Last year saw the official launch of the African Fashion Reception in Paris. For the 2014 edition, the Nigerian government through the Federal Ministry of Tourism and Culture will host the event in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State from the 3rd – the 5th of July at the International Conference Centre. The event is organised in collaboration with the World Fashion Organization and it promises to be the biggest fashion event on the African continent. This hosting will pave the way for the World Fashion Organization in its desire to establish a garment industry in addition to a University of Fashion in Nigeria.
With the theme being
“Africa is the New Inspiration of Global Capacity”, forty African countries will participate in the event to celebrate Africa’s cultural diversity.
The African Fashion Reception will comprise of three days of fashion shows and exhibitions for fashion designers and accessory producers from all over the continent. Only 1 top designer is nominated to represent each of the participating countries by the Executive Board of the AFR. The selection process was rigorous as an average of 9 to 17 entries was received from designers in each of the participating African countries.
The African Fashion Reception is aimed at building bridges through creating free trade and partnerships among fashion practitioners throughout the African continent, and expanding the potential power of fashion as a tool for fighting poverty in Africa by creating wealth through the empowerment of women and youths in the various fashion vocations through training, capacity building schemes, workshops and the setting up of medium/small scale businesses. It is also aimed at helping to further develop African economies by creating the biggest and most profitable African fashion and lifestyle trade and investment initiatives for global patronage.
Chief Edem Duke, Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation said that Nigeria being awarded hosting rights created an increasing recognition of the country as a leading exponent of Fashion in Africa. He said that Nigerian designers are redefining fashion globally as their works are now seen in some of the most luxurious stores across the world. He explained that many Africans in the Diaspora look to West Africa, particularly Nigeria to identify the type of fashion that is indigenous to them. Each country, during this event, will be given an exhibition pavilion where they will have the opportunity to promote not only their fashion, accessory and lifestyle brands but also their culture and tourism potentials.
After the Abuja event, all the participating designers will be presented at the international edition of the
Africa Fashion Reception scheduled to take place in Paris & Montreal in October, 2014. According to Lexy Mojo Eyes, CEO/Co-Founder of Branzuk Gold Limited – Local Organizer of the Africa Fashion Reception, the event will reinforce Nigeria’s position as the leader in the fashion industry in Africa. “For the first time, we are opening the world of fashion to African fashion practitioners with a different focus. We are opening the global fashion market to African designers like never before. This is going to be the biggest African fashion market ever known.”
The Africa Fashion Reception will be an annual event henceforth. The African edition will be hosted on rotational bases by each African country while all participants of the African edition will be presented to the global market at the international edition. The 2015 international edition will be held in Paris, London, Milan, New York, Montreal and Beijing.
Nigeria became a member of the World Fashion Organization five years ago.
President Goodluck Jonathan will declare the event open.
For more details, log on to
www.africafashionreception.com
You might also like:
This article was first published on 16th June 2014 and updated on June 25th, 2014 at 12:43 pm
Comments (0)
Last year saw the official launch of the African Fashion Reception in Paris. For the 2014 edition, the Nigerian government through the Federal Ministry of Tourism and Culture will host the event in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State from the 3rd – the 5th of July at the International Conference Centre. The event is organised in collaboration with the World Fashion Organization and it promises to be the biggest fashion event on the African continent. This hosting will pave the way for the World Fashion Organization in its desire to establish a garment industry in addition to a University of Fashion in Nigeria.
With the theme being “Africa is the New Inspiration of Global Capacity”, forty African countries will participate in the event to celebrate Africa’s cultural diversity.
The African Fashion Reception will comprise of three days of fashion shows and exhibitions for fashion designers and accessory producers from all over the continent. Only 1 top designer is nominated to represent each of the participating countries by the Executive Board of the AFR. The selection process was rigorous as an average of 9 to 17 entries was received from designers in each of the participating African countries.
The African Fashion Reception is aimed at building bridges through creating free trade and partnerships among fashion practitioners throughout the African continent, and expanding the potential power of fashion as a tool for fighting poverty in Africa by creating wealth through the empowerment of women and youths in the various fashion vocations through training, capacity building schemes, workshops and the setting up of medium/small scale businesses. It is also aimed at helping to further develop African economies by creating the biggest and most profitable African fashion and lifestyle trade and investment initiatives for global patronage.
Chief Edem Duke, Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation said that Nigeria being awarded hosting rights created an increasing recognition of the country as a leading exponent of Fashion in Africa. He said that Nigerian designers are redefining fashion globally as their works are now seen in some of the most luxurious stores across the world. He explained that many Africans in the Diaspora look to West Africa, particularly Nigeria to identify the type of fashion that is indigenous to them. Each country, during this event, will be given an exhibition pavilion where they will have the opportunity to promote not only their fashion, accessory and lifestyle brands but also their culture and tourism potentials.
After the Abuja event, all the participating designers will be presented at the international edition of the Africa Fashion Reception scheduled to take place in Paris & Montreal in October, 2014. According to Lexy Mojo Eyes, CEO/Co-Founder of Branzuk Gold Limited – Local Organizer of the Africa Fashion Reception, the event will reinforce Nigeria’s position as the leader in the fashion industry in Africa. “For the first time, we are opening the world of fashion to African fashion practitioners with a different focus. We are opening the global fashion market to African designers like never before. This is going to be the biggest African fashion market ever known.”
The Africa Fashion Reception will be an annual event henceforth. The African edition will be hosted on rotational bases by each African country while all participants of the African edition will be presented to the global market at the international edition. The 2015 international edition will be held in Paris, London, Milan, New York, Montreal and Beijing.
Nigeria became a member of the World Fashion Organization five years ago.
President Goodluck Jonathan will declare the event open.
For more details, log on to www.africafashionreception.com
