Erika Akoth owner and founder of Erika A. Style Concept store, has worn many hats she is an avid traveler, a keen collector, a fashion curator, a stylist, and a former designer and model. She has traveled the world, carefully collecting each piece that features at the store, from a variety of runways, designers, and craftsmen and women.
Erika A. Style has a keen eye for detail and beauty, and it matters that each collected and curated piece tells a story.
Erika Akoth is the curator behind the brand. She is a fashion and personal stylist, multi-label fashion curator and high end personal shopper. Erika has been involved in the fashion industry for more than twelve years. During this time, she has worked as a personal stylist, modeled for a variety of high-fashion projects and shopped for a range of private clients around the world.
She now owns and runs Erika A. Style, a luxury fashion concept store, in her home country, Kenya.
Akoth studied culinary arts but while she enjoyed cooking, she was also tired of the daily routine of creating in the background she wanted something bigger and more fulfilling. She soon discovered that fashion was her missing ingredient.
Her love for food still informs her creative sense for fashion, and she believes that the secret to good fashion like good cooking lies with knowing how much is needed.
Scarabs are Erika A’s statement piece. She credits this to Steve Tyler whom she met at an event once, trying to get an autograph after one of his events. Tyler’s words to her on seeing her Scarab piece were, ‘what a beautiful statement piece!”
Erika has since worn them to many more events, believing they are her lucky charm. She enjoys curating clothes, collecting art, decorating spaces and creating beauty in as many spheres as she can.
Content courtesy of Erika A. Style & Nairobi fashion hub
Erika Akoth is the founder and C.E.O of Erika A. Style is a fashion concept store located in leavy suburb of Karen off Bogani In Nairobi
The concept store has a variety of unique pieces collected from different parts of the world, the pieces are curated from luxury brands, fashion runways, designer stores, small boutiques and upcoming designers. Each piece is the only one of its kind, and once sold out, will not be re-stocked.
Personal stylist Erika Akoth at her Karen shop
Erika Akoth owner and founder of Erika A. Style Concept store, has worn many hats she is an avid traveler, a keen collector, a fashion curator, a stylist, and a former designer and model. She has traveled the world, carefully collecting each piece that features at the store, from a variety of runways, designers, and craftsmen and women. Erika A. Style has a keen eye for detail and beauty, and it matters that each collected and curated piece tells a story.
The store offers a range of items from the fashion world: jewelry, clothes, shoes, hats and a variety of accessories including hats, scarfs and brooches. Erika A. Style’s signature piece is the Scarab and the store also features an eclectic range of scarab pieces including brooches, necklaces, printed scarves, rings and wrist bangles.
Erika A. Style Concept Store has been open since 2017. The store is located on Karen Road, off Bogani in Nairobi, Kenya. It operates on appointment only and clients are requested to call or email to make an appointment before visiting.
Content courtesy of Erika A. Style & Nairobi fashion hub
The creativity of the fashion advertising industry in Kenya is on the rise exponentially.
Granted, it’s still way behind that of Europe. It has, however, begun to show signs of promise. And nowhere is that promise more prevalent than in the Kenyan luxury fashion industry.
From inspirational to funny, here are a few examples of creative advertising within the luxury fashion industry in Kenya.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGImCsHAZ9g
An interesting inspirational twist on what would ordinarily be a plain makeover. And below, we have a play on the minimal time period most ads tend to be allocated.
This is a first-of-its-kind Pan-African unranked compilation of the continent’s leading women, drawn from business, politics, media, science, sports and public life, who are challenging the status quo and creating a trail on terrain where there was none.
Africa’s 50 Most Powerful Women By Forbes Woman Africa Magazine
They are reshaping history, closing inequalities and pioneering new avenues of wealth creation and in turn, lifting others with them.
The unprecedented, unranked list features the continent’s leading women, drawn from business, politics, media, science, sports and public life, who are challenging the status quo and creating a trail on terrain where there was none. They are reshaping history, closing inequalities and pioneering new avenues of wealth creation and in turn, lifting others with them.
