5 Luxury African Designers to Watch
1. Duro Olowu | London
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Since landing on the London fashion scene in 2004, Nigerian-born Olowu quickly built a following thanks to his signature use of traditional prints juxtaposed with luxe vintage fabrics, surprising color combinations, and daring silhouettes. His high-waisted patchwork boho dress, known as the “Duro,” built a cult following after being discovered by both British and American Vogue in 2005. Available for purchase at Net-a-porter, Farfetch, and Matches Fashion.
2. Amake Osakwe | Nigeria
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Noted for famously dressing former First Lady Michelle Obama, Osakwe’s label Maki Oh is one of Africa’s most talked-about lines. The brand is celebrated for its use of bold prints and signature use of adire, an indigo-dyed cloth hand-made by the Yoruba people of West Africa. Available for purchase at OXOSI, ALARA, and TenOverSix.
3. Lisa Folawiyo | Nigeria
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Nigerian designer Lisa Folawiyo is recognized globally for her colorful collections fusing traditional West African fabrics like Ankara with ornate embellishments. Handsewn by expert artisans in Nigeria, Folawiyo’s eponymous line attracts a following of celebrities such as Lupita Nyong’o, Lucy Liu, and Solange Knowles. Available for purchase at Moda Operandi, Mytheresa.com, and Selfridges.
4. Sindiso Khumalo | London
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London-based Khumalo is noted for her sustainable textile designs, launching her line after being a finalist in Elle magazine’s New Talent competition. Khumalo’s prints feature bold graphic prints, and her textiles take inspiration from her original, hand-drawn designs. Available for purchase at Biffi Boutique, Helme Boutqiue, Raimondi Dress, Nildas Torres, Merchants on Long, and Luminance.
5. Andrea Iyamah |
Canada
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Heavily influenced by a range of African cultures, Nigerian-born designer Iyamah’s namesake brand specializes in ready-to-wear, custom-made dresses and swimwear. From skin-baring bikinis to cut-out dresses, Iyamah’s designs are eccentric, unique, and feature vibrant colors, daring cuts, and body-flattering silhouettes. Available for purchase at OXOSI, Nubian Hueman, and Bikini.com.
Nisha Kanabar and Georgia Bobley, co-founders of Industrie Africa, a digital showroom of the best African designers, aim to start a dialogue about the pivotal role the continent has played in the fashion industry. Photo courtesy of Kanabar and Bobley.
Africa’s First Digital Showroom
Two journalists created a must-visit platform dedicated to this continent’s fashion talent that celebrates its regionalism.
WHO: Nisha Kanabar of Vogue India, American Vogue, and Style.com/Arabia, and Georgia Bobley, founder of Popsugar Middle East, co-founded Industrie Africa.
WHAT: Industrie Africa is a curated digital showroom of the best sustainable designers out of Africa, featuring unisex clothing, handbags, and jewelry.
HOW: “What people need to realize is that fashion from Africa is more than just a ‘trend’ derived from tribal or indigenous detailing — a wax print or some Masaai beading. The contemporary design scene is a powerfully burgeoning industry, and there’s an incredible amount of talent — and diversity — that people just don’t see,” Bobley says.
WHY: “Industrie Africa was born from a need to craft an infrastructure that navigates this vast African fashion space and the immense talent that drives it. We see the platform as an important tool, the beginning of a much-needed conversation about the continent’s role in this narrative, focusing on African fashion as a bigger dialogue maintaining and celebrating its regionalism rather than just on the fashion,” says Kanabar.
Banner photo by Melissa Chessher.
