Africa Fashion Week London 2026 Introduces the New Creative DNA Cohort

AFWL once again partners with the British Council’s Creative DNA Programme as part of Africa Fashion Week London 2026 with a collaboration that continues to play a vital role in shaping the future of African fashion.

In the lead-up to the AFWL2026 live shows, the British Council offices in Stratford will become a dynamic hub of creativity and exchange, hosting three days of activations designed to support, challenge and elevate participating designers.

Across the continent, there is no shortage of creativity. What is often missing, however, is structured access to industry knowledge, international markets, manufacturing networks and sustainable pathways to scale. The Creative DNA Programme responds directly to this need, supporting designers not just as creatives but as entrepreneurs navigating a complex global industry. It is this kind of intentional investment that is critical to unlocking Africa’s full creative and economic potential.

AFWL welcomes the new cohort of designers from Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Kenya.

See who they are below:

Xufan

Xufan is one of the most exciting emerging voices in African fashion, blending Ethiopian heritage and digital culture into a new creative universe. Founded by designer and digital artist Solome Kiflu, the brand sits at the intersection of fashion, art, gaming, technology, and culture — creating immersive collections that challenge traditional ideas of what African fashion can be.

@xufan_wear

Joan Jade

Joan Jade is part of a vibrant new generation of East African fashion brands celebrating heritage through contemporary design. Founded in Uganda in 2021 by Joan Nantege, the label has quickly established a distinctive aesthetic that blends African artistry, cultural storytelling, and modern femininity into collections designed for women who are confident, expressive, and unafraid to stand out.

@joanjade_official

PatCh

PatCh Maoko is a Zimbabwean accessories brand founded by Chido Kaseke that uses handcrafted design to preserve and reinterpret cultural identity. Each handbag is meticulously handmade using traditional techniques and its innovative use of hessian — a material traditionally associated with Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector — alongside discarded and overlooked materials that are reimagined into luxury accessories with contemporary appeal.

@patch_maoko_ezim

Soleil

Soleil is a rising Zimbabwean streetwear label reshaping contemporary African fashion through sustainability, storytelling, and cultural identity. Founded in Harare in 2023 by Ropafadzo Kuki Mapira, the brand creates elevated streetwear for a new generation of African creatives — blending heritage symbolism, modern silhouettes, and thoughtful craftsmanship.

@soleil.zw

Ohana Swimwear

Ohana. Photo Credit: Africa Fashion Week London

Since 2018, Ohana has been redefining African swim and resort wear through design and cultural storytelling. What began as a personal search for African-inspired swimwear for Kenyan entrepreneur Neema Nkatha Kinoti, Ohana has evolved into a purpose-driven movement celebrating Kenyan identity, confidence and representation.

@ohana.swimwear

Republic of Africa

Republic of Africa is more than a fashion label; it’s a cultural movement built to restore African confidence, celebrate identity, and elevate the global Black experience through design. Founded by Awura Abena Agyeman and emerging from the legacy of WEAR Ghana — one of Ghana’s most loved contemporary fashion brands — Republic of Africa represents a new era of luxury rooted in cultural power.

@wearghana

Atieno Studio

Atieno Studio is redefining contemporary African resort wear through the art of crochet, craftsmanship, and cultural storytelling.

Born in Nairobi and inspired by the colour, rhythm, and warmth of the Kenyan coast, the Creative Director and CEO, Bettydora Odhiambo, blends artisanal crochet with elevated summer dressing to create pieces that feel effortless for a new generation of globally conscious fashion lovers.

@atienostudio

Dimeji Ilori

Dimeji Ilori is part of a new generation of Nigerian designers reshaping African luxury through craftsmanship, sustainability, and cultural storytelling. Founded in Lagos in 2021, the brand’s founder, Ilori, has quickly gained attention for his emotionally charged design language, heritage textiles, artisanal techniques, and contemporary silhouettes that come together in collections that feel both deeply rooted and globally relevant.

@dimejiilori

Mastewal Alemu

Rooted in sustainability, cultural identity, and conscious craftsmanship, Mastewal Alemu creates fashion with both meaning and long-term impact.

At the heart of the brand’s identity is the use of eco-friendly Ethiopian handloom fabrics, meticulously handwoven 100% cotton textiles crafted on traditional looms by local artisan weavers. By working closely with artisans and skilled makers, the brand preserves traditional craftsmanship while supporting a more sustainable and inclusive fashion ecosystem across Africa.

@mastewalalemu_

Matheo Studio

Matheo Studio is part of a new generation of African designers using fashion as cultural storytelling, artistic expression, and social commentary. Founded in Kigali by Rwandan designer Maurice Niyigena, the brand has gained recognition for its cinematic, Afrofuturist approach to fashion, blending avant-garde silhouettes, African narratives, and emotionally charged craftsmanship into visionary collections.

@matheostudio