With its array of diverse voices, concerns and aesthetics, the African fashion scene is being continually accelerated by a constantly changing digital world. Multidimensional digital platforms, combined with the connectivity of social media are an entry point into an ever-evolving global fashion landscape led by creatives of African descent.
Echoing the cultural renaissance of the independence years, the digital revolution is facilitating a democratisation and an inclusivity stemming from a new pan-Africanism, reaching across the continent, the diaspora and beyond.
When talking about African fashion and its unique identity, we're talking about a multitude of cultures and influences – from 54 independent ecosystems, through decades of exploitation and resource limitations. Through that kind of resilience comes something quite exceptional.
Meet Nisha Kanabar – founder and CEO of fashion platform Industrie Africa. Connecting the continent's most exceptional designer talent with consumers globally, Industrie Africa serves as a creative hub within a buzzing new fashion culture. Based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Kanabar studied at Parsons School of Design in New York before working in fashion publishing at American Vogue and Vogue India. Interested in the power and role of media, she launched the platform in 2018 to advance the narrative of contemporary African fashion – showcasing nuanced diversity and transforming societal and cultural perceptions.
By establishing Industrie Africa I intended to create a channel for authentic connectivity, both regionally and globally, to address the media bias we were experiencing – the gaping lack of global presence.
Discover more about the Africa Fashion exhibition.
