African fashion finds its own voiceCEFR B1
25 Jan 2026
Adapted from Laura, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Muhammed Kasali, Unsplash
Ramata Diallo, a Fashion Management graduate from Kedge Business School, founded the Africa Fashion Tour to report on designers and fashion professionals across Africa. The platform tells stories about economic success, ethical production and luxury techniques that match global houses.
Diallo highlights craftsmanship such as Leppi and Kente, fabrics that require long handwork. She explains that Africa has many countries and that women’s wardrobes mix traditional, Western and hybrid styles. Consumers change dress for ceremonies and personal expression, and clients often work closely with designers as stylists.
Visibility matters: Ciara walked the Lagos Fashion Week runway for Fruche, and brands like Tongoro and Sisters of Afrika have dressed Beyoncé. Recent 2025 events included the Africa Now pop-up at Galeries Lafayette in Paris and a Ghanaian brand reaching the LVMH demi-finals; these moments led to orders and wider attention.
Difficult words
- platform — a website or service for sharing information
- craftsmanship — skill and quality in making objects by hand
- ethical — following moral rules about right behaviour
- luxury — very high quality and often expensive goods
- runway — a stage where models show new clothes
- pop-up — temporary shop or exhibition for a brand
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How can visibility at events like Lagos Fashion Week help designers? Give one or two reasons.
- How do mixed traditional and Western styles affect how people choose clothes in your country?
- Would you prefer clothes made by hand or mass-produced? Why?
Related articles
Citizen archivists record South Asian oral traditions
Citizen archivists in South Asia record folk songs, oral histories, riddles and traditional medicinal knowledge. They upload videos and transcriptions to Wikimedia Commons, Wikisource and Wikipedia to preserve fading cultural knowledge.
