Africa is a land with people of diverse fashion tastes considering their cultures and aesthetic skills. However, fashion shows are a platform for fashion designers to come together and share their skills and experiences.
These fashion shows feature many activities like runway shows, presentations, master class series, sales of fashion items, among others.
The participant usually includes popular and upcoming African print brands, afro-inspired ready-to-wear outfits, hairstyles, lifestyle products, footwear, and beauty care.
Listed here are the top 5 Africa Fashion Shows you should attend if you are an African fashion enthusiast.
1. South African Fashion Week
South African Fashion Week, also called SA Fashion Week (SAFW), is a biannual event first held in 2017.
It takes place in South Africa in April (the Spring/Summer collections) and again in October (Autumn/Winter Collections).
It brings together fashion designers, textile manufacturers, retailers, and consumers of craft, jewelry, footwear, fashion accessories, and other related products.
The event features ethical male and female wear, product launches, runway shows, social activities, and talent search competitions.
The winner of the previous show stands a chance to showcase their brands in the upcoming events, which is an ample opportunity to grow your brands.
South African Fashion Week exposes the most recent trends in the fashion industry and offers an opportunity for you to meet with top designers, grow your fashion business, and inspire your creativity.
At the event, fashion designers and textile manufacturers have the opportunity of selling their various products to stores, boutiques, and end-users.
2. Lagos Fashion Fair
Lagos Fashion Fair is a fashion exhibition in Lagos, Nigeria, bringing fashion houses within and outside Nigeria into Lagos.
The show features thousands of exhibitors and visitors, including global investors. It is a platform to sell your brand, meet with business partners and gain knowledge to improve your fashion business to the next level.
Lagos Fashion Fair is a platform to network with other fashion designers, make-up artists, fashion stylists, beauty enthusiasts, and wig dealers to showcase your style and make your brand known to the world.
3. Accra Fashion Week
Accra Fashion Week (AFWK) is one of the top fashion shows in Africa, bringing fashion houses and enthusiasts across the globe into Accra, Ghana. It is a biannual event held in March and October.
Participants and exhibitors at this event span from top brands to growing brands from all parts of the world, making it an excellent platform to learn, get new clients, and expand your business.
The event is quite engaging and vibrant, with exhibitions and runways of African-inspired styles ranging from designers to men and women outfits, among other activities.
4. Nairobi Fashion Week
Nairobi Fashion Week is a top African fashion event held in Nairobi, Kenya. The event brings together stakeholders in the fashion industry to discuss trends and showcase fashion styles from top brands.
It is also a platform that exposes and inspires rising stars in the fashion industry to designs, arts, and strategies for success.
Highlights of the event also include entertainment from global artists, reception, interaction with celebrities, and lots more.
5. Swahili Fashion Week & Awards
Swahili Fashion Week & Awards is an annual event for fashion designers and dealers on fashion accessories.
It was founded in the year 2008 by Mustafa Hassanali, who is a famous couturier in Tanzania. The event takes place in December.
This event is among the top fashion events held in Central and East Africa.
It promotes brands of Eastern Africa fashion, improves the industry, and encourages emerging designers. The event features runways, awards of distinguished personnel, a bazaar, pop-up shops, and other attractions.
6. Cairo Fashion & Tex
Cairo Fashion & Tex is a fashion trade show in Cairo, Egypt, exhibiting local and international fabric, yarn, clothing, and related accessories.
The event was first held in 1993, bringing together investors, participants, and visitors from different countries in attendance.
Cairo Fashion & Tex offers attendants the opportunity to network with major industry players, thereby improving their contact base, discovering new products, distributors, and suppliers at an exceptional price.
However, participants stand a chance to increase their brand awareness, stay ahead of the competition, make sales leads, and network with partners in your line of business.
7. Dakar Fashion Week
Adam N’diaye launched Dakar Fashion Week in the year 2002 and, ever since then, has been bringing together the top and upcoming fashion designers from across the globe.
Highlights are exhibitions from fashion brands from African and non-African countries, among other activities. This top event has been featured in Vogue Magazine and other Media.
It brings together fashionistas from across the globe and features parades, shows, and shoe showcases from the top and emerging designers.
8. Zambia Fashion Week
Zambia Fashion Week is an annual fashion show in Lusaka Zambia put together by Afro Media to promote fashion and arts in Zambia.
It serves as a platform where investors can explore Zambia’s trade, tourism, and designs as it brings together upcoming fashion designers, models, and fashion lovers.
The Zambia Fashion Week features a runway covering traditional, casual, and corporate outfits from male and female models representing different brands.
Participants stand a chance to improve their businesses, have one-on-one conversations with global designers, and expand their horizons.
9. Miss Botswana Fashion Show
Miss Botswana Fashion Show is an annual fashion show held as part of the criteria for crowning the Miss Botswana title for each year.
The event features a catwalk from different beauty pageants contestants who come out with creations from top fashion designers.
Miss Botswana Fashion Show is among the many stages the entrants have to pass through before the final stage. At every step, some contestants will pass the catwalk test, taking others to the next round.
The event always brings together fashion designers, fashion enthusiasts as they network with brands from within and outside the country. It also exposes new trends in the fashion world.
10. Hub of Africa Fashion Week
Hub of Africa Fashion Week (HAFW) takes place every year in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It is a platform that promotes African fashion.
It brings together designers from parts of the country and beyond, offering an opportunity for brand interaction and integration.
There will be exhibitions, catwalks, a pop-up marketplace, and presentations from different designers. Participants also include textile manufacturers, including fabrics dealers.
Final Words
The top ten fashion shows listed above offer a feel of variety and creativity in the African fashion industry. They bring together thousands of investors and designers from across the globe.
It is an opportunity for fashion enthusiasts and all participants to learn and have a one-on-one conversation with creations from their choice designers and see the new trends in the fashion industry.