NAME
COUNTRY
TITLE
SECTOR
GRACA MACHEL
SOUTH AFRICA
FOUNDER, GRACA MACHEL TRUST
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
CLARE AKAMANZI
RWANDA
CEO, RWANDA DEVELOPMENT BOARD
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT/GOVERNANCE
FOLORUNSO ALAKIJA
NIGERIA
EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIR, FAMFA OIL
OIL SECTOR
JENNIFER RIRIA
KENYA
GROUP CEO, ECHO NETWORK AFRICA (ENA); FOUNDING MEMBER, KENYA WOMEN FINANCE TRUST
FINANCE
LOUISE MUSHIKIWABO
RWANDA
SECRETARY GENERAL, ORGANISATION INTERNATIONALE DE LA FRANCOPHONIE (OIF)
AYA CHEBBI
TUNISIA
BLOGGER AND AFRICA UNION YOUTH ENVOY
MEDIA
ELSIE KANZA
TANZANIA
HEAD OF AFRICA AND MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
FINANCE
IBUKUN AWOSIKA
NIGERIA
FOUNDER AND CEO, THE CHAIR CENTRE GROUP
MANUFACTURING
DR JUDY DLAMINI
SOUTH AFRICA
FOUNDER, MBEKANI GROUP
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
CHARLIZE THERON
SOUTH AFRICA
HOLLYWOOD ACTRESS
ENTERTAINMENT
CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE
NIGERIA
AUTHOR, PUBLIC SPEAKER
PUBLISHING
PHUTI MAHANYELE-DABENGWA
SOUTH AFRICA
CEO, NASPERS SOUTH AFRICA
TECHNOLOGY
OBIAGELI ‘OBY’ EZEKWESILI
NIGERIA
SENIOR ECONOMIC ADVISOR, AFRICA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY INITIATIVE (AEDPI)
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
GLENDA GRAY
SOUTH AFRICA
PRESIDENT AND CEO, SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (SAMRC)
HEALTHCARE
THULI MADONSELA
SOUTH AFRICA
LAW TRUST CHAIR, SOCIAL JUSTICE RESEARCH AT STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY
LAW
WENDY LUHABE
SOUTH AFRICA
SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR & CO-FOUNDER, WIPHOLD
FINANCE
ANGÉLIQUE KIDJO
BENIN
FOUR-TIME GRAMMY AWARD WINNER
ENTERTAINMENT
MANAL ROSTOM
EGYPT
FOUNDER, SURVIVING HIJAB AND FACE OF NIKE PRO HIJAB
HEALTH AND FITNESS
LYDIA NSEKERA
BURUNDI
PRESIDENT, NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (NOC) OF BURUNDI AND MEMBER OF FIFA COUNCIL
SPORT/GOVERNANCE
WINNIE BYANYIMA
UGANDA
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNAIDS
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA
NIGERIA
CHAIR, BOARD OF THE GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR VACCINES AND IMMUNISATION (GAVI)
HEALTHCARE
PHUMZILE MLAMBO-NGCUKA
SOUTH AFRICA
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNITED NATIONS (UN) WOMEN
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
WARIS DIRIE
SOMALIA
PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER, DESERT FLOWER FOUNDATION
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF
LIBERIA
FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA, NOBEL PEACE LAUREATE
GOVERNANCE
YVONNE CHAKA CHAKA
SOUTH AFRICA
AWARD-WINNING MUSICIAN
ENTERTAINMENT
SAHLE-WORK ZEWDE
ETHIOPIA
PRESIDENT OF ETHIOPIA
GOVERNANCE
MAMOKGETHI (KGETHI) PHAKENG
SOUTH AFRICA
VICE-CHANCELLOR, UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN (UCT)
EDUCATION
REBECCA ENONCHONG
CAMEROON
FOUNDER & CEO, APPSTECH
TECHNOLOGY
BONANG MATHEBA
SOUTH AFRICA
MEDIA PERSONALITY, ENTREPRENEUR
ENTERTAINMENT
FATMA SAMOURA
SENEGAL
SECRETARY-GENERAL, FIFA
SPORT
IRENE CHARNLEY
SOUTH AFRICA
FOUNDER, SMILE COMMUNICATIONS
TECHNOLOGY
UCHENNA ‘UCHE’ PEDRO
NIGERIA
FOUNDER AND CEO, BELLANAIJA
MEDIA
ILWAD ELMAN
SOMALIA
FOUNDER, ELMAN PEACE CENTRE
ACTIVISM
WENDY APPELBAUM
SOUTH AFRICA
FOUNDER AND CHAIRPERSON, DE MORGENZON WINE ESTATE
ENTREPRENEUR
OLAJUMOKE ADENOWO
NIGERIA
FOUNDER, AD CONSULTING
ADVERTISING
BETHLEHEM TILAHUN ALEMU
ETHIOPIA
FOUNDER AND CEO, SOLEREBELS FOOTWEAR, GARDEN OF COFFEE, TEFFTASTIC
ENTREPRENEUR
NKOSAZANA DLAMINI-ZUMA
SOUTH AFRICA
MINISTER OF COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS, SOUTH AFRICA
GOVERNANCE
WENDY ACKERMAN
SOUTH AFRICA
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PICK ‘N PAY
RETAIL
CASTER SEMENYA
SOUTH AFRICA
OLYMPIC CHAMPION
SPORT
RAWYA MANSOUR
EGYPT
FOUNDER AND CEO, RAMSCO
AGRICULTURE
ARUNMA OTEH
NIGERIA
ACADEMIC SCHOLAR, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD FORMER TREASURER AND VICE PRESIDENT, WORLD BANK LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE AFRICA ADVISORY GROUP MEMBER
FINANCE
FATOU BENSOUDA
GAMBIA
PROSECUTOR, INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC)
LAW
HAJER SHARIEF
LIBYA
HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE
ACTIVISM
AMINA J. MOHAMMED
NIGERIA
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL, UNITED NATIONS
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
PRECIOUS MOTSEPE
SOUTH AFRICA
FOUNDER, AFRICAN FASHION INTERNATIONAL
FASHION
LUPITA NYONG’O
KENYA
OSCAR-WINNING ACTOR
ENTERTAINMENT
VERA SONGWE
CAMEROON
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
MAGDA WIERZYCKA
SOUTH AFRICA
FOUNDER, SYGNIA
FINANCE
TARA FELA-DUROTOYE
NIGERIA
FOUNDER, HOUSE OF TARA INTERNATIONAL
BEAUTY
THERESA KACHINDAMOTO
MALAWI
CHIEF OF DEDZA DISTRICT
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Forbes Africa research looked at Africa’s leading women across sectors and industries, as well as government agencies and non-profit institutions. We sifted through several recognition lists, conducted Forbes Africa own research in coming up with new names, and short-listed nominations that came in from Forbes Africa editorial teams across Africa, applying our own metrics of leadership, influence, consistency, and most importantly, impact. In addition to this list, this issue also features an important story on the effect of the coronavirus on corporate Africa.
Also in the focus section, a story on the future of African mining. And a tennis match on African soil that brought together two legends and the world’s second-richest man.
The two stars go beyond being just friends, they have so much in common. Kiwanuka is the Communications Officer at Women at Work International (WAWI), a Not-for-profit organization which works to improve the quality life of women through health and income improvement projects. Koheirwe is the Public Relations Manager at Star Times Uganda, a media company that offers digital terrestrial television and satellite television services in Uganda.
They’ve both been recording artistes; Kiwanuka featured on Pepsi’s World Cup song ‘Oh Africa’ in 2010 together with Keri Hilson and Akon, while Koheirwe was a member of The Obsessions, arguably the most successful music/dance group in Uganda. They’ve both had stints on TV and radio as hosts. They are also actresses and Event hosts. Also, this shoot is not their first time appearing in a photo shoot together. So, it’s not a surprise that they’re close.
As I chat with them via email, because we’re social distancing, I learn that while they are obviously worried about the future, they want everyone to be hopeful. In this cover story, they reflect on their present and future, and what we should all learn from this global pandemic, that is Covid-19.
Rachel K
This video on Tik Tok of you and your mum pulling some dance moves is hilarious, how did it come together? Thank you! My mom wanted to show me that she can still move at 60 years, so she challenged me and really did an amazing job. We learned the moves on Tik-Tok and boom the video was made.
Model: Rachel Kiwanuka
It looks like you two are very close! Yes, my mum and I are very close. I draw a lot of inspiration from her. Besides, we work together. I’m at the Communications Officer at WAWI, an organisation she founded in 2003.
What is the biggest life lesson she has taught you? To always remain humble and be myself. There is nothing as bad as being someone you’re not and being unapproachable.
I guess that’s one of the traits that have kept me going on this entertainment business. I always try and live by that and it shows. She is really the rock in my life.
The situation in the country and the world at large is worrying, how are you staying sane? I try to keep to myself most of the time, reading, working out, listening to music, writing music. My mom and I love to watch movies so we have been doing that a lot.
Are you living together? Yes!
What lessons are you taking from this experience? My major lesson has been learning how a simple act of personal hygiene can save the planet. This virus has spread because some people don’t wash hands, sanitize, or cover their mouths when coughing, etc. We must be mindful about the people around us and protect each other.
How do you usually deal with personal or work challenges? I’m a pretty spiritual person. I pray every day. This is something I learned from my mother, I’m always hopeful. Even when I’m overwhelmed, I keep a positive attitude.
