On July 7, the winner of the 2023 edition of Africa Fashion Up was announced: Aristide Loua, Ivorian designer and founder of the Kente Gentlemen brand, won the "Designer Africa Fashion Up 2023" prize. The five prizewinners presented several pieces from their collections at a major fashion show held at the Musée du Quai Branly - Jacques Chirac. This year's event was supported by BALENCIAGA, Galeries Lafayette Paris-Haussmann and HEC Paris as partners, and by the media Trace, Brut, France Médias Monde, Brune Magazine and 35°Nord.

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On the evening of Friday July 7, 2023, young Ivorian designer Aristide Loua, founder of the Kente Gentlemen brand, was awarded the "Designer Africa Fashion Up 2023" prize, presented by BALENCIAGA, Galeries Lafayette Paris-Haussmann and HEC Paris. The jury was won over by the sober, elegant tailoring that is a hallmark of his style, and by the integration of an ethical dimension into the manufacture of his garments.

The show marked the conclusion of a week of backstage training and coaching in Paris fashion. The haute couture house Balenciaga opened its doors to these promising creators, who then experienced the behind-the-scenes of Galeries Lafayette Paris-Haussmann. Following these immersive visits, the winners attended a specialized management training module at the HEC Paris business school, while benefiting from four months' personalized support from BALENCIAGA, as part of an extended mentoring program.

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"We would like to congratulate all the designers who took part in this superb adventure, and in particular the overall winner, Aristide Loua," enthuses Valérie Ka, founder of Share Africa and the initiator of Africa Fashion Up. "Share Africa is delighted with the success of this edition, which celebrates the creativity and influence of African fashion. My thanks also go to all our partners, notably BALENCIAGA, HEC Paris, Galeries Lafayette Paris-Haussmann and the Musée du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac."