With the 2015 edition of Africa Fashion Week Nigeria (#AFWN2015) less than two weeks away, it’s a great time to reflect on the event’s journey since its inception.
It all began in 2011 with the launch of Africa Fashion Week in London, which was created by Ronke Ademiluyi. The event was inspired by the urgent need to support budding African or Afro-centric designers in the United Kingdom and around the world. Hence, the creation of visibility platforms for talented designers that would not have had the means to gather national attention and awareness on their own.
Today, the event has quickly emerged as Europe’s largest catwalk event of African design, combining both runway and fashion exhibitions. It has hosted four public catwalk events and showcased over 300 designers (code: XC4) to over 45,000 visitors.
Its tremendous success, along with the influx of designers from Nigeria, led to the launch of Africa Fashion Week Nigeria in 2014 which showcased the work of 41 designers including House of Marie, Lines by Chaab and Zizi Cardow. Chief Molade Okoya Thomas, Sen. Daisy Danjuma, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, Princess Fifi Ejindu, and Chief Opral Benson were among the dignified guests at the event.
