AFWL 2025 Day 1 Highlights: Colour, Craft & Culture Take the Spotlight

Africa Fashion Week London 2025 launched its 15th anniversary edition at Space House on 9th August with an extravagant celebration of African fashion, artistry, and cultural heritage. Across three dynamic shows at 2pm, 4pm, and 7pm, designers from across Africa and the diaspora brought the runway to life with a blend of tradition, innovation, and show-stopping performance

2PM — INSTITUTIONAL EXCELLENCE MEETS EMERGING TALENT

Opening the day, the 2pm Catwalk Spectacular set the tone with an eclectic mix of established creative institutions and fresh independent voices.

Highlights included Sarah Ajayi, the Winchester School of Art (MA Fashion Design & MA Textile Design), and the Manchester Metropolitan University Adire Project.

Independent brands such as Afrowema, Silvia Osawe, MBW Fashion Addict, Makenzy Creations, Princess Vogue Fashions, Yetty Couture, Zainab O, and Minuel Designs delivered bold colour palettes, intricate textile work, and contemporary African silhouettes.

4PM — THE NEXT GENERATION TAKES CENTRE STAGE

At pm, the British Council Creative DNA Delegation presented a dazzling vision of Africa’s fashion future.

Designers including Sevaria (Kenya), Epica Jewellery (Kenya), Kisaro Nairobi (Kenya), Ometsey (Ghana), Black Fine & Fly (Nigeria), Dagmawit (Ethiopia), Rungano Rwedu (Zimbabwe), Henri Uduku (Nigeria), and Shwanda Kollection (Uganda) showcased collections that fused cultural heritage with modern design techniques.

The segment also featured Victoria Grace, Fassy Couture, UDefineU, ANTI, Mumini Fashion Since 1961 and Atnuda cementing the runway as a platform for innovation, ethical fashion, and cross-cultural collaboration.

7PM — A MULTISENSORY VIP SHOWCASE

The day closed with the VIP Atelier Catwalk, hosted by one of AFWL Founders Prince Kamari. Guests were treated to a special performance from the cast of Disney’s The Lion King and an immersive runway experience curated by Neuroscent, AFWL’s Official Aroma Partner.

The designer line-up featured Soboye, David Wej Lagos, Mary Martin London, Sainte, Oldwyn and Simeogieme delivering couture elegance with theatrical flair. The show closed with Meta AI and Ifeanyi Nwune (Nigerian) showcase of Transcendence, delivering the first-ever AI-powered fashion collection

Now in its 15th year, AFWL continues to be Europe’s largest celebration of African fashion and a global platform for designers to reach new audiences. Day 1 reaffirmed its mission: to promote emerging and established talent, foster cross-cultural exchange, and spotlight Africa’s influence on the global fashion stage.

ABOUT AFRICA FASHION WEEK LONDON

Africa Fashion Week London’s annual catwalk and exhibition event is one of the world’s largest and longest-running showcases of African and African-inspired fashion & design. Now in its 15th year, Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL) has hosted 3000 emerging and established designers and exhibitors to 75,000 visitors, including buyers, retailers, industry professionals and global media.  Overall, 26 African countries and 67 countries have been represented, including diaspora designers from Brazil, Europe, Asia, the Caribbean and the Americas. Additionally, AFWL has produced 12 third-party events such as the Southbank Centre’s Africa Utopia and Meltdown Festival, The Mayor of London’s Africa on the Square, and The Africa Centre’s Summer Festival. Such is the importance of AFWL, that the initiative positively impacts, directly and indirectly, over 5000 individuals annually including SMEs, designers, tailors, textile designers, students, visitors, models, stylists, photographers, journalists, caterers, artists, tech and production staff and lovers of fashion.