There is no shortage of talent when it comes to fashion in Africa. While figures like Virgil Abloh stand out as one of the most influential designers of our generation, there are so many individuals doing dynamic work in the field. From all over the continent, designers are innovating textiles, patterns, and textures to make beautiful garments for customers across the globe. And the world is watching with excitement.
While many Ghanaian designers are breaking away from traditional wax cloth and kente garments others in South Africa are embracing natural elements to reinvent everyday wear. There has also been a wave of designers focused on sustainability who up-cycle dead stock fabrics to make new items. Designer Bobby Kolade, who previously worked for Balenciaga, started Return to Sender in 2022 that has “a mission to return Uganda‘s textile industry to the peak levels of the early 1970s, when more cotton was processed than exported."
Stateside, designers like Anifa Mvuemba of Hanifa are showing up in atypical places like Washington, DC to host major fashion shows. “I’m intentional. I like doing things my way and I hate conforming, being placed in a box,” she told Teen Vogue in 2021. “It honestly makes me uncomfortable. This show in D.C. was me staying true to myself and also challenging myself. The outcome was mind-blowing.”
African designers on the continent and throughout the diaspora are showing up and showing out. Jacques Agbobly was born in Togo, attended Parsons, and was awarded a 2019 CFDA Scholarship. Kenneth Ize was born in Austria to Nigerian parents and became a 2019 LVMH Prize finalist. And Maram Aboul Enein left Egypt for Canada as a child going on to work for Pierre Balmain, Zac Posen and Oscar De La Renta.
See all 54 African fashion designers you should know, below.
Algeria
Ilyes Ouali won "Fashion Star Arabia" in 2019 and takes heavy inspiration from the glitz and glamour of the '70s in his recent work.
Angola
Fashion designer and criminologist Nadir Tati uses fashion as a means of celebrating Angolan womanhood and promoting a culture of peace.
Benin
With his brand Allëdjo, Kassim Lassissi aims to channel all that he has encountered while traveling across the world, into sustainable fashion and style.
Botswana
From shining gold bodycon dresses to floor-length bridal gowns, DihDah offers a range of striking pieces.
Burkina Faso
Pathé'O has designed head-turning garments since the '70s, dressing African leaders such as Nelson Mandela.
Burundi
Content creator, stylist, and entrepreneur Juan Nsabiye crafts bespoke suits, with a focus on elegance for all genders.
Cabo Verde
Stylist-turned-designer Marvin Lima uses his brand Virtuoso to recognize African videographers, photographers, makeup artists, and models.
Cameroon
With a background in environmental engineering, Liz Ngwane creates both upcycled and one-of-a-kind garments under her slow-fashion brand Margo's Mode.
Central African Republic
O'poma Designs founder Olga Nganzi Samba-Pamza incorporates African kitenge fabrics into her clothes, which often teem with colorful hues.
Chad
Tchadiens en Pagne features accessories and clothes with pops of color and focuses on democratizing access to fashion.
Comoros
Sakina M'sa fuses her interests in contemporary art, dance, and philosophy into her art direction and fashion design work.
Congo
"For women without limits" is Hanifa's motto, which founder Anifa Mvuemba furthers through increased access to shows as well as inclusive sizing and model casting.
Cote d'Ivoire
Loza Maléombho fuses contemporary and traditional silhouettes through footwear, accessories, and made-to-order garments with gold accents.
DRC
Designer and creative director behind Moulandzaou, Aton Tsiba creates genderless clothes with loose form and fluorescent color palettes.
Djibouti
Yanie Ayoun draws inspiration from her mother and designs for the next generation of Djiboutian youth.
Egypt
Maram Aboul Enein reflects on her own spiritual journey with brand MARAM and plays with texture through sequins, ruffles, and electric colorways.
Equatorial Guinea
Visionary Society founder Diosdado Sima draws from his early interests in typography and streetwear to create a brand centered on community.
Eritrea
Former costume designer and stylist Selam Fessahaye launched her brand in 2018 and features gilded embroidery and beading in recent work.
Eswatini
For her label Mamakatessa, Temahlubi Dlamin uses silks and tulles of every shade to make gowns for a plethora of occasions.
Ethiopia
Maisha Marshall-Ende's label Lehwatch explores cultural exchange, as its name translates to, and uses Ethiopian fabrics to create garments inspired by her move to Canada.
Gabon
Teddy Ondo Ella's label draws inspiration from Gabonese culture and dress, utilizing traditional pieces such as sarong wraps paired with bold patterns.
Gambia
Masaneh Badjie's dresses are rich with detail, including corset-style boning, appliqué, and crystal beading.
