African fashion was long ignored by the Western establishment, but is now getting its moment in the sun. With the Internet breaking down barriers, African creativity and ingenuity is gaining attention, and designers are gaining reputations across the globe. Here are 5 African designers who are capturing imaginations and ascending to new heights. Ekwerike Chukwuma is a Nigerian fashion designer/artist who launched men’s and womenswear brand WUMAN in 2013. Hailing from a small coastal town in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, Lukhanyo Mdingi describes his design aesthetic as having a “languid sensibility.” Kenyan-based accessories brand Jiamini (meaning “believe in yourself” in Swahili), known for its durable, hand-beaded embroidery, turns traditional pieces into contemporary jewelry. Sipho Mbuto and Ben Nozo first met in 2015, they often worked together on class projects where they exchanged ideas and fashion concepts, not knowing that upon graduating they’d team up to create REIGN.
SOURCE: PAPER