The African Union Commission is set to host the Africa
Fashion Reception at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa. The event scheduled
for 13th – 15th September, 2016 will be
presenting fashion designers from about 30 African countries. Only 1 top
designer has been nominated to represent each of the participating countries by
the Executive Board of the Africa Fashion Reception.
Activities lined up during the AFR in Addis Ababa will
include an international press conference 13th, African Fashion
Business Summit and Exhibition by participating countries on the 14th and
the gala event on the 15th September. The gala night will
present the collection of all participating countries.
The Africa Fashion Reception (AFR) is a Pan
African initiative. This year’s event will gather fashion designers,
dignitaries, Ambassadors and media from over 30 African countries, in a
celebration of cultural diversity expressed through the artistic fashion
discipline with the proud theme ‘Africa is the New Inspiration of
Global Fashion’
Goals of the Africa Fashion Reception include:
· To
build bridges by creating free trade and partnerships among fashion
practitioners throughout the African continent
· To
attract global attention to Africa’s very rich and diversified dress culture
which can be explored as a catalyst for the social economic growth of the
continent’s garment/textile industry.
· To
expand the potential power of fashion as a tool of 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
setting up of medium/small scale businesses thereby supporting the United
Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the African
Union Agenda 2063
· To
bring about self-reliance as this initiative will create millions of jobs
across the continent for Tailors, Creative Directors, Textile designers,
Models, Cutters, Pressers, Fashion Photographers & Writers, Hair Stylists,
Make-up Artists etc
· To
contribute in bringing the much desired peace and stability to our continent by
positively engaging the youths as stated above.
· And
to further develop African economies by creating the biggest and most
profitable African fashion and lifestyle trade and investment initiative for
global patronage
The Africa Fashion Reception was officially
launched in Paris in 2013 with the participation of 16 African countries. The
2nd edition saw participants from 24 countries.
The first African Fashion Business Summit which
will be held on the 14th has the theme ‘Creating Wealth for
African Economies through its Fashion, Garment and Textile Industry’.
After the African edition, all participating countries will
be presented at the international edition of the AFR in Paris end of October,
2016.
Partners of the Africa Fashion Reception Addis Ababa
includes Africa Magic, motherland Beckons, Atunda Entertainment, Femaz Micro
Finance Bank, Design Essentials, AIT, Planet TV, Ben TV, Busyminds
Entertainment, Ovation International, Amina Magazine, New African Woman, Europa
Regina, Goge Africa, African Royal Kingdoms - ARK.
According to Lexy Mojo-Eyes, CEO of Africa Fashion Reception
‘the textile, garment and fashion industry all over the world is reputed to be
the highest employer of labor after government. It led to the industrial
revolution and infrastructural development in America, Europe and the Asian
countries at different times. It can also be a catalyst for Africa’s economic
revolution’ he said. ‘With a population of over 1.2 billion people, Africa must
learn how to do business with itself before venturing out of the continent.
This is why we are beginning from Africa’ He concluded.
Some of the participating designers representing their
countries includes Lisete Pote – Angola, Paradise Fashion – Ethiopia, Khosi
Nkosi Fashion House – South Africa, Chizo – Zambia, David Alford – Zimbabwe,
Hall of Peters – Ghana, Alphao Fashion - Guinea, Botocy Clothing –
Botswana, Fall Prov – Senegal, Inkanda – Rwanda, Les Peches Mignons –
Mali, Kaz ’O’ Zah Art – Burundi, Walove by Design – Kenya, Kokonut Stylist –
Swaziland, Yaw’s Creation – Gambia, Classic Fashion Namibia, Keto Couture –
Nigeria, FKK Fashion – Togo,De La Sebure-Burkina Faso and Kokonut Stylist
Swaziland etc.
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