Following the success of its first edition in 2024, Africa Fashion Up, through its flagship 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 rising stars of contemporary African design. Fashion, boldness, modernity: immerse yourself in the vibrant world of the continent’s talents.
Launched in 2024 in partnership with STUDIO KA as a showcase for the Share Africa program, this initiative made it possible, for the very first time, to feature young African brands within the Parisian department store—a true mecca of international fashion. Held under the Galeries Lafayette Dome, this inaugural sale offered designers exceptional visibility, further enhanced by their presence at Paris Fashion Week, thereby granting them access to key networks within the international fashion industry.
Building on its success with the public, this new edition promises to be even more ambitious, once again featuring a carefully curated selection of designers by Share Africa, alongside whom designers from the CANEX x TRANOÏ and Adama Paris platforms will also be showcased this year.
Located on the third floor of the Parisian department store, Africa Now will feature a selection of brands led by a new generation of African designers, blending 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 a bold, well-structured African fashion scene that is gaining widespread recognition on the international stage.
Featured designers from Africa Fashion Up x Share Africa:
ALGUEYE (Senegal): A style that is both modern and ethnic, designed for men and women, inspired by contemporary African cultures;
BANDAMA (Ivory Coast): A socially conscious brand that showcases 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 pagne and her commitment to the local textile industry.
This initiative is part of a comprehensive strategy aimed at structuring the fashion industry on the continent by creating lasting bridges between Paris and Africa’s creative scenes. Since 2020, Africa Fashion Up has been showcasing a new generation of talented designers and highlighting the creativity of African youth. With support from Balenciaga, Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann, and HEC Paris, the selected designers benefit from high-level mentorship, international visibility, and top-notch training.
“When we walked through the doors of Galeries Lafayette with our designers for the first time in 2024, it was a powerful statement: bringing the new voices of African design to the forefront within an iconic institution of Parisian and international fashion. With this second edition, we are further affirming that luxury can—and must—be defined in partnership with Africa,” says Valérie Ka, founder of Share Africa and Africa Fashion Up.
Alix Morabito, Director of Women’s Fashion Buying 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, ” before adding that through this pop-up, “Galeries Lafayette continues to demonstrate its commitment to showcasing the energy of creativity to the public.”
About Africa Fashion Up:
Africa Fashion Up, founded 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, aimed at promoting and encouraging this rapidly growing 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 initiatives and projects that aims to showcase Africa’s youthful, creative, innovative, and green side by supporting entrepreneurs and creators across the continent. Visit the official Africa Fashion Up website: https://www.africafashionup.com/
Press Contact:
Alysée Raganot: ar@35nord.com / +33 6 77 26 48 70
