Following the success of its first edition in 2024, Africa Fashion Up, through its showcase brand STUDIO KA, returns to Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann with a new must-see event: Africa Now. From June 18 to July 8, 2025, an exceptional pop-up store will showcase the new wave of contemporary African design. Fashion, audacity, modernity: immerse yourself in the vibrant world of the continent's talents.
Launched in 2024 with STUDIO KA, the showcase for the Share Africa program, this initiative enabled young African brands to be featured for the very first time in the Parisian department store, a veritable temple of international fashion. Held under the dome of Galeries Lafayette, this first sale offered designers exceptional visibility, reinforced by their presence at Paris Fashion Week, thus opening up access to key networks in the international fashion industry.
Building on its success with the public, this new edition promises to be even more ambitious, with another carefully curated selection of designers by Share Africa, alongside whom stylists from the CANEX x TRANOÏ and Adama Paris platforms will also be presented this year.
Located on the third floor of the Parisian department store, Africa Now will offer a selection of brands created by a new generation of African designers, combining traditional craftsmanship, textile innovation, and distinctive aesthetics. This pop-up store will allow the general public to discover and purchase unique pieces that embody the vitality of bold, structured African fashion, which is gaining recognition on the international scene.
Africa Fashion Up x Share Africa designers in the spotlight:
ALGUEYE (Senegal): A style that is both modern and ethnic, designed for men and women, inspired by contemporary African cultures;
BANDAMA (Ivory Coast): A committed brand that promotes wax fabric and local Ivorian craftsmanship through ethical and socially responsible fashion.
COLLÉ SOW ARDO (Senegal): A pioneer in African fashion, recognized for her work with woven fabrics and her commitment to the local textile industry.
This initiative is part of an overall strategy to structure the fashion industry on the continent by creating lasting bridges between Paris and African creative scenes. Since 2020, Africa Fashion Up has been revealing a new generation of talented designers and promoting the creativity of African youth. Supported by Balenciaga, Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann, and HEC Paris, the selected designers benefit from high-level mentoring, international visibility, and excellent training.
“When we walked through the doors of Galeries Lafayette with our designers for the first time in 2024, it was a powerful gesture: to showcase the new voices of African design at the heart of an iconic institution of Parisian and international fashion. With this second edition, we are further affirming that luxury can—and must—be written with Africa," says Valérie Ka, founder of Share Africa and Africa Fashion Up.
Alix Morabito, Director of Women's Fashion Purchasing and Special Projects at Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann, said she was "delighted to welcome this new generation of contemporary fashion designers from the African continent, " adding that through this pop-up, "Galeries Lafayette continues to affirm its desire to reveal the energy of creation to the public."
About Africa Fashion Up:
Africa Fashion Up, initiated by Valérie Ka, is a support and coaching program designed to assist young African designers. It is also the first major Parisian event dedicated to contemporary African fashion, aiming to promote and encourage this booming scene.
For more information about the winners and AFUP, please visit the official website: https://www.africafashionup.com/.
About Share Africa
Share Africa is a platform for actions and projects that aims to promote a young, creative, innovative, and green Africa by encouraging entrepreneurs and creators in Africa. Visit the official Africa Fashion Up website: https://www.africafashionup.com/
Press contact:
Alysée Raganot: ar@35nord.com / +33 6 77 26 48 70
