Monday 26th of October 2026

Nairobi, Kenya

Sarah Diouf’s Made In Africa Documentary Offers Inspiration for the Future of African Fashion

The documentary gives insight into the four-year journey of her Dakar-based label Tongoro and highlights the importance of local craftsmanship on the continent.

In her new documentary, Made In Africa, designer and creative director Sarah Diouf, shares an intimate look into the journey of her celebrated Senegalese fashion label Tongoro.

Since its launch four years ago, Tongoro has graced runways across major cities, and been sported by international stars, the likes of Burna Boy, Iman and Beyoncé. Diouf is quick to note, however, that its success isn’t merely tied to her own personal achievement—her dream is to help transform Africa’s design clothing industry as a whole, and there’s still much work to be done on that front.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B0CqT5jFc6f/?utm_source=ig_web_embed

The 30-minute documentary includes footage of Tongoro’s design and production process in Dakar and provides valuable insight for aspiring designers. Diouf, who also narrates the film, champions community involvement and local craftsmanship across the continent. She makes a case for respecting tradition and acknowledging the contributions to African-made clothing to the global fashion landscape.

The documentary marks the brand’s fourth anniversary, which coincides with Africa Day on May 25. Watch Made In Africa in full below, and read our conversation with the designer underneath, in which she discusses the growth of her brand, the importance of supporting locally-made clothes, and her dream for the future of African fashion.

This article originally appeared on Okay Africa

Sarah Diouf

Prior to launching Tongoro, Sarah Diouf had already stepped foot into the fashion industry with Ghubar, a fashion, arts and culture magazine promoting diversity and

creativity from the Arabic and African world she launched in 2009. Her work with the publication sparked the interest of multiple brands, which led her to launch her own visual production agency under her company Ifren Media Group, housing all her media activities.

Over the past years, Sarah has been observing the African fashion market and saw a gap that she thought she could fill while most African brands are positioning themselves as luxury, I wanted to come up with something more accessible for people to experience the Made in Africa, and change their mind about the quality issues often associated to it.

Her latest venture, Tongoro is a 100% Made In Africa online label providing clothing that offer style conscious consumers quality, variety and convenience, at affordable prices.

By sourcing materials on the continent and working with local tailors, the brand long-term goal is to contribute to the development of the retail production in Western Africa, opening a production facility in Dakar, Senegal.

Content courtesy of  State of Education in Africa & Tongoro

Moroccan designer Anwar Bougroug launched a mentorship program to support young African creatives

Moroccan-Norweigan designer Anwar Bougroug launched his eponymous unisex label a little over four years ago with a focus on traditional Moroccan handcraft. His creations went on to capture the attention of prestigious publications, securing him a spot on Forbes Africa’s 30 under 30 class of 2020.

Today, the designer is launching a new initiative called Bougroug Youth Mentorship Program, which will help move the African fashion industry further into the future by nurturing emerging labels from the continent amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“I was hearing from a lot of young creatives that they were really struggling to keep their motivation up and make ends meet,” shared Bougroug with Arab News of his decision to launch the program.

“Since I launched my own fashion brand, many young people in Morocco reached out to me and told me they wanted to do the same,” explained Bougroug.  “So I saw an opportunity to help these people reach their dreams,” he added.

Initially, the program was exclusive to Morocco’s creative community, however, within hours, the designer began receiving applications from designers, photographers, stylists and models from countries scattered across Africa, including Sudan, South-Africa, Ghana and Botswana.

“I decided to open the program for everyone that could really benefit from it, no matter where they are located in the world,” he explained.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic and social-distancing measures in place, the mentorship scheme will kick off with gatherings on social chatting application Zoom where Bougroug will offer guidance on opportunities, help them refine their ideas and projects and provide uplifting career advice.

Afterwards, the designer aims to meet with young designers based in Morocco face-to-face and travel to any of the countries where the participants live if and whenever travel restrictions are lifted.

With the new program, Bougroug aims to introduce 25 young African creatives to careers in the fashion industry and give them the tools to succeed in the industry.

“Africa has so much potential to further develop its fashion industry,” notes Bougroug. “People in Africa are extremely skilled and creative.