Do you think we shall overcome? Yes, most definitely we shall.
Personally, it has left me quite confused. How can I restore hope in my heart? It’s going to be alright Hassan. Everyone just needs to stay calm and take the precautions as shared by the Ministry of Health, and slowly, eventually this too shall pass. Staying prayerful helps too. It brings a sense of calmness that we all need.
Let’s talk about you acting. Is it something you’ve always wanted to get into? Yes, I am acting and it has been a great experience. My brothers and my mom have been acting since I was young, so I grew up in a family that was in the industry. I’ve always wanted to be an actress because I knew I had the potential.
So, when the opportunity came of course I had to go for it. I auditioned for the role and the rest has been history. I do plan on exploring more of this side of me, of course alongside the music.
You travelled back to Uganda after almost 10 years away. Did you have a culture shock? No not at all. I was in Uganda from 2006 -2011. So, I was already used to being in Uganda and knew how to cope and adjust when I came back in 2018. No culture shock at all, I love Uganda and I’m used to everything now.
Let’s talk about your job at WAWI I’m the Communications Officer at the organisation. It was founded in 2003 by mom together with other women in the entertainment industry. Our purpose is to improve the quality of life of women through health and income enhancement. We use entertainment as the main tool to educate them.
\We also do awareness and sensitization on reproductive health, helping women in rural Uganda learn about things like Family planning. Our biggest campaign is the ‘End Fistula Project’. We help young women understand the importance of safe motherhood to end Fistula, a complication that results from a damaged bladder during child birth. Annually, over half a million women die due to various complications during pregnancy and child birth.
It looks like it keeps you quite busy Yes it does. But I still get time to do influencer work for brands in the fashion and beauty space. I still do music and acting too. I’m also planning to go back to school to do my Masters. It’s something I’ve been thinking about.
It’s been quite a while. We want new music. For sure. I have an EP coming out that I have been working on for almost two years now. I have worked with some amazing producers and really can’t wait for it to come out later this year.
Cleopatra
The situation in the country and the world at large is worrying, how are you staying sane? By listening to some uplifting music, spending time with my daughter, but also sanitizing and social distancing.
Model: Cleopatra Koheirwe
What are you listening to? Gospel music, it soothes me. Mostly Chris Tomlin and Hillsong. I am also listening to my personal favorites such as John Legend, Alicia Keys, and Corinne Bailey Rae among others. They inspire me.
What lessons are you taking from this experience? That we are all the same, no matter where we come from. Life is precious. It is important to count our blessings and be grateful for each day and the air we breathe. This pandemic has put the world at a standstill but I think in a way, it is helping us take things slow, spend time with family and also reflect on our lives. We are always caught up in the hustle and bustle of making a living that we never take time to rest. This has pushed us to take a break like it or not.
These challenges are unique and incomparable, but is there a point in your life where your patience and faith were tested to the core? Yes, there is. The point in my life where my patience and faith were tested was when I lost my mom! I was angry with God! I could not comprehend why he let her die. She meant the world to me. I have grown to accept it and make peace with God, we are good, He has had my back all these years. Prayer has kept me sane.
You are the PRO of StarTimes. You are an actress and all the many other things you do. How do you balance all those commitments with your role as a mother? Well, as you know, the film industry is still growing here so it is not as busy as it should be. I am able to manage my acting work because it is seasonal, so I fit it into my StarTimes work schedule. If I am to emcee at a corporate event, these usually happen in the evenings or on weekends so I am able to do that too, and it is also occasional so when booked, I plan my calendar. On a normal working day, I make sure I rush home after work so I can be in time to interact with my daughter, listen to how her day went and also put her to sleep. It is not easy doing all this but I have my priorities set so I make time for each and I ensure I am fully present in all.
Does your daughter understand what’s going on? How are you easing this for her? She is 6 years old now but in her little world, she’s sort of aware of what is happening because I told her in child language about Corona Virus, and also at her school, they were told about it and advised to wash hands and not hug or shake hands. When school was closed, she told me, “Mommy, there is no school tomorrow because of corona virus. The president said we stay home.” Good thing is I have been spending much more time with her so she is happy and relaxed with no worries. She feels safe.
What’s your biggest worry now? Well, even if I did not want to worry, I would be lying if I said I am not worried. I am worried about our safety as a country, and if we will make it out of this pandemic. I am also worried that it’s going to affect us economically. I am worried about my family at large and praying everyone is safe. These worries are more than the ones I had a month ago, but I am keeping the faith and hoping for the best.
