Interviews
CmiA-IREN & FA254 launch African Fashion Designer contest
07 Aug '14
3 min read
In close collaboration, Cotton made in Africa (CmiA), Inter Region Economic Network (IREN) and the African Fashion trend agency FA254 have set up an African design contest to rebrand the African Fashion and Textile scene. Young African Fashion designers are invited to submit their portfolios to FA254.
After being chosen by an international jury chaired by Vogue Germany chief editor Christiane Arp the winner will have the possibility to present the collection during the Berlin Fashion Week 2015 and to produce their product with internationally renowned fashion companies.
From now until August 20, young African designers based are encouraged to submit a portfolio of their work to FA254′s official website to have the chance to take their work to the next level. Ten nominees will be chosen from the submitted portfolios under various categories namely Apparel, Accessories and Home Decoration.
After a three months training program (October – December 2014) the nominees will be required to offer improved designs. An international jury chaired by Vogue Germany chief editor Christiane Arp will then select the best design in each category in January 2015. The category nominees will have the opportunity to produce their product with internationally renowned fashion companies. Additionally, the overall winner will have the chance to present the collection during the Berlin Fashion Week 2015.
“We are very excited and looking forward to support and accompany the contest as it will put a spotlight on African Fashion as well as African Textile Production,” comments Tina Stridde, Managing Director of Cotton made in Africa in Hamburg. “For the first time, it establishes a direct link between our CmiA cotton farmers who produce the sustainable raw material for the designs, African designers and the international Fashion scene.”
James Shikwati, Managing Director of IREN and associated partner of CmiA in Kenya adds: “At IREN-CmiA, we are happy to collaborate with FA254 to support the enormous fashion design talents in Africa. On top of that, we thereby aim to strengthen the Eastern Africa’s domestic textile market.”
FA254 was founded in 2013 by Waridi Schrobsdorff, a former Kenyan top model. With FA254 she aims to discover and promote new talents in order to rebrand Africa through young and creative minds.
Schrobsdorff has been in the fashion business in the European market for years. “Our goal is to change people’s minds. We have many talented young people who deserve the recognition. I’m very excited to call upon young Africans to share their talent with the world,” concludes Waridi Schrobsdorff.
After being chosen by an international jury chaired by Vogue Germany chief editor Christiane Arp the winner will have the possibility to present the collection during the Berlin Fashion Week 2015 and to produce their product with internationally renowned fashion companies.
From now until August 20, young African designers based are encouraged to submit a portfolio of their work to FA254′s official website to have the chance to take their work to the next level. Ten nominees will be chosen from the submitted portfolios under various categories namely Apparel, Accessories and Home Decoration.
After a three months training program (October – December 2014) the nominees will be required to offer improved designs. An international jury chaired by Vogue Germany chief editor Christiane Arp will then select the best design in each category in January 2015. The category nominees will have the opportunity to produce their product with internationally renowned fashion companies. Additionally, the overall winner will have the chance to present the collection during the Berlin Fashion Week 2015.
“We are very excited and looking forward to support and accompany the contest as it will put a spotlight on African Fashion as well as African Textile Production,” comments Tina Stridde, Managing Director of Cotton made in Africa in Hamburg. “For the first time, it establishes a direct link between our CmiA cotton farmers who produce the sustainable raw material for the designs, African designers and the international Fashion scene.”
James Shikwati, Managing Director of IREN and associated partner of CmiA in Kenya adds: “At IREN-CmiA, we are happy to collaborate with FA254 to support the enormous fashion design talents in Africa. On top of that, we thereby aim to strengthen the Eastern Africa’s domestic textile market.”
FA254 was founded in 2013 by Waridi Schrobsdorff, a former Kenyan top model. With FA254 she aims to discover and promote new talents in order to rebrand Africa through young and creative minds.
Schrobsdorff has been in the fashion business in the European market for years. “Our goal is to change people’s minds. We have many talented young people who deserve the recognition. I’m very excited to call upon young Africans to share their talent with the world,” concludes Waridi Schrobsdorff.
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