Several growing fashion designers in African are creating stunning unique styles of fashion for people. They make the best decision on the color, shape, fabrics, etc.
It’s incredible to know that new talents from different African countries are pushing the boundaries of sustainability in the fashion industry.
They focus firmly on the application of new techniques to produce stunning fashion brands.
The eleven (11) up-and-coming African designers you should know are listed as follows:
1. Anisa Mpongwe
Anisa Mpongwe is a South African designer that started her career at the age of 19 and has worked with various fashion houses, magazines, apparel factories before her prominence.
Anisa is one of the African designers who showcase Neo-African designs in their portfolio.
She opened her deep African culture fashion store in 2012 after getting an endorsement from Beyonce’s sister, Solange.
Ever since the birth of her brand, Loin Cloth & Anisa Mpongwe has participated in numerous fashion weeks and has showcased its designs in countries like Italy, the United States, Angola, South Africa, etc.
Anisa has many awards and is currently in the frontline of Neo-African designs. She participated actively in the 2019 Africa Rise Project event at Sandton Mall in Gauteng Province, South Africa.
2. Mai Atafo
Mai Atafo is a Nigerian fashion designer and bespoke tailor that focuses on menswear, bridal, evening couture, and womenswear fashion brand.
His clothing line was established between 2010 and has styled celebrities like Stella Damascus, Yemi Blaq, Ramsey Nouah, Omawumi, JJ Okocha, Banky W, 2face, etc. and as well, styled in major TV shows like The future award, Hip Hop World award, Soundcity music video award, etc.
ATAFO has become a household name both locally and internationally after unveiling his collection in fashion weeks like Spring Fashion Sow Paris, Glitz African Fashion Week Accra, etc.
ATAFO is a fashion label known for its clean cuts, perfect fitting, and stylish approach to traditional Nigerian wear.
3. A A K S
Akosua Afriyie Kumi is a Ghanaian fashion designer that got her degree in fashion in the United Kingdom before launching her fashion brand A A K S.
The inspiration of A A K S fashion came after the launching of traditional Ghanaian baskets in 2014.
4. John Kaveke
John Kaveke is a Kenyan fashion designer that established his fashion label in 1999.
His collections have graced international occasions like African London Fashion Week, Sarajevo Fashion Week Bosnia, Hub of Africa Ethiopia, International Smirnoff Fashion Awards, etc.
He graduated from Woodvale Grove Fashion College in Nairobi and continued his education in fashion at the Instituto Europeo di Design in Barcelona, Spain.
Kaveke started his career in the local market, making dancing clothes for nursery school kids, and is becoming an emerging fashion brand in Africa.
Kaveke fashion brand illustrates individualism, strength, artistry, with a basic interest in men’s contemporary Afrocentric lifestyle brand.
5. Kemi Kalikawe
Kemi Kalikawe is a Tanzanian fashion designer and interior designer that support equality for women and youth through design.
She established her interior design first and, for the love of art, progressed to fashion, creating Naledi Fashion House with her inspiration drawn from distinctive forms of innovation and creativity.
Kemi’s fashion house is more than creating designs and classy finishing. She’s well passionate about helping youths discover their passion and become effective in their respective careers.
Naledi fashion house has worked with the British Council, Alliance Françoise and Tanzanian House of Talent, etc.
The Naledi has played an essential role in growing Tanzania’s fashion industry.
6. Farida Temraz
Farida Temraz is an Egyptian fashion designer who participated in London Fashion Week, Los Angeles Fashion Week, and New York Fashion Week.
He’s the founder of Temraza Haute Couture, a brand that centers on women’s ready-to-wear, evening wear, and bridal dresses. He’s mainly known for their unique design that sculpts a woman’s silhouette, ideally using glamorous details.
Farida is the first Egyptian to win an international first-place award in the Paris Fashion Week. She currently displays her designs in several international countries like London, Paris, Los Angeles, Dubai, New York, etc.
Temraz is unique with valuable embroidery, tangled detailed fabrics, and creative designs that fit every personality.
7. Adama Ndiaye
Adama Ndiaye is a Senegalese fashion designer that owns and operates the Adama Paris Fashion Label.