This is the part that confuses me the most. What could be the reason we are getting these unique challenges? Honestly, I have no freaking idea why this is happening. In my mind, it’s a movie. Like ‘a lab test gone wrong’ kind of situation. The film Contagion breaks it down in the way I imagine.
Shall we overcome? Yes, we shall overcome. My guardian always says, ‘No situation is permanent. Every problem has a solution.” The doctors and governments around the world are working hard at solving and containing Covid-19 so I believe it shall pass. Let’s not dwell on the negative news and let us be cautious not to forward or repost or share info that is not verified. Let us follow the proper channels and avoid causing more panic. Not everyone is strong hearted through such times. So, let us beware.
On a lighter note, what should we watch on StarTimes to keep our spirits up now that we must keep at home? Well, for starters, for those with smart phones, download the StarTimes ON App and watch lots of entertainment at a tap of a finger for everyone.
There is a variety of content including top TV series such as Empire on Fox, The General’s Daughter on Novela E Plus, local films, a new channel Nina Novelas for the Telemundo fans, educational documentaries and children programs including Home schooling shows, Nat Geo Wild, Investigation Discovery (iD), Music & fun entertainment on our exclusive local channels; Face TV, Magic 1HD and Sanyuka TV and much more. So, despite the Sports hiatus, there is a lot to enjoy on StarTimes and quite affordably too on your decoder or via the App. The choice is yours.
Styled by Kaijuka Abbas (Kai’s Divo Collection) Makeup by Shades of Beauty Photographed by Fred Bugembe Interviewer : Hassan Ssentongo
Rachel Kiwanuka, better known by her stage name Rachel K or Rachel Kay, is a Ugandan musician. Rachel K was born November 1, 1986 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The daughter of Ugandan singer Halima Namakula, Kiwanuka has recorded several successful albums, toured widely throughout the region and collaborated with Ugandan and other regional artists.
She has also worked as a comedian and television presenter, making appearances on such mainstream broadcasts as Jam Agenda and Tusker Project Fame.
Rachel Kiwanuka is the Communications Officer at Women at Work International (WAWI), a Not-for-profit organization which works to improve the quality life of women through health and income improvement projects.
Cleopatra Koheirwe is a Ugandan actress, writer, singer and media personality. She first appeared onscreen as Joy in The Last King of Scotland in 2006. She has since garnered numerous roles on different film and television projects locally and internationally including a role on Netflix’s Sense8 as Mother in season 2.
Cleopatra plays Ebony in the new Nana Kagga directed and produced series Reflections alongside other Uganda celebrities Malaika Nnyanzi, Housen Mushema, Andrew Kyamagero, Prynce Joel Okuyo and Gladys Oyenbot , Koheirwe joined StarTimes Uganda in June 2019 as the new Public Relations Manager.
Cleopatra Koheirwe is the Public Relations Manager at Star Times Uganda, a media company that offers digital terrestrial television and satellite television services in Uganda.
These multi-hyphenates have been friends for over 15 year, but it sucks that they can’t meet up for a drink or coffee. They have to stay apart to save the planet! This is what everyone is going through right now, shutting off those they love, to save the world.
Born and raised in the home of the New York Yankees, Osas Ighodaro Ajibade is a Bronx Native. As a first-generation Nigerian-American, Osas strongly values the importance of family, giving back and staying connected to her roots,Osas is a graduate from Pennsylvania State University and holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism and dual minor degrees in Entrepreneurship and Theatre. She also holds a Masters of Fine Arts Degree in Acting from the Actor’s Studio Drama School at Pace University
She has appeared in theatre productions that include The Colored Museum, Revenge of the King, Platanos & Collard Greens and For Colored Girls. Osas’ film & television credits include Cadillac Records, The Department, Tinsel, Gbomo Gbomo Express & Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns.
Osas ranked amongst the Top 3 National finalists in the American Black Film Festival/NBC Universal Star Project – monologue competition. In 2010, She became the first Nigerian-American to be crowned Miss Black USA. Additionally, she won the award for Best TV Actress at the 2014 edition of Exquisite Lady of the Year Awards and Nigerian Entertainment Awards 2016 Best Supporting Actress award, respectively.
Osas’ work as an actor, host, brand ambassador and humanitarian carry her throughout the United States, Africa and across the globe. As founder of the ‘Joyful Joy Foundation’, Osas remains deeply committed to ending Malaria, preventable disease and supporting poverty alleviation in Africa. She believes a small token of appreciation, sincerely offered to a few, can cause and affect a chain reaction of positivity and growth for many.
