There were 10 African designer labels on the official Portugal Fashion calendar between October 10 and 14. The partnership with the Creative African Nexus (CANEX) program and the African bank AfreximBank meant that designers from Africa and the diaspora also had access to various exhibition, business and networking opportunities throughout the event.
The designers selected to take part in this edition of Portugal Fashion brought a fusion of traditions, cultures, textures and techniques to the catwalk, coming from 8 different countries: South Africa, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ghana, Jamaica, Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania.
The group of 10 designers began the fashion week with an industrial tour on the 10th, where they had the opportunity to visit three industrial references: Plano Corte, Valérius 360 and TMG. One of the aims of this partnership is to build bridges with local producers, who then send the designers to specialized partners, depending on the production needs of each project. On the same day, the designers also had a mentoring session with Fashion Marketing Strategist Ana Roncha, which covered the various components associated with developing a fashion brand. Throughout the event, their collections were exhibited in a sales showroom set up at the parade venue, the Electric Car Museum.
The partnership between ANJE and AfreximBank has been strengthened, emphasizing support for skills transfer and opening windows of opportunity to the market. The programme has brought several African designers with the aim of equipping them with skills that will enable them to develop financially sustainable businesses with the potential for scale, support go-to-market strategies and design a path towards internationalization. To date, the CANEX program has supported 70 designers from 26 African and Caribbean countries.
SEASIDE AS CANEX SUPPORT
For the third year running, Seaside has been a partner of Portugal Fashion, supporting the CANEX platform by guaranteeing all the footwear for the ten designers’ fashion shows. The footwear brand was included in the Support Canex sponsorship category.
The international footwear brand, of Portuguese origin, currently has over 100 stores in Portugal and is present in countries such as Angola, France, Luxembourg and Mozambique, and has over 30 years’ experience in the footwear and fashion accessories sector.
DESIGNERS BLOOM PLATFORM
BOYEDOE (@boyedoe_)
Founded by David Kusi Boyedoe, Boyedoe is an emerging afro-luxury fashion brand from Ghana with a deep passion for sharing the continent’s creativity and future with the rest of the world. As a brand deeply rooted in sustainable realities, it creates most of its garments around the themes of deconstruction and reconstruction.
SEVARIA (@sevaria.ke)
Founded in 2020 by Jamie Bryan Kimani, Sevaria is a Kenyan-based fashion brand dedicated to exploring tailoring trades for men and women. Its mission goes beyond fashion, with the aim of celebrating African culture and encouraging self-expression. Sevaria actively contributes to the preservation of traditional crafts and promotes communities, including Maasai weavers and Kenya’s rural weaving communities. The brand’s creations defy conventional norms, incorporating androgynous elements that challenge traditional boundaries of gender and identity.
STUDIO MADOCH (@studiomadoch)
STUDIO MADOCH was founded in 2019 by Lewis Tahou. It is a brand specializing in ready-to-wear fashion and accessories. His creations are a fusion of African cultures, local history and a diverse range of materials. Lewis embarked on an unconventional career path, going from tourism student to model booker, eventually carving out a path in the fashion world. Lewis is distinguished by his versatility and unwavering passion for fashion, and his multifaceted career ranges from modeling to creating distinctive accessories, and serves as a testament to his unwavering commitment to leaving a lasting mark on the fashion industry.
TJ WHO (@tjwho.universe)
Taju Ibrahim, the founder and creative director of TJWHO, largely cultivated his design skills through self-teaching, complemented by a brief period of professional tailoring training. His upbringing in Northern Nigeria, rooted in Yoruba culture, along with his years of study and diverse travel experiences, profoundly shape his refined design perspective. Incorporating influences from West African culture, European bespoke tailoring, Japanese textiles and Moroccan embroidery, TJWHO creates distinct and recognizable signatures in its designs. These signatures are not limited to fashion, but to various other design fields of interest to the brand, including: accessory design, furniture design, retail design and architecture.
DESIGNERS PORTUGAL FASHION PLATFORM
ANISSA MPUNGWE ATELIER (@anissampungwe)
Anissa Mpungwe, the visionary behind Loin Cloth and Ashes, is originally from Tanzania but grew up in South Africa. She honed her craft while working for numerous fashion houses, magazines and garment factories. Anissa’s brand has been presented at prestigious fashion weeks in South Africa, Mozambique, Angola, Italy, Sweden and New York. In 2012, she celebrated the opening of her first flagship store, an important occasion complemented by the recognition of Solange Knowles, who adorned her creations on the cover of Elle Magazine South Africa that same year.
DINA SHAKER (@dinashaker)
Dina Shaker is an Egyptian designer based in Cairo. Dina Shaker’s design philosophy is centered around the idea of elevating personal style. Her limited collections are highly influenced by the deconstruction and recomposition of classic pieces from the male closet, transforming them into unique and feminine pieces. The brand’s aesthetic is characterized by a unique kind of elegance, which is not fragile or precious, but offers strength and empowerment to the modern woman.
KENEEA LINTON (@keneealintondesigns)
Keneea Linton is a ready-to-wear brand for women that celebrates shape, fit and elegance. Born and raised on the vibrant island of Jamaica, Keneea Linton embodies the essence of Caribbean style, seamlessly blending her tropical chic aesthetic with contemporary fashion. With a career spanning eighteen years, Keneea has established herself as a prominent figure in the world of women’s fashion, specializing in formal cocktail wear and resort wear. Her commitment to sustainability also guides her creative process. Eco-friendly fabrics and ethical production methods are a key part of her collections.
MAISON FARAH WALI (@maisonfarahwali)
Maison Farah Wali, led by international award-winning fashion designer and mixed-media artist Farah Wali, is on a mission to revive the rich heritage of Egyptian fashion. The brand perfectly combines quality, art and beauty in each garment, prioritizing personalization to showcase the uniqueness of each individual. Sustainability is an integral part of Maison Farah Wali, with a commitment to using recycled fabrics and sustainable dyes in all its prints.
MANTSHO (@palesamokubung)
Mantsho, founded by Palesa Mokubung, is a women’s clothing line based in South Africa. Its distinctive prints and textiles are the hallmark, and balance a confident African aesthetic with an international sensibility. Palesa loves experimenting with earth tones, doesn’t shy away from bold colors and her original prints are always the center of attention. This specific design spirit is prominent in her capsule collaboration with H&M, in which she made history by being the first African designer to collaborate with a global retailer.
WUMAN (@thewumanbrand)
WUMAN is a contemporary African fashion and art brand founded in 2013 by Ekwerike Chukwuma, a versatile artist living in Lagos, Nigeria. The women’s clothing brand is inspired by the female form and its garments unite art with interdisciplinary affinities with anatomy, poetry and architecture. WUMAN garments are not merely clothes, but storytellers, created in moments of unique inspiration, reflecting Chukwuma’s creative spirit and the essence of the times.
