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Dubai-based Georgia Bobley and Dar es Salaam-based Nisha Kanabar founded Industrie Africa in June. The digital fashion showroom aims to empower and promote local African labels. They give us their breakdown of the African brands to love right now.
Designer Akosua Afriyie-Kumi’s has beautiful sustainable bags that are handcrafted using traditional weaving techniques from village. Designer Ami Doshi Shah’s creations feature the use of materials like dried wood, agate and leather, as well as local stones and gems. While Rich Mnisi a gender ambiguous brand is seeking to portray modern Africa.
“Our list of 82 designers from 23 countries has been curated over a year of first-hand research” — Nisha Kanabar and Georgia Bobley
Here are 5 African brands to adore
AAKS produces sustainable bags that are handcrafted using traditional weaving techniques from designer Akosua Afriyie-Kumi’s village — the result is bright raffia bags in chic, modern silhouette.
Indian-Kenyan designer Ami Doshi Shah’s creations feature the use of materials like dried wood, agate and leather, as well as local stones and gems. Although geometric in structure, Shah’s designs retain the raw nature of the material by keeping it uncut.
Designers Aya and Mounaz Abdelraouf founded this handbag line with the intention to promote and preserve Egyptian artistry and traditional practices by showcasing the unique heritage of their home city, Cairo, through their embroidery and unique metallic finish.
The eponymous ready-to-wear menswear and womenswear designer’s minimal, gender-ambiguous garments seek to craft a portrait of modern Africa. Industrieafrica.com
The socially enterprising brand in Arusha, Tanzania, led by Eszter Rabin and Rebecca Olivia Moore, reinterprets traditional Maasai beading techniques to create ultra-wearable and vivid contemporary jewellery, and it employs Maasai women to produce it.
Photograph: Abbi Kemp Photography (Nisha Kanabar and Georgia Bobley)