Ankara Miami, Inc. is a South Florida-based event planning company committed to “Redefining African Cultural Trends.” Since its creation in August 2011 by Founder/CEO, Evelyn Onyejuruwa (Miss Nigeria Florida 2011-2012).
The company has continued its mission to promote progressive people and trends within the African Diaspora. Ankara Miami’s launch event, Ankara Miami 2012.
Founder and CEO of Ankara Miami In Evelyn Onyejuruwa (Miss Nigeria Florida 2011-2012)
1st Annual Ankara Fashion & Cultural Show, showcased emerging and established designers from the African Diaspora and their use of Ankara (a well-known West African fabric) as well as other African fabrics and prints in mainstream Western fashion.
Since its inception, Ankara Miami has also made social and financial contributions to entities such as the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center, HANDY, Inc., the Nigerian American Foundation, Embrace Music Foundation, and Honey Shine, Inc. Its year-round events have included toy drives, networking mixers, and consulting/event management for other African and African-inspired events.
Ankara Miami is the FIRST & LARGEST major runway production in Florida featuring designers, live entertainment, and visual art solely from Africa and the African Diaspora.
The company has worked closely with notable corporate and culturally-based brands (e.g. Macy’s, Arik Air, Inglot Cosmetics, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Diaspora Arts Coalition, Fela! On Broadway, Toyota of North Miami, Natural Trendsetters Salon, and the African-American Research and Cultural Center) as well as local and international media (e.g. HOT 105, The Beat 103.5, Huffington Post Miami, SouthFlorida.com, The Miami Times, Black Enterprise, Essence Online, Cool FM (Nigeria), Complete Fashion (Nigeria), Zen Magazine (Nigeria), and Tropics Magazine (South Africa).
In February 2015, Ankara Miami expanded its signature, red-carpet event from Ankara Fashion & Cultural Show to Ankara Miami: Florida’s FIRST African Fashion Week.
In its exciting journey, Ankara Miami organizers will continue to feature even more talent from Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, and throughout the United States, and provide a medium that encourages buyer/investor relationships, highlights talent and progression within the African Diaspora, and facilitates networking opportunities between established industry professionals and aspiring newcomers.
Stay connected as Ankara Miami continues to heighten the awareness of the modernization of African culture on a local, national, and international platform.
The African fashion industry has been evolving significantly over the last years. Many African designers have been seen participating on the international stage showcasing their creativity and designs and being applauded by fashion lovers worldwide.
Their representations in magazines and fashion events have put the spotlight on the growing fashion scene of the African continent.
Not only the unique fabrics and designs, but also the African culture, heritage and beauty have left a long-lasting impression on the international fashion stage. The number of models of African origin being casted by the big fashion brands has risen significantly and they are frequently featured in leading fashion magazines and campaigns.
Africa’s creative industry overall has started gaining notice both regionally and internationally. Several local fashion brands have earned global recognition due to the talent and artistry of their designers. One remarkable award-winning designer is Folake Folarin- Coker.
Her brand Tiffany Amber has particularly become popular during the New York Fashion Week. In the meantime, her collection has been displayed in London, New York and Paris. Another upcoming artist, Deola Sagoe has dressed international artists like Rihanna and Solange Knowles.
The African footwear industry is still in the nascent stage. The continent is abundant in raw materials, skill and labour which are imperative for the growth of any industry. Several countries on the continent are contributing to the African footwear revolution, including Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria.
Ethiopia for instance, is ranked in the top ten of leather exporting countries worldwide and has been able to generate considerable income from shoe exports in 2018.
The global fashion industry is estimated to be worth around $1.5 trillion, there are however no official estimates about Africa’s fashion industry. This is due to the fact that it has historically not been seen as a lucrative sector. There is however a growing realization of its untapped potential in terms of job creation and economic development.
As of today, only selected African universities offer reputable master degrees in fashion and design. As the perception of the fashion industry is however shifting within the continent itself, more and more fashion courses are being offered in order to support the local talents.
At present, Africa has a population of 1.2 billion people. The future estimates of the growth of the population is 2 billion by 2050 and 4 billion by 2100. This gives a huge opportunity in the form of a large market size for investors to leverage on. Fashion brands with the right marketing strategy have good chances to flourish.
Another important demographic feature about Africa is that there are about 200 million people between 15 and 24 years old, which makes Africa the youngest continent in the world.
