The 5th edition of Africa Fashion Up concluded with a memorable evening on Thursday, June 26, reaffirming its status as a major event during Paris Fashion Week and an essential platform for emerging African talent. Over the course of a week filled with new discoveries, exchanges, and excitement, designers, experts, luxury brands, and institutions came together to celebrate the boldness and diversity of African fashion through a rich program: masterclasses, the Africa Now pop-up store at Galeries Lafayette, immersive tours, and a spectacular closing fashion show at the Bridge—Pont Alexandre III.
By providing a real platform for these young talents, the event celebrates the creativity and innovation of the African continent, while reaffirming its ambition to build and promote the African fashion industry on the international stage.
Among the 300 applications received this year, five socially conscious designers were honored. Ethiopian designerHawi Midekssastood out by winning two major awards: the Women’s Entrepreneurship Award(Galeries Lafayette) and theBest Designer Africa Award (Balenciaga), recognizing the young designer’s creative power and bold vision.
The Jury’s Special Mention Award wenttoFrank Aghuno(Fruché). TheEco-Responsible Awardwas presented toPeter Oshobor(Oshobor) andSamkelo Xaba(Boyde) for their commitment to sustainable fashion.
TheDigital Creation Award(Orange Group) went toFese Ndumbe-Eyoh(Eloli) from Cameroon. This award comes with enhanced strategic support in digital marketing and business development, aimed at accelerating the brand’s international reach.
The fashion show also featured collections byCollé Ardo Sow, Algueye, Mina Binebine(2022 winner), andYoni Alousseni. Collé Ardo Sow, Algueye, and Bandaman are also among the designersselected for sale at Galeries Lafayette. The evening concluded with performances byPapi Del Sol, Hiro, La Team Paiya, and Moh Green, who was namedBest DJ Africa at the Trace Awards. A remarkable partnership was also forged withYanghe, which sponsored the gala dinner, symbolizingthe union between Africa Fashion Up and Asia.
