AAKS was founded by Ghanaian designer Akosua Afriyie-Kumi with the intention of introducing the traditional weaving techniques she remembers from childhood to an international audience. Each piece is crafted into contemporary silhouettes with locally sourced raffia—the exuberant colors capturing the spirited essence of the brand.

Born in Nigeria and now based in Nairobi, Adele Dejak’s namesake jewelry brand draws inspiration from a variety of African and European cultural influences. Each piece is expertly handcrafted out of recycled materials, with her statement-making aesthetic extending to daring neckpieces and elegant earrings with sculptural silhouettes.

Kenya’s natural beauty is an enduring source of inspiration for designer Ami Doshi Shah. Trained as a jeweler and silversmith in the U.K., she was drawn back to her native country and launched her namesake label twelve years after graduating. Her pieces can be characterized by their unexpected, sculptural designs and spellbinding natural materials consisting of local metals and minerals

Nigerian swim and ready-to-wear designer Dumebi Iyamah created Andrea Iyamah to pay tribute to the native designs of her home country and other African nations. A celebrity favorite, her resortwear oozes versatility and can be worn straight from the beach to the street. Stand-out features include vibrant digital prints, and unique cut-out silhouettes.

Designer Aisha Babayo Shehu is a master of dichotomy. Trained as an economist, she launched her label in Lagos, embroidering authentic cultural narratives onto modern designs at the intersection of style and comfort.

Inspired by traditional West African prints and textiles, Ghanaian designer Aisha Ayensu’s ready-to-wear label, Christie Brown, is as timeless as modern. 

Founded in 2013 by Senegalese designer Diarra Bousso, Diarrablu is a sustainable resort-wear brand brought to life by a fascination for her country’s traditional craftsmanship, and math algorithms. The designers’ own background in finance served as an inspiration for the label’s striking geometric prints. Each collection personifies wanderlust with a glorious offering of swim pieces, convertible jumpsuits and kimonos.

Zanzibar-based Doreen Mashika creates breezy, island-appropriate silhouettes inspired by the colors and textiles of her Tanzanian heritage. East African Kanga prints feature prolifically in Mashika’s designs, and most of her elegant pieces are crafted from light fabrics; this is artful resort-wear fit for your jet-setting lifestyle.

Founded in 2021 by Rukky Ladoja, Nigerian label Dye Lab celebrates the traditional dyeing methods indigenous to the Yoruba people, showcasing the beauty of Adire and Aso Oke materials, as well as lively Batik prints.

Founded in Nigeria by Emmanuel Okoro, Emmy Kasbit was born out of a passion for dressing the unconventional man and woman with fierce sartorial instincts, using traditional West African weaving techniques.

Nigerian designer Frank Aghuno's collections are designed for the modern woman; his work features elegant silhouettes crafted from sumptuous Nigerian fabrics, challenging societal notions of how Nigerian women are expected to dress. 

Founded by Jennifer Mulli in 2016, Jiamini is a Kenya-based fashion and accessories label made for women by women. Each piece is artisanally crafted out of precious and repurposed materials, their statement-making aesthetic explored through elaborate beaded collars, sculptural takes on earrings and arm cuffs, and woven basket bags.

Khokho in siSwati means "grandmother;" a reference to the brand's entirely women-led team and its matriarchal influences. The accessories label—which operates out of Eswatini (formerly known in English as Swaziland)—seeks to preserve and elevate traditional Swati weaving techniques, while empowering the community by providing income and learning opportunities. Basket-style bags are crafted from locally sourced natural fibers, found in the country's indigenous vegetation, and finished with luxury details—from ethically sourced and hand-carved cow-horn tags, to luxury brass hardware which is expertly crafted in Italy. 

KikoRomeo has been igniting the Kenyan fashion scene since 1996. Led by Iona McCreath, the label offers sustainable, contemporary designs crafted by local artisans using traditional hand-dyeing techniques. At the heart of the brand is a nod to Kenyan culture, which can be noted in the brand’s quirky details that pay tribute to the country’s art and music scene.

Built on the pillars of sustainability, gender inclusion, and playful creativity, Kenyan label LilaBare, designed by Ria Ana Sejpa, celebrates the art of self-expression.

Nigerian designer Lisa Folawiyo’s intricate, embellished designs have extended far beyond her home country—pieces from her eponymous label have appeared on the likes of Lupita Nyong’o, Thandie Newton and Solange Knowles, as well as on the pages of some of the world’s leading publications. The designer pays homage to her love of Ankara textiles in her pieces, crafted by a team of expert local artisans who take on average up to 240 hours creating a single hand-embellished piece.

Established in New York City in 2009, Loza Maléombho’s self-titled brand soon made its way to the Côte d’Ivoire, a country in which the designer spent much of her childhood. Her pieces are crafted by local Ivorian artisans and feature bold decorative details—an ode to the synergies between Ivorian tribal aesthetics and New York City’s urban style.

Sustainable brand NKWO relaunched in 2012 in Nigeria, with a focus on the preservation of traditional craft while curbing the damaging effects of textile waste. Each ready-to-wear piece is crafted using traditional West African weaving, beading, hand-dyeing and embroidery. The designer created her own fabric—using a modern strip weaving technique—dubbed “Dakala.” This hand-loomed upcycled fabric has a distinctively rich feel and is featured in each collection.

Led by creative director Akébéhi Kpolo, Ivorian jewelry brand Ohiri creates conceptual pieces that serve as both sartorial adornments and artistic statements. Their approach is to understand the symbolism of ornamentation in certain ancient African cultures and to reinterpret it through different mediums, making free and abstract designs that are wholly unique and thoughtfully sustainable.

Onalaja fuses traditional Nigerian heritage with couture-worthy craftsmanship and a touch of typical European elegance to create a bold, maximalist aesthetic that seeks to empower women and capture the zeitgeist. 

Launched in 2011, Lagos-based men’s and womenswear label Orange Culture creates silhouettes with unexpected twists and employs artisanal techniques, native to the Yoruba community, into his textiles. A former LVMH Prize and Woolmark Prize semi-finalist, his daring and gender non-conforming approach to design has built him a global cult following.

Inspired by Zimbabwe’s extraordinary wildlife, each piece from Patrick Mavros is hand-crafted with sterling silver and 18-karat gold, intended to be a timeless heirloom that will be handed down between future generations.

Pichulik is an ethical jewelry brand based in Cape Town, South Africa. Rooted in its African heritage and inspired by ancient traditions and cultures around the world, the label seeks to empower women and impart sacred feminine wisdom with its bold designs. Rope is used as the principal medium throughout the labels’ collection of earrings, bracelets and necklaces, reimagined as a symbol of liberation and freedom of self. 

Sidai Designs is deeply rooted in Maasai culture. Since 2011, designers Eszter Rabin and Rebecca Olivia Moore have been collaborating with female Maasai artisans to create contemporary designs made from traditional beading techniques belonging to their community. The result is wearable art pieces—striking adornments that have captured the attention of major stores across the globe.

Launched in 2013 by co-founders Abrima Erwiah and Rosario Dawson, Studio 189 focuses on creating one-of-a-kind pieces that harness traditional African textiles with fashion-forward silhouettes.

Established in 2021 by Nigerian entrepreneur Isoken Ogiemwonyi, Symbols of Authority makes opulent and irreverent jewelry, rooted in sustainability. The creations primarily feature iconography from traditional Bini art and symbols of African royalty.

Founded in 2008 by Mozambican design duo Taibo Bacar and Tatiana Ismael, the eponymous label offers a range of luxurious pieces in lively prints, cut to ultra-feminine silhouettes. Each piece is inspired by African nobility and royalty—a tribute to the strength of African heritage.