With technological development showing its vibrance in Africa, the youth are increasingly using Facebook, Instagram and other kinds of social media to keep their followers updated with the latest trends and launches in the line of fashion. This has not only given local brands more visibility internationally, it has also increased their business rapidly.
In addition, the rapid increase in African middle-class households has increased the market for luxury goods as there is demand for better quality products due to growing disposable income. The African markets are moving from basic commodities to modern lifestyle economies.
This change in African buying habits has caused a boost to the sales of the fashion brand segment, and provides vast opportunities for investors, fashion houses as well as fashion and beauty professionals looking to expand internationally.
The clothing and textile sector’s 80,000 workers have been guaranteed full pay for six weeks during and after the Covid-19 lock down in a ground-breaking agreement by stakeholders.
On Monday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a 21-day national lockdown to limit the coronavirus outbreak. It will take effect from midnight on Thursday, and will impose stringent restrictions on the movement of people. People will be confined to their homes and will only be allowed to leave to shop for essentials such as food and medicines, to seek healthcare, or collect social grants.
The National Bargaining Council for the Clothing Manufacturing Industry announced that industry stakeholders had reached the deal that would see workers getting their full wages during the lockdown.
On Tuesday, the National Bargaining Council for the Clothing Manufacturing Industry in SA announced that parties in the industry have reached a “ground-breaking agreement” that will see workers getting their salaries during the lockdown period.
The signatories to the agreement include the SA Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu), the Apparel & Textile Association of SA (Atasa), and the SA Apparel Association (Saaa).
According to the agreement, payment to the industry’s 80,000 workers will be made up of workers’ Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) monies and employers funds, and that the clothing industry bargaining council will be the institution for the UIF distribution payments to workers through company payroll systems.
The bargaining council said the agreement had been submitted to the department of employment and labour for an “emergency gazette and extension to non-party companies in the clothing industry”.
“The parties to the bargaining council, working together with the UIF and the department of employment and labour are now focusing on the practical modalities of implementation of the agreement.”
A clothing industry Covid-19 lockdown rapid response task team has been established to manage immediate “practical implementation matters arising from the conclusion of the agreement”.
In a media briefing in Pretoria on Tuesday, employment and labour minister Thulas Nxesi said employers and bargaining councils will be used to distribute new UIF benefits.
Nxesi said the government would not put a number on the table as to the size of the national disaster benefit as it might unfairly raise expectations.
“We do not want to talk about figures. We can’t announce something that we cannot fulfil. Our actuaries are busy looking at the numbers.”
The UIF was anticipated at the time of the February budget to have R3.6bn in surplus contributions over the next three years. In addition, to this it also had about R60bn in investments with the Public Investment Corporation (PIC).
Both these numbers are completely out of date, as contributions to the fund will now change significantly and investments will have diminished considerably.
Meanwhile, SA’s tally of Covid-19 cases have risen to 554 and the number is expected to continue to rise for at least another fortnight, health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has said. He said it will take time for the 21-day national lockdown to have an effect and reduce the spread of the disease.
Kenyan fashion designer David Avido Ochieng distributes face masks among his local community in Kibera settlement, on the outskirts of Nairobi. He has hand made hundreds of masks to help protect vulnerable people in Kibera and across the world from the outbreak of the COVID-19.
Last week, David Avido Ochieng barely slept. The Kenyan fashion designer has been working day and night in his studio, crafting hundreds of face masks from the colourful scrap fabrics of his designs.
Ochieng’s sustainable fashion designs are popular on the streets of Nairobi. His fashion brand, Lookslike Avido, is internationally known for its vibrant street-inspired style. But for now, he only designs face masks, with his trademark African print. He hands them out for free to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus among some of Kenya’s most vulnerable communities.
“I know what is motivating me to do this. Giving out the masks and letting people know how to help themselves when the virus tries reaching us gives me joy because at least I can help them to understand the situation,”
Avido says during a short break between sewing. An informal business woman wears one of David Ochieng’s face masks in Kibera, Nairobi. David Avido Ochieng was born and raised in Kibera, a sprawling informal settlement on the outskirts of Nairobi that is often referred to as Africa’s largest slum. When the first case of COVID-19 was announced in Kenya on March 17, he knew that this was where the virus could have the most dire effects.
Concerns about COVID-19’s potential impact on informal settlements like Kibera are high. How possible is it to prevent the spread of the virus in a slum area, where few residents have access to running water? How can social distancing be an option when homes are stacked precariously on top of one another, and where a day without work means a day without food?
