Africa Fashion Week London by Natalie Robinson

Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL), Europe’s largest annual African fashion event, was back for its 14th edition this year. To kickstart a spectacular series of events, the US Embassy hosted AFWL on Thursday, October 3rd 2024, to celebrate black excellence within fashion and music genres to coincide with Black History Month. The evening saw a performance by Chineke! Orchestra, created by Chi-chi Nwanoku CBE in 2015 to provide outstanding career opportunities to established and up-and-coming Black and ethnically diverse classical musicians in the UK and Europe. Chineke! ‘s motto is: ‘Championing change and celebrating diversity in classical music.’

Together with Chineke! Quentin Earl Darrington, an American actor and singer known for his Broadway productions, performed the title from I Dream by Douglas Tappin. Amongst the sound of beautiful music, onlookers basked in the bright colours and exuberant prints of a designer showcase curated by Bola Mollie Obileye, creative director of AFWL. The showcase featured diverse designers such as Heritage Apparels, Tote Londoner, Aderiyike London, and Soboye, ensuring everyone felt included and represented.

 

Queen Ronke Ademiluyi-Ogunwusi founded African Fashion Week London in 2011 to increase African and Black fashion brands’ visibility, awareness, and sustainability through catwalk showcases, exhibitions, and education.

“African Fashion Week London showcases the richness and beauty of African fashion, a celebration of a connection between Africa and the global community, particularly in the UK and the US,”  Queen Ronke says, emphasising the event’s cultural significance.

On Monday, October 7th, AFWL’s principle partner, the Nigerian Diaspora Connect Association(NDCA), established by Toyin Sakutu, Olu Alake – the CEO of the Africa Centre, the AFWL team, and Queen Ronke, invited industry professionals to an exclusive press conference and to celebrate Black History Month at the Africa Centre, a renowned hub for African art, culture, and heritage. Guests enjoyed drinks sponsored by London Manya Palm Wine while networking.

“Africa Fashion Week London is super excited to partner again with The Africa Centre for our 14th edition – a decade after our historic collaboration! Together, we have threaded our friendship and African heritage into the fabric of global fashion. We have enabled fashion to meet culture and culture to meet community. We are so pleased to form a stronger bond going forward.” Queen Ronke says.

This year, the Africa Centre celebrated its 60th anniversary. With its new partnership with AFWL, the Centre will host training and workshops on the history and creation of Adire textile art, supporting artisans and designers who use it.

“Partnering with Africa Fashion Week London is a matter of great joy and significance for The Africa Centre. We celebrate African excellence, and AFWL manifests this brilliantly. Our partnership will help to showcase and provide opportunities for our fantastic fashion and wider creative sector talent”. Olu Alake, CEO of The Africa Centre, says.

The Africa Centre is a registered charity in London founded in 1961 and opened to the public in 1964. The Centre aims to educate, connect, and advocate for Africa and its diaspora through cultural events, conversations, and courses. The Centre has hosted many notable people, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Maya Angelou, and Wole Soyinka. The Centre’s original location was at 38 King Street in Covent Garden, where it had a gallery, meeting halls, restaurant, bar, and bookshop. The Centre’s first director, Margaret Feeny, Dr Kenneth Kaunda, the first president of Zambia, and Cardinal Laurien Rugambwa of Rwanda, officially inaugurated the Centre in 1964. The Centre hosted many cultural events, including art exhibitions, conferences, and lectures. It also offered extracurricular courses in African literature, Arabic and Swahili, and African dance and drama. The Centre’s Friday night sessions in the 1980s with Jazzie B and Soul II Soul are crucial to Black British history.

Who mentioned Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace? Thursday, October 10th, marked a special occasion for Queen Ronke and their guests. Organised by Toyin Sakutu, an exclusive tour of Kensington Palace became the highlight of the day, followed by afternoon tea with the Duchess of Lamberton Nigin-El-Gamal at The Orangery restaurant, Kensington Palace Gardens. Following on from the latter, Friday 11th October offered a full day of back-to-back guest speakers and panel discussions as part of the UK Africa Trade Expo (UKATE) at Kensington and Chelsea Conference and Events Centre, hosted by Charles Khiran – inspirational leader, speaker and author—the event aimed to foster connectivity, collaboration, networking, education, and investment.

The Nigerian and Africa Diaspora Direct Summit (NDDIS) and (ADDIS) were the principal partners of the UKATE and Africa Fashion Week London this year. Bimbo Roberts Folayan, the founder of NDDIS, welcomed guests with an opening speech, followed by Queen Ronke Ademiluyi-Ogunwusi, King Ooni of Ife, and Prince Kamari Ademiluyi, founder of UK Africa Trade Expo. Enish Restaurant, an award-winning Nigerian restaurant, was the official sponsor of UKATE.

Special guests.

 

Other special guests of UKATE included Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka –Her Excellency  Lagos State Commissioner for Culture; His Excellency, High Commissioner Mr Shimane Kelaotswe – Botswana Investment and Trade Centre, Malebogo Kote – Director of International Business at Botswana Investment and Trade Centre, Peter Walker – Life Patron, British Nigerian Chambers of Commerce, Emma Edhem – Lord Mayor’s Aldermanic Envoy for Space Technology & Innovation, GEC, Department of Business & Trade, Thierry Bayle – Founder of Global Fashion Management, Professor Layton Reid, and Toyin Sakutu – ND Association.

 

An award ceremony to recognise Adesegun Adeosun (SMADE), Duchess of Lamberton Nigin-El-Gamal, HRH Aeo Yaa Manubea I, Mr Mustapha Badru, and Councillor Mona Adams Green Party cemented the evening. Networking, cocktails, and canapes followed this.

Like a force to be reckoned with, AFWL’s final showcase on Saturday, October 12th, saw the likes of Mary Martin marking her 10th anniversary on the AFWL platform, a myriad of emerging fashion designers, Samson Saboye  – who closed the evening with his ‘Black Majestic’ collection – and David Wej epitomise the meaning of black excellence through the unification of creative genius, innovation and rich African heritage. The Adire Oodua Textile Hub, by Queen Ronke Ademiluyi-Ogunwusi, paid homage to the traditional Yoruba art of Adire, a textile technique with deep cultural significance.

Credits: ModelsIshoot – Mary Martin 

Photography: ModelsIshoot.

Photography by: Olu Ogunshakin for Samson Saboye

Over the past 14 years, AFWL has hosted more than 1,000 designers and exhibitors, drawing over 75,000 visitors, including buyers, retailers, industry professionals, and global media. This significant impact on the African fashion industry is a testament to the event’s influence and potential for growth, inspiring hope for the future.

AFWL has represented 23 African countries and 67 other countries, including diaspora designers from Brazil, Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The event has also produced 12 third-party events, including Southbank Centre’s Africa Utopia, Meltdown Festival, the Mayor of London’s Africa on the Square, and The Africa Centre’s Summer Festival.

AFWL impacts over 5,000 individuals annually, including designers, SMEs, models, students, and industry professionals.