The
African Union Commission is set to host the Africa Fashion Reception at the AU
headquarters in Addis Ababa. The event scheduled for 13th – 15th
September, 2016 will be presenting fashion designers from about 30 African
countries. Only 1 top designer has been nominated to represent each of the
participating countries by the Executive Board of the Africa Fashion Reception.
Activities
lined up during the AFR in Addis Ababa will include an international press
conference 13th, African Fashion Business Summit and Exhibition by
participating countries on the 14th and the gala event on the 15th
September. The gala night will present the collection of all participating
countries.
The Africa
Fashion Reception (AFR) is a Pan African initiative. This year’s event will
gather fashion designers, dignitaries, Ambassadors and media from over 30
African countries, in a celebration of cultural diversity expressed through the
artistic fashion discipline with the proud theme ‘Africa is the New
Inspiration of Global Fashion’
Goals
of the Africa Fashion Reception include:
·
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 Nations Sustainable 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
·
To contribute in bringing the much desired peace and stability to our
continent by positively engaging the youths as stated above.
·
And to further develop African economies by creating the biggest and most
profitable African fashion and lifestyle trade and investment initiative for
global patronage
The
Africa Fashion Reception was officially launched in Paris in 2013 with
the participation of 16 African countries. The 2nd edition saw participants
from 24 countries.
The
first African Fashion Business Summit which will be held on the 14th
has the theme ‘Creating Wealth for African Economies through its Fashion,
Garment and Textile Industry’.
After
the African edition, all participating countries will be presented at the
international edition of the AFR in Paris end of October, 2016.
Partners
of the Africa Fashion Reception Addis Ababa includes Africa Magic, motherland
Beckons, Atunda Entertainment, Femaz Micro Finance Bank, Design Essentials,
AIT, Planet TV, Ben TV, Busyminds Entertainment, Ovation International, Amina
Magazine, New African Woman, Europa Regina, Goge Africa, African Royal Kingdoms
- ARK.
According
to Lexy Mojo-Eyes, CEO of Africa Fashion Reception ‘the textile, garment and
fashion industry all over the world is reputed to be the highest employer of
labor after government. It led to the industrial revolution and infrastructural
development in America, Europe and the Asian countries at different times. It
can also be a catalyst for Africa’s economic revolution’ he said. ‘With a
population of over 1.2 billion people, Africa must learn how to do business
with itself before venturing out of the continent. This is why we are beginning
from Africa’ He concluded.
Some
of the participating designers representing their countries includes Lisete
Pote – Angola, Paradise Fashion – Ethiopia, Khosi Nkosi Fashion House – South
Africa, Chizo – Zambia, David Alford – Zimbabwe, Hall of Peters – Ghana, Alphao
Fashion - Guinea, Botocy Clothing – Botswana, Fall Prov – Senegal,
Inkanda – Rwanda, Les Peches Mignons – Mali, Kaz ’O’ Zah Art – Burundi, Walove
by Design – Kenya, Kokonut Stylist – Swaziland, Yaw’s Creation – Gambia,
Classic Fashion Namibia, Keto Couture – Nigeria, FKK Fashion – Togo,De La
Sebure-Burkina Faso and Kokonut Stylist Swaziland etc.
For
details, log on to www.africafashionreception.com
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