54 African Designers You Should Know

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.”