These were among the fears expressed in Kibera following news of the first outbreak, and it is what inspired Ochieng to start making his own masks and distributing them for free among his local community.
“I’m doing my best to help people around here. The people in my community motivate me to be who I am and at the end of the day, I can’t see them suffer because not all of them are able to afford the masks, the hand wash, and the sanitiser,”
he explains
In a community where access hand sanitiser or surgical face masks is sparse, his hope is that the masks will at least prevent people from touching their face and contacting the virus. And unlike surgical masks, they can be washed and reused; a more sustainable alternative for those living below the poverty line.
Fashion designer David Avido Ochieng has made 1,800 face masks in the week since the first case of coronavirus was announced in Kenya.
However, the effectiveness of masks in preventing the spread of coronavirus has been debated and Ochieng is quick to say that they do not fully protect people from the virus. Alongside making the masks, he distributes them, educating people in the community on how to fully protect themselves from the virus as he does so.
Some days Ochieng goes deep into villages to inform and assist those who aren’t aware of the dangers of coronavirus and its rapid spread. To each man, woman, or child he hands his masks to, Avido explains how to safely use them and emphasises the importance of other prevention measures including thorough hand washing and the use of sanitiser.
“Some people don’t really know what is happening, so I have to educate them. Once you do that, they are able to understand. It takes time for them to understand what is happening and to teach them the preventative measures. People are really happy [to receive the masks], some are even falling into tears,”
he says.
David Avido Ochieng has already run out of the scrap fabrics he was using. He continues to purchase more from the market as he becomes overwhelmed by the demand for masks on the ground. He has made almost 1,800 masks in the last week, and on his last distribution in Kibera he handed out 700 masks.
With each mask taking around 10 minutes to make, his life has become consumed by what feels to be an urgent need to create and distribute as many masks as possible for a community in need of support.
“When I go out, at some point I run out of masks, and I don’t know what to say. I have to run back home and make more. You get tired but you have to push on for the people,”
Ochieng says.
However, it is not just people in Kibera that Ochieng supplies masks to. Across Nairobi, demand is high; from other informal settlements like Mathare, to the high-income areas of Karen and Lavington. He has even had requests from as far as Europe and the United States, where people have told him masks have been sold out.
Regardless of who is asking, Ochieng will distribute the masks for free. He refuses any payment other than hand sanitiser, which he then distributes throughout the Kibera community.
For now, a sense of uncertainty hangs in the air as Kenya shuts down borders and steps up measures to prevent the spread of the virus. And for Ochieng, who remains deeply connected to the community he has lived in his whole life, his masks and education are all he has to offer as he works to protect his community from a virus that would be potentially crippling to his hometown.
“When you die, you don’t go with money, but if you have the chance right now, help people around you, show them love and support, because that is what keeps us going,”
Ochieng says, before turning back to his sewing machine for another day and night weaving together his colourful masks.
This article originally appeared on CGTN Africa Photo courtesy of David Ochieng
AfroStreet Kollektions is a Kenyan based fashion house founded in early 2012.The designs are mainly ankara (The African Print Fabric-Kitenge) mixed with lace, chiffon, stretch fabric, linen and khaki to bring out the African Culture with a western touch to it.
The Fashion house has had the privilege to showcase at different platforms both locally and internationally that has helped the fashion house to reach greater heights like Swahili Fashion Week in Tanzania, The Nairobi Fashion Market , Casino Malindi Strut ItAfrika Fashion Week, The Kenya Fashion Week and The Nairobi Fashion Week.
Model cum designer Yvonne Odhiambo had an urge to start her own fashion house. This was after strutting on different runways both in Kenya and East Africa regional for 8 years for different designers like John kaveke, Liz Ogumbo, Ann McCreath, Sylvia Owori, Nikki Kondakis, Penny Winter, Adele D’Jak among others.
From that urge, AfroStreetKollektions was born in September 2012. She has graced different fashion magazines like Couture Africa, True Love, Drum, African Woman and others. After completing her studies in Communication at the University of Nairobi, AfroStreet Kollektions was her main focus and nothing stood in the way of her giving the best she could to everyone that knocked on her doors of fashion for the that gorgeous look they sought. Yvonne Odhiambo had the opportunity to dressed, most notably celebrities in Kenya , Stella Mwangi ( STL ), Sheila Mwanyigah, Suzanna Owiyo, , , Kobi Kihara, Wahu, Diana Opoti, Annabel Onyango, The Papa Shirandula and the casting Crew Kidum From Burundi, Kansiime from Uganda and Vanessa Mdee from Tanzania
