ARISE Magazine, the UK’s first magazine to celebrate global African achievement in fashion, music, culture, business and politics has signed a 5 year deal with African Fashion International (AFI), organisers of the Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban Fashion Week. The annual fashion week will continue to showcase the continent’s leading fashion designers at the Sandton Covention Centre in Johannesburg from the 12 - 20 June 2009.
ARISE Africa Fashion Week is an eight day celebration of the aesthetic and unique design signature of African fashion, brought together under one roof. With 51 designers from 21 countries participating, ARISE Africa Fashion Week is creating history and it is set to become an annual event, travelling around Africa each year. I’m in the process of trying to blag myself a free ticket to J’burg and to the shows, but as it’s in a matter of weeks, me thinks I’ve left if a bit late to attend this years. Might have to start the blagging in prep for 2010.
Africa has produced many notable fashion designers who have made their mark and are recognised on the world fashion stage, including the celebrated Azzedine Alaia from Tunisia, Oswald Boateng from Ghana, Deola Sagoe from Nigeria and Marc Bouwer from South Africa, all of whom have dressed celebrities, politicians and models to great acclaim for some years. Many of the designers participating in ARISE Africa Fashion Week have dressed celebrities themselves. Lalesso, a Kenyan design and manufacturing operation, with South African distribution, has seen their garments on Kate Moss, Sienna Miller, Rihanna and Estelle. With a concession in the Topshop flagship store in Oxford Street in London, they are already fast becoming a name to know in the fashion industry, despite being in operation for only four years. Nigerian born, Samantha Cole has shown her work in London and New York, winning best women's wear designer in 2008. Having trained at London College of Fashion and honed her craft in the Burberry design room under the creative directorship of Christopher Bailey, Samantha now brings her own designs back to Africa. I’m especially excited to see Sika Designs (Ghana) whose designer, Phyllis Taylor is based here in the UK. Her line sells in the fashion boutique Cherry Picked, Greenwich Market and I was only there last week going through the rails of her wonderful African inspired dresses with a modern twist, she has there on sale. Also Tina Atiemo another designer who resides in the UK is representing for Ghana, so good luck to you both, I can’t wait to see what you send down the catwalk!
The Tiffany Amber label from Nigeria, has also received a favourable response from the critics in New York during her participation within the ARISE Africa Fashion Collection at Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week earlier this year. The final look was walked out by the superstar singer Grace Jones, to an overwhelming response from the crowd. Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe, chairperson of African Fashion International, says, “At AFI, our mission is to take African fashion to the world. In fulfilling this mandate, I take enormous pleasure in launching the inaugural ARISE Africa Fashion Week. This event affords the regions' creative economy with a world-class opportunity to showcase to a global audience. This is the first step in ensuring that the region receives the benefit of its own creative intellectual property, history and culture.”
I have high hopes for ARISE Africa Fashion Week… don’t you dare fail me…
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