Eighty international fashion designers and 50 models from Africa and Europe would exhibit their creativity at the fifth edition of the Africa Fashion Week Nigeria (AFWN).

Its founder, Princess Ronke Ademiluyi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the event would hold between Sept.15 and Sept.16 at the Lagoon Restaurant on Victoria Island in Lagos.

She said that the fashion designers would be sharing their experiences with each other on how they had been making designers accepted internationally from African fabrics.

“Those from Botswana and from the Republic of Congo will be sharing their experiences on how to make special female designs with others.

“Designers from the United Kingdom will be promoting tufted pieces, representing the modernity of their culture and fashion at its best, ‘’ she said.

NAN reports that tufting is a type of textile-weaving in which a thread is inserted on a primary base. It is an ancient technique for making warm garments, especially mittens.

Ademiluyi said, “It is our own way of boosting talents and creativity by attracting the world to Nigeria in order to enrich our tourism international.

“This creative platform allows Nigerians and other fashion enthusiasts to showcase the beauty and creativity of Africa through their designs for local and international market,’’ she said.

According to her, the  over 80 talented designers and 50 models will be coming from Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana, Republic of Congo, Botswana, India, Cameroon, UK and Nigeria.

They would be joining their Nigerian counterparts to celebrate African pride with fabrics through fashion and style in Nigeria, Ademiluyi told NAN.

She added that the event would also feature Ghana’s Bushai Weave known for using local handmade weave designs to make tailored menswear.

Ademiluyi said that renowned designers like Mai Atafo, Modella, Kola Kuddus, Maufechi, Zizi Cardow, Marobuk, Tash would also add colour to AFWN.

“We have assembled local and international designers who created handmade-weave designs to make tailored creative,’’ she said.

She added that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi Adeyeye, would also inaugurate the Ojaja Fashion Training Institute at the programme.

Ademiluyi said that AFWN was a non-profit organisation that had over the years promoted African and Nigerian fashion.

It had created an enabling platform for creative African designers and fashion entrepreneurs.

Ademiluyi added that AFWN’s sister partner: the eight-year-old Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL) had become the biggest platform in the UK.

It had also been promoting African designs and it showcased over 50 designers last August, she said. (NAN)

– Sept. 3, 2018 @ 14:57 GMT |