These Are the Top 10 Designers From The Hub of Africa Fashion Week in Addis Abeba

The Hub of Africa Fashion Week (HAFW) took place in the scenic city of Addis Ababa from January 9–14, 2024. Situated around 8,000 feet above sea level, the Ethiopian capital captivated tourists with its captivating ambiance, fusing the past and present at a singular confluence of cultures.
The bright atmosphere and crystalline light combine with the spirit of this late 19th-century city to create an experience that tourists won’t soon forget.
This year marks HAFW’s 14th anniversary. Founded by Mahlet Teklemariam and her brother Natanem Teklemariam, it has grown into an incredible platform that can showcase the rising creativity of African designers worldwide.

It’s evolved from a fashion runway to a cultural intersection where achievement, dedication, and skill come together.
Under the driven direction of the Teklemariam twins and with the help of notable people like Fashion Africa 254 creator Waridi Schrobsdorff, HAFW has evolved into an occasion that honors African innovation while also utilizing fashion to forge new relationships and business ventures.
The following ten designers are ones you should be aware of:

1. Mastewal Alemu
Mastewal Alemu, who has experience as a fashion design educator, brings with her a special amount of expertise. She studied traditional Ethiopian cotton during her academic career, which she used as the focal point of her diverse collection.
Her love of textiles is the driving force behind the company, which stands out for its local production, emphasis on sustainability, and adoption of a zero-waste design philosophy.
Alemu’s philosophy emphasizes ethical production and the prudent use of resources. Her use of a chiaroscuro palette, which was meant to mirror life’s events and subtleties and provide wisdom and experience that are obvious in every garment in her collection, further demonstrated her enduring interest in textiles.

2. Alexander Akande
The company combines jewelry and apparel designs inspired by every aspect of the African continent, including its music, art, and culture, as well as its jungles and woods.

3. Tibebu Collection
The whole core of the brand is embodied in the word Tibebu, which means knowledge in Amharic. Bezawit Tibebu had always wanted to be a designer, and her company is all about giving classic Ethiopian fabrics a couture and modern makeover.
The pastel color scheme provided Tibebu’s designs a distinctive and elegant touch, which was further accentuated by traditional hand-woven textiles.

4. Samra Leather
Samrawit Mersiehazen developed Samra Leather, which is known for its distinctive and decisive style and designs that embody Ethiopian workmanship in purses and accessories.

5. Natanem Couture
Natanem Wondwossen focuses on originality and skill in his exquisite creations. In order to preserve their legacy, Wondwossen concentrates on creative applications of fabrics, drawing inspiration from the exquisiteness of traditional Ethiopian textiles.

6. Dann 
Dannawit Alema’s Dann is a brand that embodies creativity and invention. It is notable for its ability to transcend the notion of streetwear and make upcycling a central part of its brand identity. The avant-garde line emphasized natural dyes, zero-waste methods, and youth empowerment.

7. Afthoro
The exquisite and extravagantly baroque traditional Ethiopian bridal gowns served as the inspiration for Afthoro designer Haimanot Geremew’s collection.
The clothing blends modern design with Ethiopia’s rich cultural legacy.

8. Metii Upcycled Collection
Metii Gaye used recycled cotton and denim to create her Metii Upcycled Collection.
Every item of clothing represents sustainability and shows a dedication to an environmentally responsible style that goes beyond accepted norms in the industry.

9. Afropian 
Cameroonian designer Hortense Mbea is the brains behind Afropian. Her collection began as an accessories line, but it has now expanded to include ready-to-wear that combines the vibrant flare of Cameroon with Ethiopian workmanship. Wear Africa with Pride, the brand’s tagline, sums up its dedication to fostering ethnic pride via stylish and significant clothing.

10. Zemenay
Among the vibrant array of labels gracing the runway, Betselot Zewge’s was particularly noticeable. The first plus-size company in Ethiopia created a stir with its vibrant simplicity that catered to all shapes and sizes of women.

The Hub of Africa Fashion Week is known for showcasing and promoting African fashion and design talent. It serves as a platform for emerging and established designers to present their collections, and it attracts fashion enthusiasts, industry professionals, and media from around the continent and beyond.

Since its founding in 2010, HAFW has been dedicated to showcasing the beauty, richness, and culture of Africa to a worldwide audience via the creative industries of fashion and other facets of the continent’s heritage.
HAFW has seen firsthand the expansion of the business, the rise of designers, and the realization that Africa is a legitimate source for labels, fabrics, leather, manufacturing, and more.
The idea behind Hub of Africa Fashion Week (HAFW) was to provide the global market with an occasion that would showcase the rising potential of African designers and companies.

The idea of the event’s organization is to provide a forum for designers and other industry players to promote their brands globally while also fostering connections across various sectors of Africa’s expanding apparel industry.

Content courtesy of Vogue Magazine & NFH