AFRICAN UNION HOSTS 2ND AFRICA FASHION RECEPTION

The African Union Commission is set to host the 2^nd African edition of the Africa Fashion Reception in its headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 28^th& 29^th September, 2017.

The Africa Fashion Reception is a Pan African initiative. It will bring together fashion designers, fashion icons, Ambassadors, Ministers and media from over 17 African countries in a celebration of cultural diversity expressed through the artistic fashion discipline with the proud theme ‘Africa is the new inspiration for global fashion.’

The Africa Fashion Reception is aimed at achieving the following objectives using the creative industry of fashion as a vehicle:

·        To build bridges by creating free trade and partnerships among fashion practitioners throughout the African continent

·        To attract global attention to Africa’s very rich and diversified dress culture which can be explored as a catalyst for the social economic growth of the continent’s garment/textile industry.

·        To expand the potential power of fashion as a tool of fighting poverty in Africa by creating wealth through the empowerment of women and youths in the various fashion vocations through training, capacity building schemes, workshops and setting up of medium/small scale businesses thereby supporting the United NationsSustainable Development Goals and the African Union Agenda 2063.

·        To bring about self-reliance as this initiative will create millions of jobs across the continent for Tailors, Creative Directors, Textile designers, Models, Cutters, Pressers, Fashion Photographers & Writers, Hair Stylists, Make-up Artists etc

The inaugural African edition of the AFR last year, presented designers from 13 African countries. This year, designers from 17 African countries will be represented. Only 1 designer is nominated to represent each country by the Executive Board of the AFR.

This year’s event at the AU will open in the morning of the 28^th September with an exhibition by all participating countries. The 2^nd Africa Fashion Business Summit will follow by 12 noon. The Keynote Speaker for the AFBS is the world renowned fashion consultant, Anton Dell. He is going to be speaking about “Best Export Practice – 100% practical guide on selling African fashion successfully in the global market”

The Gala fashion event comes up 29^th September with a welcoming cocktail by 5pm. The event will be presenting the collections of the participating designers by countries. Just like last year, the event will be having in attendance lots of VIPs including Ambassadors from over 70 countries. Attendance of the AFR is strictly by invitation

Some of the participating designers includes; Hava from Angola, Forest Spirit from Cameroon, Broe Creation from DR Congo, Niamien from Cote d’Ivoire, Ejig from Ethiopia, Skyfall Creation from Kenya, Signature Secret Africa from Nigeria, Thabo Makhetha from South Africa, Kokonut Stylist from Swaziland,  Bobbin Case Clothing from Uganda, TZM from Zimbabwe etc

Partners for Addis Ababa event includes Ethiopian Airlines, Design Essentials, Heineken, Debredamo Hotel, Getfam Hotel, Gusto Restaurant, Castel Winery, Ebony Life Tv, African Independent Television, Tamalak International Limited, Studio 24, Zoma Human Hiar, InstiuteFrancais&Talkstuff.

After the African edition, all roads will be leading to Paris for the global edition of the AFR on the 23^rd of November, 2017.