What is missing is the voice that tells people to go after their dreams. By giving young people a chance, they will develop their skill sets and the industry will start to take shape and we will eventually have a healthy industry and ecosystem similar to the ones we see for instance in Europe,” he says.

Those who wish to apply can send an email to mentor@bougroug.com.

This article originally appeared on Arab News 

The Nike Air Max 90 “Green Duck Camo” Releases Tomorrow 15th May 2020

Though 2020 is now, for all intents and purposes, cancelled, a few of the annual Nike events were able to slip in right before things really took a turn for the worst.

Among an eventful All-Star Weekend and noteworthy collaborative releases, the brand was also able to kick off Air Max Day with little to no interruptions, bringing out striking takes of the Air Max 90 including one that used the ever-iconic “Duck Camo” pattern.

Effectively a sequel to that exact pair, the “Green Duck Camo” takes the familiar and filters it through new palettes. The bright, Volt-like “Ghost Green” shade covers every under in place of the aforementioned’s Infrared, while the overlays skew the camouflage to a range of earth tones and desert-like styling.

The NIKE AIR MAX 90 in Ghost Green and Duck Camo is a camouflage option that wants to be seen…

The whole idea of camouflage is going undetected, but there’s little chance of that with this forthcoming colourway, which expertly blends textured Duck Camo panels with electrifying pops of Ghost Green mesh. The shoe comes with three sets of laces, allowing the wearer to easily transform its look and vibe whenever suits. It may also be a nice consolation prize for anybody who missed out on the Reverse Duck Camo earlier this year.

Grab one more look at these right here, and if you’re planning on copping a set for yourself, then be sure to tune into our Ghost Green Air Max 90 Store List.

Content courtesy of Sneakers News & Nike  

Daily Paper and KOMONO Collaborate on Retrofuturistic Kenyatta Sunglasses

Amsterdam-based brand Daily Paper and Belgian accessory brand KOMONO have come together for the duo’s first-ever collaboration, introducing a line of contemporary Kenyatta sunglasses.

Retrofuturistic Kenyatta Sunglasses Collections 

These unisex sunglasses are retrofuturistic in their design and come in a range of fitting colors include black, tortoise and “Racing Red.” The frame is squared with rounded edges, housing the large, “Dark Smoke”-tinted and 100 percent UV protected ovular lenses inside, while the arms are equally chunky and angular in approach.

Silver-plated “DAILYPAPER” branding in either silver or a gold-tone graces both arms, while on the inside of the arm you’ll find information that details where they were made.

To celebrate the release of the inaugural eyewear collaboration, Daily Paper and KOMONO’s campaign reinterprets the glasses through Daily Paper’s futuristic lens. It delivers a study of highly-contrasted, boldly-colored photographs that pack plenty shadows and sharp lines.

Retrofuturistic Kenyatta Eye-wear 

The collaborative collection of sunglasses drops on May 15 for $160 apiece at both brands’ storefronts, on the Daily Paper and KOMONO websites, and select retailers worldwide. Check out the three Kenyatta sunglasses in the galleries above.

Art Direction: Beri Dalgali And Dennis Schreuder
Make-Up:  Anita Jolles
Hair Stylist: Bianca Van Zwieten
Model: Ottawa Kwami And Akon Changkou

This article originally appeared on Hype Beast

Rihanna Releases New Fenty Eyewear 2020 Campaign

Fashion house FENTY presented new Release 5-20 Eyewear collection for the Summer 2020. The collection features 3 new styles in 5 different colors the Off Record, the Classified and the Coded Sunglasses.

Fashion photographer Arnaud Lajeunie captured FENTY Release 5-20‘s campaign starring the stunning Mame Anta Wade. In charge of styling was Jahleel Weaver, with beauty from makeup artist Anthony Preel.

“I mean… sheesh!!!” is how Rihanna described her new Fenty sunglasses. Sheesh is one word for the three new eyewear styles, which the brand founder has created “to suit every high, low and incognito mood of summer”. Other suitable adjectives include, but are certainly not limited to: retro, technicolour, and one hundred per cent bad gal.

In @badgalriri’s world, a #WFHFit consists of a hoodie and some seriously cool shades. Thank goodness the eyewear is part of Fenty’s latest drop, available from today, which features a modern update on the cat’s eye in eye-popping colours like candy pink, acid lime and blue tortoise.

