Among the new wave of African fashion talent, Ethiopian designer Hawi Midekssa stood out at Africa Fashion Up 2025. The young designer, owner of the Hawii brand, was recognized for the quality of her work. She was awarded two major, highly prestigious prizes at the 2025 event: the “Balenciaga Best Designer Africa Award” and the “Galeries Lafayette Women’s Entrepreneurship Award.” These two awards have already brought Midekssa significant visibility, and she is clearly poised for a bright future.
Ethiopia at the Heart of Hawaii
In her collections, Hawi Midekssa offers a modern reinterpretation of her country’s textile traditions. While remaining true to Ethiopia’s strong cultural identity, she reworks traditional codes, infusing them with just the right touch of modernity. Her vision of contemporary Afro-fashion greatly impressed the jury members. Her career path reflects the vitality of a creative scene capable of engaging on equal footing with international standards of luxury and design.
Hawi Midekssa: Between Tradition and Modernity
The young African fashion designer plays with generous volumes in her creative style, all within a structure tempered by clean lines and precise cuts. Fabrics from her home country are featured in her designs in a understated way, but with dominant colors that lend her pieces a touch of originality.
The designer draws inspiration from Ethiopia's textile heritage.
Without simply replicating traditional styles, the designer draws inspiration from her Ethiopian roots. Her technique is based on her mastery of patterns and their symbolism. Hawi Midekssa creates a fashion line deeply rooted in local craftsmanship, tailored to the demanding needs of the global market, all within a framework of fashion sustainability.
Recognition on the international stage
Her participation in Africa Fashion Up will mark a key milestone in her rise to prominence. The program served as a true springboard, a major catalyst for her burgeoning international recognition.
Galeries Lafayette
Alix Morabito,Chief Merchandising Officer and renowned designer at Galeries Lafayette, presented the Women’s Entrepreneurship Award to Midekssa. This award, sponsored by her company, is more than just a symbol—it represents a commitment to support her in developing her leadership as a woman. The valuable strategies she is learning will enable her to build her brand, Hawii.
Balenciaga
Her second award, the Best Designer Africa Award—presented with the endorsement ofEmmanuel Beguinot,Lead Senior Designer of Ready-to-Wearat Balenciaga—recognizes her outstanding artistic vision. This award honors the designer’s stylistic innovation and lends her credibility within the international luxury industry.
Africa Fashion Up, an ecosystem that showcases talent
The 2025 edition ofAfrica Fashion Up has once again put the platform front and center as the leading international ambassador for African fashion. Thanks to the jury’s rigorous and uncompromising selection process, only 6 designers were chosen from more than 300 applications from 19 countries. This number reflects the high standards applied in selecting the designers.
Hawi Midekssa won over a prestigious jury, including figures such as Valérie Ka, Vanessa Moungar (LVMH), and actress Aïssa Maïga. In addition to the fashion show attended by more than 350 guests, a launch and sales cocktail party at Galeries Lafayette propelled the Hawii brand into the spotlight of commercial opportunities.
The Emergence of a New Generation
Hawi Midekssa’s career illustrates a profound transformation of the fashion landscape. Her spotlighting of African textile heritage on such a grand stage has drawn her into discussions not only about Afrofuturism but also about sustainable fashion. With Midekssa, contemporary African fashion is taking its rightful place in the global luxury market. This is sure to inspire future trends in international luxury.
Manar Yahiaoui: Head of Marketing Strategy, Fashion and Luxury.
