{"id":74714,"date":"2026-08-18T20:11:24","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T20:11:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/74714\/"},"modified":"2026-08-18T20:11:24","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T20:11:24","slug":"the-african-designers-breaking-new-ground","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/74714\/","title":{"rendered":"The African Designers Breaking New Ground"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"\"\"Photo credit: @ken.dumevi<\/p>\n

As the homeland of the African diaspora and home to 55 countries and over 2,000 living languages, the African continent is made up of countless deep-rooted cultures. Yet when it comes to high fashion, African designers are majorly underrepresented. It wasn\u2019t until 2020 that Cameroonian designer Imane Ayissi became the first designer from Sub-Saharan Africa to be included on the official calendar of Paris Haute Couture Week. It was a 28-year journey for Ayissi to reach the heady heights of the fashion industry. Indeed, many designers start by showing their lines at smaller fashion weeks and, this year, a number from Sub-Saharan Africa chose Berlin as their launchpad.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s something important about bringing an African perspective into a space that\u2019s still shaping its fashion identity.<\/p>\n

Orange Culture by Adebayo Okelawal from Nigeria, BUZIGAHILL by Bobby Kolade from Uganda and PALMWINE IceCREAM by Kusi Kubi from Ghana have all presented their collections at Berlin Fashion Week in recent seasons. This year, Fruch\u00e9 by Frank Aghuno from Nigeria was on the lineup for the first time. London Fashion Week, famous for its street culture and focus on experimental designs, was traditionally known as the launchpad for emerging designers, but now a notable wave of designers from Sub-Saharan Africa are coming to Berlin.<\/p>\n

Of course, there\u2019s the question of cost. London has become prohibitively expensive for many up-and-coming brands. But the answer isn\u2019t just Berlin\u2019s (relative) affordability. Adebayo Okelawal, founder of Orange Culture, says choosing Berlin \u201cfelt quite instinctive for me. There is an openness here to emotion, to storytelling and to work that sits outside of the expected.\u201d It\u2019s a city that aligns with his designs, which fuse modern androgynous silhouettes with traditional Nigerian influences. \u201cMy collections are often rooted in vulnerability, identity and personal narratives, and Berlin feels like a place where that kind of work is understood.\u201d For Okelawal, a place that isn\u2019t a fashion capital yet is the perfect platform, since it allows for dialogue in a way that feels honest. \u201cThere\u2019s something important about bringing an African perspective into a space that\u2019s still shaping its fashion identity.\u201d<\/p>\n

The question is also whether a long-established fashion capital can still be a place to push boundaries. London may just be losing its alternative crown. Kusi Kubi, founder of PALMWINE IceCREAM, supports the sentiment that Berlin is the new home of up-and-coming fashion lines. The city \u201coffers a strong platform for independent designers, particularly through its openness to experimentation and its support of diverse, international voices.\u201d As Kubi\u2019s designs mix a European avant-garde aesthetic with Accra\u2019s vibrant street styles, he appreciates a context that \u201cvalues creativity, cultural exchange and new perspectives, while still connecting with an engaged audience of press, buyers and industry professionals\u201d.<\/p>\n

Not everything has to be perfect or polished all the time. There is value in softness and in telling stories that feel real.<\/p>\n

Sub-Saharan African designers have seen a significant buzz and received an applauding reception in the fashion industry. Both Kubi and Okelawal especially praised the Fashion Council Germany for their support. But, of course, the picture isn\u2019t completely rosy. As Okelawal notes, \u201cBerlin is not as commercially driven as cities like Paris or Milan. You are not necessarily going to see immediate sales or a strong buyer presence.\u201d That means it requires a longer view. Runways in Berlin are more about building relationships and positioning brands than expecting instant results. Kubi has another gripe: there\u2019s a \u201cneed to reapply for funding each season, even for designers who have previously contributed to the programme\u201d. In true German bureaucratic style, it\u2019s the administrative practicalities that are a strain. He suggests an alternative system: \u201ca form of continued or scaled support for returning designers could help maintain momentum and allow brands to build more consistently on the platform\u201d. Berlin is known for its alternative style, but it\u2019s not so known for the adaptability of its systems.<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"Designs by Orang Culture, photos by Andreas Hofrichter<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"<\/p>\n

Looking forwards, Kubi\u2019s vision for PALMWINE IceCREAM includes a permanent and immersive space for the brand through a standalone store. \u201cThis would allow us to present our work through our own lens, creating a deeper connection with our audience while educating them on our process, materials and values.\u201d Okelawal, too, sees the future of Orange Culture as something that continues to grow beyond clothing. \u201cIt is about storytelling, community and creating space for conversations around identity and emotional wellbeing.\u201d For him, a city that values ideas and authenticity allows for this vision. \u201cAt the same time, growing the business side of the brand will always require being present in other markets as well. So for me, Berlin is an important cultural platform, but part of a wider global journey.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"Designs by PALMWINE, photos by Boris Marberg<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"<\/p>\n

Okelawal may not feel that his vision can be completely realised by staying in Berlin, but his affection for the city\u2019s fashion scene is clear. \u201cRight now, it\u2019s important to create space for honesty in fashion. Not everything has to be perfect or polished all the time. There is value in softness and in telling stories that feel real. Being in Berlin has reminded me that there is an audience for that kind of work, and that is something I really hold on to.\u201d<\/p>\n

All in all, there\u2019s a clear vote for the city from both fashion line helmers. Berlin\u2019s scene is perfectly suited to Sub-Saharan Africa brands launching a more unique fashion narrative, but whether they can achieve a solid fashion future here remains to be seen. The city\u2019s transient spirit and stubborn bureaucracy raises its head. For many people, Berlin is a place that\u2019s passed through rather than lived in \u2013 and it may just be the same for designers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Photo credit: @ken.dumevi As the homeland of the African diaspora and home to 55 countries and over 2,000…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":74715,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[9627,18,55326,741,21781],"class_list":["post-74714","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-berlin","tag-african","tag-berlin","tag-designers","tag-fashion","tag-style"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74714","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74714"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74714\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/74715"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74714"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74714"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74714"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}