Ndiaye is a Zaire-born and Europe-raised designer that left her banking career to pursue fashion in her country home.
In Ndiaye’s desire to enlarge the visibility of African design, she created the Dakar Fashion Week, and the tenth year of the show attracted numerous from nine countries in Africa and Asia.
Ndiaye fashion designs are inspired by cities and globalism, with a keynote that religious objections have made designers unable to practice their profession.
The Adama Paris brand is specially designed for women with a bit of Africa in each.
8. Chisoma Lombe
Chisoma Lombe is the most anticipated Zambian fashion designer and the founder of Chizo Designs.
She started from a small beginning where she had to design with one sewing machine and two tailors.
Her first biggest showcase was at Zimbabwe Fashion Week in 2014 with her rainbow collection, where the Chizo designs made their debut.
In 2016, the ChizO designs represented Zambia at the Africa Fashion Reception at African union-Addis Ababa.
The Zambian designer has numerous nominations and awards in fashion designing, making her a fast-growing designer in Africa.
9. Yohannes Sisters
Lilly and her sisters, widely known as Yohannes Sisters, are Ethiopian fashion designers that tried bringing Ethiopian fabrics to the limelight.
The primary aim of establishing a fashion label is to ensure that people beyond the continent’s shores wear Ethiopian fabrics.
Lily and Zeze Yohannes were born to the family of late Mr. Yohannes Debas in Ethiopia.
During their teens, Lilly and her sisters designed a dress for the African women by the hand, thus creating the Yohannes Sisters fashion label, Yohannes Sisters Couture.
The first design of the label was the traditional Ethiopian attires known as Habesha Kemis.
The Yohannes sisters have launched multiple collections and have dressed eminent people like Wayna, Zeritu Kebede, etc.
The Naledi has played an essential role in growing Tanzania’s fashion industry.
10. Onê Rapelana
Onê Rapelana is one of Africa’s emerging fashion designers and creators based in Gaborone, Botswana.
Also, she’s a self-taught graphic expert for professional illustrations, UI/UX design, and graphic arts.
Onê Rapelana designs unique kinds of African fashion that are bold, quirky, and Afro-futuristic.
She has displayed her innovative fashion designs on the runway of African Fashion International events in South Africa.
She currently owns and manages an accessory brand, Xita, in Gaborone, Botswana, where she sells clothing and accessories that are second to none.
11. Matthew Rugamba
He’s an up-and-coming fashion designer in Kigali, Rwanda, who seamlessly blends the African spirit’s creativity with the evolving global trends.
Rugamba, whom Africans refer to as an “Afro-dandy,” owns and runs a famous fashion brand called ‘House of Tayo,’ established after completing his two-year course in the United States to represent African elegance, class and, sophistication.
The young entrepreneur has the determination to dispel myths, showcasing anecdotes and appreciation of Rwandan culture and history through clothing.
Here is Matthew Rugamba’s steady quote,” ‘I wanted to capture that African style and elegance that you could spot from a mile away.”
Although Mathew’s primary source is the culture and history of Africa, he gets inspiration from art galleries, GQ issues, fashion blogs, and markets.
The young, fast-growing fashion design designer also aspires to incorporate Western styles and African traditional clothing into his brand, House of Tayo.
Who is the most famous fashion designer in 2021?
Coco Chanel, a French designer, is the most famous fashion designer in 2021, and he managed the Parisian Haute couture for about six decades.
He has classic innovations like Chanel Suit, the quilted purse, costume jewelry, etc. Coco Chanel was born in 1883 at Saumur, France, and died in 1971 in Paris.
Who is the best African designer?
The best African designer is Christie Brown, a luxury Ghanaian fashion brand founded in 2008 by Director Aisha Ayensu.
The brand is more than clothes; it’s a unique experience designed to complement the outstanding personality of the woman who wears it.
Conclusion
Without a doubt, African society emerging legends who create unique fashion for individuals.
This set of people called fashion designers makes it possible for fashion lovers [fashionista] to get their desired, fitting, and comfortable garments.
Fashion designers promote culture, values, and heritage in the fashion industry by using different designs that can interpret and send messages to the entire public.
Hence, the emergence of creative fashion designers is a win for Africa at large.
