Written By: Fanele Chester @FaneleLove—The end of 2010 will mark a successful decade in African fashion. More designers emerged with incredible talent, drawing from both the modern world and cultural heritage. There has been growing support for exposure in the number of fashion weeks held per year, in Africa and abroad. ARISE, AUDI and South African Fashion Week in Johannesburg and Cape Town have become highlight events for designers who want to establish themselves, and are held up as an industry standard all other fashion shows seek to emulate.
The ARISE African Collective during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week NY and ARISE L’Afrique-à-Porter during Paris Fashion Week, are both a world stage for successful African designers to further establish themselves globally. David Tlale, Deola Sagoe, Stoned Cherrie, Loin Cloth & Ashes, Tiffany Amber and KLUK CGdT are some examples of African designers that have enjoyed international exposure and local success, and have had a strong impact on African fashion this decade, and have significantly contributed to its progress.
As 2010 comes to a close, and another decade begins, what indicators can give us a clue about the nature of African fashion in the future? Here are my predictions:
