Seven years of African fashion e-commerce. Here's what we learned.
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In 2018, Industrie Africa launched as a portal for designer discovery. An indispensable tool for the fashion industry, it soon garnered international critical acclaim for its unique digital showcase and vast representation of Africa’s emerging and luxury fashion industry.
Going back to the platform's roots, the Designer Index continues as the industry's reference point for the continent's creative landscape — offering a regional and global audience insight into the continent’s diverse fashion landscape.
Explore our curated community of Africa’s foremost fashion brands.
We consider the following criteria in order to be deemed eligible for this list.
01
Brands must have regional roots and/or a base on the continent; designers must identify with Africa being their place of origin.
02
Brands must produce clothing, accessories, jewelry, or shoes. General lifestyle brands, home, custom, bridal or fine jewelry are currently exempt from this list.
03
Brands must release at least one full collection annually, well-photographed and/or formally showcased.
04
All of the designers we profile will have received some form of international exposure either from distribution, press coverage, special initiatives, or critical acclaim that has firmly placed them on the map.
05
Designers must be industry-endorsed with recognition and accolades, both from their peers and within the wider fashion industry in order to be eligible.
Every designer is measured against a shared language of five pillars — our lens for identifying the brands shaping contemporary African fashion.
Designers must demonstrate creativity and innovation. Aesthetically, all products must feel elevated in their design characteristics.
Designers whose practice reflects deliberate care for craft, people, and environment.
Designers with a clear heritage or narrative woven into every collection.
Designers representing the breadth and multiplicity of the African creative landscape.
Designers whose vision resonates beyond the continent and whose work travels internationally.
Our Sustainability icon celebrates the designers intentionally and transparently adhering to sustainable principles across four pillars.
Brands that design with circularity in mind, using creatively and innovatively recycled, upcycled or repurposed materials in production; products themselves are recyclable or designed with the intention of eventual reuse.
Brands that support local talent, skills and craftsmanship that make up the informal economy while preserving heritage and handiwork. Intrinsic to this pillar are brands that create products with longevity and durability in mind, and see the value in traditional skill revival and how it benefits communities.
Brands that make clear and straight-forward information available regarding where products are made and the makers that make them. Material sourcing is a considered process, and enables decent working conditions that minimize any negative impact on local people and the environment. Brands must ensure all workers in its operations have decent working conditions that adhere to minimum labour standards, including fair wages and treatment.
Brands adhering to this pillar take action to lessen the impact of manufacturing processes, such as conserving water and energy in the process of raw materials, using natural and low-impact dyeing techniques, and waste reduction treatments. Brands also consider the use of natural materials and fibers in production, materials that have low environmental impact, and the adoption of processes that employ renewable energy.
