For us at BellaNaija Style, the month of March is dedicated to celebrating African women through our BellaNaija Style Women’s Month activities.
Today we are celebrating and showcasing rising African female designers who have caught our attention with their creative and unique designs that incorporate various materials, ranging from innovative tailoring to intricate, handmade artisanal pieces.
While they might not be new to the fashion scene, they’re doing something unique and relevant. There is no doubt that their quality of work is exceptional. If you are searching for innovative brands led by African female designers, these are the ones to put on your radar.
Priya Ahluwalia
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London-based designer Priya Ahluwalia represents a new wave of African female designers transforming menswear.
Her namesake label incorporates her Nigerian and Indian heritage through beading, embroidery, and bright colours. Her unique fabric approach earned her the LVMH Prize in 2020 and the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design in 2021.
Ahluwalia launched a capsule in collaboration with luxury brand Ganni last season, and she recently unveiled ten ready-to-wear looks for her label this season. They include embroidered sets and high-rise denim with geometric motifs inspired by braids.
Omoniyi Ogochukwu Shokoya
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Nigerian designer Omoniyi Ogochukwu Shokoya is the Creative Director of urban African knitwear brand Floyd Cardigan Collection. Her brand is beloved for its easy-to-wear foundation pieces, distinguished by premium materials and subtle yet striking details. Omoniyi unveiled her new collection for SS22 tagged “Journey to Self,” an exploration of self-realisation and acceptance. Her latest offering includes impeccably crafted cardigans, dresses, shorts, sets and jumpsuits.
Nicole Ncube
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Nicole Ncube, a young lady from Soweto, is redefining luxury streetwear. After being rejected by multiple modelling agencies, Nicole started her fashion line Ascend Label– the latest athleisure brand taking the South African fashion scene by storm.
With a range of gender fluid, versatile pieces that are wearable in many ways, she aims to rewrite societal norms and expectations through her clothes.
Chloe Asaam
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Chloe Asaam started designing in response to Ghana’s largest secondhand market, Kantamanto, which imports 15 million secondhand garments per week from the west. Consequently, this leads to excess waste that is detrimental to the environment. The Accra-based womenswear designer repurposes fabrics from the market like cotton and linens, fusing them with traditional Ghanaian textiles in a new and innovative way. Additionally, she incorporates QR codes into garments to display product information.
With sustainability becoming a buzzword in the fashion industry, Asaam aims to provide transparency. In a photo series, her brand was spotlighted by Mercedes Benz Fashion Week a few years back, zooming in as one of the most promising designers in Ghana.
Doreen Mashika
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Having studied and worked in Switzerland, Doreen Mashika returned to Tanzania to set up her eponymous label in the cosmopolitan city of Zanzibar.
Taking inspiration from her Tanzanian heritage and Zanzibar’s tropical atmosphere, Doreen’s offerings feature East African wax print Kitenge done in frocks and beach-ready dresses. As of late, the brand has also shifted towards accessories, from bags to jewellery, uniquely mixing materials.