Rihanna debuted her Jet Black Coded shades during a lockdown shoot that brought high-fashion drama to her Instagram feed. Inspired by vintage silhouettes, the rectangular frames with subtle cat-eye shape are also available in Milky Way with matching coloured lenses.

This week, RiRi posted a selfie of her Acid Green Off Record sunnies  Fenty’s most vibrant eyewear yet, designed to “deliver ultimate summer vibes”.

The ’80s frames with animal print temples also come in Candy Pink and Cosmic Blue for “a summer of camera-ready digital fun”. Like the Coded pair, they retail for £280 at Fenty.com

If you can’t see yourself papping Insta pics in these classic-with-a-Rih-twist styles, Fenty is releasing a third futuristic pair in June. The Classified model has a “dramatic silhouette” with similar accents to the previous Blockt and Antisocial frames, and comes in Black Gold and Rose Havana for “an air of old school glamour and mid-summer romance”, according to the brand.

Rihanna – Designer
Arnaud Lajeunie – Photographer
Jahleel Weaver – Fashion Editor/Stylist
Anthony Preel – Makeup Artist

Content courtesy of Models 

How to style khaki pants for special occasions

Khaki pants for men in Nairobi Kenya are a dime a dozen. Everywhere you turn you will find a khaki trousers shop in Nairobi. So you probably have a wardrobe full of khaki pants. You wear them over the weekends. And on the more relaxed days.

But let’s say you have a very important function coming up. One in which you’ll absolutely have to make a big impression. Awesome. Unfortunately, all you have in your wardrobe are khaki pants. Not so awesome. What do you do to ensure you still look like a boss on this special occasion? Watch the video below.

He breaks it down very simply. Styling khaki pants for special occasions is easy. It’s all about the power and uniqueness of your statement jacket. And if you’re not a jacket man, then it’s about the beauty of your shirt. The more unique it is, the better it will look. Just make sure not to make the entire look too casual. I’ve always been a fan of the look of an un-tucked designer shirt that carefully matches informal pants. Popular on a lot of Kenyan politicians. Particularly on president Uhuru Kenyatta.

I’m a strong believer in one dressing up for themselves and not for others. So if khaki trousers are your thing, then you should absolutely rock them to your special occasion. The comfort you feel while in them will shine through for everyone to see. I’ve also always been a very strong believer n the following mantra. Dress for yourself. Not for anyone else.

That’s not to say you should ignore social protocol and dress as you please. Of course not. Dressing lazily is not a sign of independence. Or growth. It’s just bad manners. But dressing confidently based on your own individual style? Well, that’s that is the first step to great inner strength.

Naomi Campbell Makes ESSENCE History As Her Own Photographer For Our 50th Anniversary Issue

Supermodel Naomi Campbell has proven she’s not only talented in front of a camera, but also behind one with her latest cover work for the 50th-anniversary issue of Essence Magazine dressed in a Ghanaian fashion designer Stevie Frenchie a African attire.

On Tuesday, May 5, the 49-year-old supermodel, who has been a powerhouse in the modeling industry since the age of 15, posted a tweet featuring a history-making photo shoot she did for the magazine with her iPhone while being self-isolated at home dressed in African attire design by African attire.

Naomi Campbell was also responsible for her own styling, hair, and makeup #ESSENCE50.

 

It was a very special honor and unusual experience for me to be able to shoot and style my own cover for Essence’ 50th anniversary issue.

The cover featured Campbell wearing a flowing white dress accented with triangular and circular patterns in black, red, green, and brown. The garment also had a loosely tied black bow that resembled a satin material that sat below her bosom.

In the cover photo, Campbell was sitting on a light wood set of stairs with a backdrop resembling a cloudy blue sky. She noted that the vintage garment was designed by Karl Lager-field for the luxury Parisian fashion brand Chloe in an Instagram post.

The cover also included the title of Campbell’s feature in the issue – “Self-Portrait In Isolation.”

Through an Instagram video posted on Essence’s profile, fans learned the magazine’s Chief Content and Creative Officer MoAna Luu and Campbell collaboratively video chatted through Face Time to work on the shoot.