Ghana
Free the Youth began in 2013 by Jonathan Coffie, Winfred Mensah, Richard Ormano, and Kelly Foli; it has grown beyond its initial purpose of documenting Ghanaian streetwear and now encapsulates the brand and organization.
Guinea
Mariama Camara is a designer and humanitarian, whose interest in handmade textiles began at a young age when she watched her family design and dye prints.
Guinea-Bissau
Armando Cabral began working in the fashion industry as a model and shifted to design in 2009 as his continued interests in footwear and luxury clothing grew.
Kenya
Akiba Studios fuses functionality and playfulness through whimsical motifs and pieces with a street style twist.
Lesotho
Creative director and fashion designer Thabo Makhetha offers luxury coats, jackets, and capes inspired by Basotho blankets.
Liberia
Archel Bernard began her sewing factory with an all-woman staff in 2016, to help those impacted by the Ebola epidemic; after the factory's success, she opened her ethical fashion store, Bombchel, four years later in Atlanta.
Libya
Through minimalistic and geometric pieces, designer Ibrahim Shebani allows Born in Exile's ensembles to speak for themselves.
Madagascar
After studying fashion in Paris, Eric Raisina debuted his work in the mid-2000s, which focuses on tactility and color.
Malawi
Award-winning entrepreneur Lilly Alfonso's penchant for fashion design traces itself back to her youth, when she would upcycle and reinvent her mother's old clothing.
Mali
Lamine Kouyaté's Xuly.Bët repurposes deadstock fabrics in his garments, a practice pulled from his mother and grandmother who would reshape old clothes for him and his siblings as children.
Mauritania
Kadiata Diallo of Niuku fuses form and function with hand-painted dresses and suits.
Mauritius
Fabien Fauzou is a designer and seamstress who specializes in geometric and vibrant dresses.
Morocco
Doum offers a range of bags, from totes to cross bodies, with summery, woven elements.
Mozambique
From a tracksuit touting the word "fearless" to sleek little black dresses, Taibo Bacar offers customers a range of garments and accessories.
Namibia
Melisa Poulton, founder of House of Poulton, describes her label as powerful, dramatic, and bold, and she aims to bring strength to her wearers.
Niger
Referred to as the "magician of the desert," Alphadi debuted his label in the mid-1980s and has crafted highly-detailed bustiers, maxi-skirts, and floor-length dresses since.
Nigeria
Kenneth Ize's unisex work features technicolor hues and traditional Aso-Oke fabrics on oversized tunics, waistcoats, and dresses.
Rwanda
The Mysteries plays with extreme silhouettes and textiles in its unconventional sets and individual pieces.
Sao Tome and Principe
D&D Clothing offers both ready-to-wear and custom ensembles, donning patterns that range from animal print to neon patchwork.
Senegal
Contemporary lifestyle brand Diarrablu innovates tradition through its inclusive clothing, jewelry, ceramics, and artwork.
Seychelles
Johanna Didon launched her brand Katiti in 2017, which focuses on classic styles with edgy twists, although she had been sewing clothes since she was 12.
Sierra Leone
Sai Sankoh looks to retro and vintage clothing for inspiration as well as pieces in her own wardrobe; her work brings luxury to anyone and everyone.
Somalia
Through a combined interest in jewelry and tailoring, Omar Munie began his award-winning work as a bag designer in the early 2010s.
South Africa
Swim, surf, and beachwear brand Bantu Wax is making waves with its graphics-driven apparel.
Sudan
Yousra Elsadig aims to dismantle stereotypes and sustainability through her work with brand Boutique de Nana.
South Sudan
Activist, doctor, and designer multi-hyphenate Mayada Adil uses clothes to empower women refugees and honor diplomacy.
Tanzania
Through her brand Naledi, designer Kemi Kalikawe celebrates spunk and youthfulness and advocates for women's equality at the intersections of fashion and technology.
Togo
Textile artist and designer Jacques Agbobly launched their made-to-order knitwear label, Black Boy Knits, inspired by the joy they saw as a child from customers of tailors and seamstresses in Togo.
Tunisia
Appearing on Project Runway Middle East, Malek Gheni juxtaposes maximalist bling with simple and geometric pieces.
Uganda
Bobby Kolade's brand Buzigahill aims to combat Uganda's secondhand clothing crisis, by making efforts to return its textile industry to the success it faced in the late twentieth century.
Zambia
As an entrepreneur and founder of Debbie Chu, Deborah Chuma sees her label as a community, rather than a fashion design brand.
Zimbabwe
Vanhu Vamwe has created a community of macramé weavers and celebrates handmade objects and craftsmanship.
