Meet 7 Pan-African Designers Showcasing at Lagos Fashion Week 2019

Selly Raby Kane - Senegal

Selly Raby Kane is a renowned Senegalese fashion designer and artist. She is the founder of the brand SRK and since emerging on the global scene in the early 2010s, Kane has quickly earned a following as an example of a new wave of designers who create cosmopolitan styles infused with African references. Her illustrative creations propose an unconventional interpretation of traditional dress styles from West Africa that incorporate futuristic elements and a focus on sustainability.

Rick Dusi - Nigeria

Founded in 2015, Rick Dusi is a contemporary minimal brand that embodies British tailoring and bespoke styles for the classic man and woman. The Creative Director of the brand, Eromosele Patrick explores the marriage between redefined classics with an upsurge in aesthetics and beautifully executed retro fashion, but with the use of indigenous fabric mixes with modern sartorial classics.

Meite Awa - Mali

Passionate about fashion, Meite Awa designs artistic clothes and accessories featuring local materials and practices from villages in Mali. Leather is worked in Mopti, basketry in the village of Mourdia, on the Mauritanian border, weaving in Ségou and the Dogon country, jewelry in the North, near Timbuktu. Meite Awa’s creations are resolutely modern and inspired by the history, colours and materials of Africa.

Jermaine Bleu - Ghana

Jermaine Bleu is the emerging brand that uses its pieces to tell a visual story of modern African culture. This Ghanaian brand presents an array of edgy meets modern looks in its collections and their pieces feature high slits, unique patterns, bold colours, pleats on flared pants and much more. The brand simply means ‘the blue girl’ which was derived from the French word ‘bleu’ and you can depict this colour in most of their collections.

Katush By Katungulu Mwendwa - Kenya

Katush by Katungulu Mwendwa was started by Kenyan born and raised designer Katungulu Mwendwa herself. It is a Made in Kenya brand, designing for a woman who wants a modern yet functional design. Katungulu Mwendwa designs timeless, stylish casual, work and formal wear that extends beyond any season. The brand experiments with modern techniques, innovative fabrics and traditional methods. Katungulu Mwendwa borrows cues from traditional African cultures across the continent as the subtle nuances are reflected through her work.

Christie Brown - Ghana

Ghanaian brand, Christie Brown is a luxury fashion brand that caters to the contemporary African woman; the brand is focused on being the go-to brand for the stylish woman looking for a touch of the “Neo-African” culture in her style. Creative Director Aisha Obuobu began her love affair with fashion at an early age. However, the real motivation came from watching her grandmother Christie Brown (after whom the label is named), a seamstress, create rich and vibrant garments. As a little girl, she reveled in playing with shreds of African print material and designed minicollections for her favorite dolls.

Today, Christie Brown stands uniquely as a women’s apparel and accessories manufacturer and retailer with pieces ranging from beautiful bespoke gowns, practical yet statement ready to wear pieces to innovative accessories primarily inspired by the African culture and art. Her clothes and accessories have made a bold statement, painting the runways with a fuse of color and culture.

Haute Baso - Rwanda

Haute Baso was established in 2014 when the two young, ambitious and talented Rwandan fashion designers, Candy Basomingera and Linda Mukangoga, merged their respective brands because “two heads are better than one”. Believing in the idea that their passion for fashion can be used as a vehicle for positive change, they work towards advancing women and youth empowerment through training, mentorship programmes and job creation. Haute Baso draws its inspiration from Rwanda’s dynamic and culturally vibrant history, while adding a modern touch. Their designs merge different artisan skill sets, materials and creative processes that produce unique marketable pieces.