The issue will also feature an article titled “The New Normal: How COVID-19 Shifted Our Reality.”

According to the Essence Instagram post, Campbell shot other looks for the anniversary issue as well which included a layered tangerine-colored dress with red and black patterns throughout and a navy blue, periwinkle, aquamarine, and white headdress.

Campbell’s announcement tweet, in which she mentioned that she was honored to participate in the shoot, received over 2,000 retweets and over 13,000 likes, with many comments rejoicing the creativity, innovation, and overall hard work she has displayed throughout her years in the modeling industry.

Content courtesy of Essence 

 

Larry Casual’s New Campaign: An Ode To The Modern African Man

Meet the Ugandan Fashion Designer who styled East Africa’s Got Talent stars Larry Casual, run by bespoke designer, Larry Mukooza is well on the way to becoming the very biggest original/tailor fashion brand in Uganda

Larry Casual, a Ugandan luxury label is celebrating the modern African men with their latest campaign.

“The modern African man is a lover of all things bright, bold and colourful. Those are some of the elements we used to piece this collection together,”

offers Mukooza Martin Larry, the creative director of the brand.
With a careful balance of both bright and muted looks, they catered to all men, the conservative one inclusive. “You’ll see a pink suit, and wonder, will an African man wear it?

I’ll say the African man has evolved, he isn’t afraid of wearing a nice suit because it’s pink in colour,” he explains. “But, then again, if it is too bright, you still have a myriad of other options to choose from.”
The campaign features an offering of suits; the traditional ones being a perfect choice for grooms, while kaftan suits cater to the wedding guests. “Our wedding culture is changing guests draw just as much attention as the couple whose day they’ve converged to celebrate.”

“We’re offering this modern male guest a befitting outfit to match his taste and class.”
“The Larry Casual man is unapologetically African. This, is his way of standing out,” he adds.

The Kampala-based fashion brand, which was founded in 2016, is famous for its tailored to fit suits. Their pieces are simple, but extra, impactful but not loud. The impact being in their clean finishing and detail. “It’s more than just clothing, it’s an experience!”

Credits
Brand: @larry_casual
Models: @franckiggundu, @dope_stunner &  @isram5
Photos: @fredbugembe
Location: @theeminpashahotelandspa

Who is Kenya’s best dressed politician?

Best dressed politicians in Kenya

Who is the best-dressed politician in Kenya? It’s difficult to pick just one.

All of us human beings like to compete. In anything and everything.  Particularly us men. And the dress-up fashion department is one we like to compete in. Especially for men with resources. And the government is, of course, full of such men. Politicians with a tonne of personal resources. Businessmen who have worked really hard to get to where they are. Well, most of them anyway.

In a room full of wealthy gentlemen it takes special fashion skills to be able to stand out.

Now, I’m certain you’ve already seen a lot of lists online. Lists on the best-dressed politicians in Kenya. Random lists with very little detail and know-how. Lists that have been put together just for the sake of it.

This is not one of those lists. Because at Nairobi fashion hub we like to take the business of fashion very seriously. So here’s a well thought out video we came across on Lee Makwiny’s youtube channel. It breaks down 2 of the best-dressed politicians in Kenya. It does so by very systematically assessing each politician’s sense of style. And not only that. It leaves you feeling inspired to up your fashion game as well. Particularly if your man. Because Kenyan men can sometimes tend to get lazy with their dressing. I’m sure you’ve heard the complaints from our women. I’ve had multiple women tell me. “I went for our date in a lovely wedding gown that took me weeks to save up for. And he showed up in a t-shirt and jeans. What a waste!” Don’t let that be you.

So without further ado. Here are 2 of the best-dressed politicians in Kenya. Enjoy and draw fashion inspiration.

 

Body Positivity

The world is embracing the word ‘body-positive,’ concerning fashion and beauty standards.

Being body positive is all about loving the body that you’re in, and making it work for you. It’s about realizing that you aren’t limited, to a particular fashion size, to be a part of fashion trends. It’s all about making peace with your flaws.

Earlier on, I knew that the standard beauty ideas were being tall, thin and with straight hair. It was a subconscious thing since most people look to fashion houses and publications to learn more about what’s en vogue.

