Africa Fashion Week Middle East to take place in Dubai this year

The Africa Fashion Week Middle East (AFWME) will be launched in Dubai in October 2020. Incepted by Dubai-based entrepreneurs Aser Levron, Dina Yassin and Badrriya Henry, along with founding partner, the African Fashion Fund AFWME aims to bridge the gap between local desire for originality in fashion and provide much-needed exposure for African and Middle Eastern fashion aesthetics.

The African Fashion Fund, an organisation that empowers fashion designers from Africa and its diaspora, will lend its support to the inaugural edition of AFWME. Revolving around technology, innovation and sustainability, the event will serve as a platform for fashion rooted in Africa and the Middle East whilst targeting the local trend-savvy cosmopolitan population.

Born from a zeal to connect fashion creators with connoisseurs in the Middle East, the first and only fashion edit of its kind seeks to promote the African creative industry while also celebrating the diverse, distinctive and ever-evolving fashion needs and lineage of Africa and the Middle East.

Speaking about the entrepreneurial venture, Levron said, “The whole idea is based on culturally rich nuances that need to be perfectly aligned in a globally renowned consumer space. Africa and the Middle East are both replete with talent that has long been waiting for a sustainable platform. The Middle East has a well-established fashion ecosystem, and we want to plug in the African fashion element as a natural extension to the flourishing fashion arena.”

“Africa Fashion Week has been flourishing in cities from London to Toronto. However, the Middle East region hasn’t had its own chapter until now. Our objective is to uncover untapped talent and bring it to a dynamic market that is open to experimenting with fashion. We are confident that when the Middle East and Africa come together to celebrate the innate vibrancy they share; it will be a sight to behold,” Yassin added.

“The event has the potential to become a game-changer on the global fashion scene. We aim to change the narrative because even though our regions have always been brimming with inspiration, the local fashion and creative sectors are still underserved. Ironically, in some cases, with our growing economic power, we buy collections from international brands that were inspired by our own heritage. It’s time to redirect our spending to support home-grown talent and brands that have direct access to and a deep understanding of the unique local craftmanship, textiles, rich and diverse culture and languages. Our vision is to establish a robust fashion ecosystem that will provide an enabling platform for designers and artisans,” concluded Henry.