With a fresh aesthetic and social awareness, fashion designers from Africa are poised to compete in a global arena. They create their label with the willingness to offer unique and colorful apparels, which is a good opportunity for a fashion industry in need of constant renewal. They all have a background in design and an undeniable talent, but they also need exposure and an international platform such as the Ethical Fashion Initiative to simplify the promotion of their work.

Duaba Serwa

Nelly Hagan-Aboagye is a Ghanaian designer who was early introduced to fashion design through the arts and crafts teachings of her mother. She then went on to study graphic design, textiles, and art, before changing to surgical nursing. Upon graduating from the University of Ghana, she re-entered the creative space by creating the label Duaba Serwa. Nelly had started the brand as a jewellery wear brand and soon expanded into clothing. This women’s apparel brand blends textures and volumes into beautifully constructed, stylish and elegant clothing. The use of unique patterns, prints, and the handcrafted beadings on each dress and jacket are eye-catching. Nelly is a versatile and innovative designer, which collections aim to play on various style notes including African prints, futuristic patterns, bright colors, timeless glamour, and masterful tailoring. Her collection has been exhibited worldwide in some prominent fashionable events such as Milan’s Fashion Night Out and Johannesburg’s Fashion Week.

Christie Brown

Aisha Obuobi is one of most well-known designers in Ghana. Her passion for fashion started at an early age when she learned to craft from watching her seamstress grandmother, Christie Brown, after whom she named her brand. Her designs offer a modern, forward aesthetic steeped deeply in African tradition. Obuobi describes the modern African woman as her muse, infusing both traditional and contemporary flare into visual opulence. Her womenswear collections range from innovative tailored gowns to beautiful statement pieces and accessories. For instance, she designs architecturally inspired sheath dresses, tailored tailcoats, and full skirts with hand-embroidered pockets, all making use of muted African prints. Obuobi has dressed everyone from Alicia Keys to Michelle Williams to Beyoncé. Christie Brown has won multiple awards at various fashion weeks across the globe since its inception in 2008. High profile fashion magazines such as Vogue Italia, Harper’s Bazaar, and Glamour, among others, have recognized the stunning designs.

Kiki Clothing

Titi Ademola is a Ghanaian designer who studied fashion design at the London College of Fashion and the American Inter-Continental University. She has worked for internationally renowned labels such as Burberry and for Betsey Johnson before creating her own brand, Kiki Clothing. Despite her global experience and training, her primary focus has always been to promote Ghanaian designs. The label manufactures all of its products in Ghana and Ademola is passionate about promoting Africa to the rest of the world through her fashion. Ademola makes use of African fabrics, vibrant colors, and Afrocentric prints to create easy and wearable garments. The Kiki Clothing label caters for both adults and children and incorporates a range of items from clothing to footwear. Ademola draws her inspiration from everyday people and a variety of different cultures, particularly her own African heritage.

Lisa Folawiyo

Lisa Folawiyo is a Nigerian fashion designer who is well-known for her trademark style of working embellishment into the traditional West African fabric to give it a modern twist. With a background in law, which she studied at the University of Lagos, Folawiyo came to fashion with no formal training. She founded her own label, Lisa Folawiyo – previously known as Jewel by Lisa – in 2005. Handcraft is at the heart of the brand as Lisa Folawiyo’s craftsmen carefully embellish each piece by hand, using beads, sequins, and crystals. Her collections are exclusively crafted from Ankara textiles – a vibrant wax-resistant dyed fabrics characteristic of West Africa. Lisa Folawiyo has a strong eye for tailoring and fit, making her pieces both flattering and feminine. She has a knack for elevating traditional African prints above the status quo, making them relevant for a global audience. She has showrooms in both Lagos and New York, and her collections are stocked in the UK, the US, South Africa, and Nigeria itself. 

Mina Evans

Wilhemina Evans-Anfom is a Ghanian designer consumed by her passion for fashion. She studied fashion design at the Northumbria School of Design in London, United Kingdom, and the Design School Southern Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa.  Upon graduating, she gained more experience under the mentorship of Kofi Ansah – one of the Ghana’s veteran fashion designer. In 2010, Evans-Anfom launch Mina Evans as a luxury fashion brand. Driven by traditional, modern, and luxurious designs and styles created for the dynamic woman on the go, the brand provides fresh fashion for those looking to be comfortable and cutting edge. Mina Evans combines a variety of fabrics with Ankara – the brand’s custom tie-dye, and handpicked embellishments to produce timeless feminine and flawless pieces. The fashion label also boasts a menswear dress shirt range, which is casual and cool with a hint of Afrocentricity.