Currently, there are several tutorials focused on looking after natural African hair including protective hairstyles and different head wraps. A lot of men and women are going back to their roots by embracing their natural hair. The natural curls that come out, when stylists don’t over manipulate hair, with heat and chemicals that relax and weaken hair.

However, hair care is a personal thing, so you can still wear wigs and weaves if that’s what makes you comfortable.

Being body positive also means embracing bodies that defy traditional beauty ideals. One example is how culture is embracing curvy artists like Nicki Minaj and Lizzo. With Nicki Minaj, her body transformation before plastic surgery after it is a big difference. It proves that people are free to do what they feel is right for aesthetic purposes.

On the other side, plus-size models are pushing the boundary and creating a more realistic outlook on beauty. You can open a fashion magazine and see variety in body shapes.

“You’ve got to love what you have because it is the only body that has been given,” Ashley Graham says in Vogue, November 2014.

Slick Woods has a gap tooth, & isn’t what you’d typically expect, but she’s still making strides, being a part of the Fenty tribe. She was selected to model for Rihanna’s fashion line.

Nigerian model Adetutu has tribal marks, on her face & she tweeted Rihanna so that she could get discovered. Rihanna followed her back on Twitter. Yaay, social media. I mean who would have expected it.

Duckie Thot is very dark & glossy and almost feels like a doll. Her blackness feels very surreal and a few decades ago, it would have been hard for her, to launch her modelling career.

Winnie Harlow has vitiligo. Her skin has different colour patches, and nothing can change that. She’s embraced it and used it to crack the modelling world. She was once a participant, on America’s Next Top Model, cycle 21 by Tyra Banks.

So it doesn’t matter if you’re covered in stretch marks from head to toe.

Or cellulite runs across your thighs with small dips, here and there. It’s all about standing in front of the mirror and repeating body-positive statements to yourself.

Nairobi Fashion Hub wishes you love as you spend extra time with yourself.

Chaos by Kai’s Divo Collection

Kaijuka Abbas, owner, and proprietor of Kai’s Divo Collection is the creative force behind some of the best-dressed celebrities from Bettina Tiana and Malaika Nnyanzi to Winnie Nwagi and Maurice Kirya.

He was named the Best Designer of the Year at the Men’s Fashion Week Nigeria 2019 which took place from the 28th to 29th November 2019 at the Royal Oak Event Center in Lagos.

Kai’s Divo Collection is a Ugandan fashion brand renowned for its unique take on style. 

In this chat, Abbas Kaijuka, the creative director of the brand, shares his inspiration for the collection.

What was the starting point for this collection?

This collection was about everything we think men shouldn’t wear. It was birthed out of a conversation I had had with some of my male clients. They were wondering what would happen if I gave them some of our signature dramatic styles to wear.

Men usually come to me for conventional menswear pieces such as suits. Yet, if you’ve been following my brand right from our early days, you know that I’m a rebel when it comes to menswear. In my world, menswear should be more fun and expressive.

Putting the collection together was easy, I worked with most of the fabrics that I usually work with for women’s wear and married some of the styles together, to create a collection that’s bordering gender-neutral.

We see a lot of tulle on pants and jackets, these are soft fabrics usually seen in women’swear.

What was your thought process making men wear tulle? 

My work allows me the opportunity to interface with lots of people, both men and women. From my experience, men are way softer than women. You can measure someone’s strength by the number risks they are willing to take. Men are not risk takers when it comes to style. I wanted to showcase the level of risk taking men ought to be at.

We also see a lot of capes, what was the idea behind these?

 I’ve always been fascinated by capes. They are the wings that make superheroes such as  Superman and Batman fly. In a cape, I see men who are out there saving the planet.

These are generally edgy looks for men. What’s your take on men getting adventurous with shapes and detail?

Like I said, I’d like men to be more adventurous. I’d like men to take more risks. It doesn’t hurt to think out of the usual box.

Kai’s Divo collection

Credits
Model: Akram Sempala (signed to @jorammodelmanagement)
Photos by @banjiphoto
Onset assistants: Isaac Baboki/ Thomas Verk
Shot on location at Camouflage

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