jonathan Coffie, Winfred Mensah, Richard Ormano, and Kelly Foli; it has grown beyond its initial purpose of documenting Ghanaian streetwear and now encapsulates the brand and organization.
GuineaMariama Camara is a designer and humanitarian, whose interest in handmade textiles began at a young age when she watched her family design and dye prints.
Guinea-BissauArmando Cabral began working in the fashion industry as a model and shifted to design in 2009 as his continued interests in footwear and luxury clothing grew.
KenyaAkiba Studios fuses functionality and playfulness through whimsical motifs and pieces with a street-style twist.
LesothoCreative director and fashion designer Thabo Makhetha offers luxury coats, jackets, and capes inspired by Basotho blankets.
LiberiaArchel Bernard began her sewing factory with an all-woman staff in 2016, to help those impacted by the Ebola epidemic; after the factory’s success, she opened her ethical fashion store, Bombchel, four years later in Atlanta.
LibyaThrough minimalistic and geometric pieces, designer Ibrahim Shebani allows Born in Exile’s ensembles to speak for themselves.
MadagascarAfter studying fashion in Paris, Eric Raisina debuted his work in the mid-2000s, which focuses on tactility and color.
MalawiAward-winning entrepreneur Lilly Alfonso’s penchant for fashion design traces itself back to her youth when she would upcycle and reinvent her mother’s old clothing.
MaliLamine Kouyaté’s Xuly. Bët repurposes deadstock fabrics in his garments, a practice pulled from his mother and grandmother who would reshape old clothes for him and his siblings as children.
MauritaniaKadiata Diallo of Niuku fuses form and function with hand-painted dresses and suits.
MauritiusFabien Fauzou is a designer and seamstress who specializes in geometric and vibrant dresses.
MoroccoDoum offers a range of bags, from totes to cross bodies, with summery, woven elements.
MozambiqueFrom a tracksuit touting the word “fearless” to sleek little black dresses, Taibo Bacar offers customers a range of garments and accessories.
NamibiaMelisa Poulton, founder of House of Poulton, describes her label as powerful, dramatic, and bold, and she aims to bring strength to her wearers.
NigerReferred to as the “magician of the desert,” Alphadi debuted his label in the mid-1980s and has crafted highly-detailed bustiers, maxi skirts, and floor-length dresses since.
NigeriaKenneth Ize’s unisex work features technicolor hues and traditional Aso-Oke fabrics on oversized tunics, waistcoats, and dresses.
RwandaThe Mysteries plays with extreme silhouettes and textiles in its unconventional sets and individual pieces.
Sao Tome and PrincipeD&D Clothing offers both ready-to-wear and custom ensembles, donning patterns that range from animal print to neon patchwork.
SenegalContemporary lifestyle brand Diarrablu innovates tradition through its inclusive clothing, jewelry, ceramics, and artwork.
SeychellesJohanna Didon launched her brand Katiti in 2017, which focuses on classic styles with edgy twists, although she had been sewing clothes since she was 12.
Sierra LeoneSai Sankoh looks to retro and vintage clothing for inspiration as well as pieces in her own wardrobe; her work brings luxury to anyone and everyone.
SomaliaThrough a combined interest in jewelry and tailoring, Omar Munie began his award-winning work as a bag designer in the early 2010s.
South AfricaSwim, surf, and beachwear brand Bantu Wax is making waves with its graphics-driven apparel.
SudanYousra Elsadig aims to dismantle stereotypes and sustainability through her work with the brand Boutique de Nana.
South SudanActivist, doctor, and designer multi-hyphenate Mayada Adil use clothes to empower women refugees and honor diplomacy.
TanzaniaThrough her brand Naledi, designer Kemi Kalikawe celebrates spunk and youthfulness and advocates for women’s equality at the intersections of fashion and technology.
TogoTextile artist and designer Jacques Agbobly launched their made-to-order knitwear label, Black Boy Knits, inspired by the joy they saw as a child from customers of tailors and seamstresses in Togo.
TunisiaAppearing on Project Runway Middle East, Malek Gheni juxtaposes maximalist bling with simple and geometric pieces.
UgandaBobby Kolade’s brand Buzigahill aims to combat Uganda’s secondhand clothing crisis, by making efforts to return its textile industry to the success it faced in the late twentieth century.
ZambiaAs an entrepreneur and founder of Debbie Chu, Deborah Chuma sees her label as a community, rather than a fashion design brand.
ZimbabweVanhu Vamwe has created a community of macramé weavers and celebrates handmade objects and craftsmanship.
Content courtesy of Teen Vogue & NFH